Every business, no matter the size, needs project management. Those that do it well run their businesses better. There are many different thoughts, certifications, and methods for managing projects. There are also many different systems for doing so. Here’s how an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can greatly improve your project management, no matter your methods.

Track costs

Do you know how much your projects cost? Are those numbers based on estimates? Do they include man hours, materials, purchase orders, subcontractors, and all of the other things that go into the total cost? All of these items add up and understanding the real total gives you valuable insight into your projects. With ERP tools, you can track all different kinds of costs and assign them to a project. Automating cost tracking gives you a more complete picture that includes everything from labor hours to materials.

If you aren’t currently automating your costs, let’s get this set up for you and get this valuable insight through your ERP system. Let’s paint that complete picture.

A source of truth

If you needed to find the status of a project, where would you go for that information? Is it from a mix of software products, a handful of spreadsheets, or do you need to ask that one employee who really knows? If it’s any of these common situations, an ERP solution would make a mighty impact for good. As an example of what an ERP can do, consider Acumatica, which we can implement for you. Their Project Accounting within their ERP manages budgets, inventories, change orders, time sheets, billings, and profitability. Plus, it provides detailed reporting for business initiatives. Can you imagine the difference it would make to have all of this in one system?

People over processes

A phrase that’s commonly heard within agile project management is “people over processes.” It represents the importance of focusing on your individuals and teams to determine the best method, rather than focusing on a specific process. With ERP, you can focus on people, more than on your software. How? ERP systems give them great tools to do their work, speeding up processes, automating certain tasks, and improving communication. Try to picture these business automation scenarios you could set up for your business with Acumatica and the impact they could have for your team:

  1. Warning customers of upcoming invoice due dates
  2. Notifying customers when their orders are ready for delivery or pickup
  3. Notifying warehouse personnel to be on the lookout for incoming shipments

This is just touching the surface of the project management improvements waiting for you with a great ERP solution. Our team of experts would love to sit down with you and discuss the specific areas where your business would thrive with ERP. Let’s chat!