EXPENSIVE. COMPLICATED. HARD TO USE.
These are some of the few wrong perceptions people have of SAP Business One, an integrated enterprise resource planning system (ERP).
The facts below will help you clear the myths about SAP Business One and hopefully, emphasise the real value of the solution.
Myth no. 1: SAP is for big companies, not for us!
When you hear about SAP, you immediately think of an ERP solution for large companies (those in the Fortune 500 ranking). But SAP is one of the largest solution providers for small and medium-sized companies, with 80% of its customers in this category.
The solution offered by SAP for such companies is called SAPBusiness One.
It all started with a small idea, 20 years ago and now, with 1 million users in over 170 countries, SAP Business One has become a top product on the global market for software solutions for SMEs.
SAP Business One is very rich in features, easy to understand, flexible, but robust, while covering the needs of all departments.
For SAP, no business is considered small! SAP solutions are intended for companies with vision and growth. “No matter what size or what type of business, SAP has the appropriate solution ready for you.”
Myth no. 2: Implementing an SAP solution will take years!
In this case, as well, people are wrongly comparing the implementation duration of an enterprise with SAP Business One, which is destined for small and mid-sized companies.
Large enterprises are complex organisations, which have hundreds or even thousands of users, with presence in multiple countries and with ery diversified business processes. When implementing an ERP for such organisations, the process is broken down into several phases, each stage being a program in itself. Due to this, the implementation takes a long time, until all objectives are achieved.
However, in case of SMEs, which by definition are smaller companies, there will not be such a scale. SAP Busines One projects usually take place over several weeks. Implementation time depends on many factors, including how important it is to you!
If all teams work in tandem on a well-defined plan, the implementation of SAP Business One can be completed in a short period of time.
The role of the implementation partners is to help you implement SAP Business One according to the requirements, offering you the best solutions and thus, making the process as easy as possible for the customer.
Myth no. 3: SAP Business One is too complicated for users!
SAP Business One has user-friendly and intuitive screens, standardized on modules, so that users can be trained quickly and feel comfortable with the system in the shortest time.
It can be easily viewed and switched between several menus, thus having a complete view of all data in one place.
SAP business One offers an easy-to-use suite of tools to customize forms for queries and activity-specific reports. All customisations can also be made by users who do not have prior technical experience.
Myth no. 4: SAP Business One is expensive to maintain!
This myth also has its origins in the misconceptions that SMEs will need the same type of infrastructure that large businesses need. The reality is that SAP Business One needs reasonable and acceptable resources in terms of IT infrastructure. A single server is enough to implement the project and keep the system functional. Customers also have the opportunity to opt for cloud.
Myth no. 5 SAP Business One cannot be customized
First of all, it has to be clear that SAP Business One is an out-of-the-box solution and it can be used as it is. The solution is complete, containing multiple modules, covering the needs of all departments (sales opportunity management, CRM, procurement, production, inventory, material resource planning (MRP), financial modules, human resources management, reports and real-time information).
SAP Business One offers some excellent development tools – SAP Business One SDK and SAP Business One Integration Framework (more details on the Integration Framework can be found in the article https://serrasoftware.ro/ro/integration-framework-b1if-aplicatie-pentru-modelarea-interactiunii-intre-sisteme/).
Developments for customers can range from simple solutions to complex integrations and modular development projects.
Customisations should not be considered shortcomings of the application, because they offer the possibility for the solution to be modeled so that it fits perfectly with the customer’s business needs.
Unlike other ERP solutions, SAP Business One gives SMEs the flexibility to work in tandem with other applications without imposing lawsuits on your business operations.
SAP Business One is an excellent solution that SMEs need to consider. People in this segment should not be distracted by these myths. SAP Business One has tremendous potential to help companies operate at higher levels of efficiency, with increased visibility in operations, reduced manual and repetitive work, reduced costs and improved customer relationships.
Paula Iordache