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This question came up during a recent executive readout, concluding a 10-week assessment that covered everything from core ERP including sales, procurement, manufacturing, and finance to complex supply chain capabilities like integrated planning, data governance, analytics strategy, and cloud infrastructure design.
We had just shared our findings including pain points, best practice fit, solution mapping, and a phased roadmap when a senior leader asked:
“Can we go live in 9 months?”
It’s a fair question. And one that reflects a growing urgency across industries. Whether the goal is to scale operations, modernize quickly, or demonstrate progress to investors, many organizations are pushing for accelerated ERP transformations. But while 9 months might sound ambitious and, in many cases, feasible, the real answer is: It depends.
Your starting point matters.
We recently completed a smooth and highly successful 12-week go-live for a pre-revenue biotech company based in Florida. This was not just a fast implementation. It was a full financial transformation delivered with IPO readiness and compliance in mind.
The scope included core finance, procurement, and Concur integration, supporting the organization’s need to be financially compliant and audit ready. From requirements gathering through design, build, unit testing, SIT, UAT, and go-live, everything was completed in just 12 weeks.
What made it work?
- A high-level of organizational alignment
- Rapid decision-making
- A commitment to SAP best practices without over customizing.
This project shows that with the right conditions, early-stage biotech companies can move quickly and effectively.
But let’s be clear: that is a very different scenario compared to a multi-entity, multi-country organization running legacy systems and complex operations. The path to go-live depends heavily on where you are starting.
Deployment models make a difference.
Your deployment model plays a significant role in shaping your timeline and transformation strategy:
- GROW with SAP is a public cloud offering optimized for speed, standardization, and rapid adoption. It is ideal for mid-sized or fast scaling businesses.
- RISE with SAP provides greater flexibility and control and is better suited for complex enterprises needing deeper integration requirements.
Choosing the right model is about more than architecture—it sets the pace and direction of your entire transformation. Speed isn’t the challenge. Readiness is.
The real question isn’t just “Can we move fast?” Its “Can we move fast and get it right?”
In complex environments, success depends less on system configuration which is often straightforward and more on process alignment, clean data, and organizational readiness.
Rushing to go-live without laying the groundwork often leads to frustration, underutilized systems, and missed value. That’s why we recommend a “crawl, walk, run” approach:
- Establish your foundational processes
- Train and enable users
- Layer in automation and advanced functionality.
It’s not just about the system. It’s about the people.
SAP S/4HANA will do its job. The bigger question is: Are your peopleready to do theirs in a new environment?
Transformation efforts fall short when:
- End users are untrained
- Future state processes are unclear
- Change management is treated as an afterthought.
True success comes from communication, role clarity, simulations, and ongoing enablement, not just hitting a go-live date.
More often than not, delays aren’t technical. They are organizational. Are business leads aligned? Are future process owners engaged? Are the users who will live with the system every day equipped to succeed?
So, can you go live in 9 months?
Yes – With the right scope, governance, and willingness to adopt standard processes, a 9-month go-live is possible. But speed should never come at the cost of adoption or long-term success. It is not about checking a box—it’s about delivering real, sustainable business value.
Go-live is just a milestone.
Adoption is the real finish line.
