It’s no secret that manufacturing today is vastly different than it was ten years ago. The Internet, advanced technology, and the connected nature of how business gets done has changed everything. So, why are you still using a manufacturing ERP (or worse, doing things manually—like they’ve always been done) that doesn’t keep up with business today?
If you haven’t heard of connected manufacturing, you might still be stuck with a system that can’t help you grow, and keeps you tied up in expensive maintenance/upgrade fees. Connected manufacturing leverages cloud computing to harness operational and business data and promises greater visibility, efficiency, control, and customer satisfaction.
To get there, your business needs a robust manufacturing cloud ERP that includes these four things:
1. Security
Security is not an afterthought with a cloud system. You want a system that uses the “defense in depth” model to ensure data security not only at the physical level and during transmission, but also to prevent known cybersecurity threats or to defend against new ones.
2. Agility
Your manufacturing cloud ERP should enable you to adapt business processes to changing needs rather than force you into a rigid process. You can use the system as you expand and add new technologies easier. This means less disruption to your business no matter how many changes occur.
3. Scalability
A cloud ERP for manufacturing should scale as your business grows. Even the largest global company with thousands of users, machines, and devices conducting millions of transactions should be able to use the system with no degradation in performance. The cloud provider should promise at least 99.9% availability.
4. Extensibility
Connectivity to existing IT infrastructures and ecosystems means you can extend the system to coexist with other systems or add on as needed. Since no software can fill every need, you need the ability to link to external data sources or build an experience that is unique to your business.
If your manufacturing ERP system doesn’t do these four things, then maybe it’s time to modernize. Why? Because manufacturing has changed. And you need a system that can help you keep up with the changes—now and in the future.
Download the infographic for more insights: Connected Manufacturing and the Cloud.
