3 Ways Supply Chain ERP Systems Are Changing

Business technology is advancing rapidly in several areas. According to an article on the Manufacturing Business Technology website, three important areas in which supply chain ERP systems are changing include visibility, mobility and the cloud. Leveraging these areas in your next ERP system upgrade can help distributors and manufacturers achieve significant improvements in collaboration, control and profitability.

1. Supply chain visibility: One area in which supply chain ERP systems are growing fast is visibility into the supply chain itself. In the past, ERP systems were seen as just a way to manage financial control. However, with a significant increase in outsourcing, most distributors and manufacturers are experiencing a lack of control in some areas of production. Thanks to this shift in focus, supply chain ERP systems have grown to include visibility into the supply chain.

   “ERP supply chain packages have come a long way in recent years, providing advanced analytics and tracking capabilities that can help manufacturers gain control over their supply chain, improve their margins and determine which vendors are strong partners,” the article states.

2. Mobile access: With almost everything is going mobile lately, it’s become a game-changer for many businesses. The article notes that most manufacturers are still in the early stages of going mobile or haven’t invested in it yet, “but the real promise of mobility will happen when it becomes fully integrated into the ERP system to provide sales and line-of-business executives with visibility into product design, inventory levels, assortment planning, global sourcing and other data — all from their mobile device.”

   The value of your ERP system increases dramatically when you have access to your company’s information from your mobile devices. Sales reps and warehouse managers can view real-time inventory and supply chain data from a tablet or smartphone. Executives can make business decisions from anywhere while also having access to the latest information on the business.

3. Employing the cloud: The cloud is the big buzzword for supply chain ERP systems. Those who are used to on-premises ERP systems know how difficult it can be to access data from anywhere and collaborate with colleagues. They are familiar with high IT overhead and problems accessing real-time data. The cloud is changing the way your ERP system works within your business.

   According to the article, the cloud “enables both mobility and greater collaboration across the supply chain, opening the door to partners, suppliers and customers — including smaller vendors with limited IT resources — to gain access to critical data in real time so they can better plan their workloads and respond to changes or delays, without having to manage costly infrastructure.”

Innovation and advancement in these three areas can be mean greater control for distributors and manufacturers, and a successful drive toward better business practices.

Source: Manufacturing Business Technology, September 2013