ERP Systems selection process...2

Other Methods and ways to select the right ERP solution for your organization:

There are a lot of ways and tools to choose the right ERP application which is considered an asset to your organization, so you must plan well for the selection of your coming Asset.

ERP software selection can be a hassle, and one that is often not given the suitable attention. CIOs or other executives in charge of making such major decisions often make decisions based on perception, gut feel, or faulty information. For example, executives often choose ERP software vendors based on what competitors or other large companies have chosen. 


However, information such as this does not necessarily reflect what is appropriate or inappropriate for your specific company. Further, planning for a successful implementation involves more than choosing the right software; it also involves preparation to ensure that ERP enables measurable improvements to your business. 

In choosing an ERP software package and planning for the overall project, executives need to make decisions based on objective and unbiased information rather than gut feel. In particular, organizations should consider the following: 

Why Do you Want to Implement ERP? 


Unfortunately, this question is the toughest to ask once you're already on the ERP bandwagon. In many instances, ERP will not solve your business problems. If your business strategies or key business processes are flawed, even the most advanced ERP system is not going to help. Before making a decision as large as implementing a system that will cost millions and affect your entire company, it's important to have a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish by taking on this challenge. There may be more cost-effective and lower-risk options such as improving processes, redesigning your organizational structure, consolidating your global supply chain, or implementing a performance management system. In these cases, maybe choosing not to implement ERP is the best solution. On the other hand, ERP may be the business tool that enables these improvements. 

What are your Business Requirements? 


If you have decided that ERP is the route you need to take, it is important to begin by looking at your desired operational model and using that as a starting point in determining which software to implement. Executives should define and document key business requirements for any package they may select. This includes not only nice-to-haves, but also requirements that are "deal-breakers" if the software is unable to accommodate. In addition, executives should use ERP business requirements definition as an opportunity to improve current operations, efficiency, and effectiveness. The last thing a company should do is implement software to automate the same flawed business processes. Instead, it should be focused on achieving measurable business value for your organization, and you should choose the software the best enables you to do this. 

What is your Business Case and ROI? 


This is where many companies fall flat. Even if you complete the first two items discussed above, it is important to understand and document what your total costs will be for each ERP vendor under consideration, as well as your anticipated business benefits. This is important in gaining approval from other executives or your Board of Directors, and it is also helps ensure that you realize the potential benefits of implementing ERP. All costs, including hidden project costs such as internal project resources, data conversion, and lost productivity immediately following go-live, should be included in the business case and ROI calculation for each ERP vendor you evaluate. In addition, benefits should be reasonable and not overly aggressive. Ultimately, your business case should be a tool to manage business costs, benefits, and ROI going forward, not just as a sales tool to justify a decision that's already been made. And if the resulting ROI for a particular ERP vendor does not make sense or meet minimum investment criteria for your company, then it's probably not a good idea to undertake the project. 

Who will Be Your Implementation Partner? 


Have you thoroughly assessed all of your options in evaluating potential external implementation teams? Software companies aren't always the best at implementing their software, and some are more expensive than others. You can often find third-party vendors and consultants that can implement ERP more successfully or at a lower cost. It is also important to look at consulting firms that are capable of helping you manage the non-technical aspects of the project, such as organizational change management, training, and ERP benefits realization. Panorama Consulting Group is an example of such a firm, which is technology neutral and specializes in providing project planning and business consulting for all types of ERP implementations. 

Do You Have Enough Resources to Commit to the Project? 


Even if ERP is perfect for your company and you have chosen the perfect software, things will deteriorate very quickly if you don't have enough employees to dedicate to the project. It doesn't matter if you have assembled the best team of consultants and implementation partners; it's your employees that will ultimately make the project succeed. 

What's the Contingency Plan?


No matter how well-run your project is, you should be prepared for failure. We've all heard of the technical glitches that shut down shipping at Fortune 500 companies for weeks at a time, so it's best to acknowledge that something bad could happen. If the project does fail or if the software is not implemented correctly, what is the backup plan? Will users be able to access legacy systems? Will certain processes be performed manually until the system is up? Dramatic failures are not common, but they do happen on occasion, so companies should be prepared for the "what-ifs."