ERP Selection Readiness Assessment: Are You Ready to Start an RFP?
Many ERP selections stall or fail before a vendor is chosen, because the organization was not ready to run one. This assessment checks nine areas that predict success: sponsorship, business case, process clarity, requirements, team, data, integrations, evaluation method and capacity. You get a score and a short action list.
1. Is there a named executive sponsor with budget authority?
The sponsor settles disputes between functions and protects the project at budget time.
2. How clear is the business case for replacing the current ERP?
3. How well are your current business processes documented?
4. Have you prioritized requirements as must, should and could?
5. Do you have a selection team with business representation and time allocated?
6. What is the state of your master data (items, BOMs, customers, suppliers)?
7. How well do you understand your integration landscape?
8. Have you agreed how vendors will be evaluated and decided?
9. How realistic is the timeline and the internal capacity for implementation?
How to use the assessment
Answer the nine questions honestly, ideally with two or three colleagues who disagree about the current state. Each answer scores from 0 to 3. The total is converted to a percentage and mapped to one of four bands, from not ready to ready. Use the result as a conversation starter with your steering committee rather than a pass or fail grade. Repeat it after a month of preparation work to see which gaps have closed and which are persistent.
- Score as a group, not alone
- Use evidence, not intention
- Retake after each preparation sprint
Why these nine areas
These are the recurring causes of delayed or poor ERP outcomes. Without a sponsor and budget the project stalls at the first conflict. Without a business case the cost cannot be defended. Weak process documentation and unprioritized requirements lead to vague RFPs and demo theatre. Poor master data and unknown integrations become the largest hidden cost during implementation. An undefined evaluation method invites politics, and an unrealistic timeline invites failure after contract signing.
Reading your band
A score under 40 percent suggests spending the next month on foundations: sponsor, business case and process mapping. Between 40 and 64 percent, run discovery and an RFI while closing gaps. From 65 to 84 percent, finish preparation and launch the RFP. Above 85 percent you are ready to run the selection in earnest. A single zero on sponsorship or evaluation method is more serious than the total suggests, so treat any zero as a blocker.
Common mistakes
Teams often start with vendor demos to learn what they want, which inverts the sequence and gives the vendor control of your requirements. Another is treating selection as an IT project; the business must own the process definitions. Finally, setting a go-live date before selecting a vendor and partner commits you to a timeline that nobody has tested. Use the selection duration calculator and implementation timeline estimator to sanity check the dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an ERP selection take?
Most mid-size manufacturers need four to nine months from kickoff to signed contract, depending on the number of sites, requirements and approval cycles. Readiness gaps add time. Use the selection duration calculator to estimate your own schedule from the stages involved.
Should I start with an RFI or an RFP?
Use an RFI when you are still learning the market or have more than six candidates. Use an RFP once requirements and criteria are agreed and you have four to six vendors. A short RFI saves vendor and internal time by filtering poor fits early.
Can we run the selection without a consultant?
Yes, if you have the time and a capable project lead. Independent advisors help with market knowledge, benchmark pricing and structure. Whatever you choose, keep ownership of requirements and the final decision with your own business leaders.
What score should I aim for before issuing the RFP?
Aim for at least 65 percent with no zero on sponsorship, requirements or evaluation method. Perfect scores are rare. The point is to remove avoidable risks, not to delay forever, so set a date to launch once the critical gaps are closed.
If the assessment shows gaps in data or process knowledge, we can discuss how read-only analysis of your current ERP can help document what is really in use.
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