Three Questions that Help Determine if a Cloud Based ERP Solution is Right for You

The “cloud” is no longer a dirty word when mentioned in business meetings. Nor is it considered a trend; it has become a reality for many types of computing resources. Enterprise resource planning solutions are no stranger to the cloud. Most enterprise grade ERP solutions have a cloud based option as do many of the SME offerings. However, if you are considering moving your ERP application to the cloud, you have to first understand why it would make sense for your organization. To do that, you need to answer a few questions first.

Is security a concern?

In the early days of cloud adoption, security was a solid reason not to move anything to the cloud. Those fears have since been mitigated and most business leaders realize that the cloud is just as safe, and often times safer, than if the resources were hosted on-site.

Since cloud vendors have a dedicated security team working for them, and that security team knows the product intimately, a cloud based ERP solution may be the right choice for an organization who doesn’t have the resources or the knowledge to properly lock down their software, infrastructure and data storage.

Is your workforce mobile?

The mobile workforce is growing thanks to advances in technology. Not only do more people telecommute, but more people work on the go with their smartphones and other mobile devices. ERP vendors have met this need and most make it possible for mobile workers to easily access and update data on the go.

Cloud based ERP applications make mobile access much easier. Apps installed on devices can connect directly to the cloud servers that host the software with little configuration to the device or the network because the app is installed pre-configured. Mobile workers can connect to site-based ERP solutions, however there is usually a great deal of configuration that needs to happen first.

Is your business growing?

One of the greatest values that the cloud brings to business applications is that it will scale your solution to fit the needs of your business as it grows. Cloud ERP solutions allow you to plug in more users quickly because both software and hardware resources are scalable to fit rapid growth. Even if you have to ramp up your users for short-term, seasonal hires you can easily scale your ERP solution for the licenses you need and only the ones you need.

Additionally, cloud based ERP solutions are elastic. Not only can they help you ramp up your user count rather quickly, but they can handle heavy loads of use without taxing resources to the point of failure. During heightened use, a cloud based solution will not break under the pressure.

If you think that turning to the cloud for your ERP needs is the right path, these questions can help get the discussion started. However, to plan your ERP project and ensure that you choose the right solution for your business it helps to have people on your team who specialize in implementing these solutions. The right consultant will not only answer your questions, but will help make sure that you are getting the most out of your ERP application as well.