Ask for a test drive
Before purchasing any software system, make sure to test it—using your data, in your business setting
By Rich Austin and Jim Heatherington -- Industrial Distribution, 10/1/2008 6:00:00 AM
Most distributors have a back-end system to store data related to transactions, including purchases, orders and changes to inventory. These Enterprise Resource Planning systems often require a great deal of investment and effort, but their value is real. ERP tools collect data, store it and ensure internal data consistency.
Decision-support software assists users in accessing ERP data for decision-making; it is commonly referred to as Business Intelligence software. ERP systems capture and store data; BI software helps you make use of this data to support daily decision-making.
The greatest uncertainty in acquiring any software product is not cost, but use. Costs are relatively easy to estimate. Use, however, is almost impossible to gauge from a software demonstration. If you're considering a purchase of reporting software, ask the vendor to model the application—with your data, in your environment. A working model of the software allows you to see how it will be used by your team and to measure the effort involved in sustaining the software over time.
Ease of use
For years, software providers have competed on long lists of features and functions. We've learned, however, that each bell and whistle adds complexity. The line separating a software product from being used or abandoned is very thin. This is why Microsoft Excel continues to be the most widely used BI software product. From a user's perspective, “If someone can get data into Excel, I can take it from there.”
The drawback is that asking someone for data dumps isn't timely access to data—and it is not adequate for making supporting decisions.
An actual working model helps guarantee the tool will be used—by the business owner, operations manager and sales staff—on a regular basis, without the need for an IT specialist. It will put the terms “user friendly” and “intuitive” to the test.
Sustaining the tool
Distributors have highly data-intensive environments. While implementation can be quick, it is important to get a good feel for the effort required to add data or to reorganize it in a reporting tool. A software demonstration always looks good, because the data behind it has been structured and looks reasonable. Installing a model with your actual data, in your office, will clarify the work required to implement the software and sustain it over time.
Get more from what you already own
You've already made an investment in ERP. Any additional software purchase should complement that investment. Although initial cost estimates can be sound, the only way to ensure a software tool will support your staff is to take it for a test drive. The model should be limited to one reporting area, such as shipment history. This boundary will reduce the work involved, yet provide users with a meaningful experience. If a software vendor promotes a product as usable and integrated with the system you already have, a working model is a completely reasonable request.
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12/01/2008
