ERP Implementation Decision Log
This is a practical guide to building a decision log for an erp implementation project — a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why, adapted to the realities of replacing or deploying an enterprise resource planning system across the whole organisation.
What a Decision Log is
A decision log is a record of the key decisions made, by whom and why. For the full concept and how it works in general, see Decision Log. On an erp implementation project it plays the same role, tuned to this kind of work.
Why it matters for an ERP Implementation project
ERP Implementation projects live or die on replacing or deploying an enterprise resource planning system across the whole organisation. A well-built decision log gives the team a shared, explicit reference for exactly that — reducing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and making problems visible early enough to act. Skipping it, or doing it generically, is how erp implementation projects drift into avoidable delay and cost.
What to include
- Decision
- Date and owner
- Rationale
- Alternatives considered
- Impact
ERP Implementation-specific considerations
Tailor the decision log to the risks that most often derail erp implementation projects:
- Under-estimated data migration
- Business-process change resistance
- Customisation over-reach
Example
On a real erp implementation project, the decision log would be shaped by replacing or deploying an enterprise resource planning system across the whole organisation. In particular, it should explicitly account for the project’s biggest risks — under-estimated data migration, business-process change resistance, customisation over-reach — rather than treating them as afterthoughts.