Manufacturers turn to enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to improve the overall performance of their company by supporting business processes. The manufacturing industry in particular requires software that streamlines operations, addresses customization requirements and manages complicated supply chains in order to increase profitability and company sustainability.

After a number of years depending on one system many companies find that the benefits of the software are reaching their peak. Instead of continued support for processes, cost reductions and business agility they discover that legacy ERP systems are inflexible when it comes to changing requirements.

Fortunately, there are a number of warning signs that company's can look for, which will tell them that their ERP software is beginning to lose its edge and might need an update:

Data is difficult to access: Is your company's data "locked up" within an outdated ERP system? Many businesses find that older software doesn't have the data-support features modern companies require. Manufacturing businesses need to be able to analyze data for better decision making. Without this capability other processes suffer.

Changes to system are costly: Most software vendors release updates regularly. If you find that your company is paying a lot more for updates than usual, and the changes take months to complete, it's probably time to update to a more modern system. Some companies simply choose to skip releases but this will hurt the business in the long run.

Thick clients needed to run the system: If your ERP system requires that you install and maintain a number of thick clients you will run into IT management difficulties, security risks and high maintenance costs.

Considering an upgrading to a new manufacturing ERP software? Contact Accent Software for more information.