The 10 Latest ERP Trends to Watch Out for in 2022 and Beyond

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has proven to be an indispensable tool in managing every business process, whether it is purchasing, sales, accounting, human resources, or marketing.

ERP has also evolved at a lightning-speed pace in recent years, thanks to the continuing advancements related to buyers’ behaviors, market conditions, competition, and technological innovations. Already, many companies have multi-functional and extended ERP software in place capable of providing intelligent insights, creating personification in client interactions, supporting remote work operations, and enhanced automation to meet the growing demands of the customers and gain a competitive advantage.

This year, ERP continues to evolve as emerging trends are set to transform it anew. Businesses that seek to transform themselves to the next level should be mindful of these trends and take advantage of them so they can make informed decisions and achieve further growth.

We shall have a look at 10 of these trends and see how each can transform ERP and the business as a result:

1. Artificial intelligence with machine learning

Whether it is about automating repetitive tasks or proactive problem solving, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help mitigate inefficiencies and improve productivity within the organization. AI takes ERP integration to the next level through predictive analytics and hyper-automation, leading to better decision-making and enhanced customer experience. Its capabilities such as machine learning, natural language processing, and chatbots have by themselves have proven to have helped reduce costs, facilitate greater productivity, and improve the business’ overall operations.

2. Cloud-Based ERP’s continued growth

Cloud ERP system, also known as SaaS ERP software, has been in use for a long time. But thanks to the pandemic, Cloud ERP has seen an increased adoption due to its ease of implementation, low deployment cost, and enhanced collaboration features. It can also extend access to real-time information, facilitate remote working, and ensure high-end data security. Moreover, deploying cloud-based ERP software is beneficial for small and medium enterprises thanks to the small cost and fewer resources involved.

3. Increased demand for ERP in the healthcare sector

While ERP has become an invaluable tool in many industries, one particular that has benefited the most is the healthcare industry. ERP has made it possible for hospitals and healthcare organizations to enhance their patient care by keeping patients, doctors, and clinical staff connected in real time. It has also helped them stay compliant with government and industry rules and policies thanks to its database that they utilize to store safety protocols, as well as perform back-office operations with fewer expenses or overheads.

4. Internet of Things is taking ERP further

Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled ERP systems are highly used within manufacturing environments or businesses requiring fully-automated data collection. Combining IoT’s capability to track places and components round the clock with ERP’s ability to collect information from IoT devices and generate real-time reports, this provides for better visibility and decision making.

5. Straightforward approach with headless architecture

Headless architecture makes it possible for users to accomplish multiple tasks from a single interface, making complex tasks easier and the user experiences simplified to a great extent. And by separating business logic from the data, headless architecture powered-ERP makes it easy to execute task-specific interfaces that is also tailored to a particular end-user.

6. Mobility remains a game-changer

ERP mobility is the game-changer for every organization in this competitive era. For example, your salespeople require visiting clients out of the office, empowering them with the capability of viewing real-time sales figures and stock information from their mobile device, which becomes extremely important to close the deals. An ERP system that is responsive to multiple platforms and devices can positively impact your employees, suppliers, and stakeholders as it keeps them connected even on the go.

7. The rise of the Three-Tier ERP

ERP applications are evolving towards a three-tier architecture (or n-tier architectures), wherein the ERP components, namely the application logic, database, and user interface, are distributed among three or separate devices in a connected network. Such architecture is seen to be more scalable, fast, secure, flexible, and robust, and can integrate data from multiple sources. This makes it a perfect ERP system for growing companies.