ERP Systems: How to Know When You’ve Found the One

If you’re looking at ERP systems for your business you may feel a bit like you’re caught in a love triangle.

There are many great options, and they all have things to offer, but how do you know when you’ve really found the one?

In this blog, we’ll give you 5 questions to answer when evaluating an ERP solutions for your business so you’ll know when you’ve found the perfect one for you.

1. Does this ERP system offer the type of deployment I want?

It’s important to understand the type of deployment you want, be it on-premise, hosted, or in the cloud, before you commit to a system that might not align with your needs.

After all, if you’re looking for a cloud deployment, it won’t do you much good to fall in love with an on-premise ERP system.

By clearly deciding on what kind of deployment you’re looking for you can avoid heartbreak later down the line when you realize that your on-premise system doesn’t have the mobile functionalities you’d like, or your cloud system doesn’t allow you enough control over your data.

2. Can I afford this ERP system?

This might be the most important question to answer before you say yes to that new ERP system.

It may seem easy to figure out the cost of your system initially, but there can be “hidden” fees that often go unnoticed through the planning stages.

For example, if you’ve chosen to go with an on-premise deployment, you need to make sure you have it within your budget to afford the hardware and ongoing support needed to keep that hardware running. It’s also important to consider aspects like the reduced productivity of end users who will need to spend time learning the new system.

3. Does this ERP system do what I need it to?

This question might seem obvious, but it’s one that isn’t always fleshed out as much as it should be during the selection process.

Often, a business will know that they need an ERP system, but might not entirely know what they’re looking for in terms of functionality. It’s important to evaluate what you need your system to do in order to let end users do their job more effectively.

Areas such as user experience, global market support, industry specific needs, regulatory compliance, and mobility are all examples of functionality that should be discussed when considering a solution.

4. Can this ERP system be customized to my needs?

For many businesses, the native functionality of an ERP system might not be enough without customizations or add-ons.

The extent that you can customize a solution, and how many third party applications exist to supplement an ERP system, are important areas to investigate before you spend any money. While you might not need any customizations or third party applications now, later on you may find yourself in need of functionality that doesn’t exist with your ERP system out of the box.

5. Will this ERP system have lasting value?

We all want our businesses to grow, but we might not be thinking about how well our new ERP system will grow with us as we make our decisions.

It’s important to consider how well an ERP system will scale with your company as it expands. If your business is constantly growing, but it’s not easy to add more users or handle the increased complexity that comes with a bigger business, you might be looking at an ERP system that’s wrong for you.

FMT Can Help You Find the Perfect System

If you’ve answered these 5 questions and you’re ready to move forward with your ERP system implementation, or you just need a little help with the ERP matchmaking process, FMT can help!

At FMT, we have over 20 years of experience implementing ERP systems and are committed to the success of your business. For more information on our services and how we can support you during your ERP implementation process, please feel free to contact us and we’d be happy to help!

by FMT Consultants