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data today? Are you looking to get started with a core group of functions and expand functionality down the
road?"
And don't forget about your IT team when selecting a solution. "Do you have a well-defined ERP IT plan?"
he asks. "What IT skills do you have in-house today versus skills you need help with?" By answering these
questions, you will have a much better handle on what you need in an ERP system and be better positioned
for success.
3. Compare Solutions
"There are multiple ERP vendors operating globally," explains C.V. Leela Krishnan, project director, SAP
practice, Hexaware, an enterprise solution and IT services provider. "Each ERP may not satisfy 100 percent
of your organization's requirements."
Therefore, it's important to "prioritize and create a matrix of functionalities required by the business and
rank different ERPs with this matrix," he says. By doing so, it will be easier to "choose an ERP that
provides the maximum number of required functionalities and also gives the expected ROI."
Adds Jon Duncan, senior director of Product Management, Antenna Software: "Enterprises should consider
flexible platforms that ... integrate with other back-end systems to provide workers with critical information
while offering a rich mobile experience" (assuming mobility is important to your organization).
Similarly, it's important that the ERP solution is configurable. "Configurability doesn't mean re-coding
solutions to suit your needs," explains Tim Garcia, CEO, Apptricity, a customer-service oriented ERP and
asset management company. "It means having the ability to change settings within the solution so that it fits
your organization like a tailored suit. You should be able to define the user interface and how the
information is displayed and what data pops up in certain scenarios."
In addition, "Take the time to learn which ERP vendors are staying on the cusp of these trends and are
investing in emerging technologies," he says. "It's not enough to solve your business pain points today. The
ERP vendor should be able to demonstrate a longer-term growth strategy that can help you stay competitive
into the future."
Finally, "ask vendors to provide one or more customer references that share your specialty and business
size," says Derek Singleton, the ERP analyst at Software Advice. "When you talk to these references, dig in
deep. Ask what challenges they faced with the system; ask how the vendor responded; and ask what they
would change about the software if they could."
6. Don't Go it Alone
"Many organizations find that involving outside ERP experts is instrumental in making the ERP initiative
successful," explains Steve Litwin, president, Litcom, an IT solutions provider. Just make sure if you do hire
a third-party ERP consulting firm that it understands your business and your organizational objectives as
well as the ERP system you are deploying.
"The partner your company chooses to work with is the most important decision you will make during an
ERP implementation," argues Mike Oswalt, president, Algorithm, an IT solutions, services and support
provider. "The software partner should be knowledgeable about your industry and fully understand your
business" -- and work closely with you throughout the ERP implementation process.
7. Invest in Training
Before you roll out your new software company-wide, or even to a couple of departments, "it is worth it to
invest in a core team of users and train them on the tool, even though it may take team members away from
their core job function," advises Gail Snider, Marketing Director -- Microsoft Relations, enVista, a supply
chain consulting and IT services firm.
"Even if you build a perfect system, your go-live may not be successful without quality data and business
users ready to embrace the new solution. Start early on both of these fronts to avoid unwelcome surprises,"
Little says.