Common NetSuite Implementation Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Switching enterprise systems can turbocharge growth – or severely hinder it. NetSuite specifically delivers unified visibility that is the cornerstone of any adaptation strategy. However, the road to value realization has potholes. Surveys show 75% of ERP projects fail outright.

Careful NetSuite blueprinting limits disruption when bringing such a strategic platform online in any company. This guide examines frequent missteps during rollout and proven methods Dodge them.

Planning Pitfalls That Crater Progress

Many NetSuite mistakes take root in lacklustre planning and unrealistic expectations. Scrambling to meet vague deadlines with slim resources makes success improbable.

Common planning pitfalls include:

• No executive sponsor to fuel engagement or tie implementation to strategic goals 
• Undefined metrics tightly linked to targeted increases profitability, efficiency and scale
• Failure to dedicate top implementation talent familiar with NetSuite intricacies 
• Attempting overly aggressive go-live timelines that undermine configuration needs
• Skimping on change management and user enablement workstreams
• Overlooking the impact on customers and partners pre- and post-launch

Solid roadmaps crystallize interdependencies between technologies, teams and milestones guided by those closest to affected areas of the business. They build cushions into each initiative stage while judiciously identifying scope.

Room for crucial last-minute adjustments remains by avoiding micromanaged or unrealistic project plans capped with immovable end dates. Savvy leaders instead remain agile to pivot based on feedback loops built into the overarching transformation sequence.

Flawed Configurations Cripple Functionality

The configuration stage tailors NetSuite’s expansive capabilities to your workflows, processes and reporting needs. This directly enables organizational change tied to growth, security and continuity goals.

Configuration miscalculations routinely undermine later adoption. For example:

• Incomplete understanding of all existing financial processes prior to accounting software setup
• Lack proper deployment scaling mechanisms supporting business transformations
• Failure to model precise regional or organizational nuances within NetSuite 
• Misconfiguration of workflows that do not cleanly map system to people
• Insufficient Investment customizations enhancing day-to-day user productivity

Master technicians counteract these issues by obsessively documenting how teams operate today AND might evolve tomorrow if impediments disappeared. This clarity allows configuring optimal role-based interactions with NetSuite based on a unified vision of the intended future state.

Those closest to affected business areas should have input, especially people managing essential systems surrounding core platform integrations.

Shallow Integrations Reduce NetSuite’s Impact

Fulfilling process efficiency and intelligence promises relies on unfettered data flow between NetSuite other applications via modern APIs.

Many initiatives falter by not:

• Establishing a flexible services layer enabling frictionless future application plug-ins
• Determining true integration costs during budgeting cycles
• Allocating internal technical skillsets required alongside outside consultants
• Anticipating needs beyond initial go-live by forecasting stage-by-stage roadmaps spanning years

Carefully evaluate existing touchpoints between systems feeding business critical activities prior to launch. Construct robust data synchronizations with essential apps benefiting vital functions after go-live. Map out additional priority connectors that enrich analytics and workflows incrementally over 24 months.

This sustains momentum while cementing platform stability.

Testing Deficiencies Increase Go-Live Risk

One NetSuite mistake is minimizing testing cycles in hopes of accelerating launch dates. But compressed testing raises availability, continuity and accuracy dangers once live.

Common testing anti-patterns include:

• No dedicated quality assurance staff free of NetSuite implementation tasks 
• Test plans that do not validate real-life workflows and associated data exchanges
• Failure to perform exhaustive user acceptance testing spanning various roles and requirements
• Skipped or inadequate performance testing needed to simulate production-level load 

Ideally, engage professional test engineers uniquely skilled at creating complex business scenario tests. Rigorously tune and stabilize cloud environments supporting intricate use cases reflecting daily situations across departments. Provide self-service test labs allowing staff to experiment freely pre-launch to simply training while surfacing defects. 

These collective efforts smooth go-lives despite inevitable speed bumps. However, focused user preparation drastically minimizes disruption. 

Inadequate Training Cultivates Resistance

Some organizations incorrectly assume employees will intuitively grasp NetSuite capabilities untrained. Unfamiliar and anxiety-provoking systems directly slash productivity and risk alienating staff. This erodes job satisfaction, increases turnover, and lowers system ROI.

Don’t lose sight of the end-user whenever considering:

• Delivery mechanisms spanning classroom, online or microlearning
• Content tailored around consumed functionality and pain points
• Timing and location minimizing work disruption while promoting focus
• Measures demonstrating changed behaviors indicating sticking adoption

Context around why transformations occur builds acceptance. Progressively onboard groups in waves following system testing feedback to bolster capability messaging relevance on launch. 

Go-Live Chaos Emerges Without Failover Plans

Despite meticulous precautions in every preceding project phase, unanticipated issues still arise at launch. Mass confusion results unless contingency procedures activate quickly. 

Be ready for go-live hiccups by:

• Implementing backup plans protecting customers and operations if outages emerge
• Creating scaled support teams to handle high inbound issue volumes
• Monitoring systems closely for early performance indicators suggesting problems
• Identifying department shift staggering opportunities if capacity shortfalls hit
• Establishing emergency change freeze approval processes if build flaws appear
• Building post go-live milestone calendars to measure true adoption rates

With so many moving parts, NetSuite rollouts require expertise and oversight at each milestone. Seasoned NetSuite consultants at SuiteRep proactively dodges obstacles through proven success management practices woven into all activities. Contact SuiteRep to future proof your rapidly unfolding digital landscape!