Is Your ERP System Working For You?

The ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software used by your organization can have a huge impact on the health and future of your business.  However, recognizing when it is time to make a change in the ERP software your organization is using can be somewhat difficult.  Today we would like to share some advice with our readers about how to determine when it is time to make this change.  A recent white paper published by IDG Enterprise offers some great tips that we will discuss below. 

Your Current ERP Work Flow is not Right for Your Business

If you are compromising your best business practices in order to make your work flow fit with your current ERP system, this is a big sign that it is time for a change.  While your current ERP system may have been a good fit for your organization years ago, your business may have outgrown the current solution.  If your ERP system cannot evolve with you, it is time to look for a new solution.

End Users Are Not Using the ERP System

If you notice that employees are coming up with “work-arounds” or creating their own systems (independent of the current ERP system in place) in order to complete their work tasks, this is another sign that your ERP system is not working for you.  These private systems create big trouble data inaccuracies and inconsistencies and can cost a company a great deal in revenue and productivity. 

Your Current ERP System is Costing Your Business Too Much

If you are considering implementing a new ERP system, you will most likely analyze the costs of your current system and compare them to the costs of implementing a new system.  IDG offers this advice: “Newer ERP solutions, especially those with using the pay as you go – cloud based “software as a service” model are priced very differently as compared to legacy systems. Modern licenses are flexible and highly competitive. While you will not base your decision on costs alone, it is important to be aware of how much a new system will cost you as compared to what you are currently using.”

Your Current ERP Solution is Using Outdated Technology

If your ERP system is more than a few years old, it is most likely running on your servers with licenses you purchased.  If this is the case, you would be wise to take a look at a cloud-based ERP solution.  IDG explains, “with cloud based systems, the ERP runs in the data center of the service provider and you need nothing more than a PC connected to the Internet. Since very large numbers of users from different companies could be using the same software, costs come down substantially. You do not have to invest in high performance hardware and can increase or reduce the number of licenses you are using with far greater ease and economy than otherwise. Very soon, almost all except niche systems will move to the cloud platform. You need to begin exploring options now rather than being left behind with inefficient processes.”

Your “Super Users” Have Dwindled

If you have found that over the years the number of employees that have a deep knowledge of how your current ERP system works has drastically decreased, it may be time to make a change.  If you have one or two employees that could devastate your operations simply by leaving your company, it may be time to take a look at updating.  Again, using outdated technology can mean fewer people in the workforce that have the outdated skills to use this technology.

If you are ready to make a change to your organization’s ERP software, contact The Vested Group today.  We can show you why NetSuite is one of the top 10 ERP solutions and answer all of your questions about cloud computing.  If you are looking for a new ERP solution, The Vested Group is here to help!