Benefits of a Cloud ERP

What Is an ERP?

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is business software that lets you control your data across all areas of your organization. Basically, it is a system for planning business resources. It works simply by centralizing everything in a single program with a single database to integrate different company modules, such as human resources, accounting, billing, etc.

Some of the advantages an ERP offers include automation, accounting management, and report generation, among many others, which provide greater control over day-to-day operations and greater security when carrying out comprehensive business management.

Companies are always looking for new ways to capitalize on internal intelligence to make every supplier, distributor, and service interaction effective. Speed is essential in markets with fast product life cycles and short times to market. While on-premises systems can help meet these needs, cloud ERPs are faster to implement and easier to customize. More and more companies are turning to cloud ERP hosting solutions to help them become more competitive in their industry.

Below, we show you the benefits of a cloud ERP system compared to choosing to have your own on-premises server.

Remember that at Clouding you can install the ERP that best fits your project on your server. Access your client panel, choose the resources you need at that moment, and once your server is created, add the ERP that meets your needs. In your Clouding client panel, you also have images or preinstalled applications for some of the most widely used ERPs, making installation even easier.

Benefits of a Cloud ERP System

Lower Upfront Investment Costs

Unlike traditional on-premises solutions, a cloud ERP hosting service does not require a large upfront investment. With an on-premises ERP, you can expect to pay a substantial amount to purchase and maintain servers. In addition, on-premises solutions involve not only higher costs but also more time and effort, often requiring you to hire IT staff to handle maintenance.

By contrast, with a cloud ERP, all aspects of software implementation and maintenance are the software provider's responsibility, eliminating both the cost and the effort for the company. There is no need to install and integrate hardware to support the software or hire additional staff. Also, since you do not have to adapt the space or provide adequate ventilation for the hardware, implementation is much faster, more convenient, and simpler. For these reasons, cloud ERP hosting is especially advantageous for smaller companies, such as small and medium-sized businesses, those with tight budgets, and companies with limited IT resources.

Lower Operating Costs

Traditional on-premises ERP requires regular hardware maintenance and upgrades, which affect a company's budget. A cloud ERP system, by contrast, is a low-cost operation. For a minimal initial fee, you can have a fully implemented cloud ERP system for your business online.

The costs of signing up for a cloud ERP are reasonable and generally fit the budgets of small and medium-sized businesses. With a cloud ERP for small and medium-sized businesses, you will not need to invest in hardware overhauls or maintenance.

Flexibility and Scalability

With a physical space and specific hardware, you take on entry costs that can be limiting.

However, this does not happen with a cloud ERP server, since you can adjust the server hardware to your needs at any time. Remember that at Clouding you can increase or decrease your server resources at any time to adapt your cloud hosting to your ERP installation. Resizing these RAM, CPU, and SSD resources will let you save costs and ensure that the cloud ERP server adapts to your needs, not the other way around.

Faster Return on Investment 

Cloud ERP hosting solutions can be integrated quickly, helping ensure that you receive a faster return on your IT investment. Implementation is very brief because the cloud platform already has everything needed to run your ERP quickly, reliably, and securely. You do not have to incur substantial expenses to acquire the necessary equipment or qualified IT staff. By making a much smaller and more controlled investment, a faster return on investment is guaranteed.

Security Improvements

One of the biggest benefits of cloud ERP is the greater security it offers companies of all types and sizes. When it comes to storing and recovering confidential company data, it is essential that the data be protected at all times. With a cloud ERP, you will never have to worry about data being hacked by a third party, because cloud platforms have security measures such as Backups, Firewalls, or Anti-DDoS systems to counter external attacks. At Clouding, we have all these features to mitigate any issues your data might face (Backups, Firewalls, Anti-DDoS) and give you peace of mind 😉

Technical Support

Support for cloud ERP services is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any issues or questions that may arise with your cloud ERP . On-premises hosting, by contrast, generally requires IT professionals to handle these tasks. As a subscriber to a cloud-based ERP service, you can access the assistance you need 24 hours a day in any time zone.

Uninterrupted Accessibility

Thanks to the remote nature of cloud-based ERP, your company can operate without downtime. If a power outage occurs in your area, you can still access the cloud with a Wi-Fi connection to carry out the activities you need. Authorized staff at your company can connect to the cloud through a pc, tablets or smartphones.

Reliability

In the debate over cloud ERP versus traditional ERP, the former has the advantage that providers specialize in infrastructure. That is why cloud ERP operates with guaranteed connectivity and no system downtime, which is guaranteed through an SLA. In addition, cloud-based providers constantly perform updates so their customers can forget about infrastructure and focus their efforts on what truly matters to them: their businesses online.

More Time and Resources for Business Improvement

Cloud ERP for small and medium-sized businesses allows your company to cut overhead and make better use of the time you would otherwise spend coordinating processes. Your company can increase its efficiency and complete tasks more quickly and easily with cloud ERP.

With all the time you save, you can devote hours to improving your business. For example, you could pay more attention to customer service and organize staff meetings to discuss ways to improve in this area. Your company could also invest more time, energy, and resources in areas such as product development and expansion opportunities.

Trial Period

Cloud ERP services generally come with a trial period that lets you access the platform and run all the tests you need for your ERP at no cost. This means you do not have to spend any money and only need to invest some of your time to find out whether the cloud ERP service offered by the provider meets your needs. 

Some of the Available ERP Systems

There are many ERP systems available to you. Below, we discuss a few that may interest you.  

• Odoo: This ERP is one of the most popular.  It is very comprehensive software with many features, such as managing customer contacts, keeping accounts, managing logistics, creating invoices and orders, controlling inventory, etc.

• WebERP: Designed to require only a web browser and a PDF reader to use. It is free software for small and medium-sized businesses​ with features suitable for manufacturing companies, distribution chains, and wholesale businesses.
• SugarCRM: It is designed to organize, store, and maintain information. It is useful for focusing on customer needs and treating them as a priority.

Conclusions

As you have seen, for all companies, and especially small and medium-sized businesses, a cloud ERP offers nothing but advantages, such as not needing physical space and infrastructure in the building for the server, not requiring a large upfront investment, allowing flexibility and scalability, and guaranteeing connectivity and security.

At Clouding, we keep these benefits firmly in mind, which is why we make it easy for you to install an ERP for your small or medium-sized business on our platform and make your business more competitive.