When running an eCommerce site, it is important to ensure that the link between your ERP back end system and your front end webstore is as seamless as possible. The inventory items, quantities and prices should get updated on your webstore as soon as they are updated in your ERP system, the orders placed on your webstore should automatically find their way into your ERP solution and shipment information should get updated in your ecommerce solution.
In other words, your ecommerce and ERP solution should be closely tied together. Having established the need to have your ERP and ecommerce solution closely linked together, you have few choices:
- Select an ecommerce solution specifically designed for the ERP solution that you use (Microsoft Dynamics GP, for example)
- Select one of the market leader ecommerce solution from a company that specializes in ecommerce solutions (for example, Magento)
1. PROS AND CONS OF USING ERP SPECIFIC ECOMMERCE SOLUTION
PROS : Since the ecommerce solutions developed specifically for the ERP software like Dynamics GP were developed based on the ERP data structure, they are the best possible fit since every feature and function available in these solutions were based on the functions and database structure of Dynamics GP. CONS: The best fit is also a Con because these solutions are (1) limited by the scope of the ERP system which often do not cater for the ecommerce solution. In addition, due to limited market size, the solution developing companies are not as quick and cost effective in incorporation new technologies as ecommerce solutions companies like Magento.
2. PROS AND CONS OF USING WELL KNOWN ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS LIKE MAGENTO
PROS:
Ecommerce solutions like Magento are developed for a broader audience, they are not restricted with the data structure of the ERP solution and thus are very quick to include the new advancement in technology as they become available.
CONS: Since these solutions are made for the world at large, there no a 100% match between the data fields with those in the ERP solution thereby allowing a partial interface with the ERP system.
3. THE BEST OF THE TWO WORLDS -COMPATIBLE ERP AND ECOMMERCE SOLUTIONS
How about enhancing the functionality of the ERP and ecommerce solutions and adding feature in them to make them compatible to each other?
With this concept in mind, X2X connect which has been developed in Dexterity, the programming language for Microsoft Dynamics GP and it works like just another module of GP. X2X Connect enables the Dynamics GP and Magento Ecommerce solutions to connect seamlessly by making them compatible to each other.
To find out more please look for the post titled “Why X2X Connect is not just another ERP-Ecommerce connector”
RELATED TOPICS:
Why your ERP driving your Ecommerce webstore make sense
GP/ERP specific ecommerce solution OR Magento ecommerce?
Ecommerce solution for Microsoft Dynamics GP
Written by Aamir Sakrani
Aamir Sakrani (MBA, CMA (AP), MCTS) is a Financial Business Analyst at AccSoft Business Solutions Inc. He is currently living in Toronto, Ontario.
