Mobile ERP: Benefits and challenges

Every single trend depicts the positive impact of mobile ERP systems on the smooth and effective operation of businesses, especially as employees are relying more and more on their devices for their daily tasks. It is also true, though, that apart from their obvious benefits, mobile ERP solutions also present certain challenges that must be taken into consideration in order to avoid disturbing the uninterrupted and profitable course of a business.

Firstly, there is the issue of employees having access to corporate data through their personal devices, which is usually taken as granted. A side effect of this practice is that in case a user gets more privileges than he should, there is always the risk of leaking valuable business information. In order to avoid this possibility, businesses need to apply strict rules regarding how and when employees get their privileges, and which criteria must be fulfilled in order for them to have the required access. Embracing the idea that employees will only have access on a need-to-know basis, will help businesses avoid security gaps and undesired complications.

The second challenge presented by mobile ERP solutions has to do with safety and, in particular, with the safety of the data belonging not only to the company but to its customers as well, since everything is stored on the cloud. Granting access to critical business information to third parties should not be considered as an option, as it can harm the company’s reputation and compromise the customers’ trust. So, apart from creating and implementing a policy that will restrict the personnel’s access to data, as said above, every business also needs to have in place a process pertaining to access rights in general, e.g. in case a device is lost or stolen, and equipment control.

The last parameter, which is also a challenge, is proper planning. When deploying an ERP system with mobile features, you have to take into consideration an important factor that is often ignored: proper preparation of the employees for the new technology. It is very important that employees are aware of all the parameters of the mobile ERP solution and what this solution entails for the company. In other words, all people using the system need to be trained and informed of the policies pertaining to access privilege approval and safety processes. Without this planning, employees will probably misuse both the data and their devices, which could have adverse consequences on your business.

Mobile ERP systems offer significant advantages both to employers and employees, such as the flexibility to remotely access documents, files and data. On the other hand, employers need to ensure that they have the right safety policies in place for mobile devices, so that they are protected from the negative impact a potential leak could have.