ERP Vendor Selection Evaluation Matrix
Selecting the wrong ERP vendor costs enterprises an average of $5.5M in sunk costs according to Gartner research. A structured evaluation matrix removes emotional bias and political influence from the selection process, replacing them with data-driven scoring across weighted criteria. This framework has been validated across Fortune 500 vendor selections and mid-market ERP evaluations alike.
Building a Weighted Evaluation Scorecard
An effective ERP evaluation scorecard typically contains 8-12 weighted categories, each broken into 5-15 specific criteria scored on a 1-5 scale. The weighting reflects your organization's unique priorities—a manufacturer will weight shop floor execution differently than a distribution company weights warehouse management. Involve both business and IT stakeholders in defining weights before vendor demonstrations begin.
- Functional fit (25-35%): core module coverage, industry-specific capabilities, regulatory compliance features
- Technology platform (15-20%): cloud architecture, integration APIs, mobile capabilities, AI/ML features
- Total cost of ownership (15-20%): licensing, implementation, annual maintenance, upgrade costs over 10 years
- Vendor viability (10-15%): financial stability, R&D investment, market share, customer retention rate
- Implementation risk (10-15%): partner ecosystem depth, average go-live timeline, reference customer success rate
Structured Vendor Demo and Scripted Scenarios
Vendor demos are where selection processes most often go wrong. Without scripted scenarios based on your actual business processes, vendors will showcase their strongest features while hiding gaps. Create 15-20 scripted demo scenarios that map directly to your Must-have requirements and have each vendor demonstrate the same scenarios in the same order.
- Script scenarios from real business transactions: order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, plan-to-produce cycles
- Include exception handling scenarios: returns, quality holds, partial shipments, and credit limit overrides
- Score demos using a standardized rubric with 3-5 independent evaluators per session
- Record all demos for later review—initial impressions often differ from detailed analysis
Reference Checks and Due Diligence
Never rely solely on vendor-provided references. Use industry peer networks, user groups, and analyst reports (Gartner Magic Quadrant, Nucleus Research, IDC MarketScape) to build a complete picture. Contact at least 5 reference customers in your industry and of similar size, and ask specifically about go-live challenges, post-implementation support quality, and hidden costs.
- Ask references about actual vs. quoted implementation timelines and the primary causes of variance
- Investigate vendor support response times—SLA commitments vs. actual resolution experience
- Review vendor financial health through annual reports, Dun & Bradstreet ratings, and market analysis
- Evaluate the partner ecosystem: number of certified consultants, average partner experience, geographic coverage
Let Netray's AI agents generate a customized vendor evaluation matrix tailored to your industry—get started today.
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