One big problem with trying to add technology to your school is understanding what software is available and how it can help. There’s a lot of confusing terminology and many technical terms to look through. Some are jargon, while others are legitimate names for software.
What is ERP software?
ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning. ERP software manages business processes for a company, organization, or school. ERP software for schools features multiple tools that work to connect departments and bring the data from those departments together into one database. Then, whatever task you need to complete, ERPs bring all the information you need right to your fingertips.
Why any school district benefits from ERP software:
Automation
Automation is perhaps the most useful function of ERP software. ERPs are designed to undertake many tasks for you, especially tasks that you do on a regular basis. An example of work that a financial management ERP could do for you would be to compile a report of the money your school district spent in the previous month. The ERP can automatically select specific data from all the applications in the system so that you don’t need to search for the information yourself. ERPs can also allow you to configure the reports to show exactly the information you want in exactly the way you want it shown. So, clearly, ERP software can save you time through automation, which in turn will help your school or district save money.
Integration
Another important function of ERP software is integration. Integration refers to the ability of one piece of software to communicate with another piece. When the software from two or more different departments works closely together through sharing data, everything can become more efficient and effective. For example, ERP software can automatically share information between HR and Accounting so that employees no longer need to enter data manually into your systems. This will significantly cut down on both wasted time, and data-entry errors. ERP software solutions also update your data so that when you enter information into the system, all connected departments can immediately work from the updated data.
Organisation
ERP software also helps you to stay organised. ERPs comprise multiple applications, and each of these shares information with all the others. So, if you were to add a vendor account to your system in one place, the ERP would automatically add that vendor to the other relevant apps. Thus, ERPs can keep all your information organised and help your department to become more efficient.
The Best ERP Software
The main benefit you get from a high-quality ERP software system is that it is designed specifically for your needs. After all, you don’t want to work with software settings that were built for a different kind of business. However, the best ERP software systems are versatile. They will allow you to configure the software in a way that corresponds to your specific needs in your specific school district. When you can do this, you set up your administration for success.
