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How Long Does It Take to Implement SAP Business One ERP?

In simple words - there is no definitive answer. There are SAP Business One partners that quote the total implementation time as 2 weeks while some can quote even a year. This varied timeline is due to the involvement of several factors upon which SAP implementation depends. The size of the business, their objectives, if they want add-ons, problems they might face, and other factors contribute to the implementation time of SAP Business One ERP.

Before we figure out the realistic timelines for implementation, here is a brief look at what is SAP Business One.

What is SAP Business One?

SAP Business One is an ERP software developed by SAP, one of the leading ERP companies, and is designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses. It features different modules that have different functionalities and provides varied benefits to business owners. A lot of companies have incorporated SAP Business One into their business and are leveraging its functionalities to manage customers efficiently, close more sales, earn more revenue, or perform effective resource planning.

If you are considering implementing SAP Business One in your business and are wondering how much time it would take, here are some factors that will influence that timeline.

Factors Influencing SAP Business One Implementation

Will you hire an in-house team of experts to implement and use the ERP solutions or would you turn to a SAP Business One partner to do the implementation for you. For an in-house team, shortlisting and interviewing candidates can take a lot of time and money. Whereas a partner can start implementing the ERP solution right away.
The decision to choose add-ons also influences the implementation time. If you are thinking of integrating third-party solutions that will provide added functionalities, the time taken to implement complete SAP Business One will be pushed further.
How much data your company accumulates and how much of it needs to be converted and analyzed is also a big factor. Processing too much data and making sure that the converted data is in a suitable format so that it can be exported to legacy systems also eats up the implementation time.
If your business requires user-specific reporting, you can expect the implementation time to be more than if you had used the standard SAP Business One reporting.
The number of users that will use SAP Business One also contributes to the overall implementation time. If your users are present in a single location or distributed across multiple locations also plays a role.
Deciding whether the implementation will be on-premise or on-cloud is a pretty big factor in the implementation time. On-premise implementation will require infrastructure setup, getting suitable hardware and several processes. While cloud implementation happens quickly.
How many functionalities you want to integrate in your business is another important factor. Whether you are looking to implement only simple functionalities on a broader level or want to integrate every module and configurations SAP has to offer at a deeper level will decide how complicated the implementation will be.

If you are thinking of going with a SAP Business One partner for the implementation, then there are some criteria you should consider before committing to one.

How to Select the Right Partner for Your Business?

Knowledge Base - Your potential SAP B1 partner should be knowledgeable about all the modules and latest updates available in SAP Business One. You wouldn’t want to lose out on a great feature just because your partner didn’t know about it.
Proven Track Record - Proof of the company serving different clients and helping them achieve their business objectives provides testimony of their abilities and expertise.
Support - Just implementing is not enough. Your partner company should also be available to support you whenever you face an issue or are unable to understand something.
Communication- Clear communication is important in making sure that your partner company understands what you want to achieve and is able to fulfill the objective.

This should give you a good idea of how multiple factors should be kept into consideration before you decide to finalize the implementation timeframes and deadlines, either for in-house implementation or by a SAP Business One partner. Most businesses looking to implement SAP Business One have low budgets and this makes the implementation cost of SAP Business One perhaps the most important factor.