By Thaddée Leblond · Published · Updated: June 2026
Choosing an ERP never starts by comparing software — it starts with your processes. The right sequence: map your processes, formalise a requirements specification, then — and only then — compare solutions. For an industrial SME, the decisive criteria are fit to your operations (production, inventory, traceability), scalability, total cost, and the integrator's ability to support you over time.
The mistake that sinks most projects
Many leaders start with vendor demos. That is the reverse of what works. Until your needs are clear, you are comparing sales arguments, not answers to your challenges. The result is an ill-fitting tool, runaway costs and poor adoption.
Step 1 — Map your processes
Before any choice, lay out how you actually operate: production flows, inventory, purchasing, planning, quality, traceability, finance. This mapping reveals your pain points and your non-negotiable requirements. It is the foundation for everything else.
Step 2 — Formalise a requirements specification
The specification translates your needs into functional and technical requirements. It lets you compare vendors on an objective basis and keeps you in control during negotiation. It is your best tool for choosing on substance, not on the strength of a polished presentation.
Step 3 — The decisive criteria in industry
For an industrial SME, a few criteria matter more than the rest: operational fit (does the ERP natively handle your production and traceability specifics?), scalability (will it support your growth?), total cost (licences, integration, training, maintenance — not just the headline price), and the integrator's strength (will they support you after go-live?).
Step 4 — Vertical or generalist
A vertical ERP natively covers your sector's particularities, at the cost of less flexibility. A generalist is broader but needs sometimes-costly adaptation. The right call depends on how specific your processes are — exactly what your requirements specification brings to light.
Step 5 — Decide, then manage the change
Choosing the tool is only half the journey. Success then hinges on data migration, configuration and, above all, change management: the best solution is worthless if teams don't take it up. Anticipate these phases from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Not with software, but with your processes. Mapping how you actually operate (production, inventory, purchasing, finance) and formalising your needs in a requirements specification is the essential prerequisite. Comparing solutions without this framing almost always leads to a poor choice.
Yes. It is the document that translates your needs into requirements, lets you compare vendors objectively and secures the negotiation. Without it, you buy what the vendor showcases best, not what you actually need.
It depends on how specific your industrial processes are. A vertical ERP natively covers your sector's particularities; a generalist is broader but needs adaptation. The requirements specification reveals which one fits.
From framing to go-live, generally several months to more than a year depending on scope. The classic mistake is to underestimate the framing, data migration and change-management phases.
Sources
- Information systems selection methodology (framing, requirements, change management)