The use of manufacturing ERP software to harness the potential of ecommerce is growing more common across the industry, and companies are looking to improved business management software solutions to optimize their efforts in this arena.

Manufacturing software can deliver significant improvements to accounting, human resources and inventory management processes, but its direct impact on profitability is often more tenuous. However, according to SmartData Collective, more firms are looking to integrate ERP solutions with their ecommerce efforts, directly influencing the supply chain, customer relationship management and shipment/delivery processes. Furthermore, with 47 percent of companies expected to invest in cloud-based ERP solutions within the next five years, this means more firms will be enabling the potential of ERP supported ecommerce.

The idea is to harness B2C style platforms for B2B efforts — effectively delivering the same style of user experience while optimizing ecommerce efforts for enterprise sales. This allows manufacturers to put strategies such as incentivization into place while building a stronger relationship with suppliers and customers. Furthermore, the right inventory management software could help firms integrate a sort of automation into their sales efforts.

Companies already use ERP software to monitor and track inventory, sales, shipments and customer relationships. Taking these a step further by integrating ecommerce can help businesses improve order tracking, sales performance and much more. The agility that firms gain from these tools alone will support further sales and efficiency in back office operations.

In order to align ecommerce goals, manufacturers need to ensure they are investing in business accounting systems that can support the varying needs of these strategies while still delivering the benefits of traditional ERP solutions. The right platforms will enable new uses that expand upon traditional resource planning efforts.