Before you sign an ERP contract: lessons from ₹4.5 Cr+ of ERP deals
I sold and implemented ERP for distributors across Gujarat and now work with SAP. These are the questions that decide whether an ERP project succeeds.
Key takeaways
- Map how orders, inventory, billing and collections flow today before you choose any ERP software.
- Calculate the total cost over five years, not just the first-year price.
- Data migration is often the most underestimated part of an ERP project.
- Name a strong internal owner with authority. Every successful ERP rollout I was part of had one.
At Pushpam Computers & Software I sold and implemented ERP and mobile platforms for gas distributors, helped digitally enable 500+ distributors across rural and urban Gujarat, and closed ₹4.5 Cr+ in ERP deals over two years. Today I work with SAP Cloud and migration projects.
Across all of it, I’ve seen ERP projects transform businesses, and I’ve seen them become expensive software nobody uses. The difference is usually decided before the contract is signed.
1. Start with your process, not the software
Write down how orders, inventory, billing and collections actually flow in your business today. Then look for software that fits. Buying first and adjusting later is how projects run over budget.
2. Who will use it, and on what device?
If your field team or distributors work on phones, mobile access isn’t a nice-to-have. In my distributor projects, the mobile app was often what made adoption work.
3. What is the total cost over five years?
Licences or subscriptions, implementation, customisation, training, support, upgrades and hardware. The first-year price is rarely the real price.
4. Who implements it, and have they done it for a business like yours?
Ask for two references in your industry and call them.
5. How will your existing data move?
Customer lists, item masters, opening balances and pending invoices. Data migration is often the most underestimated part of the project.
6. Does it handle Indian compliance?
GST, e-invoicing, e-way bills and TDS should be built in and kept up to date.
7. What does support look like after go-live?
The first three months after go-live decide adoption. Make sure support is available, local where possible, and fast.
An ERP is not an IT project. It's a business change project that happens to involve software.
The one thing I'd insist on
Name a strong internal owner for the project, someone who understands the business and has the authority to make decisions. Every successful ERP rollout I was part of had one.
If you’re evaluating an ERP or SAP, I’m happy to share what to watch for.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What should I check before signing an ERP contract?
Start with your own process, then check who will use the system and on what device, the total cost over five years, the implementer's experience with businesses like yours, how your existing data will move, whether it handles Indian compliance such as GST, e-invoicing, e-way bills and TDS, and what support looks like after go-live.
What is the total cost of an ERP system?
The real cost of an ERP includes licences or subscriptions, implementation, customisation, training, support, upgrades and hardware. Look at the total over five years, because the first-year price is rarely the real price. Data migration also deserves attention, since it is often the most underestimated part of an ERP project.
Why do ERP implementations fail?
ERP projects are usually won or lost on decisions made before the contract is signed. Buying software first and adjusting your process later is how projects run over budget, and ignoring mobile users, underestimating data migration or weak support after go-live hurts adoption. An ERP is a business change project that happens to involve software, so name a strong internal owner.