| As your small business takes on new staff, | | | | customers, with multiple access allowed to the same |
| implements new processes and expands its | | | | file without corruption of data. |
| operations, it's important to have a robust business | | | | Report like a 'big business'. Reporting for small |
| system that supports this kind of growth. If your | | | | business often means pulling different data from a |
| goal is for your business to grow into a large | | | | number of different systems and putting them |
| enterprise, start running it like one! Running your | | | | together to form a meaningful, consolidated report. |
| business like a large enterprise will help you improve | | | | This is inefficient, cumbersome and time-wasting. |
| productivity, cut costs and keep your business | | | | An ERP system brings all your data together and lets |
| running smoothly. Here are some tips and lessons | | | | you customise your reports so you can see exactly |
| learned by the big IT operations over the years that | | | | what you need instantly. ERP systems provide true |
| you can implement: | | | | stock control and true costing as opposed to |
| Choose a business management system that is | | | | average costing. Reports such as "job costing", |
| flexible and will grow with you, such as an Enterprise | | | | "profitability", "job profit", "daily labour" and "actual |
| Resource Planning (ERP) system. An ERP system | | | | time" can be extracted from a good ERP system. |
| integrates most functions of a business, including | | | | ERP Systems also let you expand overseas |
| quoting, planning, manufacturing, sales and marketing. | | | | Expanding offshore requires a more robust business |
| One of the main reasons business owners and | | | | system that combined accounting with work flow |
| managers source alternative business software is | | | | and operational information reporting. You'll need a |
| purely due to growth. As a business grows and more | | | | solution that could provide support with multiple |
| staff are added, entry-level accounting systems like | | | | foreign currency transactions, improved stock control |
| MYOB start slowing down and losing performance. | | | | and workflow management including stock serial |
| An ERP system will not slow down as you add more | | | | number tracking. |
| users, customers and suppliers. As you change a | | | | ERP Systems help you to grow and expand At the |
| process or procedure in your business, you can | | | | forefront of any growth strategy is the need for |
| change your ERP system's workflow rules to match | | | | more comprehensive reporting, better control of data |
| your company policy. I recommend you choose a | | | | and data management, integration of key business |
| powerful multi-user ERP and business accounting | | | | software functions and less labour-intensive |
| software solution, built for small and medium | | | | administration. ERP software can accommodate new |
| businesses. An ERP can manages each phase of a | | | | and existing customers across multiple sites and |
| business' workflow cycle - from stock control, sales, | | | | improve business workflow management, reporting, |
| servicing and customer contact to quoting, invoicing, | | | | billing and service provision. The immediate benefits |
| financials and reporting. | | | | are accurate reporting, cost control, improved |
| Implement a virtual office system. Becoming a | | | | business processes and enhanced quality of data and |
| (virtually) paperless office and changing manual | | | | information. |
| processes into automated electronic processes can | | | | If you feel like your business has outgrown small |
| save hundreds of hours per year in administration. An | | | | business accounting software such as MYOB and |
| ERP system allows quick access to all files and | | | | Quicken, then it may be time for you to consider |
| records within a business so data can be retrieved on | | | | taking that next step to ERP. For a relatively small |
| demand. Information can be integrated across | | | | investment, you too can start running your business |
| applications and shared between offices, suppliers and | | | | like a large enterprise. |