Choosing and executing an ERP solution is constantly a key strategic decision for CIOs. Nevertheless, the introduction of enterprise software is anything but insignificant, and in lots of ways, is a risky investment.
When picking an ERP system, 88% of CIOs like an integrated IT system These promise smooth and more steady business procedures. Only 11 % of IT directors choose to map business procedures based upon a best-of-breed approach that uses several tailored options. This is according to the “ERP Trend Report 2013,” for which Hamburg consultancy Softselect checked some 340 small to medium-sized processing companies from throughout the DACH area (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
Key requirements for the ERP system
Ideally, traditional ERP core areas such as logistics, warehouse management, and accounting should be carefully integrated in order to minimize expenses for establishing and keeping interfaces and data transfers in between specific solutions. An essential demand for 84 % of those surveyed is that scanner applications are also integrated into the overall ERP system. 72 % also desire integrated functions for product development and recipe management. 71 % of IT directors also think it would be beneficial if the future ERP system consisted of workflow parts. This would allow processes such as document forwarding, invoice processing, and approval procedures to be automated.
According to the research, companies will require more mobile options in the next 3 years as end users seek to bring out ERP processes on the step by means of their smart devices or tablets. In today’s ERP environment, mobile business situations are especially common in the areas of field sales and maintenance. Mobile situations are also expected to become significantly extensive in logistics and in the location of warehouse management for stock putaway and reduction and selecting.
ERP processes by means of tablets and smartphones
Almost 75% of IT managers believe that mobile apps for business intelligence (mobile BI) will play an essential or very important function in three years. The figure currently stands at 60 %. Mobile BI apps will allow managing directors and other choice makers to retrieve business KPIs and liquidity analyses, for example, on the move, and to access the newest data about company development.
Within the course of typical ERP operations, IT outsourcing services are often made use of. 29 % of participants stated that they had actually outsourced system monitoring to an external company, and slightly more than a quarter said they had actually outsourced the hosting of an ERP application as a managed service. By 2016, a more 28 % plan to outsource system monitoring to an external IT carrier, and one quarter also plan to outsource hosting services. The majority of declined the idea of completely outsourcing their ERP operations: Only 9 % showed they planned to do so.
Benefits of Mobile ERP
Mobile strategies are beginning to take kind in the small-to-medium business ERP space. While mobile devices like laptops, PDAs, and tablets made it possible to work on the road, now employees can use their ERP applications on their mobile phones to benefit from business abilities and understandings.
These mobile ERP applications enable companies to benefit from enhanced quality of service, higher productivity, deeper business relationships, competitive benefit, and more precise data capture:
- Improved Quality of Service – Mobile ERP systems enable staff members to improve quality of service to customers by giving them access to appropriate information.
- Greater Productivity – Many mobile employees waste much time driving in vehicles or sitting in airports. Mobile ERP assists these employees use that time successfully. All mobile employees have tools, materials and information to remove downtime.
- Deeper Business Relationships – Having information at their fingertips assists mobile employees grow business relationships and response times.
- Competitive Advantage – The capability to deliver real-time information on-the-spot to accounts helps organizations enhance their competitive advantage.
- More Accurate Data Capture – Mobile ERP software makes it easy for employees to go into all appropriate data precisely as they collect it in the field without re-keying the data into back end systems (possibly making errors along the method).
Today, ERP leaders like Microsoft have started to develop mobile applications for reporting and dash-boarding to systems like Microsoft Dynamics GP and other mid-market ERP systems.
With mobile ERP, your mobile employees can benefit from the performance, data, and advantages of their ERP application not only in the office– but also on the road. Movement will just become more and more prevalent in the office and organizations must select a system that can scale with their business and also have the capability and versatility to integrate with new technology solutions.
