Some businesses get caught up in the cloud's affordability and ease of use but bypass what's really in the best interest of their company. Don’t fall for the glitz and glamour that the cloud can offer, make sure that you are choosing the right technology for your business operations. Just because everybody is doing it, doesn’t make it right for your specific business. Making the wrong choices can lead to very costly mistakes.
When choosing an , the very first thing to consider is which solution best matches your business needs. Your software should streamline operations and improve productivity, not make your employees' jobs harder or more confusing. You may not need or any extra bells-and-whistles when out-of-the-box software might meet your immediate business needs. Many ERP solutions can be customized later, as your business needs change. All the fancy extras will just cost you more money up front and distract your team from using the software properly.
There are many ERP solutions that can be deployed in the cloud, on-site, or a combination of both. Cloud deployment removes the need for expensive equipment, a costly up-front expense; however, you will still incur monthly costs from using the cloud and software licenses. Consider the use of both public clouds and private clouds. Public clouds offer the flexibility to add or remove capacity based on your business needs and can be cheaper. Private clouds may offer an additional level of security or privacy, which may not be necessary for all of your needs. A combination of public and private cloud can be affordable, secure, and address all of your business needs and concerns. Don’t forget to calculate the costs for software training, upgrades, bug fixes, or technical difficulties. Discuss each of these potential costs with potential software vendors, calculating expenses over the life of the contract with your vendor, so you can make the best decisions based on your business needs, IT capabilities, and budget limitations.
The bottom line with any software implementation, especially an ERP deployment, is careful, deliberate PLANNING - choosing the right ERP solution, , and scheduling implementation and training to minimize business interruptions. Each business is different and what works for one company may not work as successfully for your business. Contact Associates Solutions, Inc. for additional guidance on choosing the right ERP deployment, without being blinded by the popularity of the cloud.
By Associates Solutions, Inc., Microsoft Dynamics GP and SL Partner out of Kansas ()
Thank you Krista for sharing your knowledge and insight. When it comes to Cloud ERP it is important to find the right ERP software and the right cloud provider.