In a previous post, we introduced the topic of Enterprise Resource Plans, or Planning (ERPs). To briefly summarize, ERP is a kind of software, developed first in the manufacturing sector, which links all of the different computer systems used by various departments in your company together in a single program. ERPs, implemented correctly and with attention to the needs of your specific entity, can streamline your business, cut fat from the budget and save your core team a number of headaches that can emerge from the problem of running different systems simultaneously.
As a way to provide more detail about ERPs, and what your business should be looking for in one, this post will discuss four different formats that ERP software commonly takes. This can help you to think about what you want broadly from an ERP as you try to find one that fits the requirements of your entity. Future posts will look at concrete examples of ERPs in different sectors, and the different modules (operations) contained in most ERPs that your business should consider.
-
Vertical ERP
-
Horizontal ERP
-
Small-business ERPs
-
Open-source ERPs