Individual Assignment: Q1 (ERP) (Openbravo / SAP)

Enterprise Resource Planning is a (software + hardware) system developed from MRP (Material Requirements Planning and Manufacturing resource planning) which is intended to manage all the data and function of a business or company from shared information data. Nowsaday, ERP systems attempt cover all core functions of a company, regardless of the organization's business or charter. We can find ERP system in non-manufacturing businesses, non-profit organizations and governments.

ERP systems are cross-functional and enterprise-wide. All functional departments that are involved in operations or production are intergrated in one system. In addition to areas such as manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, and information technology, this typically includes accounting, human resources, marketing and strategic management. The typical project is about 14 months and requires around 150 consultants. A small project (company less than 100 staff) can be planned and delivered within 3-9 months.

The implementation of ERP consider more difficulty (and politically charged) in organizations structured into nearly independent business units, each resposible for their own profit and loss, because of the different processes, business rules, data semantics and decision centers.

The note from:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_resource_planning


2. IT in Marketing Ch1

SAP:

SAP AG is a multinational software development and consulting corporation, which provides enterprise software applications and support to businesses of all sizes globally.The largest software enterprise in Europe and fourth largest software enterprise in the world. They hire 51,447 employees (Augest 2008) and total revenue €10.25 billion (2007). The best known product is its SAP software.

SAP AG is the No. 1 vendor in the Enterprise Business Applications market, (with approximately 30% of worldwide market), and one of the largest independent software companies in the world. The Company consists of SAP AG and its network of 62 operating subsidiaries and has a presence or a representation in over 100 countries.

Note from:

1. http://www.technologyevaluation.com/search/for/Company-of-SAP-Implement.html


2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAP_AG


3. http://www.sap.com/index.epx

Openbravo:

Openbravo provides a fully functional, integrated, Web-based, open source ERP (enterprise management system) and open source point-of-sale (POS) application. Designed for small and mid-size enterprises in the retail industry, Openbravo provides functionality for procurement and warehouse management, project and service management, production management, and financial management.

Openbravo features a web-based interface, where the user can view the entire status of a company, including production information, inventory, customer information, order tracking, and workflow information. It is possible to synchronize this information with other applications through the Java-based Openbravo API. Openbravo can also create and export reports and data to several formats, such as PDF and Microsoft Excel. As Openbravo is web based, it is possible to access the interface from anywhere that there is an Internet connection.

Note from:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Openbravo


2. http://vs.technologyevaluation.com/software/46-23488/Discrete-Manufacturing-ERP/Openbravo-Openbravo-ERP.html


3. http://vs.technologyevaluation.com/software/235-23497/Open-Source-and-Linux-IT-Services/Openbravo-Openbravo-Training-Support-Consulting-and-Outsourcing.html
   

In my opinion, i think the big different between SAP and Openbravo is the system details ,the support team service and the prices. Both of them provide same function software and hardware in the very beginning when you start to use this system. SAP had more experience and staff in the world so maybe give better confident to their customers. Of course they will charge you up.

SAP is not a very good choice when the company is setting up and just start running. SAP is a improvement system to help each department link up the same data and information to help company save money and simplify the process and avoid wrong entry. When the company become more mature and growing explosive, it is the good time to change SAP system to help.