ERP implementations are one of the most significant investments a company can make. They are complex, expensive, and notoriously prone to failure. For project-driven businesses, where your core revenue-generating activities are tied to the successful execution of projects, the stakes are even higher.
The biggest risks don’t come from the software itself. They come from a fundamental mismatch between a generic solution, a generalist implementation partner, and the highly specific needs of a project-based business.
Successfully navigating this challenge is critical. Here are the three most significant risks you face in a Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance implementation and a clear framework for mitigating them, ensuring you not only go live but maximize the return on your investment.
Risk #1: Choosing a Generalist Partner Who Doesn’t Speak “Project”
The most common mistake is selecting a large, reputable D365 partner who has implemented the software hundreds of times, but never for a business that operates like yours. They don’t truly understand the nuances of project accounting, complex cost breakdown structures, work breakdown structures, resource planning, or progress billing.
“The biggest risk is selecting a partner who has implemented the software hundreds of times—but never for a business as complex as yours.”
They treat your core business processes as edge cases to be “customized,” leading to endless scope creep, broken workflows, and a system that never quite fits.
The Solution: Partner with Project Experts First
The de-risking strategy involves prioritizing a partner’s industry expertise over their size or general technical credentials. Look for a partner whose team is composed of professionals with real-world experience in project-driven industries. This deep, domain-specific expertise is critical. It ensures the partner anticipates challenges unique to your business and designs a system based on proven best practices, not generic ERP templates. The focus should be on their ability to understand your business processes at a fundamental level.
Risk #2: Forcing a Standard ERP to Do a Project-Based Job
The second major risk is attempting to use the standard D365 Finance modules or basic bolt-on tools to manage highly complex project operations. This approach inevitably forces your team into a world of manual workarounds, offline spreadsheets, and fragile integrations.
“You end up with disconnected data and zero real-time visibility. The very problems the ERP was meant to solve are made worse.”
You end up with disconnected data, no single source of truth, and zero real-time visibility between what’s happening in the project and what’s being recorded in the ERP. The very problems the ERP was meant to solve are made worse.
The Solution: Adopt a Purpose-Built, Natively Embedded Solution
The most effective way to mitigate this risk is to adopt a solution that is purpose-built for project-based work and natively embedded within D365 Finance. Unlike bolt-on applications that introduce integration risk and data silos, a native solution provides a seamless user experience with a single, shared set of data. The ideal system is a comprehensive platform that unifies financials and operations out-of-the-box, handling the complexities of project-based businesses without requiring extensive, high-risk customizations.
Risk #3: Focusing on Technology, Not User Adoption
The implementation is technically successful, and the system is live. But six months later, nobody is using it correctly. Project managers have reverted to their old spreadsheets because the new system feels cumbersome, and the finance team doesn’t trust the data. The massive investment fails to deliver any real business value because the implementation partner focused on flipping technical switches, not on changing how people work.
“A successful implementation isn’t just about technology; it’s about people. The most insidious type of failure is a system that no one uses.”
The Solution: Prioritize a People-First, Process-Driven Approach
A successful implementation hinges on prioritizing people and processes over technology. The most effective methodology is one that focuses on redesigning and optimizing business processes first, then configuring the system to support them. This approach ensures the technology serves the user, not the other way around. The goal should be to empower teams and transform roles, enabling project managers to become strategists who guide outcomes, not data administrators who chase updates. A relentless focus on the end-user from day one is the surest path to high user adoption and achieving the strategic outcomes that justify the investment.
Conclusion: The Path to a Successful D365 Implementation
To de-risk your D365 implementation, you must address these critical failure points head-on. By choosing an expert partner, adopting a purpose-built solution, and prioritizing a people-first approach, you pave the way for a successful outcome.
PlanAutomate is the only partner that brings all three de-risking strategies together under one roof for project-driven companies. We provide the secure path to not just a successful implementation, but a true business transformation that maximizes your Dynamics 365 investment.
Planning a D365 Finance implementation? Let’s talk about how we can de-risk your project and guarantee its success.
