Software Selection - Partner with a Pro!
With Epicor 10.1 being released and well into being a stable product, more and more users are considering making the leap, and I’m not just talking about those of you who are a few releases behind. Recently I’ve seen many customers on versions as old as 5.0 and 6.1 start the discussion process of “what it would take to upgrade”. There are many reasons for this but the #1 reason I see is due to aging infrastructure and the risk of unsupported operating systems. Nervous IT departments are forcefully demanding employers to take their aging ERP systems seriously and they should. We all deserve a little sleep at night.
But before jumping into upgrade mode you should sit back and analyze the situation you are in. More than likely, if you are on one of those old, aforementioned legacy versions, you more than likely will be starting fresh AND (if your CFO had anything to say about it), you no longer have support and maintenance. What does this mean? To upgrade to the latest 10.1 software you will need to wheel and deal with your account manager to either repurchase the software or catch up on maintenance costs. Also, don’t forget to figure in implementation consulting expenses which will be a substantial portion of your total spend. Just because you have been on Vantage 6.1 for over 10 years doesn’t mean you will instantly pick up the likes of ERP 10.1. The setups are different, the screens are different, and there is a boatload more functionality. Bottom line, figure that you’ll need time to learn this new system.
With the promise that you are basically going to be implementing a new ERP system why not take the time to consider other ERP’s. It’s probably been at least a decade since you’ve shopped around, right? If in the end you still select Epicor, it will at least give you piece of mind that you’ve done your due diligence and that it is in-fact the right ERP for your business.
Here are some tips to go about software selection:
Do it in the most unbiased way. Hire a firm to do the legwork for you and give recommendations.
While it’s ok to ask your consulting partner for suggestions, pick a firm that specializes in business consulting and software selection.
Keep an open mind.
Be upfront of budgets (if you have one).
Take this time to understand your processes and what your current business needs are.
At the end of the day, you need to do what’s right for your organization and that includes selecting software that fits your business. If you need help finding a software selection partner please contact me for recommendations.
