This is the final part of our blog on ERP software selection (part three of three)….

Step 5 – Scope of works

Arguably the most important aspect of any successful ERP implementation the team at Leverage Technologies believes that there are two stages to a successful scope of works.

1. Pre-sales high-level scope of works
2. Detailed implementation scope of works

The focus of this whitepaper is the ERP software selection process and as such we will focus on the pre-sales high-level scope of works.

Having selected two companies on your shortlist and having one as your preferred option you are now ready for the next step. Tell the vendor/reseller (the one that is your preferred option) that you want them to do a high-level pre-sales scope of works. The scope of works for smaller businesses would typically involve one day of on-site work and one day of off-site documenting and testing. For larger businesses, the scope of works could be 3 – 5 or even 10 days. The objectives of this phase are:

1. Get an opportunity to work with the consultancy team from the reseller,
2. Give the reseller an opportunity to understand your requirements and to give you a more detailed proposal and accurate assessment of days required to implement your solution,
3. Give your users an opportunity to discuss their requirements in more detail,
4. Find out if there are any major functional gaps in the proposed solution.

Once the pre-sales scope of works is complete the prospective vendor should be able to provide you with a well-documented proposal and pricing for :

• The correct number of licenses required,
• Hardware and hardware configuration,
• Database and other related software requirements,
• Days required for implementation, training and system configuration,
• Days required for integration and development work (if required).

You should also have the following information :

• Gaps in functionality should be listed,
• Service level agreement and end-user license agreement,
• Methodology for implementation,
• CV’s of the team who will work on your implementation.

At this point in time, you are ready to ask for a copy of the vendor license agreement and service agreement. Asking for a fixed price implementation based on the scope of works is also a good idea.

Having run this process you are now in a position to make a final decision. If you decide not go with the company that you initially shortlisted and “preferred” ie. did the scope of works with then you should run the scope of works process again with your “second choice” on the shortlist – until you are comfortable that you have the right solution from the right partner.

Final points to note :

• Ask for a fixed price implementation (based on the agreed scope of works),
• Ask for milestone-based payments,
• Ensure sufficient project management (usually 10% – 20% of total project cost),
• Insist on a structured approach/methodology,
• Insist on meeting the team members who will work on your site – interview these team members prior to making your final decision (the team members who will be your project manager, implementation consultant, support consultant, etc.).