Operations
From spreadsheets to ERP in 30 days
A week-by-week plan to replace spreadsheets and disconnected tools without disrupting daily operations.
By Omar Al-Shehri
Implementation Lead · · 5 min read
Most growing businesses reach a point where spreadsheets create more work than they save. Stock numbers disagree, month-end takes weeks and nobody trusts the reports. Moving to an ERP fixes this, but only if the transition is planned carefully.
Week 1: decide what "live" means
Agree on a go-live date, the modules you'll start with and who owns each area. Starting with accounting, inventory and sales covers most of the value; HR and manufacturing can follow.
Week 2: clean and import master data
Customers, suppliers and items are the foundation. Remove duplicates, standardise names and fill in VAT numbers before importing. Clean data now saves weeks of fixes later.
Week 3: train and run in parallel
Train each team on the daily tasks they'll actually do, then run the new system alongside the old one for a few days to build confidence.
Week 4: cut over and review
- Import opening balances as of the go-live date
- Switch off the old spreadsheets to avoid double entry
- Review the first week's reports together
- Plan phase two modules