ERP system development for business needs
The project begins with an analysis of processes and requirements. Following this, the ERP architecture, functional modules, user roles, integrations, and data migration procedures are defined. The team then moves on to design, development, testing, and implementation of the ERP. This approach helps launch the system according to a clear plan and anticipate future scalability.
A custom ERP is designed around a company's actual processes. The team doesn't try to fit existing work into the constraints of a finished product if those constraints interfere with sales, production, logistics, or management. First, operations and the links between departments are documented, and only then is the system's functionality defined.
ERP can consolidate data on customers, orders, suppliers, inventory, production assignments, payments, and employee performance in a single environment. A unified database reduces the amount of repetitive information entry and helps departments work with the same, up-to-date metrics.
At the same time, creating an ERP system doesn't require transferring all of the company's processes to the new product. Functionality can be divided into stages, starting with critical modules and expanding the system after launch. This option is especially convenient for projects that require simultaneously maintaining existing services and gradually replacing manual operations.
When do you need your own ERP system?
Developing a custom ERP is justified when standard solutions require too many workarounds or don't support the required business logic. This situation often arises after a company grows: employees continue to use Excel, CRM, accounting software, warehouse services, and internal spreadsheets, with data being transferred between them manually.
The problem becomes more pronounced once a company has multiple warehouses, branches, sales lines, or complex production. Management must collect reports from multiple sources, employees re-enter the same data, and changing a single process requires manual edits across multiple systems.
ERP system development is also suitable for companies with a large number of in-house procedures. If work depends on non-standard approval sequences, calculations, production operations, or integrations, a custom ERP can be designed specifically to meet these requirements.
Custom ERP or ready-made solution?
A ready-made ERP system launches faster if the company's processes are standard and fit within the functionality of the selected product. This option is often suitable for businesses that are comfortable working within the existing platform and don't plan to significantly change its internal logic.
Custom ERP requires separate design and development, but offers greater control over architecture, functionality, and integrations. The solution is selected after analyzing processes, budget, scalability requirements, and system ownership costs.
| Criterion | Ready-made ERP | Custom ERP |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first launch | Usually shorter | Depends on the scope of development |
| Business logic | Limited by platform | Designed for the company |
| Integrations | Dependent on available connectors and APIs | Developed for the required infrastructure |
| Scaling | Within the product's capabilities | Taken into account when designing architecture |
| Changing processes | Often requires business adaptation | The system can change along with the processes |
| Initial costs | Usually lower | Usually higher due to custom development |
The selection and implementation of an ERP system should be considered together. Even a suitable off-the-shelf product will require configuration, data migration, integration, and employee training, so comparing options based solely on license price is insufficient.
What modules can be included in ERP?
The composition of an ERP system depends on the company's structure and the project's objectives. There is no universal set of modules: a manufacturing business requires one set of logic, an online store another, and a service company may not require a full-fledged production framework at all.
During the analysis phase, we determine which processes should be included in the initial version of the product. Other modules can be added later if the ERP architecture allows for further development.
Finance and accounting
The financial module can include budgets, payments, receivables and payables, cash flow planning, and management reporting. Accounting can remain in a separate, dedicated system and receive the necessary data through integration.
This approach reduces the risk of duplicating functions. The ERP stores operational business logic, while statutory reporting remains in the software used by the accounting department.
Sales and CRM
The sales module stores clients, deals, quotes, orders, and manager work history. If the company already uses a CRM, it can be kept as a separate system and connected via CRM and ERP integration.
In this case, the CRM is responsible for managing leads and sales, while the ERP receives confirmed orders, financial data, stock levels, and fulfillment statuses. The reverse flow provides managers with up-to-date information without manual copying.
Procurement and supplier management
ERP helps manage demand, purchase requisitions, supplier proposals, payment terms, and delivery dates. The approval process can be linked to budgets, inventory, and production plans.
The system stores supply history and helps compare actual data with the plan. Specific supplier selection rules remain part of the company's internal process.
Warehouse and inventory management
The warehouse module tracks stock levels, reservations, transfers, and stocktaking. If you have multiple warehouses, the system stores data separately for each location and takes into account product availability.
If warehouse logic is complex, integration with a WMS is used. The ERP transmits orders and necessary reference data, and the WMS manages placement, picking, movement, and other operations within the warehouse.
Production
The production module links product demand with materials, equipment, and personnel. Depending on the project, the system can take into account bills of materials, production routes, resource utilization, deadlines, and production costs.
For detailed management of production operations, MES and ERP integration is used. The ERP manages resources, orders, and planning, while the MES receives tasks and returns information on actual execution.
Logistics
The logistics module stores shipments, addresses, delivery statuses, and associated documents. For companies with complex transport logic, ERP integration with a TMS is used, where routes are calculated and shipments are monitored.
In this case, the ERP receives delivery statuses, costs, and results. This connects logistics with sales, warehouse, and financial data.
HR and personnel management
HRM functionality may include employee records, departments, roles, working hours, and team workload. The specific features depend on whether a full-fledged HR framework or just data for internal processes is required.
If a company already uses a specialized HRM system, data can be accessed via an API. Duplicating the entire functionality of an existing product within an ERP system usually doesn't make sense.
BI and analytics
The BI module collects metrics from various parts of the ERP and displays them in reports. Separate dashboards can be set up for managers covering finance, sales, production, procurement, and other areas.
If complex analytics are required, the ERP integrates with an external BI platform. This option is convenient for large numbers of sources and specific data model requirements.
Stages of ERP system development
The ERP development process begins with process analysis and ends with the launch of a working system. Individual stages can be completed in parallel, but it's best to define the requirements, architecture, and integrations before active development begins.
The ERP development life cycle depends on the project's scale, team composition, and the chosen approach. For a complex system, the roadmap is typically broken down into modules so the business can gradually adopt functionality.
Business process analysis
The team examines the current workflow of departments, the systems they use, documents, and data transfer points. The goal of the analysis is to understand which operations need to be automated and where delays, errors, or duplicate entries are occurring.
Interviews are conducted with employees who actually work with the processes. A management framework alone is insufficient, as the actual sequence of actions may differ from the formal regulations.
Formulation of requirements and technical specifications
The ERP development specifications document functional and non-functional requirements. The document includes roles, operations, data, integrations, constraints, performance requirements, and acceptance criteria.
The feature set of the first version is also determined. This approach helps control the project's scope and reduces the number of changes that occur during development.
Architectural design
ERP architecture describes modules, databases, APIs, integrations, and scalability options. At this stage, a decision is made on the system's deployment: cloud ERP, on-premises infrastructure, or a combination of both.
Cloud-based ERP implementation is convenient when a company needs a flexible infrastructure without hosting servers on-premises. On-premise is chosen based on internal requirements for infrastructure, security, or data management.
Prototyping and UX/UI
A prototype demonstrates key scenarios before full frontend development begins. It is used to check forms, tables, navigation, and user flows.
Employees often use ERP systems for several hours a day, so unnecessary actions quickly become a waste of time. The interface is designed based on roles and frequency of operations.
ERP development
During the development phase, the backend, frontend, business logic, databases, user roles, and APIs are created. Functionality is typically divided into sprints or individual modules to allow for regular testing of the results.
The best platform for ERP development is chosen based on project requirements, not technology popularity. The stack should consider performance, ongoing maintenance, team competencies, and integration workload.
Integration
ERP integration services include developing and configuring exchanges with external systems. Before launch, successful synchronization scenarios are tested, as well as situations where one of the systems is unavailable or transmits incorrect data.
For complex projects, it's useful to maintain separate integration documentation. It details API methods, fields, statuses, exchange schedules, and resend rules.
Data migration
Data migration in ERP implementation begins with a source inventory. Data is cleaned, mapped to the new structure, and undergoes a test migration before the final migration.
Duplicates, outdated records, and reference data are checked separately. Accumulated errors cannot be transferred to the new system, as they will impact multiple processes after automation.
Testing
Testing is conducted at multiple levels, including individual functionality, module interactions, integrations, performance, and real-world user scenarios.
It's best to identify issues before the system goes live, when the fix won't impact the company's day-to-day operations.
Functional testing
The team verifies that each feature meets the specified requirements. Forms, calculations, user rights, statuses, and business rules are tested.
The results are compared with the acceptance criteria in the requirements. Errors are recorded and re-checked after correction.
Integration testing
Exchange between ERP, CRM, WMS, MES, online store, and other systems is tested. Particular attention is paid to event duplication and data retransmission after a temporary failure.
Integration tests should take into account not only the standard scenario, but also external errors.
Load testing
The system is tested under expected and increased load. These tests help determine how response times change as the number of users, operations, or data increases.
The results are taken into account when configuring the infrastructure and database. For large projects, the test is repeated before significantly increasing the load.
Acceptance testing
Key users go through real-world scenarios and confirm the system's readiness. This stage helps identify discrepancies between the technical specifications and the actual workflow of employees.
After receiving feedback, the team makes the agreed-upon edits. Only then is the module released for production.
ERP system implementation
ERP system implementation includes user training, transfer of the final data, go-live, and monitoring of the first live operations. For a large project, modules can be introduced sequentially.
Before launch, a critical error response plan is defined. The team must understand how to recover data or temporarily revert to the previous process.
Support and development
After launch, maintenance begins: bug fixing, monitoring, updates, and functionality development. As new processes emerge, the ERP can be supplemented with modules and integrations.
Technical support also includes infrastructure and backup monitoring, if provided by the service model. Response levels can be defined in an SLA.
What we actually did
Dental clinic · Kyiv and Chernihiv
+44% clicks from search
A domain with no history and a site on a website builder. We built the semantic core for the services and both cities, reworked the landing pages and built the link profile from zero. In four months: 34.8k clicks, impressions 1.32 → 1.76M, DR 0 → 41.
E-commerce · international
+96% clicks in two months
A catalog of digital 3D models. We clustered the semantics, rebuilt the hub pages and fixed duplicates and indexing errors. Google users 247 → 532, CTR 2.4% → 4%.
Medical center · Ukraine
+68.75% visibility in the first month
Narrow visibility and a small semantic core at the start. Semantics, landing page structure, metadata and internal linking, then gradual link building.
How long does an ERP project take?
The average ERP implementation time can't be determined by a single figure for all companies. A small product with a few modules and minimal integrations launches faster than a system for a manufacturing facility, a group of companies, or a distributed warehouse network.
The ERP implementation lifecycle includes analysis, design, development, migration, testing, and training. Any of these stages can be extended if requirements change during the project.
It's best to estimate the timeline after decomposition. For each module, the scope of work, dependencies, and launch sequence are determined.
How much does it cost to develop an ERP system?
The cost of an ERP system is calculated after the functionality has been determined. Comparing projects solely by the number of screens is not an option: two interfaces of the same size can differ significantly in business logic, integrations, and data requirements.
The ERP price depends on the number of modules, roles, automated processes, and external systems. Migration, infrastructure, security requirements, workload, mobile functionality, and ongoing support are also taken into account.
| What influences the cost? | How does it affect the project? |
|---|---|
| Number of modules | Increases the scope of design, development and testing |
| Complexity of processes | Requires more business logic and test scenarios |
| Integrations | Add development, documentation, and exchange monitoring |
| Data migration | Depends on the number of sources and the quality of the data |
| Number of roles | Complicates the access model and user scenarios |
| Reporting and BI | Requires preparation of data structure and calculations |
| Load requirements | Affect architecture and infrastructure |
| Cloud or on-premise | Change deployment and maintenance requirements |
Therefore, it's best to estimate the cost of ERP systems after a preliminary project analysis. The preliminary estimate provides a range, and the precise budget is determined after the requirements are agreed upon.
How much does ERP implementation cost?
The cost of ERP implementation differs from the cost of development itself. Implementation includes environment preparation, data migration, integration setup, user training, launch, and transition support.
If an off-the-shelf product is used, development may take up a smaller portion of the budget, but configuration and adaptation costs remain. With a custom ERP, implementation costs are usually calculated as a separate component of the overall project.
The cost of ERP system implementation also depends on the number of departments and the chosen launch strategy. A phased implementation takes longer but reduces the scope of changes required at one time.
Why order a custom ERP from Seo-Gen?
A Seo-Gen project begins with an analysis of processes, data requirements, and existing infrastructure. Before development, functional modules, integrations, user roles, and launch procedures are defined.
The architecture is designed with future system development in mind. If the company retains CRM, WMS, TMS, accounting, or other services, integrations with them are included in the overall design before implementing the relevant functionality.
The work can be divided into stages: first, launch critical processes, then gradually add new modules. This order helps test the ERP in real-world operation and avoid migrating the entire business to the new system at once.
The project may also include data migration, testing, user training, and post-launch support. The final scope of work is determined after requirements analysis and roadmap approval.
Related services
CRM development
Developing a CRM system tailored to your business processes: design, integration, implementation, data migration, and support. We'll estimate the cost and timeline for your project.
LMS development
Turnkey LMS development: analytics, UX/UI, integrations, implementation, and support. We create custom LMS platforms for training employees, clients, and students.
WMS development
Development and implementation of WMS systems for warehouse automation: design, ERP/TMS/CRM integration, testing, training, and support. We'll calculate the project cost.
TMS development
TMS development for logistics tasks: routing, GPS monitoring, analytics, ERP/WMS/CRM integration, turnkey implementation and support.
Chatbots
Turnkey chatbot development for businesses: Telegram, WhatsApp, website, CRM, and AI integrations. We design scenarios, launch, and support solutions tailored to your processes.
Answers to your questions
How much does it cost to develop an ERP system?
The cost of an ERP system depends on the number of modules, the complexity of business logic, integrations, data migration, security requirements, and infrastructure. Therefore, a fixed ERP price without a project analysis usually means little.
A preliminary budget can be determined after collecting the basic requirements. For an accurate estimate, the functionality is broken down into stages and tasks, after which development, implementation, and support are costed.
How long does it take to develop and implement ERP?
The timeframe depends on the number of modules and the relationships between them. Integrations, the quality of the source data, the speed of requirements approval, and the chosen launch approach also influence the duration.
The project plan is typically divided into analysis, design, development, testing, migration, and ERP implementation. For large systems, individual modules may be launched sequentially.
Which is better: a ready-made or a custom ERP?
A ready-made system is suitable for companies with standard processes that fit within the product's functionality. This option is usually easier to launch without the lengthy development of a custom platform.
A custom ERP solution is chosen for non-standard business logic, a large number of integrations, or specific architectural requirements. The decision should be made after comparing the overall cost and limitations of both options.
What stages does ERP system implementation include?
The ERP implementation process includes requirements preparation, configuration or development, data migration, integration, testing, user training, and production launch. After the transition, the team monitors stability and resolves any issues identified.
ERP implementation phases can be launched sequentially. For large companies, this approach reduces the risk of changing all processes simultaneously.
Is it possible to integrate ERP with CRM, WMS, TMS and MES?
Yes, if the systems have a technical means of exchanging data. Typically, this involves APIs, message queues, files, or another agreed-upon integration mechanism.
ERP integration solutions link reference data, orders, stock levels, production tasks, and statuses. For each exchange, the primary data source is predefined.
Is it possible to integrate ERP with an online store?
Yes. Shopify ERP integration, Magento ERP integration, OpenCart ERP integration, and similar integrations are used to exchange products, prices, orders, inventory, and customers.
If the store is custom-developed, integration is designed through its API or another accessible interface. The format depends on the architecture of both systems.
How to transfer data from an old system to ERP?
First, a source audit is conducted to determine which data is truly needed in the new ERP. After this, the records are cleaned, aligned with the new structure, and undergo a test migration.
Before the final migration, the number of records, relationships, reference data, and critical documents are verified. A backup copy and recovery procedure are also prepared for go-live.
What are the main risks of ERP implementation?
The main risks include constantly changing requirements, poor quality of source data, lack of a project owner, poor staff training, and underestimation of integrations.
Risk with ERP implementation can be mitigated through a phased launch, acceptance testing, and defined scope change rules. A critical error response plan is also needed.
How do you know if ERP implementation has paid off?
The economic impact of ERP implementation is assessed using KPIs established prior to the project. These include order processing speed, inventory accuracy, the number of manual operations, production lead times, and reporting time.
Once the new system has stabilized, the indicators are compared with the baseline. This approach provides a more objective assessment than a general statement about efficiency improvements.
Developing ERP systems makes sense when a business requires a unified logic for working with data, processes, and departments. The outcome depends on the quality of analysis, architecture, migration, and user training as much as on the development itself.
To estimate ERP costs and create a realistic project plan, we first document processes, modules, integrations, and data requirements. Provide initial information about current systems and business objectives—this information will help determine the solution structure and implementation sequence.
We reply within one business day. No newsletters, no “just a reminder” calls.
He will look at the site himself instead of passing it to a manager.
More on: ERP system development
What tasks does an ERP system solve?
ERP connects data and operations between departments that previously had to work in separate programs. Managers gain a more complete picture of the business, while employees spend less time transferring information between departments and reconciling spreadsheets.
The specific set of tasks depends on the project. For a retail company, the priority might be sales, procurement, and warehousing; for a manufacturing company, it might be resource planning, costing, and equipment utilization; for a group of companies, it might be financial reporting, user roles, and departmental control.
Data centralization and resource management
A unified information system stores consistent data on customers, products, materials, orders, suppliers, and transactions. Changes to information in one module are transmitted to related processes according to the defined business logic.
Centralized management is especially useful where the same data is used by multiple departments. For example, a change in an order status can affect product reservations, warehouse operations, production, delivery, and financial accounting. In ERP, such dependencies are pre-defined.
Business process automation
Process automation reduces the number of manual operations performed by employees. The system can create tasks, submit documents for approval, check conditions, calculate indicators, change statuses, and transfer information between modules.
The following processes are most often automated:
- processing of requests and orders with verification of statuses, limits and responsible employees;
- procurement with agreement on needs, supplier, cost and timing;
- warehouse operations with reservation, movement and write-off of inventory;
- production planning taking into account materials, resources and workload;
- preparation of documents, reports and notifications in accordance with established rules.
After automation, manual control remains possible where decisions must be made by an employee. The system records the action, the user, and the time the data was modified.
Analytics and management reporting
ERP collects data from operational modules and transfers it to management reporting. Managers can view sales, purchases, expenses, inventory, production, and other metrics without manually reconciling multiple files.
KPIs, plan-to-actual data, dashboards, and reports for specified periods are used for analytics. If necessary, the ERP integrates with BI systems, including Power BI. Real-time analytics is used where metrics need to be updated as data changes.
Access control and operational transparency
User roles and access rights are configured in the system. Employees see only the sections, documents, and operations they need for their work. Viewing, creating, editing, confirming, and deleting data can be separately controlled.
Action history helps resolve disputes and control changes. Information security also includes requirements for authorization, backups, event logging, and handling sensitive data.
Integration of ERP with other systems
ERP integration is necessary when a company already uses a CRM, WMS, TMS, MES, accounting, online store, banking services, or other products. A complete replacement of the existing infrastructure is often not required. It is much more practical to determine which systems remain and what data needs to be transferred between them.
The integration scheme is defined before the corresponding modules are developed. For each exchange, the source, destination, data format, synchronization frequency, and error handling rules are defined.
Integration of CRM and ERP
CRM to ERP integration connects managers' commercial work with the operational side of the business. The CRM transmits customers and confirmed orders, while the ERP returns information on payments, stock levels, shipments, and fulfillment of obligations.
This exchange reduces the manual transfer of information between departments. The manager sees the current order status, and the financial and warehouse teams receive the data immediately after the relevant event.
Integration of ERP with WMS, TMS and MES
ERP integration with specialized systems is used when a dedicated product handles a specific task better. A WMS manages the warehouse, a TMS is responsible for shipping, and an MES monitors production operations.
The main goal of ERP system integration is to align reference data, documents, and statuses. It's important to define the owner of each type of data in advance to prevent multiple systems from changing the same information independently.
Integration of ERP and electronic document management
ERP and document management integration links operational events with documents. The system can generate an invoice or a completion certificate after an order status change, submit a document for approval, and receive information about its signing.
This process reduces manual intervention and helps link documents to specific transactions. Storage rules and the legal significance of documents depend on the electronic document management platform used.
ERP integration with an online store
Ecommerce ERP integration synchronizes your catalog, prices, inventory, customers, orders, payments, and statuses. Integration with Shopify, Magento, OpenCart, PrestaShop, WooCommerce, or your own online store is available.
For example, after an order is placed, the store transfers the information to the ERP system. The system checks the product's availability, reserves it, and initiates the rest of the process. After shipment, the new status is returned to the website.
API and integration with enterprise software
APIs are most often used for data exchange. Depending on the external system, message queues, files, direct database exchange, or an intermediate ERP integration platform may also be used.
ERP integration is possible for Microsoft Dynamics, Odoo, NetSuite, Infor, and other systems, provided the technical exchange method is available. The solution is selected after reviewing the documentation, API limitations, and synchronization frequency requirements.
Implementation of an ERP system at the enterprise
Implementing ERP systems at a company requires preparing both staff and data. Even a technically ready system won't function properly if users don't understand the new workflow or continue to maintain some information in old spreadsheets.
An ERP system implementation project therefore includes an organizational component. It is necessary to determine the project owner on the business side, key users, transition rules, and metrics by which the ERP implementation results will be assessed.
Key strategies for ERP implementation
There is no single launch option. The ERP implementation methodology depends on the risk of process disruption, the number of departments, and the company's ability to operate in a transitional mode.
When choosing a strategy, module interdependencies are taken into account. For example, a new warehouse process cannot be fully launched before product reference data and order processing rules are in place.
Phased implementation
With a phased approach, modules or units are connected sequentially. The team verifies the results of each phase and only then moves on to the next.
This ERP implementation plan reduces the scope of changes required at one time. It is suitable for large companies where a full, one-time transition would create too much operational risk.
Full launch
During the full launch, core processes are transferred to the new system on the agreed-upon date. Prior to this, comprehensive testing, training, and final data migration are conducted.
This approach requires more detailed preparation. Any critical issue after launch could affect multiple departments at once.
Combined implementation
The combined approach merges the two. Critically connected modules are launched together, and the remaining modules are added after the first part of the system has stabilized.
The approach helps take into account architectural dependencies while reducing the risks of a large, one-time transition.
Best practices for ERP implementation
ERP implementation best practices begin with clear goals. Before the project, it's important to determine which processes need to be changed, which KPIs need to be improved, and which constraints must be met.
Successful ERP implementation practices typically include:
- appointment of a responsible project owner with decision-making authority;
- fixing the scope and rules for processing new requirements;
- data preparation and cleaning before final migration;
- participation of key users in testing and acceptance;
- training employees before switching to the live system;
- pilot launch where possible without disrupting processes;
- change management for departments where the usual work routine is changing.
After the launch, metrics are compared with the baseline. This helps evaluate the effectiveness of the ERP implementation without subjective assessments.
The main risks of ERP implementation
Problems with ERP system implementation at a company often arise from more than just a technical error. Risks are related to data, requirements, integrations, and employees' willingness to change their workflow.
One of the main factors is the lack of a responsible owner on the business side. Developers can implement the given logic, but they shouldn't decide on their own which procurement or production rules are appropriate for a particular company.
Other typical risks include poor data preparation, constantly changing requirements, underestimating integrations, and launching without sufficient testing. Failed ERP implementations often arise from a combination of these issues.
How to evaluate the effectiveness of ERP implementation?
The effectiveness of an ERP system implementation is assessed based on metrics that can be compared before the project and after the new way of working has stabilized. The mere fact of launching the system does not indicate the economic impact of ERP implementation.
It's best to translate ERP implementation goals into measurable values before development. This way, the team understands what data needs to be collected and what reports should appear in the system.
What indicators should be compared?
Each process has its own KPIs. Sales can be measured by order processing speed, the warehouse by stock accuracy, and production by lead times and resource utilization.
The most commonly analyzed metrics are:
- order processing time from registration to transfer to the next process;
- accuracy of warehouse stock levels and the number of manual adjustments;
- duration of preparation of management reports;
- the number of times the same data is re-entered;
- number of errors in documents and operations;
- meeting procurement, production and delivery deadlines;
- inventory turnover and actual resource utilization.
Calculating the effectiveness of an ERP implementation should take into account baseline values. If an indicator wasn't measured before the project, it will be more difficult to accurately compare the results after launch.
ERP consulting before development and implementation
ERP consulting is necessary before the start of a major project, when the company has not yet determined the final architecture and module composition. An ERP implementation consultant examines processes, existing systems, constraints, and automation goals.
ERP consulting services help determine whether it's worth developing an in-house product, adapting an existing ERP, or maintaining part of the existing infrastructure. At this stage, cloud ERP implementation, integrations, and migration requirements are also assessed.
Consulting reduces the risk of development starting with a general wish list without defined processes. The more precise the initial requirements, the easier it is to estimate timelines and budgets.
What does a business get as a result of ERP consulting?
The result may include a process map, a requirements list, a module structure, an integration diagram, and a preliminary architecture. These documents should provide sufficient information for further development planning.
Additionally, an ERP implementation roadmap is created, detailing the sequence of stages, dependencies, and priorities. If necessary, the infrastructure required for ERP implementation and security requirements are separately described.
After this preparation, the company has a basis for comparing options and budgeting. This makes it possible to compare proposals from different ERP consulting companies against the same set of requirements.
What companies is ERP developed for?
ERP development is most often needed by medium and large businesses, where the number of interconnected operations already creates significant costs for manual data processing. Company size alone is not the only criterion: a small manufacturing company with complex logic may need an ERP sooner than a large service company.
A project makes sense where automation delivers measurable results. If the problem can be solved by a simple integration of two systems or a small internal service, a full-fledged ERP project may be overkill.
Most often, ERP is developed for the following areas:
- manufacturing companies with complex planning of materials, resources and orders;
- distributors and wholesalers with purchasing, warehouses and a large number of suppliers;
- eCommerce with integration of catalog, orders, CRM, warehouse and finance;
- logistics companies with transportation, documentation and cost calculations;
- construction companies with projects, procurement, resources and budget control;
- groups of companies that require unified reporting and access control between departments.
The composition of an ERP system will vary for each industry. Therefore, development begins with the specific company's processes, rather than a universal list of functions.
What is included in ERP consulting?
ERP implementation consulting includes an analysis of business processes, requirements, and existing systems. The consultant helps determine the module composition, integrations, architecture, and implementation process.
As a result, the company may receive a process map, requirements, roadmap, and preliminary cost estimate. The scope of the documents depends on the scale of the project.