ERP systems are the heart of a company's IT landscape. In recent years, more and more companies are mapping part of their ERP processes on mobile devices to work more efficiently. As a result, mobile ERP functions are becoming increasingly relevant. This is shown by the " ERP in Practice " study from October 2014. Trovarit AG's analysts and RWTH Aachen researchers interviewed 2,400 user companies about their ERP solution. Two key findings: 30 percent of subscribers need mobile ERP capabilities, and 10 percent consider mobile components a key consideration when buying an ERP solution that is as weighty as usability and process support.
For mobile functions, however, many ERP systems still had weaknesses at the time of the study. The item "Mobile Deployment of ERP Software" was by far the last place among the rated satisfaction factors in the study - with the worst average grade ever awarded for a single satisfaction aspect regardless of the software solution. Dr. Karsten Sontow, CEO of Trovarit AG, explains this with an increasing discrepancy between the expectations of the users and what the ERP solutions can do from their history: "Users expect fast access via tablet and smartphone with good usability, but are disappointed because there are few, dedicated to smartphones andTablets tailored applications there. However, the ERP manufacturers are currently investing heavily in mobile functions.
According to the Trovarit study, 66 percent of ERP installations are currently accessed via notebooks , with only 15 to 22 percent running on tablets and smartphones. These figures also support the discrepancy between expectations and operational practice. "Due to the longer modernization cycles of two years on average, the investments of the ERP providers are not yet reflected in the installed base and many companies are currently in a transitional phase," says Sontow.
Challenge: Development of a mobile strategy
In particular, companies with outdated ERP systems are facing a great challenge here. They have to create interfaces to the mobile applications, partially redefine processes and maintain the new mobile software. This can sometimes be very complex and expensive. "I recommend a pragmatic approach here: companies should first analyze their business processes, where does a mobile application make sense, which user groups benefit, and which application has optimization potential?" Explains Christian Hestermann, Research Director ERP at Gartner .
He advises companies that IT and specialist departments work together to develop a holistic mobile ERP strategy, assign responsibilities clearly and not think in terms of silos. This also includes linking the CRM system to the ERP system. "Unfortunately, many companies are somewhat negligent in their implementation: they take isolated steps or take ad hoc measures, in this case an app, an app there, then there is the danger of isolated solutions," says Christian Hestermann.
Measuring potential and success
Therefore, the analysis of business processes always forms the basis of a mobile ERP strategy. In part, new mobile applications are creating new business processes or fields. One example is product configurators for tablets , for example in the automotive industry. Above all, sales employees who can also provide their customers with information on prices and availability when integrating with the ERP system benefit from such an application.
"The decisive question is always: Can I measure the success of a mobile application? It always depends on the individual case and the respective requirements of the company," Hestermann points out. With service technicians who record their diagnostic and order data directly from their tablet and process a case faster, the benefits are obvious. The same applies to the staff in the warehouse who uses mobile apps to check in and out of goods. Less clear is the rating, for example, in the manager's analytics dashboard, which can retrieve up-to-date reports, charts, or business charts on his device.
