enterprise resource planning (ERP)

Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) are software solutions for the control of operational business processes. The areas of application include all operational resources from organization and human resources to the administration and control of a company. These include finance, purchasing, merchandise management, warehousing, production planning, scheduling, accounting, sales and human resources.

ERP systems increasingly use integration via company networks and the Internet to support e-commerce, e-procurement, and other electronic processes. These include customer relationships via customer relationship management( CRM) and enterprise-wide integration of software via enterprise application integration( EAI).

ERP systems enable small and medium-sized enterprises to carry out their business processes efficiently and transparently. Due to the modularity of the systems, they can be optimally adapted to the tasks and needs of the companies. Due to the modular concept, which is realized in most software solutions, ERP systems can expand with the tasks and application areas of the companies.

In times of just-in-time, end-to-end process chains are in demand, in which core and secondary processes are accelerated, resulting in significant cost savings. Customers, suppliers and business partners are equally involved in these process chains. The entire ERP installations are becoming increasingly complex, as interface adjustments, the integration of existing databases and media discontinuities have to be integrated or eliminated at high cost. In addition, there are costs for process gaps and for external legal requirements. Newer ERP concepts with a Service Oriented Architecture( SOA) offer technical and business integration and flexible adaptation to changing process and information requirements.