While many ERP systems are available on the market in the form of suites, it may be best, for your small business, to mix and match ERP modules instead. Most ERP modules that are distributed in suites are tailored for specific industries such as architecture, manufacturing and construction. Thus, if your business has nothing to do with these industries, it�s best � and cheaper � to purchase modules that match the requirements of your business process.
ERP, in the most basic of senses, aims to standardize business processes and to store all data that your company deals with. And while the original focus of ERP systems is the manufacturing industry, the system has developed to provide for the most basic or fundamental aspects of any business. These aspects are finance, HR or human resource and operations.
Finance is concerned with all accounting processes of a business, or all financial transactions of the business like accounts payable, accounts receivable and of course, the general ledger. HR, on the other hand, deals with matters concerning people-related processes, such as tracking time rendered, labor rendered and payroll. Operations, lastly, deals with the core function of the company or organization. Manufacturing companies, for instance, have the supply chain, inventory, sales, procurement and transport.
It is recommended for small businesses belonging to any industry to avail from the use of the first two basic ERP modules. These modules, if implemented properly, can dramatically improve your company�s efficiency. And if you are lucky enough to find a module that can facilitate your company�s operations, in case you don�t belong to the industries mentioned earlier, you can significantly boost your productivity through an operation module, especially if the developer provides small business IT consulting. This can help you maximize the use of your combination of modules.
Moreover, before purchasing any of these modules, you must make sure that the developer you intend to purchase from offers support, may it be computer networking support or IT consulting. These, along with ERP system or module training, ensure that your ERP modules would be implemented properly and that all functions and capabilities would be maximized.
You can never fully grasp the importance of training and the more focused small business IT consulting until you encounter a problem with your new ERP system. It�s best to have security when this happens.
