The Future of Your Business Is in the Cloud
Today, deploying an ERP solution in the cloud is the easy part of implementation and the obvious choice on-premises. Learn more about cloud ERP.
The words 'ERP implementation' and 'easy' are rarely spoken in the same breath. In my 20+ years working with enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions, I have learned each project faces unique challenges. Is there an easy part of ERP implementation? Yes — but that wasn't the case before cloud erp.
What ERP Implementation Used to Be Like
When a business is ready for a new ERP solution, the IT consultant's first task is to acquire and install computer servers that meet the project specifications. Often, this step is delayed because server hardware is not available. Sometimes, the lack of standard system requirements requires custom assembly and provisioning by the server manufacturer. Compounding the problem are shipping delays throughout the supply chain.
Scalability was not as easy as it is now, and it was a constant challenge to keep up with server size requirements. Enterprise software publishers seem to change their system recommendations with each new version or patch. And because their recommendations usually include minimum requirements, most users are unimpressed with the system's performance. Often, it will fall to IT consultants to convince customers to upgrade to increase those minimums.
Before cloud ERP, support programs published server hardware recommendation documents and updated them annually to ensure this important first step of implementation went smoothly. It is difficult to align business requirements with the exponential growth of technology. Modifications and additional resources are often required, and server replacement soon after implementation — or, worse, before go-live — is not uncommon.
Enter Cloud ERP
Today, we have cloud ERP, and implementation is much more efficient. I recently asked customers who had implemented new ERP solutions about their experiences. Their feedback was nothing but positive: "Implementing the cloud-based server system was the easiest part of the project."
For any business considering on-premise versus cloud ERP, comments like these are worth considering — especially as we hear them often after cloud ERP projects.
Change Can Be a Good Thing
Some cloud ERP customers have to make revisions throughout their ERP implementation projects — and with CLOUD ERP, that doesn't have to be a bad thing. It is possible to expand resources, increase the number of user licenses, and add servers for web portals, websites, or integrations overnight without disrupting the project timeline.
Once the system is live, businesses find that cloud ERP performs better than their legacy on-premises solution because of its real-time reporting capabilities. The decision to deploy in the cloud isn't just about reducing hurdles during implementation — the dividends continue long into the future.
The Future of Your Business Is in the Cloud
If you're choosing between an on-premises server system for your ERP implementation or considering CLOUD ERP, remember the positive feedback we've gotten from customers who have moved to the cloud.
Today, deploying an ERP solution in the cloud is the easy part of implementation and the obvious choice over on-premises deployment. The benefits are significant, including lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and avoiding disruptions caused by hardware upgrades.
And thanks to a recent innovative approach called multi-tenant environment (MTE), it has never been easier or cheaper to harness the power of a powerful ERP solution in the cloud.