Why rewrite the ERP rulebook when you can take a new one from the library?

For many years it seemed to be accepted practice that the authors of large-scale enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions only paid lip-service to the web interface of their products. In some cases, the web UI (User Interface) — if it existed — only offered limited functionality and was often constrained by a mandated browser type, version, and host platform.

Today, vendors still chase the goal of a fully functioning universal web interface for their ERP, with varying degrees of success. It stands to reason that the more accessible the platform, the more its users can benefit from its features. However, even after significant investment in web technology development, the outcomes are often clearly a work in progress particularly in relation to customization or personalisation capabilities. It’s easy to spot badly aligned elements of responsive frameworks(if they even exist), virtualization like Electron wrappers, and reliance on proprietary browser extensions that offer only limited scalability even from big-name ERP vendors.

The web interface offers many advantages to vendors, like client-side rendering, cross-platform compatibility, hosting agnosticism, security, and user experience familiarity. However, the costs of effectively re-engineering part – or all — of the ERP solution to build it out onto a browser interface are very high.

There’s often the need for re-skilling development staff, recruiting new developers, or an attempt to broach the minefield of outsourcing the porting processes. The investment is significant and requires long-term commitment. While all of this is being put into motion and the demand for browser ERP grows, customers and existing users will seek to fill their needs elsewhere and move on. Small wonder that where once a focal point of sales teams would have been on promoting profitable, home-grown solutions, many vendors may have to turn instead to becoming resellers of existing platforms that ship with some kind of a web UI already.

Good news though: There is an alternative for ERP developers and vendors seeking a future-ready, feature dense, browser based ERP solution. GenetiQ ERP, is a fully functioning, highly flexible browser based ERP solution that can be presented as a white-label platform. Also available as a full fat desktop application supported with multiple infrastructure options this tried and trusted solution offers Independent Software Vendors . , ERP resellers or System Integrators, a hugely extensible, modular, and robust desktop and fully web-native ERP solution; with a customisable iOS and Android companion app

We looked at many of the features and options open to ERP resellers and developers in a previous article but given the advantages of having a solid web UI in an ERP application, we thought this aspect of the GenetiQ offering worth dwelling on.

Far from being a separate application that renders a second-rate interpretation of the desktop product, the GenetiQ ERP web interface renders seamlessly on your browser. It’s also fully capable of the type of rapid changes to function and form that modern ERPs need to offer and does so without the price tag often associated with ERP solution amendment and development.

That capability comes from how GenetiQ ERP was built, which was to be modular and easy to extend. It empowers implementation consultants to affect the majority of the customers’ tweaks on site given the vast range of codeless customization tools it offers. This was designed to ensure partners would not be heavily reliant on the GenetiQ ERP team, as the platform author, with vast levels of autonomy and control provided to partners. This empowers GenetiQ ERP partners to successfully implement their projects, as they see fit. Whilst ‘heavy lifting’ customer changes are still supported by the GenetiQ ERP team, many of these are facilitated in conjunction with their partner development teams. The exclusive nature of the GenetiQ ERP partnership structure facilitates such a model; an exciting prospect for prospective ISVs looking to their future product roadmap/

The flexible licensing models offered by GenetiQ ERPmeans those adopting it as a platform will find a model that fits in with their vision for the ways ERP should be presented to their clients, both existing and prospective It’s about offering the end customer the right ERP solution for their business instead of forcing them down a path driven by the limited options at the software vendor’s disposal.

As the business develops, the GenetiQ ERP’s modular nature means extra functionality or answers to new verticals’ demands can be presented — via desktop, the web interface, hosted locally, or from the cloud.

The GenetiQ ERP platform has few exact equals in the ERP space; it is unique to all intents and purposes. The evidence we at Tech HQ have seen has shown us that many ERP vendors have been able to extend their offerings into new markets with the platform or have replaced their reliance on household name ERPs with white-labeled software that has given the business significant new momentum.

If any of the pain points touched on in this article ring a bell or you recognize the potential of a multi-application ERP solution in your specific marketplace, we urge you to investigate the possibilities further. To discuss the different partnership and/or licensing options, get in touch with a representative from the company behind GenetiQ ERP, Aptech Business Systems, by clicking right here.