ERP projects often fail on unclear goals. “We need a new ERP” is not enough. Before choosing a vendor, executives and IT should clarify what should change measurably within 12 to 18 months.

Examples of measurable goals:

• Reduce stock levels by a defined percentage
• Shorten the quote-to-order lead time
• Create production transparency for planning
• E-invoicing and DATEV without manual re-entry

Goals lead to scope: which processes are in the first rollout, which come later? Who is responsible? What budget and timeframe are realistic?

Scope that is too large is the second most common mistake after missing goals (common mistakes). Starting process-oriented reduces risk (expand process-oriented).

Before committing to a fixed price or a large project: validate scope and ROI with a prototype or specification. A 48h prototype makes one sub-process tangible before budget is committed.

Document goals in writing, align them with business departments, and review them regularly against milestones. ERP is an investment, not a purchase from a feature list.