How to choose a custom ERP company in India
Choose a custom ERP company by scoring each shortlisted vendor on the same eight criteria and asking each one for the same evidence. Score every criterion 0, 1 or 2, add the scores, and drop any vendor that scores 0 on code ownership or on process mapping. A custom ERP suits a business whose process differs from its competitors'. If yours matches the standard flow, a packaged ERP is usually the better buy.
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How the method works
Write the eight criteria down before you take the first vendor call. Ask each vendor the same questions, in the same order, and record the answer in your own words. Give a score straight after each call, not at the end of the week. A vendor who cannot show a document for a criterion scores 0 on it, however good the conversation was.
Score 2 when the vendor shows a real document or a named reference. Score 1 when the answer is sensible but unproven. Score 0 when the answer is a promise. Eight criteria at 2 points each gives a total out of 16. Treat the total as a way to compare vendors, not as a pass mark.
The eight criteria
- Process mapping before a proposal
- What to askWho maps our process, for how long, and where?
- Evidence to requestA sample current-state process map from a past project, with names removed
- A weak answerA module list sent after one call
- References in the same kind of process
- What to askWhich client runs a process like ours, and may we call them?
- Evidence to requestNamed clients and a case study
- A weak answerLogos with no case behind them
- Code and data ownership
- What to askWhose repository holds the code from the first commit?
- Evidence to requestThe contract clause on source ownership and on runtime licences
- A weak answerA licence back to the vendor on custom work
- Data migration
- What to askHow is old data checked and moved, and how do we know it matches?
- Evidence to requestA reconciliation report from a past migration
- A weak answer"We import from Excel"
- Indian compliance
- What to askHow do GST returns, e-invoices and e-way bills work in the system?
- Evidence to requestA walk-through on a test company
- A weak answerA plan to "add it later"
- Release rhythm
- What to askHow often does working software reach our live environment?
- Evidence to requestA release log from a current project
- A weak answerOne release at the end
- Support after go-live
- What to askWho answers a fault at night, and on what terms?
- Evidence to requestThe support schedule with severities
- A weak answerA general promise of support
- Exit terms
- What to askWhat do we hold if we stop at the end of any phase?
- Evidence to requestThe handover list and the exit clause
- A weak answerSilence on exit
| Criterion | What to ask | Evidence to request | A weak answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Process mapping before a proposal | Who maps our process, for how long, and where? | A sample current-state process map from a past project, with names removed | A module list sent after one call |
| References in the same kind of process | Which client runs a process like ours, and may we call them? | Named clients and a case study | Logos with no case behind them |
| Code and data ownership | Whose repository holds the code from the first commit? | The contract clause on source ownership and on runtime licences | A licence back to the vendor on custom work |
| Data migration | How is old data checked and moved, and how do we know it matches? | A reconciliation report from a past migration | "We import from Excel" |
| Indian compliance | How do GST returns, e-invoices and e-way bills work in the system? | A walk-through on a test company | A plan to "add it later" |
| Release rhythm | How often does working software reach our live environment? | A release log from a current project | One release at the end |
| Support after go-live | Who answers a fault at night, and on what terms? | The support schedule with severities | A general promise of support |
| Exit terms | What do we hold if we stop at the end of any phase? | The handover list and the exit clause | Silence on exit |
Why process mapping counts most
A custom ERP is only as good as the map of the work it models. A vendor who proposes modules before watching the floor is fitting your process to a template. Ask how long the vendor spends with the people who do the work, and whether the vendor sits with them on site.
At Brihat Infotech, discovery is typically 2 to 6 weeks and is paid and self-contained. Its documents belong to the client whether or not the build follows. A custom ERP typically takes 5 to 8 months to its first production release. Ask every vendor on your shortlist for the equivalent two figures, in writing.
What a quote should contain
Compare quotes by what each includes, not by the bottom line. Six things move the cost of a custom ERP: how many systems it must connect to, how much your process varies between plants or branches, the condition of your existing data, the regulations that apply, the performance and uptime targets, and how much time your own people can give. A quote that does not say how it treated each of the six is not comparable with one that does.
Ask whether the price is fixed per phase or open-ended, whether discovery is invoiced separately, and who pays when scope changes. Ask to see the change-request wording before you sign.
Rolling out in phases
A new ERP that replaces everything on one day puts every function at risk on that day. Ask the vendor whether modules go live one at a time, and how the old and new systems run side by side while you check them. When each module takes over from the old system in turn, you can stop after any module and keep what is working.
Ask each vendor for the written plan to switch over the first module and to go back to the old system if it fails. A vendor that has one will show it.
When a packaged ERP fits better
A packaged ERP fits better when your process matches the standard flow, when you need the system running in weeks, or when the function is the same in every company in your sector. A custom ERP fits better when the way you run production, stock or dispatch is what sets you apart, or when per-user fees rise with every login. The custom ERP and packaged ERP comparison sets the two side by side.
A shortlist checklist
- Write the eight criteria and the scoring rule before the first call.
- Ask every vendor for the same documents.
- Call at least one reference for each vendor, on a process like yours.
- Ask each vendor for a quote that states how it treated the six cost drivers.
- Read the ownership and exit clauses before the price.
- Drop any vendor that scores 0 on code ownership or process mapping.
See the custom ERP service page for how a Brihat Infotech project runs.
Other buyer's guides
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