The Impact of SAP ERP on Quantity Surveying Best Practice within Cost and Commercial Management: A UK Case Study

Vick, T, Siriwardena, M, Allis, C ORCID: 0000-0001-6040-4179 and Manewa, A (2026) The Impact of SAP ERP on Quantity Surveying Best Practice within Cost and Commercial Management: A UK Case Study. In: PAQs Congress 2026: Conference Proceedings . pp. 588-599. (The PAQS conference 2026, 24th Aug- 25th Aug 2026, Colombo, Sri Lanka).

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Abstract

Digitalisation has transformed data management in the construction industry, with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems increasingly adopted to consolidate core business functions and support real-time, data-driven decision-making. Despite growing expectations from professional bodies such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) that Quantity Surveyors engage with digital tools, a significant gap exists in understanding how ERP systems specifically impact Quantity Surveying (QS) practice. This study addresses that gap by evaluating QS professionals' perceptions of SAP ERP and its influence on best practice within cost and commercial management. A qualitative case study approach was adopted, using semistructured interviews with six Quantity Surveyors at a UK-based tier one contractor with experience of both pre- and post-SAP implementation. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed that SAP significantly improved data accessibility, automation, and workload management. However, considerable data integrity issues, stemming from inadequate SAP and commercial awareness amongst non-commercial teams and insufficient leadership support during implementation, were found to undermine these benefits. The findings suggest that SAP's effectiveness is determined more by organisational competence and leadership than by technical capability. Recommendations include piloting implementation on smaller projects, involving commercial teams in data governance, and delivering targeted training across all business functions to ensure technical and cultural readiness prior to adoption.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Subjects:	T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) T Technology > T Technology (General) > T58.5 Information Technology
Divisions:	Engineering and Built Environment
Date of acceptance:	2 July 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	22 October 2026
Date Deposited:	22 Oct 2026 08:55
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2026 08:55
Editors:	Perera, BAKS, Kulatunga, U, Thayaparan, M and Ranadewa, KATO
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/29692

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