ERP Portal is basically a software that integrates all the many functions of a business into a single phase in order to make these processes more efficient and result oriented thus reducing incidences of error. In basic terms, ERP means Enterprise Resource Planning and as the name implies, it is used in the management of business inventory, sales and marketing, finance and general service delivery.
The ERP portal is useful in the running of a business in a lot of ways. Apart from making it extremely easy for businesses to automate their operations, ERP portal also makes for easy tracking of sales orders, report generation, tracking of raw materials and other very critical business areas.The history of ERP portal can be traced back to the 1960s when engineers wrote programs intended to keep track of inventory and monitor sales report.
Generally, the programs were made to ensure easy workflow in the manufacturing sector. However, as manufacturing processes continue to expand massively through the 1970s and 1980s, several adjustments were made to the system to accommodate these changes and improve upon the functionalities of the ERP portal. Although it wasn’t until about 1990 that the name ERP portal stuck, all through the 1980s, it was known as the Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP).
The name change from MRP to ERP Portal became necessary in order to reflect all the major changes that have been made to the program since inception. Besides, it’s now not only restricted to manufacturing concerns, it has become an enterprise solution where employees can effectively and efficiently carry out tasks expected of them without fear of making mistakes.
The ERP portal is comprised of a large database which employees can access and do their work more efficiently. As ERP gains more acceptability, a lot of mid -sized companies and big corporations are only beginning to sign up to it in order to ease their work flow. The rise in the global acceptance of ERP is not far-fetched owing to its many advantages.
Apart from enhancing customer service by providing companies with a single source for billing and tracking relationship with customers, it also helps organisations to comply with regulatory standards and reduce the risk of undue financial exposure. That’s not all, ERP also helps organisations to access global real-time data while also automating the core of their business operations.Other merits of ERP implementation include the following:
1. It allows organisations to keep their data confidential. This is as a result of the control system built into the ERP portal
2. It allows top management to have all relevant information at their fingertips. This fast tracks decision making at that level
Despite the apparent indispensability of the ERP, there are yet certain demerits associated with the portal. Some of them include, but not limited to, the following;
a. Data coordination can be very strenuous especially where large amounts of data are involved.
b. Deploying the solution does not come cheap so this could as well be an impediment in terms of affordability
c. Hands on training for members of staff needs to be extensive, hence this might as well deplete the organisation’s resources
Despite these disadvantages, the ERP portal still remains a veritable tool for organisations to take control of their business process and make it more transparent, efficient and productive.
aadmin is a contributor at ERPfm. We are committed to providing well-researched, accurate, and valuable content to our readers.
