Active Journal of Business Process Management

Integrating Business Process Management Technology with ERP

Many companies today are already familiar with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) technology. Used to pull together disparate interfaces into a single platform, ERP technology has helped many businesses develop a clear picture of their business processes. However, due to the need to drive efficiency and automation further, Business Process Management (BPM) software was designed to take ERP to the next level.

Experts in the ERP industry agree that BPM technology complements the programs run by ERP software. Once a company’s various information systems are unified around a core server, BPM supplies the necessary features to analyze, map out, monitor, optimize and even automate the key decisions of an enterprise based upon comprehensive in house data flow. Clearly, the use of BPM technology is critical to ensuring a company’s success in maintaining its competitive edge in the marketplace.

But while BPM software is able to stand alone, many companies that already use ERP systems find that the ability of BPM software to adapt to their existing systems is one of its most valuable features. Due to its compatibility, BPM technology has been welcomed by both ERP vendors as well as purchasers throughout the corporate world. A good BPM consultant may be necessary to assist with BPM-ERP integration, making the process even simpler.

Furthermore, many companies are convinced that implementing a BPM program is the right thing to do. This is because, so far, BPM is unique in it ability to span an entire business – not leaving out a single department – and implement automation based upon this comprehensive knowledge. With ERP technology, workers are at times required to access up four or five different interface screens in order to carry out a single business process transaction. Yet without discarding the entire system and beginning again from scratch, BPM software enables business leaders to implement highly efficient workflow standards without a system overhaul.