Pre-project assessment: the foundation of a successful 1C:ERP implementation in manufacturing
Dear owners and executives of manufacturing companies,
Are you considering implementing 1C:ERP? It is a strategic decision that can take your production to a new level of operational efficiency. Yet a persistent myth surrounds complex ERP implementations: “Many projects drag on, budgets grow, and the results fall short of expectations.”
The truth is that projects fail not because of bad software but because of mistakes made at the start. The biggest one is neglecting a thorough pre-project assessment.
This article is a frank discussion of how to turn your investment in 1C:ERP from a risk into a managed project with a predictable outcome.
What owners and executives want vs. the harsh reality of implementation
Let’s compare your key expectations of the system with the typical risks that arise when there is no competent pre-project analysis.
| Your request (goal) | Risk without an assessment (reality) |
|---|---|
| “We want a single, end-to-end management system: from purchasing raw materials to shipping finished goods.” | “Isolated” modules get implemented. The shop floor keeps working in Excel, and the logistics team uses old software. Information is not consolidated, and you still don’t see the full picture. |
| “We need accurate product costing and cost management.” | The system does not account for all cost items. You get “averaged” data that is useless for decision-making. |
| “We need better control and faster decision-making through transparent data.” | Reports do not reflect actual business processes. To find the root cause of a problem, you still need hours of meetings and dozens of Excel exports. |
| “We want to stay within the planned budget and timeline.” | This is the main risk. Discovering “overlooked” processes leads to stoppages, additional work, revisions of the technical specification, and cost increases of 50–100%. |
As you can see, the gap between expectations and reality is huge. A professional pre-project assessment is what bridges that gap.
What is a pre-project assessment, and why can’t you skip it?
A pre-project assessment is an independent diagnostic of your business carried out by expert integrators. Its purpose is not to sell you unnecessary services but to build an honest and complete picture of the current state (AS-IS) and to develop a roadmap for moving to the desired state (TO-BE).
Why should an integrator do it rather than your own staff?
An objective outside view
Your team is immersed in day-to-day routine and may not notice bottlenecks. An expert will immediately spot growth opportunities and inconsistencies.
Experience and knowledge of the nuances
The integrator’s analyst has conducted dozens of assessments at similar manufacturing companies and knows which “small details” to watch for.
Less workload for your staff
You free your best specialists from extra work that would otherwise drag on for weeks or months.
The key output of the assessment: a business process register
The main tangible outcome of the assessment stage is a “Business Process Register.” It is not just a list of departments and their functions. It is a structured model of your company that includes:
- Descriptions of all end-to-end processes
- The owner of each process
- Inputs and outputs (documents, data)
- Resources used
- Decision points and KPIs
The Register is what makes it possible to give a high-level but already WELL-GROUNDED project estimate: timeline, budget, team composition, and stages.
Now you can include the project in your budget and defend it before the board of directors with a clear understanding of all risks and costs.
Real case study: bringing 2 plants into a single management system
RubEx Group: migration from a customized 1C:UPP to the standard 1C:ERP configuration
Challenge: Unite two plants in a single management system, standardize business processes, and migrate from a heavily customized 1C:UPP to standard 1C:ERP.
Solution: We conducted an in-depth pre-project assessment, identified all non-standard processes, and developed a migration strategy.
Result: A single information system was created, period-end closing times were reduced, and management transparency improved.
Read the full case studySpecial offer: free express assessment
Until December 30, 2025
What you get:
- A business process register down to level 2
- Preliminary recommendations on choosing a 1C product
- A project schedule
How it works:
- Interviews with process owners
- Analysis of existing systems
- Shortlisting of possible solutions
- Development of the project schedule
Regular price of this assessment: from RUB 150,000 (≈ $1,500)
With this offer: FREE
The offer is valid until December 30, 2025
Our advice that will save you time, stress, and millions of rubles:
Never skip the independent pre-project assessment and business consulting stage.
Think of it not as a cost but as an insurance policy for your IT budget. The cost of a quality assessment is negligible compared with the risk of budget overruns running into millions and the losses from a system that doesn’t work.
