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ERP Project Plan: 18-Month Implementation Roadmap

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Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive project plan for an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation spanning approximately 18 months, from June 2012 to December 2013. The plan is organized into seven major phases, each broken down into 8–10 sub-processes: project management and vendor selection, hardware sizing and architectural design, functional area integration (accounting, human resources, and manufacturing/services), module-specific sub-processes for each functional area, and a final implementation phase covering data migration, training, pilot testing, and go-live support. A Gantt chart is used to map task timelines across the project lifecycle.

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What makes this paper effective

Provides a logically sequenced, phase-by-phase breakdown of a complex ERP implementation, making the project scope immediately comprehensible.
Each major phase is granularly decomposed into numbered sub-processes, demonstrating systematic project management thinking.
The inclusion of a Gantt chart reference grounds the plan in a recognized project management tool, supported by a formal citation.

Key academic technique demonstrated

This paper demonstrates the use of structured project decomposition — breaking a large, multi-year initiative into discrete, numbered work packages. By organizing tasks hierarchically (phase → sub-process), the author applies standard project management methodology, making the plan both traceable and schedulable. The citation of the Gantt chart concept from a university source shows awareness of the academic foundation underlying the tool.

Structure breakdown

The paper opens with a brief overview of the project scope and timeline, then introduces the Gantt chart as the organizational framework. The body is structured as a numbered task hierarchy across seven phases: vendor selection, hardware setup, cross-functional integration, three module-specific phases (accounting, HR, manufacturing), and a final implementation phase. The reference section closes the document.

Project Overview and Gantt Chart

The objective of this project is to present a project plan for an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation. The whole project plan spans approximately 18 months, starting on 4 June 2012 and ending by 30 December 2013. Each of the major phases is broken down into between 8 and 10 sub-processes.

The plan uses Microsoft Project to complete the schedule and the Gantt chart. As noted in the reference literature, "the basic purpose of a Gantt Chart is to break a large project into a series of smaller tasks in an organized way. The chart shows when each task should begin and how long it should take" (University of Michigan, 2002, p. 1). Figure 1 provides the Gantt chart and the project plan with the time-frame required to complete each process.

The first phase covers project management and the vendor selection process. It consists of the following sub-processes:

Phase 1: Project Management and Vendor Selection

1.1: User Interview and Checklist
1.2: Consolidated Requirements
1.3: Requirement Draft
1.4: Review and Amend the Requirements
1.5: Identify Potential Vendors
1.6: (Sub-process continued in RFI preparation)
1.7: Prepare Request for Information (RFI)
1.8: Issue RFI and Contact Vendor
1.9: Shortlist Vendor
1.10: Select the Best Vendor

This phase ensures that all organizational requirements are documented before approaching the market, and that the Request for Information (RFI) process is used to objectively evaluate and shortlist suitable ERP vendors.

The second phase addresses the hardware infrastructure needed to support the ERP system. Its sub-processes are:

Phase 2: Hardware Sizing and Architectural Considerations

2.1: Identify Specification and Size of Hardware
2.2: Develop Hardware and Architectural Blueprint
2.3: Select Hardware Components
2.4: Identify Specification and Hardware Size
2.5: Define Security Hardware and Strategy
2.6: Install Major Hardware Components
2.7: Post-Installation Meeting
2.8: Review Installed Hardware Components
2.9: Testing of Hardware System
2.10: Establish Technical Support

This phase ensures that the physical and architectural infrastructure is properly designed, installed, and validated before software integration begins. Security considerations are built in at this stage to safeguard the system environment.

Phase 3: Functional Areas — Accounting, Human Resources, Manufacturing, and Services

2 Locked Sections · 285 words remaining

48% of this paper shown

Phase 3–6: Functional Area Integration · 210 words

"Accounting, HR, and manufacturing module integration"

Phase 7: Implementation and Go-Live · 75 words

"Data migration, training, and live deployment"

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Key Concepts in This Paper

ERP Implementation Gantt Chart Vendor Selection Hardware Architecture Data Migration Functional Integration Go-Live Support HRIS Integration Manufacturing Systems Project Phases