Agricultural products, household appliances,
international or national buildings… Trading is an activity as complex as it is
varied. Companies do not all have the same needs and that is why there is not a
single ERP for trading but several adapted solutions.
A true resource planner, the ERP is a particularly
useful software for professionals since it allows both to manage orders, to
ensure the traceability of purchases but also to optimize logistics and the relationship
with suppliers.
Are you now convinced by the usefulness of a trading
ERP within your company, but you don’t know how to choose the solution that
will perfectly match your needs?
Discover in this article the criteria that will allow
you to select the one you need.
Choosing a Trading ERP Based on Business Needs
Trading ERP helps companies improve their
competitiveness in a particularly competitive sector. It is used in particular
to optimize stocks, centralize accounting, manage price lists very precisely
according to targets or even manage distribution channels. In short, it covers
a wide perimeter and meets all the needs of professionals.
Before making your choice on this or that ERP, it is
necessary to ask yourself a few questions. Indeed, adopting an ERP necessarily
requires investment (integration and post-integration) and time (training of
teams, time for operational familiarization, etc.). It is therefore important
to think about it carefully beforehand, to consult your employees and to
identify the real needs of your organization.
Define the functionalities essential to your trading
activity
When looking for a scalable ERP solution, there are
four dimensions to consider.
Knowing the type of use of the ERP, the
characteristics and contractual commitments of the platform, the number of
users and of course the functional scope will help you determine whether or not
the system will be scalable enough to meet future growth needs. of your
company.
- Do you trade internationally? If so, you need at least
multi-currency management and a customs declaration tool. - Do you store your products? A warehouse management
system can be a plus. - Is your activity carried out entirely or partially in
BtoB? Flexible commercial management for tariffs seems essential. - To facilitate the administration of sales, purchases,
you will need a module to automate these tasks and track billing. - Setting up a customer extranet also makes it easier to
administer sales. - To optimize double entries, the accounting integrated
into the ERP is a real time saver. - Do you sell or want to sell online? Make sure that the
solution offers connectors with the most common marketplaces or e-commerce CMS. - Do you have resellers or want to offer your products
on several web platforms? Opt for a PIM (Product information management) to
control all the data relating to your products. - Do you want to offer personalized offers to your
customers and prospects? An integrated CRM can be a good solution to facilitate
prospecting and loyalty. - Finally, the reporting and Business Intelligence
functionalities can allow you to manage the performance of your company and
improve its profitability.
The criteria for choosing the right trading ERP
Once the functionalities of the ERP have been clearly
identified, it is time to decide between the different solutions available to
you. What criteria will tip the balance in favor of one or the other?
To make your choice, you must consider several
elements such as:
- Your budget
- The ERP model, SaaS or on premise
- Multi-tenant vs single-tenant
- The proximity of the supplier and the quality of
technical support - The need or not for specific developments for your
activity and the cost inherent in them
1. The flexibility of evolution of the ERP
ERP is a solution that works with you, and that adapts
to your current needs, in particular thanks to the development of new modules.
Archipelia, for example, uses the agile method to quickly implement tailor-made
solutions. The addition of optional modules is therefore done gradually, so
that they are better integrated by employees. You are also sure to get features
that are perfectly suited to the specific activity of your company.
2. SaaS or On-premise mode
A SaaS solution is accessible via a website or an
application hosted on a cloud. This solution makes it possible to make the ERP
accessible anywhere and to benefit from a dedicated support service. As for the
on-premise ERP, it is hosted by the company, either on a dedicated cloud or on
its own servers. Unlike SaaS software, it can operate in a closed circuit and
allows greater control over performance.
Archipelia is
a 100% SaaS solution hosted on a French data center. A real plus at a time when
digital sovereignty is the subject of debate!
3. The ability to customize your solution
Finally, some ERPs, such as Archipelia, offer to
completely individualize the use of the solution and create a unique user
experience. It is, for example, possible to create customized automated
workflows as well as different customizable menus according to profiles.
Archipelia: the SaaS ERP solution that evolves with
your growth.
In short, Archipelia offers a solution dedicated to
trading companies: an ERP in SaaS mode, multi-tenant, whose data is hosted
entirely in France. At a time when innovation is accelerating, you immediately
benefit from the latest high-performance technologies and useful
functionalities for your specific activity. To be advised and supported in the
implementation of your trading ERP project, request a demo!