Module 26 · Specialist · 8 min read
Phases, timeline and governance
You will be able to: Lay out an ERP project in phases with stage gates; Build a realistic timeline for a small business; Set up governance: steering, status reports and decision logs.
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A project is a controlled path from agreement to a working system. Phases give it shape, stage gates give it checkpoints, and governance keeps decisions visible.
| Phase | Main work | Gate at the end |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Prepare | Kick-off, team, access, plan | Plan approved |
| 2 Discover and design | Workshops, requirements, fit-gap, blueprint | Blueprint signed |
| 3 Build | Configure Zeyto, masters, users, prints; first migration | Configuration review |
| 4 Migrate and test | Rehearsals, reconciliation, test scripts, UAT | UAT signed |
| 5 Train and cut over | Training, cutover plan, final load | Go/no-go |
| 6 Hypercare and close | Support, first month-end, handover, closure | Acceptance |
What each gate checks
- Blueprint signed: scope, fit-gap decisions and assumptions agreed by the sponsor, finance lead and process owners.
- UAT signed: all Must scripts passed, no open severity 1 or 2 defects, accepted items listed in writing.
- Go/no-go: opening balances reconciled and signed, users trained, backup restore-tested, support rota in place.
An example timeline: 12 users, one site, 10 weeks
| Weeks | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 | Kick-off, document collection, access |
| 2-3 | Discovery workshops, requirements, fit-gap |
| 4 | Blueprint review and sign-off |
| 4-6 | Configuration; data cleansing by the client |
| 6-7 | Migration rehearsals 1 and 2; opening balances reconciled |
| 7-8 | UAT; defect fixing |
| 8-9 | Training sessions; cutover preparation |
| 9 | Final cutover weekend and go-live |
| 10 onwards | Hypercare and first month-end |
This plan assumes the client's people are available about two hours a day. If they are not, the timeline stretches. State this assumption in the SOW.
Governance
- Steering committee: sponsor, client lead, accountant, project manager. Meets at each gate, or every two weeks, to decide scope, budget and go/no-go.
- Weekly status report: one page with progress, next steps, risks and decisions needed, and a red, amber or green rating.
- Decision log: date, decision, who decided, why. It ends many arguments later.
- Change control: described in a separate lesson.
- Document control: version numbers and a single shared folder.
A one-page statusWeek 6, Amber. Done: configuration 90%, customers and suppliers loaded. Risk: the accountant's ageing file arrives 3 days late; recovery is possible if received by Friday. Decision needed: sponsor to confirm the second UAT tester. Next week: rehearsal 2 and UAT preparation.
TipFix the date of go-live only after the second migration rehearsal. Promising a date at kick-off, before you have seen the data, is how projects start late.
Practise in the demo
- Draw a six-phase plan for a 10-user client with gates and dates.
- List the decisions a steering committee would make at the blueprint gate.
- Open https://demo.zeyto.app/demo-app/ and sign in with the demo login. This is a public demo with sample data, so nothing you do there affects a real business.
Public demo company, sign in as admin / demoAdmin123. Data refreshes nightly.
Key takeaways
- Phases end in gates: blueprint, UAT and go/no-go.
- A 12-user, one-site project typically runs about 10 weeks with client availability stated.
- Governance means a status report, a decision log and change control.
Check yourself
3 questions on this lesson. Not timed, not the exam, and you can try again. Score 60% or more, and read the lesson, to complete it.
1. Which of these is a stage gate in an ERP project?
2. The project is slipping by 3 days but recovery is possible. What rating does the status report show?
3. Which TWO belong in a project's governance?
Select all that apply.