Ten Steps to Selecting the Right Supply Chain Management Software
The Ten Steps for Supply Chain Management Software Selection
In this brief guide, we’ll review a ten-step process that will help you select the right supply chain management (SCM) software. Each of these steps include five critical tasks. If you follow this process, you’ll be far more effective in your search for new software.
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RESEARCH THE SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE MARKET
PRIORITIZE YOUR SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS
MAKE THE CASE TO MANAGEMENT
BUILD A SHORT LIST OF SOFTWARE VENDORS
EDUCATE THE VENDORS ON YOUR PROJECT
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EVALUATE LIVE SOFTWARE DEMONSTRATIONS
SCORE & RANK THE SOFTWARE SYSTEMS
GATHER & COMPARE PRICE QUOTES
VERIFY REFERENCES & SOFTWARE VENDOR VIABILITY
REVIEW THE SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT (SLA)
Research Supply Chain Management Software Market
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The research phase is one of the more enjoyable steps in the software selection process. You can surf the net, read blogs and download white papers - all in an effort to “get smart” on the state of the supply chain management software market. If you already know a fair bit about supply chain management software, use this step to learn what’s new. If not, don’t worry about becoming a software expert, but work to gain context for the evaluations you will be performing. You’ll need to learn what functions these systems perform, understand the various deployment models (e.g. web-based vs. onpremise) and learn industry terminology. It’s also important to imagine the possibilities for improving your logistics operations. You are making a big new investment, so use the opportunity to redesign processes and leapfrog to vastly improved levels of efficiency. Finally, get a general sense of what these systems cost.
