ERPfm
The Journal
What ERP Consultants Actually Bill For
ERP consulting fees range from $150 to $400+ an hour, but the rate on the cover page tells you little — here's what selection advisory, implementation, and managed services actually cost and how to evaluate a proposal.
Mobile ERP: What Works on a Phone vs. What Shouldn't
Mobile ERP genuinely pays off for approvals, field service, and warehouse scanning — and mostly doesn't for complex configuration or financial close, despite what 'full ERP on your phone' marketing implies.
Configuration, Extension, or Custom Code: ERP's Real Trade-off
Two companies solved the same ERP customization requirement — one through supported extension points, one by patching core code — and their next upgrade bills differed by nearly $300,000.
ERP Integration Patterns: Point-to-Point vs. iPaaS
Point-to-point ERP integrations are genuinely cheaper for one or two connections and compound badly past four or five — a practical comparison of integration patterns and where they actually break.
What Is ERP? How Enterprise Resource Planning Works
ERP's real value isn't any single module — it's not having to manually reconcile separate systems that were never designed to agree with each other, walked through module by module with real costs.
EDI Explained: How Electronic Data Interchange Works
EDI isn't a technology choice most suppliers make for themselves — it's a compliance requirement imposed by large trading partners, with real chargebacks for getting it wrong.
How Manufacturers Should Actually Secure ERP Data
Generic ERP security advice misses two manufacturing-specific risks: OT network convergence with shop-floor equipment, and intellectual property sitting inside bills of materials.
How ERP Data Actually Supports Sustainability Reporting
ERP data supports Scope 1 and 2 emissions reporting well; Scope 3 supply chain emissions are the genuinely hard part, and no amount of internal configuration solves data your suppliers hold.
What CFOs Are Actually Automating in Accounting Now
A 9-day close cut to 4 days came from automating five specific, unglamorous tasks — not one big AI product — and freed staff time for analysis instead of data entry.
Where CFOs and Treasurers Lose Visibility Between ERP and Cash
A manual daily cash position report across six banking relationships nearly caused an emergency credit draw — the operational silo between ERP and treasury data is a real liquidity risk, not just an efficiency gap.
Four Problems With Letting Your ERP Vendor Set Your AI Agenda
ERP vendors are bundling AI features into upgrade cycles whether customers asked for them or not. Here are the four ways that backfires, and how to negotiate around them.
Who Actually Runs Your ERP Vendor? Why Ownership Changes Matter
Private equity roll-ups and acquisitions have changed who's behind many mid-market ERP brands. What ownership changes tend to do to support, hosting, and pricing, and what to check before you renew.