ERP readiness in plastics manufacturing: What to do before you buy

Implementing a new ERP system is one of the most complex and impactful decisions you can make. Yet far too often, organizations jump into vendor selection or software implementation without laying important groundwork to help ensure the new system will support real business needs.

ERP success isn’t just about technology — it’s about transforming the business. The system you choose and how you use it should reflect the company’s operations, priorities and growth goals. And that alignment doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through preparation.

These three pre-implementation steps can help reduce risk, accelerate ROI and position your business for long-term success:

1. Create a strategic requirements plan

Before you engage vendors or evaluate functionality, take a step back and define what success looks like. What business outcomes are you hoping to achieve — and what system capabilities do you need to support them?

In plastics manufacturing, generic ERP solutions often overlook industry-specific needs like:

• Multi-cavity mold scheduling
• Family mold and tooling management
• Regrind and scrap tracking
• Process monitoring

Capturing these requirements early — through cross-functional workshops, surveys and process mapping — helps companies avoid costly gaps, inefficient workarounds and scope creep down the line.

Once documented, prioritize each requirement based on its impact on business performance. That prioritization will become the foundation for evaluating potential systems and vendors. It also helps your team stay focused on what matters most: aligning ERP functionality with real operational needs and outcomes.

2. Validate solutions, not promises

With requirements in place, the next step is to explore the ERP landscape. Whether you use a formal RFP process or a more agile market scan, the goal is the same: to narrow the field to solutions that meet your business needs — and can prove it.

Proof is important. The evaluation team needs to validate solutions, not just document sales conversations. Start by defining your decision criteria: functionality, user experience, vendor capabilities, implementation approach, long-term support or integrations. Whatever criteria you choose, they should guide every interaction with vendors.

Create a structured script for demos based on your highest-priority requirements and use cases. Ask vendors to demonstrate how their software handles real-world scenarios, not just canned presentations. Pair the demo script with a scoring tool so the team can evaluate options consistently. Include a framework for capturing both objective performance data and “gut reactions.”

Taking the time to validate how each system performs in your specific context can uncover red flags (before it’s too late) and build confidence. Ultimately, it means your decision is more likely to be supported by data — not assumptions.

3. Prepare people and processes for change

Even the best ERP system can fail if the organization isn’t ready for change. ERP readiness should also include defining internal roles and responsibilities and planning for communication.

Early in the project, identify people and roles who are critical to success and can help shape and lead implementation. That often includes:  

• A steering committee or executive team that can create organizational alignment and clear roadblocks.
• An executive sponsor who can champion the project from the top.
• A project manager who owns day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination and the overall timeline.
• Business analysts and department heads who can translate business needs and support adoption.
• An IT lead who can support integration, infrastructure and technical readiness.

Assign these roles early — before vendor selection — so people are prepared to hit the ground running.

Early on, you also need to write the organization’s change story to explain why the organization is making this investment. What challenges are you solving? What improvements are expected? And why now?

As implementation nears, this narrative can become a powerful tool for aligning teams, setting expectations and building momentum. 

Change starts before software

Strong ERP implementations are built long before systems are selected. They start with intentional planning, rigorous evaluations and early engagement across the business.

Clearly defining requirements, validating solutions and preparing teams for change creates a roadmap for success. If an ERP is on your horizon, don’t wait. Prepare to implement — well before you’re ready to buy. The early investment in time will lead to a smoother transition and faster ROI. 

How Wipfli can help

We understand the complexity behind ERP transformations — especially for specialized manufacturers. Our team works alongside yours to guide pre-implementation planning and system selection, helping to ensure your people, processes and data are ready for meaningful change.

Wipfli can help you make the right moves now to set your ERP project up for success. Explore our manufacturing services or contact us to learn more.