Summer is around the corner and for many midsize manufacturers, that often means adjusted schedules, vacations, and rotating availability. It’s tempting to hit pause on major initiatives like ERP selection until “everyone’s back.” But this is actually an ideal time to focus on decisions that will have a long-term impact on operational performance.
If you’re considering a new ERP system, now is the perfect window to build your project team and start laying the groundwork. Delaying ERP selection means delaying solutions to costly problems like poor inventory accuracy, broken job costing, manual workarounds, and missed delivery dates – which can be real issues for job shop and make-to-order manufacturers. These aren’t just productivity issues; they affect margins, customer satisfaction, and cash flow.
Why ERP Selection Matters Now
Too often, ERP selection is driven by whoever is most available; usually IT or Accounting. That leads to decisions based on infrastructure, security, or accounting workflows, which are important but don’t represent the full picture.
For manufacturers, ERP success depends on how well the system handles procurement, engineering, production, and scheduling and not just how it balances the books.
Use the Summer Slowdown to Build the Right ERP Team
Bring together a cross-functional group that includes:
- IT – for infrastructure and integrations
- Accounting/Finance – for compliance and reporting
- Procurement/Materials – for MRP and vendor planning
- Engineering – for BOMs, routings, and change control
- Production/Operations – for job tracking and shop floor needs
- An executive sponsor – to keep things aligned and moving
Don’t Wait for Fall to Start Thinking Strategically
A successful ERP selection starts with the right voices at the table. A cross-functional project team brings together the diverse perspectives needed to evaluate software against actual business processes. ERP decisions made without input from key operational areas often result in bolt-on fixes, delayed adoption, or costly rework post-implementation. Use the summer months to define your core needs, explore options, and prepare for vendor conversations with real business goals in mind.
Why This Matters
ERP software is the backbone of your operations. If you’re in engineer-to-order or project-based manufacturing, your ERP needs to support deep operational workflows—not just high-level accounting or IT requirements. Involving only one department often leads to an expensive mismatch that’s difficult to fix after go-live.
Bottom Line
Don’t let the summer slump become a missed opportunity. Start building the right ERP team now and avoid the cost of choosing a system that doesn’t fit how your business actually runs.