Not every software rollout starts with an existing system that has to be replaced. Sometimes a project begins entirely on a green field — with no legacy baggage, but also without established structures to orient yourself by. That was exactly the case at a company in the water treatment industry.
Green field instead of system replacement
Unlike most projects, where an existing CRM or ERP is replaced, there was virtually no digital history here. On the one hand, that means less legacy baggage and fewer data migration problems — on the other, every process had to be rethought from scratch and mapped in the system, without being able to draw on experience from a predecessor system.
Why "many modules required" was no exaggeration here
It was clear from the quotation phase onwards: this project would not get by with two or three modules. Contact management, order processing, resource planning and invoicing had to mesh from day one, because no area was already digitised that the new system could have been connected to.
The process: from order to implementation
- Detailed process documentation upfront to tailor the solution concept precisely
- Joint presentation of the quotation and solution concept before the final order
- Implementation of automated workflows and processes as an integral part of the scope sold, not as an add-on service afterwards
What companies with a similar starting point can learn
With a green-field rollout, it pays to invest a lot of time in process documentation before the actual implementation — without an existing system as a reference, every workflow has to be thought through explicitly instead of following "the way it has always been done". That takes more effort, but often leads to cleaner, better-designed processes than a simple 1:1 replacement of a legacy system.
Frequently asked questions
Is a green-field rollout more work than a system replacement?
Usually yes in the preparation phase, because all processes have to be defined from scratch — in the technical implementation, however, there is no effort for migrating data from a legacy system.
How many modules are realistic for a complete fresh start?
That depends heavily on the business model — with entirely new digital processes, several interlocking modules often make sense from the outset rather than adding one module after another.
Is your company starting its digitalisation completely from scratch, without an existing system? We will gladly support you from process documentation through to implementation.
More about our solution for this industry: software for the water treatment industry.
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