Evaluating your ERP solution

  • 15 July 2014
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Implementing an ERP solution in your company is a major step that any company can take. It can really be a tedious procedure, involving a lot of time and patience. It is extremely important that the correct steps are taken while choosing the perfect ERP for your company. One wrong step and you might be in for a disastrous downfall. So, make sure that you evaluate your ERP solution before purchasing it. If it sounds like difficult procedure, then the following steps will ease that problem for you. When you are spending a lot of money on something, then it is perfectly alright to go through a few more steps instead of skipping them, if it assures a promising result. These are some of the steps that you can follow which can help you evaluate your ERP solution.

Noting down your business needs and goals

The importance of mapping out the business goals has been emphasized time and again. And it is done for a reason. Inspite of SAP B1 Support commenting on its importance, a lot of companies skip this step. They have a certain ‘idea’ of their company’s business goals and proceed with that vague idea. Everyone in the company should be on the same page, which is why it is important that you note down the business goals. Ask questions like when would you expect the ROI and why does your company need an ERP. This is the most difficult step but it is the most important one. The difficulty might ward-off some people but try to befriend it rather than pushing it away.

Assigning a dedicated team

The right team makes all the difference. Since ERP is a solution that everyone might not be comfortable with, make sure you identify the people who can handle it well. Look for people who have the capabilities to entirely dedicate their time and effort to the ERP system. Make sure that all the members are not from the same department. Take people from different departments so that all your laterals are taken care of, you get unbiased views and so that all the departments are bound by one dedicated team. Zero down on the solution that everyone is comfortable with and can suit everyone’s requirements. Based on that, evaluate the ERP solution and come to a final conclusion.

Have measurable targets and numbers

If you don’t have your targets set, then it would be like shooting an arrow in the dark. You know you have to hit the target, but have no clue where the target is. Discuss with your colleagues and concerned team members and decide upon the targets/numbers that you would like for your company. It can be sales, profits or inventory costs for each department of the company. Make sure that the targets that you set are measurable. Once this is done, you will get a fair idea of which ERP solution to opt for.

Plan at every stage – pre and post implementation

Don’t make the mistake of focusing so much on the pre-implementation phase that you forget about what to do once you go live. No matter how scrutinizing your pre-planning phase was, there will be continuous improvement in the system. Make constant improvements after you go live too. You would be surprised to see how many benefits of ERP are achieved after implementation.

Following all these steps would help you get a little closer to choosing your ERP solution. There is a symbiotic relationship between these steps and evaluating an ERP solution. You can get all the guidance and help from SAP Business One Support. Evaluating an ERP system and following the various steps in that procedure can be extremely overwhelming. But don’t let that bog you down. Many have successfully done it and so can you. Look beyond the complexities involved, and you will be assured of great success.

Nidhi Batra

About the author

Nidhi Batra is a marketing and brand communication professional with 10 years of experience working in the dynamic B2B marketing environment. She strategizes, writes, reviews a variety of content for demand generation and sales support activities. Having a Master’s in English from Delhi University, she knows how to navigate her readers on insightful journeys with her SAP published blogs and thought leadership content.