Guide: ERP projects
Interim manager or consultant in the ERP project?
An ERP project needs someone on the company's side who leads it. The software vendor and the implementation partner will not do that for you. This guide shows when a consultant is enough and when you need someone with line responsibility.
Consultant or interim manager: the difference
Consultant: recommends and supports
A consultant analyses, prepares decisions and supports the project team. Management and your own people still have to decide and deliver.
Interim manager: decides and owns
An interim manager takes on a role in the company for a fixed term, such as head of IT or client-side project lead. They lead the team and partners, own budget and deadlines and answer for the result.
A consultant is enough when …
an experienced head of IT is in place and has time for the project, and what is missing is mainly expertise, for example on system selection or single processes.
An interim manager pays off when …
the head of IT is missing or fully tied up in daily business, the project is already wobbling, or the implementation partner sets the pace because nobody on the client side pushes back.
Three questions for the decision
- 01 · Question 1
Who decides in the project?
If decisions on processes, budget and scope keep stalling, leadership is missing, not knowledge. Another consultant will not help much.
- 02 · Question 2
Who steers the partner?
Implementation partners are usually paid by effort and have little reason to limit scope. The client side needs someone who can judge offers, changes and acceptance on the merits and say no.
- 03 · Question 3
Who runs the system afterwards?
After go-live your own team has to run and develop the ERP. Good interim mandates plan this handover from the start.
From practice
Interim CIO in a Dynamics 365 rollout
An intralogistics manufacturer with more than 200 employees faced an ERP change and had no head of IT. Steffen Herr took responsibility for IT as interim CIO, and with it for the project on the client side.
- Clarified IT strategy and governance before the project
- Led the Microsoft Dynamics 365 rollout on the client side
- Migrated and integrated existing systems
- Guided employees through the change
More on the role and approach is on the interim CIO page.
Common mistakes in ERP projects
- The client-side project lead runs on the side, on top of daily business
- Processes are not clarified first but rebuilt in the system as they are today
- Data migration and interfaces are planned too late
- Employees hear about the new system only shortly before go-live
- After go-live nobody owns the further development of the system
Frequently asked questions
Can the implementation partner take over project leadership?
The partner leads its own team. Client-side project leadership should not sit with the partner, because then nobody judges its offers and change requests independently.
Is an interim manager worth it for smaller ERP projects?
For small projects with an experienced head of IT, targeted consulting is often enough. An interim manager pays off mainly when the leadership role is missing, not because of project size.
When should an interim manager join the ERP project?
Ideally before system selection, so that processes, goals and budget shape the tender. Joining later works too, but usually means more corrections.
Is BAFA funding possible?
BAFA, the German federal office for economic affairs, subsidises consulting for small and mid-sized companies. Steffen Herr is listed with BAFA as a consultant. Eligibility is checked before the project starts.
A mandate to fill? An answer within 24 hours.
Availability, terms and fit settled up front. Directly, without detours.
Last updated: 02/10/2026