{"id":1779,"date":"2025-12-19T16:07:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T16:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/?page_id=1779"},"modified":"2026-04-22T11:55:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T11:55:35","slug":"d365-project-delayed","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/is-your-d365-project-under-stress\/d365-project-delayed\/","title":{"rendered":"D365 Project Delayed"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='av_section_1' class='avia-section main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling av-section-color-overlay-active avia-bg-style-scroll    container_wrap sidebar_right' style = 'background-color: #263557; background-image: linear-gradient(to right,#30769e,#0bc5de)'  ><div class='av-section-color-overlay-wrap'><div class='av-section-color-overlay' style='opacity: 0.9; background-image: url(https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/enfold\/images\/background-images\/dots-for-dark-background.png); background-repeat: repeat;'><\/div><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1779'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_full  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div style='padding-bottom:10px; color:#ffffff;font-size:40px;' class='av-special-heading av-special-heading-h3 custom-color-heading blockquote modern-quote   av-inherit-size '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >D365 Delayed Project<\/h3><div class='special-heading-border'><div class='special-heading-inner-border' style='border-color:#ffffff'><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id='after_section_1' class='main_color av_default_container_wrap container_wrap sidebar_right'   ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1779'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_three_fifth  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>D365 Delayed Project  &#8211; Time Slip<\/h3>\n<p>The main causes of ERP implementation delays are poor planning, weak project management, inadequate data preparation, and lack of user adoption.<br \/>\nWe have summerised some of the reasons we frequently see a D365 delayed project in the sections below, project delays are not uncommon but continually delaying one means you need to look rather closely at why because delays burn through budget and user goodwill quite rapidly.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div class='avia-image-container  av-styling-     avia-align-center '  itemprop=\"ImageObject\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"  ><div class='avia-image-container-inner'><div class='avia-image-overlay-wrap'><img class='avia_image ' src='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/time-warningsmall-300x300.png' alt='D365 Plan Slipping' title='D365 Plan Slipping' height=\"300\"width=\"300\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='av_section_2' class='avia-section main_color avia-section-default avia-no-border-styling avia-bg-style-scroll    container_wrap sidebar_right' style = 'background-color: #ffffff; background-image: '  ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1779'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Unclear requirements &#038; scope creep<\/h3>\n<p>We mention this several times but once again its worth emphasising how important it is to have a thorough understanding of your requirements.<br \/>\nMany ERP projects stutter and fall behind simply because business requirements aren\u2019t fully defined at the start of the project.  This leads to scope creep, where new features or modules are added mid-project, extending timelines, altering plans and potentially having to rework areas that had previously been considered complete. This is one of the main reasons you see a D365 delayed project &#8211; put the time in to get all the requirements detailed is our mantra.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding    \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Poor D365 project leadership &#038; governance<\/h3>\n<p>Without strong executive sponsorship and clear accountability, you can allow your D365 implementation to lose direction. Weak leadership often results in missed deadlines and conflicting priorities and results in a D365 delayed project.<br \/>\nWe have frequently seen people transitioning into D365 project manager roles, if unfamiliar with ERP and the sequence in which modules logically need to be implemented mistakes will occur, a classic example is starting a workstream activity too early. such  as data migration and mapping fields onto D365. Until a workstream have conducted some build activity and playback there&#8217;s a risk that data gets mapped to the wrong areas. Strong experienced D365 project management know what is a concurrent and what is a consecutive activity and this stops consultants falling over each other, burning cash and missing deadlines.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Inaccurate or incomplete data migration<\/h3>\n<p>The section above touched on the subject of data migration with the example of trying to map data into D365 at too early a stage. This does not mean data migration does not start as soon as the project starts, in fact experienced users will often start the process of preparation as soon as they learn an ERP software selection process is on the cards because cleansed data is key and inevitably older ERP systems will have a build up of inaccurate information.<\/p>\n<p>Data cleansing and migration are often underestimated. Errors, duplicates, or missing records can stall mapping, testing and go-live phases.<\/p>\n<p>Subject to data volumes data staging between your legacy software and Dynamics 365 environment may be required to ensure a swift transition from old to new during the go-live cutover phase. Building resilience into these tools helps ensure a smooth cutover but will take longer than simply mapping one system to the other.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding    \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Unrealistic D365 timelines<\/h3>\n<p>Companies sometimes set aggressive deadlines to minimize disruption, but ERP implementations are complex, trying to fit an implementation into a time period without any detailed plan is unlikely to work if the timeline is too aggressive. <\/p>\n<p>We understand businesses may have some strategic reasoning behind dictating such timelines but fundamentally you either make a choice to plan appropriately or take a very minimal deployment approach which carries its own risks.<\/p>\n<p>When <a href=\"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/d365-distressed-project\/\">timelines are tight<\/a> inexperienced D365 project managers may drop cycles of testing this leads to late discovery of issues, forcing rework and delaying rollout and rarely n our 20 years plus history have we seen a satisfactory outcome  when this approach is used and it inevitably ends up costing more in the long run.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Employee resistance &#038; lack of training<\/h3>\n<p>If end-users aren\u2019t properly trained or engaged, adoption slows down. Resistance to change can cause delays in process alignment and system acceptance.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the points made in this section themselves lead to user resistance particularly when users are continually pressured to deliver when other factors are impinging on their been able to do this successfully &#8211; nothing worse as a user been told to try fit everything into an unrealistic timeline, succeed and then have another workstream like Data Migration fail to meet the same deadline causing a project reset and try again. <\/p>\n<p>Everything is connected in a D365 ERP rollout plan, one critical path item slips and it has the potential to more the plan to the right &#8211; hence we keep banging the project management and planning drum!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_half  av-animated-generic left-to-right  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding    \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  '  style='font-size:14px; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><H3>Budget constraints<\/h3>\n<p>Underfunded projects often cut corners on resources, consultants, or training, which later causes delays when problems surface.<\/p>\n<p>A well structured waterfall style plan takes time to develop but will if done properly, identify what can be delivered within budget. If some requirements cannot be met  they should be taken out of the plan, simply attempting to do everything with a &#8216;lets see what happens&#8217; approach will undoubtedly result in disappointment.  <\/p>\n<p>At AX Software we can design a D365 delivery plan around a limited budget, using a minimum viable product MVP is a methodology that does work however in such circumstances you have to communicate to all involved to address issues of perceived under achievement, managing user expectations is a big part pf D365 programme management.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><!-- close content main div --><\/div><\/div><div id='after_section_2' class='main_color av_default_container_wrap container_wrap sidebar_right'   ><div class='container' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-small alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1779'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n<div class=\"flex_column av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding first   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><section class=\"av_textblock_section \"  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock  av_inherit_color  av-medium-font-size-overwrite av-medium-font-size-20'  style='color:#5a9ee8; '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><strong><H3>Continued Project Delays Can Lead To A Recovery Project<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div><div class=\"flex_column av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding   \" style='border-radius:0px; '><div class='avia-image-container  av-styling-     avia-align-center '  itemprop=\"ImageObject\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"  ><div class='avia-image-container-inner'><div class='avia-image-overlay-wrap'><a href='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/d365-recovery-project\/' class='avia_image'  ><img class='avia_image ' src='https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Copilot_20260421_173542-300x200.png' alt='' title='Copilot_20260421_173542'  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  \/><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":1514,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1779","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1779"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1779\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1784,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1779\/revisions\/1784"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.axsoftware.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}