How to Retain Knowledge Across Implementation Teams

Every business transformation project, especially ERP or CRM implementations like Microsoft Dynamics 365, involves multiple teams, phases, and months of effort. By the time go-live happens, the people who held critical information might be moving to new projects, different roles, or even leaving the company. Without a clear strategy to retain knowledge, much of that hard-earned insight walks out the door with them.

So how can organizations preserve what they learn during Dynamics 365 implementation, and make sure it's accessible for future teams?

Let’s break down the key strategies for retaining knowledge across implementation teams.

Why Knowledge Retention Matters

Implementation projects are not just about software. They involve process reengineering, team training, decision-making, and lessons learned through trial and error. If that experience isn’t documented and shared, future teams risk repeating mistakes, wasting time, and missing out on proven solutions.

When knowledge retention is handled well, teams work more efficiently, onboarding becomes faster, and business continuity is stronger even as people come and go.

1. Create a Central Knowledge Repository

One of the biggest challenges during implementation is that information lives in scattered places: emails, chat threads, personal notes, or slide decks. To fix this, create a centralized knowledge hub where all documentation, guides, lessons learned, and meeting notes are stored.

Tools like Microsoft SharePoint, Confluence, or even OneNote can act as this central space. Make sure it’s well organized with clear categories, searchable tags, and restricted access where necessary.

This way, even if a team member leaves, their expertise doesn’t leave with them.

2. Assign a Knowledge Owner or Librarian

A common reason knowledge gets lost is because no one owns it. Assign someone the responsibility of maintaining the knowledge base. This person doesn't need to write all the content themselves but should ensure that updates happen regularly, documents are easy to find, and old material is archived.

Think of this role like a librarian or curator they help others access what they need without getting lost in outdated or irrelevant information.

3. Document Decisions and Their Rationale

During ERP or software implementations, teams make hundreds of decisions: what modules to enable, which processes to automate, which customizations to develop. Over time, people may forget why certain paths were chosen.

When documenting decisions, don’t just record what was decided include why it was done that way. This helps future team members understand the context, and reduces the chances of reversing or questioning sound choices without good reason.

4. Encourage Knowledge Sharing as a Habit

Knowledge sharing shouldn’t be a one-time event. It needs to become part of the team’s rhythm. Encourage practices like:

• Weekly knowledge-sharing sessions

• Internal wikis or FAQs

• Peer-to-peer learning sessions

• Recaps of project phases with key lessons learned

Also, create a culture where no one feels like they need to “protect” their knowledge to stay valuable. The goal is for teams to win together, not hold onto information like a personal asset.

5. Record and Review Key Meetings

Not every detail can or should be written down, especially in fast-moving projects. For high-impact meetings like design workshops, solution demos, or stakeholder reviews consider recording the session (with consent). This creates a reference point for anyone who joins the project later or needs clarity on what was discussed.

Transcripts or summary notes can be attached to the knowledge hub for quick review.

6. Build Knowledge into Handover Plans

If a team member is transitioning off the project, make knowledge transfer part of their exit process. Set up a checklist that includes:

• Documenting their key responsibilities

• Sharing contacts and relationships they’ve managed

• Recording any tribal knowledge they’ve picked up

Even better, have them walk through this knowledge with their replacement so nothing is missed.

7. Leverage Technology to Retain and Access Knowledge

Modern tools can help reduce the manual burden of knowledge management. AI-powered document search, smart tagging, and automatic content suggestions can make retrieving information faster and easier. Tools like Viva Topics, for example, can surface relevant content inside Microsoft Teams and SharePoint based on a user’s role or activity.

These kinds of tools reduce the chances of knowledge getting buried under layers of folders or forgotten documents.

Final Thoughts

Knowledge retention isn’t just about writing things down. It’s about creating systems, habits, and tools that make knowledge easy to capture, access, and share. In complex projects like Dynamics 365 implementations, where many hands touch the process, a smart knowledge retention strategy ensures that progress isn’t lost when people move on.

Whether you’re just starting an implementation or are wrapping one up, the best time to start preserving knowledge is right now. Because the next phase always depends on what you've learned so far — and how well you remember it.