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TOP ERP SOLUTIONS

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a category of business-management software—typically a suite of integrated applications—that an organization can use to collect, store, manage and interpret data from many business activities, including
 

• product planning, purchase
• manufacturing or service delivery
• marketing and sales
• inventory management
• shipping and payment
• finance

ERP provides an integrated view of core business processes, often in real-time, using common databases maintained by a database management system. ERP systems track business resources cash, raw materials, production capacity and the status of business commitments: orders, purchase orders, and payroll. The applications that make up the system share data across various departments (manufacturing, purchasing, sales, accounting, etc.) that provide the data. ERP facilitates information flow between all business functions, and manages connections to outside stakeholders.

Enterprise system software is a multibillion-dollar industry that produces components that support a variety of business functions. IT investments have become the largest category of capital expenditure in United States-based businesses over the past decade. Though early ERP systems focused on large enterprises, smaller enterprises increasingly use ERP systems. The ERP system is considered a vital organizational tool because it integrates varied organizational systems and facilitates error-free transactions and production. However, developing an ERP system differs from traditional system development. ERP systems run on a variety of computer hardware and network configurations, typically using a database as an information repository.
 
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems typically include the following characteristics:

• An integrated system that operates in (or near) real time without relying on periodic updates.
• A common database that supports all applications
• A consistent look and feel across modules
• Installation of the system with elaborate application/data integration by the Information Technology (IT) department, provided the implementation is not done in small steps
   

Two tier enterprise resource planning

Two-tier ERP software and hardware lets companies run the equivalent of two ERP systems at once: one at the corporate level and one at the division or subsidiary level. For example, a manufacturing company[who?] uses an ERP system to manage across the organization. This company uses independent global or regional distribution, production or sales centers, and service providers to support the main company’s customers. Each independent center or subsidiary may have its own business models, workflows, and business processes.

Given the realities of globalization, enterprises continuously evaluate how to optimize their regional, divisional, and product or manufacturing strategies to support strategic goals and reduce time-to-market while increasing profitability and delivering value. With two-tier ERP, the regional distribution, production, or sales centers and service providers continue operating under their own business model separate from the main company, using their own ERP systems. Since these smaller companies’ processes and workflows are not tied to main company’s processes and workflows, they can respond to local business requirements in multiple locations.

Factors that affect enterprises’ adoption of two-tier ERP systems include:

• Manufacturing globalization, the economics of sourcing in emerging economies
• Potential for quicker, less costly ERP implementations at subsidiaries, based on selecting software more suited to smaller companies
• Extra effort, (often involving the use of Enterprise application integration) is required where data must pass between two ERP systems Two-tier ERP strategies give enterprises agility in responding to market demands and in aligning IT systems at a corporate level while inevitably resulting in more systems as compared to one ERP system used throughout the organization.

Advantages

The fundamental advantage of ERP is that integrated myriad business processes saves time and expense. Management can make decisions faster and with fewer errors. Data becomes visible across the organization. Tasks that benefit from this integration include

• Sales forecasting, which allows inventory optimization.
• Chronological history of every transaction through relevant data compilation in every area of operation.
• Order tracking, from acceptance through fulfillment
• Revenue tracking, from invoice through cash receipt
• Matching purchase orders (what was ordered), inventory receipts (what arrived), and costing (what the vendor invoiced)
   

ERP systems centralize business data, which:

• Eliminates the need to synchronize changes between multiple systems consolidation of finance, marketing, sales, human resource, and manufacturing applications
• Brings legitimacy and transparency to each bit of statistical data
• Facilitates standard product naming/coding
• Provides a comprehensive enterprise view (no “islands of information”), making real–time information available to management anywhere, any time to make proper decisions
• Protects sensitive data by consolidating multiple security systems into a single structure

Disadvantages

Customization can be problematic. Compared to the best-of-breed approach, ERP can be seen as meeting an organization’s lowest common denominator needs, forcing the organization to find workarounds to meet unique demands.

• Re-engineering business processes to fit the ERP system may damage competitiveness or divert focus from other critical activities.

• ERP can cost more than less integrated or less comprehensive solutions.

• High ERP switching costs can increase the ERP vendor’s negotiating power, which can increase support, maintenance, and upgrade expenses.

• Overcoming resistance to sharing sensitive information between departments can divert management attention.

• Integration of truly independent businesses can create unnecessary dependencies.

• Extensive training requirements take resources from daily operations.

• Harmonization of ERP systems can be a mammoth task (especially for big companies) and requires a lot of time, planning, and money.

 
Some Of The Top ERP Solutions Are As Follows:

a) E2 Shop System
b) Intacct
c) SYSPRO
d) Exact JobBOSS
e) NetSuite
f) Exact Macola
g) Datacor Chempax
h) Deltek Vision
I) Microsoft Dynamics GP
j) ECi M1
k) abas ERP
l) WorkWise ERP