Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is one of the most important investments a mid-market company can make.
For CFOs and Finance Directors, the decision to replace or upgrade a system usually comes at a turning point: growth ambitions demand scalability, compliance pressures call for stronger controls, and digital transformation efforts depend on a reliable operational backbone.
ERP has the potential to power the next phase of finance and operations. But the truth is that successful outcomes rely as much on the people who deliver projects as they do on the systems themselves. Choosing the right platform is only half the battle.
ERP platforms today are more powerful, flexible, and integrated than ever. Yet projects still face familiar hurdles. Delays, overruns, and missed outcomes often have less to do with the technology itself and more to do with how implementations are resourced and executed.
Finance leaders frequently run into challenges such as:
These risks underline why project success depends as much on delivery partners and staffing as on system choice.
That’s where flexible contracting becomes a valuable tool. A business like Tenth Revolution Group can provide access to ERP specialists through short-term or project-based contracts, ensuring the right expertise is available at the right time.
For longer initiatives, contract-to-hire arrangements allow finance leaders to secure talent without taking on unnecessary long-term risk. That’s where Tenth Revolution Group can help to connect you with trusted technology talent and specialist partners who’ve delivered results in your industry.
CFOs and finance leaders today usually face three routes when considering ERP transformation:
The marketplace approach is gaining traction. It reflects the way mid-market businesses increasingly prefer to operate: agile, choice-driven, and outcome-focused.
Marketplaces like Tenth Revolution Group aren’t ERP implementers themselves. Instead, they act as strategic connectors between finance leaders and vetted ERP specialists who can add value at every stage.
The advantages include both breadth and impartiality. Tenth Revolution Group covers all major ERP platforms—Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Infor, and Sage—without bias. That means recommendations are based on your business needs rather than sales incentives.
Marketplaces also provide critical safeguards:
This model creates resilience too. Instead of tying your project to one consultancy, you can bring in the right expertise at different stages, from readiness assessments to audits or delivery assurance.
One area that finance leaders can’t ignore is the full cost of ERP. Licensing is only part of the equation. Implementation, customization, integration, support, and change management all add up quickly. Many mid-market firms underestimate these elements and find themselves overshooting budgets.
A fractional view of cost, looking at not only year one spend but also three- to five-year ownership costs, helps decision makers avoid surprises.
Marketplaces can support this process by providing transparency on real-world pricing, not just headline license fees. Flexible contracting models also help spread costs more predictably, aligning spend with project milestones rather than committing to one large, fixed engagement.
Another reason ERP projects underdeliver is lack of attention to the human side. Technology upgrades often outpace user adoption. If teams don’t embrace the new system, the investment struggles to deliver value.
Finance leaders should prioritize:
Specialist change managers and trainers are often required here, and contracting them in for specific project phases is often more cost-effective than trying to build those capabilities permanently in-house.
Different sectors are already approaching ERP selection in ways that reflect their unique priorities.
Each example shows why a one-size-fits-all consultancy approach is risky. The right implementation partner should understand the nuances of your industry. Flexible staffing helps finance leaders bring in niche expertise when it matters most.
AI is also shaping the ERP landscape in 2025/26. Vendors are embedding AI copilots and predictive analytics into platforms, giving finance leaders new ways to automate reporting, forecast performance, and improve decision-making.
While these features are exciting, they also add complexity. Leaders need partners who can assess when to adopt AI-driven features, how to ensure data quality, and how to stay compliant with evolving regulations. Temporary access to AI specialists through contracting is one of the most efficient ways to test and scale these capabilities without locking into long-term hires.
To see how your approach compares with peers, take part in the Tenth Revolution Group AI Talent Survey. It’s a quick way to benchmark your readiness and learn where other businesses are focusing their AI investments.
Turnaround projects are expensive and disruptive, but they’re often avoidable. By vetting partners properly and building flexibility into contracts, CFOs can reduce the chances of needing costly course correction later.
The key takeaway: treat partner selection with the same rigor as system selection. The best ERP system won’t succeed if it’s in the wrong hands. Marketplaces help mitigate that risk by giving you unbiased access to the expertise you need.