The Mid-Flight ERP Decision: What to Do When the Platform Changes Before Go-Live
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations are complicated enough without the technology changing in the middle of the project. But as ERP expert Gina Pollok explains in her recent ERP Today article, that’s becoming an increasingly common challenge as cloud ERP vendors continuously release new features and capabilities. Imagine being months into an implementation, with requirements finalized and custom development already underway, only to discover that your ERP vendor is about to release a standard feature that does much of the same thing. Do you continue with the customization, stop and wait for the new capability, or find a middle ground? According to Pollok, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. The key is taking a step back and evaluating the situation based on facts—not momentum or the fear of wasting work that’s already been completed.
Continuing with the original plan may protect the go-live timeline, but it could also leave the organization supporting a customization that soon becomes unnecessary. Stopping development may mean accepting short-term losses and delays, but it could prevent years of maintenance and technical debt. The third option—a hybrid approach—focuses on building only the minimum functionality needed to support the business until the standard capability becomes available.
The biggest takeaway is that changing direction during an ERP implementation shouldn’t automatically be viewed as a failure. In a cloud environment where platforms are constantly evolving, change is simply part of the process. Successful organizations will be the ones with governance models flexible enough to pause, assess what has changed, and make decisions based on long-term business value—not just sunk costs or schedule pressure.
