Enterprise Resource Planning Software Checklist
Table of Contents
Choosing a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) software system is an important and expensive decision. Because enterprise resource planning software affects every aspect of your business, great care must be taken to select a system that best suits your needs, now and in the future. This ERP Software evaluation checklist will help you narrow your focus and choose the right solution.
- At least one representative from company leadership.
- Front-line managers who will use the software.
- Members of your IT department, who will assist with implementation.
- Heavy ERP users from each business unit.
- Someone from within the company who is not directly involved with the ERP.
- How much can you spend?
- What is your deadline for selecting and implementing an ERP?
- Does your business require a new ERP, or is it optional?
- How many employees does your organization have?
- What business units make up your business?
- How much money does your company make in a year?
- Do you expect revenue to increase in coming years?
- Are there business processes that you need to modify?
- What ERP do you currently use?
- What does your current software do well?
- What critical needs does your current software not meet?
- What special features will you need in coming years?
- How many people will be using the enterprise resource planning software?
- Will your staff require extensive training?
- Will upper management be using the software?
- What level of data access will your users need?
- How many people will be using the enterprise resource planning software?
- Will your staff require extensive training?
- Will upper management be using the software?
- What level of data access will your users need?
- How much will the software and licenses cost?
- How much does it cost and how is it delivered?
- Can you add users without incurring additional costs?
- Is the software hosted, or does your company need servers and IT staff?
- Does the license include all available updates?
- Does the software provide the reporting you need?
- Can the software work with other applications?
- Will you need to change the way you do business to fit the software?
- Does the ERP software support sound data security practices?
- Invite ERP vendors on-site for product demos.
- Will ERP vendors give you access to trial versions of their software?
- Is the vendor willing to customize a solution to fit your budget?
- How much will the software and licenses cost?
- How much does it cost and how is it delivered?
- Can you add users without incurring additional costs?
- Is the software hosted, or does your company need servers and IT staff?
- Does the license include all available updates?
- Does the software provide the reporting you need?
- Can the software work with other applications?
- Will you need to change the way you do business to fit the software?
- Does the ERP software support sound data security practices?
- Invite ERP vendors on-site for product demos.
- Will ERP vendors give you access to trial versions of their software?
- Is the vendor willing to customize a solution to fit your budget?
- Does the enterprise resource planning software vendor provide a customer portal?
- Can you ask for help via email?
- Does the vendor maintain a live help desk?
- Is there an online community of users for each potential ERP?
- Are there other organizations like yours who use the ERP?
- Does the enterprise resource planning software vendor provide a customer portal?
- Can you ask for help via email?
- Does the vendor maintain a live help desk?
- Is there an online community of users for each potential ERP?
- Are there other organizations like yours who use the ERP?
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Enterprise Resource Planning Software Evaluation Tips
- Even more so than with other types of software packages, take extra time to ensure that you are getting the right fit with a new enterprise resource planning software system. Don't spend tens of thousands of dollars on features you won't ever use, but make sure the solution is sophisticated enough to grow with your company.
- Budget plenty of time for selection and implemention. Choosing an ERP can take six months to a year, and implementation typically requires 18 months or more.
- Guard against staff paranoia by keeping everyone as informed as possible throughout the process. Some employees will resist change, and others will see new software as a threat to their jobs.
- Don't expect too much. Enterprise resource planning software is very powerful and can help businesses become more productive, but no package can fix problems on its own. Regardless of the system you choose, lots of staff time and effort will be required to make an ERP function at its best.
- Be willing to change your business processes. The selection and implementation of a new enterprise resource planning software system is a perfect opportunity to evaluate how your business might benefit from adopting industry best practices that your old system would not support.
- Talk to peers at organizations similar to yours who have recently purchased an ERP system to get their insights into which systems they considered and why they made the decision they ultimately did.
