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Aptean Industrial Manufacturing is designed for manufacturers in job shops and dynamic "to-order" and mixed-mode environments. It's suitable for SMB manufacturers in industries like industrial equipment, electronics and fabricated...Read more
Designed specifically for small to mid-sized discrete manufacturers, ICIM is a flexible, scalable solution that offers a suite of fully integrated functions. ICIM ERP can be fully customized....Read more
IFS Applications is an extensive software system that serves the needs of large and medium-sized manufacturers with order-driven and mixed-mode management tools and full integration capabilities....Read more
Deacom, an ECI Software Solution, is a comprehensive ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) platform with a rich set of capabilities and extensibility designed for growing manufacturing and distribution businesses. All functionality s...Read more
Established in 1992, Blue Link offers a robust Wholesale/Distribution ERP system with powerful inventory management and accounting features including landed cost tracking, lot tracking and barcode scanning. ...Read more
For growing process manufacturers seeking a complete Enterprise Resource Management solution, Ross by industry leader Aptean combines robust, specialized functionality with advanced mobile capabilities. ...Read more
bcFood by Beck Consulting is a robust Enterprise Resource Planning solution designed to meet the unique needs of manufacturers in Food & Beverage. This solution is backed by almost 30 years of deep industry expertise....Read more
Focused on the needs of mid-sized A/E firms, Clearview InFocus is an affordable, complete project management, billing and accounting solution. With Clearview InFocus, all necessary features a centralized into a single system....Read more
Aptean Process Manufacturing ERP ProcessPro Edition is a complete Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution for small to mid-sized batch process manufacturers to manage their business operations through manufacturing, sales, inv...Read more
Geneva Systems offers both an on-premise installation or a hosted installation for full access via the Internet. Multi-Language support allows users to switch between languages on the fly for their international business activitie...Read more
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software offers a set of tools that share a common process and data model, covering end-to-end operational processes, such as accounting, analytics, inventory management, customer relationship management (CRM), and human resources (HR) management.
Put simply, ERP software unites otherwise segregated processes into a central data network, helping businesses better track information while gathering insights from across the departmental spectrum.
Here's what we'll cover:
It might be a mouthful to say, but an ERP software system has plenty of benefits for businesses to chew on. Let's discuss a few of these.
In a rapidly evolving technology landscape, businesses that utilize an ERP software solution to streamline operations will reap benefits such as:
Because of the costs and resources necessary to implement on-premise systems, ERP software has been traditionally associated with large enterprise businesses. But with the increasing availability of cloud computing solutions and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) ERP subscription models, the typical buyer profile has expanded to include the following:
To adequately compare ERP software solutions, it's important to understand the functionality each vendor has to offer. Here are the most common features found in ERP software systems:
Accounting | Manages financial transactions with general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll functionality. |
Business intelligence | Uses analytics to analyze and report business data and help companies make smarter business decisions. |
CRM | Tracks interactions with prospects, customers, clients, and/or partners across departments. |
HR management | Manages traditional HR activities, such as personnel tracking, benefits administration, talent management, and employee training. |
Inventory management | Helps companies track up-to-date information about their product supply and maintain optimum stock levels. |
Supply chain management | Monitors goods as they move from manufacturing facilities through distribution centers to retail stores. |
Accounting: Accounting is one of the most basic yet the most developed functions of ERP software. It helps businesses manage and automate core accounting operations, including payroll, fixed asset tracking, and other financial management processes. Because ERP software consolidates disparate business processes, users can analyze financial data from across their organization in a single system.
Business intelligence: To assess business performance, companies need detailed and insightful analytics data, and ERP software provides exactly that. ERP software's business intelligence functionality includes customizable dashboards that illustrate operational data from across an organization, giving leaders the insights they need to analyze performance and make informed business decisions.
CRM: The CRM module manages customer data, ranging from client information and prospective leads to help desk resources and live chat interactions. It not only gives businesses a more comprehensive and accurate view of their customer data but also allows for the automation of client-related activities, such as order processing, so you can anticipate their needs before they even contact you.
HR management: ERP software broadens the scope of HR management by automating core HR functions, such as timesheet management and benefits administration. With employee data and advanced reporting capabilities at its disposal, it also aids in more strategic initiatives such as employee evaluation and recruitment.
Inventory management: With features such as AI-assisted inventory tracking, ERP software helps businesses maintain optimum supply levels while avoiding overstock and product outages. ERP software’s predictive analytics capability can anticipate any spikes or dips in demand, and if inventory levels get low, the software can send out alerts and even automate replenishment.
Supply chain management: The supply chain management module in ERP software helps streamline supply chain processes, from procurement through production to distribution. It includes functionality such as demand tracking, cost optimization, and delivery efficiency, with assistance from ERP software’s real-time inventory monitoring capabilities and process automation.
Among the buyers we've spoken to, the most sought-after features are pretty evenly distributed. Financial accounting functionality is the outlier, with 84% of buyers desiring this particular feature.
For an accurate snapshot of what ERP software costs, download our Pricing Guide.
As discussed in the "Benefits of ERP Software" section above, ERP software provides several key functions for your business, including:
Getting hands-on experience through product demos, while important, is not sufficient to evaluate ERP software options. You need to ensure that your preferred ERP software not only streamlines operations but also addresses business concerns. Engage with the vendor's sales representative and ask some tough questions, such as:
The ERP landscape is evolving at a pace we've never seen, with new technologies such as AI and third-party integrations becoming near ubiquitous. An ERP software system's longevity—and your investment—therefore depends on whether these technologies are baked into the underlying system architecture, rather than tacked on after the fact.
If you're handing over the funds for an ERP software solution, you probably want to know how your money is being spent. Ask your vendor to detail all of the initial costs (e.g., procurement and implementation), ongoing expenses (e.g., support and subscription fees), and avoided costs (e.g., ditching your old CRM software).
ERP implementation is often long and laborious, which is why many vendors offer services to guide you through the process. Businesses with limited or no IT expertise should inquire about such services and evaluate the vendor's response time and attentiveness before signing on the dotted line.
Buying a new ERP solution is a long-term investment and should support your business needs for at least three to five years (likely more). To get the most out of your purchase, ask vendors what their product will look like one year, five years, or even 10 years down the road to gauge its future viability.
As software integrations became more prevalent, a new "postmodern" breed of ERP systems emerged. In short, the term refers to the selective adoption of stand-alone software integrations to form a unified system rather than the adoption of a single, monolithic piece of ERP software. For deeper analysis, read our article "Postmodern ERP: What It Is and Why It’s Important."
Traditionally, ERP systems were hosted on and deployed via on-premise servers. But today, nearly every ERP vendor offers some form of cloud-based deployment, or SaaS. A cloud ERP system is hosted on the vendor's server and accessible through a web browser or mobile app. Read about the advantages and disadvantages of each in our article "Cloud ERP vs. On-Premise ERP."
Successful implementation of an ERP software solution requires significant capital and exhaustive preparation. Without them, implementation failure and damaging financial losses are likely. Here is an analysis of 22 failed implementation projects to help you avoid a similar fate.
Given this degree of difficulty, ERP software isn't a viable solution for every business—especially small businesses that lack the necessary resources. But the barriers to entry are lower than they've ever been, with lower upfront costs and more industry-specific offerings. If you're on the fence, check out our article "When Does a Company Need an ERP?" for a list of telltale signs that it'd be a worthy and wise investment.
To equip yourself with the ERP knowledge you need, give the following articles a read:
Here are few trends in the ERP software market that you should be aware of:
Several software categories are related to ERP, whether as a subset of the software or a stand-alone system that focuses on a core component. They include: