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Start Up / SME: How to choose your ERP?

· 4 min read
olome team
olome team
olome

Is your company growing? You probably need to acquire or renew your ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system to effectively manage all your resources. However, choosing the right ERP can be a difficult task.

How to navigate the wide range of offers available on the market? We help you understand the key factors that will allow you to choose your ERP well.

Step 1: Understand your company's needs​

The first factor to consider when selecting an ERP system is to understand the specific needs of your company.

Choosing the right integrated management software for your company is crucial. Some ERPs can adapt to a wide spectrum of industries, while others are specifically designed to meet the needs of a particular sector or trade.

It is then essential to choose an ERP software that meets your specificities in terms of:

  • company size;
  • sector of activity.

To help you choose, here are the questions it is essential to ask yourself from the first stages of your project:

  • At what stage of development is my company?
  • How is it structured?
  • What resources must I be able to manage as a priority? And in several years?

Companies still (too?) often look for ERP solutions from publishers of generalist solutions. However, these software packages with too broad a scope are often oversized and require additional adaptations. An adaptation that can lead to considerable additional costs and delays.

Conversely, an ERP software oriented towards your field of activity or easily adaptable and adjusted to the size of your company can be a much faster and more efficient solution. You will have more specialized expertise and fewer specific developments to plan. This is the case with "plug and play" solutions designed by industrialists for industrialists and which adjust to your activity.

Step 2: Take into account the user experience and the adherence of your teams​

As we already mentioned in a previous article, ergonomics is an essential element in the choice of its tools. It is important to choose an ERP system that is easy to use. If the system is too complex or difficult to understand, it can cause problems for your company. Employees may have trouble using it and this can lead to poor or simply under-utilization of the software. And when you know what it costs, it is better to make the right choice.

Example in the case of the use of the ERP by your production team, you must ensure that the system is easy to access and use for operators. They must be able to easily enter production information without having to go through several complicated steps.

To ensure you choose an ergonomic solution, we advise you to take into account the following points:

  • Readable interfaces: relevant information must appear clearly, the interface must not be overloaded with secondary or useless information.
  • Fluid navigation and clear tree structure: the user must be able to navigate from one page to another without obstacles and through a logical sequence.
  • Mobile interface: access to a mobile version of your ERP is now essential, we can even speak of a prerequisite as mobility brings real added value to your tools.

It is the quality of the use of your ERP that will make its success, not its complexity.

Step 3: Cloud or on-premise ERP?​

One of the big questions when choosing your ERP.

Cloud-based ERPs offer several advantages over on-premise ERPs:

  • Agility: a cloud-based ERP will adapt more easily to the growth of your company and the evolution of its structure.
  • Ease of integration: the evolutions of recent cloud-based ERPs offer increased compatibility between software and applications.
  • Security: a subject that is regularly in the news and often concerns data hosted on site, choosing the cloud then becomes an excellent way to protect against theft and loss of data.

Step 4: Evaluate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)​

When choosing an ERP, it is important to consider the total cost of ownership, which includes:

  • acquisition or subscription;
  • resources allocated to the project;
  • deployment;
  • additional modules;
  • specific development;
  • training;
  • maintenance and support.

It is essential to compare long-term costs rather than just the initial price, as hidden costs can quickly accumulate.

Step 5: Check the reputation and support of the provider​

Finally, it is crucial to choose a reliable ERP provider with a good reputation and responsive customer support. Check customer reviews, testimonials and the provider's ability to support your company in its growth.

Conclusion​

Choosing the right ERP for your Start Up or SME is a strategic decision that requires a thorough analysis of your needs, your budget and your long-term goals. By following these 5 steps, you will be better equipped to make the right choice and optimize the management of your resources.