ERP selection checklist: questions to answer before you buy
This ERP selection checklist lists the questions to answer before choosing between Zoho, Odoo, Microsoft or any other system, so the choice fits your business for years.
Step 1 of the ERP selection checklist: your processes
An ERP selection checklist begins with how your business works, not with software features. Write down how you sell, buy, make, store, deliver and account, and where those processes break today.
Sales and quoting
How quotes, discounts and approvals work, and how orders are confirmed.
Purchasing and stock
How you buy, receive, store and count stock, and how many locations you have.
Production
Whether you assemble, manufacture to order or to stock, and how you plan.
Finance
Entities, currencies, tax, approvals and the reports management needs.
Data and integrations
List every system and spreadsheet that holds business data today. Decide which will be replaced, which will stay and need integration, and how much history must move.
Systems to replace
Accounting, inventory, CRM and spreadsheets the ERP will take over.
Systems to keep
E-commerce, payroll, banking or industry software that needs integration.
History to migrate
How many years of transactions you need available.
Data quality
Duplicates and gaps that must be cleaned before migration.
People, compliance and cost
Count users by role, note compliance needs such as GST and e-invoicing, and compare total cost over three years, including licences, implementation, training and support.
Choosing the platform and partner
Shortlist two or three platforms that fit your processes, ask for a demo using your own scenarios, and check the implementation partner as carefully as the software.
Shortlist
Two or three platforms that match your processes and budget.
You receive A shortlist with reasons
Scenario demos
Vendors or partners demonstrate your real scenarios.
You receive Scored demo results
Partner check
References, method, team and support model.
You receive Partner evaluation
Decide
Choose platform and partner with a fixed-scope first phase.
You receive A signed scope and plan
Comparisons that may help
These guides compare the platforms we implement, honestly.
Common questions
How long should ERP selection take?
For a mid-sized business, four to eight weeks is usually enough if processes are documented first.
Should we choose software or partner first?
Both matter. A good partner will tell you if their platform is not the right fit.
What is the most common selection mistake?
Choosing on features shown in a generic demo instead of testing your own scenarios.
Want help choosing an ERP?
We implement Zoho, Odoo and Microsoft, so we can compare them for your business without bias.