Finding the Right ERP Solution for Your Business   

By Kassi Burke 

It's easy to get overwhelmed by the ERP selection process. A simple Google search of "best ERP system for manufacturing industry" will return thousands of results each containing a different answer. Whether your manufacturing business is new to ERP or has an existing system in place, following a methodical process is the key to finding the right fit ERP solution for your business.

The Process  

1. Form an ERP Selection Team. The first step in selecting the right ERP system for your business, is putting together a strong ERP selection team to lead the search. An ERP solution impacts every aspect of a business from the front office to the shop floor. Members of the ERP selection team should be supportive of the ERP project and great communicators. There should also be representation across various departments in the business. 

2. Define Your Business Objectives. After establishing a strong ERP selection team to lead the process, it's time to define the "why" for the ERP project. Were there certain inefficiencies or pain points that led to this ERP search? What are your goals for the company post go-live? For example, is your business looking to scale operations or increase efficiency?

Assessing your current processes often goes hand in hand with defining your business objectives. We recommend you document your current processes across the business and then analyze which processes are working well and which processes are inefficient. Having a clear understanding of the processes in place will also be helpful during implementation time. 

3. Create List of Must-Have Functionality. Next, it's time to take those big aspirational ideas discussed above and define specific functionality that you are looking for in an ERP system. Is there functionality in your current system that you love? Is there functionality in your current system you wish you had, but don't? We suggest you go module by module defining which functionality is crucial to your business and which functionality would be nice to have. 

Conclusion 

Now your business is ready to find the perfect ERP solution. The ERP selection process doesn't end here, but following these 3 steps in a methodical way will ensure that you have a strong foundation so your team doesn't get lost along the way.

Think Visibility could be the perfect ERP solution for you? Click here to setup a free demo with a member of our team.