Step 2: Define Your Needs
Careful planning is essential for any important business objective and evaluating ERP solutions is no different. A successful outcome starts with a little homework and a well-defined game plan.
Don’t forget to include your employees in the analysis process. User adoption is critical so you’ll want perspectives from different roles and departments to select a system that will be utilized to its full potential, thereby securing a rapid return on your investment (and happy employees).
The Draft: What do you need from a new system?
Go ahead and create a wish list of what you want out a new business management system.
- What overall improvements do you want to achieve?
- Which tasks do you need to automate?
- What types of information do you need to report on?
- How could you simplify your HR, project, financial and relationship management?
The Scorecard: What issues are you having with your current systems?
Document the shortcomings of your existing systems so you can address them with the new system.
- Talk to a variety of users from different departments
- Get details on what is causing challenges
- Find out how much time they are spending on manual processes
- Ask what their vision is for a new system and what they hope to accomplish
The Playbook: How should everything work together?
Consider how a new system should flow with your existing environment, both from a user and technical perspective.
- How much flexibility and scalability do you need?
- Will the new system need to interact with existing systems or applications?
- Do you require customizations for unique industry or business requirements?
- Does your workstyle best fit an on-premise or cloud-based solution?
The Press Conference: What do others have to say?
Arm yourself with the facts by learning what actual users think of the ERP systems you are evaluating.
- Talk to those in your peer network for advice
- Search industry forums and blogs for expert insight
- Use social media to find additional resources and reviews
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Once you’ve defined your needs, talked to your team and gathered your research – it’s time to explore your options.
