Socius Included in National Panel of ERP Experts To Educate Software Buyers How to Estimate the Cost of ERP Software Implementation Services
Socius announces the release of a new white paper focused on educating midmarket accounting software buyers on the costs of ERP software implementations called, "How to Estimate the Cost of ERP Software Implementation Services".

DUBLIN, OH, April 03, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Socius, an Ohio based Microsoft Dynamics and Sage partner, announces the release of a new white paper at www.erpsoftwareblog.com focused on educating midmarket accounting software buyers on the costs of ERP software implementations called, "How to Estimate the Cost of ERP Software Implementation Services". Socius was chosen by ERP Software Blog as part of a panel of 18 ERP experts nationwide who contributed knowledge to this project. This white paper reveals how to look beyond the software price and evaluate the four costs involved in ERP projects, what you pay for as "implementation services", how to determine a ballpark budget and the truth about "guaranteed" pricing.

There are many reasons companies begin the search for new accounting/ERP software. Perhaps they have outgrown an entry level package like QuickBooks, or a proprietary system is no longer supported. It could be that the existing software doesn't integrate with other systems and the company is drowning in double entry. Whatever the reason, the first question a buyer will likely ask when researching options to replace an existing accounting software/ERP system is, "How much will it cost?"

With midmarket accounting software/ERP packages it's not as easy as finding a price tag on the bottom of a box. There are many variables that impact the final project price. This guide uses Microsoft Dynamics GP as the software example, but the principles presented should apply to all midmarket accounting software products.

The mistake many companies make when initially trying to estimate the cost of an ERP project is paying attention to only the actual software license costs. However, this white paper outlines four elements that need to be considered in every ERP software budget. One of them is "implementation services". This term can seem vague, especially if it is a company's first ERP software project. This white paper includes a definition of the 8 services you are paying for. It also outlines minimum software to services ratios, 8 questions to ask to know when to add more money to the budget and a sample quote. The buyer is also given the pros and cons of the two methods of pricing software implementations, "Time and Materials" versus "Fixed Fee".

Of course, the only way to get a complete and accurate quote on the total cost of an ERP project is to work with a local ERP expert, (called a partner or a Value Added Reseller/VAR) such as Socius. However, sometimes buyers need a way to estimate the costs in the beginning stages of research to determine if it makes sense to continue the evaluation process. This white paper provides the best first step in the accounting software selection process.

"Our goal is to give ERP buyers the tools they need to make the right software decision - by combining the expertise of experts from across the US, each with decades of experience, we feel the buyer truly gets the most well rounded education," says Anya Ciecierski, co-founder of ERP Software Blog.

"We have over 25 years of experience assisting over one thousand clients with their selection, implementation, and ongoing use and optimization of several different ERP software solutions," said Jeffrey R. Geisler, Socius' CEO. "That experience provides us with a lot to draw from in contributing to the ERP Software Blog community and preparing educational materials, like this white paper."

To supplement this white paper, ERP Software Blog also released a new Microsoft Dynamics GP Quick Quote request tool. ERP software buyers can enter basic information about the type of functionality they need, the level of implementation support required, and the number of concurrent users and they will then receive an automated Quick Quote with pricing. This tool can be accessed at: http://www.erpsoftwareblog.com

This white paper - How to Estimate the Cost of ERP Software Implementation Services - is the first release in The ERP PANEL PAPERS - a straightforward series of white papers from a nationwide panel of ERP experts focused on educating buyers through the entire process of finding the right ERP solution - from research to implementation.

Press Release Contact Information:

Julie Stankey
Socius
Marketing Coordinator
7003 Post Rd., Suite 300
Dublin, OH
USA 43016
Voice: 614-280-9880
Website: Visit Our Website