Enterprise Resource Planning Software Checklist
By Adam Hughes / Apr 2, 2018 / 90 tasks
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.
Assemble an Enterprise Resource Planning Software Selection Team
- 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.
Determine the Scope of Your Project
Evaluate Your Organization
Evaluate Your Business Needs
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.
