ERP for a UK service company

Context

• Commercial model mixed fixed-fee, time-and-materials, and milestone billing with frequent change orders.
• Leadership needed one reporting baseline without forcing every subsidiary process into the same module.

Problem

• Off-the-shelf ERP either over-fit manufacturing inventory or under-fit services delivery and margin tracking.
• Finance and operations each maintained shadow models in spreadsheets to answer board questions.

Approach

• Defined a services-centric domain model (engagements, roles, utilisation, revenue recognition rules) before UI build.
• Shipped reporting views tied to governed facts rather than exported pivot tables.
• Integrated to accounting where required while keeping operational truth inside the internal system.

System / architecture

• Modular services with explicit boundaries; event-backed changes for audit and reconciliation.
• Role-based access aligned to commercial and delivery functions—not generic ERP roles.

Outcome

• Fewer reconciliations between operations and finance; faster monthly close narratives.
• Change requests became explicit rule changes instead of undocumented spreadsheet patches.

Representative UK services-sector ERP-style build; client not named and metrics not published.