ERP Market

SaaS takes on the ERP Market

In the past twenty-five years software and computer technology in general has grown rapidly.   Software as a Service, known as SaaS, is becoming the latest and greatest.  SaaS Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications are flooding the market.   With the emerging structure of the internet and the recent down turn in the economy, SaaS is becoming a wise choice.  SaaS ERP solutions originated for small to mid-size companies.  But, SaaS ERP solutions are growing in popularity and SaaS ERP vendors are expanding these solutions so that large companies may benefit from them as well as small and mid-sized companies. 

So, why is SaaS ERP a wise choice?  That’s an easy question to answer.  With SaaS ERP there are no licensing fees because you don’t own the software, you don’t have to perform upgrades, and the implementation can take place lickity split.  Upgrades and implementations are primarily done at the SaaS ERP vendor site or data center because that is where the software is hosted.  And, if you have problems with your SaaS ERP solution, you just call the SaaS Enterprise Resource Planning vendor and they’ll get to work on it while you watch the Giants win the World Series.

So, what’s the downside to a SaaS ERP solution?  Well, you can’t customize them like you can with an on-site ERP solution or open source Enterprise Resource Planning solution.  If you’re dead set on customizing an Enterprise Resource Planning solution, consider who will support the customizations.  You’re going to have to budget support services if you don’t have the bandwidth to support the customizations yourself.  Customizations aren’t a bad thing and may make all the difference for your business.  However, if you need extensive customizations, a SaaS ERP solution is probably not for you.

So, with all these SaaS Enterprise Resource Planning packages on the market, which one should you choose?  Which one will best meet your business needs?  That’s not an easy answer.  But, before you start shopping SaaS Enterprise Resource Planning solutions, define your necessary businesses processes.  Think about those processes that are essential to your business.  Consider your business model and your users.  Most SaaS ERP vendors offer free trials.  For example, you can go to the Workday site and give their products a test drive.  You can also spend time on the Internet reading reviews.  Getting current client feedback is always good. 

Written by :

kristine H