Integrating ERP With Magento? Here’s Some Things To Consider...
Running an eCommerce business may appear simple from the outside, especially when compared to a more traditional bricks-and-mortar store, but that isn’t exactly the case. In fact, it’s only simple for small startups or individuals selling just a handful of products online.
When it comes to the bigger eCommerce stores, managing everything can become a bit of a nightmare if you’re not prepared or particularly experienced. You’ll need to be capable of managing a large inventory, coordinating delivery and shipping as well as communicating with your suppliers. If you have any spare time left after that, you’ll probably be looking at evaluating how your store is running and planning future products.
That’s where using software like ERP can really make a difference.
What Is ERP?
ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning is business process management software that provides a complete toolset for handling an online business. Within this software, you can keep all your information in a single database designed to increase efficiency and optimise your workflow.
Most ERPs on the market come in the form of integrated apps designed to help you manage all aspects of your business by handling individual tasks separately – such as pricing, project planning, task management, system configuration etc. Magento’s API is actually very flexible and integrates with a wide variety of ERP packages.
If you want a simpler, more efficient way of managing your eCommerce store, adding ERP software makes a lot of sense.
Tweet this now
If you want a simpler, more efficient way of managing your eCommerce store, especially through platforms like Magento, adding ERP makes a lot of sense and is becoming increasingly popular.
It’s also fair to say that Magento ERP integration has become almost a necessity, purely due to the fact that manual data entry isn’t possible after your store has reached a certain size – especially when that data becomes larger and more complex. The key thing to bear in mind is that any ERP integration should have clear goals.
Things To Consider When Choosing Your ERP
The first step when considering which ERP is most suited to your eCommerce store is to understand where your business is right now – are you large-scale or just a startup?
When you’re looking for the most efficient solution, try to think about the size of the online business it will need to maintain. Certain systems are tailored to suit smaller organisations whereas others are capable of managing big stores, so choose wisely.
Next, you need to consider what functionality you need from your ERP. The system you go for has to comply with the long-term goals of your business, as well as any immediate objectives you want to complete.
Generally, as a rule, the ideal system depends on whether your business is B2B or B2C – consider the range of products or services you offer, as well as your target audience and location. Each of these factors could need different functions.
As a rule, the ideal ERP system for your business depends on whether your business is B2B or B2C.
Tweet this now
It’s also important to review any existing ERP systems you’ve had experience with, as you’ll need to consider the disadvantages and weaknesses. When investing both your money and time in a new ERP system, it makes sense to know what you’re getting involved with and the processes required to migrate your store across to it.
Last but by no means least, we’d suggest you take a look at the capacity of any new ERP software. Take a baseline from your current eCommerce platform and ensure that your chosen ERP system can meet every requirement you need it to.
ERP Options For Magento
As the majority of current eCommerce stores are set up on Magento and it’s also our platform of choice as an agency, we’re going to offer up 3 ERP systems that we believe work well in our experience.
SAP Business One
If you’re operating a medium-sized online store on Magento, SAP Business One offers a fantastic management solution to meet your requirements, both now and in the future. It also has the sizeable plus point of being very affordable, yet it still offers exceptional efficiency across both B2C and B2B eCommerce businesses.
When combined with Magento, you’ll be able to import customer data from SAP to Magento, export order information from Magento to SAP and sync inventory, pricing and catalogue lists.
Sage ERP
Regardless of the size of your eCommerce site, Sage can help. Although it was originally developed to handle financials and enterprise management, this ERP allows you to control your store through mobile and cloud options. It’s a great choice for wholesale, manufacturing and service processes.
When combined with Magento, you’ll be able to track inventory details, collaborate across different languages, manage financial processes with budgeting and general ledger as well as control procurement and update customer information.
NetSuite
One of the most popular ERP systems is the cloud-based NetSuite which powers over 20,000 enterprises in more than 100 countries. This system provides you with real-time visibility and reporting features to ensure the decisions you make about your business are fast and accurate. It’s also one of the most flexible ERP solutions available.
When combined with Magento, you’ll be able to import shipments from NetSuite to Magento, manage product information within NetSuite as well as export order and customer data from Magento to NetSuite.
Summary
If you’re looking to add ERP software to Magento to improve your business, remember to consider your size, the functionality you require straight off the bat and the capacity of the software you’re adding. Choose your system wisely and you should find running your eCommerce business much easier day-to-day.
