As more and more ERP vendors are coming out with various kinds of systems to help improve tasks that are otherwise daunting, the need to choose the correct system that is most suitable for your job. While a lot of businesses presume that their required tasks can be done by any software, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the types of softwares available. Given below are some factors to consider:
Perform an analysis of the business processes
As a first step it is important to do a meticulous assessment of the different business processes that are currently being practiced in the company. Since ERP systems are used to maximize time and strengths and investment, it is crucial to get the right system in place. The analysis should include forecasting and projecting future processes, making sure that they conform to the business requisites. The evaluation data from these assessments are useful when approaching vendors for potential systems as you could find an ideal fit when you know exactly what is required.
Assess the fit and the investment
The fit of a particular Enterprise Resource Planning system to a company with an existing IT infrastructural platform will also need to be carefully evaluated. As restructuring the existing IT platform would deem time consuming and costly, it is best to make sure that the ERP software you choose fit in exactly with your technical IT requirements as well. This is also where you would fall prey to various marketing gimmicks by vendors to sell you software that will only partially work and is not a long term, reliable solution for your business needs. Ensure that all costs, including maintenance, upgrades and so on are well discussed before confirmation.
Implementation plan
One of the most crucial steps is to devise a plan for implementation of the project well in advance. There will be different activities that will be involved in order to successfully install the system. Therefore, it needs to be tested to check for optimal functionality and whether it is accepted by the end users. This will require you to plan ahead and let the employees know of the new systems in advance if it is an existing company as the installing process is likely to hinder some work processes when it is being tested and installed. After all, the employees would be the ones handling most of the day to day tasks and it is essential to get their unbiased independent feedback and suggestions before, during and after implantation of new ERP software.