Crm and enterprise resource planning databases are examples of ________ sources of big data.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) consists of tools intended to facilitate the management of all information that impacts a company’s business decisions. Depending on your company’s niche, you’ll benefit from different functionality available in ERP software. There are several ERP system examples that can streamline operations for manufacturing, accounting, marketing and more.

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This article can help you learn more about what functionality is available in different solutions and evaluate which might be best for your corporation.

Table of Contents

• What Is an ERP System?
  • Accounting/Financial Management
  • Human Resources
  • Inventory and SCM
  • Manufacturing
• Types of Companies That Can Benefit
  • Startup
  • Small
  • Mid-Sized
  • Small and Medium Enterprise (SME)
  • Enterprise
• Primary Benefits
• ERP System Examples
  • Oracle ERP Cloud
  • Acumatica
  • BizAutomation
  • SAP S/4 HANA
  • NetSuite

What Is an ERP System?

Before we get into our list of top ERP system examples, we want to address the basics of ERP. So, what exactly is an ERP system?

ERP software is a large suite of integrated applications that manage everyday business processes and automate back-office functions. It’s designed to centralize and optimize operations with its connectivity while reducing manual labor.

For example, in the supply chain industry, an ERP system could automatically run a financial analysis and predict future stock needs to keep inventory at a healthy level. This process control ensures that the manufacturing department is performing at optimal capacity and in-demand products are in stock. At the same time, the CRM module could record customer data such as order history and billing information.

This visibility can improve sales strategy. CRM systems are their own standalone software, but robust ERP systems come with a CRM built in, eliminating the need for integrations with one streamlined product. In this scenario, a couple of ERP capabilities work together to ensure a company will have the products that their customers want, and ultimately, improve customer satisfaction.

We just demonstrated the abilities of two features, but ERP systems come with several. Below is a comprehensive list, and then next we’ll explain what a couple of these features can do.

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Accounting/Financial Management

An ERP system can automate, simplify and evaluate most accounting processes. What can take employees days to analyze and compute can be achieved within minutes using an ERP solution.

This module or standalone accounting software can facilitate payroll, budgeting, billing and banking operations. It can conduct cost analyses to better manage cash flow and forecast future growth. Using an ERP product to perform these functions can reduce human error and help cut costs.

Human Resources

An ERP solution can not only help with hiring and training new employees but also tracking their individual productivity. Each employee can log in to the system and enter time worked and manage benefits and vacation time. ERP systems can automate payroll processes, removing the need for an extensive payroll department.

HR tools can send out employee surveys and news, provide an online community for employee collaboration and contain the policies and procedures for a company.

Inventory and SCM

What begins with the sales team needs to flow seamlessly to the inventory management team. Inventory management solutions helps companies keep track of stock, set appropriate price points and locate items within the warehouse.

SCM tools eliminates human error that can result in costly mistakes in the distribution system.

Manufacturing

Some functionality included in ERP software can benefit the manufacturing department by providing production control, process synchronization and quality evaluation.

An ERP system or standalone manufacturing systems can also analyze finances and automatically adjust processes based on cost analysis and forecasting. The software can automate distribution scheduling that often takes up precious employee time.

Check out our ERP parts and functionalities articles for more features.

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Types of Companies That Can Benefit

Although “enterprise” is the first word in ERP, it’s not exclusively for large companies. It serves all sizes and can grow with your company as you add more workers, machinery, departments and locations.

Startup

Startups consist of freelancers or employees that range from five to 10. They usually have small facilities like a basement or home office, and they leverage Excel or similar tools to manage business affairs and bookkeeping.

Small

These businesses are typically the mom-and-pop corner stores with a set number of employees that specialize in a certain type or amount of products (i.e., pharmacies, fishing stores, convenience stores, etc.). There are small business accounting systems to superintend finances and other affairs.

Mid-Sized

Think of a mid-sized company as an organization with roughly 50 to 100 employees. ERPs centralize workers, departments, tools and more while growing if you’re looking to expand.

Small and Medium Enterprise (SME)

SMEs play a huge role in the economy and are not a one-size-fits-all sector. Their sizes and industries actually classify them. There are accounting and other solutions that cater to this business type.

Enterprise

Enterprises range from 1,000 to 10,000 or more employees with various locations and partners either locally, nationally or globally. Think Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Walmart.

Primary Benefits

Several advantages come with owning this software.

• Saves Costs: Instead of inputting information for every department in your company, you only have to input it once, saving plenty of time and money.
• Better Planning: Gain in-depth real-time insights on projects and assignments to allocate the ideal amount of employees, tools and other resources with precision.
• Improves Productivity: Streamline and automate menial tasks like bank reconciliations, payroll allocations, report creations, fund balancing and more, so you can reassess your priorities and surge your company efficiency.
• Boosts Department Collaborations: Link CRM, HR, accounting, marketing automation, manufacturing and other departments together in one location.
• Enhances Customer Service: Govern customer satisfaction rates and other client-based KPIs so you can know what’s working, what needs improvement and what isn’t successful.

ERP System Examples

Here are examples of ERP systems that can help you automate your company processes.

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Oracle ERP Cloud

Our first example of an ERP system is probably one you’ve heard of before. Founded in 2012, Oracle ERP Cloud is a modern, dynamic software that’s used by a wide range of customers. The suite of cloud applications leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to automate everyday tasks.

An example of Oracle ERP Cloud.

This flexible tool can be configured to meet a range of needs and can be used by any businesses, regardless of their size, industry, or geography. Their core verticals include financial services, healthcare, higher education, manufacturing, and retail.

Top Benefits

Oracle ERP Cloud offers various strengths that set it apart from its ERP competitors.

Manage integrated info tiles into work areas to supervise operations, track transaction progress and detect issues and exceptions that may need addressing.

Streamline internationalization support by translating numbers, dates, names and addresses into 26 languages.

The strategy management apparatus guarantees on-time collections from overdue clients automatically. It works with days sales outstanding (DSO), broken promise count and other collections metrics and formulas for you to better perceive the progress of outstanding receivables, productivity and prospective problem areas.

Gain real-time authorization to accounting information.

Rank customers with tailored scoring to boost client cash flow.

Primary Features

Merge data from various sources, including BI, social, transactions and more with role-based dashboards. The dashboard infolets showcase KPI summaries in accordance with transaction and process statuses while analyzing cash positions and cash requirement predictions.

Systemize accounting with third-party transactional systems to implement bookkeeping policies and meet diverse reporting requirements in an automated and controlled technique. You may utilize support references to review results and assess subledgers. This accessory can also keep critical information in a centralized location for administrative choices, audits and source system analysis to a central cloud service for worldwide access.

Implement this module to maintain expenditures by choosing suppliers, enforcing policies and managing supplier risks. This component provides you with cloud procurement for lifecycle management, delivery tracking, contract deviations management, a searchable database, amendment tracking and renewal notifications. You can also access:

• Guided-Negotiation Creation
• Online Supplier Negotiations
• Two-Stage Request for Quotes (RFQ)
• Team Scoring
• Negotiation Landing Page with Critical Operations and KPIs
• Alternate Bidding

Work with a merged project management apparatus that provides automated control over financials and execution activities. You also manage capital asset projects, planning, budgeting and estimations and obtain resource availability and their performance metrics for project implementation.

Manage embedded AI methods for automatic ERP role design analysis, segregation of duties (SOD) analysis, constant security configuration and payment monitoring, pre-set controls and control evaluation streamlining. You may also attest auditor compliance and collaboration and gain visibility with vivid role-based dashboards.

Manage supply chains with scale, security, innovation and precision with supply chain planning, logistics, inventory management, order management, procurement, product lifecycle management, manufacturing, blockchain and the internet of things (IoT), amongst others.

Limitations

Although this solution offers various modules and perks, like most solutions, it contains some drawbacks. These limitations include:

• Not having a mobile app.
• Having restricted Oracle Transaction Business Intelligence (OTBI) tools.

Company Size Suitability: S M L 

Acumatica

Acumatica is designed for small and medium-sized businesses. Acumatica specializes in several industries, including distribution, manufacturing, service industries, retail and e-commerce, construction, agriculture, chemicals, FMCG and transportation. Supported deployment methods include SaaS (cloud-based) or on-premise.

A preview of Acumatica.

The system has capabilities such as self-service reporting, document management and approval workflows. It supports analyzing data with embedded Microsoft Excel and Power BI capabilities. All capabilities are fully integrated and built using standard Microsoft tools.

Top Benefits

Acumatica comes with key advantages that outdo its ERP alternatives.

Implement local and international tools, including cloud multi-currency, multi-language and multi-company management.

Transfer historical information from accounts payable and receivable on a legacy system to this solution with ease. This data includes open balances, original amounts and dates.

Respond to demand while simultaneously facilitating inventory and resources for effectiveness and cost control. Employ capable-to-promise to meet customer delivery requisites in accordance with capacity and availability.

Set warranty offers for customers specifying parts under warranty. This tool permits you to leverage multidimensional contracts and tracks warranty conditions such as sales, repair and what’s covered.

Log full machinery and equipment history at all clients’ sites and search for available repair parts in stock. Document quoting, order, delivery, installing and service work.

Primary Features

This platform offers a suite of bookkeeping capabilities to administer financial operations and create quarterly or annual accounting statements. You also gain reporting, analytics, budgeting and planning tools. Other features include:

• Accounts Payable
• General Ledger
• Cash and Tax Management
• Fixed Assets
• Payroll Management
• And more!

Leverage this attribute to obtain a concentrated view of customer records — marketing, quoting, sales to delivery and post-sales support — in a centralized repository. Employ dashboards and reports for real-time sales data to manage everything from forecasts to quotas and results. The customer portal also permits you to communicate with patrons and allows clients to observe company interactions.

Expedite the bidding process with email requests for various vendors. This accessory permits companies to develop sales quotes, sales orders and purchase orders without handling inventory and warehouse management functions.

Implement this trait to govern e-commerce orders, inventory, picking, packing, shipping, returns, customer support and accounting in one comprehensive menu. You also obtain customer-specific pricing, products and variants, several warehouses, discounts, promotions, shipment tracking and other support.

Centralize methodologies with merged e-commerce websites using backend solutions. Leverage the single-stream fulfillment extension for counter, online, catalog and telemarketing sales.

Limitations

Like all ERPs, Acumatica comes with a few limitations. These drawbacks include:

• Not offering users free trials.
• Lacking action tabs on print screens to save data.

Company Size Suitability: S M  L

BizAutomation

Our next ERP software example is a comprehensive cloud software that prides itself on addressing all business processes within one system, eliminating the need for related applications. BizAutomation caters to small to medium-sized businesses in the wholesale, retail, e-commerce, services, distribution and manufacturing industries.

An example of BizAutomation.

It comes with tools for ERP, CRM, financials, e-commerce, distribution, order management, manufacturing, procurement, project accounting and inventory management. It uses a hybrid cloud approach consisting of a private solution cloud that is a tier 1 SOC and AICPA compliant data center, and a public cloud that is used for data redundancy.

Top Benefits

BizAutomation is equipped with vital perks that make it a robust competitor.

Default assigned discounts off lists or markups with diverse costing formulas so correct prices are connected to clients based on their tier as they produce their quotes or orders.

Perform analytics on back-ordered BOMs to increase work order builds, execute BOM reorderings in accordance with long-term demand and rebuild points to generate prompt work orders.

Implement online case forms on websites, so clientele can perform self-produced cases. Customers may also send email messages automatically and link emails to proper cases.

Record elaborate timesheets and input expenses. Install approval requests and integrate this program with project management and payroll expense modules.

Work with advanced filters, including or excluding objects for structured searches, enabling records to be searched from any location.

Primary Features

Alter order entry workflows that align with company goals. Clone orders, build and save order templates with default payment and shipping options and conduct bidding support for diverse configurations with grouped subtotals on the same bids.

Connect external shopping charts from Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce and Magento, among others. You may also receive orders via Amazon, eBay, Jet, Walmart and more. The CSV import wizard allows data importing directly into BizAutomation. The REST-based API, XML document exchange connects to this system automatically to input and allocate information to third-party connection points.

Conduct order picking by particular orders, batches, waves or zones. This trait also packs orders with automatic box selections to choose the suitable box for special merchandise. It also carries out mass invoicing with credit cards, ACH or third-party logistics (3PL).

Leverage material resource planning to consider production pipeline demand and demand for other branches, vendor lead times accounts and inventory equations to dodge production and sale postponements. This appliance includes:

• Kits
• Assemblies
• Bill of Materials (BOMs)
• Work Orders
• Material Resource Planning (MRP)

Draft and apply task templates to new projects. Apportion task priorities, establish dynamic client tasks based on flow-chart logics, line-item mappings and time and expense items from sales and purchase orders to projects. You also obtain Gantt chart views.

Limitations

This system contains a few cons. These limitations are:

• It doesn’t have any tie-ups with consultants or partner networks for sales and implementations, which can cause consumer implementations.
• Does not have active community forums for users to post questions.
• Does not have a mobile app.

Company Size Suitability: S M L

SAP S/4 HANA

SAP S/4 HANA revolutionizes business processes with a cloud ERP solution that has embedded analytics, robot process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities and more. The system leverages cutting-edge technology, big data and works with industry-specific requirements to help businesses evolve alongside their marketplace.

A preview of SAP S/4 HANA.

It’s designed for large businesses and offers a fourteen-day free trial with the Fioro user experience, role-based guided tours, capabilities and workflows.

Top Benefits

This program consists of diverse differentiators that stack up to its adversaries.

Employ variable-compensation programs with incentive and commission direction as you stay mindful of sales performance and upkeeping tactful plans.

Review lease agreements, investments and constructions projects. You can also inspect, manage and restore infrastructures.

The situations-handling extension offers different solutions through the monitor material coverage app to cover issues related to net requirements, individual customers and direct procurement segments for all materials.

Boost credit standing with suppliers through additional funds and enhanced payment conditions.

In essence, the machine learning tools offer buffer-level adjustments with lead time on stock transfer ingredients to guarantee inventory is kept at satisfactory values while reducing capital.

Primary Features

Permit asset planning, scheduling and maintenance operations. Perform planned and unplanned maintenance tasks to boost production and allow technicians to locate, report and rectify malfunctions and emergencies. Maintenance planners can superintend critical and time-sensitive work throughout various procedures and spare parts to analyze costs, breakdown rates and damages.

Evaluate purchase orders, requisitions, invoices, contracts and supplier performance with real-time information. Gather, study and obtain every sourcing data point in one system while carrying out automatic and manual sequences to govern all procurement file types.

Supervise order-to-cash processes throughout all touchpoints, channels and functions with multi-channel, role-based access to up-to-date intel. The contract management tool archives agreements in a centralized location.

Manage diverse accounting and financial close practices, treasure and financial risk protocols, collaborative accounting responsibilities, real-estate management and more. Obtain real-time profit and margin contributions via real-time documenting, predictive analytics and integrated business planning to evaluate profitability and oversee customer experience tactics.

Employ this capability to mull over business rules, material availability and allocation guidelines as you choose product availability promise dates for clients. Integrate transportation management and administer warehouse assignments with asset utilization and throughput with top picking, packing and shipping styles.

You can coordinate manufacturing jobs such as material requirements, inventory and more while simultaneously modifying schedules as necessary. Develop intricate assembly plans and manage everything from BOMs to layout and machine models.

Limitations

Like most ERP, SAP S/4 HANA has some limitations. These drawbacks include:

• Having a long installation process.
• Lacking embedded analytics in all modules.
• Performing multiple tasks requires opening separate windows.

Company Size Suitability: S M L

NetSuite

Last on our list of enterprise resource planning examples is a leading cloud-based ERP software that’s designed for fast-growing, changing businesses. Oracle NetSuite ERP is a scalable, customizable business management system for streamlining mission-critical processes.

A preview of NetSuite.

SuiteCloud developer tools provide top-notch cloud customization capabilities that can broaden the system to fit business requirements or create new applications altogether.

The program is available for small, medium and large businesses in a variety of industries.

Top Benefits

NetSuite comes with various advantages that outdo other ERP examples.

Manage equipped BI tools that mix data with visual analytics to create actionable business insights.

Handle a personalized cloud atmosphere for NetSuite to align with your business needs or to produce brand-new applications. Choose from workflow management, scripting, analytics, web services and other extensions.

De-stress workforce planning and related fees, including head counts, salaries and compensation planning by lining up the company’s needs and priorities with the workforce for smooth objective reaching.

Work with modeling, analytics and bi-directional integrations in Excel to cut and mull over information.

RFQ and native requisition tools manage vendor selections and strengthen product quality.

Primary Features

This tool’s planning and budgeting modules simplify company-wide and departmental financial planning with modeling components, workflow approvals and documentation in a scalable interface. The calculation engine caters to business logic with in-memory collection, financial planning analytics and reporting. Travel and expense maintaining, CAPEX planning and indirect expense allocation are some of its other qualities.

Set a process flow from sales quote to order fulfillment to guarantee convenient invoices and transactions. Leverage the order and billing management traits to merge your sales, finance and fulfillment departments in a centralized location. Work with an omnichannel price management system for real-time pricing notifications across all avenues for customers.

Gain real-time transparency on production procedures such as:

• Sales Orders
• Work Order Handling
• Routing
• Scheduling
• Order Fulfillment
• Product Costing

Intertwine lot tracking functionality to give organizations flexibility in initiating batch sizes during production and draft batch records.

Superintend distribution practices with radio frequency (RF) devices intended to store and pick tasks made by tailored strategies and skills, including:

• Wave Management
• Cartonization
• Cycle Count Planning
• Real-Time Inventory Updates
• Shipping System Integrations

Assist businesses in shopping for goods and services with low fees through channel purchasing for approved suppliers, pre-negotiated contracts and strengthening visibility with current company spending and vendor performance data. Automate and link crucial procurement acquisition and approval and matching workflows to support internal controls and compliance requirements to declutter the procure-to-pay process.

Limitations

Although NetSuite has various perks and accessories, it comes with some limitations. These cons include:

• The iOS is poorly rated because it automatically shuts shown, and the transactional records are not fully operational.
• It doesn’t offer a free trial.

Company Size Suitability: S M L

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Final Thoughts

We hope these ERP systems examples helped you understand the variety of ERP functionalities on the market today. You can learn more about which functionalities your business would benefit from with our ERP requirements template or comparison guide.

What examples of ERP systems are your favorites and why? Let us know in the comments!