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10.12.05
ERP System Of The Future: Database, Business Logic And Interface
 By
Andrew Karasev
We've analyzed Oracle products: Oracle Financials, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft,
and IBM Lotus Notes Domino. The trends could be seen in both: so-called functional
consulting, dealing with overall system implementation and user training and customization
- customization tools, open vs. proprietary technologies, etc. Our ideas are addressed
to large corporate business IT departments, because in our opinion these professionals
are under the highest pressure to foresee the future and make proper selection
decision today.
• No more new ERPs. The best time to launch a software development company with
the aim to create new ERP was 1980s. In those days we saw the dominance of Hardware
& OS (UNIX, Solaris, DOS, Mac OS). Each platform was selfish and usually non-compatible
with the others (somebody may point out to EDI interfaces - yes, this was probably
the only way of making different platforms talk to each other)
• Existing ERP transformation. Consider Project Green from Microsoft for example.
The plan is to introduce standard business suites: Microsoft Financials, Microsoft
Logistics, Microsoft Manufacturing, Microsoft Human Resources, etc. Currently
Microsoft owns several ERPs: Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Solomon. If it succeeds
in integrating the best pieces of each application under one recognizable and
intuitive interface - the goal would be reached. Microsoft already got substantial
success moving all its ERPs on one DB platform - Microsoft SQL Server
• Java vs. Windows. We don't think that you have to worry about OS platform anymore.
XML is an excellent mediator and it will make it possible to allow each platform
to concentrate in its business niche.
• Database & Business Logic should stay. Yes - why would we need to reinvent double
entry - the fundamentals of General Ledger accounting, invented by Luca Pacioli
in 16th century? Well - the dilemma of large business is in its uniqueness. In
our opinion it will be resolved by simplification of the ERP customization.
• Interface. This is where you should expect the fight. Forbes Magazine predicts
that future employees in your accounting & AR departments will come from nowadays
computer gamers and for gamers intuitiveness of the interface is everything. We
agree - the nicest features of user friendly ERP interface could be easily outsourced
to offshore software development companies in India, China, Philippines, Russia.
About the Author:
Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA
nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, based
in Chicago, California, Texas, New York, Georgia and Florida and having locations
in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com),
he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer. |
