How to use your ERP platform as a game changer for company growth

Published: 17 January 2024

In an ever-evolving landscape, businesses must make swift decisions based on accurate information to ensure success. Remaining competitive demands that growing businesses reassess their current processes and systems, such as their ERP platform. 

An ERP system empowers finance teams by integrating data, streamlining processes, and offering real-time insights. By providing a unified view of business information, it enables informed decision-making, boosts operational efficiency, and facilitates strategic planning—paving the way for substantial business growth and agility. 

Imagine this scenario: multiple spreadsheets being used across the business with on-going conversations around ‘Who holds the most recent version?’ and ‘is this data up to date?’ Miscommunication and data inconsistencies sow seeds of doubt, challenging the very reality you seek. Add to this the squandered time, resource and expense and toll on your sanity incurred while attempting to manually align everything accurately! 

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. 

“It’s a similar story we hear from our clients” remarks Simon Fovargue, Xperience’s Senior ERP Specialist. “Many grapple with outdated or siloed legacy systems that lack integration, limiting their access to real-time information and the comprehensive reports that should come with it. To fill these data gaps, people resort to Excel, spawning a multitude of spreadsheets, riddled with duplicated information and minimal to no version control across the business.” 

Simon further explains, “It’s a breeding ground for errors, and inconsistencies, wasting valuable time and resources as our clients try to manually reconcile data for accurate figures.” 

An ERP platform empowers Finance Directors and their teams to become strategic partners in steering their company’s growth trajectory. It provides them with the tools and insights to make informed decisions, manage risks, optimize resources, and contribute significantly to the business’s growth. 

Simon’s top five benefits of an ERP platform:

  • Accurate data and single source – without an ERP platform, data can become impossible to tame.  

 An ERP system offers seamless data integration with all your information in one organized, accessible hub. An accurate, single source of truth. You can analyse trends, forecast financial outcomes, and identify opportunities or potential risks more accurately, contributing to the business’s overall strategy. 

  • Process Standardisation

Non standardised processes and a lack of streamlined operations can hinder the pursuit of best practice across the business. This lack of cohesion makes it harder to implement consistent financial and business policies, leading to inconsistencies in operations.  

An ERP system centralises financial data and processes, providing a unified platform for various functions like accounting, inventory management, procurement and more. Streamlining operations in this way makes it easier to manage and monitor financial activities across the business. 

  • Visibility

Lack of real-time insights, delayed reporting, and siloed information make it impossible to make informed decisions. 

An ERP system offers Finance Directors a bird’s-eye view of the company’s financial health. It enables quick access to key performance indicators, allowing for better decision-making based on accurate and up-to-date information. 

  • Compliance

That ever-changing labyrinth of regulations and rules. From tax regulations to industry-specific standards, maintaining compliance becomes a nerve-wracking challenge. A growing business often also steps into new territories, both geographical and in terms of market reach. Each region comes with its own set of regulations, tax laws, and compliance regulations. Staying abreast of these becomes more challenging and requires a robust system. 

Simon emphasizes, “Our clients are often surprised to learn that an ERP includes built-in compliance functionalities, enabling finance teams to navigate complex regulatory landscapes with ease and accuracy.

  • Cost Savings 

Inefficiencies in operations often lead to increased costs, stemming from manual errors, operational redundancies, or the need for additional resources to manage fragmented processes. 

Summary

Implementing an ERP system requires an initial investment of course, but the long-term benefits often outweigh the costs. Through process optimisation, reduced manual errors, and improved efficiency, it will help in cost savings and better resource allocation.  

Xperience partner with several ERP providers, and importantly we pride ourselves on collaborating closely with our clients to really understand their needs so we can build the right tailor-made solution for today and future business growth. 

If any these hurdles mentioned resonate with you, and you would like to chat about this further, please feel free to arrange a call back with one of our experts. 

Read More

Metaltex Ltd Partners with Xperience for Enhanced ERP Soluti...

4 October 2024

Find out how we solved Metaltex's challenges with a bespoke ERP solution - Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

How to create a new user in Sage 50

21 June 2024

Discover how to create a new user in Sage 50 with our instruction guide.

How do I correct a mistake in Sage 50?

18 June 2024

This guide covers editing, deleting, reversing, or unallocating transactions on Sage 50 Accounts to save you time and ensure accuracy.

How to allocate a credit note or payment on account to an in...

18 June 2024

Need to allocate outstanding customer or supplier transactions? Learn how to allocate credit notes or payments on invoices.

ERP Implementation: The Role of Change Management

22 April 2024

Read more...