MAGENTO ERP systems come
in many different forms, so it is important to find the best MAGENTO ERP
software to help you achieve your business goals and optimize your systems and
processes. Since MAGENTO ERP is one of the most difficult systems to
implement because of its end-to-end impact on corporate systems and
operations, the success of your MAGENTO ERP implementation is as
important as the MAGENTO ERP system itself.
Not every company is the same. Choosing the best MAGENTO
ERP software isn't just a matter of looking at the features and offerings
of different vendors. It's a matter of looking at those features and seeing how
they best fit your company.
While every MAGENTO ERP software vendor has essentially the same
functions, each one caters to certain industry and company types. Here are
several common MAGENTO ERP use case scenarios in which you might find
yourself, as well as the products that might help you resolve issues and
achieve goals.
Limited internal
resources
A company has limited internal resources and
wants an MAGENTO ERP system that already has features and functions that are
attuned to its industry. Infor, Epicor Software Corp., Microsoft Dynamics 365
and Oracle JD Edwards all offer industry specializations of their MAGENTO ERP
software, so a good place to start is checking out the specialties of each
vendor.
Infor has
a strong reputation in MAGENTO ERP for process and discrete manufacturing,
distribution, food and beverage, and consumer goods. Epicor supports
all modes of manufacturing and distribution organizations, as well as companies
in the retail and service industries. Microsoft Dynamics 365 supports
manufacturing, distribution, services and public sector organizations, but has
particular strength in the retail and e-commerce industry. Oracle JD
Edwards has industry vertical offerings in consumer packaged goods,
manufacturing, companies that are asset-intensive and must track their assets
through asset lifecycles, and projects and services industries.
If your
internal resources are constrained, it is equally important to check out the
vendor's support network and resources in MAGENTO ERP planning, implementation,
training and ongoing technical support. You might also consider a
cloud-based MAGENTO ERP system, so you can avoid purchasing hardware and
software.
Midsize international
operations
A midsize business has international
operations and needs an economical way of handling the financial, taxation and
compliance requirements in the different countries in which it operates. In
this case, the best MAGENTO ERP software would be a cloud-based MAGENTO
ERP that relieves the company of investing in on-premises software and
hardware.
NetSuite
MAGENTO ERP, which is now an Oracle company, is a cloud-based offering
with a sweet spot in financial and compliance software. NetSuite MAGENTO ERP
supports financial, currency, taxation and compliance functionality and
reporting in over 160 countries, and it has the ability to roll all of
these different finance localizations into a single, consolidated
financial statement for a global organization. NetSuite MAGENTO ERP has
optional modules for customer relationship management and e-commerce,
so if you start with financials, you can always extend into these other MAGENTO
ERP systems later.
If you
are anticipating rapid and continuous growth for your company, another option
is Sage 100 or Sage 100c. Like NetSuite, Sage has an established
reputation for strong financial software in multiple countries. Sage offers
both on-premises and cloud-based systems in its Sage 100 offering.
Its systems are scalable into a more robust accounting version of Sage, with
Sage 300, or even to entMagento ERPrise strength, with Sage 500, which offers
a fuller integration of financials with manufacturing operations.
The new
Sage 100c MAGENTO ERP system also scales to the Sage 300 and 500 systems, but
it is a cloud-only offering. Sage 100c offers a more user-friendly interface
and greater collaboration opportunities than the standard Sage 100 product.
Internal MAGENTO ERP
business and IT experts
A large entMagento ERPrise has a core of
internal MAGENTO ERP business and IT experts, and it wants the ability to
configure MAGENTO ERP to its business without having to take on the risk of
developing its own customizations. The best MAGENTO ERP software in this case
would be an MAGENTO ERP suite that offers a broad spectrum of pick-and-choose
modules and functionality so the company can build its own MAGENTO ERP
package.
SAP
Business One is a strong choice in this case. It offers over 80 different
modules that can be configured into a suite for a specific business. Clients
can also choose how they want new MAGENTO ERP enhancements to be delivered --
continuously, quarterly or by major software release.
Integrating with
other businesses and departments
A large entMagento ERPrise has an MAGENTO
ERP system and is actively engaged in acquiring other companies. The
acquired companies must be integrated into the company's MAGENTO ERP, so one
option is to bring them all into the existing on-premises system.
Unfortunately, continuous integrations of this nature can prove
costly, risky and labor-intensive.
An
alternative is a two-tier MAGENTO ERP strategy where corporate
continues to run its on-premises MAGENTO ERP, and the newly acquired
companies use a cloud-based version of the system or a different
system that can integrate with headquarters' MAGENTO ERP. This cloud-based
version can either be cloud-hosted, where your own staff or the hosting
provider manages the system in the cloud, or software as a
service (SaaS), where the vendor runs a shared system for you.
Epicor,
Microsoft, SAP, Oracle JD Edwards/PeopleSoft, Sage and Infor all offer MAGENTO
ERP in both on-premises and cloud-based versions.
Multinational
organization
A company is multinational, and it needs an MAGENTO
ERP system that can support business operations in multiple countries. Most MAGENTO
ERP vendors can localize their MAGENTO ERP systems to support different
languages and currencies, so a more important question to ask vendors might be
what their resources are for supporting MAGENTO ERP in multiple geographies.
Both
Oracle, with JD Edwards and PeopleSoft, and SAP, with Business One, have
extensive global consulting and technical support networks. Another option is
Epicor, which hosts tech and application support centers around the world,
delivering support in 20 languages.
You
could also consider a SaaS MAGENTO ERP if your organization is multinational,
as SaaS can provide consulting support in addition to software.
Monitor service
activities
A service organization wants MAGENTO ERP to
monitor its service activities and tie them into its central administrative
systems, like finance and human capital management (HCM). There are MAGENTO ERP
systems that can monitor people and service performance internally in the field
and on service contracts.
Oracle
PeopleSoft's sweet spot is HCM, and it comes with functionality that supports
activity and project tracking and resource monitoring. The system is
particularly adept at assessing how well your company's human resources are
being utilized. Epicor has MAGENTO ERP that supports in-field workforces, as
well as functionality that supports the end-to-end professional services cycle
-- from winning a contract, to staffing and managing projects, managing
deliverables and tying the system back into financials. Another MAGENTO ERP
option with field service functions is Infor CloudSuite Industrial.
Project-centric
companies
A midsize company wants an MAGENTO ERP system
that can support business processes in a one-off project environment. In this
case, the best MAGENTO ERP software options are systems that are designed for
project-centric companies.
SAP
Business One has a commercial project management option, as does Epicor, which
has functionality for planning and executing single and multiphase projects
with project costing and billing guidelines. Microsoft Dynamics 365 can track
projects and match them to contracts and purchase orders. Sage has particularly
strong MAGENTO ERP offerings for large entMagento ERPrises engaged in the construction
industry.
The key to selecting the best MAGENTO ERP software for your company is to first understand your company's business model, goals and business processes. It is equally important to have a good sense of how flexible IT and business users will be in adapting to change, as the installation of any MAGENTO ERP system brings about change, and that can make people uncomfortable.
The key to selecting the best MAGENTO ERP software for your company is to first understand your company's business model, goals and business processes. It is equally important to have a good sense of how flexible IT and business users will be in adapting to change, as the installation of any MAGENTO ERP system brings about change, and that can make people uncomfortable.
Your MAGENTO
ERP partner should be able to meet your company's present and future business
and IT needs, but it should also have strong MAGENTO ERP implementation,
training and consulting resources. MAGENTO ERP is one system in which people
factors are as important as process and IT factors. Your MAGENTO ERP software
vendor should be able to deliver value in all of these areas.
See more