Blog

The cost of doing nothing with your ERP system

February 25, 2019 by Aaron Thomas
Audit & Accounting, Copeland Buhl, Information Systems, Technology Solutions

Many businesses have considered upgrading their ERP system but have been afraid to do so, fearing the implementation will end up costing them too much time and money while also disturbing the processes they have grown so accustomed to. However, once you factor in the benefits inherent in upgrading to a new system and the advantages it will provide your business, the cost of doing nothing is actually far greater than that of an upgrade. Here are the main reasons upgrading your ERP system is far more beneficial than continuing to use your legacy platform.

Doing nothing versus upgrading

If you’ve been middling along with an outdated ERP system, the money you’ve been spending to do so is actually greater than that you’d spend on an upgrade. Not only is it more expensive, but it also causes you to miss out on a wide range of benefits you’d experience as a result of new technologies and business processes.

While you’ve been dealing with your old system’s inefficiencies and putting out fires due to its mistakes, you could be utilizing industry-leading technology and providing your business with an advantage in areas ranging from accounting and billing to CRM and document management.

Boost efficiency and reduce costs

An ERP system that utilizes the best available technology also leverages the best overall performance and will have the greatest impact on your business’s efficiency. Equipping your people with a more streamlined platform allows them to:

  • Get more done in less time, from managing workflows to generating reports and more
  • Spend less time on tedious administrative tasks
  • Achieve quicker access to data that can drive smoother, more effective decision-making
  • Reduce IT costs, as it is frustratingly expensive to maintain an unreliable system
  • Experience less technology failure
  • Only need to learn one platform versus several standalone applications

Achieve a comprehensive view of your business

One of the greatest benefits of upgrading your ERP system is that it forces you to take a comprehensive look at your business processes and helps pinpoint areas for growth and improvement. During this process, you’ll ask questions you haven’t asked in years that will uncover a vast range of problems and solutions.

Not only does an enhanced ERP provide boosts to efficiency and to your bottom line, but it also inspires a better view of your processes and of ways to optimize them.

Fully integrate your business

In your current system, you’re most likely utilizing several different platforms to manage the overall processes of your business. An effective ERP system will be able to replace your various standalone applications by combining all of their capabilities into one cohesive system. This unification leads to more streamlined integration and cohesion within your team. Everyone can now track the status of tasks and processes and will become familiar with operating within the same singular language and platform.

Go mobile

In the modern business world, your ERP system needs to be mobile. Cloud-based ERP systems are accessible from anywhere and allow your business to continue functioning to its fullest potential no matter where your team members are located at a given moment. A modern platform will also feature security enhancements to protect your business and its information within this mobile, highly accessible environment.

The competition is not standing still

If you’ve been wasting time contemplating whether or not to upgrade your ERP system, you can rest assured your competition is not doing the same. They’re making moves to upgrade and implement a new system that will better serve their needs and allow their business to continue to grow. Don’t stand idly by and watch your competitors improve while you continue to accommodate an out-of-date system. You wouldn’t do this with an employee, and you definitely shouldn’t do it with any of your technology.

Upgrade your ERP with Copeland Buhl and Acumatica

Copeland Buhl is now an Acumatica partner, allowing us to provide our clients with a full suite of integrated ERP applications to help your business grow. Everything from financials and distribution to manufacturing and project accounting is viewable in real-time to achieve a comprehensive view of your operation. Contact us today to connect your business with Acumatica and Copeland Buhl.