Small-Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System
Client & Project Overview
The project aimed to build a resource planning system tailored for small enterprises that integrates core business functions-such as finance , inventory, sales, human resources, procurement-into a unified platform. The client (a small enterprise) needed to modernize outdated manual or semi-automated processes, reduce redundancies, improve reporting, and support growth.
Challenges / Needs
- Disparate system : multiple spreadsheets, legacy tools, manual data entry across departments
- Poor visibility : Lack of centralized data made it difficult to get real-time insights or reports.
- Process inefficiency : slow procurement, order fulfillment, inventory mismatches, delays in financial reconciliation
- Scalability concerns: as business grows, more transactions, more users; requirement that system should grow with them
- Budget & resource constraints: small enterprise had limited IT budget and team
- Usability: non-technical staff needed simple, intuitive interfaces
Goals & Objectives
- Centralize business operations in one ERP system: finance, sales, inventory, HR, procurement
- Automate repetitive tasks to reduce error and save time
- Real-time dashboard & reporting for management visibility
- Ensure scalability & reliable performance as transaction volume increases
- Easy to use UI, minimal learning curve
- Secure access & role-based permission to product sensitive data
Our Role & Scope
- Requirement gathering & business process mapping
- System architecture & backend development
- Front-end UI/UX design focusing on clarity and ease of use
- Modules built: Finance & Accounting, Inventory Management, Sales Order Processing, HR & Payroll, Procurement
- Data migration from prior systems (spreadsheets or legacy tools)
- Testing: functional testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing
- Deployment & training: roll-out user training, support
Solution & Key Features
- Modular ERP Design : Can enable models as needed , so client can start small and add features over time
- Inventory & Warehouse Management : real-time stock levels, purchase orders tracking, alerts for low stock
- Sales Order & Billing Models : Track customer orders, generate invoices, integrate with payments
- Finance & Accounting: automated ledger, expense tracking, profit & loss reports, financial dashboards
- HR & Payroll: employee records, attendance, leave management, payroll generation
- Procurement Module: vendor management, purchase request, approvals workflows
- Reporting & Analytics: dashboards for management (KPIs), exportable reports, trend graphs
- Role-based Access Control: different permissions per role (admin, finance, inventory, etc.)
Challenges & How We Overcame Them
- Data consistency & migration: old data had errors / missing fields. Solution: data cleaning, validation scripts before import.
- User adoption: resistance from staff used to manual methods. Solution: hands-on training, user manuals, support phases.
- Feature to budget trade-offs: some custom features would be expensive. Solution: prioritize core modules, plan custom features for later versions.
- Performance bottlenecks: peak load times etc. Implemented optimized database queries, caching, possibly load testing.
Design & UX Approach
- Clean, intuitive design with minimal clutter
- Dashboard view: summary of key metrics after login
- Responsive design so that staff can access from desktop / tablet / mobile
- Onboarding flow & help tooltips for new users
- Consistency in UI patterns across modules to reduce learning time
Results & Impact
- Significant time savings: for example order processing time reduced by X%
- Inventory discrepancies down by Y% due to real-time tracking
- Finance reporting: month-end closing faster, better accuracy
- Improved decision making: management gets real-time dashboards with KPIs
- User satisfaction: staff able to perform tasks easier, fewer errors
- Scalability: system handled higher volume of transactions after growth
Key Learnings & Future Plans
- Starting with core modules delivers value early; avoid trying to build everything upfront
- Continuous feedback from users helps refine features & UI
- Planning for modular expansion is essential for growing businesses
- Future enhancements: integration with third-party tools (e.g. ecommerce, CRM), mobile app, more advanced analytics, multi-location support
Visuals / Assets Ideas
- Screenshots of key modules: dashboard, inventory screen, sales order entry, financial report
- Before-/after workflows: how processes looked before vs after ERP
- Data dashboards showing KPIs
- User training photos or screenshots
- Architecture diagram: modules & data flow