Manufacturing growth is making headlines. You are ready to take those first steps toward selecting an ERP solution to improve the way your business collects and manages your greatest digital commodity – your data! Everything from sales, purchasing and finance to inventory, supply chain and manufacturing can be managed more efficiently and with greater business insight with ERP software.
So, how do you select the right ERP solution for your business?
- Take Time to Evaluate: With all key company stakeholders involved – you may want to tap external consultants like CompuData with expertise in ERP as well – thoroughly evaluate industry leading enterprise ERP software solutions with everything from implementation to performance in mind. Assess your existing business process needs, gaps and anticipated challenges, as well as identifying key efficiency bottlenecks. Review all criteria – features, price, platform, performance. Don’t forget to assess the industry expertise of the ERP solution provider, as well as the total cost of ownership for hardware, software and support.
- Create Your ERP Roadmap: What are your goals in implementing an ERP solution? What is your roadmap to ERP? Create a list of ERP solutions that you determine best meet your current needs and will best support for long-term growth goals. Focus on the ERP solutions you have evaluated and determined to be ideal fits. Big data is fast becoming a critical element of today’s ERP solutions. After you’ve done your research and eliminated the solutions that don’t quite fit your needs. Shortlist three to five ERP solutions that best meet your business objectives. Due diligence, such as calls to references, helps eliminate poor fits.
- Fine Tune Big Questions: Are the ERP systems you are shortlisting capable of delivering the highly automated big data capabilities to carry your manufacturing business to a new levels productivity and growth? Are the ERP solutions on your shortlist capable of transforming your manufacturing environment from a traditional shop to a digitally connected enterprise? Should you go with a cloud-based ERP system or install software on your own servers? Perhaps you should buy the on-premise ERP application and have it hosted in the cloud? What are your plans for mobile employees? Should you choose an ERP solution that performs well on tablets and smartphones? As you travel on the ERP roadmap you developed, focus on the solutions you have shortlisted and scrutinize these ERP candidates for their ability to optimize lean initiatives, reduce waste, improve productivity and provide the advanced analytics that will propel your business to accurately forecast sales and stretch margins. Create a short – or long – list of questions as you narrow your energy toward one ERP solution.
The ERP selection process is one that is often riddled with uncertainties and confusion. Careful planning coupled with in-depth reviews of your ERP implementation goals, and business processes will play a significant role in improving your ERP experience.
CompuData’s ERP specialists can create a roadmap to ERP implementation customized for your business. To get started, contact CompuData today!