Seven Ways Big Data Can Work With ERP

From sales forecasting and scheduling to predictive maintenance and enhanced quality control, big data can improve ERP in many ways. Here are seven of the most important areas where big data helps ERP.

1. Sales Forecasting 

When combined with ERP systems, big data can help businesses predict demand for specific items. Retailer can use an ERP to analyze sales patterns for older product models and predict demand for the new one.”

For instance, a retailer could use big data to analyze how the release of a new iPhone model affects the sales of headphones and computer peripherals.

2. Scheduling 

Real-time feedback from Internet-of-Things data can give manufacturers a leg up on scheduling efficiency.

3. Process Efficiency 

Embedding big data analytics in operations leads to a 10 percent or greater increase in supply chain efficiency, using big data within ERP systems instead on an ad hoc basis led to 1.3 times the supply chain speed.

Keeping track of all the moving parts in the supply chain is one of the greatest challenges for many businesses . Big data can “improve supply chain visibility and give companies a more complete view of where all of their assets are at any given time.

4. Delivery Network Optimization 

This is especially true when it comes to delivery networks, where geo analytics based on big data can help supply chains improve delivery coordination. Insights from big data can assist with routing to determine the most efficient single or multi-drop routes for deliveries based on distance, real-time traffic density and weather data.”

5. Predictive Maintenance 

Big data can help ERP systems better refine and predict equipment maintenance schedules based on complex environmental variables that affect performance and wear, too.

6. Quality Monitoring. 

The predictive capabilities of big data also can extend to product quality control. Monitoring of resource sensors such as water pressure, air pressure, temperature, and humidity can support the means for early detection of potential quality concerns and issues within the factory that can be addressed prior to product shipping .Another benefit of a big data approach in quality monitoring is in the synthesis of data from product surveys, social media, and blogs to provide insight into consumer concerns and quality issues about products that have already shipped. When there is a product issue, the mix of big data and ERP systems can help ensure that issues are handled quickly.

7. Partner Knowledge Sharing 

ERP systems can now better leverage information all along the supply chain thanks to big data and the cloud. In the past, integrating data between members of the supply chain has been a challenge.Nowadays, with the power of big data in the cloud, business partner could easily integrate without having to care much about their own systems’ complexity, since cloud is masking such details away. This extra data can be used to further optimize logistics and the supply chain. Big data analytics is a response to the proliferation of data that could potentially be harnessed for greater business insight and efficiency. ERP is about managing all aspects of company resources. It stands to reason, then, that ERP is the natural end point for big data. 

By Ziff Davis B2B