Questions you should ask before purchasing an ERP solution
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It’s essential when looking for an ERP solution to find one that meets your business needs and future goals. Understanding each option available to you can make it a long process that takes up a lot of resources, which is why familiarising yourself with the key questions to ask can make the decision making process a lot more efficient.
Understanding the features and benefits, support options available, and whether a particular system will scale alongside your business, are all extremely important factors when researching an ERP solution that meets your requirements.
What are the features/benefits?
Whilst it may be an obvious question to ask, and one that can be answered in a demo of the ERP software you’re considering, asking about the software’s features and benefits in specific relation your business will help you understand how far the solution will go to meeting your business goals.
Some ERP providers may simply focus on the flashy features to disguise the fact that they don’t have completely relevant functions and benefits for your business, so it’s important not to get caught in this trap.
In general, a good ERP solution should deliver the benefits of streamlined processes, time savings, and improved accuracy.
Generating the suggested payments file
With Sage 200, your business has control over which invoices are selected for the suggested payments file, which can include:
- Invoices due up to a specific date
- Invoices more than a specific number of days overdue
- Invoices that would allow early settlement discounts if paid
By being stored by Sage 200, you’ll have the ability to review and amend the invoices or go straight to paying your suppliers.
Is the software configurable?
Ensuring the software is configurable will help you tailor the system to your business. If there are specific settings you can adapt and change depending on your business processes, the ERP system is more likely to help your business reach its goals more effectively.
A good ERP provider will conduct a business needs analysis so the software will be configured to your exact needs before setting live.
How will support for the solution be provided?
It’s incredibly important to understand if and how support will be provided for the ERP system you choose. Teething problems can often occur for new systems that have just been installed, and so knowing someone will be on-hand to offer help, guidance, and advice, will give peace-of-mind to all users of the software.
Ideally, the ERP solution provider you use should offer support through email, over the phone, and if necessary, through a site-visit. Some ERP providers do however have their support operations running from a different country, so bear in mind they may have awkward operating hours and will be unable to carry-out a site visit for any significant issues.
What technical requirements will we need in place for the software to run?
All ERP software will need certain technical requirements in place before it can be installed. These requirements can range from a certain version of Windows to a certain amount of server storage available. However, for most ERP solutions, the technical requirements asked for are ever-changing to ensure compatibility. Solutions providers will be able to give a breakdown of the most current requirements needed to ensure you’re prepared and to reduce downtime during the installation.
How scalable is the solution?
Having a scalable solution will allow your ERP system to Grow alongside your business, without any hassle. Being able to adapt to having an increased number of transactions and users when you need it, will allow your business to run efficiently without any disruptions. Alternatively, ERP solution providers may be able to offer upgrade options if your initial system isn’t designed for scalability.
A good ERP systems brand will also have a roadmap available, so customers can understand how the system is planned to be enhanced over time to adapt with evolving technologies. These adaptations can give businesses an idea of how the solution can continue to meet ever-changing businesses needs to ensure a future-proof system.
The most important questions that you need to answer, however, are what do you want to achieve from the solution? What are your goals? How will you measure the return on investment? These are all questions that your ERP systems provider will need to know in order to provide the most suitable solution for your business.
Shopping for an ERP solution can be a long process, so if you would like any further advice or guidance from professionals, please don’t hesitate to contact our team of experienced engineers and consultants at Techsol Group. Please call us on 03300 245447 or email info@techsolgroup.co.uk.
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