Why This Matters
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. 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. Typically this is complex software and a lot of thought needs to go into your solution if you choose to go this route. You might also be looking for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software for your business.
As with any software purchase, it’s important to understand your requirements/needs, what features you are looking for (nice-to-haves vs. must-haves). Making a list of things you would like to “operationally do” will help determine your software requirements. Do this before looking for a software to meet those needs.
Resources
ERP Selection Guide – A guide to help you determine the necessary steps to select technology that will support your organization for at least the next ten years.
A Guide to Understanding, Choosing and Implementing an ERP System