How to Select the Right ERP Software
Tips for getting ERP right the first time — or how to fix it if you think you got it wrong.
You already know that manufacturers can benefit significantly from using ERP software. However, not all ERP solutions were created equally and an ERP solution that’s a perfect match for one manufacturing company may not be a good fit for another. It is important to give careful consideration to both the selection of the software itself, and to the vendor as well.
Whether your company currently uses spreadsheets and you want to implement your first ERP system, or the ERP system you currently have no longer meets your needs, you’re undoubtedly performing your due diligence… downloading brochures and reading article upon article on how to select a (new) system as well as evaluating the websites and materials of a number of different vendors.The implementation phase is the crucial transition period that takes you from the initial purchase of your ERP software to the point where you fully incorporate it throughout all departments and utilize it across your organization. To maximize benefits and minimize disruption, your ERP implementation needs to be thoroughly planned with a great deal of care, and commitment to the project needs to be consistent across the entire organization
This is as it should be. Implementing an ERP system is no small matter, and it can be a dizzying exercise. Consultant materials will provide advice, of course, but they often contain all sorts of statistics about failure and over-budget rates that can be paralyzing. This is understandable. They want you to believe you couldn’t possibly succeed without their services and, for some companies, this might be true.
Then you have the glowing descriptions provided by the vendors. The features and benefits described can be hard to tell apart, and their systems seem to do everything but make coffee. The truth is, most ERP systems are alike — on the surface anyway. But as the renowned architect Mies van der Rohe said, “God is in the details.” Figuring out the details will ensure that you get ERP right the first time — or figure out where you went wrong.
