ERP selection for mid‑market manufacturers (200–1,000 employees): how to make a defensible shortlist and lead it to go‑live
If you run a 200–1,000‑person manufacturing company, this guide shows how to pick a defensible ERP: capture requirements, issue an RFP, score vendors with an objective fit/gap model, and run conference‑room‑pilot demos. We cover PLM/MES/QMS integration, multi‑site inventory, serial/lot traceability, PPAP/APQP, and MRP—so you can phase the rollout without disrupting production. Vendor‑neutral, practical, and built from real selections and client‑side implementations.
John Hannan
5 min read
Industrial distribution ERP software selection: shortlist & scorecard
Industrial distribution ERP is won and lost on rebates/SPAs, pricing matrices, WMS depth, and EDI—not glossy demos. This guide shows how to build a defensible shortlist using a weighted scorecard that grades vendors on counter sales, chargebacks, landed cost & container management, inventory accuracy (RF/barcoding), and integration to TMS and EDI (850/855/856/810/846). Use our demo script, scoring model, and contract guardrails to align stakeholders fast and choose a platform
John Hannan
5 min read
Small Manufacturing ERP: how to choose the best fit (not “the best system”)
Searching “best ERP for small manufacturing” won’t give you the right answer—your routing, BOM, costing, scheduling, and compliance drive the fit. This guide shows a practical path: define requirements by industry process, build a focused shortlist (general‑purpose and industry‑specific), script demos against your data, and negotiate contract guardrails. We’ve used this playbook for small manufacturers to land cleaner implementations and lower total cost.
John Hannan
6 min read
Manufacturing ERP Selection: There’s no “best ERP”, only the best fit for your factory
Searching “best manufacturing ERP” won’t pick your system—your requirements will. We help SMB manufacturers define needs (MTO/ETO/discrete/process), run a vendor‑neutral RFP, script apples‑to‑apples demos, score gaps and TCO, and negotiate contract guardrails. Short‑list configurable suites (Acumatica, Epicor, Infor, Microsoft, IFS, NetSuite, Sage) and the right industry ERPs (e.g., metal, apparel, food, DSD). The result: a defensible choice and a cleaner start to implementat
John Hannan
6 min read
ERP consultant vs ERP advisor vs SI— who should lead your selection?
Who should quarterback your ERP selection—independent advisor, consultant, or the SI? This piece explains role clarity, incentives, and risks by industry. Learn how to run scripted, evidence‑based demos, score vendors, and negotiate renewal caps, SLAs, and change‑control. We outline when to bring in an SI, how to keep them accountable, and the core artifacts that carry into implementation.
John Hannan
6 min read
Life sciences ERP software selection - 2026 buyer’s guide (GxP‑ready)
Choosing ERP in a validated environment is different. This 2026 buyer’s guide shows how to evaluate life sciences ERP through a GxP lens—Part 11 e‑signatures, audit trails, QA release, lot/expiry traceability, and LIMS/QMS/EDMS integrations. Get selection criteria, a weighted scorecard, and five scripted demos to run with your data so your shortlist is CSV‑ready before contracts.
John Hannan
4 min read
Software Selection - A Practical Playbook for Confident, Defensible Decisions
Software selection becomes risky when decisions hinge on demos instead of evidence. This guide shows how to structure selection with clear criteria, weighted scorecards, scripted day-in-the-life demos, integration and data checks, and TCO analysis. Built from 25+ years of running selections across manufacturing, distribution, and life sciences, it’s a vendor-neutral playbook for confident and defensible decisions that hold up on go-live day.
John Hannan
4 min read
Capacity Planning for Radiopharmaceutical Therapy - Making the Clock an Ally
Radiopharmaceutical therapy capacity isn’t just headcount and rooms—it’s physics. Activity decays by the hour; QC and licensing gates sit on the critical path; hot cells, operators and courier cut‑offs throttle throughput. This post outlines a practical playbook: anchor schedules on patient time, make bottlenecks explicit, separate strategic/tactical/operational horizons, and use finite‑capacity slotting tied to potency windows. Not a sales pitch—just a starting point you can
John Hannan
4 min read
How to Select the Best ERP for Your Small Business
ERP systems can significantly increase your small business's chances of success. However, this also depends on you choosing the suitable one. But suppose you haven't worked much with ERPs. Then selecting one for your supply chain systems and other elements of your small business may be challenging. We've explained what to look out for in small business ERPs below.
John Hannan
4 min read
ERP Selection for Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (RPT) Manufacturers
Practical ERP selection checklist for radiopharmaceutical therapy (radiotherapeutic/radioligand) manufacturers. Covers dose-to-door flow, eBR/Part 11, genealogy, decay-aware inventory, Class 7 shipping, and validation.
John Hannan
4 min read
ERP and MES for Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (RPT) Manufacturing - How to Split the Work and Wire It Together Without Regret
RPT manufacturers often need both ERP and MES. This post shows how to split responsibilities—put batch truth and eBR in MES, and commercial/financial truth in ERP—then wire them with event‑based, validated integrations. Learn the boundary for labels, QA release, RAM license gates, and waste; how to avoid double entry and time‑of‑calibration drift; and what to demand in scenario‑based demos. Scale dose‑to‑door without audit risk.
John Hannan
5 min read