If you're planning an ERP or HRIS implementation, one of the first questions you're likely to ask is:
How long is it going to take?
It's a sensible question - but there's rarely a simple answer.
A relatively straightforward NetSuite implementation might be delivered in a matter of months, while a complex IFS transformation spanning multiple sites and countries could become a multi-year programme.
The same applies to Epicor and HRIS projects. Scope, business complexity, integrations, data migration, customisation, internal resource and the number of countries or business units involved can all have a significant impact on the timeline.
And there's another consideration that doesn't always get as much attention:
What talent will you need at each stage of the implementation?
Because the people you need during discovery aren't necessarily the same people you'll need for testing, go-live or post-implementation support.
So, how long do implementations actually take?
There is no universal implementation timeline for any of these systems, but the following gives a useful indication of how projects can vary:
|
Platform |
Indicative implementation timeframe |
What can make it longer? |
|
NetSuite |
Around 3-6 months for a relatively straightforward implementation; 9-18 months for more complex programmes |
Multiple entities or countries, extensive integrations, customisation, data migration and wider transformation |
|
Epicor Kinetic |
Around 5-10 months for a typical mid-market implementation; 10-18 months for complex programmes |
Multi-site manufacturing, MES/APS, integrations, data migration and customisation |
|
IFS Cloud |
Around 6-12 months for mid-market implementations; 12-18+ months for larger enterprise programmes |
Multi-site or multi-country rollouts, multiple modules, complex manufacturing/service operations, integrations and phased deployment |
|
HRIS |
Highly variable - from a few months for focused implementations to 12+ months for complex or global programmes |
Payroll, multiple countries, integrations, data quality, complex workflows, compliance and change management |
These are indicative ranges, not promises. A major ERP transformation can extend well beyond 18 months - particularly where an organisation is rolling out in phases across multiple countries, business units or sites. Broader ERP research puts large enterprise programmes at 12-36 months or more in some circumstances.
In other words, "How long does IFS take to implement?" isn't really the question.
A better question is:
"What are we trying to implement, across how much of the business, and what does that mean for the people we need?"
The talent requirement changes throughout the project
An implementation isn't one project requiring one team from beginning to end.
As the project progresses, the balance of skills changes.
1. Discovery, planning and solution design
Before configuration starts, organisations need to understand what they're actually trying to achieve.
This is where you'll typically see demand for:
- Programme Managers
- Project Managers
- Solution Architects
- Enterprise Architects
- Business Analysts
- Functional Consultants
- Subject Matter Experts
These people help define requirements, map current processes and establish what the future-state system should look like.
For a large IFS or Epicor transformation, for example, understanding the operational side of the business can be just as important as understanding the technology.
The same applies to HRIS.
A technically capable consultant may understand the platform inside out, but HR, payroll and people processes can introduce a level of complexity that requires genuine business knowledge.
At this stage, strategic, functional and business-facing expertise tends to be particularly important.
2. Configuration and implementation
Once the design has been agreed, the project moves into configuration and delivery.
This is where specialist platform expertise becomes critical.
Depending on the system, that could mean:
NetSuite
- NetSuite Functional Consultants
- NetSuite Technical Consultants
- Solution Architects
- Developers
- ERP Business Analysts
- Finance specialists
Epicor
- Epicor Functional Consultants
- Epicor Technical Consultants
- ERP Business Analysts
- Manufacturing specialists
- Integration specialists
- Developers
IFS
- IFS Functional Consultants
- IFS Technical Consultants
- Solution Architects
- Business Analysts
- Manufacturing specialists
- Supply chain or service specialists
HRIS
- HRIS Consultants
- HR Systems Analysts
- HRIS Business Analysts
- Integration specialists
- Payroll specialists
- HR Subject Matter Experts
The exact requirements will vary considerably by project.
A relatively standard implementation may need a relatively focused team.
A global transformation involving multiple modules, sites and integrations can require a much broader mix of specialists.
3. Data migration and integrations
This is one of the areas that can have a significant impact on an implementation timeline.
On paper, moving data from one system to another can sound straightforward.
In reality, businesses often discover:
- Duplicate records
- Inconsistent data
- Missing information
- Legacy processes
- Different data structures
- Systems that don't integrate as expected
Then there are the integrations themselves.
Modern ERP and HRIS platforms rarely operate in isolation. They may need to connect with finance systems, CRM platforms, payroll, ecommerce, manufacturing systems, reporting tools and other business applications.
That can create demand for:
- Data Migration Consultants
- Data Analysts
- Integration Consultants
- Integration Developers
- Technical Architects
- API specialists
This is also why data and integration specialists shouldn't necessarily be viewed as a late-stage recruitment requirement.
The earlier these challenges are understood, the less likely they are to become a late-stage blocker.
4. Testing and User Acceptance Testing
As configuration progresses, the focus shifts from:
"Can we build it?"
to:
"Does it actually work?"
Testing can involve system testing, integration testing, data validation and User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
At this stage, organisations may need:
- Test Managers
- Test Analysts
- UAT Leads
- Business Analysts
- Functional Consultants
- Subject Matter Experts
- Project Managers
And this is where having the right mix of technical and business knowledge becomes particularly valuable.
The implementation team understands how the system has been configured.
The business understands whether it actually works for the people who will use it.
You need both perspectives.
5. Training and change management
A technically successful implementation can still struggle if people aren't ready to use the new system.
This is particularly relevant where an ERP or HRIS changes established processes across an organisation.
As go-live approaches, businesses may therefore need:
- Change Managers
- Training Consultants
- Training Leads
- Business SMEs
- Functional Consultants
- Communications specialists
The technology may be new, but the bigger challenge can be getting people comfortable with a new way of working.
This is why change management and training shouldn't necessarily be treated as something to think about once the system has been built.
6. Go-live and hypercare
Then comes go-live.
But go-live isn't necessarily the end of the project.
The first few weeks and months can require significant support as real users, real transactions and real business volumes hit the new system.
This can create demand for:
- Functional Consultants
- Technical Consultants
- Integration Specialists
- Application Support Specialists
- Go-Live Support Consultants
- Project Managers
- Business Analysts
Having access to people who understand both the technology and the implementation itself can be particularly valuable during this period.
7. And then the project can continue...
For some organisations, the first go-live is only one milestone in a much larger transformation.
A business might launch its ERP in one country before rolling it out elsewhere.
It might implement core functionality before adding additional modules.
Or it might continue with optimisation, further integrations and process improvements after the initial implementation.
This is one reason why a project described as a "12-month implementation" can actually result in specialist talent being required over a much longer period.
The technology roadmap and the talent roadmap don't always end on the same date.
The bigger the transformation, the bigger the talent challenge
This is perhaps the most important takeaway for businesses planning an ERP or HRIS project.
Implementation duration isn't simply about the software.
It's about the scale of the change.
A straightforward, single-entity NetSuite implementation could have a very different talent requirement to a multi-country transformation.
A single-site Epicor project is unlikely to require the same resource profile as a complex manufacturing rollout involving MES, multiple sites and extensive integrations.
And an IFS Cloud implementation covering a global organisation's manufacturing, supply chain, asset management and service operations could become a significantly longer and more resource-intensive programme.
The longer the programme, the more important it becomes to think about talent in stages rather than trying to build one project team and keep everyone in place indefinitely.
So, when should you start thinking about recruitment?
Ideally, before you need someone.
Specialist ERP and HRIS talent can be difficult to find - particularly where you're looking for a combination of platform expertise, industry knowledge and experience at a particular stage of implementation.
The consultant who is perfect for solution design may not be the person you need for post-go-live support.
The functional consultant who has delivered a straightforward implementation may not have the experience required for a complex global rollout.
And someone with excellent technical knowledge may not have the stakeholder management skills needed to work with a business going through significant change.
That's why understanding the talent requirement should be part of the implementation plan from the beginning.
The real implementation timeline
When planning an ERP or HRIS transformation, there are really two timelines to consider:
The technology roadmap
and
the talent roadmap.
From discovery and solution design through configuration, data migration, testing, training, go-live and hypercare, the skills you need will change.
Getting the right people involved at the right time can help keep the project moving - and avoid reaching a critical stage of the implementation only to discover that the specialist expertise you need isn't available.
Because ultimately, successful implementation isn't just about choosing the right system.
It's about having the right people to make it work.
