Assess your organization’s readiness before starting an ERP project. This comprehensive checklist evaluates executive sponsorship, data quality, process documentation, internal capacity, and distribution-specific requirements — with a 100-point scoring system to identify gaps and plan remediation.
ERP READINESS CHECKLIST
Assess Your Processes, Data, and Internal Capacity Before Starting an ERP Project
Powered by Ximple Solutions
www.ximplesolution.com
Implementation success depends more on your internal preparation than on the software vendor. Use this checklist to identify gaps, develop remediation plans, and set realistic expectations.
5
Critical readiness dimensions assessed
100+
Checklist items across all sections
100
Point scoring system for benchmarking
8
Distribution verticals covered
A structured assessment framework to evaluate every dimension of ERP readiness — from leadership commitment to distribution-specific requirements.
Executive Sponsorship & Organizational Commitment
Evaluate leadership commitment, budget authority, strategic alignment, and organizational buy-in. ERP implementations are business transformation initiatives, not IT projects.
Data Quality & Migration Readiness
Assess customer, vendor, item, financial, and inventory data quality. “Garbage in, garbage out” is the most common cause of ERP implementation failures.
Process Documentation & Standardization
Review order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, inventory, financial close, and security processes. Understanding how work actually flows is critical for successful configuration.
Internal Capacity & Project Resources
Evaluate project team availability, skills, infrastructure readiness, budget realism, and change management preparation. Your best people need to be available.
Distribution-Specific Requirements
Assess pricing complexity, multi-branch operations, industry-specific needs, and integration requirements unique to wholesale distribution.
Readiness Score & Action Planning
Calculate your total readiness score (0-100) with interpretation guides, priority action items, data cleanup timeline templates, and stakeholder sign-off sheets.
Designed for wholesale distributors planning an ERP replacement or upgrade within the next 6–24 months.
For Decision-Makers
Owners, CFOs, COOs, IT leaders, and ERP sponsors who need to understand organizational readiness before committing budget and resources to an ERP project.
For Project Teams
Operations, finance, purchasing, and branch leaders who need a shared framework to document requirements, assess current state, and plan for implementation.
For Vendor Evaluations
Use the checklist during vendor demos and proposal reviews to ensure you’ve documented the requirements that matter most for distribution operations.
The checklist addresses requirements specific to wholesale distribution across multiple industry verticals.
Electrical Distribution
Counter sales, project bids, wire cuts, vendor rebates/SPAs, and IDW/Trade Service data integration.
HVAC Distribution
Equipment warranties, refrigerant tracking, seasonal demand planning, and contractor programs.
Plumbing Distribution
Counter operations, showroom management, job quotes, and multi-location inventory.
Fasteners Distribution
Kitting/BOM, bin-level inventory, VMI, lot traceability, and packaging UoMs.
Industrial Distribution
MRO inventory, VMI programs, EDI with OEMs, and complex pricing agreements.
Tobacco & Pharma
Regulatory compliance (DSCSA), excise tax, lot tracking, and chain of custody.
The checklist is designed for all wholesale distribution verticals including electrical, HVAC, plumbing, industrial, fasteners, tobacco, cash & carry, and pharmaceutical distributors. Section 5 specifically addresses distribution-specific requirements like pricing complexity, multi-branch operations, and industry compliance needs.
Most teams complete the full 100+ item checklist in 2-4 hours when working with a cross-functional group. We recommend involving stakeholders from operations, finance, IT, sales, and purchasing to get accurate assessments across all five dimensions.
Scores of 80-100 indicate you’re ready to proceed with vendor selection and implementation. Scores of 60-79 suggest you can begin vendor evaluation while addressing gaps over 60-90 days. Scores of 40-59 require 90-180 days of significant preparation. Scores below 40 indicate foundational work is needed — typically 6-12 months before starting an ERP project.
No. The checklist is vendor-agnostic and helps you assess organizational readiness for any ERP implementation. It’s informed by real-world distribution projects and reflects best practices regardless of which ERP you ultimately choose.
Yes. You are welcome to share the PDF internally with colleagues involved in your ERP evaluation, including executive sponsors, project team members, and department heads who will participate in the assessment.
Use the action planning section to prioritize remediation of your lowest-scoring areas. The checklist includes templates for tracking priority action items, estimating data cleanup timelines, and documenting stakeholder commitments. Ximple Solutions also offers free readiness consultations to review your results and help you build a path to success.
Instant access to the complete migration playbook
Cloud ERP for wholesale distributors. Modern UX, reliable operations, and scalable performance.
© 2026, Ximple Solutions. All rights reserved.