ERP and the Future Mobile

In the near future, we can expect to have a huge increase in the investment of information technologies by the enterprises, which will be motivated by the new requirements of the market and will focus their attention especially on the mobile devices, which will experience a notorious explosion. Since this is becoming more common every day, the premise “to be present at any time in any place” reflects a latent tendency.

The mobility is expressed by the possibility of accessing a Tablet PC to check the stock of a certain product, and having the chance to make the order of shipment and get a contract without having to be physically at the office.

It is also shown in the case of the technicians receiving alerts on their mobile phones about a breakdown, and once it is solved, they could report, also through their mobile phones, the work done, having the possibility to automatically arrange the invoice.

Even though these examples seem to be utopian or far from the reality, it is not another case of “fiction-Business." It is just the possibility of having access to a software that allows a mobile device (portable computer, phone, Tablet PC, PDA) to be connected to the ERP system of an organization through a mobile net of communications and transmission of data GPRS/UMTS.

Real Solutions created for each area

There are several options of mobile applications oriented to the specific needs of particular functional areas of the companies (commercial, IT, transport, etc…) in which the collection, dealing and management of data in real time leads in an important competitive advantage that will be translated into an improvement in the productivity, better management of the Business, optimized customer service, that in all will mean an increase in the benefits.

As well as the management systems, the mobile tools have played the lead in an evolution that has passed from the personalized developments to the specialization by sectors.

By this way, all the companies could be benefited because of the advantages of this new technology, without taking into consideration the area of activity.

For the construction, engineering and consulting sectors, mobile ERP allows for the registration and assignation of time to the different activities of a project, imputation of the expenses of travel, control of the entry of materials, all without being at the office.

In the pharmaceutical, food production and services it is useful to accede the members of the sales force to the information of the general data related to the client, credit situation, incidences and stock consulting.

With the logistics and distribution areas, the system will be allowed to optimize, control and supervise the management of the delivery and collecting by transports.

For the industry and utilities sector, ERP allows to have a direct and permanent contact with the personnel and to integrate directly their reports in the system.

For the chemical and medical fields, it is relevant for the quick access to clinical history, supervision and control of certain quality processes and register of data at any time in any place.

Recommendations for the Enterprises

In order to take the opportunity to exploit all the advantages of the mobility, the interested organizations should demand services of mobile architecture to ensure the link between the wireless initiatives and their Business objectives.

Besides, the services of analysis of wireless and mobile systems to determine the degree of adaptation of their main applications and infrastructure to support mobile solutions.

Furthermore, it is important that a company demand services of design and implantation of mobility to create in each case the best application adjusted to the needs of the enterprise. By this way, it is possible to automatically synchronise a wide range of mobile devices.