Most ERP selection mistakes happen before the shortlist of vendors is even drawn up — in unclear requirements, unrealistic timelines, or a process driven entirely by feature comparison rather than actual fit. These ten questions are worth answering honestly before evaluating any specific system.
Ten questions to ask before selecting a system
- What specific operational problem are we trying to solve, in concrete terms — not just 'better systems'?
- Which departments and processes will actually use it day to day, and have they been consulted?
- Does the system fit how our business actually operates, or would we need to change our processes significantly to fit it?
- What does implementation actually cost beyond the license — configuration, data migration, training?
- How long is a realistic implementation timeline, based on similar businesses, not the vendor's best case?
- Who internally will own the system after go-live, and do they have the capacity for that role?
- How well does it integrate with systems we're keeping (accounting, e-commerce, existing databases)?
- What does the vendor's ongoing support and update process actually look like?
- What happens to our data if we need to switch systems again later?
- Can we speak to a reference customer of similar size who has been live on the system for at least a year?
Fit matters more than feature count
It's common to select an ERP system based on which vendor's feature list is longest, then spend the implementation forcing the business to work around the system's assumptions. A system that closely matches how your business already operates, even with a shorter feature list, is usually a better outcome than a powerful system that requires extensive customization to become usable.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Selecting a system based on a demo rather than how it performs with your actual data and processes
- Underestimating the internal time required for data migration and staff training
- Not identifying who owns the system internally before implementation begins
- Ignoring integration requirements with systems you're not replacing
The right ERP system is the one that fits your actual operations and has a realistic implementation plan behind it — not necessarily the one with the most features.