A customised ERP \u2013 a system built just for your operating model \u2013 is an investment in growing your business. But it can also be a hindrance if the ERP system you have built is poorly managed or inflexible.<\/p>\n
Before you leap into a customised ERP, look at what your business needs now and in the future. With a clear picture and an understanding of what a custom ERP does, you can invest with more confidence.<\/p>\n
Off-the-shelf ERPs do a lot for basic businesses. However, once you grow and diversify your offering, an ERP designed specifically for manufacturers<\/a> starts to become more necessary. There are just some things regular ERPs don\u2019t include that are crucial to manufacturers.<\/p>\n But that doesn\u2019t always mean you need a customised<\/em> system if a configurable<\/em> solution is better. Let\u2019s look at the 4 steps you should take before deciding on a customisable manufacturing ERP.<\/p>\n A combination of off-the-shelf modules fit together to suit your business. Configured ERPs are generally lower in cost and more stable when it comes to updates, but less tailored to the unique challenges your shop floor faces.<\/p>\n Normally an off-the-shelf solution with custom-built modules to solve specific business problems. More expansive and responsive to your needs, but also riskier depending on the scale and scope.<\/p>\n If a manufacturing ERP can be configured to flex and grow with your business, then it might end up a better solution. Or you could look at a hybrid solution, a configured ERP with custom integrations and add-ons.<\/p>\n Abstraction layers are simple in theory, but not always implemented properly in customised ERPs. Think of abstraction like an R&D room separate to the rest of your fabrication floor: a kind of innovation lab where you can test ideas safely.<\/p>\n Customised manufacturing ERPs need a layer of abstraction to separate the customised features from the core system. Because third-party updates are automatically rolled out through the cloud, the developers need to be sure they will play nicely before allowing the two to interface. And this is precisely what an abstraction layer does, by letting the developers test third-party updates safely before they can apply to the entire ERP.<\/p>\n That\u2019s the technical talk out of the way, so let\u2019s get back to what your business needs. Off-the-shelf ERPs come in many shapes and sizes and can even be tweaked based on what new users need.<\/p>\n When researching manufacturing ERPs, it\u2019s useful to talk to several suppliers. Get a feel for their flexibility and understand the technical scope of your requirements. You may find some of those problems you thought could only be solved with custom solutions, are common enough in the industry that we\u2019ve already built a feature<\/a>.<\/p>\n On the other side, an inflexible ERP can have too many bells and whistles that don\u2019t suit your business. For example, do you need service desk or contract management functions? Or would built-in quote approval and service logs be a more appropriate solution?<\/p>\n Not everything in a customised ERP needs to be built from the ground up. Going back to the hybrid model we mentioned earlier, you may even find 95% of the features you need are available in a configured model.<\/p>\n In short: <\/b>The best manufacturing ERP is the one designed for your business now and in the future. Customisable and configurable systems have their pros and cons, and the best way to decide between the two is to speak to Jobman<\/a> about your specific business goals.<\/p>\n\n
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\n<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n1. ERP customisation vs configuration: what\u2019s the difference?<\/h2>\n
Configurable ERP<\/h3>\n
Customised ERP<\/h3>\n
2. Built-in Abstractions<\/h2>\n
3. Consider What You Need Customised<\/h2>\n
4. …and kick out what you don’t<\/h2>\n