Frequently Asked Questions

When evaluating a new software solution, you are not only evaluating the product, but also the partner that will provide you implementation, training and on-going support.  It is very important to select a partner you feel comfortable working with and one that is competent with the solution.   

• Make sure you choose a partner who will take the time to understand your needs and walk you through the software before you purchase.
• Determine if the partner has your best interest in mind.  Are they truly trying to find a solution that works best for your business?  Or are they just trying to sell you their software package?
• Ask if the software partner has multiple staff available to support you, particularly in emergencies.  How many consultants do they have on staff?
• Ask if the partner has the ability to customize the software.  It can be very advantageous to work with a partner that has on staff expertise to tailor the software to your particular needs.
• Determine if the partner understands both the technical capabilities of the software , but also the practical uses for your business.  They should be a resource for technical, accounting, payroll, distribution and manufacturing advice as it relates to the software implementation and support. 

Before you ask for a software demonstration, you'll want to know the exact requirements your business has for the new software system.  Once your needs have been determined, you should ask for a custom tailored software demonstration that focuses around your specific requirements.  

Requesting a custom tailored software demonstration rather than a broad demo will help you determine if the software will satisfy your business needs.
 

The partner providing the software demonstration should have gathered your main software requirements prior to the demo.  You should ask questions during the demonstration that focus around how the solution meets your business needs today and into the future. 

It's best to research software solutions first to help you begin to build your budget.  Depending upon your business requirements, there are different software products that provide varying degrees of functionality.  As you review different solutions that meet your requirements, you will typically find the costs of the different software options to be comparable.  From there, you should be able to realistically create an estimated budget for your new software system, implementation, training and on-going support.

For small and medium size business's the software can range from $200 to $50,000. It depends on your specific needs and number of system users. Fees to implement the software typically range from .50 to 2 times the price of the software, again depending on the specific needs of the company.

While the new program is likely to have more features it is not safe to assume that the more expensive software will have all the features of your current low end system.  Because of their design for small business and small databases, QuickBooks and Sage 50 (Peachtree) have some features that even high end systems don't contain.

Yes, making sure the new software system has the ability to integrate with your existing CRM, HR, Payroll, POS, E-commerce, warehouse, custom manufacturing, shipping or other industry-specific solution can provide enormous time savings for your employees.  Integrations also provide owners and managers with real-time visibility of data, improving their ability to make quick and accurate business decisions. 

Most ERP software solutions have their own APIs that can facilitate integration with other software systems or databases.

We suggest you have a software needs assessment completed before you look at any new software systems.  You need to first understand the unique requirements your business has for the new software system.  Once this has been determined you can review different software systems to determine which ones best fit your needs.

A few other important areas to look at when you are selecting a new software system include:

• Make sure you can use the software for everyday activities.  Ease of use is one of the most important considerations.
• Be sure the software can be customized.  Your business needs will change over time so it's important to make sure you new software system can adjust to those changes.
• Determine if your current hardware will run the desired software system.  Be sure to consider whether hardware updates the server or workstations are needed before purchasing new software.
• Ensure the software developer is financially sound and committed to the product. 

Yes, before making a commitment to a software partner and a new software solution you should ask for references from previous customers.  Doing so will put their claims to the test.  You'll want to look to see if the previous customer had any issues with the software itself as well as the support they received from the software partner. 
 

While the time frame varies depending on the complexities of the project, a new ERP software project for a small to mid-sized business typically takes 2 to 6 months from start to finish.  The elements of the project usually include software installation, setup, training and testing and may also include procedural review, data conversion, programming and report writing.

Yes, it is generally possible, however it depends on the data you would like to migrate and how much history you would like to move over to the new system.  Typically, vendors, customers and beginning balances are brought over.  Bringing over additional data is possible, however it would increase the cost and lengthen the implementation timeline.

While this approach was necessary in the days when systems were custom made for individual companies, current day software is much more reliable in its ability to process transactions.  Also given the high pace of most offices these days, running two systems for a significant length of time is just no longer practical for most companies.  Testing normally consists of running a test batch of transactions that represent the transactions that will be run on the system.  This is typically a couple of days to a weeks worth of transactions that give you the ability to evaluate the system and make any minor needed adjustments before going live.