5 Ways Custom ERP Software Can Improve Workflow

ERP has been one of the most talked about software technologies in the last 20 years. It started with a simple Manufacturing Resource Planning system that helped companies manage inventories and reconcile balances. Closer to the 1990s, it evolved into a system that more or less resembled today’s Enterprise Resource Planning software. 

The demand for ERP systems reached its peak in the mid 2000s when companies realized that it is not only a tool to manage their day-to-day operations but also a feature that differentiates them from the competition. 

The prominent feature of today’s ERP systems is their customization. An existing ERP system can be customized with additional modules, or a fully independent custom ERP solution can be created from scratch to be as unique as the business it’s built for. Read on to further learn how custom ERP software can improve the workflow. 

The number of ERP software products offered on the market is extensive. At Vestra Inet, a custom ERP software development company in Toronto, we custom-build ERP software for clients in the manufacturing and distribution industry looking for unique solutions tailor-made to their business. We offer a comprehensive unit that supports crucial aspects of business operations such as finances, inventory, production management, custom product configuration, online order management etc. Building systems from scratch, we refine their functionalities to make sure they solve the most sore points of your day-to-day business operations

Custom ERP software is used across a multitude of industries. From metalworking and manufacturing to healthcare and food industries. Fore and more businesses consider ERP to manage their day-to-day activities and streamline their workflow. In fact, according to Finances Online, the global ERP software market values are projected to reach $96.71 billion in 2023 and 97.15 billion in 2024. Industries that have shown to benefit from the ERP use are the following:

• Manufacturing and distribution
• Healthcare
• Food and Beverage
• Non-profit organizations
• E-commerce

The job of a CRM system is to manage the relationships between companies and their customers. A custom ERP software is a more comprehensive solution that manages all aspects of a business’s vital functions. Along with finances, inventory and production management, CRM can be an individual module that comes in an ERP package. 

Since their first implementation, ERP systems evolved significantly. Today’s ERP systems are  categorized based on their availability, industries they serve and deployment:

• Custom, Ready-made and Hybrid 
• Generic and Industry-specific 
• Cloud-based and On-premise

Custom ERPs are designed to meet the specific requirements of a business. A business reaches out to a software development company, lays out their requirements and the company develops a solution tailored to those requirements. A custom system is entirely built to mimic a business’s workflow, boosting its efficiency and simplifying all operational processes. 

A ready-made ERP system is a generic solution “built for all”. It comes with a set of modules that target common problems faced by businesses (finances, inventory, production management etc.). 

A hybrid solution is a combination of both ready-made and custom systems where an existing ready-made system is complemented with custom features. Read our blog on the different types of ERP systems to learn more about custom, ready-made and hybrid ERP solutions. 

Generic ERP solution is similar to the ready-made one. It includes the most commonly-used modules and generally caters to businesses of small to medium size. 

Industry-specific software is oriented at businesses in specialized industries. An example of such is an ERP system for the metalworking industry. 

The main feature that makes an on-premise ERP system different from the cloud-based one is the way it’s deployed. On-premise ERP is fully installed on the company’s computers and is available for use to only a certain number of users. At some point of time businesses realized that this feature was a huge limiting factor. So, they had to turn to a more flexible solution like cloud-based ERP which is hosted on the vendor’s servers and can be accessed from anywhere where access to the Internet is available.

It takes anywhere between 4 to 6 months to implement custom ERP software. However, this timeframe greatly depends on the complexity of the system, the amount of customization to be done and a few other factors. The average time to set up a small business with a custom ERP software is 12 weeks. It is also important to take into consideration the employee training period - you will be able to experience the full potential of the system only after your employees are fully comfortable with using it.

The answer is “yes”, irrefutably. Custom ERP is an all-in-one software tool that supports day-to-day business operations and helps achieve business goals. It is also the software that helps companies stand out among competitors. According to a 2020 report by Technology Evaluation Centers, close to 50% of companies were planning to or were already implementing an ERP system or an upgrade to their old one. This tends to suggest that the number of companies that will switch to using ERP will only grow in the following years. 

Custom ERP is an investment worth its penny. If you want to speed up your operational workflow, you need to consider implementing a custom ERP solution into your workflow. If you would like to learn more about how custom ERP can improve your work routine, read our blog on the five reasons why custom ERP is the solution to go for.