Overcome Growing Pains with Cloud ERP

2018 has been a strong year for U.S. manufacturing, with many firms expanding profits and product ranges. However, business growth hasn’t come easy. A report reveals that almost half of manufacturers underwent challenges as they’ve grown over the past year, and 23 percent even admitted that the period has been stressful. But 46 percent of businesses also agreed that investing in better technology would help them manage expansion.  

Cloud ERP software is the smartest investment these companies could make to take the stress out of manufacturing growth. Below, we explain how cloud-hosted ERP solutions unlock opportunities for business expansion and improvement. 

Advantages of Cloud ERP

Accessibility

On-premises ERP solutions have long provided critical insight and efficiency to power manufacturing growth. But here’s the catch: the expense and difficulty of installing and managing the hardware needed to host ERP on-site made the system untenable for small to midsize businesses. Now that ERP can be hosted in the cloud, SMBs can gain integral tools to help them take advantage of more opportunities. Cloud ERP can be implemented at a fraction of the cost and time. Plus, the software vendor manages security and maintenance, so that even companies without large IT teams can enjoy the advantages of ERP.   

Scalability

A business can’t expand if its software can’t keep up. Legacy and on-premises systems are often too rigid to support new functions, users or locations. Cloud solutions, in contrast, can be easily configured and integrated with other systems to handle increased complexity and other enterprise changes.  

Usability

Traditional ERP instances didn’t promote widespread usability. Their complexity limited their usage to just a few highly-trained employees, thereby also limiting enterprise access to critical insights. Modern ERP systems include user-friendly dashboards that enable a wide range of employees to leverage comprehensive data and functionality to strengthen their daily tasks.  

However, when the ERP system is implemented on-premises, you’re still sacrificing usability. On-site systems are tricky to upgrade and maintain because of the complex hardware. These instances are more likely to go unpatched, eventually growing into unwieldy legacy systems that sacrifice data integrity, slow down processes and become totally unusable. But with cloud-hosted ERP, the vendor takes care of upgrades, so your enterprise can leverage the benefits of a reliable system with the latest features to support continued growth. 

Mobility

Managing business expansion and growing clientele often requires extensive travel as well as faster performance. Cloud computing supports both by enabling ERP modules to operate on mobile devices. By allowing users to view and edit reports, collaborate with coworkers and monitor processes from the palm of their hands, mobile ERP solutions make your workforce more productive and responsive.  

Visibility

Visibility is a must for manufacturing growth. Gaining real-time insight into business processes enables users to be proactive and develop smart strategies for improvement. Cloud ERP powers real-time visibility, so you can react quickly to changes in orders or production lines and detect potential bottlenecks before they slow down your enterprise.  

Wrap Up

The excitement of manufacturing growth comes with a host of new challenges, sometimes creating stress throughout the company—especially when that company doesn’t have cloud software. Cloud-hosted ERP empowers users to take a proactive approach to business expansion. Epicor offers a robust cloud platform that merges an array of modules and tools into one comprehensive, user-friendly interface. Taking Epicor ERP into the cloud will enable your organization to grow into a dynamic manufacturing force.  

To get the most from your cloud ERP, get in touch with Datix. Datix is an Epicor Platinum Partner that has provided countless enterprise software services and solutions to manufacturers and distributors in the past 20 years. We’re your one-stop shop for ERP, CRM, eCommerce and integration solutions. Reach new business heights by reaching out to one of our consultants!  

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