Incorporating ERP software requires many changes in the organization and before that selecting the most appropriate ERP is a tough task. Much of the things go into selecting the perfect ERP solution for your organization – the calculation of budget that is to be allotted, the demos that are to be examined, the consultants, the brainstorming sessions with company heads etc. all form part of the ERP software regime.
With scientific ERP selection checklist, the organization can make perfect choice of the system. The checklist should include many factors that are vital and essential for success of almost every ERP project.
ERP selection checklist:
1. Define requirements
The first step in selecting ERP software is to define the requirements that your system needs to meet. In other words, you should have rock bottom knowledge of your business issues, so that you can be sure what to solve using ERP. If there is no proper and correct understanding of your business and the requirements of the product, you may end up cornering the solution that addresses wrong issues.
Here is the checklist defining ERP software requirements:
Define the business needs right away.
Use multi departmental approach to get bird’s eye view of ERP requirements.
See that importance is ranked to all vital functions and features.
Are you seeking ERP vendors to match your needs with vendor’s potential offerings?
Are all the employees involved in assessment?
2. Match requirements
Now you know that what are the needs of your business that are to be solved, your very next step is to match the requirements with the needs. Here is the checklist of how to carry out this step:
Request each vendor and verify their competencies and experience.
See that the custom solutions that they provide really are coordinated to your needs and objectives.
Check if your vendors are in the position to handle your unique business needs and requirements.
Make a list of vendors who can match your needs
Now cross check each vendor’s experience and competencies in tune to your specific needs.
Ask for demo version for testing and evaluating the functional traits.
Involve key personnel in trail to ensure complete evaluation
Select the system that address your business needs and requirements
If you find no system matching your requirements, do not stop instead look for other solution partners and ERP developers.
3. Ensure Training and support
Now after you selected ERP software solutions; matching your requirements, the next step is to find out whether the vendor has the capacity to provide adequate support and training resources. This is vital aspect that needs to be taken account of, for all the ERP solutions are rather complex and requires lot of employee time and effort for introduction into working environments.
Train your personnel in use of ERP software by providing them will all round support of resources, including tech documentation, user guide, manuals, online resources etc.
Checklist for transpiring this step:
Request the vendor you selected to provide support service.
See that they provide trainers.
Look for the training options they provide
Agree upon training schedule with the provider
Request your IT personnel for maintenance schedule with the provider.
Find out the training options that are available.
See that the service provider has at least two to three employees glued to the phone and remote support.
4. Benefit from Independent Consultancy
Apart from receiving ERP training and support, you must for an external expert, who has in depth experience and expertise in using and managing various ERP systems. This is applicable to the organization that does not have internal IT department of its own. Here is checklist for this step:
Go for independent companies; that are not interested in any vendor solution.
Go for software consultant that fits your pocket.
See that this consultant is a perfect middle man who can negotiate well with your personnel and vendors.
Combine your internal staff training schedule with consultant’s activity
5. Engage Employees
With the beginning of this step, your organization has implemented ERP software system and all your workers are provided with required training and support. But the point is even if the system is incorporated in the working setup, does not mean that it is effectively used and even though all your personnel are well trained, they may not understand the practical picture of the entire aspect. What they might know what are the tasks that are assigned but do not realize how to contribute the same tasks to business success. Without proper employee engagement and understanding your ERP software will be rigid and static.
For high employee engagement, here are few tips:
View your ERP software as changing process requiring continuous audit and control
See that every user has the knowledge to operate the system
See there is free flow of knowledge transfer between the users
Hold sessions with the staff to explain them about business setup and the system that is managing the process.
Relate each user’s contribution to the company’s success.
Make a schedule to track and measure ERP project on regular basis.
6. Commit Resources
This is the final step in ERP software selection checklist. This step requires the need to allocate as many as resources as required to the entire transformation process. Your ERP project requires high resources because of lengthy implementation and challenging journey. Your business budget should be ready for this change and journey by following below mentioned checklist:
Do you have enough management and financial resources for ERP solution?
See that you will never think twice while allocating resources to your ERP project.
You should spend enough time to review and analyze each vendor’s solution.
These are 6 best evaluated checklists for selecting ERP software for success of your business. Business planners and analysts can follow the guidelines on how to define and match their business requirements, select the right ERP vendors, engage the personnel, and ensure resource commitment to the best of the advantage of the organization.
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