Choosing an ERP solution can be a challenge, with many different options available. As the digital core of your business, the ERP solution is at the heart of all your operations, which means that the way your business operates will guide the functionality you need.
The right ERP solution can automate and improve processes in every area, resulting in significant time savings, optimised use of resources, better quality of data and ultimately increased efficiency. All of these can have a dramatic impact on your business processes. It is important to choose wisely as the solution you choose will support your business for the long-term, but the question is, where do you start?
Where are you now and what processes do you want to improve?
So, you already know your business is experiencing pain points, but do you know what is causing those pains? What systems are you currently using to manage your critical business data? And how are these preventing your business moving forward?
It is common for businesses to ‘outgrow’ the systems they initially started out with, and over-reliance on Excel spreadsheets becomes an issue when you’re trying to fill in the gaps between systems. This causes duplication of effort rekeying data between systems, along with the potential for inaccuracies caused by human error.
Choosing the right ERP solution for your business can be guided by working out what you want to achieve. Most companies begin this journey with the goal of automating processes and gaining increased insight into the state of their businesses through better quality data. Some companies struggle with stock management, or disparate systems that are increasing manual labour. Other companies may want a solution that can automate their processes across borders with localisations that can cope with multiple languages, currencies, and legal requirements. With these factors in mind, we have put together our top tips for choosing the right ERP solution for your business.
Top tips for choosing the right ERP
- Features and benefits
Work out what you want to achieve and what you really need, both now and to support your business into the future. Knowing where you want to take the business in the medium and long-term is essential to ensure you buy the right ERP system now. A good system will grow with you and support your company’s growth. It is false economy to buy the cheaper option now and go through this process again in three years’ time when you realise it doesn’t quite do what you need.
- Get the right project team in place
It is important to draw upon your teams’ experience in their particular area to really understand what their needs are, what features they want from the system and how it will benefit their departments. Involving someone from each department, who has a deep understanding of how things work, and how they want things to work, will help support the selection process and ensure the right system is chosen to fit the business’s needs.
- Consider your budget, but budget for your future needs
This is related to point no.1 - investing in an ERP system is never a ‘cheap’ project, so it is essential to consider your business needs, both now and in the future, and budget accordingly.
- Financing
Many ERP suppliers offer financing options, which may make the purchase of your new system more affordable. It is also worth investigating available grant options, which can offset a significant proportion of the cost if relevant criteria are met.
- Deployment method
This is also worth considering, particularly if you choose cloud-based deployment, which makes the cost of your investment an operational expense rather than a capital expense, so is often easier to justify.
- Choosing the right partner
Working with the right partner is essential to ensure the success of your project. While often this comes down to a very simple matter of whether you like the partner’s team and feel you can work with them, it is also important to consider their teams’ experience in your type of business. They will work alongside you to ensure the smooth implementation of your chosen solution, but their expertise may also provide you with suggestions for different ways of doing things, or how to use the system to achieve certain things that you may not have previously considered. A well-established company will have a team of highly qualified consultants who will support this process.
Working with Ascarii
Our team of highly qualified consultants loves to work alongside our customers to ensure the successful implementation of their SAP Business One solutions. With both technical and functional experience across most industries, we guide customers through the process, helping them to achieve their goals and objectives. For more information about SAP Business One and Ascarii, and to discuss your requirements with our friendly team, please contact us now.