ERP System | ERP Software | Best Cloud & On-premise Solution | Kenya | Get Price / Demo

Cloud ERP is enterprise resource planning software that is accessible over the Internet. As the IT backbone or “brains” of a company, cloud ERP software provides advanced functionality for all the core processes in an organization.

Hosted on a provider’s cloud computing platform, cloud ERP is typically delivered “as a service” (software-as-a-service or SaaS ERP). Customers don’t own the software, but instead lease it on an annual or monthly subscription basis. There are no upfront hardware costs – and the vendor takes care of application maintenance, upgrades and innovations, data storage, and security.

Cloud ERP and its advanced features and flexibility make it an essential ingredient for success in the digital age. Historically, ERP systems have delivered tremendous value to organizations, helping them boost productivity and gain insights. But with digitalization the entire world – and the competition – has changed. On-premise ERP systems simply can’t keep up. They are difficult to adapt to permanent change. Designed for a simpler landscape, most legacy ERP systems fail to deliver the speed, flexibility, and insight that companies need to operate in new, more agile ways.

The host of benefits include;

• Mobility for your workforce ensures increased productivity.
• Collaboration and unity are established when employees have access to the same data at the same time.
• Visibility into the business with real-time data offers the insights and information needed for smart decision-making.
• Scaling the business is simplified and less expensive because there is no need to purchase/install new hardware or secure additional software licenses.
• Streamlined operations increase efficiency and profitability.
• Security/compliance, uptime, and backups are safeguarded by the ERP vendor.
• Cloud ERP systems give businesses the flexibility needed in a constantly evolving market. They can also be customized to your specific business management needs.

Today, customers expect faster delivery of products and services, nonstop product and service improvements, greater reliability, and lower costs. Businesses often need to look beyond their walls to ensure the best value for customers. They work virtually with a wide array of partners – for production, product distribution, sales management, service, support, and even core business processes. As a result, they need software that not only helps them handle increasingly complex internal processes, but also helps them manage business networks all over the world. This is impossible without cloud ERP.

If you’re reading this and struggling with your legacy software system, you probably already know that ERP software implementation is in your future, but here are the signs that you definitely need new ERP software starting today:

• The basics aren’t letting you grow: Perhaps you’ve been doing fine with basics, but if your current software is putting limits on your market expansion and ability to grow on a global scale, it may be time for a better ERP system that does.
• You’re dealing with disparate systems: As technology changes, you’re noticing that your disparate systems don’t work well together. You may notice that your new accounting software isn’t compatible with your old HR system, and you’re tired of wasting time and resources trying to stitch a solution together.
• You can’t meet customer expectation: If your staff and customers are mobile and your system isn’t accommodating them, it’s time to invest in an ERP system that meets everyone’s needs. If you feel like you can’t afford to invest in meeting your customer’s expectations, and you’re not willing to give your staff the tools they need to succeed, you’ll lose them to a competing business pure and simple.

TIP: If you or your staff is asking for a new system and there’s a resistance to an ERP software change, one of the ways to combat this is to schedule a demo so everyone can see what’s out there. Plus, when everyone feels like they’re included in on the decision process it’ll make implementation of the ERP system much easier.

Despite all the options out there, some companies in Kenya are still hesitant about implementing ERP software. There could be many reasons why, but where there’s a fear, there’s a solution.

• FEAR: How do I know I’m choosing the right ERP solution for my business – You don’t have to find the perfect ERP software solution to fix everything. ERP software should be able to take the best of the business processes you’re using now and bring them together under one system, while letting everyone in your organization view the same information. This is where your choice of at technology partner is important.
• FEAR: We can’t afford a major ERP software overhaul – A software solution doesn’t have to be an all or nothing implementation proposition. Software solution modules can be purchased separately depending on your business needs. This will help your team ease into the implementation piece of ERP software and it’ll save having to invest in a major software renovation without knowing whether or not the functions you’re adding will pay off.
• FEAR: We don’t want to lose the systems we have in place now – As we mentioned, any ERP solution you choose should work with what you’re using now but also include features that can help in your future growth. For instance, if the software you have mostly handles the financial, supply chain, and manufacturing sides of your business, you may want to look for a solution that brings in a strong business intelligence component.

Picking and deploying an ERP system can be a daunting task with many software solutions to choose from. When selecting an ERP system, it is important that the software meets the needs and goals of your company while having the support required to implement an ERP system. Here is a quick checklist to review when first comparing between ERP Systems to help narrow down your options.

Checklist for Selecting an ERP System

Does the ERP software/vendor that is being considered:

• Meet your system requirements?
• Meet/align with company goals?
• Integrate/compatible with current existing systems?
• Have partner Network/Availability for local support?
• Offer training/support options?
• Have references and recommendations from customers?
• Continuously improve and develop to utilize new technology and adapt to challenges?

Once the ERP system options have been narrowed down to solutions that are most compatible with your current systems and goals, it can be helpful to review the benefits and features of the systems with key decision makers of the organization. Having the insight and support of these decision makers can boost adoption and support of an ERP system implementation throughout the organization.

There’s are a number of ERP Systems available in Kenya and each has its own approach to pricing.

• Standard / Addon License Pricing : Licenses can be sold Perpetual or Subscription based. The Cost is based on number of User Licenses.
• Annual Maintenance Price : Generally, the perpetual price has an annual maintenance fee that is a % of the License Price. This covers the customer on support from the Principal ERP Provider as well as licenses for upgraded versions.
• Annual SLA Price : The Implementation Parter might charge for support services post go live. There is a scope to what is generally covered under this agreement.
• Implementation Price : The implementation effort does not vary much from implementor to implementor for a standard complete implementation for similar scope. However some have different implementation methodologies to cover risk, functionality among others thus the overall effort might vary. The Implementation effort based on scope ie number of users, modules, development, locations / companies, etc. is The man day rate is dependant on how competitive the bidding is, quality of the vendors deliverables and team being deployed.
• Cloud Hosting Price : This is sometimes included in the License Price or quoted for separately.

For a Standard Implementation of Core Modules to a business, the Implementation Price – $ 10,000 to $22,000. License Price with Hosting can start from $ 20 per User / Month.