ERP Implementation

Some researches revealed ERP market is expected to hit $96 billion by 2032, and around 50% of companies opt for a slow and strategic approach for implementation while moving to new systems.  Because when they do fail, it’s often the finance team suffering failed timelines, failed expectations, data disorganization, or expensive write-offs. It can be brutal for small to medium-sized businesses.

Without question, finance teams are the backbone of any ERP system for small businesses. Hence, if your accounts, ledgers, tax obligations, and reporting are not set up with the proper foundations, everything else quickly falls apart.

However, with a structured implementation checklist, you can reduce your risks of failure by at least half. All of the right steps would not only give you a proper foundation but also help you achieve efficiencies and increase accuracy.

So, below is a practical ERP implementation checklist tailored specifically for the finance team in SMBs.

Set Clear Goals & Scope

  • Clearly define outcomes -improving cash flow, faster month-end closing, and reducing errors.
  • Identify the core finance processes: accounts payable (AP), accounts receivable (AR), general ledger, and budgeting.
  • Establish realistic timelines and budgets.

Without tangible targets, you will either overbuild or under-deliver.

Get Leadership & Team Buy In

  • Senior management must support change.
  • Form a finance project team – accountants, IT, and even a power user.
  • Set roles: who’s the project lead, who owns testing, who trains users.
  • Early buy-in smooths over any roadblocks further down the line.

Choose the Right ERP

  • Prioritize financial modules: core accounting, multi-currency, tax, and compliance.
  • Check integrations – payroll, banks, tax apps
  • Look for a cloud accounting ERP software

For reference, NetSense’s Acumatica ERP is gold certified, scalable, and built for finance teams in SMEs.

Data Prep & Cleanup

  • Audit your chart of accounts—remove duplicates, simplify.
  • Clean customer, vendor, product, and transaction data.
  • Plan data migration: who, when, how.
  • Dirty data today means mess later.

Design & Configure Finance Workflows

  • Map out approvals, expense routes, and vendor onboarding.
  • Configure ERP to match those flows.

Integrate with Other Systems

  • Connect ERP with payroll, banking, and other software
  • Test integrated workflows
  • Allow real-time sync for accurate financial visibility

Train Finance Staff Thoroughly

  • Prepare live sessions with real data to use.
  • Use short videos and short reference guides.
  • Have post-go-live support prepared.
  • Finance teams need to be confident – give them practice before going live.

Test and Go-Live

  • Try and test one function at a time.
  • Also, conduct a user acceptance test.
  • Have backups and choose a lightweight go-live date.
  • Communicate the cut-over plan when the old systems end, and the new ones start.

Monitor & Improve

  • Monitor KPIs like cash conversion, errors flagged, etc.
  • Hold a review after 30-60 days.
  • Adjust configurations, improve training, and tweak workflow.

Netsense & Your Finance ERP Journey

Netsense, a gold certified Acumatica partner, specializes in ERP systems for small businesses across Malaysia and Singapore. Also, we offer end-to-end implementation using proven methodologies that limit risk and deliver a seamless deployment.

We offer:

  • Expertise across finance, CRM, HR, project, and inventory systems
  • Data migration, configuration, training, and ongoing support
  • Proven scalable cloud solutions built for growing SMBs

If you are a finance team leader looking to revolutionize your reporting, controls, and efficiency, let Netsense simplify your journey – so your next stage of growth can be easy. Also, by following the above checklist and partnering with Netsense, you can use the ERP accounting software with confidence, along with reducing errors.