Most ERP decisions go wrong at the very beginning: the business shortlists products before it has written down the processes the system must support. The result is a system chosen on demo polish rather than fit.
Start with your processes
Pick the three or four processes that cause the most pain today, usually order-to-dispatch, purchase-to-payment and stock accuracy. Write down how each actually works, including the exceptions. That document is your evaluation checklist.
The three approaches
| Approach | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Packaged ERP | Processes close to industry standard; willing to adapt | Paying for modules you never use |
| Configured platform (Zoho, Dynamics, Odoo) | Moderate customisation with vendor backing | Customisations that break on upgrade |
| Custom ERP | Specific processes, pricing logic or integrations; want ownership | Needs a strong partner and clear scope |
Do not forget integrations
In India an ERP rarely lives alone. It has to talk to Tally or the accounts team, GST e-invoicing, e-way bills, payment gateways, e-commerce marketplaces and often a mobile app for the sales team. List these up front; they are where projects overrun.
Roll out in phases
Whatever the approach, insist on a phased rollout. A first module in production within a few months builds confidence, surfaces data problems early and funds the next phase.
Questions to ask every ERP vendor
- Show us our own order-to-dispatch process in the demo, with our exceptions, not your standard script.
- What will we pay in year three, including users, modules, hosting and support?
- How are customisations protected when the product is upgraded?
- Who owns our data, and how do we export all of it if we leave?
- Which of your customers in our industry and size can we speak to?
Data migration is the hidden project
Item masters with duplicates, customers with three spellings, opening stock that does not match the shelves: every ERP project meets these. Budget time to clean masters before go-live, migrate open transactions rather than full history where possible, and run a parallel period where old and new figures are compared.
The right ERP fits how your business makes money. Everything else is configuration.
