Selecting an ERP system is an essential decision for any business, but before making a right move, the foremost task is to evaluate the ERP solution thoroughly prior to implementation. What a marketer needs to prepare for is the upcoming turbulence and operational challenges, which any new process implementation undergoes. However, in this case, till the time a marketer is live on the ERP solution.

The way in which ERP software functions in an organization depends on how decision makers go about their selection process. Choosing an ERP system is not as easy as it seems to be. Evaluating an ERP system is a meticulous process and decision makers have to pool in their precious time and resources while selecting and customizing the system.

What to look for an in an ERP system?

An ERP system should be flexible enough to adapt to an organization and comply with its internal protocols and operations. It is also crucial to find out how many companies have implemented a particular ERP system.

Selecting an ERP system is a long-term decision. A company has to ensure the ERP system which they are purchasing is enduring and robust. It is possible that an ERP system well-adapted to a business might meet all the requirements, but could prove to be disastrous after a couple of months. If purchasing and implementing an ERP system is challenging, then replacing faulty ERP with another could be a cumbersome task.

Several agencies claim the credibility and sustainability of their ERP software solutions but it is virtually impossible to evaluate a huge ERP system in a demo which lasts about an hour or more. Likewise, one smart method to evaluate a system is to check the analytics it has to offer. If the metrics used are highly compatible with business operations and other related tasks, then it’s a good sign for a company to purchase the system.

Another method to assess an ERP system is to check its effectiveness in handling top-level information and segmenting data as per company demands and preferences.

Many companies ignore the importance of the ERP selection process, something which could professionally prepare it to face and tackle some ERP implementation drawbacks, at best, no change in output, and at worst, a total failure in implementation.