In the healthcare technology sector, an ERP system must do more than manage data — it must support fast-paced operations, regulatory compliance, and evolving care models. When a healthcare technology company approached us mid-implementation, their situation reflected a common challenge: a failing ERP rollout lacking both direction and documentation.
The Situation We Inherited
The client had been collaborating with a previous ERP partner on a Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain implementation. Unfortunately, they were left with:
- No clear timeline for Go-Live
- A growing gap between the configured system and their actual business requirements
- An Azure DevOps (ADO) backlog filled with outdated or undocumented work items
This created a mix of frustration and uncertainty. From a functional perspective, the client had lost confidence in both the process and the product.
Our First Step: Establishing a Functional Reference Point
Recognizing the urgency and complexity, our first action was to preserve the client’s existing work by dedicating one environment as a reference system. This served two purposes:
- It allowed us to review and audit the configuration already in place.
- It became a functional baseline against which we could measure and identify all misalignments with the client’s original expectations.
Functional Assessment: Bridging the Gaps
We conducted a thorough analysis of the client’s processes — order management, subscription billing, revenue recognition, inventory tracking — and compared them with what had been implemented. With our functional expertise, we were able to:
- Highlight gaps in configuration and where it diverged from operational needs.
- Begin a mapping exercise between real-world healthcare technology operations and system logic.
- Identify critical compliance risks and usability challenges that could delay Go-Live or result in rework post-implementation.
Tackling ADO: From Chaos to Clarity
The client’s Azure DevOps board lacked structure, ownership, and documentation. We restructured it by:
- Creating functional workstreams tied to real business processes.
- Defining acceptance criteria for each functional item.
- Prioritizing the backlog to align with Go-Live objectives.
Key Takeaways
Rescue projects are never simple, but with the right structure and functional insight, they can be successfully turned around. Key takeaways include:
- Never ignore documentation. Even a working configuration becomes a liability if it is not documented.
- Use environments wisely. A dedicated reference environment can save weeks of discovery.
- Validate early and often. Functional alignment should happen in every phase — not just UAT.
- Focus on trust. Functional clarity rebuilds client confidence faster than technical jargon.
Looking Ahead
Today, the client is successfully live with a system configuration that truly aligns with their business needs. Feedback from the client highlights that, among the many ERP implementations they have experienced, this was one of the smoothest Go-Lives to date. They credit the clarity and consistency of functional leadership as a key factor — a critical advantage in the healthcare technology space, where operational efficiency can directly impact patient outcomes.
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Keep on reading, Blog 5: Rescuing a Healthcare ERP Project: The Technical Turnaround
