Small Manufacturer ERP Requirements Document Template
Most small manufacturers pick software from a demo and then discover the gaps after paying the first invoice. A written requirements document makes every vendor answer the same questions. This template produces one you can send to any cloud MRP vendor or reseller.
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Small Manufacturer ERP Requirements Document Template
Requirements Document
Company: Northfield Fabrication LLC Project lead: Dana Whitfield, Operations Manager Date: 2026-10-20
This document describes what Northfield Fabrication LLC needs from a cloud MRP or small business ERP. Please answer each section in your proposal using the same numbering.
1. Company profile
Manufacturing mode: Make to order Named users: 14 Active part numbers: 1800 Sites and warehouses: 1 plant, 1 warehouse, 1 consignment bin at a customer
2. Current state and pain points
Current systems: Excel workbooks for BOMs and planning, QuickBooks Online for accounting, paper travelers on the floor.
Top pain points: Stockouts of purchased parts, no live view of open jobs, quotes take two days, no lot traceability for one aerospace customer.
3. Functional requirements
| Area | Requirement | Priority (Must/Should/Nice) | Vendor response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Items and BOMs | Multi-level BOMs, revisions, alternates, phantom assemblies | Must | |
| Planning | MRP netting with lead times, safety stock and reorder points | Must | |
| Purchasing | POs from MRP suggestions, receiving against PO, vendor lead times | Must | |
| Production | Job or manufacturing orders, routings, work centers, shop floor status | Must | |
| Inventory | Lot or serial tracking, bin locations, cycle counts, barcode scanning | Should | |
| Sales | Quotes, sales orders, customer price lists, shipping and labels | Should | |
| Quality | Inspection records, nonconformance, certificates | Nice | |
| Reporting | Job costing, on-time delivery, inventory valuation | Must |
4. Integrations and data migration
Required integrations: QuickBooks Online, Shopify, UPS and FedEx labels, barcode scanners.
Data to migrate: items, BOMs, routings, vendors, customers, open sales orders, open purchase orders, opening inventory balances. Please state which items you load for us and which we must load ourselves.
5. Commercial terms requested
Budget range and timeline: 20,000 to 40,000 USD first year, go live within 5 months
Please itemize subscription fees per user, implementation, training, data migration, support, and any cost per additional integration or API call.
6. Vendor evaluation
Starting point only. Add your own compliance needs (for example lot traceability for AS9100 customers) and mark each requirement Must, Should or Nice so quotes can be compared fairly.
Requirements review
Send us your draft and we will flag missing requirements and integration risks. Optional, no obligation.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use the template
Fill the fields on the left with your real numbers. Be honest about user count and part count, because per-user pricing and data migration effort both scale with them. Then edit the functional requirements table: delete rows you do not need and mark each remaining row Must, Should or Nice. Export to PDF or Word and send it with the vendor demo invitation, asking for answers in the Vendor response column.
- Fix the Must list before you see any demo
- Send the identical document to every vendor
- Ask for written answers, not demo promises
- Share the budget range so vendors do not quote enterprise tiers
What to ask for in each section
Items and BOMs decide most outcomes in small plants. Ask whether the tool supports multi-level BOMs with revisions, alternates and phantom assemblies, and how routing steps attach to work centers. For planning, ask how MRP treats lead times, lot sizes and safety stock, and whether it creates purchase suggestions you can convert to POs in bulk. Cloud MRPs differ here: some are built for simple make-to-order flows, others for deeper multi-level planning.
Reading vendor responses
Score each answer as standard, configured, custom or not available. Standard means it works out of the box. Configured means settings only. Custom means paid development or a third-party app, which affects both cost and upgrade risk. A product with many Must items marked custom is a poor fit even if the subscription price is low. Compare the five-year cost, not the monthly fee.
Common mistakes
Listing every wish as a Must makes all vendors look bad and hides the real differences. Forgetting integrations is the other classic error: accounting, e-commerce and shipping connectors are often paid add-ons. Also write down who will own data cleanup, because BOM accuracy, not software, usually sets the go-live date.
- Too many Must items
- No integration list
- No owner for data cleanup
- Comparing monthly fees instead of total cost
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should an ERP requirements document be for a small plant?
Three to six pages is enough. Focus on your must-have workflows, your data volumes, integrations and budget. A short document that every vendor answers in writing beats a long one that nobody reads.
Can I use this for MRPeasy, Katana, Odoo, ERPNext and Fishbowl at once?
Yes. The template is vendor neutral. Send the same document to each reseller or vendor and compare answers side by side, including which items are standard, configured or custom.
Should I include price in the requirements?
Include a budget range and timeline, and ask for itemized pricing. Without a range, vendors may quote higher tiers. Without itemization, add-ons and implementation costs surface only after signing.
Who should sign the document?
The project lead and a finance approver on your side, and the vendor representative who confirms the answers. The signature lines make it clear which statements form part of the proposal.
If you want the requirements checked against your existing ERP or spreadsheet data before you send them out, Netray can review the draft and flag gaps.
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