Enterprise Resource Planning:

Gone are the days where Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) software was used by only MNCs or brands that generate its revenue in millions. If you have a company where you need to integrate several tools to manage various operations related to finance, HR, marketing, manufacturing, sales and more, you can say yes to ERP tools now without any second thoughts and get all the benefits that come with having all the operational tools consolidated into a single ERP system.

For starters, ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning software is a tool using which you can combine several tools needed to operate your business, into a single integrated interface. Even though the above-mentioned operations like marketing, manufacturing, HR, and all are the common features, you can also get custom modules that you need in your business.

ERP For Small Scale Businesses

As it is mentioned earlier, when it all started, ERP tools were considered only by large scale enterprises. This was mainly due to the complexity that came with these tools and also the modules that came with these tools were a bit too much for small businesses. Using such tools required a higher level of technical proficiency. But when ERPs got widespread, many new and existing brands stepped up and came with lighter ERP tools that were perfect for small scale businesses.

The modularity of ERPs changed the entire landscape and it paved a way for businesses to get what they need, not what they are offered. This is where the question of pricing can also be answered. For example, a small business that has just got started does not need the same modules in ERP, as a multinational company would need. And the price that an MNC would pay for all those features, which they need, is not a big deal for them. But for small scale businesses, the pricing of all those modules can be a bit too much, and paying for features that you never use does not really make any sense.

Therefore, when you are looking for an ERP for your business, you need to list down all the modules that you need and everything must be thoroughly listed down with discussion with the managers handling different operations and then after considering all the aspects, you must choose the one that offers the best value for the money you spend.

Since its existence from the late ’90s, ERP systems have undergone different phases of changes with the introduction of cloud technology being the most drastic and most beneficial. We can call this one of the prime reasons why the use of ERPs in small scale industries has been possible. It the modularity that has made it possible to deploy ERP in small scale businesses at affordable pricing. As you know, on-premises software comes with a heavy price tag as opposed to subscription-based licensing.

Therefore, considering the fact that you run a small scale business, we highly recommend you cloud-based ERP tools over on-premises tools. This is mainly due to the pricing and also because having too many modules require expert training on how to use such tools and can be overwhelming for beginners or people who are not used to such interfaces.