There are many sources of information on how to select and implement software, but there is little information on how to negotiate and make the purchase of the software. The uninformed can spend thousands of dollars more than they need too. Those that know the tricks of the trade can save themselves enough to pay for several modules or a good chunk of the implementation costs.
The first thing to keep in mind is timing. When you buy the system is key. As this article is being written, the clock is ticking down to the end of the year. This is an opportune time to purchase a system. Even more advantageous is making the purchase at the end of the software vendors fiscal year. Vendors are hungry for the deal. The need to make the numbers for the year. They want to do whatever it takes to boost their sales figures and show a successful quarter. Actually, any quarter end will do, but year end is the time when bonuses are given and certain sales incentives are taunting the software salesperson.
The next thing to do is to keep your options open. Even if you find the best whizzbang system that does exactly what you need, there are probably several systems that will work for...