ERP selection checklist: 30 questions to ask every vendor

The best way to choose an ERP is to test every vendor against the same questions, using your own workflows. These 30 questions cover fit, compliance, technology, implementation, cost and support.

Business fit

1. Can the vendor run our top three workflows live, with our data?
2. Does it handle every entity, branch and currency we have?
3. Which industry-specific features do we need, and are they standard?
4. What reports does management need on day one?
5. Can we start with a few modules and add more later?

Compliance

1. Is KRA eTIMS or GST e-invoicing built in, or an add-on?
2. Show a rejected submission and how it is fixed.
3. Is statutory payroll included for each country?
4. Who updates the software when tax rules change?
5. Are M-Pesa and local bank integrations standard?

Technology

1. Cloud, on-premise or both?
2. Is there a mobile app for staff and managers?
3. What APIs exist for POS, e-commerce and other systems?
4. How are backups, security and access controls handled?
5. How often is the product updated, and is it disruptive?

Implementation

1. Who will actually do the work, and where are they based?
2. Is phase one fixed-scope and fixed-price?
3. How is data migrated and reconciled?
4. What training is included, and for whom?
5. What does the vendor need from our team?

Cost

1. What are year-one and year-three costs for the same scope?
2. What happens to price as users grow?
3. Which integrations cost extra?
4. What does support cost after the first year?
5. Are there exit costs if we leave?

Support & references

1. What are support hours and response times?
2. Can we speak to two customers in our industry?
3. What happens in the first weeks after go-live?
4. Who is our named contact?
5. How are feature requests handled?

Score each vendor from 1 to 5 on each question, then weight the groups by what matters most to you. Compliance and implementation usually decide success in Kenya and India.