Many organizations feel clueless when faced with the need of ERP software selection. It is an important decision that affects company's future performance. Most of the selection teams assigned by the organizations to select software have little or no experience. Organizations face similar problems when they feel the need to select other business-critical information systems. Right ERP software selection is very essential for successful implementation because, waste of money and time would be caused when selection is wrong.

It is very essential for organizations to make sure that ERP software selection is in the hand of future users of the software, because it is business management software which integrates business information by utilizing IT services and support, so IT should only play role of advisory team instead of ERP software selection team. The future users of software are the only people who are able to decide what modules are needed in the software. Also, active participation of future users would build up their confidence in the process of implementation which is very important for both, successful implementation as well as use.

It is essential not to hurry in ERP selection process. Every organization must understand that ERP selection would take some time and effort. It is very essential for them to assign sufficient resource for completion of task. Even implementation of the software would also consume some time, and assigned resources have to put enough amount of their effort for right ERP selection as well as its implementation. ERP consultants expect organization to allocate necessary resource. It is also important for organizations to select a project team that manages the project through to completion of project. Implementation of ERP software would start with a clear strategy and, organizations should set a goal for successful implementation.

ERP software selection and its implementation is a one-time task. And, most of the organizations would find it difficult to find an in-house resource with in-depth experience and expertise. Hiring a consulting resource would prove to be helpful in right ERP selection and, it would also help assist in planning and management of project until implementation process is complete. An expert resource could select software whose functionalities and feature match with the current business processes. It would tell about the total cost of ownership of the system. It would help to make software user-friendly which is both, easy to use and easy to understand.

In conclusion, ERP software selection is a time consuming and hectic task. Organizations with proper resource could implement ERP system without much effort but, for others it is essential to hire an expert consultant. Organizations must compare the cost of different software providing companies to reduce their total cost of ownership. They must also understand about the customization cost, and AMC charges for software upgrades. Right ERP software selection means selecting a scalable, integrated technology that grows as your business grows. An effective ERP system would only require an upgrade instead of a complete tear down, rebuilding and data-conversion.

Read more about ERP Software Selection Criteria. Also know ERP Implementation Best Practices. Read about SAP R/3 Architecture.

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