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FAQ's About ERP

What Is ERP

ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. ERP software is comprised of powerful and strategic business process management tools that can be used to manage information within an organisation. While every company and organisation operating today is different, they all face a common challenge: in order to stay competitive in today’s business environment, they need a dependable and efficient way to store and access information. That’s where ERP software solution systems come into play. ERP software systems integrate all facets of an enterprise into one comprehensive information system that can be accessed by individuals across an entire organisation.

An ERP software solution system is made up of applications and tools that help all areas of your business communicate with each other more effectively. ERP systems integrate all facets of an enterprise into one comprehensive information system. Employees in planning and scheduling, for example, have access to the same data as the staff in financial management for their specific needs. All data is available in real-time, which enables employees to make faster, more informed business decisions. With ERP software solutions, all vital business functions—estimating, production, finance, human resources, marketing, sales, purchasing—share a central source of up-to-the-minute information. Enterprise resource planning softwares streamline the collection, storage and use of your organisation’s data. The right ERP system can help you collect and store data into one centralised place from areas such as:

  • Finance & Accounting
  • Human Resources
  • Customer Relationship Management
  • Production Management
  • Business Intelligence
  • Warehouse Management
  • Inventory Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Point-of-Sale (POS)
  • eCommerce

Why Implement ERP

Why are more businesses of all sizes implementing ERP systems today than ever before? Here are some of the main reasons and benefits why organisations use ERP software solutions:

  • Provide business leaders with real-time visibility into their operations.
  • Provide business leaders and teams with instant access to their global supply chains.
  • Enable business leaders to identify challenges, uncover opportunities, and make faster decisions that impact different areas of their businesses.
  • Help automate and streamline tedious tasks and redundant processes.
  • Give employees the tools and data they need to be successful.
  • Provide a single point of truth for organisations.
  • Can often be accessed from anywhere (off-site and from mobile devices).
  • Help increase productivity among your team.
  • Make it easier for teams to collaborate with each other, and with third-party vendors.
  • Offer powerful reporting and forecasting tools that you can use to make informed decisions about the future of your business.
  • Keep data secure, and help you ensure that your business continues to operate in compliance with global regulatory laws and guidelines

Many companies only realise they require ERP software solution when their finance software lacks functionality and scalability and is not giving the visibility they need. But ERP software systems help you manage much more than financials. Most ERP software solutions are segmental with applications covering manufacturing management, distribution logistics, CRM, order management, e-commerce, product lifecycle and engineering control, scheduling, inventory and warehouse management.

An ERP system can provide actual and real-time data related to your company's daily operations. Enterprise Resource Planning Software solutions are a hugely powerful tool that will allow your company to manage every aspect of its business. ERP software can save operating and administrative costs, but also systematically streamline your daily operations.

Aspera Solutions key sectors of expertise include manufacturing, distribution food & beverage and services.

The answer of course is – it depends. The requirements of process and discrete manufacturing are different. A small business needs different functionality than a complex, multinational operation. Your industry may have specific compliance demands. And then you need to consider general IT issues such as ease of use, total cost of ownership, vendor stability, technology flexibility and ease of implementation.

ERP In Manufacturing

With many different elements to control, manufacturing can be a complex business. Enterprise Resource Planning Software is necessary to keep track of all the constantly changing information from sales and purchasing to inventory, production and delivery.

Supporting all manufacturing methods including discrete, process, make to order, make to stock, engineer to order, make to demand, bespoke and mixed mode manufacturing; our solutions understand your industry nuances, and solve your challenges

We can deploy and support our customers ERP solutions in the Cloud (private / public) or on-premise.

Some of the capabilities found in the Epicor Cloud ERP solution for Manufacturers include:

  • Centralized customer relationship management (CRM)
  • Cost-based estimating
  • Efficient sales and service management
  • Comprehensive production management and data collection
  • Quality and compliance management
  • Extensive product data management including product revision control
  • Embedded resource and equipment scheduling
  • Extensive materials management including cradle-to-grave serial and lot control
  • Support for lean initiatives
  • Comprehensive supply chain management
  • Embedded maintenance management
  • End-to-end management of complex multi-phase projects

Implementing an ERP Solution

The answer to this is it can vary. Epicor ERP Software Solution can be tailored to suit your specific company needs.  It can take anything from 3-12 months to implement depending on requirements.

For many companies, the period post ERP implementation / go live can be disruptive as users transition from their “old ways” to the new software, processes, maintenance requirements, etc. Aspera Solutions have developed a range of Post Go Live services options that cater to every customer support requirement. Our support team (which is based in Ireland), and implementation teams are closely aligned to ensure analysts are fully up to speed on each customer’s specific ERP implementation and customisations.

Best Time to Implement ERP Software

Every business is unique and faces different challenges at different times, so the question is, how do you decide if and when investing in Enterprise Resource Planning is right for your business?

If you’re able to check off most of the items on this list, it’s probably safe to start evaluating ERP software providers and working to allocate the resources needed for deployment:

  • Your team members are spending too much time on tasks you know could be automated and streamlined.
  • You don’t have easy access into the data you need to make informed decisions about your business.
  • You work with vendors and third-party applications across the globe.
  • You have a lot of different software tools and processes that you’ve adopted and implemented for your business over the years, but they are not connected to each other.
  • You don’t know what your inventory levels really look like on a daily basis.
  • You’re personally spending too much time searching for information, trying to boost productivity and efficiencies, and integrating new tools that are needed in order to scale. Your teams can’t easily collaborate or share information with each other.
  • You can’t access essential business data and information when you’re off-site.
  • You’re having trouble keeping up with changes in regulatory compliance.
  • You’re finding or addressing problems after it’s too late; in other words, you’re not able to be as proactive as you’d like when it comes to identifying problems that need to be fixed in order to keep your operations running smoothly.

If you can check off at least sixty or seventy percent of the list above, it’s time to start exploring vendors.

So you know you need ERP solution but not sure where to start? Aspera solutions can help you develop you list of requirements. Get in touch with us today  + 353 1 461 1700 info@asperasolutions.com

Scalability

In a nutshell, scalability is the ability for your ERP system infrastructure to grow with your business.  It is important that additions can be made to your ERP software system to increase it’s capacity based on your business requirements.