INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ERP)
The adoption of digital technologies is essential to face global competition. The acquisition of an integrated management system (GIS, or in English ERP, Enterprise Resource Planning) should be understood as a strategic decision in the same way as the purchase of automated equipment.
In addition, the acquisition and establishment that was not too long ago overpriced for small and medium-sized businesses is now affordable. Often seen as a computer system, GIS refers to a tool that manages planning and control in a single database. It is designed to meet all logistical needs aimed at optimizing internal and external resources, material and human, in order to meet customer needs and expectations. GIS, which have evolved enormously in recent years, are now able to meet the varied needs of different industries such as manufacturing, distribution or service. For configurable products, it is possible to eliminate human intervention in customizing shop drawings and programming machine tools.
In other words, an ERP is an integrated management system using a single database and allowing to obtain the information necessary for the good management of the company in real time. Such a tool allows the company and the its managers to stop being simple operators (downstream work, short-term vision, analysis of obsolete information and frequent crisis situations) to become strategic operators (upstream work, planning, control and analysis in real time) , which allows them to react quickly to short, medium and long term situations. A GIS contains all the functionalities needed to run a business. It’s important to mention that not many companies will use all of these features. Given the interrelation of the different functions, it is important to perform a needs analysis before purchasing a GIS system.
Some companies decide to take a specialized solution implementation approach. They will then implement several of the best solutions from different management fields (CRM, ATS, etc.), and integrate them into a whole. This approach makes it possible to acquire very advanced solutions in each of the management areas, but requires additional effort to integrate them into a coherent and efficient whole.