Master Your ERP Project: 5 Key Steps for the CFO Office

By Ville Ojala, Director, CFO & Controlling Services at Staria

An ERP project is not just a technology decision – it is a development path for the entire organisation, offering the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) a unique opportunity to renew the finance function and build a strategic CFO Office for the future. The CFO Office refers to the finance function under the CFO’s responsibility, encompassing not only financial management, planning, and reporting, but also the strategic role of finance in supporting the business.

Today’s finance function is no longer expected to merely report on the past – it is expected to lead with forward-looking, data-driven insights that support decision-making across the organisation. The ERP system is just one tool in this transformation. The real value lies in how the system is integrated with people, processes, and business objectives.

This blog presents 5 tips for a successful ERP project from the CFO’s perspective. It explores how an ERP initiative can help build a future-ready finance organisation, develop unified processes, and break down outdated silos. At the center of it all is the CFO’s role as a driver and enabler of change.

1 Create a vision for the future of the CFO Office

Every ERP project is a journey of change. For it to succeed, the CFO must first know what kind of finance organisation do we want to be in two or three years? The CFO Office is no longer just a center for statutory requirements and reporting. In the future, it should strive to be a strategic business partner that provides insights, guides resources, and builds data-driven management capabilities. Creating a vision does not mean setting a lofty goal – it forms the basis for a concrete roadmap that guides development work: what will be done, when, and by whom. The vision also helps prioritisation and involves the entire operating model of the CFO Office, including its systems:

• What kind of expertise is needed?

• Which processes will be automated, which will be renewed?

• How will the finance team serve the business in an international environment? The ERP acts as an enabler, but the change happens in people and operating methods.

2 Identify the current state and define goals for the ERP project

Alongside the vision, an honest review of the current state is needed. Where are we now? What systems, processes, and practices does the CFO Office currently have? Which functions burden the team, which are already efficient? Is reporting manual, siloed, or slow-moving? And what does the level of expertise look like – does the team have sufficient capabilities to operate in the new ERP’s environment?

In the early stages of the ERP project, it is critical to identify what we want to achieve. These goals should not be left as high-level wishes – they must relate to the real needs of the business and concrete KPI metrics. For example:

• Faster month-end close (time-to-close)

• Better visibility into cash flow

• Fewer manual entries

• Real-time and structured group reporting

Defining goals is not limited to technology and systems. Work also needs to be done to improve skill levels, the team’s operating methods, and collaboration with other units. A successful ERP project simultaneously renews the CFO Office’s entire operating model – not just the system environment.

3 Understand the scope of change – not just a technology project

An ERP project changes more than it initially appears. Although it is a technology project, the impacts extend deep into the organisation's structures, roles, and work methods. For the CFO, this means that it is also a change management project – and the finance team must be ready to support a change that goes through the entire company. An ERP changes the way we buy, sell, invoice, track projects, analyse finances, and report to management. Often, old processes no longer fit into the new system – or are simply not efficient enough.

At this point, the CFO's role is crucial:

• Involve the business and other parts of the organisation already in the planning phase

• Make visible how new processes affect different roles

• Choose change agents and superusers who act as supporters of the new operating model

One practical tool is an impact assessment, which maps how the job descriptions of different user groups change. For example: what happens to the role of accounts payable when manual handling decreases and the system automates previous tasks? Is there a need to reshape the role or develop expertise? The CFO's task is to ensure that the change is not only led from the top but also implemented in everyday practices.

4 Data management and data-driven leadership at the core of ERP

The implementation of the ERP system is an excellent moment to reflect over your data – and build the foundation for future data-driven leadership. The quality and structure of the data determine how well you can monitor your business, make decisions, and respond to changes. In a growing and internationalising company, the importance of data is emphasised even more. When operating in multiple countries and currencies, your data must be consistent, reliable, and easily combinable. This means that the CFO is responsible for taking ownership of key data structures – such as the chart of accounts, project structures, cost centers, and customer/supplier masters.

Data management is not just a technical implementation. It is also a question of operating culture and collaboration:

• Who is responsible for the accuracy of the data?

• Is data maintenance centralised or decentralised?

• How do you ensure that different teams understand the importance of data and use it consistently?

Well-designed and managed data enables reporting, analytics, and automation that take the CFO Office to the next level. Without quality data, even the finest ERP system remains underutilised.

5 Build sustainable change – Team, training, and partners

The success of the ERP project does not end on the go-live day. The real benefit arises only when the system is used as planned – and users are committed to the new operating model. At this point, the importance of continuous support and training is emphasised. The finance organisation should plan roles anew already during the project. Are new responsibilities needed, such as system administrators (NetSuite Admin), data owners, or analytics experts? At the same time, it may be sensible to move to a more streamlined team model, where, for example, group reporting, business partnership, and compliance tasks are separated into their own entities. Regarding training, it is important to prepare for the fact that learning does not happen in one sitting:

• Phased, role-specific training is needed

• Users should be offered both interactive sessions and on-demand materials

• The superuser network is key – they can train, coach, and support the team in everyday practice

The CFO's task is to ensure that there are enough resources and expertise for the change – and that the finance team is not left alone. When choosing a partner, it is worth emphasising experience specifically in ERP projects for growth companies. The best partner does not only offer system implementation but also acts as a sparring partner for the finance function in all phases of the change.

ERP is more than a system – It is a strategic opportunity for the CFO

An ERP project is not just a necessary investment or IT project. It is an opportunity. It is a chance to build a new, scalable, and data-driven CFO Office that supports growth and internationalisation. When the CFO takes an active role in defining the vision, analysing the current state, and leading the change, they can turn the ERP project into a strategic victory. Technology acts as an enabler – but the real transformation happens when the system, people, and operating methods develop together. This is what makes the ERP one of the CFO's most important tools in building the future.