ERP Software

ERP that’s right for you

ERP, or enterprise resource planning, is a broad topic. In fact, one of the issues with it is simply coming up with a definition expansive enough to cover the scope of the software typically referred to as ERP. ERP software seeks to link financial and operational “back-office” functionalities with operational and “customer-facing” technology. ERP packages include a broad variety of modules, which you may generally choose from in order to meet the specific needs of your business. At one point in time, ERP software was most typically used by manufacturing or industrial companies. Nowadays, it is fair to say that ERP can refer to packages targeted to any and every industry. It’s not a matter of whether ERP is relevant to you. It’s a matter of discovering which ERP options are relevant to your specific needs.

Accessing the right functionality for your needs

The scope of ERP systems is really only constrained by the variety of business operations present in the market and the ability of software developers to keep up with new requirements. There are ERP modules available for virtually every task, program, or function businesses perform.

ERP solutions include module addressing the following areas:

• Financials,
• Order processing,
• Customer relationship management,
• Logistics,
• Project management,
• Manufacturing,
• Sales,
• Service work,
• Budgeting and forecasting,
• HR,
• Payroll,
• Quality control,
• And beyond.

Integrated, centralized data management

One of the core principles that ERP is based on is that the software centralizes information to maximize it’s usefulness. Integrating and centralizing information allows for companies to do away with “information islands.” Consolidated data allows key decision makers the ability to refer to a single version of the truth when it comes to business data. Integrating data also serves to promote efficiencies throughout the enterprise. For instance, by enabling sales the ability to access information about product availabilities, lead times, order schedules, and purchasing, sales employees are better able to manage the timely delivery of products and services to customers. Increasing customer satisfaction through increased operational visibility is one of the underlying goals of all ERP systems.

By enabling collaboration and eliminating the need to re-enter data into various systems, ERP software provides a means for better financial tracking and forecasting. Comprehensive analytics allow businesses to improve to insight and productivity by delivering reliable data in real-time.

Key benefits of ERP software

Why is a centralized, comprehensive ERP software solution necessary in the modern business environment? Consider some of the benefits associated with ERP software:

• Streamlined workflows and processes. Disconnected systems are inherently inefficient. Data may exist in multiple places at once and there is a time cost paid every time data is transferred between them. By providing a common interface and database, data is managed in a singular manner, allowing much more efficient processes.
• Visibility into workflows. ERP not only speeds up internal processes, it provides the mechanism to monitor them for continuous improvement. Transparency is a central goal in effectively deployed ERP systems. ERP allows organizations to consider processes from a more holistic standpoint to more easily spot issues preventing optimization.
• Better financial planning and decision making. Reporting is key to ERP solutions. The ability to slice and dice data by region, location, profit center, employee, and in a variety of other ways allows decision makers to make more nuanced and accurate decisions about the financial direction of the business.
• Improved data security. Managing security permissions and access across a variety of systems is a daunting challenges. A common control system allows organizations the ability to more easily ensure key company data is not compromised.
• Increased opportunities for collaboration. Data takes many forms in the modern enterprise. Documents, files, forms, audio and video, emails. Often times each data medium has it’s own mechanism for allowing collaboration. That’s inherently wasteful. Employees are more effective when they spend more time collaborating on content, rather than mastering the learning curve of communicating in various formats and across distributed systems.

The importance of a quality ERP vendor

If you’re like most ERP buyers, you started your process by looking for the right ERP software. And, that’s not wrong. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of ERP solutions on the market. There is a massive amount of variety. Each solution offers its own strengths and weaknesses and relevance to your business challenges. Getting the right program matters—a lot. But, it’s only part of the equation.

A quick Google of “failed ERP implementations” brings into stark relief the importance of getting the vendor decision right. Failed ERP implementations are project failures. Insufficient software is infrequently the real culprit. It’s more likely issues with things like: cost overruns, long implementations, integration difficulties, interruptions to critical business processes, lack of user training, and improper planning. It’s the role of your ERP vendor not just to sell you the right package, but to ensure a successful implementation. But not all ERP vendors are created equal. It’s enormously important to choose the right one for you.

Consider for a moment the role of an ERP vendor:

• Identify opportunities for technical solutions to business challenges,
• Sell you the right software,
• License the right modules within that software,
• Plan the software rollout,
• Coordinate and execute implementation, including integrations,
• Provide training to ensure proper system usage,
• Handle ongoing support issues, and
• Manage updates/upgrades.

Take the next step

Finding the right ERP solution and provider can seem like a difficult task. But it doesn’t have to be. Our free software search service will help save you time finding the right program for your organization. Get started today!