ERP solutions are systems aimed at the optimum utilization of an enterprise’s existing resources. They serve to record and preserve all types of information and documents that are valuable or potentially valuable—providing added value today or in the future—within a centralized system. ERP software contains an “experience pool” designed to provide solutions for problems that businesses encounter today or may face in the future. Through applications drawn from this pool, or those developed specifically for a firm or sector, ERP systems play the most critical role in solving the challenges companies face. In answering the questions, “How are the right ERP solutions determined? How are industry or firm-specific ERP solutions developed? What is ERP consultancy and what does an ERP consultant do?” we examine ERP software and its importance for companies.
How to Determine the Right ERP Solutions?
There can be more than one solution method for every problem. Similarly, multiple ERP solutions may meet the needs of any given business. To decide on the most accurate ERP solution, it is necessary to consider not only today’s conditions but also potential future scenarios. In addition to the existing experience, standard and vertical solutions, technical capabilities, and scope of ERP systems, their perspective on the future, plans, and vision are of paramount importance. When deciding on the most appropriate solution for the business, it must be carefully measured whether future-oriented ideas can be met by the ERP system. Along with the technical infrastructure, technology, and flexibility of the selected ERP solution, the supplier’s vision should also be a significant criterion.
How are Industry and Firm-Specific ERP Solutions Developed?
First and foremost, ERP systems must be sector and process-independent, capable of responding to all possible needs. In line with experiences gained over time, developing industry-specific vertical solutions is of great importance for both the ERP manufacturer and the user enterprise. To develop an ERP solution specific to a sector, completing just a few projects in that field is not sufficient. More than a few successful projects are needed to bring the needs of firms—which may use or be forced to use different methods despite being in the same sector—to a common ground and reach a solution on the same foundation. Projects successfully implemented by ERP consultants who have gained sector expertise should be examined; solutions and applications that can appeal to the majority of the sector should be identified by standardizing them, and thus sectoral vertical solutions should be incorporated into the ERP products.
Even if firms operate in a specific sector, they require some specialized developments alongside standardized, common solutions. It is necessary to find the counterparts of the enterprise’s business methods and solutions within the ERP systems. However, this does not mean that the ERP supplier firm and its consultants will accept every request from the enterprise into the system without question. Requests that fall outside of standards, literature, and systematic logic should be eliminated by expert consultants or brought into compliance with criteria before being integrated into the ERP.
What Does an ERP Consultant Do?
The consultancy team that will implement the system is just as important as the ERP solution to be used. ERP consultants, also known as Enterprise Resource Planning experts, make a tremendous contribution to the realization of a successful ERP project. From the first day of the project, the ERP consultant provides the most accurate solutions by performing current-state and target-state analyses. To analyze the enterprise’s processes, standardize these processes where necessary, and ensure that the ERP culture is adopted within the institution, ERP consultants specialized in the relevant sectors and processes ensure the most accurate integration of the system and the enterprise. Alongside the integration of the system, ERP consultants also provide the necessary information and training activities so that system users can perform transactions accurately and possess knowledge regarding themes and concepts.