Data Management
7 September 2023

ERP and digital forms, a well-kept secret

Don’t fall victim to hidden ERP fees!

Controlling ERP costs in a flexible and dynamic environment is no easy task. The cost of an ERP system is often seen as a necessary evil and is not often discussed. This while ERP systems are often a significant cost; not only in acquisition, but also in maintenance and continued development of the system.

Want to avoid becoming the next victim of expensive ERP software? Then it’s time to scrutinize these costs and take action! By understanding costs and implementing strategies to reduce them, you can avoid unexpected expenses and better manage your budget.

 

ERP systems, how to make them workable?

Despite the significant cost of ERP systems, users are often dissatisfied, especially employees who use the system only sporadically for weekly or monthly records or in large organizations where rigid business processes are captured in ERP without regard to smaller branches. Changes to these processes are often invasive and expensive. By making adjustments to make the systems workable, companies can increase employee satisfaction and control costs.

 

Making smart use of software

We regularly get to peek into the “ERP kitchen” at our clients. There are a number of notable things we often see back:

In addition to the ERP system, various complementary software systems are used for supporting business processes. This involves manually taking data from ERP and sometimes capturing the end result in ERP. IT costs per business process or employee are not known. Sometimes even the list of software used is missing. Moreover, there is little insight into how often the expensive software licenses are used.

ERP but also SharePoint, for example, are frequently presented as all-rounders. However, without any substantiation of the actual costs to get the functionality working with customization. Many small (but for the users so desirable) adjustments are unnecessarily delayed, are too expensive or are not carried out at all.

A proper analysis of standard ERP and software functionalities can save a lot of money and better meet the needs of the business and employee. We recommend staying away from customization as much as possible and using the software for its core functionalities. That way, minor modifications can be made without IT intervention and costs remain under control.

Optimize your business processes with digital forms and ERP integration

Smart digital forms can play an important role in optimizing business processes and saving on ERP costs. By using digital forms in conjunction with ERP systems, you can improve data exchange between different departments and systems within your organization. This can lead to increased efficiency because data can be transferred easily and quickly between systems and departments. In addition, digital forms can reduce the need for manual data entry into the ERP system, reducing the risk of errors.

The beauty of digital forms is that they can be very easily customized to your specific needs. Using a form builder, you can quickly and easily create new forms and modify existing ones.

When you integrate digital forms with your ERP system, you gain real-time visibility into your business processes and the data they generate. This helps improve your decision-making and streamline your business processes.

 

The benefits

  • The number of expensive ERP licenses can be minimized.
  • The required handling time decreases significantly due to fewer manual operations.
  • The source data in ERP is always current and errors in copying data into forms is not possible due to automation.
  • Adjustments to supporting business processes can be made without IT intervention.
  • By minimizing number of software packages, users are much more familiar with application and underlying business processes.
  • Better data analysis: integration of digital forms with ERP systems improves business data analysis through faster data collection and processing, yielding important insights that might otherwise be overlooked.
  • Increased employee satisfaction: making ERP systems workable reduces frustrations and errors, increases efficiency and employee satisfaction.
  • Increased transparency: integration of digital forms with ERP systems provides real-time visibility into business processes and the data generated, increasing transparency within the organization and identifying trends and patterns that might otherwise remain hidden.

Useful link!

Business Process Management, model first then automate.

Share

Related items

Bril
Data Management
Digitizing

Efficient business processes

The secret of data quality. Data is increasingly being used as an integral part of decision-making. Low quality of this data can lead to inefficiencies, improper analysis and, ultimately, wrong decisions.

Data Management

LeanForms and Power BI at Hegin Metalfinishing

Choose the right tool for more efficient business processes. Process optimization is becoming increasingly important in organizations to remain efficient and competitive.

Bril
Data Management

Transform HSE processes with the HSE HUB

In this blog, colleague Alexander Simons explains how the HSE HUB eliminates fragmented HSE data and helps organizations proactively address safety and environmental issues with smart, centralized recording and analysis. Transform HSE processes with the HSE HUB.

Data
Data Management

Workflow in Lean administration: A practical example

Do you recognize that your work is delayed by outdated, duplicate or inaccurate information? Many companies struggle with these kinds of delays due to inefficient information management.