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ERP software, the central tool of the company's information system

ProConcept's ERP solutions meet the business needs of Swiss SMEs & SMIs

ProConcept offre des solutions ERP pour les finances et la production

What is an ERP software ?

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software is defined as business management software that improves the functioning of all the services of an organisation and efficiently controls exchanges through several functionalities : financial management, human resources management, logistics and sales management, stock management, production management, business management, quality, etc.  

The ERP system allows the optimisation of company's processes by setting up a single database (crucial point) which collects and manages data for the various users.  ERP software is above all a decision-making tool for the company and allows, among other things : 

  • Industrial management to better plan and schedule the production 
  • The purchasing/procurement department to anticipate needs and negotiate as accurately as possible 
  • General management to know the performance of the company and to make relevant strategic choices 

As you can see, ERP software can be considered as the "backbone" of the company because it directly impacts its performance by improving the overall management and by allowing a complete analysis of the  activity.

Why implement an ERP software ?

When a company reaches a certain level of organisational complexity and has to deal with a large volume of data, the implementation of an ERP software becomes an imperative and an obvious choice. A large number of tasks can be automated and all data can be centralised in a single management tool. Thus, you will avoid spending time exchanging files from one department to another and making data re-entry errors! 

Regardless of the industry and size of the company, ERP software is essential for companies that want to save time, increase performance and remain competitive in their market. 

The main strength of an ERP solution is its coverage of business needs and its integration to help achieve the objectives defined by the company's strategy. Users in each business function become more autonomous and productive, with centralised data giving them access to the information they need to perform their tasks efficiently. For management and departmental managers, advanced reporting capabilities make it easy to monitor business activity in real time and make the right decisions. 

Keep in mind that ERP software is an enabler! If your current system is not able to support your needs and achieve your business and competitive objectives, it is time to start an ERP selection process. 

By embarking on an ERP project, you will be challenging the entire way your company operates and how it currently manages data.  

As a rule, when you ask yourself the question "should my company change its management software?", it is because : 

  1. You need new features that your current tool does not offer
  2. You are unable to support the growth of your business because the technology used by your software is becoming obsolete
  3. You notice a loss of motivation and productivity of your users due to an outdated ergonomics, a software interface that has become unintuitive or flexible
  4. You feel that there is a gap in the information/indicators for steering the activity

How to choose your future ERP system?

There are different types of ERP solutions on the market, offered by editors and/or integrators of different sizes : universal or generalist ERP systems, ERP systems designed or adapted to industrial companies (known as vertical ERP) or to specific types of manufacturing (production by the job, by stock, by plan, by order, etc.). Some ERP software can be installed on servers within the company or hosted remotely in the Cloud.

ERP software that fits your needs

The choice of a business management software is complex and you will need to define and formulate your needs precisely by means of a specification before starting a comparison of the existing solutions on the market.

The most important criteria to consider when choosing an ERP system is its functional suitability. The system must meet the specific needs of the company and be in line with the business processes and daily tasks of the users. One way to check the compatibility of the pre-selected ERP solutions is to have access to the list of customer references in your company's sector of activity and ideally to be able to visit one of these customers to see how the information system works in real life. 

The choice of an ERP must also be made according to the development plan of the ERP software over time (Roadmap), which presents the modifications, extensions, new features and strategic intentions of the publisher. Workarounds to compensate for the publisher's lack of responsiveness to market needs are always possible, but they are generally temporary, costly and therefore disadvantageous for the company. They isolate the domain concerned from the ERP ecosystem and should be avoided wherever possible. 

To find the ERP software that best meets your company's current and future needs, focus on the suitability and adaptability of the systems, as well as the reliability and flexibility of the vendor and/or integrator you trust.

Réunion projet ERP

An ERP provider that understands you

Evaluating and choosing the right ERP provider is a key step in the project. Use a competent in-house team to identify a reasonable number of potential candidates or hire a specialist consultancy firm to help you choose your future business management software. 

Be sure to include key people in the company, whether they are department managers or leaders in their respective areas of responsibility, in the evaluation phase of ERP providers. Making sure they are actively involved in the selection process of the future ERP system is the best way to ensure their participation and to create the ownership that is essential for the ERP software to be accepted and properly implemented. 

Editor or integrator, which should you choose for your ERP project ? Two cases correspond to current practices:

  • The editor who works with international or local integration companies with whom he has established partnership contracts. The ERP software publisher is responsible for the proper functioning of the tool, while the integrator is responsible for its customisation, installation and training.
  • The editor who is also the ERP integrator. It will assist its customers in integrating the tool with its own resources and will guarantee the proper implementation of the management tool, according to the requirements given by its customers. In this case, the areas of responsibility are clearly defined. The implementation plan and schedule are established between the two parties.

What is the cost of an ERP and its ROI?

Every company invests in a project, a tool or an equipment in order to obtain a potential return on investment(ROI) which must be defined beforehand and which must be measurable as far as possible. The implementation of an ERP software can offer the company : 

  • A reduction in production costs 
  • Increased efficiency in exchanges, processes 
  • Better use of resources/equipment 
  • Respect for production deadlines 
  • Improved service and customer satisfaction 
  • Optimisation of the organisation and working hours of employees 
  • Better cash-flow 
  • Monitoring of customer payments 
  • Better product quality 
  • Higher employee satisfaction 
  • Lower employee turnover 
  • A reduction or at least an optimisation of stocks  
  • A reduction in the cost of purchasing materials 
  • Etc. 

In general, companies planning to install ERP software have carried out a cost-benefit analysis to compare the potential expenditure with the return on investment and thus predict the budget they can afford to invest in their ERP project.

The TCO - Total Cost of Ownership - of the ERP is calculated according to the project investments (licences, equipment, training, investment in time of internal and external resources) to which are added the maintenance expenses of the software package. This cost is evaluated over the useful life of the ERP, i.e. between 5 and 10 years. It is important to emphasize that a correctly chosen and installed information system can have a useful life of more than ten years, provided that the software publisher is able to ensure that the ERP software is maintained in operational condition and that it is regularly enhanced with functionalities adapted to new laws and practices. The choice of the company to fully own the components of its ERP finds an alternative with the Cloud solutions available on the market which offer a range of interesting options to consider and compare.

ProConcept, a complete ERP system for Swiss companies

Editor & integrator of sustainable Swiss ERP solutions dedicated to SMEs and large groups looking for an efficient ERP software, ProConcept covers large functional domains with a knowledge of the market needs and a continuous improvement applied to the product. 

Adapted to medium and large companies active in various sectors such as services, trade, parapublic and industry (watchmaking, machine tools, electronics, industrial mechanics, MedTech), ProConcept's ERP systems can easily be adapted to the evolution and growth of each company.

ERP software known for its rich functionality

ProConcept ERP systems are ideally suited to industrial companies, as well as to companies wishing to integrate advanced financial engineering capabilities and HR solutions. The ability to adapt to complex processes and to customise the standard makes our ERP solutions a safe bet.

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