With the new year comes resolutions, and for those in the manufacturing world, they might include heightened productivity for their enterprises. However, resolving to do something is one thing, but actually doing it is another entirely.

ERP is fast becoming the go-to solution when it comes to this issue, as it has been proven to make companies' internal procedures leaner. Where should you start when you decide to pursue such an answer? Jennifer Schiff of CIO addresses this very query.

• Is leadership on board? One way to avoid problems down the road is to keep management in the loop when it comes to choosing from a slate of possible enterprise applications. You don't want to make the mistake of not involving the higher-ups of your business, as it can lead to gross misunderstandings down the line that will ultimately cost everyone. 
• What do you need? Clearly and precisely catalog all the criteria needed for your eventual ERP. This is key to making any informed decision, and business management software selection is no different. When you've already installed your new system and suddenly notice a glaring need that said system doesn't take care of, it will likely be too late to do anything about it.
• How are you evaluating? Also vital is what you do to research possible ERP products. "Poorly run and ill-defined evaluation projects can lead to poor implementations," says Tom Brennan, vice president of Marketing, FinancialForce.com. "Dicey requirement definitions and vague priorities can lead to the wrong vendor selection."

Clearly, making the correct ERP choice is crucial and can either pay dividends or cost your company down the road. Should you choose industry leader Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Accent Software has the experience with manufacturing ERP software needed to make the integration of that system an easy one.