Enterprise resource planning

What is enterprise resource planning?

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is an umbrella term that covers all core business functions of an organization — production, procurement, marketing, maintenance, finance, supply chain, human resources, and other critical processes.

An ERP system is a software suite with multiple applications to integrate and automate core business processes and data on a single system and coordinate operations through a leveled multi-user interface. ERP systems help organize operations and run all departments of the company smoothly.

When a business gets big enough, differences between departments can stall operations. This creates bottlenecks for the organization and exposes it to systematic risks. For example, when orders are made by the procurement department, they’re shared with the inventory and warehouse management teams, who need to clear the storage area for incoming inventory. This task can be assigned by the ERP system using automation workflows.

ERP systems allow reports to be generated for management to make strategic decisions and necessary changes in the operational framework. Thus, ERP solutions ensure that governance, risk management, and compliance are all satisfied. ERP solutions facilitate the bidirectional flow between applications and automate the administrative processes.

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ERP systems are being leveraged by many of the biggest and best companies in the world. In fact, by 2025, the cloud ERP market is expected to reach a staggering $101.1 Billion.

Types of ERP systems

We can classify ERP systems into three segments based on their architecture.

On-premises ERP systems

This type of ERP solution is installed directly onto hardware at the deployment site. These solutions are generally more difficult to use because software can only be utilized at a particular location. Because of this, large licensing fees can be an issue.

Furthermore, updates can be slow, and getting onsite support can stall your operations when a vendor needs to access your systems. All of these factors add up and make on-premises software costly and time-consuming.

Over-the-cloud ERP systems

The SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) model for ERPs bypasses many of the perils of the on-premises solutions — which are also known as legacy software. Instead, updates are made and seen instantly on your system.

Over-the-cloud ERP systems can also provide support on a remote basis. If you have a pay-as-you-go subscription plan, cloud-based ERP solutions cost significantly less and come with many strategic benefits.

Hybrid ERP systems

Hybrid ERP software is a combination of both on-premises and cloud architecture, where hosting and deployment are subject to variation. These models can be more efficient in integration with other software solutions and deliver greater flexibility. Some popular ERP solutions providers include SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, and  Oracle.

How can ERP software streamline your processes?

This section will help you understand how various applications of an ERP suite aids different business processes in your organization.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing is a complex process that includes the use of raw materials and semi-finished goods, quality assurance, R&D, production planning, and control. Manufacturing depends heavily on data provided by other modules including sales forecasting data, customer feedback, and supply chain management inputs.

Inventory and warehouse management

Managing on-hand stock and goods in transit can be an exhaustive business function, and it’s best managed by inventory control systems. Without them, it’s hard to ensure that all items you need are available. Without a reliable system, you may have to pause your manufacturing process — which can result in heavy losses.

Maintenance is also included in inventory management. Warehouse management software helps allocate available storage space and provides data regarding stored inventory using tightly integrated databases. This is all made possible with an inventory management system.

Human resources management

Human resources management is a core business function. In fact, it’s the only dynamic resource that directly affects every business process. The HRM module collects employee information, manages shifts and attendance, facilitates compensation, gives reimbursements, keeps track of retirement benefits, and tracks performance.

Finance and accounting

It’s important to maintain pristine record-keeping and financial operations within your organization. This module provides the data necessary to keep your finances in check and ensures that your organization is adhering to all regulations appropriately.

Supply chain management

SCM software covers all parts of your supply chain including procurement. The SCM module helps in keeping a steady flow of inward materials and coordinates with your logistics partners for delivering finished goods on schedule.

Sales and marketing

With an ERM, you can keep track of your customers throughout their full life cycle. This module helps support operations for getting your products to market, and even helps generate demand. You can run multiple marketing campaigns and ensure your goods are delivered to your customers, too.

Customer relationship management

The CRM module provides you with a 360-degree interface for managing all transactions with your customers —  from onboarding to servicing. The CRM module helps you acquire and manage customer data for running marketing campaigns. Having a CRM is extremely important for ecommerce sites, as they rely heavily on retargeting old customers to maximize repeat business.

How is an ecommerce ERP system different?

When compared to the traditional ERP solutions, ecommerce ERP systems are aggressive and tend to use the SaaS model for agility. They are tightly integrated with dynamic architecture models like ‘headless ecommerce’ for more robust integration capabilities. These ERP systems are developed to meet the demands of the ever-evolving ecommerce sector, and they help businesses grow sustainably when selling online.

ERP system benefits

There are many reasons why businesses install ERP systems. ERPs secure information, make data transfer easy, and help automate processes. They also generate reports and give you access to all of your industry’s data in one easy-to-use system. Here are the most important benefits of ERP systems.

Improved data security

Data safety is perhaps the biggest advantage of an ERP system. Information is centralized and only produced when necessary.  Restrictions can be placed on certain people, who can be granted varying levels of access. Moreover, you can decide which department has access to what data.

Enhanced efficiency

Efficiency is extremely important in software, business processes, and workers’ performance. When everything is available in one place and all the departments are interconnected, you’re able to have a quicker, more efficient system. The added visibility is a huge factor in the boost in efficiency.

Heightened focus

Without centralization, there is a tendency to waste money on unnecessary software, management, and training. ERPs are able to do multiple jobs at once. That can include CRMs, accounting, HR management, inventory management, supply chain management, warehouse management, and more. When everything is connected, you’re able to concentrate your attention and expenses in one place,

Faster reporting and deeper data analysis

Generating accurate and insightful reports is both quick and easy for users of ERPs. You can easily analyze and compare workflows between departments, and you can use whatever criteria you choose. Reports can be as detailed or summarized as you want them to be.

Greater supply chain management

For companies that deal with constantly changing production, products, and inventory, ERPs help keep track of the supply chain and eliminate inefficiencies when possible. This leads to  reduced production times and quicker product delivery.

A well established ERP system can help with demand forecasting, inventory management, warehouse management, purchase management, and reporting & analysis. This helps improve productivity, streamline supply chain, and reduce costs.

More customer satisfaction

When you operate more efficiently and have more capacity to deliver quicker, you’re able to impress clients and establish stronger relationships. As you nurture those relationships, you’ll be able to retain them and get more business. ERPs include CRMs, which both help understand past customer’s behavior and predict future purchases.

Standardized workflow

ERPs are generally designed to keep up with best practices in mind, which helps users feel good about having an optimized, proven method. These tried and tested methods deliver solid results, and they can be improved upon with time. Most functions are automated, which further reduces time and money spent. Standardizing workflow allows each department to understand each other and sync more seamlessly.

Easier compliance with regulatory bodies

Meeting compliance requirements can be one of the most challenging hurdles in business. ERPs help your business follow standardized approaches. They also help you keep pristine records and stay in compliance with regulatory bodies. Furthermore, ERPs already help satisfy regulations including the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) and the Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX).

More scalability

The reason why most big businesses opt for ERPs is because of their scalability potential. No matter how big your business gets, ERPs can help manage an expanding customer base. Plus, ERPs help introduce new departments and better processes.

Increased transparency

ERPs provide excellent transparency to its users. You’re able to check real-time inventory levels and other types of data at any time, which helps users create more coherent and effective processes. Access to real-time data allows multiple departments to solve problems simultaneously, too.

How to successfully implement an ERP

Assemble a task force

The first thing to do when starting an ERP project is to put together a smart, efficient group of people. Provide each of them with specific tasks regarding ERP implementation and arm them with all necessary resources.

A typical ERP implementation team will have a project lead, data analysts, developers, and QA engineers. Remember that you’re creating a system that’s going to be used by employees across your entire organization. It’s important to have key stakeholders from different parts of your company present for a smooth and effective transition.

Transition planning

Successful ERP system implementation takes time and effort across your entire organization. As you’ll learn in this article, the process is often met with unforeseen challenges and delays, However, these are simply speed bumps on your way to a more effective and profitable business.

It’s important to have systems in place that minimize disruptions due to shifts in your organization. The process is difficult but ultimately worthwhile — as long as the following steps are taken.

• Keep your workforce updated about possible system failures.
• Understand the requirements of each and every department.
• Plan the testing in advance

Budgeting and forecasting

A lot of ERP projects end up becoming financial liabilities for organizations — especially when you fail to manage the budgeting process. If the most essential costs are planned for, these types of failures can be avoided.

Project cost factors include function, size of the company, and number of users. You can perform different tests to find out how extensive you want the software to be, based on your budget. However, as a rule of thumb, you should set aside 1% of your organization’s annual revenue for a smooth ERP implementation.

Data preparation and migration

Once you’ve decided on ERP software that you think meets your requirements, it’s time to shift gears and migrate your company’s database into the new system. This is one of the most essential parts of the project and is an early indicator of your software’s effectiveness.

However, before you actually start migrating your old data, you might want to make sure your data is ready for your new system. Allow your data analysts to take the lead — they should have experience doing this.

User training

Once data has been successfully migrated, it’s time to introduce the new ERP software to your workforce. Remember that ERP software is used by almost every department — so they should be trained properly and feel comfortable with the transition.

Training your user base for the new system is instrumental in how successful the project will be. The better your training modules are, the quicker your workforce will get accustomed to the software and adopt it.

Different companies try different approaches for undertaking user training programs for their ERP systems. You can try the following:

• Carry out offline, team-based training where every team is given hands-on sessions to understand and test the new system.

• Carry out e-learning training modules where each team learns the software through a series of video tutorials.
•  Gamify the process by offering small rewards to employees as they try out the ERP system by themselves. In this method, companies identify and reward users who are more proactive and provide constructive feedback. This can also create a sense of purpose among your workforce as they prioritize training modules along with their normal activities.

Testing and roll-out

Rolling out an ERP system is a thrilling and daunting experience to go through, especially for the team tasked with creating the software. This defining step in the ERP implementation process can make or break the entire operation.

Meticulously planning the roll-out is extremely important. You need to account for delays caused by a variety of factors. At the same time, you also have to maintain trust in the software that you’ve built. There will be hiccups along the way — but you must overcome them and find solutions quickly.

Before the final roll-out, make sure to identify a few members from each department to do beta testing. This will help you find any defects before the company-wide launch. Once the beta tests are completed and the management gives the go-ahead, huddle your teams and inform them about the transition.

When launching your ERP system, you can either choose to roll it all out at once or adopt a phased approach — where you roll the ERP software out in phases. Companies are increasingly using the phased approach as it gives them more time and causes less choos.

Evaluation

After the transition, you should start to analyze data and use metrics to judge the effectiveness of the project. You might want to consider the following questions:

• Has there been a decline in human errors?
• Is there a visible ROI?
• Has productivity increased?
• Has customer satisfaction increased?

If the results are positive, your implementation has been a success. However, don’t give up if you don’t see your desired results right away. A good ERP system can take time to prove effective.

Support

After successfully implementing your new ERP system, the job is far from over. It;s now time to provide stellar post-implementation support. When introducing an ERP software solution to your task force, you need to stay vigilant throughout the process.

Don’t stray from the predefined path. It’s very important to make sure you have well-defined goals from the beginning. Since every ERP implementation project is an enormous undertaking, it’s extremely important to plan carefully and break everything down into smaller steps.

ERP for small businesses

You have likely started your small business with the goal of being your own boss. However, running your own business comes with both pros and cons. A common challenge can be technology-related issues. Under the umbrella of “technology issues,” there are usually a myriad of concerns that can be summed up in two main problems:

• Your business software no longer comprehensively supports your business.

• You have a mixture of softwares that do not communicate with each other.

These are troubling issues because a lack of helpful software can very well be the difference between survival and failure for a small enterprise — which is why Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is so important.

Although it can be crucial for growth, investing in an ERP system is no easy task for any business leader. Many young businesses claim they are too small for ERP software, or that the software itself is too big of an investment for their needs. There is a common misconception that the number of users has anything to do with the need for an ERP solution.

The truth is that ERP software is now more accessible, customizable, and cost-effective for small businesses than ever before. Regardless of your industry or business size, there’s software best suited for your needs. The ability to add additional modules makes it scalable in the future, too.

Why are ERPs a good idea for small businesses?

• Most successful small and medium-size businesses (SMBs) can use ERP systems to create sustainable and innovative growth. No business is too small for an ERP solution, which allows small businesses to operate with the efficiency of an enterprise-scale business.

• ERPs allow small organizations to upgrade and alter core business capabilities to generate increased revenue opportunities. ERP software gives businesses the flexibility they need to make this shift.

The history of ERP systems

In 1983, MRPII, which is a predecessor to today’s ERP softwares, was introduced to the manufacturing industry. MRPII’s main focus was inventory management. Over time, several additions allowed for the incorporation of internal data, too.

The MRPII improved efficiency by decreasing waste and providing basic analytical functions. Companies began to recognize the value of such analytics, which enabled MRPII to evolve. Eventually, the software proved useful for a variety of different business categories.

Current ERP systems still retain traces of MRPII’s structure (resource management across multiple departments within a single organization), but the range of practical applications greatly expanded. ERP software has changed how multiple industries do business by optimizing the entirety of their production chain from suppliers to clients.

A simple example of how ERP has changed industries can be found by calling customer care representatives of any major retail industry (take Amazon, for instance). This representative is able to pull up all relevant information about your order in seconds. They can check if your desired product is in stock, details of your order, and more from a single point of contact.

It is also possible for them to track your order and provide you with an expected delivery date based on real-time shipping information. None of this insight would have been possible without ERP software.

Although ERP is accounting and operations-oriented, it also offers several modules such as inventory management, project management, supply chain management, human resources, and more. It provides data management with fewer errors because information flows from one department to the next in real-time.

Everything is done within a single, interactive database management system with built-in analytics and a single, unified dashboard. ERP software helps you better manage resources, reduces your production costs, increases your productivity, reduces mistakes, and creates a level of internal transparency that empowers the entire organization.

According to one study, real-time data can help reduce an organization’s operational expenses by as much as 23%. However, until recently, the benefits of ERP innovation weren’t available to everyone.

Modern ERP systems help all types of businesses

Initially, only larger organizations implemented ERP systems. The software was hard to use and lacked customizability. In fact, organizations had to rework significant elements of their internal processes just to accommodate their new ERP system. Additionally, many small businesses lacked the necessary funds and technical support needed to adopt traditional enterprise-scale ERP solutions.

Gradually, however, ERP softwares started to provide cooperative, cross-platform convenience. Newer processes for ERP implementation have opened the floodgates, and the result is that ERPs have empowered businesses of all sizes with the same capabilities as larger companies.

As a small business, your priorities are probably different than that of a larger business, and your ERP software should reflect that. By understanding this difference, there are many ERP systems available on the market that cater especially to SMBs. Depending on your needs, you should be able to find the perfect ERP for you.

Some are stored on the cloud, while others can be hosted on your network. Several leading ERP providers are Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics 365, SAP ERP, Oracle, and more. ERPs for small business can be implemented by grocery stores, supermarkets, boutique shops, restaurants, the food industry, trading, retail, agricultural, farming, and livestock management — just to name a few.

How do ERPs benefit small businesses?

An ERP system is a collection of tools that will allow your small business to manage resources more efficiently. ERPs allow you to produce and store inventory without any issues. In fact, they can be the difference between growing your business and staying stagnant. ERP software can help your small business plan by both project and budget.

Increased Transparency

Instead of each department having its own information system, an ERP allows for advanced user management and access control. This ensures access and shareability of daa to all departments. Automating data flow and transparency saves time and money, and it results in fewer human errors and miscommunications.

Cost reduction

Effective implementation of ERPs leads to increased transparency and a reduction of administrative costs. Your employees are able to automate redundant tasks, which ultimately reduces turnaround time and raises production capability. ERPs help facilitate growth and allow you the freedom to expand into other revenue-generating activities.

Improved decision-making

One of the key benefits of ERP systems is that it provides real-time data in a single system. This makes managers more well-informed and effective when making decisions. The data is a real game-changer for marketing, accounting, and management. Manufacturing industries can also detect potential obstacles or bottlenecks in real-time — which can save business owners tons of money.

This data helps predict future events and can coordinate shutdowns for maintenance in a more effective way. ERP systems also generate powerful custom reports that are a helpful tool for monitoring progress.

This software empowers your small business to perform like a massive company. You can track KPIs across your organization, too. If any department or functionality falls behind, you are able to see evidence in the numbers. This provides an overall snapshot of operations and allows business leaders to respond quickly to changing business environments. When you have this type of insight, it’s much easier to make effective, profitable, and sustainable decisions.

Faster data flow

Swapping to ERP software allows your company to enjoy streamlined data flow. Streamlined data flow is especially helpful for fast-growing businesses. Having a lack of communication seriously hampers productivity.

For example, in the manufacturing industry, production can be halted or delayed if the inventory department doesn’t get daily data updates from the production department. Poor communication and lack of collaboration can lead to employees being denied access to data when they need it most. An ERP software mitigates this issue by consolidating all data in one place, which can be accessed by any department and at all times. This enables workers to see the “big picture” within your company.

Streamlining data into a single software application also mitigates and consolidates expenses. You no longer need individual management software for each department.

Implementing ERPs for small businesses

The leap of faith

Okay, so now you know that ERP systems are a powerful and beneficial tool.  But is it worth the price tag for small businesses? How do we know that we aren’t rushing into it? At what stage would its returns justify the costs? In this section, we’ll find out whether or not  ERP makes sense for smaller companies.

In a startup or a small business, employees might wear more hats and pitch in wherever and whenever needed. They don’t have the time to make multiple spreadsheets and comb through mountains of data manually.

If your company is losing track of its products, or if your sales estimates are based mostly on guesswork, an ERP can help. If your company struggles to keep up with orders or struggles with organization, it might be time for your small business to implement an ERP system, too.

How to implement an ERP for small businesses

Ideally, ERP software should allow for synchronous workflow from inquiry to invoice and payment. ERP software helps turn this process into one simply workflow that looks like this:

Contact with client (CRM) → Order processing (supply and inventory management) → Invoicing and payment (finances and accounting)

A vast majority of small businesses start with basic tools such as a combination of simple accounting software and document-based processes (Excel spreadsheets, organization-wide cloud-synced Google docs, etc.).

However, as the business expands and transactions increase, it may become more time-consuming and difficult to process larger volumes of data. An ERP allows you to find everything under the same interface — with real-time, communicative data.

Depending on the ERP you select, you can also add a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module and generate reports produced by business intelligence plugins. ERPs support your customer service with CRM, help you control your warehouse processes, and even support you in production by optimizing manufacturing capacities.

There are also accounting tools an ERP offers to support your financial tasks. Your accounting communicates with project planning and other relevant plugins, too.

As you can see, ERP systems are extensively customizable and complex. Choosing the wrong one or having the wrong implementation process could result in massive losses to your company and directly impact your team’s enthusiasm for adoption.

However, there are many industry experts ready to help you with your implementation — which requires careful planning in order to minimize the risk of failure and ensure desired goals are met. Before selecting a system, you need to have an established ERP strategy. In fact, you should have a standardized implementation blueprint and all associated businesses, staff members, and IT consultants on board.

To go through this process stress-free, it is also a good idea to be supported by an ERP software implementation expert. Whichever system you go with, their rep will function as an advisor and valuable business partner for many years to come.

The cost of ERPs for small businesses

Alright, but how much would it cost me?

As a business owner, fewer questions are as pertinent as this one — especially if your business is small and the ERP expense is relatively big. ERP software for small businesses is going to be less expensive in general, but it can still eat up a significant chunk of your company’s budget.

That being said, a business owner needs to see an ERP package as an investment that will help reduce operational and administrative costs. It has the potential to greatly improve your business’s productivity.

For that reason alone, ERP systems can be a great investment. However, it might require months of work to see quantifiable results. Working with a trusted ERP system advisor, you can customize your system and see a return on investment with increased productivity and lower production costs.

There are many types, functions, licenses, and users in the ERP market. That means it’s possible for almost every small business to find an ERP software that is best suited to their needs and budget. Smaller companies’ budgets are significantly lower than that of the Fortune 500 — and they don’t require the same number of applications and plugins that larger organizations would. The pricing of ERP software can depend on a few different factors, including:

• Number of users
• Modules implemented
• Hosting
• Integrations

How do I choose the right ERP system for my small business?

As a small business, choosing the right ERP system can make or break your implementation. It’s like getting a suit tailored by a master craftsman. A business owner must have an in-depth understanding of the business, goals, scalability, and potential risks.

A small business must prioritize needs and optimize this tool through development, functions, and integration. When it comes to ERPs, there is no such thing as “one size fits all.” ERP sellers offer a massive range of solutions because they understand that every business has different competitive profiles, customer mixes, and business standards.

A good ERP option will provide you with a suite of business management tools such as a CRM, web hosting, an ecommerce platform, a tasking system, a shipping manager, email marketing, and more. However, keep in mind that unnecessary tools may do more harm than good.

According to SAP India, companies should answer five simple questions to pick the right ERP for them.

1. What industry do you best identify with?
2. What are your deployment options?
3. How complex is your business?
4. How many employees do you have?
5. How large do you expect to grow?

One of the easiest and most efficient ways to answer these questions is to sit down with your team and evaluate your processes, needs, and limitations of your organization. These meetings will help you better understand what you need from your new ERP system. Here are some factors that SMBs should consider while choosing an ERP solution.

Ease of use

Perhaps the most important question: Is the software user-friendly? Consider the learning curve involved from the perspective of an employee. How many training hours are needed?  Modern ERP solutions come equipped with responsive user interfaces, and they easily integrate with existing business tools such as Microsoft and Google.

Customization

Most sophisticated, enterprise-scale software is too bulky and expensive for an SMB. At the same time, the basic “freemium packages” are too inadequate to scale your business as it grows. It is important that, If your organization were to branch out or acquire new entities, the software suite would be robust enough to easily incorporate them. Your software must fit into your business objectives.

While customization is desirable, remember that highly customized systems will mean a higher cost. Consider how and who will use your software before you over-complicate the process.

Should I go with a cloud-based or on-premise platform?

Traditionally, on-premise systems required large initial investments and expensive licensing costs. However, with the emergence of cloud-based ERP solutions, it is now affordable for smaller businesses to have an ERP.

Still, some companies make it mandatory to have in-house software installed on an internal server. The truth is that a web-based solution is more flexible and can be accessed through tablets and mobile devices.

Consider support services and associated charges

You should know how long you can ask for support from your ERP provider, and if there are any additional fees for troubleshooting your system. You should also make sure that your ERP seller guarantees support for mandatory upgrades, and that the enhancement fee is locked in. You don’t want to have unexpected price increases for future developments and releases.

Ease of upgrade should also be considered. Typically, a cloud-based platform provides faster and more automatic updates than an on-premise system. It may also involve less implementation compared to an on-premise ERP.

Security measures

Your data’s security should be as much of a priority to the seller as it is to you. Understand the fine print of managing different access and authorization roles in the system to prevent data violations before you commit to any solution.

You should also ensure that passwords are strong and adequately encrypted. Also, figure out which security measures are in place for the integration of third-party products.

Total cost of ownership

As an SMB, your goal is to maximize your ROI. Do not fall prey to sales and marketing reps trying to downplay the costs and risks involved. Be absolutely clear about the following costs:

• Software
• Hardware
• Implementation
• Periodic maintenance
• Customization
• Training
• Support
• Updates

Also, make sure that you ask about pre and post-implementation expenses. Once you understand what you need, what your business processes look like, and your business’ projected growth, you can ask more valuable questions about potential ERP software solutions.

There are several ways to implement an ERP software that’s perfectly tailored for your small business. Make sure you’ve fully understood the benefits and costs of employing this system before making your final decision.

Although a significant amount of time, money, and effort will be invested in this process, there’s no doubt it will help you maximize the growth and success of your company.

ERP vs CRM

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) are similar to each other in more ways than one. Both aim to increase the overall profitability of a business by increasing efficiency, transparency, and automation.

These systems do overlap in some functional regions, and sometimes they can even be integrated entirely. At the same time, their core functionalities are different.

The scope and methodology used by these systems to attain the aforementioned goals are different, too. Seeing CRM and ERP as separate, stand-alone systems makes it easier for businesses to understand how they each improve efficiency and increase sales in their own way.

CRMs date as far back as the 1970s, but enterprises had to rely on completely independent systems. They also had to categorize customers manually into spreadsheets. Miniaturization of computing and networking technologies, combined with widespread access to the internet, led to a massive surge in the research and development of software used to manage and control company’s daily operations.

During the mid-90’s, ERP and CRM separated into two separate entities. This separation was a direct result of companies prioritizing software suited to each company’s specific needs.

What is CRM?

Customer Relationship Management in its simplest form is a combination of strategies and practices used for managing and analyzing a company’s interactions with current and potential customers.

This article refers to CRM as software from a technological and business’ perspective, but it does not delve into its underlying marketing principles. CRM systems are designed to record every piece of information regarding customer interactions. It then helps standardize that data and makes it easily shared throughout an organization.

CRMs help organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, and customer service departments through one easily-accessible system. CRM also helps identify potential leads, nurture them, guide them down the sales funnel, and finally encourages repeated business from the same customer.

Apart from providing an overview of customer behavior and their activities, CRM has gradually evolved to include all areas of the customer experience. The ultimate goal is to keep customers happy and increase retention rate.

In this way, CRMs add value to your brand, enhance customer relations, and bring in recurring sales. Moreover, CRM systems create sales projections, manage invoices and communication, and offer more accuracy in regards to customer data.

So, what does this process look like? When your sales rep finishes a call with a prospective client, they enter client information and notes into the CRM software. At that point, marketing reps can access that information and use it to write personalized emails or newsletters.

With the right systems and strategy in place, businesses can organize and segment almost every aspect of a customer’s experience.

CRM is typically used to:

• Automate and manage marketing campaigns.
• Analyze purchasing patterns.
• Offer high-quality customer support.
• Automate redundant tasks.
• Identify new leads.
• Evaluate performance of sales reps.
• Streamline the sales process.

What are the similarities between ERP and CRM?

ERP and CRM systems pay attention to different processes — whether they’re customer interactions, business transactions, or product procurement. Still, both of these systems deal with data flow, and both of these solutions offer an important business tool. They’re both central repositories for customer data.

Modern businesses rely heavily upon information and utilization of that data for versatile operations. Just like ERPs, CRMs can be delivered through an on-premises model or a cloud-based model — where the vendor manages the software in its own data center, and customers then access it through the cloud.

Between the two, cloud-based CRM systems have been more readily adopted because they are easier to build. But for ERP’s, businesses were initially wary of putting financial data in the cloud. This, in fact, explains their slower adoption rate.

What are the differences between ERPs and CRMs?

Although they both aim to increase profitability, both ERP and CRM systems have different methods of achieving this goal. While a CRM is mainly used by sales and marketing departments, ERP software is integrated enterprise-wide and implemented across multiple departments.

ERP systems focus on reducing overhead and cutting costs by making business processes more streamlined and efficient. This reduces the number of resources invested in these processes. CRMs, on the other hand, work to facilitate an increase in company profits by producing greater sales volume.

CRMs also make it easier for marketing and sales to send out targeted marketing campaigns that aim to improve customer relationships and increase brand loyalty. Since a large part of the two systems’ functionality overlaps with each other, a robust ERP system typically contains much of the basic functionality of a CRM system, but not vice versa.

Before an organization can cut costs, they need to make enough profits. Moreover, a company can be extremely organized and still not make enough in sales or have a consistent income stream to fund its business processes. That’s why a standalone CRM system’s ability to improve a company’s sales and profit must not be underestimated. While smaller enterprises can make due with an ERP, the same is not adequate for larger companies.

Larger companies require complex, robust, stand-alone ERP and CRM systems to allow the exchange of data between these two solutions to happen in real-time. This is particularly important for managing supply chains and product shipments.

Regardless of your business’ size, deploying a CRM or an ERP system is significantly better than searching for customer data through email chains, handwritten notes, and text messages.

The purposes and methodologies of these two systems may vary, but both are great tools for optimizing revenue. Choosing the best solution or combination of solutions for your business depends on your needs and the amount of money you’re willing to invest.

Disadvantages of ERPs

Finding the correct course of action for your business is always a tough call. Enterprise Resource Planning, broadly known as ERP, is famous for its ups and downs. It’s a blessing for many companies, but it can also cause companies to fail, too.

ERP implementation might initially disrupt and reorganize an entire company’s operations, and sometimes they even require that processes are re-built from scratch. Till then, losses and failures can add up. The assumption is that the thicker the report, the greater the “due diligence.” This may actually be measuring waste, not actionable information.” says Wayne L. Staley, the author of ERP Information at the Speed of Reality: ERP Lessons Learned.

While it is true that ERP implementation has several benefits, there have been some massive ERP failures. It is important to always see both sides of the coin. Industries and technology will always show you the brighter side of the picture, but it is our responsibility to educate you on the negative sides as well.

You’d have a hard time finding anyone who will talk about it — cases either litigate forever or get settled and sealed,” says Greg Crouse, managing director at Navigant Consulting. Still, let’s dive in and explore how ERP implementation can fail.

Notable ERP failures

Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard’s ERP failure is still fresh in the mind of many, even though it happened back in 2004 — when HP decided to implement the ERP process throughout their offices. Things went awry when they found their teams could not adjust to or rapidly correspond with the ERP system. To make matters worse, the ERP software lost company data throughout the process. In fact, this failure to adjust — combined with a massive amount of lost data — cost the company a whopping $160 Million.

Revlon

Revlon acquired many companies including Elizabeth Arden Inc. and the Cutex brand. In order to streamline operations, they decided to implement an ERP. Unfortunately for them, things didn’t go as planned. Revlon admitted publicly that their ERP implementation was a disaster, and their stakeholders even ended up suing Revlon for mishandling it.

Christopher Peterson of Revolon told investors, “In early February [2018], we rolled out SAP for a large part of our North American business to integrate planning, sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and finance. However, we experienced issues during the SAP changeover that caused the plant to ramp up capacity slower than anticipated.”

Target

Target Canada was confident that they would be able to implement their ERP successfully. They were launching in 2013 and didn’t have to worry about converting previous data — luckily, they only had to feed the new system new information.

However, as soon they rolled out their system, their supply chain came crashing down. Inventory was incorrectly recorded, and errors were happening everywhere in a process that turned out to be far too manual. According to a later investigation, only 30% of the information fed in the system was correctly recorded.

Nike

Another big name in the list of ERP failures, Nike made plans to integrate ERP for all of its business operations in the year 2000. The implementation led to a significant drop in sales, and the company ultimately lost $100 million in revenue — using much of the year to file a number of lawsuits.

Still, there are many world-class companies that faced setbacks due to the failures of ERP implementation. Some examples include Hershey’s, PG&E, and Vodafone, among others.

Disadvantages of enterprise resource planning (ERP)

What’s the best thing to take away from these companies’ failures? It’s important to analyze what went wrong and learn from their mistakes. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that led to their respective downfalls.

High initial cost

When investing in software, the first thing to think about is the cost. Are you getting your money’s worth? This is especially important for small to medium businesses, who need to be sure to spend wisely. Since ERPs are licensed, a single license can end up costing thousands of dollars — and that’s before taking into account overhead expenses like maintenance costs and add-ons.

High cost of training

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) requires continuous involvement and a lot of training. Your employees need to get acquainted with its features, and your IT team needs to stay updated and ready for a long, ongoing process. To make things even more complicated, this training needs to be executed while your business is operating. Thus, there are chances that activities will get delayed or disrupted over and over again until you get it right.

The complexity of ERP software

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is complex. The first step in ERP implementation is converting company data to the new software. Proper supervision, strong strategy, and in-depth planning is essential. It’s very important that this data conversion goes smoothly.

Moreover, you need to also ensure that data is appropriately analyzed and verified. Remember, transferring incorrect data into the software can waste a lot of time and money. All you need to do is refer to the Hewlett-Packard case study mentioned above — where lost data resulted in the loss of millions of dollars.

According to a report, at least 29% of ERP implementations have failed to achieve initial business objectives.

Is ERP essential?

Many companies believe if their current business software is not yielding results, there has to be a software problem. Without much thought, they decide it’s time to switch. Most of the cases of failed ERP implementations are due to the unnecessary involvement of new software. You must make sure that your ERP implementation is solving a problem — and not creating one.

You can’t simply think that new software will solve old problems. Always try improving your current software first. There’s a high possibility that old software is cheaper to fix than getting brand new software altogether.

Should you customize it?

You may be tempted to customize your ERP software for the hope of better results. However, you have to take into account how hard it is to upgrade. Not only does it require a lot of time and energy, it requires a huge upfront investment of money and resources.

In fact, most ERP customizations aren’t ever completed. One major reason is that people underestimate the amount of time and money needed to finish. When you come in without proper knowledge, you will surely fail to meet expectations.

Cost of maintenance and implementation

The successful implementation of an ERP process may mean investing in new machines and hardware. This includes news servers, computers, and mobile devices. Moreover, it costs money to pay for a team of highly trained specialists, a supportive and knowledgeable IT team, consultants, and more.

In order for the new software to function error-free, it needs to be periodically maintained and serviced. Thus, maintenance fees should be included in ERP costs. ERP maintenance and implementation costs can be more than four times higher than the value of the actual software price — so make sure to factor that into your decision!

Make sure to thoroughly read and understand the pros and cons of an ERP investment. Many companies may show you the bright side of the product — but always insist on understanding the negative sides as well.

Once you weigh the pros and cons with scrutiny, you will better understand what you’re getting yourself into. ERP implementation is a long process with a large investment cost. It leads to both bigger failures and bigger successes.

Investing in an ERP system can be risky, so you shouldn’t make any hasty decisions. Consider investing in inventory management software to solve your purchasing problems, too. They are exceptionally helpful with inventory, orders, payments, invoices, and more.

7. ERP best practices

Be as meticulous as possible

ERPs are implemented to enhance slow, but ultimately strong systems. In other words, putting an ERP system to run a fundamentally flawed process will only make that process more flawed. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that you first solve underlying issues in your operations including inventory management, warehouse management, order management, and more.

Only migrate accurate data

Data migration is the key process when gauging the success or failure of ERP implementation. You must ensure that the date you’re transferring is relevant, accurate, and unique. It’s important to make sure your data conversion is meticulous and error-free.

Empower all departments to make decisions

It’s important to include employees from departments that will be using the new systems every day. The IT guys and employees who will be affected most must have a hand in the conversion. Whether they handle inventory, finances, marketing, or more — they should be involved in the decision-making and requirement processes.

Follow a strict budget

Major ERP implementation goes wrong when you fail to understand all financial requirements. Underestimating or overestimating budget requirements leads to misunderstandings and hampers progress. You need to be prepared to spend the money required to implement your ERP. Stopping mid-implementation can be a disaster.

Choose cloud-based or on-premises ERP

An on-premise system requires a dedicated IT staff that maintains the system and looks out for any issues. Remember that this team can only operate your ERP only from the inside of your company. On the other hand, cloud-based inventory and operations management software is more flexible and can be used anywhere. This software allows you to provide varying levels of access to department stakeholders. It’s important to decide what type of ERP system you want and then move forward.

Find the option that works best for you

If an ERP system worked for someone in your market, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will work for you as well. Your business might be easily managed by other software that costs less, too. So make sure to keep your options open. For example, some people use inventory, warehouse, and operations management softwares in place of ERPs.

Find KPIs for implementation

KPIs help the implementation process, and they help with next steps after the implementation, too. Established KPIs can also help you combat mismanagement and ward off errors in judgment.

Be consistent

It’s important to take your time as you implement your ERP system. Sit with all the stakeholders, make good decisions, and clearly decide next steps. When implementing your ERP, make sure that you don’t do it all at once. Things go more smoothly if you take it step-by-step and plan thoroughly.

Training people to adjust to change

ERP transformation requires that the entire business changes. You need to manage and help people adjust to this change, which can be shocking. SaaS-based software is easier to manage in these cases due to their flexibility and the options they offer during and after implementation.

Invest in an implementation team

Don’t just invest in an efficient ERP system. You should also invest in a high-quality ERP implementation team. This type of skilled labor will make sure you get the best out of your new ERP system. You should hire a team that’s efficient, precise and possesses good decision-making capability. You can drastically reduce the chances of ERP implementation failure with the right people.

Important functions of ERP

With the evolution of new technologies and trends, companies are adopting more advanced strategies for running their businesses. Organizations implement ERP systems to streamline processes, functionalities, methods, and procedures. Depending on the company, you might need to streamline human resources, manufacturing, inventory control, and financial management with your new ERP system, too.

Boost your business’ software intelligence

ERP systems contain innovative technologies like the IoT (Internet of Things) and AI (Artificial Intelligence). The involvement of these technologies with ERP systems helps provide more in-depth, smoother handling of different business processes to boost software intelligence. This new technology offers creative ways to streamline workflows, forecast events, and keep records.

Marketing and sales

ERPs help provide full support to sales order processing systems. They help manage contacts, control day-to-day activities like prospecting, and more. Through the ERP system, all employees can contact customers, follow-up on invoices, and track orders. Sales and marketing personnel can monitor goals that get collected and analyzed by managers and business partners.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

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ERP platforms include customer relationship management modules that focus solely on how well businesses communicate with their customers. This covers things like call center support and sales and marketing teams. You’ll be able to measure customer interaction data, types of leads, customer retention, and sales pipeline management.

Order processing

The order processing module in ERP systems is designed to assist the organization and management of all credit checking, sales orders, data entry, and sales reporting. Most customer interface modules can also get integrated into a company’s website, and you can add diverse modules with IoT capability. ERP systems help retain current customers and find new ones, too.

ERP systems can help companies introduce automation at every level of customer service, sales, ordering, finance, supply chain, and fulfillment.

Accounting and finance

Accounting and finance can be automated and streamlined. All tasks related to budget, cash, cost management, and more are easily updated. ERP systems offer real-time data and business insights based on performance, and they can also ensure compliance with financial regulations.

Human resources management

ERP solutions help automate human resource-related tasks, which helps complete essential tasks with limited staff. ERP systems can help human resource staff send interview emails to candidates, maintain employees’ attendance records, and more. Ultimately, custom ERP solutions can help HR teams achieve maximum output with fewer errors.

Inventory management

Enterprise resource planning helps different businesses make better decisions by offering exact inventory data. ERP inventory management systems allow you to control your organizations’ operations including finance, logistics, and inventory. Plus, you can achieve all this using a single system that reduces error possibilities and enhances efficiency.

More and more companies are adopting ERP systems for improving their business inventory capabilities. ERP inventory management’s features include replenishment orders, inventory tracking turnover, surplus inventory management, business savings, and more.

Distribution

Distribution companies face different challenges in managing inventories, logistics, supply chain activities for shifting demand, other variables, and costs. ERP software can help overtake legacy systems that are not holding up in an interconnected and fast-paced market.  ERP systems are able to adapt to modern customers, equipment data, and suppliers. Plus, they are also able to offer full visibility to brand new trends and processes.

Centralized modules & ERP databases

Centralized modules allow users to handle different groups without switching screens and applications. All necessary information required for various operations is able to be housed in a unified ERP database system.

ERP systems depend on the central database to retrieve information. This ensures that all users have a single source of truth. In this way, all departments work together and use the same information set.

Integration

ERP apps are integrated entirely and work together seamlessly. This means users can go from one part of the system to another without being lost or confused. It’s massively advantageous to share all information in real-time.

A brief history of ERP systems

Today, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software is a comprehensive tool that aims to integrate several aspects of an enterprise. The system makes sure that the flow of information across the organization is seamless, fast, and accurate. When an ERP system is implemented correctly, it helps an organization communicate effectively between manufacturing, operations, marketing, sales, accounts, and more.

ERP systems give a truly holistic view of day-to-day operations inside a company. It helps provide coordination between various functions like inventory management, warehouse management, shipping management, and more.

The need for ERP first arose when smart entrepreneurs and analysts started noticing that as a company’s size grew, the inter-departmental communication got messier. As a result, information generated and gathered by one department often didn’t make it to other departments in time, which resulted in many delays and inefficiencies. This is what is generally referred to as ‘islands of information.’ These “islands” needed a way to be connected in order to end this unwanted segregation of information.

A timeline of ERP systems

Although the term “ERP” was coined in the 1990s, the conceptualization of software that could integrate this type of information flow started in the 1960s after the third industrial revolution. With the advent of semiconductors, the modern-day computer, the mouse, and the GUI, many organizations started using advanced software to plan their material requirements. This gave birth to the first Material Requirements Planning (MRP) systems.

MRP systems were initially developed within organizations to create better coordination between various arms of the company like manufacturing, resource purchasing, inventory management, and delivery.

The MRP systems were pretty simple by today’s standard and only performed the most basic functions. However, they were an important first step in creating the sophisticated ERP systems we have today.

Who created the first MRP?

IBM, in collaboration with a construction machinery company called J.I. Case was the first software company to create a Material Requirements Planning (MRP) system. The software was mainly used to process and automate procuring materials.

J.I. Case quickly realized that by implementing the MRP, they were able to establish a great amount of coordination between various activities such as manufacturing, procurement of raw materials, and delivering their final product to the vendors.

This gave the company an important edge against their competition. They were able to reliably deliver quality products in record time.

Soon enough, other large organizations followed suit. By the late 1970s, more than 700 companies started working with their own MRP system. The software ran on a massive mainframe that was as big as room — with less computing power than today’s laptops.

Even though it only performed the most basic computations, the entire business community was enamored. They kept making the system more sophisticated, efficient, and profitable.

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The development of MRP II

One of the greatest challenges that companies faced while implementing MRP systems was the lack of hardware powerful enough to process data needed to carry out complex computations. This problem was solved by technological advancements in the 1980s. Computer manufacturing companies developed newer, quicker, and more compact computers.

As a result of this, software companies were able to build more efficient and advanced versions of MRP, which came to be known as Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II). MRP II had more computing power and functionalities. It also allowed companies to integrate departments they hadn’t thought of before.

What is ERP?

It wasn’t until the 1990s when the world first heard of the term Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP systems. ERP software created a single database, which was then used by all departments in an organization. They helped integrate businesses in an entirely new way.

Any query — whether it has to do with manufacturing, accounts, inventory and logistics, or marketing, eventually finds its way into a consolidated database. This means that there is very little room for discrepancies.

ERP II

In the 2000’s the internet had effectively shrunk the world. It helped open up a plethora of opportunities for companies to collaborate, trade, and interact with each other — despite the physical distance that separated them.

Companies no longer had to simply manage their internal information flow efficiently. They also had to integrate several other modules like Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Supplier Relationship Management (SRM), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and more — seamlessly into their system.

This led to demand for a much more comprehensive ERP solution that could deliver these add-ons while also performing traditional ERP software duties. As a result, a more robust tool known as ERP II was developed that could take on these challenges and perform advanced functions on a more complex, unified database.

The early ERP solutions ran on intranet or were only accessible to only a handful of networks. Now, newer versions are cloud-based and can be accessed from anywhere — as long as you have an internet connection.

Here are some modules that an ERP II system integrates with:

• Supply Chain Management (SCM)
• Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Supply Chain Management (SRM)
• Human Resource Management (HRM)

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What is iERP?

Although it may seem like modern-day ERP software couldn’t possibly get more complicated, many experts believe that we’ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to fully exploiting its potential.

In the near future, ERP is expected to combine with machine learning and artificial intelligence. At that point, it would have even greater predictive and analytical abilities. This type of Intelligent ERP, or “iERP,” is expected to work on computers, smartphones, wearables, and other devices connected by the IoT. The possibilities are endless, but one thing is for sure — things are just getting started.

What ERP software should I choose?

ERP software helps integrate all departments of an organization into a single system. The following are the best ERP software available in the market. This list should help you pick the one that is best for your organization.

DEAR Systems

DEAR Systems is a cost-effective cloud-based ERP software that helps businesses with inventory management, stock purchasing, warehouse management, and manufacturing. It also supports payment processing and inventory accounting.

DEAR Systems allows you to streamline your order management process. Their ERP integrates with popular ecommerce channels such as Amazon, Shopify, and eBay. Using their POS system, you can also manage your store’s inventory and track your sales. DEAR Systems ERP is versatile and can be used by manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and ecommerce store owners. Here are some helpful stats to consider:

• Customer reviews: 1,084
• Supported platforms: Web, Android, iPad, iPhone
• Deployment: Cloud
• Business size: Small, mid-level, and Large

ERPAG

ERPAG is a cloud-based ERP solution that is best suited for small and midsize businesses. It can be used across industries that cover automobile, retail, information technology, education, and more. Its basic features cover sales management, manufacturing management, purchasing management, inventory management, reporting and analytics, and accounting and finance.

ERPAG allows users to manage different business processes including selling, receiving, ordering, and delivery. Other features cover payroll, shipping management, user-access management, point of sale, service management, and barcode scanning.

• Customer reviews: 216
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud
• Business Size: Small and mid-level

BuildSmart

BuildSmart integrates project accounting and enterprise accounting for real-time analysis, construction management, and engineering management. BuildSmart is loaded with features and has been designed to serve different enterprises and companies. It offers end-to-end solutions for web applications, too.

Designed and developed by contractors for their specific needs, different software solutions allow company-wide collaboration and life-cycle customization.

• Customer reviews: 15
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud
• Business size: Small, mid-Level, and large

ePROMIS

ePROMIS is a hybrid operations management system that offers different business management functionalities including HCM, ERP, and CRM. Business solutions

include distribution, finance, supply chain, inventory management, human resources, planning, and customer relations.

ePROMIS has different service offerings that can be customized for a wide range of market verticals including contracting, oil and gas, construction, trading, automobile, transportation, healthcare, retail, supply chain, and automobile.

• Customer reviews: 142
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud and on-premise
• Business size: Small, mid-level, and large

Brightpearl Software

Brightpearl is omnichannel-native software designed especially for the retail industry. It was created for reliability and handles peak trading that integrates with the retail tech ecosystem. Ultimately, it offers real-time trading insights. It helps automate, control, and manage these processes.

Brightpearl’s in-house team is available for installation, tech support, and ongoing business consultancy. Brightpearl has been designed for use by retailers and can handle seasonal volume. Brightpearl offers different channels, financial reports, orders, SKUs, and more that are fit for multi-million dollar retailers.

• Customer reviews: 131
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud
• Business size: Small

xTuple

xTuple is one of the top inventory management solutions for all manufacturers aiming to boost their business. xTuple assists in manufacturing and inventory-oriented organizations that use management software and want to use industry-standard best practices.

xTuple helps companies save time and money. It also helps automate and integrate all types of manufacturing and back-office operations into a singular business system. xTuple helps take sales orders and maintain inventory records. xTuple also does a great job of syncing both production and financial data. xTuple solutions have the potential to deliver significant results and improve your organization.

• Customer reviews: 116
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud and on-premise
• Business size: Small, mid-size, and large

WinTeam

WinTeam is a cloud-based ERP solution that helps janitorial and security contractors manage employee productivity. It also helps handle financial operations. WinTEam has a wide number of features including budgeting, real-time updates, attendance tracking reporting, and benefits planning. Supervisors can take advantage of the scheduling features to manage upcoming tasks, work tickets, and hourly tracking.

This software also allows HR managers to record employee details, configure benefit plans, track absences or time-off, and manage work tickets. With the help of mobile analytics, you’re able to see worker’s performance in real-time. You can use charts and graphs to discover various growth opportunities that are based on budgets and revenue generation.

• Customer reviews: 111
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud
• Business size: Small, mid-size, and large

Microsoft Dynamics GP

Microsoft Dynamics is one of the best financial accounting systems designed for meeting the needs of small and midsize businesses. Microsoft Dynamics was originally created by North-based Great Plains Software and then later acquired by Microsoft in 2001.

The software has different apps for managing finance, human resources, field service, collaboration, supply chain, and IT management. There are also different modules that can be bought separately with thousands of third-party apps from individual software vendors that get added to the system to fit extra requirements.

• Customer reviews: 103
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud, on-premise
• Business size: small, mid-size, and large

Acctivate

Acctivate is an ERP and inventory management system that has been developed specifically for the use of small to medium organizations. Important features include purchasing, sales, warehousing, marketing, customer service, and shipping.

This solution offers tailored services for different industries that include food and beverages, apparel, automotive parts, industrial supplies, and medical equipment. Acctivate assists organizations in handling warehousing, acquisition, and distribution. Other features also include picking, packing, matrix inventory, shipment tracking, kitting, barcoding, assemblies, and serial number management.

• Customer reviews: 101
• Supported platforms: Win
• Deployment: On-premise
• Business size: Small

Skubana Software

Skubana software manages business intelligence, inventory operations, and order fulfillment for brands and retailers looking to achieve a multichannel and multi-warehouse business model. Ultimately, it focuses on monitoring, analyzing, and boosting profits for businesses.

Users are able to synchronize data from each sales channel including warehouses, marketplaces, POS systems, big-box retailers, and 3PLs. Skubana software helps businesses consolidate different operations in a singular, cloud-based tool. This software also has built-in FBA forecasting, automated purchasing, fast implementation times, powerful marketplace features, automated fulfillment logic, consolidated order management, and an open API.

• Customer reviews: 98
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud
• Business size: Small, mid-size, and large businesses

Ellucian Software

Ellucian software is a cloud-based software that helps higher education institutions with solutions for building more connected campuses. This software is designed for universities of all sizes and offers solutions for different departments like student services, finance, human resources, IT, admissions, and recruiting. This ERP uses different products like Banner, PowerCampus, Elevate, Quercus, and constituent relationship management that offers Integration and Analytics, Workflow, and Ellucian Analytics.

• Customer reviews: 95
• Supported platforms: Mac, Win, Linux
• Deployment: Cloud
• Business size: small, mid-size, and large