When shopping for a system which will help your organization grow it is important to keep in mind there are a lot of issues that can arise and cause unnecessary headaches. First and foremost it is important to understand that organizations must investigate the systems they are interested in very closely. Make sure that they are a reputable company and have a history to their company and a history with the system that you are interested in purchasing.

Which type of software do you buy?'

There are three main types of software that can be purchased. Canned systems are the most prevalent and often organizations will purchase these systems because they are a low cost quick fix. Canned systems tend to lack in flexibility and when new versions are released the systems can not be upgraded, which causes the company the burden of purchasing a completely new system. Secondly is a customized system. While these systems are designed to meet the needs of the client they often times run into the same problem as canned systems, meaning they can not be easily upgraded or changed. These systems also cost a substantial amount of money and can take up to a year to design and implement.

The final option is a tailored system. I firmly believe these systems are the best option for any manufacture looking for a system. Reason number one is they are configured to meet your needs. The software provider will create a system from a previous framework and change it so that it works for your organization and your requirements. Secondly, they take approximately six to eight weeks to design and implement which is quite a bit less than a custom application. Finally, they offer a great deal of flexibility which means they can be changed and upgraded very easily.

Certain open source options are great.'

With some systems, especially tailored, the software manufacture will train their clients on the source code for the software. This way the clients will have the ability to change and modify the system as their organization grows and changes. By being trained on these systems manufactures will have freedom of not contacting the software manufacture each time they require a change. However, when purchasing a system be sure you are buying a program which only your organization will have the source code to or you can end up with hackers invading the system and then there will be a large world of trouble.

Final Thoughts.'

Finally, ask the organization you are working with for a trial of the system you are interested in. There may not be an option with a tailored system but ask if there is a previous clients system which you tinker with so you can at least see how the system works to decide if it is the right choice for you and your organization.