Unit4 software's budget bungle leaves schools counting the cost

Re: "the new ERP software – which replaced an SAP system"

The purchasing process for these big expensive systems seems to be:

1. Buy system which does X

2. Spend millions on making system do Y instead

Or: buy a solution then spend ages finding out what the problem is. Or: ready, fire, aim.

if you've got something that works, why do you replace it

When your old system is running on antique hardware that's no longer maintained, the software version is no longer supported, and the whole system is hanging on by the skin of its teeth, begrudgingly and minimally assisted by vendors who are only really interested in having you replace it, and you really don't have any choice but to spend a damn fortune you'd much rather spend on education or social care or something else that actually helps people.

Re: "the new ERP software – which replaced an SAP system"

"why do you replace it with something else before TESTING the something else to make sure it works ?"

Project running late, no time for testing.

Re: "the new ERP software – which replaced an SAP system"

Because Unit 4 ERP / Agresso / U4BW - however you call it - is cheaper on paper.

And then you start the implementation, and here you should expect 2-3x your estimated costs.

But they don't.

So once they get passed 2x cost the pressure to 'just go live with something' becomes too much for them.

Also, they tend to have bad staff, being a public sector big project that is locally managed.

I was hired to a public sector implementation of Unit 4 (not this one) but you will know which one (if you worked on it) when I say the sentence:

"The Programme Manager hired ALL of her friends as Project Managers, despite none of them having experience or qualifications".

It went as well as you would expect.

And no, I did not stay long!

Re: Really?

Your contract would fall under IR35, so you have to at least double the fee.

Re: Really?

Yes but at the time this was specced it would have had to be the RPi4 - so you'd need two.

Re: Over the Horizon

There was a bug in the code that was meant to handle teachers who had left - it was not meant to actually pay them, merely claim it had so they could prosecute for not repaying the stolen funds.

How many leavers.

It is, I believe, the biggest payroll in South East England.