ICT Knowledge Management

answer

 

 

 

 

Enterprise System Recommendation

 

 

 

 

Name

Institution

Course

Date

 

 

Enterprise System Recommendation

The enterprise resource planning system from Microsoft Corporation is the system of choice for Extra sweet sugar Inc. Enterprise resource planning software is a program that organizes a company’s data, automates regular operations, and streamlines business processes. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a software program that helps a company’s cross-functional operations run smoothly, (Pietrzak, 2020). Companies may use this software to minimize inefficiencies and duplications of work throughout operations, exchange data, standardize procedures across organizations, and access information in real time. The following are some of the reasons why Enterprise Resource Planning system is  well suited.

Organizations should evaluate the different ERP modules that correspond with their strategic, technical, and economic goals when choosing an enterprise resource planning platform. Manufacturing capabilities are required for controlling silos. The manufacturing module of an ERP system contains fundamental tasks such as engineering, quality control, scheduling capacity, workflow, and product life management, (Pietrzak, 2020). Second, Accounting or Finance skills enable cash management and other accounting activities to be streamlined. ERP systems can provide organizations with real-time data performance and insights while also guaranteeing regulatory compliance. Thirdly, an ERP system’s human resources modules contain capabilities for collecting and interpreting data on training, payroll, recruitment, retirement, and diversity management. Individual workers and departments might have key performance indicators monitored and measured by HR management.

The following are some of the benefit of implementing such a system. The ERP system’s first advantage is that it allows for concentrated IT operations. Despite the fact that ERP software is often a big investment, it may help Extra sweet sugar Inc save IT expenses and increase productivity. Extra sweet sugar Inc may consolidate all of these expenditures into one ERP system rather than investing resources on many systems that each require specialized employees, support teams, infrastructure, and licensing. The total visibility is the second advantage. Extra sweet sugar Inc senior management has comprehensive access to every essential activity in the company thanks to ERP software, which makes data from all departments easily available. Extra sweet sugar Inc, for example, may keep track of inventory levels on a daily basis, including future consignments and merchandise presently in transit.

Finally, better reporting and planning provides for more visibility. An ERP system can easily create relevant reports and analytics at any time since it has a single source of truth. Furthermore, there is Modularity that is flexible. Except for a few exceptions, each program is designed to work independently or in conjunction with the rest of the suite, (Marc, 2002). This manner, Extra sweet sugar Inc may pick and choose whatever components perform best for them and leave out what they  do not require.

The fourth advantage is increased efficiency. An ERP may minimize the time and effort required by Extra sweet sugar Inc employees to complete their daily tasks, in addition to lowering IT and training expenses. Repetitive manual procedures may be substantially reduced or eliminated with an ERP solution, allowing team members to focus on revenue-generating duties. Data security and quality are other advantages. ERP solutions provide a single input system, which helps them maintain a high level of data security. When combining data from different systems, there are often disputes between sources, yet having a single repository of data improves the data.

 

 

Customer service is the sixth advantage. The firm’s sales force will be able to focus on establishing and sustaining customer connections rather than managing spreadsheets since client information is consolidated and simplified. At the end of the day, the most important thing for a company to worry about is client acquisition and retention. Data security and quality are other advantages. ERP solutions provide a single input system, which helps them maintain a high level of data security. When combining data from different systems, there are often disputes between sources, yet having a single repository of data improves the data, (Pietrzak, 2020). Finally, ERP offers enhanced collaboration and workflows that will help the management. Collaboration is an important aspect of every successful business. By giving employees access to the data they need when they need it, the ERP software platform accelerates the process of interacting with others. This enables real-time project updates and improved collaboration within the organization.

When it comes to putting the system in place, there are a few challenges the firm has to keep in mind. The cost is one of the issues. The software alone can be excessively expensive, particularly for small-to-medium-sized enterprises. A cloud solution, which is generally priced on a monthly subscription basis, allows SMBs to save the upfront expenditures, (Jovanovic, 2016). The expense of implementation and maintenance is the second issue. The cost of implementation can be nearly four times as high. Businesses must factor in the expense of labor as well as the time required for a successful deployment. To fully support ERP software, management may need to invest in new gear, like as servers and suitable mobile devices.

The customizing process is the third obstacle. Extra sweet sugar Inc. software customization takes a significant amount of time, skill, effort, and money. However, businesses frequently underestimate the number of resources required and, as a result, either fail to complete their customisation or go well over budget. The intricacy is the fourth challenge. Some firms may end up with systems that are too big and sophisticated for their operations, resulting in a low return on investment.

Management may prevent the problems by investing in role-based user training and avoiding systems with unnecessary capabilities,  (Jovanovic, 2016). To address the issues, staff would need to be trained on their account details and duties. Role-based training is a unique and tailored method to training that is focused on a company’s specific responsibilities and functions. Task-based and personalized training, as well as workflow and collaboration, are included. Furthermore, a non-customized basic ERP helps decrease the ERP’s complexity and implementation problems.

The following are the top three primary ERP system suppliers. For starters, Microsoft’s Dynamics product line has been a market leader in ERP software for many years. Financials, supply chain, operations, reporting, manufacturing, and human resource functions were all completely linked with these ERP platforms. Second, from the release of its initial ERP system in 1972, SAP has been a market leader in business software, (Bosnjak, 2015). SAP ERP solutions provide Extra sweet sugar Inc with tools to help them streamline their operations and achieve a competitive advantage over their competition. This is accomplished through integrated financial management, supply chain management, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. Finally, Oracle is one of the world’s largest software businesses, supplying database software and technology, cloud-based solutions, and corporate software. Oracle Cloud Applications are based on machine learning, allowing for rapid innovation through a contemporary user interface and a customer-centric strategy.

In conclusion, based on the nature of operations and CRM needs, the enterprise resource planning system will be most equipped to give solutions to the firm. Microsoft is the ERP system is the best vendor, according to the top three suppliers. The primary advantages for choosing Microsoft are the ease of customization, quality support, and affordable price. Furthermore, Microsoft Dynamics GP is still one of Microsoft’s most popular on-premise systems. Others have moved to Dynamics 365 Business Central and Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations, respectively. Many of Microsoft’s products are now attempting to become industry-specific or give an app-based strategy that will benefit Extra sweet sugar Inc.

 

 

 

References

Bosnjak, I. (2015). A concept of information system implementation (Customer Relation Management and ERP) within the manufacturing industry 4.0. Annals journal of DAAAM  and IT Proceedings, 912–. https://doi.org/10.2507/26th.daaam.proceedings.127

Jovanovic, M. (2016). ERP and CRM Data Integration. Management (Belgrade University, Faculty of Organizational Sciences), 21(78), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.7595/management.fon.2016.0008

Marc L. (2002). J.D. Edwards pushes Customer Resource Management, ERP IT integration. Computerworld, 36(25), 4–.

Pietrzak, P. (2020). Key ICTcriteria of Enterprise Resource Planning or CRM systems selection in SMEs in the Poland. The Online Journal on Applied ICT Knowledge Management, 8(1), 85–98. https://doi.org/10.36965/OJAKM.2020.8(1)85-98