An ERP system has become the backbone of an organization, particularly in a manufacturing environment. With many organizational processes touching the ERP system in some manner, from incoming customer purchase orders through the invoicing of goods and the payment of suppliers, this system is truly the lifeline of the company. Just as these systems have evolved to become a primary focus in the day-to-day business of an organization, our IT strategies also need to evolve to reflect and support this important asset.

We often see IT infrastructure and ERP management handled as two separate IT identities, intersecting only when necessary. In the past this may have been partly due to ERP service providers focusing solely on supporting the software while other technical resources on-staff or outsourced were not familiar enough with the ERP software to provide in-depth support. This inherently splits the two into separate paths requiring different strategies and support levels.

IT infrastructure and strategy are a service to the business. Remembering this is critical when considering it against the backdrop of the ERP system. A properly installed and configured ERP system, coupled with a deep understanding of both the business processes and the ERP system capabilities will drive the IT infrastructure and strategy. You should be expecting the ERP system to enhance your business processes through things like AI, Machine Automation and Document Management. In today’s ERP systems, many business processes that were left as IT silos can and should be integrated to leverage the efficiencies and overall cost savings that can be realized. As more and more integration points are developed to allow interaction with your existing ERP system, you should be looking at strategies to take advantage of the cost savings over time. It will mean change, but the benefits that come with integration of your CAD system to the Job and Part management of your ERP system will benefit the business in the long run. IT silos create significant data input redundancies that lead to many business in-efficiencies such as human entry mistakes, multiple databases with similar information, additional servers to host the redundant information, IT resources to manage the upgrades and OS patches on the redundant servers. The list is endless, and you can be sure, in a competitive marketplace, your competition is looking at all these in-efficiencies and making changes.

At TeccWeb, we believe the IT and ERP paths should be merged to form one overarching IT strategy where the ERP system as the backbone of the organization is the focus and all other IT related systems are organized to support it. As more and more systems are integrated to interact with an ERP system, such as content management software, ecommerce, and payroll, it is of utmost importance that the network infrastructure, hardware and other pieces of software are seamlessly working together. This recognition is becoming more visible in the ERP space, where it is now possible to find ERP service providers that will also provide managed services to support an organization’s entire IT infrastructure and network. 

As a Certified Epicor Services Partner, TeccWeb has extensive experience providing support for Epicor ERP software. Having recognized a gap in many organizations when having to use several providers to support all IT aspects, TeccWeb is proud to announce that we now offer a full platform of Managed Services, designed to provide clear guidance and direction for your entire IT strategy. By engaging with one provider, eliminate the confusions and reduce project lead times that are often encountered when trying to communicate with multiple IT vendors. With over 250 years of experience in cyber security, risk management and compliance, let TeccWeb partner with your organization to help ensure your ERP strategy is cohesive and all-encompassing.

To learn more about our Managed Services offering, reach out to us today.