Online ERP
October 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under ERP Selection
Small businesses who cannot afford to invest a lot of money in an ERP software solution now have the option to choose online ERP. Often much easier to implement, there is no hardware or software to install and there is no complex IT infrastructure to worry about. It all works all online. Normally subscription based it does not require a lot of up front capital. You can have small business online ERP up and running within a short period of time.
Traditional ERP packages can take months to get up and running, often requiring teams of consultants and expensive training programmes. Online ERP is cost efficient and because it is web based, it is available to everyone in every office of your business, no matter where they are located. Because it is pay as you go, your organization can add and subtract users as needed. As your company grows, an online ERP system grows with you, without the need for expensive upgrades or additional hardware.
Providers of Online ERP will take care of security giving small businesses the benefits of all of the current technology, expertise in networking and up to date security infrastructure. All of your data – CRM, reports, inventory, accounts etc. – will be backed up on a regular basis and network redundancy methods are in place to make sure that service is continuous.
Small businesses can often try out online ERP systems allowing them to see how it will work without having to invest a lot of money. Many small businesses will find the benefits of an online system very appealing. It is the obvious way to streamline your company’s business processes and improve performance without going over budget.
Benefits of ERP
October 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under Benefits of ERP
All small businesses should have the opportunity to reap the benefits of ERP. For years this type of system has been the privilege of corporate and large businesses with substantial budgets. These companies have recognized that ‘one system’ makes complete sense and enables them to more effectively manage their operations through complete and comprehensive views of their business
What gets measured gets improved so it’s essential the activities in every key process in the business can be tracked and measured as they happen. Not only do you have a more efficient operation but you are able to see and take advantage of opportunities, spot and arrest problems before they become disasters and manage your business processes effectively.
The benefits of ERP are clear for whatever the size of the company. Activities are no different in small businesses, Customers make enquiries, sales people sell, forecast and take orders, the work is done or the product delivered, the Customer is invoiced, payment is received, the accounts are updated and the cash is banked. One system to do all this has obvious advantages. Whereas just having an accounting or a CRM system, or even both that are not connected won’t give a single view of the whole story.
Even if a company is small it still needs to operate efficiently. Affordable Small Business ERP software helps businesses operate more effectively while allowing them to spend more time (and money) on other more important business endeavors. They can respond more quickly to their Customer’s requests, improve customer service and build a loyal customer base.
Without comprehensive systems to track and measure end to end processes small businesses cannot possibly perform accurate analysis or ever hope to practice the art of improvement through measurement.
With access to up to date and comprehensive information and cultivation of good business processes, obvious benefits of ERP, small businesses have a chance to improve, progress and in turn prosper.
Tips on ERP Selection
October 16, 2009 by admin
Filed under ERP Selection
There are many reasons why small businesses decide to change from their existing software to a more sophisticated ERP system. Small business can quickly outgrow the software they start out with, simple tasks can become overly time consuming, duplicate data entry is often required and internal business processes can become inefficient and impractical. That coupled with a lack of visibility of business operations and finances can soon lead to a lack of control.
Further growth without employing more and more staff becomes impossible. What is needed is one system to run the entire business and provide real-time access to sales patterns, product availability, cash flow etc. What is needed is small business ERP.
When a small business elects to purchase a new ERP system, it should not settle for anything less than what other larger organizations would find acceptable. There is no point in moving forward with an ERP software vendor who does not offer a complete solution that includes accounting, inventory management, purchasing, order entry, customer relationship management etc.
During ERP selection you should take into consideration both existing and future software requirements. The small business should ask ERP software vendors to describe the scalability of their proposed software solutions. It is vital the software selected will provide the business with an opportunity for growth. Remember your ERP selection is for today, tomorrow, and beyond.
In addition to the software functionality, the selection should also be based on a software solution that is platform independent. By selecting an ERP solution that is platform independent, the small business does not need to worry about becoming locked in to or outgrowing a particular operating platform. An online solution where updates and new functionality are automatically and seamlessly applied can also save future expense on upgrades or expensive add-ons.
Another important consideration is ease of deployment. A solution that can be easily implemented, is easy to use and learn will mean less expense on consultancy and training.
The advantage to small businesses who adopt ERP early is that they can select an affordable ‘out of the box’ ERP solution which they can grow into – using new areas of functionality as the need arises.
We want to hear about your experiences. Please post your comments or suggestions or post a review under our ERP review category.
Small Business ERP – What price?
Once the privilege of big corporations, ERP applications are gaining popularity among small businesses who need real-time access to sales patterns, product availability, cash flow etc. Besides eliminating the need to reenter data into multiple systems, ERP also helps small companies get a better grasp on their business operations and finances. Keeping data in Excel files means there are only a few ways to look at it – when what is needed are sophisticated reports.
In the past the large ERP price tag has been too much for many small businesses. While a small, standalone accounting package such as Intuit’s QuickBooks might cost a couple of hundred dollars, traditionally an ERP suite would start in the thousands of dollars and easily run into the tens of thousands. Not to mention lengthy deployment and battalions of expensive IT consultants to keep them up and running.
Today we are seeing more online ERP solutions for small businesses appearing on the market. Online applications are more suitable for small businesses who don’t want the extra overheads of installed software and need to be able to access their data from anywhere at anytime.
Small businesses require ERP packages capable of scaling to meet potential needs. Buying something that is too small or limited is a false economy. Scalability, in terms of both the number of users and in functionality is essential. Small business ERP software vendors need to provide ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions, with access to all features, allowing Customers to use as few or as many as they want as their business grows and matures. Ideally these should also be easy to deploy, without the need for expensive consultancy and training.
But how much are small businesses willing to pay? What is a fair ERP price, and what are the best solutions around?
ERP Review – what do you think?
October 9, 2009 by admin
Filed under ERP Review
Having searched the net for decent up to date ERP reviews and found little information of value we thought it was time to hear what small businesses are really using and what they think.
Sites such as erpsoftware360.com and erp-software-directory.com are still more focussed on the bigger players, whilst the likes of erpsoftwareblog.com, although informative seems to be strongly affiliated with microsoft dynamics.
Here we invite everyone in the small business community – owners, users, consultants, vendors and anyone else who is interested, to post ERP reviews, request ERP reviews or point us in the direction of a useful ERP review. We hope to build a comprehensive, meaningful set of ERP reviews for small businesses looking for ERP systems - to help them find the right solution for their business. We look forward to hearing what you have to say!
