A Structured Process for Choosing the Right ERP
An ERP selection is a 12-to-20-week program with a steering committee, a documented set of requirements, a request for proposal, scripted demonstrations and a decision your executives can defend. John Hannan LLC leads that program for manufacturers, distributors and life-sciences companies that have several sites, regulated operations or more than one business entity. We are built to help companies for which the wrong system is a multi-year problem.
We are independent. We do not resell software, we take no referral fees from vendors or implementation partners, and we work only for the buyer. The result is a decision made on your requirements and your numbers, not on the best demo.
Who this program is for
The companies that get the most from a full selection program share a few traits. If two or three of these describe you, the program fits.
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Several plants, warehouses, branches or legal entities that must run on one system.
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Regulated or traceable operations: GMP, 21 CFR Part 11, serialization, lot and recall control, ISO or customer audits.
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An ERP that has reached end of life, a company that has outgrown accounting software and spreadsheets, or an acquisition that has to be brought onto a common platform.
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An executive sponsor, such as a CFO, CIO or COO, who wants a documented decision and a plan, not a vendor pitch.
If your company is a single site with a straightforward decision, we will say so in the first conversation and point you to a lighter option.
How an ERP selection program runs
The program follows the same sequence every time, because the sequence is what makes the decision defensible. Most programs take 12 to 20 weeks from kickoff to a signed contract, depending on how many sites take part and how quickly your team can make time for demonstrations.
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Mobilize, weeks 1–2 - Steering committee formed, scope and sites confirmed, business-process owners named, calendar set. A charter, a plan and a named team on both sides.
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Requirements, weeks 3–6 - Workshops with each business-process owner (from finance, operations, supply chain, sales, quality) to document what the business does and what must change. A plain-English requirements document the vendors will answer line by line.
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RFP and long list, weeks 6–9 - The RFP goes to a long list of vendors and partners chosen for your industry and size; responses are normalized so pricing and scope compare like for like. A scored long list and a shortlist of two to four.
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Scripted demos, weeks 9–14 - Each finalist demonstrates your scenarios with your data, in front of your process owners, scored on the same scorecard. Scorecards, gap lists and a clear view of fit.
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Decision and contract, weeks 14–20 - Total cost of ownership over five years, reference calls, implementation-partner evaluation, contract and statement-of-work negotiation. A recommendation the steering committee approves, a signed contract and a pre-implementation plan.
After the decision we can stay on as the client-side program lead through implementation, or hand over to your team with a pre-implementation plan. Either way the work is documented so nothing is lost in the handover.
What we need from your team
A selection is a team effort, and we are careful with your people's time. Expect the executive sponsor to give two to three hours a week; each business-process owner four to six hours a week during requirements and demo weeks and much less in between; and IT a few hours a week throughout. We run the workshops, write the documents, manage the vendors and keep the calendar. You make the decisions.
Who does the work
Every selection is led by one of six senior consultants who are former operations, finance and IT leaders who have delivered ERP programs across multiple platforms, with specialists in finance, operations and integration brought in for the phases that need them. There is no bench of junior staff and no software to sell.
Not ready for the full program? Start with the requirements phase
Some companies want a documented set of requirements and an RFP before they commit to a full selection — to confirm the business case, to brief a board, or to get their process owners aligned first. Requirements & RFP-Ready is that first phase on its own: four to six weeks, a senior consultant with John as engagement lead, and the same requirements document and RFP the full program would produce. If you continue into the full selection, nothing is repeated.
It is built for the same companies as the full program, those with several sites or regulated operations.
ERP Software Selection Process Built for Clarity and Confidence
STRUCTURED, VENDOR-NEUTRAL PROCESS
Through a proven methodology built on structured requirements discovery, RFPs, scorecards, and scripted demos, we enable you to compare systems on objective criteria instead of sales narratives.
TRANSPARENT VIEW OF INVESTMENT
We organize vendor pricing, services estimates, and key options side-by-side so your team understands the implications of each path before making a decision.
CONFIDENCE AND ALIGNMENT IN THE CHOICE
Clear requirements, weighted scorecards, and Total Cost of Ownership models give executives a defensible, well-documented decision everyone can stand behind.
The structure for identifying requirements was well thought out, easy to use, and well launched with everyone who needed to work on it—we even got major kudos from vendors on the professionalism of our requirements. John communicates in a way that isn’t overly technical for people like me, but he can step up and be technical with IT professionals.
Gary Rosenfield, President & CEO at eLoghomes
FAQs
How long does an ERP selection take?
Twelve to twenty weeks from kickoff to a signed contract for a company with several sites. The requirements phase is usually four to six weeks of that; demonstrations take three to five weeks because they are scheduled around your process owners.
Do you select the implementation partner as well?
Yes, and in most programs at the same time as the software. The partner's industry experience, methodology, staffing and scope assumptions determine whether the implementation succeeds, so they are evaluated and negotiated alongside the software contract.
How much of our team's time does it take?
Roughly two to three hours a week from the sponsor, four to six hours a week from each business-process owner during requirements and demo weeks, and a few hours a week from IT. We do the writing, the vendor management and the scheduling.
What happens after the decision?
You receive the full record, requirements, scorecards, cost model, contract, and a pre-implementation plan. Many clients keep us on as the client-side program lead through go-live; others take the plan and run it with their own team. We are vendor-neutral either way and never move to the vendor's side of the table.
What does a selection program cost?
It depends on the number of sites and process owners and on whether we also select the implementation partner. We give a number after a first conversation, once we know the shape of your company.
Do you travel to our location to work on-site?
Yes. Our consultants travel, and for operations work they find on-site visits worthwhile for gathering requirements right from the warehouse or factory floor. Additionally, many vendors will request to come on-site for their demonstrations. We support those events in-person as well.
