ERP as the backbone of your company: interesting insights from the trade journal Metallerie

What functionalities does ERP offer?

The article by Metallerie starts with what's most important: what you can do with ERP. This is, rightfully, the first question many companies have. Because if you don't know what functionalities are available, you cannot assess whether this or any other software will be beneficial for you. The first part of the Metallerie article focuses on core functions, namely order, production, and inventory management, invoicing, and post-calculation. The article provides in-depth information by delving into how these functionalities work.

This extensive explanation also immediately highlights why ERP is indispensable for many companies. By fully utilizing the capabilities of ERP software, you streamline your business processes. To quote the Metallerie article: “With a fully integrated approach, ERP software forms the core of all business processes.” And that is certainly true for MKG. Our platform is extensive enough for businesses to integrate their entire operation in our application. 

What are the benefits of these functionalities?

Of course, exploring the possibilities of ERP software is step 1. But those specific functionalities also translate into tangible improvements and more comprehensive insights. For instance, one major merit is that you only need to enter data once, which saves a lot of time. The Metallerie article also nicely highlights some of these benefits.

To briefly summarize the points made in the Metallerie article: Centralization and automation of your processes and information within an ERP system lead to higher efficiency, more productivity, and real-time insights. Additionally, it is easier for different departments within a company to collaborate when everyone works in a single system. In turn, these improvements lead to higher customer satisfaction. And that is, of course, the ultimate goal. 

What to look out for before getting starting? 

Transitioning to ERP software cannot be done in the blink of an eye. It takes quite a few blinks and then some. Therefore, Metallerie rightfully mentions a few pitfalls that every company should watch out for when they want to get started with ERP. 

Firstly, the article discusses so-called 'island automation'. Some systems work in an isolated manner, as separate islands. As a result, not all processes interact efficiently, meaning you're still stuck with duplicate work. Fortunately, this is not an issue for MKG ERP, because all processes within our software collaborate smoothly. Additionally, we offer a Shop Floor functionality for seamless integration with the shop floor.

The second point mentioned in the article is preparation. The implementation of ERP software must be approached purposefully. Otherwise, you may find out halfway through that your chosen package does not fully meet your needs. That is why MKG has a strong team of consultants to help outline a personalized action plan for implementing the ERP software.

Finally, training is also very important. ERP software is very comprehensive and requires guidance when you first start using it. And of course it would be a shame to leave functionalities unused. That is why MKG offers the MKG Academy and an extensive knowledge center. When you choose our ERP package, we'll schedule a basic course in which the main functionalities of our software package are thoroughly explained. Additionally, our knowledge center is full of manuals and useful information. This way, we want to help our customers get the most out of our software.

The full Metallerie article

Here at MKG, we've read the Metallerie article with great pleasure. The renowned trade journal naturally goes into more detail on the benefits we have summarized here, so we recommend reading the article via this link if you are or want to become a member of the trade journal. Please do note that the original article is written in Flemish.