Phase 1 · Awareness Implementation governance and risk

ERP cutover and data migration: a 90-day executive governance framework

A day-by-day-to-week-by-week view of the last ninety days before go-live: what is frozen, what is rehearsed and who decides.

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The short answer

Cutover is a rehearsed event, not a weekend of improvisation. In the last ninety days the questions are always the same: is the data right, is the plan timed, and who calls go or no-go.

Stages

The last 90 days

  1. 1
    Day 90 to 61: Prove the data Trial loads reconcile to the source. Data owners sign off cleansed masters.
  2. 2
    Day 60 to 31: Rehearse A full dress rehearsal, timed by step, with business users validating.
  3. 3
    Day 30 to 8: Rehearse again A second rehearsal with the issues from the first fixed and retested.
  4. 4
    Day 7 to 1: Freeze and decide Scope and configuration freeze. The steering committee holds a go or no-go review.
  5. 5
    Cutover and day 1 to 30 Load the delta, reconcile on the morning, and run the first close with support.
Decision points

Three questions that change the answer

Do trial balances reconcile to the source?

YesProceed to the rehearsal.

NoStop. Fix the mapping.

Did the second rehearsal finish inside the window?

YesConfirm the window.

NoReduce scope, add resource or move the date.

Are business users ready?

YesGo.

NoHold. Training and acceptance are gates, not courtesies.

Milestones

What done looks like, and when

  1. Day 90 Trial load reconciled.
  2. Day 60 Rehearsal 1 complete.
  3. Day 30 Rehearsal 2 complete.
  4. Day 7 Go or no-go decision recorded.
Principles we hold to
  • Every opening balance ties back to the source.
  • The cutover plan is timed, not estimated.
  • Freeze scope in the last week.
  • The steering committee decides go or no-go from evidence.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an ERP cutover take?

The cutover window depends on data volumes and entities, which is why rehearsals are timed. The preparation runs over the last ninety days.

Who decides go-live?

The steering committee, on written evidence from the reconciliation, rehearsals, testing and support readiness.

Take this to your own programme. Tell us where you are. We will tell you plainly what this means for your estate and what we would do first. Book a consultation Next: Change management and user adoption when rolling out Dynamics 365 across global teams →
How an engagement runs

It starts with a 45-minute consultation, then a discovery and fit-gap workshop on your own processes. You receive a written fit-gap and a phased plan before a programme is agreed. Four phases follow, each with something you can use and review.

01

Discover

Process workshops, data audit, and a fit-gap against the standard product.

02

Design

Solution blueprint, integration map, and the extensions we will actually need.

03

Deploy

Configuration, migration rehearsal, role-based training, UAT and phased cutover.

04

Support

Hypercare, managed services, client portal, scheduled optimisation reviews.

What drives the cost: users, legal entities and currencies, integrations, data migration and the gaps found against standard. See how pricing works, run the three-minute readiness score, or book a consultation.

Let's talk Solutions.

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