Enterprise Resource Planning is no longer what it used to be…
ERP systems are still the lifeblood of a company. Selection, introduction and deployment can be the decisive factor of the success or failure of a company. But anyone who chose an ERP system years ago may find themselves in a prison today. Not every ERP provider can keep up with the pace of technology trends.
ONE EXAMPLE: For eleven years, the Center for Enterprise Research in Potsdam has been evaluating the “ERP system of the year” in various categories. It is interesting to note that the criteria used to select an ERP system as the best has changed rapidly in recent years. Half a decade ago, industry suitability was the most important criterion; today, it is cloud computing, the Internet of Things and digitization. And that’s exactly right – if you chose an ERP system six months ago, you probably didn’t have these trends on your screen yet.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE: For the second time, the ERP working group in the high-tech association Bitkom has compiled its findings on the subject of Enterprise Resource Planning in a position paper. The bottom line is that the architecture of ERP systems is (once again) being completely redesigned. Formerly monolithic software architectures must open up to third-party applications. Internal processes are merged with external processes. That’s what digitalization wants. In the end, ERP systems are not self-contained solutions, but open platforms as we know them from app stores. Everyone can add functions and integrate them via APIs.
The authors* see the ERP systems of the future as integration platforms where – like a shopping mall – additional functions can be booked. Of course, this leads to completely new business models. The way software is purchased, introduced and used in the future differs significantly from the good old days of standardized application development.
The selection procedures are also changing. Anyone who chooses an ERP provider today connects with it for years, if not decades. Anyone who chooses an ERP platform in the future will also select it according to the potential that thousands of additional developers represent with their solutions. ERP solutions thus become an ecosystem that functions similarly to open source. Except there’s still someone who is responsible for this whole thing…
But let’s face it: Which supplier is almost ready today? Salesforce may be on the right track with its own ecosystem of add-on solutions. Microsoft, which sells its Dynamics almost exclusively through partners who have added their own additions? SAP with its global partner network? Many see SAP in particular as an example of a lack of flexibility when it comes to integrating third-party software.
The solution is so obvious: the actesy framework is predesigned to open monolithic systems and make them available for solutions from third parties. We achieve this by setting up our own flat database on the database and building new application towers on it. Using APIs we can connect eCommerce functions as well as mobile solutions for smartphones and tablets. Actesy is the way to the ERP platform – fast and secure!
Our promise is: We secure your investments because we are fast, flexible and innovative. Skeptical? Then test us. We look forward to hearing from you at info@actesy.com
See you on your next digital project.
Among others Dirk Bingler, Managing Director of the CIS Group, and Dr. Karsten Sontow, CEO of Trovarit AG
