Essential Guide
ERP consolidation and integration
Strategies for addressing ERP sprawl
Introduction
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a term denoting software that automates a broad range of activities that help a business manage its responsibilities. While the applications ERP offers, such as order management, accounting and human resources are useful and essential in everyday business processes, having too many of these systems can present challenges in ERP consolidation and integration.
Many companies keep adding ERP systems rather than face the question of consolidation. But the problems that disparate systems often create are forcing many organizations into a reality check.
This guide offers a collection of our best ERP integration and consolidation strategies. Find out more about the risks and rewards of consolidating ERP, as well as how to know when ERP is out of control and some of the challenges of consolidating ERP.
1TECHNOLOGY BACKGROUND-
How can businesses address ERP sprawl?
Improving ERP integration is often the first solution attempted by companies faced with poorly coordinated systems. Read the articles in this section to get a handle on the benefits and drawbacks of ERP integration before deciding on an ERP strategy.
How to begin the ERP consolidation journey
Once a business decides to consolidate ERP systems, it has many options to consider. For example, many manufacturers have multiple operational sites and need to carefully consider the needs of each one to select the right ERP applications. This article offers insight on the steps you need to take before beginning an ERP consolidation and compares single- and multi-tier ERP. Continue Reading
Understanding performance tradeoffs in SAP database integration
Enterprise application design is a process of weighing the pros and cons it brings to performance, affordability and reliability. This article discusses a recent shift in SAP's strategy on database integration that should inform the way SAP customers and partners think about their application designs. Continue Reading
One company's possible answer to ERP integration
Infor may have found an approach to ERP integration that can link its disparate platforms, a result that has largely eluded competitors such as Oracle. The company's ION middleware, a distributed architecture that uses the Web's extensible markup language (XML) to pass common business messages between applications in a standardized way, could help solve the longstanding problem of integration. Find out more by reading this article. Continue Reading
2Expert advice-
Assessing the state of ERP consolidation
While it's true that many businesses need to consolidate or at least update their ERP systems, they still must be sure it's the right move before beginning the process. Many organizations with offices all over the world believe that consolidation is next to impossible; fortunately, that's no longer the case.
Are your multiple ERP systems out of control?
In today's fast-paced business environment, companies are always in a state of transition. Whether it's because of new launches or corporate mergers, businesses often find themselves juggling multiple ERP systems. At times, using multiple ERPs or multiple versions of a single ERP platform is the right choice; other times, it clearly isn't an option. This article explains the downfalls of having multiple ERP systems and what could be standing in the way of optimizing ERP at your enterprise. Continue Reading
When is ERP consolidation the right move?
In this IT Challenge, Ray Wang, industry analyst and CEO of Constellation Research, explains the key considerations to keep in mind before consolidating multiple ERP systems. Many companies are torn between consolidation or starting from scratch with a new ERP system. How do you decide what's the best option? Continue Reading
Eliminate disparate systems by consolidating ERP systems
Complexity, cost and inflexibility are only some of the downsides of having multiple ERP systems. To ensure an ERP consolidation is successful, there are a few key guidelines to follow. This article outlines the four key dimensions of an ERP consolidation plan, including business processes, user perspective, technology and costs. Find out what other factors come into play by reading the article. Continue Reading
Understanding SAP ERP integration technologies
ERP software sometimes works best when it's connected with a variety of other business applications across the organization. Consult this SAP Press book excerpt to learn more about SAP ERP integration with other enterprise systems. Continue Reading
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3PLANNING AND MANAGING-
Mastering ERP integration
One of the biggest challenges of ERP integration and consolidation is the planning process. Many factors need to be considered before selecting the path that fits a company's exact business needs. One of the most common and complex planning issues is integration, whether it be to cloud software or within on-premises ERP systems. The feature articles in this section provide a deep dive into some of the challenges.
Develop a strategy to minimize cloud software headaches
In this feature, Patty Hoppenstedt, HR for the Village of Schaumburg, Ill., discusses the challenges of cloud software integration. Hoppenstedt wanted to deploy an integrated HR and finance system where all the employment data, including pay grades and number of employees, could be run in the cloud ERP financial system. Learn more about the challenges she faced as she tried to make this dream a reality. Continue Reading
ERP system integration's ongoing challenges
ERP system integration is less of a challenge than it once was, but it still poses some obstacles for IT organizations as they upgrade enterprise systems to support new capabilities such as the cloud, mobility and new data types. Find out more about the complexity of integrating core ERP systems by consulting this feature article. Continue Reading
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