ERP Software Selection | ERP System Selection

ERP Systems: A Decade of Evolution

September 18, 2025 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

Ten years ago, choosing an ERP system was a lot like buying a house in a questionable neighborhood: you knew you’d be stuck with it for decades, the plumbing would eventually leak, and no one in the family agreed on the layout. Fast forward to today, and ERP has had something of a glow-up. What used to be the corporate equivalent of beige wallpaper is now more like a sleek Tesla dashboard: shiny, interconnected, and occasionally prone to mysterious software updates at 2 am. But unfortunately, the costs of ERP have also jumped just like housing costs. The Great Shift: […]

Top 5 Lessons from the ERP Transformation Front Line

September 17, 2025 | 0 Comments | 180systems

Embarking on an ERP transformation is never easy — but learning directly from those who’ve led the charge can give you a critical edge. In this candid and practical session, Alex Miles (Partner, 180 Systems) and Tony Gareri (CEO, Roma Moulding) share the top lessons learned from Roma’s ongoing ERP and CPQ (Configurator) implementation journey. You’ll get a rare, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to select the right technology, navigate the implementation process, and build a successful partnership between client and consultant. From vendor evaluation to data migration to internal team communication, this session offers hard-earned insights and actionable […]

Requirements Overload

August 17, 2025 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

There are times when defining requirements for an ERP selection process that our client would question the effort and think that we are too much in the weeds and should save this detail when evaluating the systems and implementing the system. A leaner approach does make sense for standard requirements, but if the client has complexity and unique processes, then detailed requirements are worth the effort to: Avoid costly change orders when vendors discover what is needed during the implementation – It’s sometime called scope creep and you’re damned if you make the change as it will likely delay the […]

Independence

February 5, 2025 | 1 Comments | Michael Burns

Let’s assume you’re looking for an independent consultant to assist you in selecting a new ERP system. One question to answer is how do you know they are independent. Take a look at a Blog from the Enterprise Spectator or some insights which include: Conflicts of Interest per Enterprise Spectator Does the firm offer services to tech providers? Do they have a partner or alliances page? If so, are tech providers listed? Does the consultant also offer implementation services for specific vendors? Are their blog posts and white papers truly thought leadership reports, or are they mostly puff pieces for […]

Evaluating the Statement of Work – Project Management

December 21, 2021 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

The Statement of Work (SOW) provided by the vendor for an ERP implementation is a critical document. It is the vendor’s way of defining the terms of the engagement and it is understandably used by them to maximize their profitability and to protect themselves when things go wrong. The SOW is not like other contracts that have been vetted by the lawyers many times and very difficult to change. The vendors will negotiate the terms in the SOW, and you need to review it carefully especially with regard to scope and roles and responsibilities. We are going to write […]

Hitchhiker’s Guide to Technology Solutions

May 18, 2021 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

180 Systems is presenting a workshop for CPA Canada on June 16, 2021 from 1 pm to 4 pm EST with guidance and best practice for: Business Case System Optimization System Selection Contract Negotiation Implementation Transition Management Emerging Technology RPA Project Management Change Management You can register for this workshop by clicking here or contacting Michael at mburns@180systems.com if you have questions. […]

National Technology Forum CPA (NTF)

October 6, 2020 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

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Top 10 ERP Systems

March 25, 2020 | 0 Comments | 180systems

If you do a search on the Top 10 ERP systems, you will find lists of the most well-known systems developed and maintained by the largest vendors. These vendors do offer advantages over many of the smaller vendors, who are not as well funded and may not be able to invest as much R&D in their system. The largest vendors will often have extended functionality for bigger enterprises that could also be used by smaller companies with complex requirements. They will also have more resources including multiple business partners to implement the system. And the owners will perceive less risk […]

National Technology Forum

April 5, 2019 | 0 Comments | 180systems

For the 2nd year, we have joined forces with CPA Canada in presenting the National Technology Forum (NTF). NTF will occur on May 22-24 with a conference for the 1st 2 days and workshops on the 3rd day. The conference is mostly about enterprise software (ERP, CPM, HR and BI) and emerging technology and is targeted to senior leaders who are responsible for technology investment decisions in industry and public practice. Conference Highlights ERP, HR, BI and CPM (Corporate Performance Management) sessions delivered for customers, by customers, featuring plenty of real-life experiences, lessons learned and valuable advice Industry challenges (manufacturing, […]

It’s 2018 so why isn’t my ERP vendor multi-tenant?

August 8, 2018 | 0 Comments | 180systems

August 7, 2018 from diginomica – “We may be at a point in the software space where application vendors that haven’t produced a multi-tenant suite may never do it. It matters and here’s why…” Click here to read the article. 180 View – Multi-tenant architecture allows one instance of a software system to serve multiple customers. The vendor is responsible for patching and updating the inevitable changes to a system. The article makes a persuasive case why multi-tenant matters but, in our opinion, it is just another criteria to make a decision. […]