| Successful initiatives to streamline operations are of | | | | the global business landscape. To remain competitive, |
| paramount importance to companies and the key | | | | companies must leverage their information assets |
| tool to make this happen for many companies lie in | | | | across the entire enterprise, and ERP packages |
| the tools and benefits offered by technology | | | | promise to provide the required enterprise-wide |
| solutions, specifically enterprise system applications or | | | | backbone. The unified framework provided by ERP |
| ERP software solutions. Information in organizations is | | | | packages and the business processes they support |
| often spread across numerous home grown | | | | are the result of a balancing act between |
| computer. With the advent of E-Business and the | | | | standardization and discipline on the one hand, and |
| need to leverage multiple sources of information | | | | flexibility and agility on the other. This balance is being |
| within the enterprise, ERP software has emerged as | | | | tipped by the increasing emphasis on front-end, |
| a major area of interest for many businesses. ERP is | | | | customer-focussed applications, and by the growing |
| a software architecture that facilitates the flow of | | | | importance of electronic commerce and |
| information among the different functions within an | | | | inter-enterprise business networks. |
| enterprise and facilitates information sharing across | | | | Selecting and implementing a new ERP system, and |
| organizational units and geographical locations. | | | | the process changes that go with it, is unquestionably |
| Major Benefits | | | | a complex undertaking. Regardless of your size and |
| * A primary benefit of ERP is easier access | | | | perceived resources, an |
| to reliable, integrated information. A related benefit is | | | | ERP implementation is not something that should be |
| the elimination of redundant data and the | | | | approached without a great deal of careful planning. |
| rationalization of processes, which result in substantial | | | | It should be a fact-based process that brings you to |
| cost savings. | | | | a point where you can make a comfortable, |
| * It enables decision-makers to have an | | | | well-informed decision. The process requires an |
| enterprise-wide view of the information they need in | | | | objective and comprehensive methodology to guide |
| a timely, reliable and consistent fashion. The system | | | | you through the selection process. This does not |
| provides consistency, visibility and transparency | | | | mean you should use voluminous predetermined |
| across the entire enterprise. | | | | questionnaires that do not recognize your specific |
| * The integration among business functions | | | | needs. Rather, it means your evaluation and selection |
| facilitates communication and information sharing, | | | | process should be based on your own strategy and |
| leading to dramatic gains in productivity and speed. | | | | business process model. |
| Typical functions which an ERP automate are: | | | | Whether your growth plans include buying and selling |
| - Financial Accounting | | | | in the global marketplace, adding more talent to your |
| - Purchase/Sales Order Management | | | | team, or expanding your services, ERP has the tools |
| - Inventory Management | | | | and the flexibility to successfully accelerate your |
| - Project Job Costing | | | | business expansion and streamline existing business |
| - Manufacturing | | | | and operational processes thereby improving |
| - Reporting | | | | efficiency and productivity. |
| In the last decade, ERP software has exploded into | | | | |