For businesses seeking to minimize costs, deliver more knowledgeable determinations and mature more efficiently, enterprise resource planning software (ERP) presents a certified and time-tested solution. However, with all its moving parts, determining the appropriate ERP system can be challenging.
If your firm has made the decision to move to a cloud ERP system, but have still not settled on one, here is a guideline to aid you in determining the suitable ERP system for your business.
- Recognize your requirements for a cloud ERP system.
First and foremost, assess where your firm currently is and what you are aspiring to accomplish by implementing a cloud ERP system. Understand thoroughly whether you presently have a hosted ERP system, an on-premise ERP, or no ERP at all.
Next, recognize the obstacles and doubts your business is facing at the moment with your current ERP composition. You can then distinguish the business consequences and concerns with the other solutions you may be planning to pursue. By dedicating the appropriate amount of time to contemplating the pros and cons of each set up, you will be able to formulate a strong business case for your selection.
Once you have distinguished the consequences of choosing each option, concentrate on what business goals your firm has for each sphere. The most crucial part of this process is understanding and valuing how every choice you make impacts your workforce, because they’re the most valuable asset of your business.
If you ascertain that you are employing a considerable amount of people to manage your current on-premise ERP system, and the business consequence is that you have a substantial workforce expense, then your corresponding business aim could be to decrease workforce cost by at least 30 percent.
2.Identify your business goals.
The second step is to identify your business goals for each of these business areas: cost, time to market, quality of the product, stakeholder confidence, revenue and profitability.
The benefit of writing down your business goals is that you are giving yourself the opportunity to envision the expectations that you possess for your cloud ERP system. This knowledge will enable you to be incredibly detailed when you request proposals. Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of deciding on a vendor or method based on price only.
By disregarding this step, you will discover yourself uncertain about your wants and expectations, draining time and money from your business.
3.Study the cloud-based ERP market.
After you have distinguished all your business necessities, it is now time to begin researching. Utilize the internet, business magazines, industry peers, industry tech magazines, and industry tech consultants to assemble all the viable information and data concerning the characteristics and hallmarks of ERP systems.
Also, communicate with associates in other businesses to discover what arrangements and vendors they suggest. During your research, learn how any possible system will implement itself with your prevailing IT infrastructure and accept all costs related to its implementation and long-term use. This should include any expected upgrades to the hardware and preservation of software.
The implementation of an ERP system frequently serves as a catalyst for transformation in a business as it enhances processes and performance. Consequently, to sustain growth and to continue to develop, your elected ERP system must have the capacity to adapt and scale.
Don’t overlook the importance of mobile accessibility for your ERP system. Solely being able to access ERP systems from desktops is no longer worthwhile. Cloud-based ERP systems permit users to locate them on any device — including phones, laptops, and tablets — to be productive and to remain connected. They also keep data secure across platforms and devices.
4. Shortlist cloud-based ERP vendors.
After you have conducted a significant amount of research, the next step is to evaluate potential cloud-based ERP vendors. Ensure that any vendors that you shortlist specialize in your industry and size of business, and have appropriate case studies and client testimonials.
Sort through the functionalities and features offered by each of the shortlisted vendors and cross check these against your functional requirements.
Once you have narrowed down your prospects to three potential vendors, reach out to each of them and request a demo or a complimentary trial. During this trial period, ensure that the vendor solution satisfies your working specifications.
Next, meet with the vendor team to address essential features such as post-purchase support, the migration plan from your existing cloud ERP system, deployment time, version upgrade policy, support for custom requirement implementation and assistance in case of an exit.
Before choosing a system, research within your organization, providing all stakeholders — including users, IT staff and senior management — an opening to judge the system and to present input.
Implementing an ERP system, whether it is ERP software for the aviation industry or something else, can be costly and can pose an onerous burden for business decision-makers. In order to make it worth your while, follow these steps, and you can guarantee that you are steering your business in the right direction.
