Fix Business Issues with ERP Integration

As the infographic below illustrates, organizations aren’t making the most of their data. Enterprise data is intended to drive productivity, collaboration and precision. But when data is siloed and poorly managed, it does little to improve business performance or generate actionable insights.  

Some companies think an ERP implementation is enough to solve these problems. Sure, ERP software can organize your back-office data and streamline your supply chain, but what about your front office? How are you handling customer relationships or marketing processes? Does everyone throughout the enterprise have access to the data they need to fulfill business goals? Are some employees still manually entering data or unable to get critical information?  

This is where ERP integration comes into play. Connecting ERP with CRM, eCommerce or Marketing Automation software will fuel 360-degree visibility and process automation, so you can truly eradicate roadblocks and information gaps. Learn how to solve your business problems with software integration.  

Sources: McKinsey & Company, Toutapp and Experian

Inefficiencies

No employee should be spending the bulk of their time on manual data entry, but when your organization is running disconnected applications, manual data entry is inevitable. Information is keyed into multiple systems and spreadsheets, consuming valuable time that would be better spent optimizing products, improving processes and cultivating customer relationships. This also makes real-time visibility impossible to achieve throughout your enterprise. By the time information is finally accessible, it might be out of date or irrelevant.  

Software integration makes data instantly available throughout your business. Through bidirectional data synchronization, any entry or change in one system is reflected in the other. For example, once a contact’s information is updated in your Marketing Automation software, that contact will also be updated in your ERP solution without any work on your end.  

With data automatically synced and updated throughout your platforms, you no longer have to enter duplicate data or wait for critical information to become accessible. ERP integration provides real-time data at your fingertips, so you can make decisions at a moment’s notice.  

Data Errors

Manual data entry doesn’t just result in inefficiency. Employees who spend the bulk of their time typing data are bound to slip up now and again. Those little slip-ups can result in big errors. Maybe you forgot an extra zero in your financial reports or entered the wrong product number on your online store. Even inconsistent formatting of phone numbers can jeopardize the integrity of reports and analytics. These mistakes put customer experiences, compliance efforts and your overall reputation at risk.  

Automatic data synchronization cuts down on manual entry, so you can cut down on human error. Once you input or update data in one platform, it will show up in your connected platforms. No more worrying if you entered a customer’s address correctly in both your CRM and ERP or if pricing is accurate on your eCommerce site. An ERP integration will lessen your stress by maintaining precise data from end to end of your enterprise.  

Information Silos

Data isn’t meant to be hidden from most of your enterprise, accessible only to a single department. When data is isolated from several end users, your organization can’t effectively pursue common business goals. Employees also lack information that could help them gain new insights and improve strategies.  

Software integration breaks down data silos, giving users easy access to information that can elevate their performance. Customer and production data can be leveraged by sales reps, shop floor managers and engineers to work together to enhance customer experiences. Marketers can utilize customer order information from ERP software to develop targeted email campaigns. CRM data can improve forecasting and demand planning on the production floor.  

When information is more available across your departments, everybody wins. Insights powered by ERP integration improve transparency and encourage collaboration, so you can optimize your business from top to bottom.  

Wrap Up

No business is perfect, but some problems are simply unacceptable in today’s competitive marketplace. ERP integration can smooth over your company’s biggest pain points, helping you maximize the value of your enterprise data and streamline processes.  

Datix makes software integration easy for manufacturers and distributors of all sizes. Unity, our pre-built application, seamlessly integrates Epicor ERP with CRM, eCommerce or Marketing Automation software. Our certified consultants rapidly install Unity and manage it throughout its lifetime, so you can enjoy a single source of truth for your enterprise data without hassle. Unity is a scalable, reliable solution designed to increase your software ROI and optimize your business performance.  

Say goodbye to manual data entry and information silos. Start forming your connected enterprise today by getting in touch with Datix!  

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