Make Every ERP Vendor Demonstrate the Same Business Reality

Create business scenarios

• Select six to ten workflows that expose the most business risk or manual work.
• Include real roles, approvals, exceptions, source data, accounting impact, and reporting output.
• Provide sample customers, items, projects, entities, invoices, orders, or journals.
• Tell vendors what must be configured, what may be described, and what follow-up evidence is acceptable.
• Reserve time for user experience, administration, controls, and reporting.

Use weighted categories

• Business process fit: 30%
• Finance, controls, and reporting: 20%
• Integration and data architecture: 15%
• User and administrator experience: 15%
• Implementation approach and team: 15%
• Commercial clarity and support: 5%

Adjust the weights before vendors present. Do not change them to favor a preferred system after the demos.

Define the scoring scale

• 5: demonstrated complete fit with acceptable configuration.
• 4: demonstrated fit with a manageable documented gap.
• 3: partial fit requiring additional design, add-on, or process change.
• 2: material gap with cost, control, or delivery risk.
• 1: requirement not met or only described without evidence.

Run the decision meeting

• Collect individual scores before group discussion.
• Discuss the largest score differences and record the evidence behind them.
• Separate software gaps, partner concerns, process changes, and unanswered questions.
• Normalize commercial assumptions before comparing total cost.
• Document shortlist conditions and required follow-up demonstrations.