Determine your budget

Essential elements: The minimum set of capabilities needed to implement a useful Print MIS solution to meet your needs right now
Enhanced requirements: The set of features which would help your business today, but which you will implement after the system is in place and running
Future needs: The capabilities you expect to need in the future as your business grows and changes

A Print MIS budget should include more than the price of the software. There are other elements under the surface to consider.

Remember, this is a long-term investment, which you will likely use for the next 10+ years. As a rule of thumb, most printers budget two percent of revenue for software and implementation services. This percentage can vary based on your specific needs.

Be sure to include the following when creating your budget:

Software cost
Ongoing software support costs
Implementation costs, such as dedicated staff time, secondary test systems, consultant services, and others
Infrastructure costs. Consider your needs versus the costs of cloud-based versus site-hosted systems, such as long-term system updates and internal support staffing
Training costs up front, and for ongoing management and CSR new hires
Business disruption costs during implementation, primarily through the first year of operation

It is imperative to fully understand your total costs, including the opportunity costs associated with some of these options, before moving forward in the process of buying a Print MIS software solution for your print shop.

YOU SHOULD KNOW

Print MIS implementations typically involve a dedicated team of printer staff and vendor consultants.
Printers often require 6-9 months after going live to become entirely comfortable with using the software.
Print MIS systems implementations usually occur in phases throughout months.
Business needs change over time, which can require adaptations and extensions of the supporting software systems.