Supply Chain World - Volume 7, Issue 3 - 21

SOFTWARE

the selection process with hundreds of
companies, and has seen it done correctly, and incorrectly.
Below, MRPeasy has outlined the four
biggest mistakes small to mid-sized
manufacturing companies make when
selecting an MRP/ERP software platform:
1. Don't shop until you drop - Many
companies make the mistake of sitting through too many demonstrations without actually testing the
software. It's like buying running
shoes: Without trying them on,
it's impossible to know if they are
comfortable, and if they meet your
needs. With this approach, typically the most expensive solution
looks best. Or it's the solution that
meets the pressing need of the day.
Today's urgent need may be tomorrow's afterthought.
2. Software Not a Magic Bullet - Some
executives get fixated on purchasing software ("My company needs
software") vs. making a strategic purchase ("My company has
problems A, B and C, and must fix
these.)" They view software as the
way to solve any - at least most -
issues without prioritizing the areas
they need the solution to address.
3. Don't Start the Search without Commitment - Searching for something
as important as an ERP/MRP system
requires an investment of time and
energy; don't start the process if
you don't have a team committed to
seeing search and purchase through.
Companies might have realistic
timelines, clearly mapped out and
prioritized requirements, a budget
and a project team, but if project
managers do not have dedicated
time - minimally 10 to 20 hours per
week - set aside for this project for
the two to three months, it's just not
realistic to succeed.
4. Right job, Wrong person: Manufacturing managers are way too busy to

lead the MRP/ERP research, right?
Well, when a company gives the job
to the office manager, accountant,
assistant or intern, the same manager
will be wasting time down the road. In
their daily jobs, these other folks have
little contact with manufacturing
issues. Therefore, they lack first-hand
experience and may have a distorted
understanding of the pain points.
Here is how you can fix your operations
from making those four mistakes:
1. Try Before You Buy - Try on the
MRP/ERP system and go for a short
run to know if it is for your company. Many ERP/MRP software
packages offer easy-to-access,
live demo systems, which can be
tested with simple tasks to figure
out how and if the solution actually
works best for your company. Talk
to folks throughout the organization to better understand issues
and challenges and where sharing
information across departments
might be most beneficial.
2. Audit, Assess and Analyze- Before
the start of the ERP/MRP search
process, take a long, critical look at
the company to map out the issues

in the supply chain and manufacturing areas, and make a wish list of
what the potential solution would
address. Analyze possible solutions
and prioritize software system
requirements through this lens.
3. Budget Is Not Enough - To successfully purchase an ERP/MRP system,
companies need more than just a
healthy budget. They need time and
staff dedicated to the project. Set
aside a certain amount of time for
everyone involved to make things
happen. De-prioritize other projects
- this is project number one - or it'll
bleed out slowly and fail.
4. You Use It, You Choose It - Those
who will be using - and benefitting
from - the ERP/MRP software
should have a hands-on role in
searching and testing. We recommend a project leader who
is knowledgeable in the firm's
manufacturing and organizational
processes. Preferably, this person
has previous experience with MRP
systems and is personally invested
in improvements.
Karl Lauri is the managing team member at

MRPeasy (www.mrpeasy.com). He can be reached at
karl@mrpeasy.com.

Don't start the searching process
unless you have a team that is
committed to seeing the search
and purchase through.

VOLUME 7, ISSUE 3 Supply Chain World

Supply Chain World - Volume 7, Issue 3

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Supply Chain World - Volume 7, Issue 3