ERP transitions have always been a hot topic among AEC firm leaders—but with Deltek Vision being phased out and new solutions entering the market daily, the conversation has reached a fever pitch. If your firm is evaluating its options, you're not alone, and the good news is that the fundamental strategies for a successful ERP transition haven't changed all that much, even as the technology has.
Hugh Glazer, a CFO consultant with WinterView Group who has spent decades helping AEC firms select and implement ERP systems, shares what still works—and what firms consistently get wrong.
Start with the Right Questions: Sizing Up Your Firm's ERP Needs
Before evaluating any specific system, Glazer says the starting point is always firm size. Ask yourself:
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How many staff members does your firm employ?
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How many active projects are you managing at any given time?
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Do your projects run for months or years?
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Does your firm engage in government contracting that requires FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) compliance?
These are not trivial questions. FAR compliance alone can drive the level of accounting sophistication your ERP system must support. Firms subject to FAR audits need a system capable of managing compliant overhead rates and producing specific reporting—criteria that immediately narrows the field.
How to Choose the Right AEC ERP Systems
Once you've assessed your firm's size and complexity, the next step is evaluating functionality. According to Glazer, "it's important to understand and be clear about how your firm does billing and how you price proposals, because those requirements can drive the flexibility and data you want the ERP system to report back."
Here's a practical breakdown of how common AEC ERP platforms stack up:
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Deltek Vantagepoint & Unanet — Best suited for larger firms requiring robust project management and accounting integration
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Deltek Ajera — A strong fit for mid-sized architecture and engineering firms
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BQE Core — Effective when used comprehensively as a single platform; avoid partial implementation
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Monograph & Replicon — Project management tools with strong graphical data display, but may lack full accounting depth
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QuickBooks & Xero — Suitable for smaller firms, but most firms outgrow these solutions once they surpass 5–10 employees
The Role of Senior Management in ERP Implementation
One of the most common—and costly—mistakes in ERP transitions is failing to engage senior management from the very beginning. Glazer illustrated this with a real-world example: midway through an ERP implementation, a principal suddenly requested that multiple years of historical data be migrated to the new system. The result? A two-month delay and thousands of dollars in rework.
The cost of involving senior leadership early is far lower than the cost of correcting late-stage misalignments. Principals need to be at the table—not just informed after key decisions have been made.
Don't Overlook the Human Side of ERP Transitions
Even the most perfectly selected ERP system will fail if your team doesn't use it consistently. Staff turnover means firms must continually reinvest in training. Two to three years after go-live, the employees who knew the system best may have moved on. Glazer emphasizes that "the principals and project managers have to invest time in learning how to use it and communicating through it."
A technically perfect system that's poorly adopted is just expensive shelfware. Build training, discipline, and accountability into your implementation plan from day one.
The Bottom Line for AEC Firms Facing ERP Decisions
Navigating an ERP transition is never simple, but the fundamentals of success remain consistent: understand your firm's size and needs, involve leadership early, choose a platform that fits your billing model, and commit fully to adoption. As the industry continues to evolve—and legacy systems like Deltek Vision phase out—the firms that approach these decisions strategically will be the ones that come out ahead.
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