As manufacturers and distributors scale, their systems and ways of doing things evolve organically out of immediate necessity rather than long-term strategy. Eventually, the business hits a wall where hiring more people to double enter data into spreadsheets no longer works. The complexities of supply chain management, stock control, multi-level Bills of Materials, order tracking, batch tracing and regulatory compliance mean that the patchwork of disconnected software, spreadsheets, whiteboards, sticky notes and sheer human effort needs a rethink.

This is the point when businesses begin to explore ERP software solutions. But software alone does not result in best practice, or even better practices than you currently have. One of the biggest mistakes during ERP projects is not taking the time to understand how the business is conducted today. A successful ERP implementation is rarely just about the technology.

So before you begin your search for your new ERP provider, ask yourself these key questions:

1. Why are you considering ERP?

   Explain the problems or ambitions driving the search. Is the business growing, struggling with disconnected systems, spending too much time on manual work, or unable to get reliable information quickly? Define what success would look like before discussing products.

2. What works well in your current systems?

   Ask teams which processes are dependable and which features they value. A replacement project should preserve what helps people work effectively, not assume that every existing practice is a problem.

3. What needs improving—and why?

   Look for duplicate data entry, spreadsheet workarounds, slow reporting, inconsistent information and gaps between departments. Are these software limitations or issues caused by unclear processes, poor data or insufficient training?

4. What might the business need next?

   Consider changes the current systems cannot support: more users or locations, new products or services, better reporting, automation, or closer connections between teams. Separate genuine requirements from “nice to have” ideas so the search stays focused.

5. Who should help define the requirements?

   Include the people who use the systems every day, not only senior decision-makers. Finance, operations, procurement, sales, customer service and IT may see different problems and priorities. Their input can reveal needs that a leadership-only discussion miss.

6. Who will run the project internally?

   Your project manager should understand how data flows from a sales order, through production, into the warehouse and onto the financial balance sheet. They should be respected by both the leadership team and the shop floor, as well as having the authority to take decisions on business processes.

7. How will you prepare and support staff?

   Discuss communication, changes to roles and processes, training tailored to different users, and support after launch. People need to understand not just how to use a new system, but why working practices may change. Departmental leads need clearly assigned responsibilities and all staff need enough time to participate in planning, testing and implementation alongside their usual work.

8. Are your data and connected systems ready?

   Identify what information would need to move, whether it is accurate and who owns it. ERP implementation is a great time to archive historical and obsolete data – build your new system for the future, not the past. List the systems that would need to connect to an ERP, such as ecommerce, payroll or specialist operational tools.

9. What are your budget, timing and priorities?

   Account for implementation, data preparation, integrations, training and staff time – not just for licence or subscription costs. Decide what must be delivered first and with a modular system, what could wait. Consider the impact of additional users as your business grows.

10. How will the ERP provider support you through implementation and after go-live?

    Who will manage the implementation on the provider’s side, how they will learn your processes, and what help they will provide with configuration, data migration, testing and training? What happens at go-live: will someone be available to resolve issues quickly and how will responsibility pass to the support team? What are the ongoing support arrangements, including response times, costs, updates and opportunities to improve the system as your business changes?

Preparation will lead to better conversations with software providers. A prioritised requirements list and a few real business scenarios will make demonstrations and proposals more useful than a generic feature checklist. Look for a software solution from an ERP provider you can build a long-standing relationship with – one grounded in trust, genuine partnership and a shared commitment to your business’s evolving needs.