ERP Selection Help

Best Manufacturing ERP

Chris Shaul — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:16:41 +0000

Having a highly effective Manufacturing software system is a desired state of any company. But which Manufacturing ERP software is really the best? Which one will once-and-for-all replace your current system that is under-performing and not serving the needs of the business? Which one can run MRP quickly and precisely?

We understand what you are looking for, as we have been there. Production Scheduling, Shop Floor Control, smaller and more flexible lot/batch sizing and scheduling and higher levels of quality are all considerations that need to be managed on a day-to-day and minute-to-minute basis. The needs of manufacturing have changed and your system needs to support you today and into the future.

Selecting a manufacturing ERP solution should not be difficult. First, you start off with a pool of candidate software vendors. Then you narrow it down to the best two or three providers. Then you view a demonstration and choose the one that best meets your requirements. Finally, you negotiate your purchase.

Then the real work begins. The implementation. But if you have chosen correctly, the implementation should go smoothly. If you choose poorly, then the problems begin.

Too often, manufacturing companies choose software that is outside of their niche (not manufacturing focused) or too general for their needs.

To help you get to the two or three select packages, for whom you wish to see a demonstration, we have listed the most recommended manufacturing ERP solutions here. These are based on hundreds of consultative discussions with manufacturers like you. Based on the outcomes of those discussions, these top 10 manufacturing software systems have risen to the top of many manufacturing companies’ shortlists.

The Leading Software Systems for Manufacturers are:

Of all the systems recommended based on needs, the leading solution as of Spring 2012, according to SoftwareAdvice.com, is:

Henning Visual EstiTrack

Visual EstiTrack ERP is designed for small to medium job shops, make-to-order/make-to-stock manufacturers, precision machining, distributors and other shops interested in an affordable shop management and accounting solution. According to customer reviews: “Their support staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. Their response time for support is immediate and all matters are resolved in a timely fashion.” Based on a 5 star review and lots of recommendations, Henning Visual EstiTrack is our choice for the Top Manufacturing ERP as of Spring/Summer of 2012.

The Top Ten Best Software Solutions are:

The complete list of the Best Manufacturing software solutions as based on the most consultative recommendations by SoftwareAdvice.com is as follows:

Henning Visual EstiTrack

Visual EstiTrack ERP is designed for small to medium job shops, make-to-order/make-to-stock manufacturers, precision machining, distributors and other shops interested in an affordable shop management and accounting solution. Visual EstiTrack is a scalable, cost-effective and flexible ERP that is ideal for small to medium-size manufacturers seeking to replace an older or complex system with a more user-friendly and complete solution.

Exact JobBOSS

JobBOSS is a very popular MRP and shop floor control system for job shops and other discrete manufacturers. The system is especially affordable, easy to use, and adaptable. It is often used by shops outgrowing Excel spreadsheets. Exact released Job BOSS software version 11.4 in June 2011. The update coincided with the release of JobBOSS Total Quality Management (TQM), an extension of the system designed to improve product quality and compliance. The tool can help manufacturers monitor compliance with standards such as ISO 9000.

E2 Shop System

Using its extensive background in contract manufacturing, Shoptech Corporation created its E2 Shop System for managing shops of all sizes. This easy-to-use solution can be used for machine shops, job shops and more. A recent update to the E2 Shoptech solution extends functionality to the iPad and other tablets. Their newly created Mobile Dashboard interfaces with E2 manufacturing software and allows production managers to check on labor availability, work order backlogs, materials delivery and more.

ECi M1

M1 by ECi is designed specifically for the needs of small and midsized discrete manufacturers. The system offers standalone MRP as well as a complete ERP suite with accounting, making it a popular option for growing firms. M1 is fairly unique among its competitors by offering its MRP module on a best-of-breed basis. As a result, M1 is a very suitable option for companies looking to grow into an ERP system and distribute their costs over time. The system also offers features for inventory barcoding, shop floor control, and customizable reporting with Crystal Reports.

Epicor Manufacturing Express Edition

With a large spectrum of functionality – including customer relationship management, material management, and others – Epicor Manufacturing Express Edition is a comprehensive product for small and medium-sized manufacturers. The system is flexible to serve many different kinds of manufacturers – including job and machine shops, metal fabricators, and others. Epicor has over 20,000 customers in over 150 countries, with products in over 30 different languages.

Sage ERP

The Sage ERP portfolio offers packages for all sizes and types of manufacturers, supporting both discrete and process modes. The system offers comprehensive management of inventory, planning, shop operations, accounting, and more. Users report that this is by far the easiest software of them all to use. It is also the most reliable program that have ever used.

Epicor Manufacturing

Epicor is one of the biggest name in ERP software and has a large presence in the manufacturing industry. Over the years, Epicor has built out extensive functionality that can scale up or down to all sizes of companies. Epicor is highly recommended to manufacturing firms due to the system’s popularity, functional depth, and functional breadth.

Fishbowl Inventory

Fishbowl has gained lots of market share due to its commitment to seamless integration with Quickbooks. It is a very popular option for small to mid-sized firms looking to automate manufacturing and inventory control. Fishbowl Inventory is used in just about every industry by companies with revenues up to $100 million. Customers receive extensive training and support resources through its training videos, online tutorials, in-house specialists and more. Fishbowl’s seamless integration with QuickBooks provides an easy path for manufacturing, sales, and distribution processes to be linked with back office accounting.

ERP123

ERP123 gives manufacturers a comprehensive, fully integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that automates and streamlines every aspect of the business, from the shop floor to CRM to accounting. With its modular architecture, the system can be configured in with many various options to fit the unique requirements of your organization. ERP123 can easily be extended as the company grows, but since all modules are included in the price, companies can implement everything at the same time or employ a phased roll-out without spending on additional costs.

Intuitive ERP

Intuitive ERP is Consona’s system for small and mid-size repetitive and MTO manufacturers. Its simple layout and visually appealing user interface make it a popular option for companies adopting their first ERP system. Intuitive’s strengths are its modern user interface, a relatively inexpensive price point, and very good technical support being provided. These positive user experiences are key drivers of Consona’s growth. This is a very frequently recommended solution to small and medium-sized manufacturers.

We hope that this gives you a good shortlist of the best software for manufacturers so that you can quickly and easily move forward in your ERP selection process. If you have used any of these software packages, we welcome your comments on their ability to deliver.

Which ERP is the Best?

Chris Shaul — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:53:30 +0000

Which is the Best ERP? This is a very common question asked by anyone who is considering a new ERP software solution for their business.

The answer really depends upon how your are asking. Are you referring to simply what is the top software in the world of enterprise software? Or, are you asking which software is best for your company?

If you are looking at the first question then this post may answer your question as to which ERP is the best.

How to determine a solution that is ideal for your company

The typical ERP methodology that people use for finding which ERP is the best for their company is one in which you determine a universe of possible choices, then through a systematic elimination you drill down to the top two or three vendors that most closely match your needs. The most important thing you need to undertake this method is to have properly documented your requirements for a future system.

Most companies do not take the time to self-evaluate their needs, and this causes problems and the dreaded ERP failures that you hear so much about. But, if you take the time answer these questions, you will have a much easier time spotting those systems that do not work for you:

What works in our current system now that we want to retain?
What does not work in our current system that we want to fix in a new system?
Where will our business be in the next five to 10 years and how will the system need to support these changes or growth objectives?
What are the absolutely “must-have” features that we cannot live without?
What are our reporting requirements? (Do we need a sophisticated Business Intelligence tool, or will simply showing the transaction roll-up totals and basic financial reports work for us?)
What are the key reports we need to produce every month?
Do we need the system to interface with another system/tool? (ie. shop floor control software, a third party logistics program, a parent company financial program, etc.)

Once you have determined the key things that an ERP solution should provide for your business, then you can better identity which ERP is the best for your company.

Ideally, you should begin with a list of five to ten ERP vendors and after reviewing their information and talking with them on the phone, you can narrow the list down to the two or three that make the most sense for your vendor evaluation. The next step in finding your ideal ERP candidate is to allow the vendors to review your business with you and then prepare for a demonstration. Sometimes the demos will be in-person and sometimes over a web-meeting. Either way, you want to make sure that they demonstrate all of your requirements that you documented previously. Doing so will help you see for yourself the ERP software that is the winning candidate.

Once you have seen the vendor demonstrations, you will need to evaluate and choose one makes the most sense from a functionality standpoint and then equally important, you should determine the ERP is the best from a financial perspective. This is where the negotiation begins.

You should get a price quote from the vendors when you receive your demonstration or shortly after. This is a starting point. You will definately want to ask for a better price and evaluate their support options. Remember that you will be paying for software licenses, warranty and updates, and for implementation services. You can negotiate all aspects, but the one area to avoid trimming is the training. Keep this in your contract and ensure that you have more than enough training to ensure a successful go-live. Following these basic guidelines you will have identified the ERP is perfect for your company and its future needs.

Resources for Finding the leading Business Software solutions

When beginning the search to determine which ERP is the best for your company, the first thing to do as mentioned above is to determine the collection of ERP sofware solutions you want to evaluate. You could spend a lot of time researching the Internet for various solutions, or you can quickly determine which ERP is the best for your firm by utilizing the free services of SoftwareAdvice.com. They provide a free review of your needs and help you with arranging demonstrations of the software that is most qualified to fit your needs.

Determining the Right ERP Packages for Your Evaluation

Chris Shaul — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:57:20 +0000

Implementing any of the multiple ERP packages available on the market is a big step toward optimizing the operations of your company. It can also be an expensive step, so it is important to carefully evaluate available ERP packages in order to maximize your return on investment (ROI). The selection process can be quite detailed and time consuming when done correctly but this is the only way to ensure that the software you choose will perform for your business in the way you need it. Choosing from among the available ERP packages can be tedious, but you can take many of the headaches out of the process by following a few simple steps.

Defining the Scope of your Selection

Are you willing to replace your current hardware platform if it is necessary to fit your choice from ERP packages? If you are determined to stick with your current hardware and database platform, you will likely be limiting your choices of ERP packages. Although, if your hardware is outdated, you may be interested in upgrading, especially if it will provide you with the capability to use your favorite from among ERP packages. You should consider your finances and other resources when making this decision. Will you need to hire additional IT experts?

You should also decide who will make the decision to purchase a specific erp solution and what criteria the decision will be based on. Many companies appoint a committee to take care of the decision making process. A final consideration is what role each employee will take in the implementation and what is the expected date of the implementation.

Map and document your requirements

The ERP packages selection committee should compile a list of the inputs, outputs, and workflows of all major business processes. The list should include the data as it exists as well as the goal levels for each section. This will be a long document as it contains all of the details of the business as it stands as well as the goals for the ERP packages. This list will be a valuable tool for vendors who make the cut to short list later on. As such, the list should also contain a ‘wish list’ of ERP modules, functionality, process that you wish to keep, needed improvements, and corporate direction.

Develop a list of potential ERP packages vendors

Consult friends, the Internet, trade magazines, ads, industry experts, and any other resource at your disposal to compile a long list of potential ERP packages vendors that can meet your specific needs. Visit the vendors’ websites for information and request additional information and quotes on ERP packages that will meet your criteria. Meet with a representative in person or speak by phone to get more information about the company, its financial viability, its ability to meet your needs, and any referrals. Discuss support options and other important factors influencing your decision.

You should now have the necessary information to narrow the ERP packages vendors list down to three or four frontrunners. Send each your compiled requirements documents and request a detailed proposal, price, and product demonstration. At this stage, it is important to have a representative from each vendor to meet personally with your key employees. This will give them a more in-depth understanding of your business, which will allow them to make a more accurate proposal. Following these steps will aid you tremendously in determining the best of the ERP Packages for your business.

Be sure to download your free 10 step guide to ERP Package selection.
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Accounting Software You Should Consider

Chris Shaul — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:44:04 +0000

There are many Accounting ERP Software available on the market today. Whether you need Budgeting, Financials, Fixed Assets, Financial Reporting, or other types of accounting software features, you should begin looking with a pool of candidate software that will be focused on what you do.

The process of selection and implementation of a new Financial solution can be a big ordeal, or it can be a relatively smooth depending upon a number of factors.

First, you need to make sure you understand what it is that you are looking for. Second, you need to ensure that you understand your business processes. If you do not, you will end up with a process that the software dictates to you. You want to avoid this and select a system that matches your business operations. Too many times companies purchase systems based on bad recommendations, poor research, lack of due-diligence, or simply based on price. If you start with a proper short list of candidate vendors, you are less likely to go wrong.

The following is a list of Accounting solutions with which you can begin your search. Once you have reviewed the various options, you can opt to request a demo or get pricing. There is no obligation when you select either of these options, but it will get the process started to help you acquire the best Accounting ERP Software for your business.

Business Financial Applications tips

When you are evaluating various accounting software, you need to make sure that you have written down your own requirements first, before you get into deep discussions with any vendor. Further, you need to make sure that you have discussed these requirements of everyone in your company who will be using or be impacted by the new software. Lastly, map out your processes, if even at a high level, so you can better understand your business flow. This could be mapping out an order to cash flow or a procure to pay cash flow.

When you are evaluating systems, be sure to run real-life transactions through the vendors demo system. In fact, you may want to have a series of use cases that the vendor can show you to prove the the transactions do indeed balance. Most all systems will balance the ledgers, but the trick is in how they report on the transactions and how easy it is to drill down on the source transaction.

Be sure to read our article on Evaluating ERP Software without Headaches to get more tips and a better understanding of how to proceed with your software selection.

Instantly download Your Free Guide to Evaluating Accounting Software Demonstrations

How ERP Solutions save time and money

Chris Shaul — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:30:16 +0000

Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions, commonly coined as ERP Solutions, are a kind of system that is made to enhance or significantly improve businesses by incorporating all useful information, both internal and external data regarding managerial skills and proficiency, in any type of establishment. As a result of ERP software, many companies have substantially reduced their outgoing expenses due to different operations by as much as fifteen percent. This is a very remarkable number considering how costly it is to run an organization these days.

Download the ERP buyers guide now!

How ERP Solution Streamline Operations

ERP systems aim to assist you with your company expenses by means of providing an comprehensive view of your organization as a single entity. This is essential for company management because it helps managers arrive at decisions that are more objective, economic and highly competitive.

ERP software helps you optimize the resources (people, time, inventory, money, etc.) that the company already has, choosing paths and projects that could prove to be beneficial or harmful. With comprehensive information managers can decide on which projects and resources to invest in and which can be eliminated. It also helps you to establish different divisions of work that could be very cost-effective. ERP solutions improve communication as data and processes align, moving along a systematized network. Efficiency in handling different tasks of any difficulty could increase to as much as two hundred percent, a very impressive number.

ERP Solutions Bring Precision in Execution

ERP software can be attributed to precision when it comes to executing and handling the different areas of effective management. Once you have a better grip of the difference between the needs and wants of your company, and the ever-growing changes and constant modification of your business, then can you start putting into good use what data or information you already have. It makes it easier for you to make the necessary steps in achieving your ultimate goal, and that is to guide and empower your subordinates and colleagues to be more productive, all the while maintaining their level of inspiration that makes them more effective and dynamic in their work. However, it is imperative for any organization to sustain a balanced and more realistic outcome. Make sure that expectations will be at par with your goal. Remember, nothing close to perfect is achieved overnight. The results vary on the game plan. It has always been that way across the board.

Seeing Everything in the Right Perspective

ERP gives you access to a whole range of reachable and sensible approaches to attaining success within the organization. Knowing where you get the money and where it goes exactly, where to put it and where to reduce expenses is a difficult, albeit useful business strategy. ERP does this and it makes sure that it coincides with the needs of the client.

Enterprise Resource Planning can truly give you great benefits in the end. It is important to realize that by making an investment in ERP software, the long term results would be more achievable. Decision making becomes an ally instead of uncertain and doubtful presumptions as to what or how an outcome is going to be. Decisions become more relevant and saving money will no longer be a difficult task.

Download the ERP Solutions buyers guide now!

Reviewing ERP Modules during an ERP selection process

Chris Shaul — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 00:27:10 +0000

Evaluating key ERP Modules in your Selection

When buying an ERP software package for implementation in your business, you want to make sure you have the capability to perform all necessary functions but you also don’t want to pay extra for features you won’t need. There are a variety of ERP modules available for use. Each module performs its own specific functions. Choosing the right ERP modules will help your business gain the maximum potential from implementation of the software.

What types of ERP modules are available?

Looking at ERP Modules to purchase can be confusing. There are several types of ERP modules available to meet your various business needs. There are ERP modules for every major function of a company. Generally, there are ERP modules available for finance, human resources, production, purchasing, inventory, and sales and marketing. The modules you choose should depend on the important functions you want to accomplish with your software. By having a clear set of goals in mind for your business, it will be easy to design a custom set of modules to help you accomplish those goals.

What are the functions of the main ERP modules?

Finance ERP modules are the core of many ERP systems. They gather financial information from various departments and generate financial reports from the compiled data. Reports generated include quarterly financial statements, general ledgers, and balance sheets.
Human resources ERP modules are widely used by many businesses. They keep a complete employee database including information about salaries, attendance, promotions, performance evaluations, and contact information.
Production ERP modules use historical production data and sales forecasting to optimize production facilities, parts, material resources, and other componenets.
Purchasing ERP modules automates many of the processes involving supply lines. Some of these processes include identifying suppliers, price negotiation, billing processes, and purchase orders.
Inventory ERP modules handle inventory control tasks such as monitoring item usage, keeping an inventory balance, identifying inventory needs, and reporting inventory status.
Sales and marketing ERP modules deal with many of the everyday tasks in this field including shipping, invoicing, and order placement and scheduling.

How to tell which ERP modules you need

The only way to truly know which ERP modules your company needs is to get a detailed, accurate picture of what your company does, what it needs to do, and in what ways you want your ERP software to help optimize your business tasks. Without a clear picture of your needs, it can be a very daunting task to choose the correct modules and can leave you with either a software package that doesn’t really help your business or a software package that includes many expensive features that you don’t really need. Putting together the best possible selection of modules is the best way to ensure that your time and capital investment in your ERP software yields you the best return on your investment. The root of accomplishing this is to spend an appropriate amount of time analyzing your business’ unique characteristics before you even consider shopping for ERP software.

Before you embark on your ERP software selection, you should Read and Download these ERP
Software Buyer’s Guides.

ERP Software: Know before you buy

Chris Shaul — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:00:30 +0000

ERP Software: Things to Know Before You Buy

If you are considering purchasing Enterprise Resource Planning software for your company, take the time to make sure you are making the right selection. If you rush your purchase before thoroughly investigating your company’s needs, you are setting yourself up for failure. After all, the most expensive software on the market is useless if it doesn’t meet your business’ particular needs. Buying the wrong software will cause countless headaches as you try to make it fit your business and will cost more money as you try to adapt it to serve the purpose you intended. Here are some common mistakes people make when buying ERP software and how you can avoid them.

Mistake #1 – Buying ERP software without knowing what you really need

Make a list of problems you are trying to solve and opportunities you want to maximize in your business. You also need to consider the structure and size of your company. If, for example, you have limited resources and a small budget, you will likely benefit more from fully-integrated ERP software, which will provide you the most productivity with the least resources and the lowest cost. It can be difficult for a single application to meet every need of your business so prioritize your needs list to make sure you deal with the most important items first.

Mistake #2 – Choosing ERP software that limits your company’s capabilities and growth potential

The purpose of ERP software is to enhance your business. To make sure yours works for you, you should find an ERP software package that is industry-specific and can meet all of the specialized needs of your business. If your software doesn’t provide you with reduced costs, increased profitability, and improved efficiency, it is not the right product for you.

Mistake #3 – Buying from the first vendor you find

Going with a big name vendor, or one that has worked for someone you know who isn’t in the same business, can be a tragic mistake in your implementation. You need to find an ERP software vendor that is knowledgeable in your industry and that will understand the unique needs of your business. Also, since you will need to have a long-term relationship with your vendor, look for an ERP software provider that offers ongoing support, product releases, user forums, and other business tools as part of the service.

Mistake #4 – Taking ERP software implementation lightly

ERP implementation is a major step for your company. It is important that everyone in the company, from the president down, is involved in the process. It is also imperative to make sure that employees have received comprehensive training in the use of the ERP software.

Mistake #5 – Making a decision based on cost alone

Implementing ERP software in your company is a long-term investment designed to change your business for the better. When choosing an ERP software package, the cheapest solution is often not the best solution. Take the time to explore your options and make sure you are getting the best possible deal while still meeting the needs of your company.

ERP Software Resources to help you

Download our ERP Buyers Guide to help you focus in on the right vendors and ERP software for your company.

Which ERP Vendors are Right for You?

Chris Shaul — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:48:25 +0000

ERP Vendors: Finding the right one for your company

When making the decision to implement ERP software in your company, choosing the right ERP vendors is as important to success as any other step of the process. Many companies have made the mistake of selecting ERP vendors based on name alone or based on recommendations from others who may not be in the same industry.

This can lead to a dramatic increase in the cost of implementing ERP software and can greatly reduce the benefit your company will receive from the software. Before your company makes a decision, shop around for the best possible vendor to fit your company’s unique personality and needs.

Why you need ERP vendors to implement your software

ERP software is designed to integrate and combine all of the functions of a business into a single database. This helps streamline distribution of information and communications in the company. Implementation of the software is highly complex and will likely bring about changes in the staff and their work responsibilities. If implemented incorrectly, the software can be a hindrance to the business as opposed to a help. Because of the highly complicated nature of this process, it is important to hire professional ERP vendors to make sure the process goes smoothly.

What you should look for when shopping for ERP vendors

There are many factors to consider when choosing the right ERP vendors for your business. First, you want to find ERP vendors that are not only knowledgeable about your industry but who are also informed about the direction your business will likely take.

When talking with potential ERP vendors, make sure they seem interested in hearing your concerns and take the time to discuss all aspects of the implementation with you. Although the vendor is the implementation specialist, they should take the time to discuss and consider any suggestions from the company. If the vendor seems uninterested in your ideas or unwilling to have an in-depth discussion with you, walk away and find someone better suited to your company.

How you can be sure ERP vendors will provide good service?

There are many ERP vendors to choose from such as Oracle, SAP, Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics, and others. Each of them have partner companies who implement their ERP solutions. Before making a choice, check into the credibility of your potential ERP vendors and their partners.

Speak with former clientele and check the ERP vendors background to see if there is a history of providing excellent implementation and service. It is also a good idea to ask for a practical demonstration of ERP vendors services. This is an excellent way to see how the process will work and to get a feel for the vendor’s work style so you can determine whether it will work for your business.

Choosing the right ERP vendors is one of the most important aspects of buying and using ERP software in your business. A high quality vendor can help make the implementation easy and can ensure that your software is ready to go and can meet your needs. A bad vendor, on the other hand, can guarantee your failure in the implementation of your new software. The key to success is to shop carefully before choosing ERP vendors for your company.

If your looking at ERP Vendors now, please download your free guide:
How to Assess Manufacturing Software Vendors’ Viability now!

How to Evaluate ERP Systems without Headaches

Chris Shaul — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:12:03 +0000

Avoiding typical problems when evaluating ERP Systems

It is a mistake to evaluate an ERP system based simply on the way it looks! ERP systems vary in features available and this approach is clearly wrong. There are many more factors that should be considered. Most important of these is the ability for the potential erp systems to support your unique business processes.

Evaluating ERP Systems–The Criteria Checklist

Your approach to selecting a software application must be measured and scientific using appropriate criteria. Every business has specific needs and it is therefore important to create a checklist of the key features that you require and check to confirm that the erp systems that you are considering can provide these features. These should not be a laundry list of every potential function that the system should manage. That is a waste of everyone’s time. Rather, you should focus on the key processes that you perform to deliver the product or service your customers expect. Drill in on the unique functions that you use every day to get orders out the door. Determine the specialized needs that set you apart from your competitors. Then, evaluate erp systems against those processes.

An ERP system affects the way you run your business and you therefore need to get it right the first time. If the system fails because it cannot support your processes then there will be adverse effects that can (and have) lead to financial loss or even worse, bankruptcy.

Evaluate ERP Systems–The Team

It is critical to have the right team to evaluate your ERP system. Look among your employees to the most resourceful and effective, and those who are trusted by their co-workers. The membership of the team should include representatives of all business sections that are likely to be affected by the system due to the implementation. These erp systems bring large changes and it is therefore important to include representative employees of each business group. They will be key to handling the change management and reduce employee concerns.

If possible, include the trusted partners to participate in the evaluation. These could be your suppliers and customers who are likely to also be affected by the change.

Tips and Advice when Evaluating ERP Systems

As stated above, focus on ERP System that gives your company a competitive edge in the marketplace. ERP systems should be customized to meet the needs of you, the customer, and they should clearly give the your business a competitive advantage. This is achieved by focusing your requirements around your competitive advantage.

Negotiate with the ERP systems vendors to include as wide a scope of potential application solutions to your company. These might include accounting, purchase management, order management, inventory, product design, human resources, manufacturing or others. Work to include as many modules into your contract as you see your company potentially using up front. This is the time that you can gain the most savings, even if you do not plan to roll them out immediately.

Implementing an ERP System can be very costly. Therefore, the selection team should consider erp systems that offers the best fit for your company’s financial needs. Signing a contract with a vendor should include costs of both the software and the implementation. Further, it should include any warranties and service level agreements. Additionally, your company should budget for the cost overruns associated with such systems. Often 10-15% of the implementation cost is set aside as a buffer for potential work changes during the implementation. Sometimes the selection of the vendor is determined not entirely by the functionality, but also who is willing to meet your budget.

The winning candidate of your field of ERP systems should have user-friendly and easily adoptable interfaces and back-end platforms that the IT managers can easily manipulate should there be changes in management or structure. Plan for a 10 year life. As such, people will change. New management always come with new ways of work and there likely will be a need a changes in the system. Plan for this contingency. Inflexible systems create a lot of problems when business processes or rules change. To avoid these frustrations and headaches, involve key persons and adapt the ERP systems that have a flexible structure.

Having considered these things, also consider looking for assistance, either in the form of neutral third party consultants, or simply outsourced ERP expertise. Consider too reviewing best practice guides to help you become better educated in your choices that can affect the company in both the short and long term future.

To assist you in your search for a new software solution, please download your free guide:
How to Assess Manufacturing Software Vendors’ Viability now!

Finding ERP Products that will lead to your Success

Chris Shaul — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:12:46 +0000

Anytime you search for an ERP Software solution, the ERP vendor is going to present the latest and greatest ERP product features to you. The problem with this is that you will be looking at various software modules that may not even apply to your business process. There will be a lot of vendors showing you a lot of ERP Product offerings. This will be confusing. How do you make a clear choice?

When we talk about ERP Products, we are not only talking about complete ERP systems, but even specific add-on products that you may need, such as a Business Intelligence solution or a Customer Relationship Management system. The process is the same no matter what the ERP Product.

An ERP selection process starts with you evaluating various ERP solutions to determine a long list of vendors that you may want to consider. This long list is simply the broad universe of products that may work for your company. Usually this ERP products list comes from your research on the Internet, from trade publications, or from other sources, such as a friend’s suggestion. This is your starting point. From here, you will likely send out an RFI (Request for Information) or if the list is not to long, you may send an RFQ (request for quote).

You will receive back a lot of literature and start receiving phone calls. Although this will seem like information overflow, this is a good situation as the whole point of the long list is to get information from which you can perform an initial screening.

From a long list of ERP Products to choose from, you need to narrow the list down to ideally two or three potential solutions. This is your short-list. The short-list will be those vendors that have the highest potential of being the chosen system. These are the vendors that you will want a complete demonstration from. This demonstration will be a detailed walk through of your business processes highlighting those ERP Products and features that directly apply to your business. From the demos you will have the price quote, a fair understanding of the products and will be able to have negotiations and ultimately select the best solution for you.

Criteria for finding the right ERP Products vendors to review

Before you even start meeting with ERP vendors, the best way to find the right software solutions for you to evaluate is to follow the a defined ERP Methodology. Following an established plan will help you stay on course and focus on the key things you need to do when running the evaluation.

There are three factors for selecting software that you need to figure into your plan. First is the people aspect. Next are the processes. And last is the technology components. Starting with the technology factor, here are some key ERP criteria that you should consider:

Software database and operating system
ERP products’ vendors history within your industry
The software’s Value Added Reseller’s ability to deliver and familiarity with your industry or business type

Some key questions you need to look at with regards to your processes before selecting the system are:

How ready your organization is for change?
How optimized are your current business processes? Do they need a lot of work. In other words, are you willing and able to adopt to a software system’s way of doing things, or do you need a system that has the flexibility to match your processes?
Have you documented or mapped the processes that the new system will need to help automate?

Lastly, some key things you need to examine

How willing are you staff to make the change?
Are they trainable?
How well do they adapt to new technology?

Once you have looked at these three factors, you will then be able to make a more educated decision on which of the ERP vendors is best for your company.

ERP Products Summary

It all comes down to People, Processes, and Technology. All three need to work together to make for a successful solution. When you are looking at ERP Products, you need to be sure consider the implications on your people and your processes first, then having mapped out the internal changes that need to be made and having a clear understanding of your business process flows, then you can look at ERP Products. Going through the self-examination of people, processes, and technology, you will much more prepared for an ERP selection process than a company who has not.

Running a selection in this way ensures that you are well-prepared to match up an ERP software system to your company’s needs, thus preparing you for a successful implementation.

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ERP Products

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The Leading Software Systems for Manufacturers are:

Henning Visual EstiTrack

The Top Ten Best Software Solutions are:

Henning Visual EstiTrack

Exact JobBOSS

E2 Shop System

ECi M1

Epicor Manufacturing Express Edition

Sage ERP

Epicor Manufacturing

Fishbowl Inventory

ERP123

Intuitive ERP

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