It is very important for companies to make sure they have selected the right ERP systems software before implementation. ERP systems are extremely expensive and time consuming to implement. Firms may elect to construct their solutions in house, but this requires time, money and a good technology team to be able to start from scratch. Most firms will elect to buy ERP systems from technology companies specalizing in such systems - these third party companies have already sunk the time and money into developing a platform that is diverse and can be applied to different scenarios and organizations. If a company does not ensure they have made the right selection the system they end up with may not be able to perform all of the necessary, expected functions. Time and money would have already been spent on the system itself, installation, implementation and training to the point an additional overhaul could have significant burdens for the company, financially and technically. An ERP is a system the company has to adapt to, not the other way around, so if data has been transferred or if significant aspects of the corporate structure were changed, especially if these changes involved downtime, an insufficient ERP system may not be able to be fixed easily or inexpensively and depending on how data is translated to the improper system (and how much has been done) even if another even newer system is implemented additional unanticipated technical challenges may arise and data may not be easily moved.
The right ERP system, on the other hand, provides many benefits - simplified, consistent and integrated application systems and consolidated databases. An effective ERP will help the company run better, reduce expenses and provide consistency for employee experiences.