Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems and the Future

Over the years, there has been strong needs for every organization to manage information within and without the organization to enable proper Business Process. The unique business process of every organization ranges based on the functions and activities of various units within the organization such as Customers, Marketing, Sales, Accounting and Management.

Enterprise Resource Planning is designed to helps this organizations to run seamlessly by automating the everyday process of the organization through a single software. This means every unit of the organization can talk to each other real-time. Marketing Unit gets the client, Sales execute purchase and delivery of products, Accounting Unit Confirm Payments, while management deploys support and all this talk seamlessly to the same software and database.

“ERP systems, though not known by that description at the time, were first developed in the 1960s as a means of controlling inventory and other basic manufacturing processes. By the 1970s, these systems had evolved to become Material Requirement Planning (MRP) systems for scheduling production processes. Fast forward to the 1990s and Gartner became the first to call these, significantly more elaborate systems, ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems. As a precursor to the modern ERP systems we know today, these systems had moved from controlling the shop-floor to managing back-office functions, including accounting and human resources.” (“What Does The Future Look Like For ERP Systems?,” n.d.)

The Future of ERP

1. Cloud is King: Future ERP will need to consider the cloud technologies such as SaaS Software as a Service, PaaS Platform as a Service, IaaS Infrastructure as a Service (“PreScience Technology” 2019)
2. Mobile APP Users: ERP must be built with Mobile APP Users in mind, considering the fact that Mobile Phone has become the part of everybody’s life. Organizations should consider this as an integral part of their Applications.
3. Artificial Intelligence is the way: ERP must be implemented in such a way to keep the organization running irrespective of time, location and Human Being. Special automation should be put in place through chatbots and automation of the entire business process.
4. Personalized: Every stakeholder or user of the ERP interface should be able to own the application and this is best done when its customized to meet their needs and useage.

Conclusion: ERP has evolved through many phases, so is Human behaviors and interactions. The trend in 2019 and beyond seeks Mobile and Smart Business Intelligence, therefore the need for organizations to consider deploying ERP to synchronize with the lives of the future generation

Reference

What does the future look like for ERP systems?, (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.bluekeyseidor.com/blog/what-does-the-future-look-like-for-erp-systems 

PreScience Technology (2019)