ERP systems are a bundle (a set of modules) of integrated applications that address the main spectrum of a company’s operations aligned with a typical organizational structure.

How are originated?

An ERP software vendor is a company the designs and develops an enterprise software suite of applications having 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 into market with a market-specific suite of apps, recognizing the opportunity of small – personal companies that require an easy to use, low-cost system. ZOHO develops a suite of applications that are aligned with the everyday processes or a small company.

B. In the second case, an ERP company enters into the market knowing the specific business operations of Manufacturing or Banking etc. and starts designing and developing 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. Those niche software vendor companies have the expertise of these applications and upon gaining the market momentum and recognition are building their ERP catholic-expansion strategy. Good examples are: Workday (HCM Experts), Salesforce (CRM experts), Coupa (Procurement and Expense Management).

ERP Selection Methodology

Based on the aforementioned and considering that an ERP system is a mission-critical system that you will invest heavily and you will live with it for … a long, long time, ERP selection process is a challenge. After all, ERP systems are the bedrock of your digital transformation that nowadays, more than ever is required 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 as most of the ERP systems require customization, training and support (lifetime support). 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? A food and beverage business is a very different business than retail, healthcare or … even worst for construction. Imagine what you will go through explaining to each ERP consultant what you do and how you do it in order to configure (or even customize) the system accordingly! Imagine the training process to your employees where he will explain their work in tech-gibberish.

Question -3 –—- The third question that you should ask is not so obvious. What is the ‘angle’ of the ERP? What is the main constituent that 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. 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’. A system with a different flavor.

What is ProjectVIEW EPR?

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

The main ‘angle’ of the system is to increase you bid wins and control the costs of construction so you can maintain a profitable construction business.