Questions to Ask an ERP Vendor
A vendor conversation should reveal what the proposed system can do for your organisation and what still needs work.
Ask for the evidence behind each answer
Reusable evidence questions. Record the answer, source date, evidence URL, reviewer and unresolved conditions instead of accepting a yes/no sales promise.
| Record / decision | Filled example and next owner |
|---|---|
| Can our ordinary clerk receive partially? | Expected proof:10 ordered/6 received/4 due, ordinary-role record and linked purchase reference; include a denied approval test. |
| What exactly is included and priced? | Expected document: dated country offer, users, charge currency, implementation/migration/support exclusions and approved renewal/change rules. |
| Can we leave with usable data? | Expected proof: selectable record export, stable IDs, relationships/file manifest, permissions, assistance scope and contract terms. |
Use this worksheet to organise your requirements, assign owners and plan the next steps.
Put it into practice
Ask for the exact release, edition, hosting, application package, users, implementation scope and support responsibility. Bring one normal workflow and one exception. Ask who owns data, how backups are restored, what happens after a failed upgrade and how prices change at renewal.
Put the right controls in place
Agree the required applications, permissions and service responsibilities in your proposal, then review the process with the people who will use it. For any competitor, use official documentation or a written offer for its exact configuration; a generic feature grid is insufficient.
Use this guide with the people who own the process. Agree responsibilities, prepare the necessary records and turn the next steps into a working plan. Get help with your implementation.