Reprint from Carillon’s Technology News and Updates Dec. 2012

Do’s

1. Request Everyone’s Input.From the entry level to the executive suite, the entire company uses the information from the ERP system. Knowing what information each person wants from the system will help you determine the size and functions you need from the system.
2. Make a Grocery List. Having a list of what you want from the system keeps you from being led astray by bells and whistles or overlooking key needs. The list should include not only the alerts and reports you already have, but the ones you think you need to optimize performance.
3. Choose a System that Mirrors Your Business. Each company has it’s own business lingo and standard operating procedures. Make sure the solution you are considering conforms to your business instead of vice versa.
4. Demand Real-Time Integration. Systems that still require “posting” transactions and lengthy month end closes are packages of the past. In today’s instant world, company-wide analytics can be calculated second to second and should be expected by every C-level executive.

Dont’s

1. Expect to Determine (With Certainty) a System Will Meet All Your Needs. Choosing an ERP solution should be viewed less as a selection process, and more as a process of elimination. Using your grocery list, it will be much easier to determine which packages do not work than go straight to one that does.
2. Be Afraid of Customizations. Customizations help a standard solution fit a unique business. Good customizations, ones that will cause the least amount of trouble in the future, are ones that are fully integrated into the system. The information will be easier to access throughout the system, and future updates and upgrades are profoundly simplified. Steer clear of unintegrated customizations.
3. Check Out.ERP selection is about as exciting as a root canal, but it’s probably just as necessary too. A good ERP system helps companies decrease inventory levels and increase cash in the bank. With the proper encouragement from the C level suite, EPR selection, implementation, and even adoption can be executed quickly and efficiently.