Examples of ERP Systems
In the ever-evolving world of business technology, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have emerged as a crucial tool for organizational efficiency and competitiveness. ERP systems are powerful software platforms integrating various business functions into a centralized system for improved process efficiency and data-driven decision-making.
The following sections will provide an overview of ERP systems with examples of the most popular platforms available, as well as explore the immense benefits of unifying ERP back-office capabilities with integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools for robust efficiency improvements, customer insights, and data-driven decision making.
What is an ERP System, and What Benefits Does it Offer?
An ERP integrates key operations like accounting, supply chain management, project management, manufacturing, and human resources onto a unified cloud-based or on-premises infrastructure. ERP systems provide the foundation for digital transformation initiatives by centralizing data and standardizing processes across departments.
Implementing an ERP solution offers numerous advantages for enterprises across nearly every industry vertical:
- Increased Visibility and Control
- Improved Efficiency
- Enhanced Collaboration
- Scalability for Growth
- Better Decision Making
While adopting an ERP requires change management and user training, the long-term benefits typically outweigh the short-term costs for most enterprises. When successfully implemented, an ERP becomes the technology backbone that drives optimization across organizational business processes.
Many modern ERP solutions also incorporate integrated CRM functionality for sales force automation, customer service, marketing campaign management, and consumer insights. This delivers the added benefit of unifying customer data across business units to provide a “single source of truth” view of all interactions across the customer journey. The ERP-CRM combo powers enhanced customer experiences, retention, and strategic decision-making.
With expertise in the promotional products industry, Facilisgroup empowers distributors to overcome industry challenges and capitalize on new opportunities.
Read our guides on Unveiling what ERP is and Understanding Definitions of Key ERP Concepts for more information.
Popular ERP Systems and Vendors
The ERP software landscape encompasses a wide array of broad horizontal solutions for generic business functions as well as industry-specific tools tailored to the workflow needs of verticals such as manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and higher education.
ERP system examples include:
SAP
As an early pioneer in the ERP space, SAP has grown into the market-share leader, especially among large multinational corporations.
- Origins: SAP was founded in 1972 in Germany and now operates globally.
- Features: Modules exist for all core enterprise functions. Prebuilt integrations accelerate implementation.
- Applications: Focus industries include discrete manufacturing, process industries, consumer products, services, higher education, public sector, and utilities with tailored capabilities for each.
- Pros and Cons: As a leading Tier 1 provider, SAP offers unmatched breadth and depth of functionality but at a high cost and complexity to configure.
Oracle
Oracle has leveraged its database strength to push into enterprise applications and now cloud infrastructure. Its ERP platform focuses on robust financial and supply chain management tools.
- Origins: Oracle was founded in 1977.
- Capabilities: Oracle shines with advanced planning features, multi-organizational consolidation for finance, and flexible reporting.
- Offerings: Product lines cover financials, project lifecycle management, procurement, risk management, and other back-office functions.
- Users: Key customers include medium and large-size organizations across manufacturing, retail, banks, aerospace, utilities, and telecom.
- Pros and Cons: Oracle provides deep customization and rock-solid reliability, but ongoing license fees lead to higher long-term TCO.
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft leverages its trusted Office suite into the cloud ERP market with Dynamics 365, which integrates CRM and ERP together.
- Origins: Launched in 2016, Dynamics 365 builds upon existing Dynamics AX and Dynamics NAV tools.
- Systems – The platform has specific sales, finance, operations, talent management, and customer service apps.
- Technology: Tight integration across Microsoft’s ecosystem, including Office 365, Power BI analytics, and Azure. Strong focus on AI, machine learning, and intelligent workflows.
- Considerations: As a newer entrant, Dynamics 365 is still maturing in functionality, but its cloud delivery, lower TCO, and Microsoft brand help drive adoption.
Infor
Infor focuses on industry-specific ERP solutions purpose-built for specialized needs across hospitals, the public sector, retail, manufacturing, distribution, and other verticals.
- Origins: Founded in 2002, Infor builds upon a series of strategic technology acquisitions.
- Tools: Core capabilities include financials, HCM, supply chain, analytics, and specialized applications by industry vertical.
- Users: Over 68,000 customers globally, from mid-size to large enterprises across 100+ countries.
- Advantages: Flexible deployment models, lower TCO than competitors, and industry-driven product strategy.
Epicor
Epicor targets manufacturing, distribution, and retail software and services fueled by embedded BI and information management capabilities across ERP modules.
- Origins: Founded in 1972, Epicor has over 50 years of industry experience.
- Functionality: End-to-end supply chain plus CRM, financials, manufacturing execution and planning.
- Industries Served: Thousands of customer installations in manufacturing, distribution, services, and retail environments across 150 countries.
- Interface: Configurable dashboards plus insights from predictive intelligence, IoT, and data visualization.
Additional Major ERP Solutions
- Sage: Market leader in SMB space with cloud financials, inventory, payroll, and payment processing.
- NetSuite: Fully cloud-based platform aimed at fast-growing small and mid-market organizations.
- Odoo is an open-source ERP with over 6 million users covering sales, HR, billing, accounting, manufacturing, inventory, and project management.
- QAD: Built specifically for global manufacturing companies of all sizes in automotive, life sciences, consumer products, food/beverage, and other production-focused verticals.
- IFS: Industry-specific ERP designed for manufacturing, infrastructure, aerospace, defense, energy, utilities, engineering, and oil/gas sectors.
- Tally: Popular accounting, inventory, and payroll platform in India from Tally Solutions serving 1.5+ million businesses.
When evaluating ERP options, be sure to start with identifying the unique needs, objectives, and constraints for your business before shortlisting the closest aligned vendors to those requirements from the abundance of market choices.
Types of ERP Delivery Models
ERP architectures vary between on-premise solutions installed directly onto company infrastructure versus cloud-based systems accessed over the web. Industry and regulatory requirements often dictate which model works best.
On-Premise ERP
On-premise ERP systems deploy the platform directly onto servers owned by the organization.
Benefits
- Complete control over hardware and software
- Ability to customize around unique legacy systems
- Avoid recurring SaaS subscription fees
Drawbacks
- Higher upfront costs for licenses and infrastructure
- Lack of mobility from desktop-centric designs
- Internal IT required for servers and upgrades
Cloud-Based/SaaS Solutions
With a cloud ERP model, the platform is hosted remotely by the vendor and accessed via a web browser. This eliminates the need for on-site application servers.
Advantages of SaaS
- Lower startup expenses by eliminating hardware purchases
- Automatic updates and maintenance from the vendor
- Access data from anywhere via secure internet
- Scales on-demand to accommodate growth
- Subscription pricing spreads costs over time
Considerations for Cloud-Based ERP Systems
- Sensitive data resides off-premises unless customized
- Some latency from external traffic/bandwidth constraints
- Limited offline functionality with web access dependency
The right deployment model comes down to each organization’s preferences around control, upfront costs, customization needs, and appetite for handling infrastructure management. While cloud ERP offerings continue gaining traction and maturity in capabilities, legacy custom systems often warrant on-premise ERPs. An ERP’s complexity and strategic significance make it imperative to fully align the delivery model with user requirements during selection processes before implementation.
Core ERP Modules and Functions
While ERP systems share common technology components like relational databases, middleware application servers, and user interface portals, their core value lies in the actual functionality to automate business processes.
Common modules center around:
Financial Management
Centralize accounting operations like:
- General ledger
- Accounts payable/receivable
- Asset and cost accounting
- Cash flow processing and reporting
- Audit trail tracking
Human Capital Management
Streamline HR tasks, including:
- Payroll processing
- Benefits Administration
- Talent acquisition
- LMS training
- Compensation planning
- Workforce analytics and KPI reporting
Supply Chain Management
Oversee procurement, logistics, and inventory:
- Purchasing
- Vendor and supplier management
- Order fulfillment
- Distribution
- Warehouse operations
- Inventory control and optimization
Customer Relationship Management
Sales force automation with:
- Contact list/client database
- Opportunity pipeline tracking
- Proposals and quotes
- Sales activity metrics
- Configure, price, and quote tools
Manufacturing Management
Specialized functionality like:
- Bills of material/formulas
- Production planning/scheduling
- Manufacturing process workflows
- Quality control testing
- Plant maintenance
Business Intelligence and Reporting
Visualize data through:
- Custom MIS reports
- Dashboards and scorecards
- Data mining and analysis
- Real-time alerts and notifications
- Interactive data visualization
- Advanced query tools and search
Rather than attempt to replace every legacy system simultaneously, best practice ERP implementation focuses on identifying the initial priority areas to transform based on pain points and expected ROI digitally. Once mastered, additional capabilities get incrementally adopted across other business units and processes to maximize user adoption success. By taking an iterative, phased rollout approach, the power of an ERP gets realized over time across the enterprise.
Implementation Considerations
Deploying an enterprise-wide ERP solution touches almost every aspect of operations. While delivering tremendous value, specialized planning helps ensure smooth adoption aligned to constraints.
- Total Cost of Ownership: Beyond just software licensing, factor in integration, customization, training, support fees, and specialized hardware needs. Cloud ERPs provide more upfront visibility into recurring operating costs.
- Customization Requirements: Heavily customized systems often warrant deeper custom ERP development for unique workflows or proprietary algorithms. Prioritize custom capabilities before selection.
- Company Size and Needs: Assess functional modules, expected data volumes, and number of users supported to right-size ERP scope and scale. Account for future growth.
- Change Management: User adoption ultimately determines ROI realization. Budget for training and post-go-live support. Appoint executive-level sponsorship and cross-department buy-in.
By realistically accounting for TCO, customization, company fit, and change management planning, ERP deployments can exceed expectations and accelerate competitive advantages.
For more information, read our guide on Top ERP System Integrations.
The Power of Unified ERP and CRM Solutions
Many companies rely on separate platforms to manage back-office ERP while also needing advanced CRM capabilities to support sales and marketing initiatives. However, modern solutions embed robust CRM tools directly within broader ERP cloud suites.
Combining both capabilities on an integrated infrastructure unlocks immense strategic value:
- Single Source of Truth: Shared customer, product, and order data across departments avoids inconsistencies and manual effort to synchronize.
- Enhanced Customer Experiences: Complete history empowers personalized service, forecasting models, and omni-channel interactions.
- Improved Collaboration: Sales, marketing, finance, and fulfillment teams gain visibility into unified metrics and KPIs.
- Operational Efficiency: Eliminate duplication across systems with shared workflows, reporting, and interfaces on a unified platform.
- Insight-Driven Strategies: Embedded BI analytics reveal trends to guide executive decisions on pricing, new market expansion, and CRM process optimization.
By unifying ERP and CRM capabilities on a common architecture, enterprises gain unprecedented insights into the complete customer lifecycle while eliminating data silos across business units.
At Facilisgroup, our Syncore software seamlessly bridges this gap by embedding tailored CRM tools into ERP environments essential for promotional product performers. By transforming fragmented architecture into unified visibility, Syncore solves technology problems to make efficiencies, insights, and growth easily achievable.
Streamline Business Operations with Facilisgroup
As leaders in promotional product distribution, Facilisgroup understands the unique challenges and opportunities within the industry. Our Syncore Revolutionizing Promotional Product Technology transforms fragmented systems into integrated workflows to help promotional product companies optimize business processes.
Syncore’s all-in-one distribution software suite integrates order management, invoicing, logistics, customer relationship management, and promotional capabilities on an easy-to-use platform expressly designed for distributors.
The cloud-based system boosts productivity across key areas:
- Sales Management: To enhance prospecting, pipeline visibility, account management, and configurable reports.
- Order Lifecycle: Streamlined workflow from entry through fulfillment to invoicing and tracking.
- Managed Products: Curated products with preferred pricing to boost margins.
- Marketing: Campaign creation tools and integrated contacts drive new customer acquisition.
- Real-time Analytics: Custom reporting for data insights across the distribution process.
Industry-tailored features simplify previously complex multi-system processes into unified efficiency gains. This allows focusing resources on business strategy and customer relations rather than wrestling with disjointed technology and workflows. Partners amplify potential by connecting innovative software to domain expertise for productivity and growth acceleration.
Transform workflows and focus on business development with Facilisgroup. Contact us to learn more and experience Syncore software designed for distributors’ success.
Frequently Asked Questions
What industries typically use ERP software?
ERP solutions are common across manufacturing, distribution, retail, healthcare, higher education, government, telecom, finance, construction, professional services, and nearly every major industry vertical.
What company size should adopt an ERP?
Historically, ERP systems focused on large enterprises, but cloud-based models now make the capabilities achievable for small to mid-sized businesses. Scalable solutions support anywhere from a few dozen to hundreds of thousands of users.
How long does ERP implementation take?
Depending on complexity and customization, average ERP deployment can range from 3 months for a phased SaaS rollout to 1-3 years for global on-premise transformations. A phased approach is recommended for faster time to value.
What are the benefits of an integrated ERP and CRM solution?
An integrated solution provides a unified platform to manage back office functions as well as customer interactions with benefits like shared data to avoid inconsistencies, deeper customer insights to enable personalization, improved collaboration between departments, enhanced reporting with a single source of truth, and streamlined workflows and processes.
How does combined ERP and CRM improve customer experiences?
By centralizing all customer data onto a shared, cloud-based platform, sales, service, and support teams have access to complete history and insights into buying behavior. This empowers a better understanding of customers, powering personalized omnichannel experiences across the buyer journey to enhance engagement, satisfaction, and loyalty.