ERP and SAP Overview

Over the past years, Thai small and medium enterprises (SME) had to deal with changing economic situations and had to adapt to new technological evolutions, representing new challenges as well as new opportunities for doing business. With the forthcoming ASEAN Economic Community 2015, Thai SMEs will face an increase in competition and, as a possible solution, may have to adopt new information systems to remain competitive. The objectives of this study are (1) to identify the factors facilitating or hindering the adoption of cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems by Thai SMEs and to (2) provide an analysis of the adoption and the implementation strategies. The research is based on a qualitative exploratory approach, relying on semistructured interviews with IT experts, IT managers and business owners to collect data, and on the template analysis method to analyze the data. Respondents have identified trust, cost control and the security of financial data as the most important factors for the adoption and selection of on-premise and cloud-based ERP systems. The adoption rate of cloud-based solutions appears to be low and local ERP providers face the challenge to discover the reasons why business owners do not adopt their solutions. First generation business owners prepare the transition to the next generation and want to better organize and structure how their businesses operates, but their own confidence in the technology still limit the adoption pace and the decision process. SMEs' strategies usually consist in a step-by-step implementation, consolidating the changes and readjusting the goals in case of setbacks, minimizing the consequences. ERP providers' strategies focus on new offerings with enhanced features and slowly integrate change management and extended support. Keywords: ERP, Cloud Computing, Small and Medium Enterprise (SME), Mobile App, Open Source, Organizational Innovation Adoption model.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have been widely used in business organizations, and are especially ideal for small- or medium-sized businesses. This paper surveys open source ERP systems, using five criteria identified in the literature; namely: readiness for cloud computing as a Web-based system; completeness of commonly required ERP functionalities; ease of configuration on any operating system; existence of an active and large social network for users' community support; and the presence of other non-functional requirements. Using the five assessment criteria, the authors examine six well-recognized open source ERP systems on the market: webERP, Compiere, PostBooks, Opentaps, OpenBravo, and OpenERP. As an example of a simple and intuitive method for assessing open source ERP systems for potential user firms, the authors use star charts to compare the six selected systems. The authors conclude that there are differences among open source ERP systems, and that a good open source ERP system should be highly competitive in terms of the five criteria used in this study.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) adoption involves initiating the appropriate business process changes and information technology upgrades to enhance enterprise performance, quality, costs, flexibility and responsiveness. While the number of articles in ERP implementation is substantial, limited attention has been given to the ERP adoption by Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Motivated by the organisation fit of the ERP concept, we propose a structured methodology for ERP system evaluation and selection which can be easily used by SMEs, as it provides the necessary information for their decision-making process. This article describes the ERP evaluation and selection methodology followed by an industrial Greek company. The proposed methodology consists of a framework built upon six imperatives, which generate a number of ERP objectives materialised through a set of levers. The analysis results in the identification of tailor-made ERP objectives, which, in turn, are used in a multiple criteria model as part of the decision-making process to select, from a list of alternatives, a suitable ERP vendor.

Based on the large number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United States, their increasing interest in enterprise-wide software systems and their impact on the US economy, it is important to understand the determinants that can facilitate the successful implementation and assimilation of such technology into these firms' daily operations. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the top management team in SMEs that have adopted and implemented commercial open-source enterprise systems and to investigate the impact assimilation has on firm performance. Our results represent a significant contribution to understanding the use of open-source enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for SMEs, as these data are not publicly available. Findings suggest that (1) the information technology (IT) experience and knowledge of the team and the absorptive capacity of the SME play a significant role in the ability of the firm to assimilate open-source ERP systems, (2) assimilation mediates the role between customisation and operational performance and (3) the more aligned the open-source ERP system to the SME's business processes, the greater the opportunity to assimilate the technology and achieve higher levels of performance.

The criteria for selecting the specific systems are - containment of most common sources for attacks, knowledge of the exact location of each security hole, accessibility to the source code and selection of a typical web application such as a human resource management. We followed the human resource (recruiting and working procedure) to integrate all the facilities in a single programmable platform. The applied framework has been used to map a commercial security library to the target mobile application SoC (System-of-Chip). The applicability of our framework to software architecture has been explored in other multiprocessor scenarios. ERP software (or enterprise resource planning software) is an integrated system used by businesses to combine, organize and maintain the data necessary for operations. The fundamental advantage of ERP is that integrating the myriad processes by which businesses operate saves time and expenses. The whole process has been automated using a methodology that extracts the risk of ERP system by analyzing the class diagram of the system. ERP for the business to develop innovative services for new and existing organizations, has achieved operational excellence with streamlined logistics and manufacturing improve financial performance with tighter internal controls and insights connect headquarters, subsidiaries and partners in a single network. Any type of small and large organization who to maintain their work flow in an organized way and having an intensity of clear book keeping like as business & educational institutions as well as social organizations.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a kind of advanced management method and ideological system, which is an effective tool to improve operating efficiency. In reference to the domestic and foreign relevant research results, this paper attempts to find a set of evaluation index system and method, which is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises in China implementing ERP system performance evaluation according to characteristics. Then use AHP to determine each index weight and evaluate comprehensively ERP implementation performance of small and medium-sized enterprise employing the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. This can provide ERP project methodological guidance and help enterprise to carry out the scientific decision, improve the success rate of ERP implementation, and promote the process of ERP in our country popularity.

This publication is devoted to the problem of informatization and automation of management at the enterprise. The study found that the use of innovative systems is becoming increasingly popular in the Ukrainian market. Automation plays a crucial role in ensuring the growth of efficiency indicators of economic activity, but among domestic enterprises, there is a problem in choosing the use of a particular information system. This article describes the main advantages and disadvantages of ERP and CRM systems. Approaches to definitions are defined, and the concepts of ERP and CRM as methodologies of effective resource planning and system of automation of interaction with clients are revealed. A comparative analysis of ERP and CRM systems is carried out. The main functions of CRM systems are studied, among which: are the formation of a single information client base; working time management; optimization of communications within the company; sales planning. The place of the customer in the customer relationship management system is determined. The main modules of the ERP system are analyzed, namely: finance, personnel, sales, procurement, production, logistics, service, research and development, and assets. A detailed description of the functional solution when using the resource management system is given. The main tools of ERP and CRM systems are identified. As a result of the analysis of the modern market of information systems the main suppliers of software products and their weight in the given market segment are defined. A number of software products of ERP and CRM systems popular in Ukraine have been studied. The level of implementation of CRM systems by industry structure is determined. It is established that the maximum result from the implementation of CRM systems is possible only when they are implemented together with the integrated internal ERP system.

The continuous advancement of technology requires every business sector to constantly adapt. One of the most widely used technologies in the business sector is Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, which integrates all core business processes. ERP software comes in various forms, each with its own strengths and unique features. For this study, we selected Odoo ERP as the solution platform to address the challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Odoo ERP was chosen because it is considered more user friendly and accessible for various types of businesses, including MSMEs. This research aims to implement the Odoo ERP system for the MSME Optik Family , which has been experiencing issues with inventory recording that often results in inaccuracies and disrupt several business processes. The study begins by designing Porter’s Value Chain Model to identify the potential application of Odoo ERP modules in the company’s primary activities. The developed system is then tested using the Black Box Testing method to assess the functionality of each module. The designed Odoo ERP system includes modules for product ordering, inventory storage, and invoicing. These three modules enable realtime inventory monitoring and provide accurate historical data. Testing results confirm that the implemented modules function properly and significantly accelerate the previously manual inventory recording processes. The improved speed and accuracy in stock data recording contribute to faster, more efficient, and more precise operational activities for the optical business.

ERP systems have great influence on the tax auditing in enterprises implemented by the taxation authorities. This paper analyzes the influence caused by ERP on tax auditing and the countermeasures can be taken by the tax auditors. The major influence caused by ERP on tax auditing is as follows. The visible tax auditing clues reduce. The emphases of tax auditing should be changed. And the data collection of tax auditing becomes more difficult. In order to deal with the influence caused by ERP systems, the tax auditors should take the following countermeasures: Strengthen the controls before the establishment and during the operation of ERP Systems. Restrict enterprise's financial activities and tax behaviors according to the law. Choose tax auditing method carefully in ERP Systems. And develop tax auditing software adapted to the ERP environment.

Though the field of management information systems, as a sector and a discipline, is the inventor of many guidelines and models, it appears to be a slow runner on practical implications of interface usability. This usability can influence end users’ attitude and behavior to use IT. The purpose of this paper was to examine the interface usability of a popular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software system, SAP, and to identify related issues and implications to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A survey was conducted of 112 SAP ERP users from an organization in the heavy metal industry in Bangladesh. The partial least squares technique was used to analyze the survey data. The survey findings empirically confirmed that interface usability has a significant impact on users’ perceptions of usefulness and ease of use which ultimately affects attitudes and intention to use the ERP software. The research model extends the TAM by incorporating three criteria of interface usability. It is the first known study to investigate usability criteria as an extension of TAM.

The purpose of the study is to find out Information Technology challenges facing by practicing auditors using measurement variables used in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. This research study has adopted the sequential mixed method research in which the exploratory qualitative study is conducted with the qualified practicing auditors across Kerala to identify various Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software using in their audit firms. The results of this exploratory study are then empirically tested with the 321 respondents from qualified practicing-auditor accountants in Kerala using Structural Equation Modelling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The findings reveal that there is a significant and positive relationship between variables used in the UTAUT model with practicing auditors. Thus, the results suggest that all the four constructs from UTAUT (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions) seem to be predominantly significant factors influencing practicing auditors.

This paper shows how the ISO 14224 standard, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, and Big Data Analytics can be used to optimize safety and profitability in oil and gas, renewable energy, and in other asset-intensive industries. It also presents a logical approach for prioritizing application of digital capabilities for assets (e.g. equipment, systems and installations). ISO 14224 promulgates a standard data structure for collection and exchange of reliability and maintenance data for equipment. This data structure also can be used effectively to document failure scenarios for operating facilities. When equipment reliability and maintenance (RM) data and failure scenarios are recorded as relational data in ERP software, they can be combined with other enterprise data and digital field data to give a real-time status for each risk control. Individual scenario risk can then be easily aggregated to present real-time risk status for global operations or any subset thereof. This helps companies set priorities based on their bottom-line: HSE, production throughput, and profitability. Operating and producing companies have already completed risk assessments as part of operational preparedness/readiness for new facilities, in which equipment and system failure scenarios are included in various ways. These risk datasets typically require reformatting to make them relational, which is done by explicitly identifying equipment and risk control measures by their unique identifiers and by defining evaluation criteria for risk control measures. ERP data need to be made object-specific, e.g. inspection results and malfunction data should be recorded explicitly by technical tag. Reliability and Maintenance data quality management practices are a key consideration. Additional topics pertaining to compliant use of ISO 14224 standards for risk management include its roles in (1) technology development and technology qualification, (2) improving design and condition monitoring for equipment by use of operational and failure data, with an example given for electric submersible pump (ESP) systems, and (3) improving equipment RM data quality and thus enabling better risk awareness and data-driven decision-making. This paper will show how the international standard ISO 14224 can be applied in conjunction with digital technology and enterprise software to give oil and gas companies a global real real-time view of operational risk and a risk-based approach to optimizing safety and profitability.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) packages, including those from SAP AG, PeopleSoft, Oracle, and Baan, have made a tremendous contribution to the world of business. They have made a wide range of businesses more efficient by providing them with much information they need. Today’s businesses need to understand, monitor, process, and apply information on their industry, their competitors, their customers, and a large volume of other information on an ongoing basis. The era is long gone in which strategic adjustments were done once every one to five years by the senior management only. The wide range of people who need the external information will pose a great challenge to the data integration, distribution, and intelligence extraction. Companies need to identify suitable sources and determine effective ways to collect the key information. Integration of external and internal data will be the key. While an oversupply of data and information exists, a short supply of intelligence persists in today’s business world.

One of the main problems faced by the consultants during enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation is how to align an ERP software package with the business processes of the enterprise implementing it. The objective of this research is to estimate the percentage of customisation required for the ERP software to meet the requirements of the customer completely. By means of tracing the requirements of the customer in the ERP software, we propose an algorithm 'ERP customisation estimation (ERPCE)'. The ERPCE algorithm will estimate the percentage of the ERP software customisation during ERP software selection process. The proposed algorithm is applied to a module of ERP software. The algorithm provides the enterprise with a set of feasible combinations of requirements that can be satisfied by the ERP system as a basis for making implementation decisions. The results of the application of the algorithm to a module of ERP software are encouraging and demonstrate the ability of the approach to provide a satisfactory solution to the problem of aligning an ERP software package with an enterprise. Future research directions in customisation during ERP software selection process are also indicated.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software provides a coherent integrated electronic business management environment, frequently controlling all logistics and billing for an enterprise. Many companies are now reliant upon these systems for their daily operations; maintaining and adapting them in parallel with their business as it evolves, adding new suppliers and customers. The process of managing the development of the ERP software requires detailed knowledge of systems. ERP systems often become unique to an enterprise and may have tens to millions of pounds being invested in their development. The value of knowledge management (KM) specifically for the management and operation of ERP systems is becoming evident. Managing ERP systems knowledge has been identified as a critical success factor if a firm, its suppliers and logistics providers are to retain control of their business and not be controlled by their systems. Case studies of KM practice for three global organisations from within the UK Aerospace and Defence industry have been undertaken. This study identifies leading practices, with references to the literature, for effective KM of ERP systems.