In the first part, we looked at what an ERP system is. In this article, we shall expound on what an ERP is and how it works.
Growing businesses and organizations reach a point where spreadsheets no longer meet their growing needs. This is where Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software comes in handy. It helps collect and organize key company information and assists businesses in maintaining lean, effective operations even as the organization keeps expanding.
The majority of company professionals are familiar with the term “ERP,” but may not fully understand the benefits and value that these systems can offer their teams. In this article we’ll go over everything there is to know about Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), including how it works, what it can do for your business, and much more.
At its core, Enterprise Resource Planning is a software solution used by growing businesses and organizations to help automate business processes. It provides internal controls and insights from a centralized database that gathers inputs from several departments including sales, marketing, human resources (HR), supply chain management, accounting, and manufacturing.
Every business and organization struggles when the information needed to carry out business processes and decision-making is spread out and siloed across disparate and disconnected systems. The work conducted within organizations involves many stakeholders in different departments with varied responsibilities.
These disparate information sources make it very challenging to keep everyone on the same page and hinder collaboration and efficiency, especially as an organization grows.
An ERP system helps aggregate information into a centralized database to give managers and staff members cross-departmental visibility. It gets rid of the issues that arise from conflicting data sources and empowers teams to find ways of optimizing processes, analyze various business scenarios, and provide significant efficiency. This efficiency translates to costs savings, and more productive employees given they spend less time looking for needed information.
ERP systems are a critical tool for businesses of all sizes, across all industries, and have great value when tailored to the needs of an individual business. Put simply, an ERP solution helps unify technology, core business processes, and people across an organization.
The Enterprise Resource Planning system is a category of business software and is made up of various modules, each of which addresses a specific business function. It is not a standalone application. Products-based businesses, for instance, frequently contain modules for accounting, inventory and order management, customer relationship management (CRM), and manufacturing if they assemble or manufacture goods. Professional service businesses may have human resources, accounting, project management, and CRM modules.
Each module pulls from disparate information centers and feeds information into the central database. This is a key function of an ERP system. This central information repository offers visibility into all departments. This allows leaders to compare and evaluate business performance. Through this shared repository, managers can assess and understand the full impact of decisions. Additionally, an ERP helps organizations enhance business intelligence, streamline internal controls, and optimize process automation.
How does an ERP system Work?
ERP systems authorize users throughout the company to have immediate access to data entered by one department. This makes it easier to maintain alignment and keep everyone on the same page. Consider a small food distribution company with several locations that frequently shares staff and stock between them. Data on sales, quality control, and employees from the various sites, is sent into the ERP system and structured to show which location it originated from.
Real-time data is then integrated into business processes and workflows across departments. With this data, operations can ensure that personnel levels in certain locations align with store traffic patterns, while leaders can determine whether one location is much more efficient at preventing spoilage compared to a sibling store.
ERP systems are most valuable when an organization has modules for all key business functions and provides prompt and accurate data.
Why is ERP important for businesses?
ERP systems are now a standard solution for businesses looking to allocate resources effectively. They can assist managers and leaders allocate people and financial resources or optimizing business processes without compromising on quality or performance.
When it comes to planning and coordination, an ERP is also vital. Employees have detailed visibility into customer orders, supplier purchase orders, inventory on hand, and anticipated future demand. They can make adjustments if necessary. ERP software also enhances communication and collaboration allowing employees and teams to check on the state of other departments to inform their own decisions.
An ERP system can make a significant difference for businesses by offering a variety of reports and analytics. As a complete source of data, an ERP can transform a massive amount of data into charts and graphs that explain trends and assist in modeling potential outcomes. It is an invaluable tool for businesses and organizations.
Key takeaways
• ERP is important business software that collects information from several departments into a single database, allowing leaders to track the company’s health using a single source of truth.
• ERP systems integrate critical business functions like human resources, sales and marketing, inventory and order management, customer communication, finance, manufacturing, customer communication, and project management. Detailed analytics and reporting on each department is a key component of ERP systems
• ERP can lead to significant time and money savings by giving company-wide visibility that highlights ineffective manual processes and highlights the potential for growth.
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