Independent ERP Advisory for a Complex ERP Transformation

The Client

The client is a leading public listed Real Estate development and management company with diverse business operation spanning Project Development, Project Management, Property Sales & Leasing, Facilities Management, Tendering & Contracts, Procurement, Stores, Human Resources, Customer Support, Finance, Investment & Treasury.

The organisation engaged Affility to provide independent ERP advisory and project management support for a major ERP transformation programme.

Background and Business Requirements

The Finance function was operating on an outdated version of Microsoft Dynamics ERP, while several other business functions were supported through in-house applications.

As the organisation grew, this fragmented technology environment created a need for a more centralised and integrated ERP platform.

The objective was to move towards Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations (F&O), while ensuring that the new system reflected the organisation’s actual business requirements.

The client therefore required an independent advisor to understand and document business processes, prepare the RFP, support system integrator selection, oversee the implementation and provide advisory support through to go-live and post-go-live stabilisation.

The Engagement

Affility provided end-to-end ERP advisory and PMO support across the transformation lifecycle.

The engagement began with business process walkthroughs involving process owners and key stakeholders across functions including Project Development, Procurement, Contracts, Stores, Projects, Facilities Management, Property Sales & Leasing, Finance, Treasury HR and Administration.

Based on the requirements gathered, Affility prepared the RFP/RFQ for potential system integrators.

Affility then supported the ERP vendor selection process, evaluating proposals on functional and technical capability, total cost of ownership, industry experience, team capability, references and post-go-live support. Technical, functional and commercial comparison reports were prepared to support the client’s decision-making.

Following system integrator selection, Affility provided project planning and PMO advisory, reviewing project plans, milestones, responsibilities, dependencies and key risks.

During implementation, Affility supported solution design and business blueprint creation, including business requirement validation, blueprint review, data cleansing, integration considerations, solution prototyping and end-to-end process testing.

The transformation involved moving from the legacy Microsoft Dynamics GP and in-house applications towards Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O. The majority of business functions were brought onto the new ERP platform, while the specialised real estate module remained outside the F&O scope.

The Deliverable

The engagement covered a comprehensive set of ERP advisory and project governance deliverables, including:

• Business process documentation and ERP RFP/RFQ
• Technical, functional and commercial vendor evaluations
• Contract review and negotiation support
• Project planning and PMO governance
• Business blueprint and solution review
• Data migration and data cleansing support
• Solution prototype review and testing support
• Project Risk management and mitigation
• Stakeholder and change management
• Go-Live readiness assessment
• Post-go-live support planning

Affility also supported the client for three months after go-live, ensuring monthly financial closing activities and management reporting.

The Result

The engagement supported the client’s transition from a fragmented legacy technology environment towards a more centralised Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations platform.

The ERP transformation was approached as a business transformation programme rather than simply a software replacement exercise. Business processes and requirements were considered alongside technology, implementation planning, stakeholder management, data migration, testing and change management.

Through independent ERP advisory and project oversight, Affility provided a structured link between the client’s business stakeholders and the system integrator throughout the transformation lifecycle – from requirements definition and vendor selection through implementation and post-go-live support.