5 steps for selecting the right ERP system for your business

Once you have your team in place, begin to evaluate your greatest needs for selecting an ERP system. As you brainstorm with your team, look to balance present pain points with the future needs of your organization.  

Common questions to consider are: 

• Financial reporting. How will we gain reliable financial reporting that is both accurate and timely? 
• Analytics and data. How much visibility will we be provided in terms of sales, production, and procurement processes? 

Once you’ve narrowed your field to your top two or three providers, the next step is to secure a vendor who provides an effective and efficient implementation with continuing support.  

While many providers and vendors can offer you a slick launch time frame, it’s important to consider all phases of research: prelaunch, post-launch, and ongoing support from an experienced vendor: 

• Implementation experience. What level of experience does the ERP vendor have? Will they be able to anticipate problems before they happen? How long have they supported the ERP software we are looking to use? 
• Industry expertise. What level of expertise will be provided? Do they have a deep bench of industry specialists who will understand the specific needs of our business units? 

You’re nearly set on making your decision, but there’s one last crucial step: talking to a client of a prospective ERP vendor.  

Most vendors can provide you with a testimonial of a job well done, but let’s be honest, such testimonials are given shortly after launch. It’s telling if a vendor is able to connect you with one of their clients who can walk you through their experience. Make sure you ask about ongoing support, training, and their relationship with the vendor.