2020 ERP Software Trends and Strategies - FDM4

10/31/2020 2020 ERP Software Trends and Strategies | FDM4
5 ERP Trends For 2020 And Beyond

Last updated on October 22nd, 2020 at 08:57 am in News by Mike Cutsey 
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Quick Links: Growth | Cloud ERP | Advanced Technologies | Omnichannel Strategies | Additive
Manufacturing | What Is The Future Of ERP? | Stay Ahead Of Trends in ERP With FDM4
The apparel industry is continually changing and shifting. As consumers take on new
mindsets and shopping culture adapts, businesses need to find ways to keep up. Every time
there is a disruption, innovation brings in new technology to change the industry’s landscape.
These shifts create trends in how companies use hardware and software to their advantage,
and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is at the forefront of modern needs.
Learn About Our ERP Solution
At its base functionality, ERP integrates all the essential processes in your business in one
system. You’ll be able to keep up with a demanding consumer base and manage operations
on a single organized database. But, as it is becoming an industry standard, new trends are
emerging involving the use of new ERP systems. This guide will take you through some of the
top trends and provide you with a forecast for the future of ERP.
Fostering Growth Through ERP

Fostering efficient growth is an increasingly important goal for companies across various 
industries. Many companies believe that the most effective way to encourage growth is by
cutting costs. While doing so is an important part of the process, it isn’t enough on its own,
and only focusing on that will keep you from achieving your objective. You have to make
https://www.fdm4.com/erp-trends/ 1/17
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investments in your future, which is why it’s crucial to pay attention to industry and
technology trends.
Investing in infrastructure is one of the best paths to efficient growth. The organizational
structure of your company is the foundation for success and future growth, so it has to be
consistently strong. The way you manage your business through hardware and software is a
significant part of that foundation, making ERP an important tool. And it’s not only ERP that’s
important to management — cloud-hosted and omnichannel software setups are just as
essential.
By creating a management system that connects all of your teams, you’ll be able to make
the most of your time and reach new levels of company-wide efficiency. Consolidated data,
user-friendly dashboards, automatic updates and accurate analysis will all make it easier to
improve and grow.
Current Trends In ERP

It is essential to pay attention to the trends in ERP software among businesses. Here are some
of the current ERP trends to watch in 2020:
1. Mobile ERP
2. Cloud ERP
3. Advanced Technologies
4. Omnichannel Strategies
5. Additive Manufacturing

1. MOBILE ERP
Now more than ever, people are using their mobile devices to do business and access
websites. With the shift towards mobile, more people are taking their work out of the office
and into coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and their homes. Mobile devices provide constant
access to information and offer an oppurtunity to expand your reach as a company.
Today’s workforce expects a higher level of mobile offerings and connectivity, meaning
there’s a strong push for app versions of large-scale company software. Mobile applications
provide executives, managers, analysts and employees with a real-time view of pertinent
company information and make communicating with customers easier from any location.
With ERP mobile apps, you gain a variety of helpful functions, such as the ability to send out
push notifications, keep track of orders and expenses, review and approve employee time
and create events on a calendar. Other apps may be dedicated to single functions, such as
improving customer relations or managing sales orders. Regardless of which kind you

integrate, you’re providing a source for instant updated information.
Including mobile apps in your software suites means the ability to accomplish more in a
shorter amount of time Faster response time improved connectivity and keeping your
shorter amount of time. Faster response time, improved connectivity and keeping your
employees informed means happier customers and better internal organization.
2. CLOUD ERP
While using the cloud is not a new concept for most businesses, as many have already
implemented it in some area of their day-to-day operations, it is quickly evolving to become
the industry standard.
In 2020, Gartner predicts worldwide cloud revenue will increase by 17%, resulting in nearly a
$40 billion climb. As more companies move towards cloud hosting, they are also able to
move away from on-premises systems and expensive stationary tech.
Manufacturers, retailers and every company in between can benefit from using cloud-hosted
services. And as consumers demand more from the brands they shop with, cloud-based
ERP is predicted to continue growing.
Not only does using the cloud support your best interests and business intelligence, but it also
will continue to evolve as more industries implement the tool. Growth in popularity and higher
business demand for cloud services will spark the development of more features
and customization options. Your experience using off-site ERP is bound to improve continually
as software developers find ways to suit your needs more directly.
Cloud-hosted ERP is a solution that helps your company collect, manage and analyze data
from any location. By using the cloud as a hosting service, you’ll see many benefits, including:
Faster deployment: While the idea was founded in on-site technology, much of the hardware used to
create more organization has become obsolete. On-site ERP platforms can take about a year to
implement and deploy, as setting up the servers correctly requires a lot of complex planning. It’s likely
that this amount of time is far too much to lose, even despite the long term bene ts. In a fast-paced
industry, it’s crucial that you have what you need quickly, without risking a lot of downtime. With no on-
site servers to install, implementing a cloud-based system takes as little as three months, so you’ll get to
the advantages much sooner.
Simpli ed updates: In an on-site system, updating your software is a hassle. It takes valuable time
and often requires a company-wide outage for maintenance. Having to do this every time you need to
upgrade or patch an issue can seriously disrupt your productivity. When you use the cloud, you’ll have the
bene t of automatic software updates. Without a break in productivity, your team will always be working
with the latest and most capable version of the software. And if you’d rather manage when the systems
update than have them do so automatically, you can schedule them routinely for any time. You have more
control over updating with less disruption.
Collaboration: One of the most signi cant conveniences of cloud-hosted ERP systems is the ease of
collaboration. With a simpli ed system and central database, your teams and suppliers can all access
the same data in real-time, regardless of where they’re located around the world. Access to real-time 
supply chain data gives you and your employees and partners the power to identify and address issues
immediately. On-site ERP systems don’t even come close to this level of collaboration, as they require
wired connections to desktop computers in the same location for access.
Reinforced security: When cloud-based solutions were rst developed, they were created to enhance
security. Cloud-hosted ERPs may have various security features to keep your information safe, including
encrypted communication for web service calls and monitoring for any activity that’s out of the ordinary.
Using a cloud system also safeguards your data from accidental losses like power failure and natural
disasters. All your information is automatically backed up in the cloud and stored far from your
geographic location, so it will stay safe even if your brick-and-mortar operations experience an
unanticipated failure.
As an added advantage, off-site hosting allows for future growth and worldwide expansion.
When you’re looking to advance, you shouldn’t have software issues holding you back. By
being able to access data from anywhere, you won’t have to hesitate when considering
expanding. Your teams can use the same software and join in on the collaborative efforts
seamlessly. 
3. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
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To keep up with the rising demands of consumers, industries of every kind are turning to
advanced technologies. Keeping on top of modern technology trends and taking advantage
of them in your business is a smart move that will help you grow. If you want to give yourself
the best chances for success, using hardware and software cohesively creates an efficient
and convenient system.
Three advanced technology concepts that can help you improve your business are the
Internet of Things (IoT), direct machine integration and analytics. Together, these technologies
form a powerful system of data collection, storage and comprehension.
IoT is a name for the network created by integrating physical, connected and smart devices
with various electronics, sensors, software and actuators. This interconnected system allows
the individual machines and technologies to collect and exchange data and store it in
computer-based records. Creating those links between hardware and software systems is
direct machine integration.
Because the devices create a path for communication between the physical systems and
ERP software, IoT improves their accuracy and efficiency while reducing the necessity of
human intervention. The visibility IoT adds to the entire supply chain process will help keep 
your entire organization informed and on the same page. To better understand the concept,
it can be broken down into six key elements:
Hardware: IoT centers around the physical devices that make this technology possible, including the
sensors and actuators that are capable of network connectivity and data collection. They require the
functionality for basic processing and storage, so micro-controllers or integrated circuits are also
necessary. You can use a System-on-a-Chip (SoC) or eld-programmable gate array (FPGA).
Networking and cloud integration: Designing a capable network and management system is essential
to making IoT work. It involves a high volume of interconnected devices, and small design decisions have
signi cant impacts when they reach that scale. Creating connectivity allows devices to communicate
among themselves and with cloud services and applications. Data storage, processing andanalysis are
centered in the cloud infrastructure.
Embedded programming: IoT uses embedded devices, which require prototyping and programming.
You can use a combination of commoditized micro-controller platforms and custom printed circuit
boards (PCBs). However, before you can prototype, you have to have a strong understanding of hardware
communication protocols, which are what you use to establish a pathway between the micro-controller,
sensors and actuators. C++, C, Python and Javascript are all programming languages suited for
developing embedded programs.
Data analytics and prediction: While the devices and hardware collect data, you still need a program
to ingest, store and analyze a large amount of incoming information. Also, because some of the
collected data is latent or time-sensitive, it must lter or discard irrelevant information.
Security: As one of the biggest concerns surrounding IoT, security needs to be present and built into
every part of the system’s design. With so much data and information to protect, developers need to be
skilled in security engineering, including threat assessment and intelligence, encryption, ethical hacking,
event monitoring, activity logging and securing network architectures and applications.
Machine learning and arti cial intelligence (AI): Because devices generate so much information, IoT
developers need machine learning and AI skills to derive value from the raw data. Cognitive computing
techniques are necessary for intelligence, can be applied to sensor data streams and make autonomous
decisions regarding incoming information. Machine learning can also use historical data to recognize

patterns or identify anomalies in new data. 2020 will bring improved AI to ERP software.
As a whole, IoT makes up an ecosystem of interconnected devices, software and data

sa o e, o a es up a ecosys e o e co ec ed de ces, so a e a d da a
transmitters that improve the efficiency of businesses in any industry. IoT integration has been
on an upward trend for the past few years, and at its current pace, the market is set to grow
to over $3 trillion on an annual basis by as early as 2026.
The software you use is what performs all the analytics. Once the sensors and hardware send
the data to your software, the program aggregates the information and sorts it into relevant
sections, making it accessible to you and your team. It can render and convert data from
personal computers, smartphones, tablets and similar devices, as well as pull from servers,
networks, websites, applications, other programs, SIEM logs and other sources.
Analytics takes a massive amount of information transferred to the software and converts it
all into useful insights. You can get the answers you need at a glance rather than spending
time poring through individual pieces of data. With the broken down and sorted information,
you’ll be able to monitor, improve and optimize your business’ operations more efficiently.
4. OMNICHANNEL STRATEGIES
Where the customer shopping experience used to be a trip to a brick and mortar retail store,
now there are multiple channels buyers go through to make a purchase. It can be
challenging to manage all those channels cohesively, especially if you have a different
system for each. In that case, you can’t share data between channels, and none of the siloed
systems connect. This disconnectedness makes it more difficult to use any of your collected
data and interact with other teams.
In this day and age, consumers will use several channels before making a purchase. However,
they see a brand as a whole rather than judging by a single method of sales, and they expect 
consistency. If you keep every sales channel separate, customers are bound to experience
inconsistencies and feel ignored and frustrated while moving from one system to another.
The best alternative is creating an omnichannel experience that unifies front-end and back-
end services. Omnichannel is an organization strategy that integrates all of your sales
channels into one management system. It creates a seamless shopping journey for your
customers, whether they use online, mobile, in-store or a combination of those channels.
They’ll have the benefit of convenience, shopping satisfaction and higher lifetime value.
You and your teams will also benefit from an omnichannel system. The solution works to
effectively collect, centralize and streamline all your data to support your workflow and make
everything easily accessible. Without the risk of human error, it also automatically
synchronizes and updates any data changes in real time, so all your records will always
include the latest figures.
Every part of your business should be able to access collected data as a mutual resource.
Omnichannel solutions make that possible. Your company will have the advantages of:
Real-time visibility: Omnichannel solutions allow you to check inventory levels across all channels
quickly and from anywhere. You’ll be able to easily avoid running into stock issues or ine cient product
tracking methods. These bene ts reduce the risk of missing a sales opportunity and help you provide
better customer service.
Centralized order management: If you have separate systems for all your sales channels, then
managing orders is more di cult than it needs to be. Omnichannel makes it easy to ful ll any order and
allows your customers to buy and return items anywhere.
Uni ed data source: Siloed sources keeps your data resources separated. But an omnichannel
system compiles all your customer data in a single repository. This way, all of your employees and team
members can have a complete view of a customer’s interactions across all channels. You’ll be able to
provide consistent customer service, support personalized marketing and merchandising and create
targeted promotions.
E-commerce is quickly becoming the new normal of business, so optimizing your channels is

the best way to retain happy customers. With an omnichannel system, you’ll be more
prepared to handle any issue and grow at a faster pace.
5. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
5. ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
To find the best ERP system for your company, you have to consider your current needs as
well as where you want to be in the future. If you’re looking to make serious advancements,
you may want to consider making room for additive manufacturing.
3D printing is changing the manufacturing industry for the better, especially where large-
scale, high-volume and complex products are involved. Using faster, more adaptable
equipment allows you to cut costs while producing higher quality items and boosting your
team’s efficiency. But, to successfully integrate it into your processes, you need an ERP
software system that can keep up.
When you choose to take advantage of the additive manufacturing trend, the printers will
greatly increase the volume of data your software has to field. To ensure you can successfully 
use 3D printing technology, you should review the capabilities and capacities of your system.
This way, you’ll know how you can benefit in advance and whether or not you’ll need to
upgrade to a more suitable ERP software.
With additive manufacturing and the right configuration of hardware, direct machine
integration and software, you’ll be able to closely track quality and material usage for every
part you manufacture. From sourcing through delivery, you can monitor the efficiency of your
processes in real-time. To find ways to improve the fundamentals of your products, you can
also keep track of the safety records of 3D parts with serial codes.
What Is The Future Of ERP?
ERP systems began as fully on-premises solutions for companies. As time has brought about
new technological capabilities and more mobility, the physical elements have become
obsolete. Some still use the on-site solutions, but other options allow for higher quality service
and improved efficiency in all areas. The old tech can’t keep up with modern demands. 
To understand the future of ERP systems and management, you can look at the trends in
business as a whole — the former will be a reflection of the latter. As professionals change
their needs, the software that supports them should evolve, too. Currently, most companies
are looking for fast responses, ease of use, broad access, mobile capability and other
elements that improve efficiency and communication.
Business trends have shown that improvement is all about reinvention. When a new
technology emerges, it replaces older systems, which become outdated. Currently, stationary
hardware is becoming obsolete as mobile solutions and software are continually growing.
The key to having the most significant business advantage is to stay ahead of these
technological trend shifts.
As companies continue to phase out many forms of hardware, the demand for simple
applications that are accessible from phones, tablets and laptops will grow. Ease of use is
becoming a huge selling point, and for good reason — teams need to be able to access and
understand complex data faster than ever. Intelligent software that includes configurable
dashboards, full integration and analysis from all perspectives will continue to increase in
popularity.
In addition to simplicity, another trend for the future is solutions that can expand to an
international scale. Software that can function across multiple currencies, legislations,
languages and physical requirements is becoming far more desirable. With the ability to span
countries, you can open up your future to potential expansions, including international
subsidiaries and partnerships.
All of these functions are possible with cloud-hosted ERP software, making it one of the most
advanced systems to date. Your business can flourish now and in the future by integrating
cloud systems and continuing the shift away from hardware and stationary devices. 
Stay Ahead Of Trends In ERP With FDM4
If
https://www.fdm4.com/erp-trends/ k i h h ERP d i l h i h ld h 15/17
If you want to keep up with the ERP trends in supply chain management, you should have
FDM4 in your corner.
FDM4 International Inc. specializes in creating and updating industry-specific software for
companies, including ERP solutions. We’ll help you put flexibility and functionality at the center
of your software, creating a system that works and grows with you. You’ll be able to easily
make improved decisions, integrate the software into your existing processes, simplify and
consolidate your systems and enhance the way you manage data.
With 38 years of experience, we have the knowledge to help you grow your business with
industry-leading software. To see how FDM4 can equip you to achieve your business goals,
explore our software solutions, or request a live demo for a tailored trial run.

For more information, contact us or send in a demo request.

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10/31/2020 2020 ERP Software Trends and Strategies | FDM4

5 ERP Trends For 2020 And Beyond

Learn About Our ERP Solution

Fostering Growth Through ERP

Current Trends In ERP

As a whole, IoT makes up an ecosystem of interconnected devices, software and data

What Is The Future Of ERP?

Stay Ahead Of Trends In ERP With FDM4

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