A Successful Transformation from Pronto Xi to SAP
For Paddington Gold, part of Norton Gold Fields, moving from Pronto Xi to SAP represented a significant enterprise transformation.
The existing ERP platform had supported the organisation’s mining and processing operations for many years. As the business evolved, however, leadership identified the need for a modern enterprise platform that could improve integration across business functions and provide a stronger foundation for future operational requirements and growth.
Recognising that successful ERP transformation extends well beyond technology deployment, Paddington Gold engaged Solution Minds Consulting (SMC) as an independent, client-side advisor to support planning and implementation.
SMC provided governance, project leadership, business readiness, process alignment, testing and deployment planning, data migration support and independent quality assurance, helping Paddington Gold approach the SAP program as a business transformation rather than simply a software implementation.
Key Outcomes
- Structured preparation for the transition from Pronto Xi to SAP
- Independent, client-side governance and project leadership
- Clearer roles and accountabilities across project stakeholders
- Greater visibility of project risks and mitigation requirements
- Business readiness, testing and deployment planning strengthened
- Stronger alignment between business objectives and implementation activities
About Paddington Gold
Paddington Gold operates a major gold mining and processing operation in the Kalgoorlie region of Western Australia through Norton Gold Fields.
As the organisation continued to evolve, leadership recognised that modernising its enterprise systems would be important to supporting operational efficiency, stronger integration and future growth.
The transition from Pronto Xi to SAP formed a significant part of that modernisation journey.
Preparing the Business for a Major ERP Transition
Moving from a long-standing ERP platform while maintaining continuity across mining and processing operations required careful planning.
The SAP program extended well beyond the configuration and deployment of new software. Paddington Gold needed to consider governance, business processes, organisational readiness, data migration, testing, training and stakeholder alignment.
The organisation also needed clear accountabilities across the client team and implementation partner, along with realistic planning for the work required on both sides of the implementation.
Without this level of preparation, the program risked encountering challenges around scope, timing, cost, adoption and business disruption.
Paddington Gold therefore wanted greater confidence that the transformation was appropriately governed, that risks were visible and actively managed, and that the organisation was ready for the changes ahead.
SMC Solution
SMC partnered with Paddington Gold as an independent, client-side advisor throughout the planning and implementation of the SAP program.
Rather than relying solely on the implementation partner’s delivery methodology, SMC worked alongside Paddington Gold and its implementation partner to ensure the broader business transformation requirements were addressed.
- Governance and project leadership
- Risk and issue management
- Business readiness and change support
- Process alignment
- Testing and deployment planning
- Data migration strategy support
- Stakeholder engagement and communication
- Independent quality assurance
SMC’s independent position enabled the team to provide objective advice, challenge assumptions and identify gaps from the client’s perspective.
This helped Paddington Gold maintain greater visibility and control over the transformation while keeping business outcomes at the centre of implementation decisions.
Process
Plan & Implement: Establishing the Foundations
The initial focus was on preparing Paddington Gold for delivery.
SMC worked with stakeholders to clarify objectives, scope, roles and responsibilities, while creating a shared understanding of the transformation ahead.
Detailed planning addressed areas including:
- Governance structures
- Project roles and accountabilities
- Resource requirements
- Solution scope validation
- Testing strategies
- Deployment planning
- Data migration
- Business readiness
- Risk and issue management
This preparation provided a clearer basis for implementation and helped ensure both the client and implementation partner understood what would be required for successful delivery.
Plan & Implement: Supporting Delivery
As the program progressed, SMC continued supporting Paddington Gold through implementation execution.
The focus remained on client-side project leadership, governance, readiness and quality assurance, helping ensure delivery activities remained connected to the organisation’s broader business objectives.
SMC also supported stakeholder alignment and visibility across the program, enabling emerging issues and risks to be identified and addressed as implementation progressed.
Preparing for Review & Optimise
The governance and implementation approach also established a foundation for post-implementation review, optimisation and benefits realisation following go-live.
This gives Paddington Gold a framework for assessing how the new environment performs in practice and identifying opportunities for further improvement as adoption matures.
Transformation Workstreams
- Transformation Leadership
- People
- Process
- Technology
- AI
- Data
Stronger Governance and Readiness for SAP Delivery
Paddington Gold’s approach provided a stronger foundation than treating SAP as a standalone technology deployment.
- Clearer implementation governance
- Greater visibility of project risks and mitigation strategies
- Defined accountabilities across stakeholders
- Improved organisational readiness
- Structured project leadership and reporting
- Stronger alignment between business objectives and technology delivery
Importantly, the SAP program was approached as a business transformation rather than solely an IT initiative.
Preparing across people, process, data, governance and technology gave Paddington Gold a more structured basis for managing the transition while reducing disruption to day-to-day mining operations.
The approach also provided leadership with greater visibility of the program and clearer controls around a significant enterprise technology investment.
The Future
SAP provides Paddington Gold with a modern enterprise foundation designed to support finance, procurement, inventory, warehouse management, enterprise asset management, reporting and broader operational processes.
With structured governance, clear project leadership and continued focus on readiness and adoption, Paddington Gold is positioned to progress the transformation while maintaining alignment with its longer-term business objectives.
The foundations established through the program also provide a basis for ongoing review and optimisation as the organisation gains experience with the new environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
A successful SAP implementation in mining requires more than configuring the ERP software. Mining organisations need to consider operational continuity, governance, business processes, asset management, procurement, inventory, data migration, system testing, workforce readiness and change management.
A structured implementation approach helps ensure the technology, people, processes and data are ready for the transition. SMC’s Mining ERP Software Solutions Guide provides further guidance on the requirements and considerations specific to mining organisations.
Mining companies can reduce ERP implementation risk by establishing clear governance, responsibilities and decision rights before delivery accelerates. Detailed ERP implementation planning should cover scope, resources, data migration, testing, change management, deployment and business readiness.
Independent oversight can also help identify gaps between the implementation partner’s responsibilities and the work the client organisation needs to complete.
An independent ERP consultant works on behalf of the client rather than the software vendor or implementation partner.
During an SAP implementation, this can include client-side project leadership, governance, risk management, business readiness, data migration, testing, deployment planning and quality assurance. The objective is to protect the organisation’s interests and keep the implementation aligned with its business outcomes.
An SAP implementation partner is typically responsible for configuring and delivering the SAP solution. A client-side ERP advisor represents the organisation undergoing the transformation.
Their role is to help the client govern the program, manage risks and responsibilities, challenge assumptions and ensure technology delivery remains aligned with business requirements and objectives.
Moving from Pronto Xi to SAP is a significant ERP transformation that can affect finance, procurement, inventory, asset management, reporting and other business processes.
Organisations need to plan for data migration, process alignment, system testing, integration, training, change management and deployment, while maintaining business continuity throughout the transition.
ERP data migration is one of the higher-risk areas of an enterprise system implementation. Organisations need to determine what data will move to SAP, establish responsibilities for cleansing and validation, map data correctly and test migration before go-live.
A structured ERP implementation approach helps bring data migration, testing, deployment and business readiness together rather than treating them as isolated activities.
An ERP transformation changes more than technology. New enterprise systems can affect business processes, roles, responsibilities, data, reporting and how people work.
Treating ERP implementation as a business transformation helps organisations consider leadership, people, process, technology, AI and data together, rather than focusing solely on system configuration and go-live.
About the Author
Filip Dimkovski is the Queensland Regional Director at Solution Minds Consulting, leading regional operations, client success, and growth. He brings over 13 years of experience in enterprise systems, including senior roles across consulting, solution architecture, and service delivery within the mining and ERP sectors. Filip is known for his practical, delivery-focused approach, combining technical expertise with strong commercial and client engagement capability.