Ideally, it would be a connected network of computer systems, each tracking different agencywide activities, that collect and automatically report data to a central accounting system. No longer just a pipe dream, some agencies are trading in their disjointed and outdated systems for large, integrated systems that do a variety of administrative tasks. Most importantly, these ERP systems link all that information together so finance officers can more easily track their agencies' transactions, something most agencies cannot do now. But the experience of a handful of agencies that have installed ERP systems presents some hard realities for other agencies to consider before switching to an ERP system.
Costs can be steep.
Learning curves can be long and rocky. Returns on investment could take years instead of months. And agencies must be prepared for tumultuous changes to their decades-old processes and infrastructure. But a few agencies are braving the risks anyway, and at least one is reporting the plunge has been worthwhile. ERP refers to computer systems that manage and integrate a variety of administrative functions disbursements, supplies and inventories, personnel, travel, and customer information.