ERP Consultant Review on the Evolution of ERP Software to Cloud ERP

Written by ERP Consultant Cliff Hall with Cortekx HGL, Inc.

As an ERP consultant, we have seen first-hand all the tremendous benefits in savings and profitability that our clients experience when moving to the cloud. It is clear that the cloud is now hitting the mainstream in accounting and business software ERP solutions. So how ERP cloud computing changing the way businesses invest in their ERP software infrastructure? Back when I began work in the world of ERP or accounting software, circa 1980, there were accounting people who spent a lot of time working with the ERP system. You may know them as affectionately called the "bean counters" and everyone else was relegated to waiting to get results from the accounting staff. The compiling of meaningful reporting data often took hours, days and sometimes weeks to get the proper information. That information was then used to make "informed" decisions, but of course by then much had changed in the status of business already. Because of this huge delay in receiving good and relevant reporting, decisions were based on information a few days old and not what was currently happening.

My, how the world of ERP has changed since the 80’s! Today we get our data almost instantly…the ERPs of today can alert you to changes in a moment's notice, allowing decisions to be made in near real-time. With the use of "real-time dash boards", a common capability of many ERP systems, we can keep our fingers on the pulse of your business and make choices, accordingly. Most of the current ERP systems have a workflow functionality embedded within, allowing a "just in time" framework from which to operate.

ERP Consultant Reviews How Unlimited Users Has Made The Cloud Affordable and Viable for Growing Companies

However, one important thing has not really changed much since the beginning days of accounting and ERP software. All ERP systems still operate with an outdated purchase model requiring ERP customers to make a large initial investment in software that they hope is a good fit. As ERP consultants, we see software publishers require the purchase of a user license for each person intended to use the system. True, some of them allow for "light users" whereby a limited set of capabilities is made available at a reduced price, but still every user has to have a license. Some license users by the named user, and some by concurrent user, which is the more flexible of the two. In reality, a larger portion of a company's staff would benefit from the use of the software, but most of the time the licenses are provided to a small subset in order to reduce costs. Unfortunately, this leaves the company wanting for information distribution and this still tends to be a problem. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone that needed to be in the system providing value could be? Wouldn't it also be nice if a company could invest one time for software and not have to pay extra for every new person they wanted to have access?

That time has finally arrived! There is at least one ERP system available today that lets you have unlimited users with your purchase of the system, and you will never have to buy any additional users.  What's the catch, you say? Well there is one. Here's how they explain it - "If you buy a house, do you pay for the number of people under the roof? No. You pay for the house. When there are too many people to fit under the one roof comfortably, you buy a new, larger house". So the catch is that while users are unlimited, the more people on the system, the more capacity would be needed, like adding a room to a house for a new family member.

The ERP system I am speaking of is Acumatica. ERP consultants constantly look for the best solution for their clients.  Built approximately 6 plus years ago, with Acumatica, you can always have unlimited users and there are several ways built in to increase processing performance and volume. So, now every company can involve everyone they need to be more productive, efficient and profitable.

In addition to unlimited users, Acumatica ERP is a full service ERP package for the middle market, complete with just about everything anyone running a mid-sized company would want or need. From core financial modules to distribution, manufacturing, project accounting and CRM, everything is built in from the ground up and works together to make your business hum. Our company, Cortekx HGL, Inc. (www.cortekx.com) is an Acumatica partner, as well as a Microsoft and Sage partner. We have been providing quality ERP systems since 1995 and done enough implementations to understand the benefits and value a complete system like Acumatica can bring to your company's bottom line.

Want to learn more about Acumatica? Contact us at 818-593-4777 ext. 211 and I will be happy to help.  Or just find us on the web. Talk to you soon!

Cliff Hall,

President, CEO

Cortekx HGL, Inc.