ERP implementations and digital transformations do not fail because of technology, they fail because of people. As a result, the master services agreement and the statements of works attached to it are easily some of the most important agreements you will negotiate to ensure project success. What does it need to include?  Milestones, deadlines, clearly defined vendor obligations, expectations, and user acceptance testing criteria are all critical.

While the statement of work is critical to managing your ERP implementation or digital transformation, it has a fundamental flaw. It is a snapshot in time. If done right, it will capture the parties’ expectations and intentions before the project starts. But what happens when things change? Building in flexibility, including a change management process, and incorporating other relevant documents is very important.

Attorney Marcus Harris discusses these issues in this video.