ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) projects are often viewed as large, complex initiatives that demand significant time, resources, and financial investment. Unfortunately, high-profile failures – like the one reported at the end of this article- are still common. In most cases, these outcomes are not inevitable; they are avoidable.

Inzenius Implementation Efficiency Customer Reference

Grant Summers, CFO Incognitus, Quoted

“After migrating our system to SAP, we explored several solutions capable of providing reliable, secure, and consistent synchronisation between the financial core and our payroll system. Throughout this journey, we faced multiple challenges: integration failures, repeated reprocessing, manual configurations, and an overall lack of confidence from the team in the stability of the integration with SAP”.

“It was time to fix both the needs of the rostering timesheet and payroll replacement with what we thought could deliver the best-of-breed processes whilst removing the many manual processes built into our SAP system. We were right”

“Fortunately, we found Inzenius. Its integration with SAP was seamless and fully met our operational requirements. Thanks to the platform’s flexibility, Incognitus’s business processes aligned effortlessly with SAP’s financial workflow. This not only resolved our integration issues but also enabled us to operate with a level of certainty and efficiency we had not achieved before.”

“Thanks to this integration, we no longer view the Incognitus system as two separate platforms operating independently and exchanging data between them. Instead, we now see a single, unified platform composed of Inzenius and SAP, seamlessly complementing each other to meet our operational and financial requirements.”

“ Here we are now with, not only a better overall SAP/Inzenius system that is now delivering up to a 70% reduction in data duplication and entry across a number of systems in payroll processing time and effort, but we have also achieved additional improved functionality overall.”

“The support provided during the configuration and after our go-live was not only timely and efficient but also customer-focused with a detailed understanding of our specific needs. Grant Summers CFO Incognitus

There is no single silver bullet for ERP success. However, several factors consistently make a meaningful difference: effective API-led integration between key systems, robust, experienced project and change management, and a strong relationship with a trusted, capable vendor.

The reality is that many ERP implementations have evolved as patchworks of disconnected systems. These environments frequently rely on bespoke development and multiple data integrations, increasing complexity, cost, and delivery risk. Too often, this technical complexity is compounded by insufficient focus on change management, leaving users unprepared and benefits unrealised.

For organisations starting an ERP project, engaging the right change management capability is critical. Equally important is the adoption of out-of-the-box, best-of-breed solutions that reduce the need for multiple complex integrations, lower costs, time, and risk to optimise resource allocation, and ultimately deliver greater business value.

Inzenius, an online implementation tool, together with its change management partner Meta Management, delivers an efficient, supported, all-in-one, out-of-the-box project and solution encompassing the entire rostering, timekeeping, award-interpreted timesheets, and fully automated payroll. The platform also integrates seamlessly with an organisation’s chosen HRM and financial systems, enabling a true end-to-end solution – from onboarding through to offboarding – in a single, coherent ecosystem

Inzeenius’ online supported implementation’ open reporting tracking process delivers a controllable and efficient project for each client, reducing the costs and risks.

The system is highly efficient, delivering the desired results with time and cost savings of over 30% during the project and on an ongoing basis.

Inzenius:                        www.inzenius.com

Meta Management:    https://metamanagement.net

Failed ERP Project Example

SAP HRM and Payroll project Failure after spending $77.0m. Published by IT News

SAP’s success factors failed to deliver requirements after billing $77.0m after an original budget of $15.0m

The ACT government maintains that an upgraded human resources system will be online by 2026, despite a series of behind-the-scenes personnel changes to the delivery team.

A lower cost to upgrade the Cris 21 program was approved for an additional $13.0m

The $30.7 million [pdf] Payroll Capability and Human Resource Management (PC-HRM) program aims to upgrade existing systems that the territory government previously – unsuccessfully – attempted to replace with SAP SuccessFactors.

The program has a workforce of 143, comprising 64 public servants, 65 consultants and 14 contractors on labour hire agreements that were sourced through external agencies.

But the labour hire number masks significant movement: 35 people were ‘onboarded’ and 21 ‘offboarded’ over a two-year period, with all but one exiting since July 2024, documents published on notice reveal.” [pdf]

On a single day in October last year, eight people on labour hire agreements were let go, due to what officials termed a “workforce adjustment within the project”.

Other people on labour hire agreements allege their time on the project was cut short, with contracts ended early, while the government has confirmed that 11 percent of the total workforce has left within their first six months [pdf].

At least one review is currently underway in response to “allegations made by a former team member” after they “offboarded” from the project.

Turnover on the project – including within the labour hire workforce – has attracted scrutiny from several opposition members of the Legislative Assembly, including Peter Cain and Thomas Emerson, both of whom have submitted questions on notice regarding the issue.

Emerson’s questions raise concerns about “cultural risks” with the program, and “allegations of exclusion, role manipulation, or inappropriate leadership conduct.”

Allegations were also raised to iTnews by five former staff who worked on the program, and were put to the Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate (CMTEDD), which is overseeing the project.

A CMTEDD spokesperson said: “There are several reasons for labour hire resources leaving the PC-HRM Program, including completion of assigned work, leaving the ACT government for other opportunities or promotions, performance or resource levelling to ensure continued alignment with program outcomes and personal reasons.”

The spokesperson added that “the ACT government takes all concerns raised by staff seriously and is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace.

“While the ACT government does not comment on individual matters or allegations to protect the privacy of those involved, any concerns raised are managed in line with established policies and procedures.

“Where appropriate, matters are investigated and addressed through the relevant ACT government frameworks to ensure fair and transparent outcomes.”

A complex upgrade

The PC-HRM project was initiated following the failure of the government’s attempt to replace the ACT public service’s existing Chris21 and HR21 platforms with SAP SuccessFactors.

Known as the Human Resources Information Management Systems (HRIMS) program, the system replacement initiative was established under the purview of CMTEDD in 2017 with a budget of $15 million.

However, by the time the program was scrapped in July 2023, $77.63 million had been spent, but only one module, the learning management system, was delivered in what an audit described as a “significant failure for the territory” [pdf].

Another audit pointed to deficiencies in the project’s governance [pdf]; unclear roles and responsibilities across the owner, user, supplier and no single person was accountable for delivery.

In the wake of the HRIMS collapse, the territory government shifted course, opting to retain and upgrade the existing platforms.

This renewal modernisation attempt aimed to centralise the public sector’s payroll and HR systems, establishing new functionality, automated payroll processing and staff self-service options [pdf].

In May 2024, it awarded a $13 million contract to Frontier Software to re-licence and support Chris21 and HR21 until 2029.

According to the territory, the upgrade will provide a “modern integration” into the Chris21 system, reduce manual processes and improve security risks by hosting the system in Australia.

In December last year, Accenture was awarded a $13.7 million system integration contract for the project, which is set to expire in June 2026.

According to questions answered by Member of the Legislative Assembly Rachel Stephen-Smith on notice, $19.13 million in expenditure has been spent on the PC-HRM Program [pdf] as of 30 April 2025, which “aligns with the approved total project budget”.

Milestones achieved so far, according to Stephen-Smith [pdf], include the closure and decommissioning of the HRIMS system; the establishment of a multi-disciplinary team for the PC-HRM program; scoping and design of the whole-of-government rostering system; and the transition of 1600 users from the time and attendance system Kronos Workforce Central to Kronos UKG Pro.

Still on schedule

In a statement to IT News, a CMTEDD spokesperson said that despite the workforce ructions, the upgrade of core payroll and HR platforms “is progressing on schedule” and is expected to be completed in full by June 2026.

The territory is also in the process of procuring a rostering and attendance solution for the entire ACT public service workforce, with delivery currently estimated by the end of June 2027.

The program’s “size and complexity” has it operating at an “amber” status. While this can be an indicator of challenges, it is also not uncommon for complex projects to maintain this status throughout, owing to ongoing risks.