What To Ask Before You Upgrade Tech in 2026: A Checklist for Operations Leaders

Technology in manufacturing is changing fast with the rise of AI, automation, and shifting supply chains. Putting off technology upgrades in 2026 can put you behind your competitors.

Technology can help your team manage their workloads and proactively manage volatile supply chains. But you shouldn’t make impulsive decisions. This operations technology checklist will help you make the best decisions for your business and determine whether new tech is worth your investment.

Why You Need a Plan: The Hidden Costs of Bad Tech Decisions

Operating a distribution or manufacturing business is time-consuming, so it’s tempting to choose the first distribution tech stack that offers the features you want. The wrong decision can cost you.

If you choose operations tech that’s complicated or doesn’t integrate with your existing systems, your team might struggle to adopt it. Software that isn't interoperable with your existing accounts payable systems or document management systems also creates data silos, and your team members waste time looking for information.

Unique tech concerns in 2026 include:

• Regulatory compliance: Government is catching up to the AI boom and are drafting laws to protect consumers in an AI-heavy landscape.
• Security and privacy concerns: New technology could put you at risk for hacks or other data breaches.
• Budget constraints: If you’re working with smaller budgets, software upgrades may be harder to justify to leadership.

How To Prepare for Your 2026 Upgrade

Before you start researching vendors and workflow tools, do a technology audit for ops. List your existing tech platforms, IT infrastructure, and data management practices. Make note of any functionality gaps or compliance issues.

Next, talk to your administrative team and your clinicians to find out where they could save time on their workflows with upgraded technology. Finally, answer these ERP upgrade questions:

• What is our primary challenge? Identify the key challenges you’re trying to address through technology.
• Who benefits from this upgrade, and who doesn’t? Sometimes, new software for the warehouse and distribution team puts additional stress on the admin team, particularly if they have to find workarounds for systems that don’t communicate (such as manual data entry from an inventory management system that doesn’t work with billing software).
• Will the vendor support us after launch? Unreliable tech support puts you at risk for unnecessary downtime.

Your Operations Technology Checklist

With your goals and desired features in hand, it’s time to evaluate different vendors and workflow tools. Consider these factors before you hand over your credit card.

Integrations

Interoperability within distribution tech stacks speeds up communication between systems and departments. These systems also help you standardize data, which makes it easier to analyze for decision-making.

Integrated ERP systems, product lifecycle management systems, invoicing and accounting systems, and warehouse management systems give you a unified view of your operations across all levels.

Mobile Access

People on your team are everywhere at the same time. Your warehouse team may be working in the facility or on the dock. Your sales reps are often onsite interacting with customers. Technology with mobile access lets everyone on your team access up-to-date, accurate information wherever they are.

For example, when your warehouse ships an item, the inventory is updated automatically. If you run out of inventory, your sales rep knows and can prepare a client for a potential delay or steer them toward a different product.

Audit Trail

Paper trails let you track inventory from the warehouse to the customer. Software that logs every step of the process helps improve visibility and enables you to quickly identify problems. If a shipment is missing, you can review the log to identify where the error occurred and resolve the issue more quickly.

ROI in 90 Days

If you need to justify spending money on new technology, it helps to find a vendor that offers a speedy return on investment. Calculate your initial upfront costs, including licenses, hardware, and IT infrastructure. Assess your costs for data migration and other implementation activities, and factor in ongoing costs for maintenance, subscriptions, and tech support.

Make a list of performance improvements and estimate the savings. For example, your direct cost savings can include reduced staff hours, fewer returns, or reduced overtime payments. Estimate potential revenue growth from increases in customer volumes, shorter billing cycles, or fewer returns.

Subtract your total benefits from your total cost to get your net profit. Multiply the result by 100 to get your ROI. Then calculate how long it will take to recover your investment.

For example, your company pays $150,000 for a new ERP. You estimate this software will save you $180,000 through reduced staff hours. You expect your revenue to increase by $30,000 due to higher patient volume. Your total benefit would be $210,000.

ROI: $210,000 - $150,000 = $60,000. $60,000/$150,000 = 0.4 x 100 = 40%. In this scenario, you would achieve a 40% ROI in a year.

Prepare for 2026 With WorldView’s ECM Solutions

WorldView’s Enterprise Content Management and ECM for DMSi Users have helped multiple distribution manufacturing businesses operate more efficiently and save money. Our solution integrates with multiple existing platforms and you get reliable support.

Schedule a demo to learn more.