Intelligent ERP: Myth or Reality? Part 3 of 4 – Mobile ERP and Device Integration into Work

Mobile devices have taken over our work routine, so why should that not be the case with ERP. After all, a mobile device is a key tool we use to access important data and information crucial for our jobs. Accessing enterprise and company data while comminicating with co-workers is, in a nutshell, what ERP systems do, so mobiles is just an extension of it. As solutions that enable enterprises to go mobile becomes more predominant, we have ‘borrowed’ a series of blogs from Sage ERP X3 to explore the issue. Hope you enjoy this introduction to Intelligent ERPs.

By Isabelle Saint-Martin, ERP Product Marketing Manager, Sage Mid-market Europe

This is the third in my series of four blog posts about intelligent ERP and the impact on businesses.

Mobile working in ERP reflects rapid advances in consumerism and mobile work styles

Process rationalization in enterprises has encouraged the use of mobile devices for:

  • optimization of information circuits and resources?
  • improving flows in warehouses, workshops or transport systems?
  • maximizing efficient deployment of sales forces or technicians

Operational gains include time saving and reliability and traceability of information.

The generalized use of mobile devices significantly impacts ERP. In recent years, the affordability of mobile devices and subscription packages has led to their increased use in professional environments, in the context of escalating umbrella organizations and mobile employees. At the same time, the generalized use of personal mobile devices and their increased capabilities in terms of apps and internet access, have encouraged use of these devices in a professional environment, including accessing management data.

According to our market surveys, participants own on average 3.4 mobile devices and 2 out of 3 participants own an internet-connectable mobile device. Personal devices predominate. Mobile phones are in the top position (97%), most of which are smartphones (60%).

Today, having access to personal data on the move via a phone, smartphone, tablet or other internet-connectable devices has become an essential part of our lives. The same applies to professional data. So it seems natural that an ERP user can access a company’s shared data and interact with other colleagues, clients or partners via mobile devices.

A major application of ERP in businesses is therefore providing easy access for regular or one-off users to management data and dashboards from a terminal (which may be a workstation) connected to the office via the Internet or a mobile device. Thanks to our ongoing major investment in R&D, our ERP offer now provides total flexibility, thanks to generalized use of the HTML5 protocol in our applications.

For more information about Sage ERP X3 EDM Solution, click here

Read my first blog in this series on responsive decision making.

Previously posted at the Sage ERP X3 blog.