An ERP system's primary benefit is that it automates business processes. In the first month of use, the business owner will have already seen the majority of those automations at work. Depending on the company-defined KPI, the employees will be able to evaluate the results of working with the ERP in one to six months.

Optimization of Business Processes

An ERP system optimizes and automates a company's key processes, starting with financial management and accounting. It keeps all income and expense reports in one place, and money transfers are managed automatically. No penny is unaccounted for.

The ERP system also influences production planning and supply chain management. With an ERP system, you don't need journals or Excel files because everything is counted in the program. This function noticeably speeds up the process when you're working with products.

Human resource and customer relationship management also feel the difference. Working with people becomes easier when automation results in increased work efficiency, reduced manual operations, and error reduction.

Data Centralization

An ERP system creates a single database for the entire company, which speeds up business processes. Employees access relevant and accurate information in real time because all information can be edited and updated with automated notifications. This ability also eliminates data fragmentation between departments, as everyone in the company has access to the same information. This approach improves cooperation between different departments by allowing them to exchange information quickly. Also, when the data is available to every relevant coworker, the employees appreciate the transparency.

Better Decision Making

For the department heads and owner, the ERP system's main benefit is that it speeds and facilitates the decision-making process. When all the information is available, reports are formed automatically, and when the integrated AI advises the next moves and shows consequences, leaders feel more informed and can better justify their most important decisions. ERP also influences strategic planning, as the system can identify trends and patterns in business that you maybe hadn't noticed before. These insights make processes, disadvantages, and advantages clearer for everyone in the organization, and the ERP software development cost pays for itself faster.

Increased Productivity

Your employees will soon notice how an ERP system increases productivity. After the routine tasks are automated, the workers have time for the more interesting, intellectual work that adds value. An ERP system also reduces the time it takes to complete some operations, which means the company doesn't need as many human hours for those tasks. Because fewer people can do the same amount of work with the help of ERP software, staff reductions may be necessary, but a competent manager will likely transfer released employees to a new project or another branch of the business.

Improving Customer Service

The CRM module tremendously influences client satisfaction. A single customer base improves the quality and speed of service because neither customer nor order will ever be forgotten, thanks to the notifications and integrated calendar. Also, more efficient warehouse and supply management leads to faster order delivery. In short, all of an ERP system's work is geared toward the product's end users-your clients-which is why it's important to improve internal processes and grow your business.

Scalability and Flexibility

An ERP system's capabilities help it easily adapt to business growth. You can start using only a few central modules and then add new ones organically as you develop the business and increase the number of clients and orders. Some modules can be replaced with familiar systems that you've already used, and this integration will add new functions without ruining the useful ones. ERP systems' flexibility also means they can fit various business models in different industries. They simply adjust the existing processes and improve using the available resources, updating outdated and ineffective features.

As an ERP system is a completed software with many modules, several factors influence the cost, and many of these factors are universal for the majority of businesses. The good news is that because an ERP system is flexible, the company can choose the variation that exactly fits its current budget and add new blocks down the road. So, the answer to the question 'How much does it cost to build an ERP system?' is unique for every business.

1.Complexity of Business Processes

Some company use a lot of programs and have a tangled structure of inner processes. In such cases, the ERP software development cost can be higher to correspond to all business needs. The idea is to add new functionality without ruining the processes that work well. ERP integration into an already sophisticated process will likely require more time and working hours, thereby increasing the cost.

2.Company Size

Usually, the number of departments plays a big role in ERP cost. The number of departments usually correlates with the number of ERP modules, which determines the size of the system. So, the custom ERP development cost directly correlates with the number of blocks an ERP system has. The greater the number of blocks, the more expensive it is.

3.Level of Security and Compliance with Regulatory Requirements

In many cases, ERP software cost depends on the industry in which the company works. Some security standards connected with personal data are very high, so a developer needs to check whether the system complies with these standards and the regulatory requirements before employees can use it. Otherwise, the company's reputation may be seriously damaged.

Good software decisions have high price tags, and not all company can afford them in one fell swoop. Here are some tips to mitigate the high ERP software development cost:

Phased Development and Implementation

First, develop the most needed ERP modules. As the whole system is formed from blocks, it will be easy to add new ones later on. This approach will save money and let you experience the benefits of a new program. Also, this strategy is good when you don't have a preconceived notion about what the final product should look like. That way, you can update the requirements over time and add new blocks when it suits your purposes.

Integration with Existing Programs

Some ERP modules can be replaced by existing programs. Take a CRM, for example: There's no need to do a new one if the current CRM system satisfies your needs. You can update it in the future after the more important and unique ERP blocks are installed. Also, if you don't need an integration with some particular program, for now, it can reduce current costs.

Cloud Solutions vs. Local Ones

The choice between cloud and local solutions depends largely on the type of business you're running. Cloud solutions offer almost unlimited storage places for data, which is a good option for company with big data files, as they can save on infrastructure costs. On the other hand, local solutions have a higher security level and they help you avoid technical pauses that could occur with cloud solutions.

If you follow the above advice, the answer to your 'How much does it cost to build an ERP system?' question will be 'much less than it costs your competitors.' Also, when you decide to start developing ERP software, it's nice to have a consultation with external business analytics experts to better understand the current situation and possibilities with an ERP.