SupplyChain Magazine April 2021 | Page 107

INTELLIGENT ERP

FACT # 1 Digitally transformed enterprises see eight times more revenue and two times more profitability

IDC ' s Digital Transformation Survey
So , procurement knows what to buy , and when , and has the tools necessary to do so . Finance has an estimate on what it ’ s going to cost to make what needs to be made , can create and monitor a budget , pay invoices with a three-way-match process , and ensure approval procedures , segregation of duties and other control mechanisms are in place . Production knows what machines to run when , the labour required and can plan capacity and resources . And , of course , shipping knows what they need to ship when , and how . And all should be right with the world .
Except it ’ s not . Because nothing is static , and your business doesn ’ t exist in a silo . Trucks or people don ’ t show up , machines break down , customers change their mind , forecasts can ever so often be inaccurate ( winky face ). The list of possible disruptions to ‘ the plan ’ is a long one . As my favourite old boss used to say : “ It ’ s a death by a thousand cuts .” It ’ s not just the black swans that can severely damage your reputation , your profitability or your long — term viability .
Although traditional ERP does a lot , it doesn ’ t holistically cover the full handprint of your business , provide enough data for efficient and effective decision making , or offer enough visibility into the supply chain . The complexities of business and the challenges faced by organisations today far exceed the capabilities of ERP .
Enter , iERP According to IDC ’ s Transformation in Times of Change : What Intelligent Enterprises
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