- The same numbers are typed into several systems by hand
- Stock in the system doesn't match stock on the shelf
- Month-end takes days because data has to be collected and reconciled
- Nobody can answer "how are we doing this month?" without a spreadsheet
Insights · ERP
2 min read ·An ERP (enterprise resource planning) system keeps a company's core records in one place: sales, purchasing, stock, accounting and often HR. Instead of each department keeping its own spreadsheet, everyone works from the same numbers.
Common options range from open-source systems such as Odoo to large suites from SAP, Oracle and Microsoft. The right one depends less on features than on fit: your industry, your size, local invoicing and tax rules, and the partners available to support it where you are.
- Have you implemented this system for a company of our size and industry?
- How will our existing data be moved, and who checks it?
- How will the ERP connect to our POS, online store and payments?
- What does support cost after launch, and who owns any custom code?
Often yes. If the main problem is data moving between systems, integration can be cheaper and faster than a new ERP.
It varies widely with size and scope. Be wary of any estimate given before someone has looked at your processes and data.
No. Accounting software covers the books. An ERP also ties sales, purchasing, stock and often HR to the same records, so the accounts update from what actually happens in the business.
A POS (point of sale) is the till system that records sales in the shop. An ERP holds the company's wider records. The two have to exchange data, and that is where most integration problems appear.
- Systems integrationERP and POS integration that doesn't fail silentlyRead
- The RescueLegacy system modernization, without the rewriteRead
- The DiagnosisKnow exactly what's wrong before you pay to fix itRead
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