ERP or Quoting System: Which do you Need?

With the ability to integrate a wide variety of business and process systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have a place in nearly any industry - and the print/packaging sector is no exception. However, companies relying solely on such a system can be detrimental to reaching sales goals.

The Role of ERP

ERP systems are used to manage and integrate core business processes and data across an extended enterprise. This generally includes everything from front office finances to the shipping dock, supply chain, and most things in between.

And while ERP systems do a lot of things well, they generally fall short when it comes to generating fast, accurate, and winning quotes. This is because these broad systems were simply not designed for such specific tasks.

Relying on your ERP to create quotes is like using your oven to toast bread. Its extreme overkill and you’ll get much better results with your trusty toaster.

The Right Tool for the Job

While robust quoting software should be in the toolbox of every printer, the same isn’t necessarily true for ERP. So, for many the questions is, do you need both a quoting solution and an ERP system?

For larger diverse and geographically dispersed companies, an ERP system is a must. These systems help to bridge departments and help manage the reems of data that large manufacturers generate. At the other end of the spectrum, many small print/packaging operations have survived quite well without an ERP system. For these companies, purchasing an ERP system for quoting is both costly and overly complex.

Supercharge your ERP

Those who supplement ERP capabilities with estimating software are taking full advantage of the digital era in which we live.  For these companies, a tightly integrated quoting and ERP solution is delivering more winning bids and a measurable increase in profitability.