You may already understand the many benefits of implementing an ERP system for your business. But to get the most out of your system, you should take advantage of the customizations available that will make your system unique to your business.
Benefits of Customization
Why should you take the time to customize your system? Shouldn’t your system be ready to go, right out of the box?
Yes, your ERP has incredible functionality right out of the box, but this functionality is generalized to work with any business, and you don’t have just any business. Your business is unique, so you need customizations that address your particular needs. Customization allows you to expand the functionalities of your system, so they work for your business—not just any business.
These customizations are based on in-depth knowledge of your specific needs and requirements. The result is better efficiency, flexibility, and usability. This kind of special focus is what you need to be competitive. So, what kinds of customizations are there? Let’s take a look.
User Interface Customizations
A customized user interface makes your software truly yours. You can personalize everything, including field labels, business reports, data analytics, and trends. You can also modify screen layouts and color schemes to better fit user needs. Other customizations include the ability to differentiate between roles by department as well as employee roles within the company.
Workflow Automations
One of the most critical customizations is for workflow automation. With custom workflows, you can create distinct rules for items, customer types, accessibility, and more. You can instantly generate BOMs based on rules and formulas that you determine. Most importantly, you will create a more secure system, which benefits you and your clients.
Custom Integrations
Without customizations, you will struggle with any third-party platforms you currently use. These platforms can be anything from smart devices, cloud services, custom-made APIs, and other third-party tools.
Functionality Extensions
Functionality customizations are necessary whenever a new feature is added to your system to blend platform functionality with the particular needs of your business. It may be necessary to add extensions or make other modifications to your system to optimize workflow.
Considerations if You’re Ready to Customize
While customizations are critical for the optimal performance of your ERP platform, it’s not something to dive into with your eyes closed. There are a few things to think about to successfully implement changes.
Consider the time and cost commitments your customizations will require. To get a clear picture of these things, you’ll need to understand how complex your customizations will be. You’ll need someone who has a solid grasp of how to write code, and how to integrate that new code with your existing code. For this reason, simple customizations are usually best.
The more complex your customization, the more difficult it will be to reverse your changes if you aren’t happy with the end results. It’s also more difficult to fix mistakes. This is why support is another essential consideration. Does your vendor offer custom programming, or will you need to manage this in-house?
Get the Most Out of Your Investment
You want to get the most out of your ERP investment, and our experts will help you do just that. Whether it’s installation, module setup, staff training, custom form, report design, or even custom programming, we’ll take the guesswork out of implementing ERP software. Contact us for a free consultation and find out how we can help you reach your goals.