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How a growing manufacturer replaced a 15-year-old ERP, on time in 11 months.
An ageing ERP system and a web of spreadsheets were holding the business back. Skillfi's fractional CIO chose the right platform, kept the implementation partner on track and brought every team along, so the new system went live on schedule and actually got used. It's how our fractional CIO service works: technology that makes the whole business run better.
A business that outgrew its system years ago.
The company makes food packaging in two plants and had doubled in size in five years. Its ERP system was 15 years old, no longer supported and couldn't handle a second plant, so teams built more than 60 spreadsheets to fill the gaps.
Stock counts were wrong almost one time in five, so orders were promised that couldn't be shipped and materials were bought twice. Planning ran on a spreadsheet one person understood. Finance spent days stitching numbers together at month-end. A previous attempt to replace the ERP had stalled after a year with nothing live, and staff were sceptical it would ever happen.
We'd already tried once and failed. Everyone assumed a new ERP was a project that never ends.
CEO, client
Choose carefully, manage the partner tightly and bring people with you.
Our fractional CIO owned the project from selection to go-live, acting for the business rather than the software vendor. Finance processes in the new system were designed with a fractional CFO.
The right platform and partner
Requirements gathered from every team, three platforms scored through scripted demos and a partner chosen on manufacturing experience, not price alone.
A partner held to milestones
Standard features first and few customisations, a fixed scope, payments tied to milestones and weekly progress reviews against the plan.
People ready on day one
Champions in every team, hands-on training, three full practice runs before go-live and floor support for the first month.
11 months, step by step
From an ageing system and 60 spreadsheets to one platform the whole company runs on. Here's how the engagement unfolded.
- Month 1–23 platforms scored
Requirements & selection
Processes mapped with every team, three platforms tested through scripted demos and a clear winner chosen.
- Month 2–3Fixed scope
Partner & plan
Implementation partner selected, scope fixed and payments tied to clear milestones.
- Month 3–75 modules
Design & build
Purchasing, production planning, inventory, sales and finance set up on standard processes wherever possible.
- Month 6–93 practice runs
Data & testing
15 years of data cleaned and moved, with three full practice runs of a real week in the new system.
- Month 8–10310 people trained
Training & readiness
Champions trained first, then every user, with go-live checklists signed off by each team.
- Month 11Live on time
Go-live
Both plants switched over on the planned date, with floor support and daily check-ins for the first month.
One system, from order to cash
Every step of the business now runs in one place, with the spreadsheets that used to hold it together retired.
Promises you can keep
- Live stock when quoting
- Real delivery dates
- Order tracking
Both plants, one plan
- Production scheduling
- Material planning
- Capacity by plant
Counts you can trust
- Barcode scanning
- Cycle counts
- Reorder alerts
Numbers without stitching
- Costs by product
- Faster month-end
- Live dashboards
Six months after go-live
Inventory accuracy
So customer promises are based on stock that's really there.
After one failed attempt, we went live on the exact date we planned. Our stock numbers are finally right, and our teams run the business instead of their spreadsheets.
CEO, clientHas your business outgrown its systems?
Our fractional CIO will choose the right platform, hold your implementation partner to the plan and get your people ready, so your new system goes live on time and gets used. Want finance set up right from day one? Add a fractional CFO.
- Requirements & platform selection
- A partner held to milestones
- Clean data & practice runs
- Training & go-live support
30 minutes. No obligation.
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