There are 12 to 16 average number of stairs in your home, if you have steps. Mentally, steps allow us the time to navigate to a place and to make a decision. When it comes to selecting a new business solution, knowing where to start can be difficult — do you start by finding the right partner or the right solution?

Here are the steps we recommend taking to implement the best accounting solution for your business:

Step 1

The first is to step is to evaluate your business structure, processes, and any unique needs you have. It helps if you have a clear understanding of what did and did not work with your previous accounting solution. We recommend outlining:

• Roughly how many users you will need and whether or not they will all need the same level of access
  • Some solutions have light and full users, so outline the accessibility needed by each user will be helpful
• What features are necessary to run your business. Here is where you will want to highlight any unique needs
• Any tools your ERP system must integrate with
• Any tools which are currently integrated with your system that you would consider replacing as well
• How you would like your solution hosted: cloud, on-premise, or hybrid
• Your budget
• Your timeline

Step 2

This is where you will want to establish a list of potential software solutions. You can create your list by either searching for ERP solutions for your business size, industry, or a unique capability. Another option would be to contact the software creators themselves, and they will point you to a partner who will then tell you which solutions from that software line are options for your business. For example, you can contact Microsoft, and they will direct a Microsoft ERP partner to contact you. Once they contact you, you can reference your outline from Step 1 and they should be able to tell you which Microsoft accounting solution would be best suited for your business. Oracle, SAP, and Sage are a few other examples.

How you get there is up to you. That’s step number three.

You’ve done the research. You know your company’s budget and requirements. Now it is time to select a partner.

Your ERP partner should be on the journey with you, deploying a solution designed to help your business grow and succeed. Your ERP implementation partner will help you map out your project on budget and on time, based on how you prioritize your needs. Before implementation, your partner should engage with you on a business process review documenting your current business processes and mapping to your new cloud-based, modern accounting solution.

What is most important is to have your ERP partner with you every step of the way — from inception to implementation and on-going support. With the help of your partner, your business should benefit throughout your transition and beyond.

In choosing the right ERP/Accounting solution, it is not about the number of steps. It’s about taking the first step. The rest is 1-2-3.

Looking for a new ERP?

If you are considering a new accounting system, you may have come across Microsoft Dynamics 365. Complete the form below to take a tour of Dynamics 365 Business Central. If you are a large enterprise with more complex requirements, Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations may be a better fit.