Data Integration ERP

While Data integration ERP may be a nebulous term it's a technology that is in use through a large number of organizations.  Data integration ERP attempts to combine multiple sources of data into a single system - usually the organization's Enterprise Resource Planning system (or ERP).  Unlike other, simpler forms of integration, data integration ERP combines multiple sources into a single repository; a process that is more technically challenging and that requires more specialized products than others.

The Goal of Data Integration ERP

Generally speaking the goals of data integration ERP start with business problems.  More specifically, businesses are always trying to identify ways of becoming more efficient, of cutting costs, better aligning with customer needs and of providing for faster response.  A large source of problems for most businesses is dealing with data stored in multiple systems.  Data integration ERP addresses these concerns by reducing the amount of manual data entry that has to take place, reducing the possibility for data entry errors and providing nearly immediate access to data to anyone in the organization.

Planning Data Integration ERP Deployments

Once the decision has been made to use data integration ERP, the first step is going to be to enlist the help of any affected business unit in the process.  This critical first phase is one that many businesses miss and it can cause a great deal of problems during the implementation of data integration ERP.  The reason for getting buy-in is simple; many of the manual processes the data integration ERP will replace are manual and staffed by each department.  Replacing those manuals processes with automation could mean significant impact to staff; by getting buy-in from each department earlier in the process you will avoid problems down the line.

Potential Problems of Data Integration ERP

As your company begins the data integration ERP project there are a number of potential problems that can cause significant delays and even failures.  Beyond having misalignment prior to the project your data integration ERP project can also be railroaded by a simple lack of knowledge of the data involved.  This means that for your data integration ERP program to work you will need to ensure that for each affected system you have expert staff on hand or available who can help you understand the intricacies of each system.  A second potential problem with data integration ERP projects is over reaching.  More specifically, many companies assume that the process of integrating separate systems will be significantly easier than it turns out.  In order to avoid such problems it's very important that you have at your disposal a set of experts that can assist you through the whole process.

Benefits of Data Integration ERP

The benefits of data integration ERP are well proven and established.  If your company ensures that it plans carefully and enlists as much assistance as possible at all steps of the process you will maximize your chances for success providing a long-term benefit that is unlikely to be matched by any other initiative in the organization.