Below we have compiled and categorized some of the best and most helpful white papers and articles to help ease your ERP software selection process. Clicking on any of the categories below will bring you to the first white paper or article within that category.
What to Look for in ERP Systems
How to Revolutionize Your Business with Know it nowsm Management
Learn how second-by-second real-time functionality combined with end-user empowerment and easy data entry can dramatically increase your business's productivity, efficiency, and profits. Making your ERP system a Know it now™ system can mean a big difference to your bottom line.
How Fast Could You Grow with an ERP System
I’m often surprised when I’m talking to small business owners and I mention enterprise resource planning. I get this look: “ERP? Me? I don’t think we’re ready for that at my company.”
So Your Consultant Suggests a Best of Breed
Has your consultant recently advised you to search for a best of breed application to start your ERP solution? Of course he did. Who else is going to charge you to stitch together the different s olutions you decide on? The debate really comes down to whether the benefits of a best of breed solution outweigh the benefits of an integrated, single source solution.
A Business Solution From Microsoft—Works the Way You Do
Thanks for following the “Top Reasons to Purchase a Business Solution from Microsoft” blog series. We are halfway through our exploration of how a business solution from Microsoft delivers more than just ERP.
The Difference Between Usability and User Experience
When talking about our user experience focus with customers as well as internally at IFS I tend to get the question why we have chosen to talk about user experience rather than usability, which is the more commonplace term in the software industry.
Next-Generation ERP: The Right Mix
Here is a recent article that I co-wrote for our manufacturing enterprise industry magazine PRIME. It continues our look at key manufacturing verticals for our Microsoft Dynamics AX solution - this time looking at the chemicals vertical specifically.
One Size Does Not Fit All – Making the Case for Two-Tier ERP
In my 15+ years in the ERP business, the one question CIO's of enterprise companies keep asking me is "Do you have one solution that will fit all the varied requirements of my organization that can be deployed centrally in a single instance???"
What's the Value of ERP Software?
Welcome. I am Erik Johnson, Sr. Director, Product Research at Epicor. My team is responsible for working out if, when, and how Epicor should bring new technologies into our products and services.
In Search of Business Value: How To Achieve the Benifits of ERP Technology
This white paper provides detailed information on the benefits of implementing an ERP system. It goes through detailed steps of cost benefit realization of implementing technology. Here you will find help in justifying the need for a new system.
Competition Intensifies For The SMB ERP Customer
This will walk you through the Small and Midmarket customer and their needs for an ERP system. As this segments demands grew, ERP vendors have capitalized on the opportunity, creating more product and channel investments. Here you will find an ERP approach to the SMB customer.
Not Knowing What Your Really Need in ERP Software
Here you will learn how you need to take the time to select a new ERP package. This white paper will help you to analyze the uniqueness of your business, and help you to realize there are products out there to fit your companies needs.
The ERP Lifecycle: From Birth to Death and Birth Again
This life cycle helps you walk through all of the stages of an ERP system beginning with product evaluations to implementations, extending your ERP products value, maintaining that value, and finally when your ERP system declines in value, starting the circle over again.
Leveraging Opportunities from an ERP Implementation To Drive Enterprise Transformation
Here you will find the two primary levers in transformational initiatives, potential magnitude of the transformational impact, and actions that an organization’s leadership should take to chart a course toward transforming an enterprise.
Reference Checking: The Neglected Due Diligence in ERP Vendor Selection
Unlike most of the white papers focusing on functionality, technology and cost, this white paper will show you the six key elements that are often overlooked in ERP selection. Here you will learn of software quality, ease of implementation, responsiveness of customer support and much more to help you narrow down your choices in implementing ERP software.
ERP Definition and Solutions
This article outlines the basics of ERP software, from what ERP stands for all the way to how ERP Systems can benefit a business.
Under Pressure, ERP Giants Struggle to Innovate
Most companies recognize SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft to be the major vendors in the ERP software market. This article examines these large organizations and their struggles to innovate after relying mainly on large profit margins to keep them profitable.
Defining ERP
Here you will find any information you need to know about the basics of ERP software. From definitions to implementation advice, this article is full of helpful information for the novice.
Significance of ERP Implementation
The importance of having quick and organized ERP software implementation sometimes goes unnoticed. Throughout this article, the author explains the significance of implementation and even goes as far to say that implementation is the most important factor of an ERP system.Buyers' Guides
Developing a Successful ERP Strategy
A recent report by Aberdeen Group provides strong rationale for the use of ERP, as well as a number of key criteria for developing a strategy to use it most effectively.
ERP on Your Terms: Ten Questions to Ask That Can Help You Find the Right Solution and Turn Your Business Vision into Reality.
Choosing the right enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution is an important decision. Your ERP solution is the backbone of your business-and making the right choice can mean the difference between winning against the competition or becoming obsolete.
ERP on Your Terms: The Right Deployment Model Can Help Turn Your Business Vision into Reality.
Finding the right enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for your business is a journey, and you'll make many decisions along the way.
The ERP Selection Process Survival Guide
Here you will learn exactly what is an ERP system, when to consider companywide option, system evaluations and key points to remember during your selection process.
Midmarket ERP Solution Checklist
There are many questions to ask before you buy an ERP package. This white paper will help you with the questions that will guide you to making a informed decision on your ERP implementation. The solutions checklist tells you WHAT TO ASK before you buy.
Midmarket ERP Buyers Guide
Throughout this document you will learn what a midmarket ERP solution can do for you. This white paper will also help you to understand what issues you should consider during your decision making process.
How to Minimize Risk with a Software Vendor 'Prenup'
Here you will find out how to safeguard yourself before you sign your next software agreement. This includes steps to take during negotiations with your potential software vendor.Better Your Business
Survival of the Fastest
Duncan Angove is president of Products and Support at Infor. Here he gives his views on the importance of speed in business.
Imitation is Better Than Innovation
What can be better than being a professional copycat? An amateur copycat just copies, but the professional copies and refines.
Little Changes, Big Impact: The User Interface
ERP implementation and adoption is not the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. It takes time, money, training, planning, and everything in between to have a successful implementation. The last thing you want is for the end users to have difficulty using the system and/or be dissatisfied with how it looks and feels.
Pick One, Strong or Different – Either One Will be a Winning Strategy
It’s often said that access to information is a competitive advantage. We are living in an information society and selling knowledge and services is seen as a future-proven business model. But who will win the battle for the customers’ pockets?
How Manufacturers are Turning a Challenge of the Past into a Competitive Weapon
The last 24 months have proven to be turbulent and unpredictable for manufacturers, and while the economy improves, nonstop demand variability will remain the new normal.
Communicate the Future to Drive the Present
While waiting for departure at Birmingham airport on my way back home to Sweden, I thought I should share some thoughts with you from my keynote presentation at the IFS Europe West Customer Summit.
Are You Servicing Your Customers?
Never mind the mantra that the customer is always right, according to the findings of research from IDC Manufacturing Insights into the strategies of the discrete manufacturing sector, the customer is seriously high maintenance.
Driving the Generational Shift in ERP
As we open the Microsoft Dynamics AX Technical Conference today in Redmond with over 1000 partners and customers, there's a lot at stake for companies contemplating new applications to power their businesses.
Increasing Complexity Doesn't Daunt Sales and Operations Planning Professionals
Earlier this year, Aberdeen surveyed almost 200 companies to document their processes and capabilities related to Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP).
Stop the Pain Associated with Poor Project Management and Accounting Systems
Interested in learning 7 procedures for using integrated project management and accounting software to improve the health and growth of your project-driven company?
Avoiding Total Recall: Software for Food Safety
It has been only months since the peanut contamination caused public outrage, hundreds of illnesses, and the downfall of a corporation.
Get More Value Out of Your Training
Training is one of the key deliverables in any ERP implementation, if new users are comfortable with how to perform their daily duties with the new software then success is very likely.
More Benefits of Hosted ERP...
In my last post I spoke about minimized initial investments and accelerated ROI. Continuing where I left you guys a few weeks back and with the promise of coming back with more benefits of hosted ERP, this week I want to provide you with some benefits related to upgrades, IT resources, and making change on demand - all in the context of hosted ERP.
Benefits of CRM-ERP Integration
In the past many companies purchase ERP software and CRM applications independent of each other. This article outlines the benefits of integrating ERP and CRM solutions.Technology Trends
Big Data: The Truth, the Benefit, and the Preparation
Everyone these days seems to be talking about big data. McKinsey & Company stated, “The use of big data will become a key basis of competition and growth for individual firms.” But what exactly is big data and how can it affect your business?
ERP Software Trends for 2012
Among the trends in ERP software this year, the most touted may be the continuing strong emergence of SaaS ERP.
How Mobile App Innovators Balance Risk and Reward
By 2014, there will be more than 70 billion mobile app downloads from app stores every year, according to Gartner.
Why SaaS Makes Sense in Our Current Economy
A look at the economy over the past four years doesn’t yield a very pretty picture.
Searching for a Mobile Business Strategy? There’s An App for That…NOT
Mobile business is today’s hot trend, and mobile apps are the whitest, hottest part of it.
We TOLD You ERP was Hot...
Great article to pass along to you all that came into The Edge from a few different sources, written by Doug Barney at Redmond Channel Partner, on a new survey from the IT research firm Computer Economics, (“Technology Trends 2010/2011”) focused on the IT spending priorities for customers in the coming year.
Is the Growth of SaaS Making SOA Irrelevant?
A few years ago, Gartner predicted that by 2011, 25% of business software will be delivered via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS).New Functionality
It’s a Brave New World With IFS’s New Functionality
Innovation is encouraged at IFS Labs – the opportunity to run with an idea and to see where it leads.
Little Changes, Big Impact: The User Interface
ERP implementation and adoption is not the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. It takes time, money, training, planning, and everything in between to have a successful implementation. The last thing you want is for the end users to have difficulty using the system and/or be dissatisfied with how it looks and feels.
Introducing Inforum’s New Experience: The Hub
The Hub will be the core of the Inforum 2013 experience, providing a broad range of opportunities to learn, share, and connect with Infor experts, peers, and partners.
Epicor True SOA™. The New ERP?
Epicor’s implementation of a 100% services framework for intra- and inter-application integration redefines service-oriented architecture (SOA), which we call Epicor True SOA™, as the “new” ERP but doing it with the "customer voice" and not the "technology voice."
Microsoft Dynamics ERP Two-Tier Connector Now Available
Right we are onto the final part of Convergence Europe as we kick things off here in The Hague for our Western Europe leg of our 3-city tour de force.
Epicor Express – The Little ERP Engine that Could
You may have seen that we launched our Epicor Express Cloud-based ERP solution today. It’s a true multi-tenant Software as a Service (SaaS) offering oriented to job shops and small manufacturers with subscription pricing.
Infor Creates New Value for Customers through Infor Flex
On June 22, Infor launched an innovative new program, Infor Flex, which offers customers a clear path forward to upgrade to the latest release of their current product or to exchange, on a like-for-like basis, for an alternative Infor solution.
A New Look for 2009
Regular readers of the Tech Talk Blog will notice some changes afoot here. Namely, it’s not just about technology anymore—we’ve expanded the scope of the blog to include all things related to Infor and our extended community.10 Ways...
10 Sure Signs Your Accounting System is Holding Your Business Back
Most companies start out with accounting software designed specifically for small businesses. But as businesses grow and become more complex, entry-level accounting systems and ad-hoc processes can become a deterrent to growth and profitability.
10 Strategies for Choosing a Midmarket ERP Solution
For a mid-sized company finding a solution to fit your needs can prove to be difficult. This list of ten tips will guide you in selecting the best solution for your company, pointing out what features to look for in a solution.
10 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Midmarket ERP Solution
Selecting an ERP package is a complex process, therefore, this white paper will try to simplify it as much as possible by breaking down 10 questions that will help you walk through the process of selecting an ERP package. These questions help you to look inside your company before you start the selection process so you can get the most for your investment.Company Updates
Meet the Team: Craig Charlton, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Operations
Meet Epicor’s Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific Operations, Craig Charlton. Craig brings more than 20 years of experience in all aspects of software sales, marketing, consulting, customer service and product development to his role at Epicor.