Despite the hype about cloud deployment, bring your own device (BYOD), and mobile access, most manufacturing companies with on-premise ERP deployments have been unable to use their ERP systems except from a PC. Some ERP vendors created mobile apps that allow access to a single function from a mobile device, but the apps are slow and generally provide read-only access to data.
While it’s often possible to view reports or inquiries, most ERP vendors have not provided their customers with the ability to process transactions or conduct real business by entering orders or POs on mobile devices.
The Illusion of Mobile Access
Vendors following this model of “mobile access” are providing the illusion that they use modern technology to provide productivity gains, but in reality, there is no substance to the claim. Sales people still have to phone or fax orders in to the order desk, or wait until they are in the office to enter them. So while in theory this model provides customer delivery information right away, in reality all they really have is an inventory balance snapshot. The inventory may — or may not — be available when the rep enters the customer’s order.
There is a growing market for third party developers who create mobile point solutions for many ERP applications. These apps generally have limited functionality, and while the user interface may be simple, the back-end integration to the ERP system usually is not. In addition, because these apps have limited functionality, they don’t allow users to transact the full business process as they would in the PC-based ERP system. They are novelties and experiments, not true ERP solutions.
Until recently, if a manufacturing company wanted to replace its existing on-premise ERP system with a system that provided true mobile access, it would be difficult or completely impossible to find one that fits the bill. Vendors might show dashboards, inquiries, workflow approvals and similar capabilities. Some might show mobile-enabled work order creation, but not the more complex sales order and purchase order creation. Companies would be unlikely to find demand planning or purchase order receiving, for example, in these so-called mobile enabled systems.
A New Breed of Mobile ERP
The good news for companies hoping to take advantage of the productivity gains promised by adoption of mobile technology is that traditional on-premise ERP vendors are now bringing their experience in ERP applications together with mobile technology to create a new breed of completely mobile-enabled ERP applications.
Manufacturing companies can now enjoy the security, control and peace of mind they have come to expect from an established ERP system while taking advantage of the productivity gains that web and mobile access provide. For the first time, small and mid-sized manufacturing companies will be able to utilize the full functionality and transactional and planning capabilities of their ERP system using a browser or mobile device.
Exact recently introduced MAX Anywhere to provide exactly this ability. The most frequently used Exact MAX features are now accessible from anywhere with an Internet connection, even from mobile devices. With MAX Anywhere, users can enter quotes and sales orders, process material transactions, receive purchase orders and much more. Unlike other so-called mobile enabled ERP systems, MAX Anywhere doesn’t confine users to simply viewing inquiries; it enables manufacturing companies to enjoy the power of a fully-featured manufacturing-focused ERP system from anywhere, anytime and with any device.
