However, the rapid proliferation of the cloud caught many legacy ERP vendors off guard, leaving them scrambling to deploy a “cloud” application to keep up with the times. Unfortunately, these fake cloud applications fail to deliver the value you need from true cloud ERP, making it vital to tell the difference.
Following our last blog on the technological landscape at manufacturing firms and the importance of taking smart steps when considering new technology, we would today like to look at the benefits of cloud ERP for your manufacturing, provide a brief look at how fake cloud applications have crept into the fray, and teach you how to spot the difference.
Why Manufacturers Are Choosing Cloud
Why does the cloud hold so much promise for manufacturers? Because when cloud technology is deployed to its fullest potential, it can remove the biggest obstacles to productivity at all stages of the business. Offering increased freedom, enhanced functionality, easier integration, and more, manufacturers who choose the cloud gain a wide range of benefits they were previously unable to capitalize on.
Warning: Not All Clouds Are Created Equal
Knowing how beneficial the cloud is for businesses, many legacy vendors didn’t see it that way. A decade ago, the “cloud” was believed to be a passing fad, largely ignored by traditional ERP vendors. Fast forward a couple years, and the cloud wasn’t just a way of delivering software, it became the way to deliver software. Many vendors in the ‘old guard’ failed to capitalize on this opportunity and by the mid-2010s had fallen behind.
Unfortunately, in the rush to catch up, most legacy ERP vendors didn’t update their applications to be true cloud solutions. In some cases, they moved their legacy software onto a server where they “host” it and provide access over the internet by way of adapter software. This is not true cloud software; it’s fake cloud software.
Requiring special software to access, failing to allow necessary personalization, and providing little to no integration capabilities, these fake cloud applications were pitched as the cloud—and sadly some firms fell for the pitch. We wrote this blog as a public service announcement for those companies considering new ERP software and are sharing the following resource to help you spot the difference.
New Whitepaper: True Cloud vs. Fake Cloud: How to Tell the Difference for Your Manufacturing ERP Software
Manufacturing ERP software and the internet have both experienced transformations—for the better—over the years. Manufacturing companies looking to gain greater insight to their information, integrate their processes, and increase customer satisfaction would do well to educate themselves on what true cloud software can do and on how to avoid fake cloud options.
A new whitepaper from Acumatica sought to help manufacturers understand the difference between true cloud and fake cloud ERP. The guide, titled True Cloud vs. Fake Cloud: How to Tell the Difference for Your Manufacturing ERP Software is designed to provide manufacturers with eight identification methods to determine if the ERP they are considering is in the cloud or in the “cloud.”
Among the topics to be discussed in this guide:
- Four Ways the Cloud Increases Productivity for Manufacturers
- Risks of Using Legacy “Hosted” Applications
- The Difference between True Cloud and Fake Cloud
- The Benefits of Choosing True Cloud for Your Manufacturing ERP
- Eight Ways to Identify True Cloud Manufacturing Software