ProjectVIEW ERP, in plain English

ERP systems are a bundle (a set of modules) of integrated applications. In short, they cover the main spectrum of a company’s operations, aligned with a typical organizational structure.

How are originated?

An ERP software vendor is a company that designs and develops an enterprise suite of applications. Usually, it has one of three things in mind:

1. a target market (eg. SMB businesses, Personal companies, Local companies etc)
2. a target industry (eg. Manufacturing, Banking, Retail etc) or
3. a target application (eg. CRM, SCM, HCM)

A. In the first case, the ERP company (eg. ZOHO) enters the market with a market-specific suite of apps. It recognizes the opportunity of small – personal companies that require an easy to use, low-cost system. As a result, ZOHO develops a suite of applications aligned with the everyday processes of a small company.

B. In the second case, an ERP company enters the market knowing the specific business operations of Manufacturing or Banking etc. Then it designs and develops the ERP based on this niche business-logic.

B. In the third case, a software vendor starts penetrating into the market, starting with a process-specific application. For example, a Procurement application, an HCM application or a CRM application. These niche vendors have deep expertise in their applications. Once they gain market momentum and recognition, they build their ERP catholic-expansion strategy. Good examples are: Workday (HCM Experts), Salesforce (CRM experts), Coupa (Procurement and Expense Management).

ERP Selection Methodology

An ERP system is a mission-critical system. You will invest heavily in it, and you will live with it for … a long, long time. Therefore, the ERP selection process is a challenge. After all, ERP systems are the bedrock of your digital transformation, which nowadays, more than ever, you need to maintain business sustainability.

So what should you ask:

Question -1-—- Does the ERP vendor maintain consultants or qualified partners in the vicinity of your main office (same town)? This is very important because most ERP systems require customization, training and support (lifetime support). So, always prioritize the ERP vendors that have a brick-and-mortar presence within the town where your main offices are.

Question -2 –—- Does the ERP understand your business? Does it speak the same business language (including terminology and I am not joking) that you use? For example, a food and beverage business is very different from retail, healthcare or … even worse, construction. Imagine explaining to each ERP consultant what you do and how you do it, just to configure (or even customize) the system! Then imagine a training process where the consultant explains your employees’ own work to them in tech-gibberish.

Question -3 –—- The third question that you should ask is not so obvious. What is the ‘angle’ of the ERP? In other words, what makes this ERP better than the others, and how does this align with your own business goals? For example, are you looking for expansion? Maybe you need a multilingual, multi-currency system that has a strong e-commerce ‘angle’ and can generate leads. Or are you looking for a process compliance system that will decrease your cost and help you organize your work? Then you are looking into a different ERP ‘angle’, in short, a system with a different flavor.

What is ProjectVIEW ERP?

ProjectVIEW ERP (as the prefix Project declares) is an ERP with a Project Performance Management ‘angle’. In practice, it is a system for the construction industry. It ‘speaks’ the same language as contractors and engineers, and it understands the ins and outs of the construction business very well.

Finally, the main ‘angle’ of the system is to increase your bid wins and control construction costs. As a result, you can maintain a profitable construction business.