ERP Software Cannot Run Your Company
Commercial ERP solutions purport to do a lot of things. Among other capabilities, ERP vendors claim their solutions can handle your accounting, manage your inventory, satisfy your customers, guide your business practices, and bring about world peace. This is all fine and dandy. However, ERP cannot run your company.
But isn’t that what these solutions are supposed to do? Is that not why they exist in the first place?
Don’t get me wrong. I am not knocking these solutions. Regardless of the manufacturer—Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, and so on—ERP software is very complex and therefore is generally plagued with all sorts of architectural, technological, and functional challenges. These systems are tough to develop, implement, and maintain. Given all this complexity, I am actually amazed by ERP solutions and what they are able do. But, as stated before, none of these products out of the box are equipped to run your company because no one product can meet every unique need of every organization.
Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) Bridge the Gaps
In the 20+ years I have been involved with ERP software, additional and ancillary applications have always been required to make it all work. The reality is that the ERP base package is just the beginning of the solution. This is where the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) becomes critical to this story.
For any ERP product, there are literally thousands of ISVs ready to help fill in the missing pieces with add-on products. An add-on might handle making or taking payments, shipping products, monitoring an external supply chain, analyzing data, or providing a usable report. Whatever the need, there is likely an ISV solution for it. Therefore, your needs must be considered in any ERP-related selection or decision.
Look for an ERP Solution with a Robust ISV Ecosystem
These days, I work with Dynamics NAV and its new successor, Business Central. They are Microsoft products. Dynamics NAV has the luxury of being supported by a worldwide and robust ISV community. Whatever you need, you can probably find it. And if you can’t, there is the option to customize the base software. And if you’re wondering about Business Central being newer to the market, you can stop wondering: the ISVs are ensuring their offerings are available for that product.
If you are choosing new ERP software, make sure the ISV ecosystem is real and thriving. You will need it to make the base solution a success. If you are already using an ERP solution, take some time to review your ISV ecosystem; you never know what you might find that can make your solution even better.
Learn about the strategic partners and ISVs that ArcherPoint works with or contact ArcherPoint today for help navigating the ISVs available for Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Dynamics 365 Business Central.