ERP has made significant waves in business in the last few years. 2021 has proven just as promising for the transformational technology, bringing more advanced features and functionality that further enhance the benefits and ROI of ERP. What are the ERP trends 2021?
AI-driven Features
AI-driven chatbots and other assistive interfaces are making ERP much more engaging and easier to use. Features like this also give businesses a way to work more efficiently; a user can use voice prompts to pull up customer histories, for example, streamlining sales efforts. AI will also have a big impact in the business office, automating repetitive tasks, increasing transactional efficiency, and verifying the accuracy of business-critical statements and reports. In manufacturing, look for AI to pair with ERP to improve predictions for supply chain management by leveraging historical data and real-time conditions.
The Cloud
Calling the cloud a trend is a bit of a cheat. ERP in the cloud has gone past trend, truth be told, and will be expected and even required moving forward. With the convenience, anytime access, and security of cloud ERP, business large and small can take advantage of this ‘trend’ to drive business success.
Two-tier systems
Given the flexibility of modern ERP, many businesses are now investing in two-tier systems that answer multiple needs. Companies with multiple offices, for example, might use an on-premises solution at headquarters, but leverage a cloud-based tier-2 solution for hub offices and remote business units.
Industry-specific ERP
In the past, the complexity of coding ERP made it a monolithic solution. That has changed significantly in recent years and even more so in 2021. Businesses in various sectors can now find ERP solutions that are customized to the specific needs of their space.
Mobile ERP
After the remote work environment of 2020, mobile work is here to stay. Fortunately, ERP has kept pace with this trend. ERP providers offer mobile support, allowing your team to access the data they need wherever they are working. With even small businesses working with global teams these days in multiple time zones, mobile ERP makes collaboration internationally easier, too. Finally, businesses that have a lot of employees in the field will appreciate the fact they can now do their expense reporting, time tracking, and even call logging remotely via mobile ERP.
IoT Devices
In 2021, look for ERP that can allow you to monitor a fleet of vehicles for performance, assess the need for maintenance on machines, and identify unused assets across a company.
What trends do you see now and coming for ERP? Tell us your thoughts below. If you want to see how ERP can transform your business in 2021, look at how Acumatica and other modern ERP solutions can help you take advantage of ERP trends 2021.
