Historically, there were two primary approaches to integrating on-premise ERP, enterprise resource planning, and CRM software. The first approach was to use very complicated software platforms on the market and the second was write your own custom code in house.  The complex software integration platforms worked for very large organizations, but they were too complex and out of the league technically and cost wise for small and mid-sized companies.  Smaller companies had to develop custom code specific to their company’s enterprise system and business.  Although the custom code software development solved the integration issue, companies soon found out that maintaining the code required a lot of IT resources and was a very cost intensive effort.

Historically, there were two primary approaches to integrating on-premise ERP, enterprise resource planning, and CRM customer relationshop management software. The first approach was to use very complicated software platforms on the market and the second was write your own custom code in house.  The complex software integration platforms worked for very large organizations who used "big' ERP solutions like SAP, but they were too complex and out of the league technically and cost wise for small and mid-sized companies.  Smaller companies had to develop custom code specific to their company’s enterprise system and business.  Although the custom code software development solved the integration issue, companies soon found out that maintaining the code required a lot of IT resources and was a very cost intensive effort.

The emergence of Saas, or software as a service, applications have been growing in popularity because the cost requirements that have followed the earlier ERP solutions are dramatically reduced with SaaS solutions, including integration and deployment costs.  However, using the two traditional integration methodologies for on premise enterprise solutions are not a match for the new SaaS based solutions.  Companies looking for the attractive ROI on their SaaS software will be disappointed with their returns unless they use new integration tools designed specifically for SaaS solutions.

Integration as a Service, or IaaS, applications just as SaaS solutions, are designed to help alleviate the cost and complexity and resources specifically for the integration process of SaaS solutions.   IaaS solutions like SaaS, are flexible, cost effective, and can be reused for other SaaS applications. IaaS solutions can be on premise, or SOD, software on demand and allow companies to fully capture the benefits of their SaaS solution and maximize their ROI on their new enterprise system.  IaaS applications are easy to use and streamline the integration process including data migration and data cleaning, quick deployment, and minimal IT resource requirements.

In today’s economic climate, ERP companies are getting a rush of demand as customers scramble to increase revenues and decrease costs, areas that enterprise resource planning systems are designed to do.  SaaS solutions are making it more affordable for all companies to participate in the benefits of enterprise software, and IaaS, integration as a service, applications are making sure that these benefits are realized.

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rich