The work of an engineering director is not easy. Apart from facilitating the building of world-changing equipment, you also manage the day-to-day business operations of the company.
The double work can be challenging and tiring, especially when the hardware procurement is manually handled.
This is why you need ERP systems in place. An ERP system will automatically and efficiently handle the internal resource management of your firm, allowing you to focus on your main job.
In this article, we will discuss what an ERP system is, what its benefits are, and recommend the best top 11 ERP eCommerce Software.
What is an ERP System?
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is an internal resource management system that automatically manages all data and information related to a company.
The data is stored in a single, secure platform which makes accessing it easier and more efficient. This in turn increases the business productivity and growth of the industry.
What is the difference between ERP and SAP?
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a broadcategory of software systems designed to integrate and manage various businessprocesses within an organization. SAP (Systems, Applications, and Products inData Processing) is a specific ERP software developed by the company SAP SE.While ERP refers to the concept and class of software solutions, SAP is aleading provider of ERP software.
The key difference lies in specificity: ERP isa general term encompassing various vendors and solutions, while SAP is aspecific brand offering a comprehensive ERP system. SAP ERP provides modulesfor finance, HR, supply chain, manufacturing, CRM, and more, with extensivecustomization options. Other ERP systems, such as Oracle ERP, MicrosoftDynamics, or Infor ERP, offer similar functionalities but may differ infeatures, implementation processes, and target markets.
Benefits of the ERP eCommerce Integration
Here are the main benefits of the ERP implementation:
- It allows for an easier flow of information within the company’s departments
- Improves the customer management relationship and increases customer satisfaction
- The real-time data synchronization saves time and allows employees to focus on more lucrative tasks
- It reduces data errors and allows for unique, reliable, and centralized data.
- Inventory management is more efficient because of the continuous tracking and timely stock refills.
Best ERP eCommerce Solutions
We have picked out the best ERP Software that will allow you to manage your business smoothly:
Acumatica
Acumatica ERP Solution is a portable cloud-based ERP suitable for mid-sized companies. It is suitable for customer relationship management, distribution management, financial management, and manufacturing systems.
Features:
Some of the Acumatica features include:
- Report-writing tools
- Real-time Analysis
- Financial Analysis
- Customer Order Management
- Web-based Customization tools
- Fully Documented API
- Consumption-based licensing
- Customer Relationship Management
Pricing
The pricing of Acumatica depends on the functionality you want for your business. While purchasing the license to use Acumatica, an Acumatica employee will help you determine all the resources you need and consequently the price you will pay.
If your business is small with moderate transactions, Acumatica will charge you an average of $1,000 per month.
Brightpearl
If you are running an eCommerce business that mostly deals with retail and wholesale purchases, then Brightpearl is the best ERP solution for you.
Brightpearl, which has a SaaS architecture, will help you monitor the growth of your business by integrating your inventory, financials, PoS, and CRM on one platform.
Features
Some of the features in Brightpearl include:
- Sales Order Management
- Inventory Management
- Customer Order Management
- Ecommerce Analytics
- Supply Chain Management
- High Scalability
Pricing
Brightpearl allows its users to pay only for what they use on the platform. The more functionality your company needs, the more you will pay for the license, and vice versa.
Epicor
Epicor ERP software is most suitable for industry-based businesses. It’s designed to cater to the manufacturing, distribution, and retail needs of the industry.
Epicor can also be used to forecast industry-specific demands, keep track of the business performance and protect the company against cyber threats.
Features
Some of the features of Epicore software include:
- Human Resources Management
- Resource Management
- Inventory Management
- Technical Support
- Consulting Services
- Logistics Management
- Real-time Visibility
- Mobile-device compatibility
Pricing
Epicor users pay $175 each month for every user.
DDI System
The DDI System is designed for small to medium-sized wholesale distributors. The system is equipped with CRM and real-time reporting that allows for efficient communication between the companies and the customers.
DDI is also cloud-based and is compatible with most browsers, information systems, and devices. Because of its portability, DDI users can access its functionality remotely, at any time.
Features
- Supply chain management
- CRM
- ERP Accounting
- Powerful Magento eCommerce Platform
- Real-time ERP Integration
- Business Intelligence and Tax Management
- Human Resource Management
Pricing
The cost of a DDI system varies depending on the functionality you want for your business. However, there is a free trial period where you can test out the system before purchasing the license.
Magento
Magento, an open-sourced ERP software, is the most complete and most used eCommerce solution in the world. It is mostly preferred for medium and large companies where users can create customized and functionality-based eCommerce sites.
Even though it’s popular, Magento is complex to use and requires programming knowledge for the users to configure and customize the website.
Features
Some of the features Magento has included:
- Integration with Google Analytics
- SEO tools intergration
- Customer Segmentation
- Emailing and Newsletters
- Coupon Management
- Customer Relationship Management
Pricing
Magento is open-sourced, which means any company can download it free of charge from the internet. However, building your company site using Magento might cost you.
Aptean
Aptean ERP is cloud-based and is mostly used by small to medium-sized businesses to manage their accounting and administration. It allows users to connect to the database by integrating its API with IT applications like CRM.
Features
Some of the Aptean features include:
- Customer Order Statistics
- Inventory Management
- ERP Accounting
- CRM
- Human Resource Management
- Business Tax Management
Pricing
Aptean offers Subscription services where users pay $120 per user, per month. The ERP also has a free trial period to allow users to test out the functionalities.
SAP
As the leading ERP software in the world, SAP provides a large and diverse platform that caters to the needs of all businesses.
Using its robust functionality, SAP users can manage entire supplier relationships and purchasing processes, wholesale distribution, and manufacturing services.
Features
Some of the features of SAP include:
- Production Management
- Warehouse and logistics management
- CRM
- Purchasing Management
- Commercial Management
Pricing
The pricing of SAP, which is not public, depends on how many users will use the platform, the type of hosting services the company chooses, and the associated services that you will integrate.
Sage
Sage ERP offers accounting and invoice management for online businesses. All the operations of Sage are a hundred percent online, making it easy for users to manage their businesses remotely.
Sage is mostly used by professionals who are growing their eCommerce business independently.
Features
Some of the features that Sage has include:
- SEO tools Integration
- Data Security
- Site Configuration
- Real-time reports
- Tax Calculations
Pricing
Sage charges $12 per month for every user. It also has a 3-month free trial period where users can familiarize themselves with the platform.
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics is a CRM and ERP eCommerce software that helps companies digitize their operations. Using the platform’s in-built tools, businesses can manage their productivity, customer service, merchandising, HR, etc.
Features
Some of the features of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 include:
- Customer service and order management
- Email Automation
- Customer Interaction platform
- Quotes and invoices automation services
- AI-driven intelligent commerce
- Multi-criteria search, and segmentation
Pricing
Microsoft Dynamics has different payment plans, starting from $65 per user per month to $135 per user, per month. The platform also offers a 30-day free plan where you can test out the ERP
Odoo
Odoo is an open-source ERP software that is suitable for companies of all sizes, whether they are small, medium, or large enterprises. The platform has a large range of functional modules that allow enterprises to successfully manage their business.
Features:
Some of the features that Odoo has include:
- Website creation
- Inventory Management
- HR Management
- Event Organization
- Product Management
- CRM
Pricing
Odoo’s price which ranges from $12-$36 per user/per month, depends on the number of users and the type of applications you choose.
Oracle Netsuite
Oracle Netsuite is an ERP software that equips companies with CRM and eCommerce functionalities. Companies of any size can use Oracle Netsuite and access its wide range of services.
Features
Some of the features that Oracle Netsuite boasts of include:
- Point of Sale integration
- CRM
- Mobile Access
- Social Media Integration
- Multi-store management
- Categorization
Pricing
The pricing of Oracle Netsuite is not made public. Contact the sales team to get a personalized invoice.
Conclusion
If you manage a company, whether it is a b2c or b2b eCommerce business, you should consider integrating ERP with your main system. An ERP Implementation will not only improve your business productivity but will also give you an edge over your competitors.
