Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a systematic way for a company to plan optimal use of its money, materials, staff, and other resources. One system breaks down the information dams between departments and enables it to flow so everyone to work together with ease.
An ERP system can extend from the workers making widgets on the production line to the accountants crunching numbers, those on the front lines serving the customers, and more. ERP even enables communication with outside stakeholders such as suppliers and customers.
Use Cases of ERP
When associates can tap into other departments’ information as needed, the company is able to shift into overdrive. At the same time, management can get a snapshot of every process, and a bird’s eye view of the business as a whole. This empowers all associates to make better decisions and correct course as necessary.
While small companies can muddle along without ERP, it is a must-have for a company that wants to grow and remain competitive. Without an ERP system, information is likely to be trapped in departmental ‘silos’. Also, because we’re human, mistakes happen and inconsistencies occur when processes aren’t automated and standardized. As a result, data isn’t trusted and associates hesitate to use it for decision-making.
ERP not only tunes up every department but also helps them work in sync with other departments. Teamwork and automation are facilitated, driving productivity and customer satisfaction. It becomes the engine that drives your sales and profitability to take off because your company is firing on all cylinders.
SharePoint—the Water Cooler and Library
SharePoint goes beyond resource management to facilitate fluid communications, collaboration, and content management. It’s the water cooler conversations, virtual meetings, and company library, all wrapped up into a system associates can access anywhere, anytime.
# Centralized Document Management
SharePoint goes beyond document management to facilitate fluid communications, collaboration, and content management. It’s the water cooler conversations, virtual meetings, and company library, all wrapped up into a system associates can access anywhere, anytime. Here’s how SharePoint enhances various aspects of a company's operations:
- SharePoint provides a secure space to store all types of documents. This includes Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDFs, and more.
- With version control, you can keep track of changes made to a document over time. This is particularly useful for collaborative projects where multiple team members are working on the same document. You can easily revert to previous versions if necessary.
- SharePoint allows you to add metadata and tags to documents, making them easier to organize and search. This helps in quickly finding the right document when needed.
# Enhanced Collaboration
SharePoint excels at enhancing collaboration among team members. It provides various tools and features that facilitate teamwork and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
- Create dedicated sites for different teams or projects where members can collaborate, share files, and communicate effectively. These sites can be customized to meet the specific needs of the team.
- Multiple team members can work on the same document simultaneously. Changes are updated in real time, allowing for seamless collaboration without the hassle of merging different versions.
- SharePoint includes discussion boards where team members can discuss various topics, share ideas, and provide feedback. This promotes open communication and idea-sharing within the team.
# Fluid Communication
Effective communication is vital for any organization. SharePoint Solution offers several features that facilitate clear and efficient communication among team members.
- Keep everyone informed with newsfeeds that share important updates, announcements, and news. This ensures that everyone is aware of what is happening in the organization.
- Set up alerts and notifications for important events or changes. This ensures that team members are immediately informed about updates that require their attention.
- SharePoint integrates seamlessly with Outlook, allowing you to manage your emails, calendar, and tasks directly within the SharePoint environment.
# Virtual Meetings
In today's remote working environment, virtual meetings have become essential. SharePoint supports virtual meetings through integration with Microsoft Teams and other conferencing tools.
- SharePoint integrates with Microsoft Teams, allowing you to schedule and join virtual meetings directly from SharePoint. This integration also enables you to share files and collaborate on documents in real time during meetings.
- Create dedicated workspaces for meetings where you can share agendas, documents, and notes. This ensures that all meeting-related information is organized and easily accessible.
# Company Library
SharePoint acts as a comprehensive company library where all knowledge and information are stored and easily accessible.
- Store and manage all company knowledge, including policies, procedures, and best practices. This ensures that valuable information is preserved and can be easily accessed by employees when needed.
- SharePoint's robust search functionality allows you to quickly find the information you need. You can search by keywords, tags, or metadata, ensuring that you can locate documents and information efficiently.
- SharePoint provides powerful content management features that allow you to create, edit, and publish content. This is particularly useful for managing intranet sites, blogs, and wikis.
# Accessibility Anywhere, Anytime
In the modern workplace, flexibility is key. SharePoint ensures that employees can access information and collaborate from anywhere, at any time.
- SharePoint is accessible from mobile devices, ensuring that employees can stay connected and productive even when they are on the go.
- With integration into Microsoft 365, SharePoint provides a cloud-based solution that allows employees to access documents and collaborate from anywhere with an internet connection.
- SharePoint also supports offline access to documents. Employees can download documents to their devices and work on them offline. Once they are back online, changes are synchronized automatically.
Why SharePoint and ERP are a Perfect Pair
Even if a company is using an ERP system to control its resources, it still needs to collaborate, coordinate, and organize information. And that’s what SharePoint can do. SharePoint enhances the visibility, accessibility, and conversation surrounding the data provided by an ERP system. The synergistic power of ERP plus SharePoint can give your company a competitive edge and empower employees to reach their potential.
# Enhanced Data Visibility and Accessibility
- SharePoint allows the creation of customized dashboards that display key ERP metrics and data. Employees can quickly access relevant information without needing to navigate complex ERP interfaces.
- By integrating ERP data into SharePoint, companies ensure that all information is available in one central location. This reduces the time employees spend searching for data and increases overall productivity.
# Improved Collaboration and Communication
- SharePoint enables the creation of team sites where departments can collaborate on projects using ERP data. These sites can include document libraries, calendars, and task lists that are linked to ERP information.
- Employees can use SharePoint’s discussion boards to talk about ERP data, share insights, and solve problems together. This fosters a collaborative environment where knowledge is shared freely.
- With SharePoint, any updates or changes in ERP data can be communicated instantly to relevant team members, ensuring everyone stays on the same page.
# Streamlined Workflows and Process Automation
- SharePoint’s workflow capabilities can automate processes such as purchase order approvals, expense reporting, and inventory management. These workflows can pull data from the ERP system and ensure that tasks are completed efficiently and accurately.
- Routine tasks that involve ERP data can be automated using SharePoint. For instance, automatic notifications can be sent to team members when inventory levels fall below a certain threshold, prompting timely reordering.
- Automated workflows ensure that processes are followed consistently and data is recorded accurately, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
# Enhanced Document Management
- SharePoint provides document libraries where all ERP-related documents can be stored. These libraries support version control, ensuring that the latest version of a document is always available.
- SharePoint allows for the tagging of documents with metadata, making it easier to categorize and search for documents. This is particularly useful for auditing and compliance purposes.
- SharePoint’s security features ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive
- ERP documents, protect confidential information.
# Business Intelligence and Reporting
- Companies can create customized reports that combine ERP data with other business data, providing a comprehensive view of business performance.
- SharePoint supports the creation of interactive dashboards that allow users to drill down into ERP data and gain deeper insights.
- SharePoint can be integrated with business intelligence tools like Power BI, enabling advanced data visualization and analysis. This helps companies uncover trends and make data-driven decisions.
# Mobile Access and Flexibility
- SharePoint offers mobile apps that allow employees to access ERP data from their smartphones or tablets. This is particularly useful for field workers, sales representatives, and executives who need real-time information.
- SharePoint sites are designed to be responsive, ensuring that they work well on various devices and screen sizes. This flexibility enhances the user experience and ensures that critical data is always at hand.
Conclusion
The integration of SharePoint and ERP systems offers a powerful combination that enhances business operations, improves collaboration, and drives productivity. By leveraging the strengths of both systems, companies can create a more efficient and effective working environment. Whether it's enhances the user experience, streamlining workflows, or providing real-time insights, the synergy between SharePoint and ERP gives companies a competitive edge in today's dynamic business landscape.
