4 Ways ERP Connectivity Improves Your Business
A seamless path between your ERP and other systems creates efficiency that result in saved time and money. Such ERP connectivity also provides opportunities for business growth. For example, an opportunity to sell products through a large retailer may require the ability to exchange EDI documents. Unfortunately, older ERP systems may not integrate well with other solutions and for some ERPs there is significant development cost to creating EDI documents. If you are upgrading your ERP or buying your first system, it’s important to consider an ERP system’s ability to connect with other technologies, as this will determine whether or not you can take advantage of the following benefits.
ERP Connectivity Allows a Single Point of Reference
An ERP with customizable APIs expands your capacity to integrate with other products. Many companies that implement ERP prefer to continue using their favorite CRM and POS systems, or have developed a custom solution that they need to integrate with the ERP. Companies may also have multiple web stores. Integration allows users to seamlessly use the tools that best achieve the company’s goals.
By integrating solutions, users immediately have ERP access to information from all systems. For some, the ERP can serve as a single point of reference. Those users no longer have to deal with multiple sign-ins to disparate systems which all have unique interfaces that they must learn to use. They can perform all their tasks from the ERP.
ERP Connectivity Streamlines Processes
Processes are more efficient and effective when your transactions with integrated services happen in the background. For example, an employee clicks a button to complete a process and the ERP calls out to integrated services to exchange data and complete transactions. Automated ERP steps may include transacting with
- Payment gateways like PayPal and credit cards to authorize a card, delay capture, perform a sales transactions, or void reverse payments
- Shipping services like FedEx, UPS, DHL and USPS for rate, stock and privileged rate requests, waybills, return labels, commercial invoices, customs and duties, and international shipments
- Tax services like Avalara to calculate the final sales tax amounts on invoices
Additionally, using EDI can speed up your business processes by 61%.1 EDI documents exchanged between you and your suppliers reduce the time and effort in producing, sending and receiving many common documents, from purchase orders and ship notices to invoices and change order requests. If you use large suppliers like Grainger and Sysco, consider the benefits EDI provides.
ERP Connectivity Provides Opportunities for Business Growth
Expanding your business may mean transacting with large retailers like Amazon, eBay, Nordstroms, Best Buy or Home Goods. For these retailers to sell your products for you, an upgrade in your technology may be required in order to exchange EDI documents.
ERP Connectivity Improves Customer Service
Providing self service options through your web stores increases customer convenience. By integrating your ERP with your web stores, customers can see the most current account information, status of orders, product data and inventory levels from your backend system. Making ERP data visible through your web stores also means the accuracy of information seen by customers is improved, as all your data is being run through one system, your ERP.
Sources cited
1www.edibasics.com