ERP v/s JAVA

PCBizness Technosoft Pvt. Ltd.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is business management software—usually a suite of integrated applications—that a company can use to collect, store, manage and interpret data from many business activities, including: Product planning, cost. Manufacturing or service delivery. Marketing and sales.

ERP provides an integrated view of core business processes, often in real-time, using common databases maintained by a database management system. ERP systems track business resources—cash, raw materials, production capacity—and the status of business commitments: orders, purchase orders, and payroll. The applications that make up the system share data across the various departments (manufacturing, purchasing, sales, accounting, etc.) that provide the data. ERP facilitates information flow between all business functions, and manages connections to outside stakeholders.

Enterprise system software is a multi-billion dollar industry that produces components that support a variety of business functions. IT investments have become the largest category of capital expenditure in United States-based businesses over the past decade. Though early ERP systems focused on large enterprises, smaller enterprises increasingly use ERP systems.

The ERP system is considered a vital organizational tool because it integrates varied organizational systems and facilitates error-free transactions and production. However, ERP system development is different from traditional systems development.ERP systems run on a variety of computer hardware and network configurations, typically using a database as an information repository

Java is a set of several computer software and specifications developed by Sun Microsystems, later acquired by Oracle Corporation, that provides a system for developing application software and deploying it in a cross-platform computing environment. Java is used in a wide variety of computing platforms from embedded devices and mobile phones to enterprise servers and supercomputers. While less common, Java applets run in secure, sandboxed environments to provide many features of native applications and can be embedded in HTML pages.

Writing in the Java programming language is the primary way to produce code that will be deployed as byte code in a Java Virtual Machine (JVM); byte code compilers are also available for other languages, including Ada, JavaScript, Python, and Ruby. In addition, several languages have been designed to run natively on the JVM, including Scala, Clojure and Groovy. Java syntax borrows heavily from C and C++, but object-oriented features are modeled after Smalltalk and Objective-C.[12] Java eschews certain low-level constructs such as pointers and has a very simple memory model where every object is allocated on the heap and all variables of object types are references. Memory management is handled through integrated automatic garbage collection performed by the JVM.


Before Java was invented, one of the key industry trends was to increase the productivity of both developers and end users. For example, fourth-generation programming languages (4GL) such as Powerbuilder, Progress, and Uniface provided professional developers with faster ways to develop business applications than using COBOL, Pascal, C, or C++. For end users, tools such as Dbase, Lotus Notes, and Visicalc provided them with the unprecedented ability to create mini-apps without the need for professional developers. In the early '90s, this productivity trend was thrown into a tizzy by the Internet. Now, software vendors and enterprise application developers had to rush to write a whole new generation of applications for the Web or risk becoming irrelevant. The Internet forced developer productivity and 4GL’s to take the back seat.

Java Was At The Right Place At The Right Time For Web Applications

Java was designed in 1990 as an easier and more portable option than C++ to develop embedded systems.  The invention of the WWW in 1993 started a meteoric change in IT application development. Sun Microsystems moved quickly to take advantage by selling “network” servers like hotcakes and offering Java as the platform for Web development. Most other software vendors were caught off guard and Java became the de facto Internet development standard for enterprise Web application development.

Fast-Forward 20 Years

Forrester data reveals that Java is still firmly planted in enterprise IT shops for custom-developed applications (see figure). But, data always tells us what happened in the past and does not predict the future. Application developers should also not make the mistake that adoption means goodness.

Java is not going away for business applications, just as COBOL is not going away. Java is still a great choice for app dev teams that have developed the architecture and expertise to develop and maintain business applications. It is also an excellent choice (along with C#) for software vendors to develop tools, utilities, and platforms such as BPM, CEP, IaaS, and elastic caching platforms (ECP). Software such as operating systems, databases, and console games  are still mostly developed in C++.

 Java Has Served Its Purpose, But Now It Is Time To Move Forward

Java development is too complex for business application development. Enterprise application development teams should plan their escape from Java because:

Business requirements have changed. The pace of change has increased.
Development authoring is limited to programming languages. Even though the Java platform supports additional programming languages such as Groovy and  JRuby, the underlying platform limits innovation to the traditional services provided by Java. You can invent as many new programming languages as you want, but they must all be implementable in the underlying platform.
Java bungled the presentation layer. Swing is a nightmare and JavaFX is a failure. JSF was designed for pre-Ajax user interfaces even though some implementations such as ICEfaces incorporate Ajax. There is a steady stream of new UI approaches reflecting Java's lack of leadership in the presentation layer.
Java frameworks prove complexity. Hibernate, Spring, Struts, and other frameworks reveal Java’s deficiencies rather than its strengths. A future platform shouldn't need a cacophony of frameworks just to do the basics.
Java is based on C++. Is this really the best way to develop enterprise business applications?
Java’s new boss is the same as the old boss. Oracle’s reign is unlikely to transform Java. Oracle’s recent Java announcements were a disappointment. They are focused on more features, more performance, and more partnerships with other vendors. So far, it appears that Oracle is continuing with Sun’s same failed Java policies.
 Java has never been the only game in town. C# is not the alternative. It is little more than Java Microsoft style. But, there are new developer tools such as Microsoft Lightswitch and WaveMaker -- and traditional but updated 4GL tools such as Compuware Uniface and Progress OpenEdge. And don’t forget about business rules platforms, business process management (BPM), and event processing platforms that enable faster change offer by enterprise software vendors such as IBM, Progress, TIBCO, Software AG.

What It Means: Application Development Teams Must Find A Better Way To Develop Apps

Many enterprise application development teams are already using a combination of tools and technologies to overcome the complexity and inflexibility of Java applications. BPM is used to quickly define and change business processes, and collaboration suites like SharePoint and Lotus are used to respond to the increasing demands of long-tail apps. Progress Software’s responsive process management (RPM) combines the best of BPM and business events to help businesses respond to real-time events and change business processes. This is just a small sampling of the next generation of business application development tools

Clear standard alternatives to Java and C# for custom-developed applications do not exist. There are issues with many of the alternatives. For example, BPM tools are great for defining and implementing processes but a poor choice for implementing compelling user experiences. The market for application dev tools is beginning to change though. The next generation of app dev tools will:

Dramatically increase developer productivity.
Allow developers to delegate change to business end users.
You Must Transform To A Lean, Mean Change Machine

Application development teams should create a three-year application development strategy and road map to include architecture, process, talent, tools, and technology. All options and trends should be put on the table and up for discussion. Development platforms are not the only items to consider. Cloud computing and mobile, to name a few, are other trends that must factor into your new strategy.

ERP v/s CRM

PCBizness Technosoft Pvt. Ltd.

ERP & CRM

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) are two sides of the same profitability coin. ERP and CRM are similar in many ways, as they are both used to increase the overall profitability of a business.

These systems overlap in some areas, and can be completely integrated in others. However, as their core functionalities are completely different, it’s best for a business to first look at them as separate, stand-alone systems. When viewed separately, it’s easier to see how ERP and CRM each play a role in improving efficiency and increasing sales.

Simply put, CRM is a system for recording and storing all information related to customer interactions. CRM systems like Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM provide a standardized method for collecting and sharing customer data and cataloging customer interactions. Since all of the data is standardized, it’s easily shared throughout the business. CRM can be used by executives to create sales projections, by sales reps to maintain contact with clients, by shipping clerks to verify addresses, and by the billing department to create invoices. The goal of CRM is to provide a comprehensive store of customer data that can be used to increase sales, improve customer retention, and make customer relations more efficient.

What is ERP?
Where CRM is focused on the customer, ERP focuses on the business. ERP is a system for improving the efficiency of business processes. Like CRM, ERP allows for the rapid sharing of standardized information throughout all departments. Executives, managers, and employees all enter information into the ERP system, creating a real-time, enterprise-wide snapshot. Problems in any area will automatically create alerts in other affected areas. This allows departments to begin planning for issues before they become a problem in that department. In short, by allowing the business to focus on the data, instead of the operations, ERP provides a method for streamlining business processes across the board. Popular ERP vendors like Epicor, SAP, and Microsoft either also make CRM software, or their ERP solutions directly integrate with CRM from other vendors.

A Distinction with a Difference
Though similar in effect, ERP and CRM systems use different approaches to increase profits. ERP focuses on reducing overhead and cutting costs. By making business processes more efficient, ERP reduces the amount of capital spent on those processes. CRM works to increase profits by producing greater sales volume. With a standardized repository of customer data, it’s easier for everyone, from executives to sales reps, to improve customer relations. In turn, those improved relations translate into increased brand loyalty and profits.



CRM? ERP? Both?
ERP focuses on reducing overhead and cutting costs. By making business processes more efficient, ERP reduces the amount of capital spent on those processes.

Whether a business needs both systems largely depends on the size and complexity of the business. Even for a small business, a CRM system is better than a haphazard collection of customer data stored on hand-written notes, in numerous emails, or, worse yet, contained solely in the head of a sales rep. Customer relations are the lifeblood of any business—CRM exists to keep that blood pumping freely.

ERP is an invaluable tool for streamlining complex business processes. Many small businesses start in a single room or small office. All of the “departments” may be within earshot of each other. At that point, software that can provide a real-time snapshot of every department may be overkill. As the business grows, the need for, and benefits of, ERP become clearer. If, at any time, a manager or executive doesn’t know what’s going on in the departments they are responsible for, the time for ERP has long since arrived.

Assigning Importance
Deciding which system is more important is like deciding between having an engine or having a steering wheel in a car. CRM is the engine that drives a business. It improves sales and increases profits. ERP is the steering wheel—it allows a business to be guided with precision, and to steer around obstacles well in advance. ERP and CRM working together make it much easier for a business to increase profits while reducing costs.

Which Comes First?

A business has to have processes before it needs to worry about streamlining them. And it needs to have profits before worrying about cutting costs. The most streamlined, efficient business in the world is still bankrupt without sales. That’s why CRM is often the best bet for a business’s first investment. Generating and maintaining sales is usually what makes everything else possible. By helping to maximize sales figures, CRM can enable a business grow to the point that ERP becomes a necessity.

Maximizing Growth
Increased capital comes about in two ways: more sales or fewer expenses. Using ERP and CRM systems allows a business to pursue both of these avenues. The CRM system brings in more revenue through better sales figures, while the ERP system reduces overall operating expenses. Together, these systems can help a business pursue growth through efficiency and expansion simultaneously. Used separately, ERP and CRM can still be very helpful, but could potentially limit the business to a narrower avenue of growth.

ERP Modules

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ERP Modules

In software a module is a part of a program, and programs are composed of one or more independently developed modules that are not combined until the program is linked.
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software typically consists of multiple enterprise software modules that are individually purchased, based on what best meets the specific needs and technical capabilities of the organization.
Each ERP module is focused on one area of business processes, such as product development or marketing. Some of the more common ERP modules include those for product planning, material purchasing, inventory control, distribution, accounting, marketing, finance and HR.

Finance and Performance Management

1. Accounts Payable
2. Accounts Receivable
3. Bank Reconciliation
4. Cash Management
5. Currency

6. Fixed Assets
7. General Ledger
8. Bond Manager
9. Job Costing
10. Time Billing
11. Investment Manager
12. Share Manager

Customer Relationship Management

1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
2. Help Desk
3. Call Center
4. Contacts
5. Sales Analysis
6. Sales Compensation

Human Resource Management

1. Employee Scheduling
2. Human Resources
3. Payroll

Supply-Chain Management

1. Inventory
2. Manufacturing
3. Order Entry/Invoicing
4. Preventative Maintenance
5. Pricing
6. Purchasing
7. Quotation/Estimation
8. Receiving
9. Shipping
10. Service Management
11. Technical Architecture

Systems Administration

1. Business Intelligence (BI)
2. Workflow

ERP v/s SAP

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ERP v/s SAP

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a concept and SAP is a ERP tool (software), however SAP has become synonymous to ERP because it has been widely used in around 26 industry verticals and enjoys a market share of 60% across the globe.

The other ERP's in market are BAAN, JDEdwards, ORACLE ERP, MFG PRO, Microsoft Business Solutions (Navision and Axapta), RAMCO which are very familiar, however even Tally has also ERP functionalities in it.

ERP is such concept where the information flow from one function to another is integrated very tightly and each of this ERP products have their own uniqueness, and SAP scores over other ERP because of its evolution, and as a matter of fact SAP was the first company to design this ERP tool which linked the various functions of a organisation.

Let us take the case of Salary Processing

Case-1 - Without any ERP or any software (manual processing):

You calculate attendance based on the Register, arrive at no of days present and absent, manually reconcile leave and finally once the days payable are calculated you will arrive at what is the persons agreed salary, note down that, send the salary calculation sheet to accounts department, based on your sheet, the accounts with either prepare cheque or cash and handover the same to every employee with obtaining signature on the voucher

CASE-2 - With ERP Software

Imagine the attendance is taken through the access card machine / swipe card, or some sort of excel sheet - this data will flow to ERP for calculation for salary eligibility (how much to pay) and you also can cross cheque or allow system to process the salary slip and statement, Salary Slip automatically gets mailed to every employee, and the salary statement goes to the accounts department, which will have details like Employee Code, Name, Designation, Dept. and Salary payable and more important the BANK Account number, the accounts dept. based on the salary statement will send the intimation to the bank with a single cheque authorising to debit company account and credit the employee with his salary and all the relevant account entries are passed in the ERP software such as Basic, PF, etc which will be accounted in respective general ledgers as Expenses, Liability etc. - ALL THIS DONE WITHIN FEW HOURS or FEW DAYS