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ERP Planning: Systems & Process Evaluation Guide

June 8, 2026
Dave Mullins

A clear systems and process evaluation is the foundation of ERP success. Learn how to uncover inefficiencies, assess your tools, and prepare your business for modern ERP—whether Acumatica, Sage, Infor, or Deltek.

Before choosing an ERP system, organizations must first understand how their current systems and processes operate today. A clear evaluation reveals inefficiencies, exposes system limitations, and helps identify the kind of ERP capabilities your business actually needs. 

This guide walks through the essential steps of evaluating systems and processes so your team enters ERP planning with alignment, clarity, and a lower risk of implementation surprises. 

Why Systems and Process Evaluation Matters

A systems and process evaluation helps you: 

Pinpoint inefficiencies slowing down operations 

Identify gaps in system capabilities or reporting 

Justify future technology investments 

Determine whether current tools can scale 

Improve cross-department workflow visibility 

Reduce ERP project risk 

This evaluation sets the foundation for selecting the right ERP platform—whether you ultimately choose Acumatica, Sage, Infor, or Deltek. 

Step 1 — Assess Your Existing Systems

Inventory your software tools

Document every system your organization uses, including: 

  • Core platforms: accounting, CRM, job cost, inventory, HR
  • Department-specific tools 
  • Spreadsheets and workarounds 
  • Communication and collaboration tools 

Evaluate System Fit

For each system, assess: 

  • Does it meet current needs? 
  • Is it easy or frustrating to use? 
  • Does it integrate with other tools? 
  • Are there redundancies or overlapping costs? 

Industry Examples

Construction

 Job cost tools don’t sync with accounting 

Distribution

WMS lacks forecasting and automation 

A&E

Disconnected tools across Billing, projects, and financials

Manufacturing

Legacy MRP cannot handle scheduling 

Step 2 — Map and Document Business Processes

Map workflows such as:

Identify bottlenecks:

Document automation opportunities

Document every system your organization uses, including: 

  • Core platforms: accounting, CRM, job cost, inventory, HR Department-specific tools 
  • Spreadsheets and workarounds 
  • Communication and collaboration tools 
  • Manual approvals 
  • Duplicate data entry 
  • Tasks that slow other teams 
  • Delays in reporting or month-end close 

Most ERP systems reduce manual tasks, especially in: 

  • AP/AR 
  • Inventory updates 
  • Time/expense capture
  • Purchase approvals 
  • Project billing 
  •  

Step 3 — Evaluate Data Management and Reporting

Effective data drives better decision-making. 

Data Accessibility

Data Accuracy

Reporting Challenges

  • Can teams access data when they need it? 
  • Do reports require manual work? 
  • Are there duplicate entries? 
  • Do teams rely on spreadsheets to fix system data? 
  • Slow report generation 
  • Inconsistent results 
  • Manual compilation from multiple systems 

Document automation opportunities

Modern ERPs like Acumatica, Sage Intacct, Infor CSD, or Deltek Vantagepoint provide real-time dashboards, with the caveat that your data foundation is solid. 

  •  

Step 4 — Identify Operational Inefficiencies

Look for:

  • Workflow bottlenecks 
  • Communication gaps 
  • Manual or repetitive tasks 
  • Shadow spreadsheets 
  • Siloed data 
Operational inefficiencies significantly impact productivity. Many ERP customers see up to
efficiency gains after modernization. 
0 %

Step 5 — Assess System Security and Compliance

Consider:

  • Is your software out of support? 
  • Are access permissions clear and enforced? 
  • Do systems meet compliance needs (financial, data privacy, industry)? 
  • Are integrations secure and monitored? 

ERP modernization is an opportunity to reduce risk, not just improve operations. 

Ready to understand how your systems and processes stack up?

Aktion helps organizations evaluate workflows, prepare for modernization, and compare ERP options with unbiased guidance.
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ERP Planning FAQs

It’s a structured review of your technology tools and business workflows to identify inefficiencies, risks, and readiness for ERP. 

Aktion works with Acumatica, Infor CloudSuite Distribution, Sage (CRE + Intacct), and Deltek Vantagepoint. 

Aktion works with Acumatica, Infor CloudSuite Distribution, Sage (CRE + Intacct), and Deltek Vantagepoint. 

Organizations typically evaluate systems every 12–24 months or before any major modernization project. 

Siloed data, manual processes, inconsistent reporting, or systems that cannot scale. 

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