The Defence Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Program is a Defence-wide priority and a key part of the Defence transformation agenda.

ERP is enabling Defence to better adapt and evolve to meet strategic challenges, and Defence Industry continue to play a key role in supporting the successful implementation of ERP capability.

The ERP Tranche 1B Main (T1B Main) release on 12 May 2025 was Defence’s fifth and largest ERP capability release to date, bringing finance, procurement, supply chain management, transport management, land maintenance and engineering within ERP. This release significantly expands the number of users accessing ERP in the course of their day-to-day activities within Defence.

The following video demonstrates the commitment from Defence senior leaders in delivering ERP in Defence.

Benefits

ERP has introduced the latest SAP solution (SAP S/4HANA), and new and enhanced capability will continue to be delivered over a number of years, in a series of phases called 'tranches'.

The Defence ERP solution seeks to:

• drive alignment and standardisation
• implement fit for purpose IT systems
• encourage better ways of working
• develop and integrated force structure view with measurable inputs to capability. 
   

Change effects

Business operation changes will have varying effects on Defence personnel and Defence Industry. 

Defence is committed to ensuring industry is informed and involved in the transformation in order to enhance enterprise capability.    

The key changes for Defence Industry as a result of the recent T1B Main release include:

• delivery of an integrated supply chain capability
• new enterprise asset management framework for Defence materiel
• new master data standards and governance
• new system and ways of working
• introduction of the SAP Business Network for Procurement (SBN)
• alignment of contracts and key performance indicators with ERP data
• participation in training where ERP access was required.

ERP training is not offered to Industry partners not currently directly engaged on ERP-facing roles within Defence. For Industry partners in ERP-facing roles, training will be provided to those with minimum baseline clearance and Defence login credentials. For prospective suppliers, pre-SAP training is not a prerequisite or discriminator for future engagements with Defence.

Features

Timeline

Each tranche includes a discover, prepare, explore, realise, deploy and run phase, and are scheduled to deploy in a staggered approach.

• Tranche 1 Release 1A – an early release of Finance foundations providing an enhanced reporting capability.
  Delivered: January 2020 – July 2021.
• Tranche 3 Release 1A – introduction of Force Element and Performance and Goals.
  Delivered: November 2023.
• Tranche 2 Case Management – introduced a simplified, integrated and standardised case management system.
  Delivered: May 2024.
• Tranche 3 Performance and Goals – introduction of a One Defence end-to-end performance management system.
  Delivered: May and October 2024.
• Tranche 1B Main – establishment of the foundations for the Defence ERP transformation including:
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Transport Management
  • Land Maintenance and Engineering
  • Finance
  • Procurement
  • Military Planning and Operations.
    Delivered: May 2025.
• Tranche 3 – Defence will continue to release ERP capability in staggered releases until 2030
  • The Australian Submarine Agency and Australian Naval Nuclear Power Safety Regulator uplift to the T1B Main solution is a component of Tranche 3 and will involve 4 key functional areas:
    • Finance
    • Procurement
    • Military Planning and Operations
    • Human Resources.
      Deployment: November 2025.

Resources

Post T1B Main Go Live - SAP Business Network Key Information (PDF, 316.17 KB)