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About half of all small and midsize businesses that adopt enterprise resource planning software do so because their previous software and hardware was on the verge of obsolescence, according to a whitepaper by Focus research. This is not surprising in a post-recession era when many decision makers in the SMB market have been putting off major projects like new system implementations for years. People may be declaring the recession over but we are all still pinching pennies and we want to be sure we are getting the best bang for our buck before we choose business software. So, we created a three-blog series on how to choose business software. In this latest installment we will be covering how to make ERP software trials work for you. So Far in the series we have covered:
Make ERP Software Trials Work for You
More than just increasing options for SMBs, cloud computing has brought the ability to launch a free trial of enterprise software and get started in minutes without ever leaving the office. On their own, ERP software trials can only do so much, but if you are a committed to making it work there is no better way to know if the solution has the power and functionality you need with a user experience that is friendly enough to support company-wide adoption. So without further adieux, here are four ways to make ERP software trials work for you.
Prepping for Trial
Before you start your trial, make sure you have done a thorough analysis of your company’s needs and budget so that you can narrow your software options down. Now that you are in the test-drive phase, use what learned from the assessment to test the functionality each department needs so you will have a more focused trial experienced. You should also have done some reading into the product before you start the trial so you know what to expect and what not to expect. See the first blog in the series to learn more about assessing business needs for ERP selection.
Making the Time
You cannot get a true trial experience by simply plugging in some figures, and clicking through menus for a few minutes. Set aside significant blocks of time to try out each feature that will be critical to your daily work. Several windows of two hours or longer will give you time to truly get into the software and see for yourself how well it works for you. Most trial offers are 30 days, and without truly committing time in your calendar to test drive the software, those 30 days are going to fly by without you ever having a chance to truly test the application
Test Drive with Purpose
No software has a totally intuitive experience, so seek out tutorial videos and how-to’s. This way you aren’t left scratching your head when you should be test driving the software. Again, you only have a few weeks, so taking the time to get an introductory idea of the basics of navigating the software will make your ERP software trials experience simpler and more valuable in the assessment of you software options. Because goERPcloud is a member of the Microsoft Dynamics Community, there are literally hundreds of resources including demo videos and how-to’s available, so you can get started fast and easily navigate the new software.
Test Drive with Knowledge
The consumerization of technology has driven ERP solutions to become more user friendly and work more like the applications we use in our personal life, according to a study by Nucleus Rsearch. The Microsoft interface in all Dynamics trial products, for example, will be instantly familiar as it closely matches how Excel and other Microsoft products work. However, having plenty of resource materials on hand to help you through the trial process is a good idea. goERPcloud offers hundreds of resources and because our trials are backed by the entire Microsoft community, there are practically unlimited resources to support your experience from trial through the life of the product.
“The rise of cloud computing has provided SMBs with more cost-effective and flexible options for enterprise applications, and enabled them to support remote and traveling employees and contractors. In fact, cloud computing has also enabled SMBs, to take advantage of business process outsourcing so they can focus their internal resources on the core areas of their business” (Nucleus Research).
Not sure which Microsoft Dynamics ERP Product to use?
Check out goERPcloud’s assessment app that helps you decide which flavor of Dynamics is best for your.
About goERPcloud
goERPcloud is the first on-demand Microsoft Dynamics Cloud Marketplace that allows you to test drive different flavors of Microsoft Dynamics AX, GP, NAV and CRM with preconfigured 3rd party applications. goERPcloud boasts a robust ecosystem of Microsoft Dynamics Partners, helping businesses find the cloud-based software solutions that best fit their current and future business needs. Since 2000 RoseASP.com, the power behind goERPcloud, has provided hosted Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM applications to businesses around the world. For more information about goERPcloud, visit www.goERPcloud.com.
The post Make ERP Software Trials Work for You – How to Choose Business Software Part 3 appeared first on goERPcloud.
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