What will Windows 8 bring to ERP systems?

What is ERP? Well Wikipedia would define it as the following:

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrates internal and external management information across an entire organization, embracing finance/accounting, manufacturing, sales and service, customer relationship management, etc. ERP systems automate this activity with an integrated software application. Its purpose is to facilitate the flow of information between all business functions inside the boundaries of the organization and manage the connections to outside stakeholders. ERP systems can run on a variety of hardware and network configurations, typically employing a database as a repository for information.

To make it easy, ERP systems are more complex software applications that typically cost millions of dollars but are needed for certain types of work in organizations. The leaders in this space are Oracle, SAP and Microft depending on who you ask. So what does this have to do with Windows 8 you ask? Well, since I worked in the ERP space years ago, the applications have continued to grow and get more complex. They are now typically served via a SAAS (software as a service) model and a lot of the apps are developed in a hybrid of C++, Javascript, HTML etc – Sound familiar? There are two big trends to watch out for regarding Windows 8 (and we’ll be watching). First, are there any native hooks built into Windows 8 that would allow integration with Microsoft Dynamics (their own ERP suite)? Then, with the proliferation of Windows 8 tablets, and the ability of developers to develop in HTML 5 , Javascript, maybe .NET and Silverlight, how are the major vendors going to both develop and disseminate their applications. It seems to me that we are moving toward an even more productive era in enterprise applications where employees in HR, Finance etc are going to have a lot of flexibility when it comes down performing their work functions. They have access to browser based apps today but I imagine that ERP apps are already moving to tablets and it will be interesting to look for the latest integration hooks between

• Windows 8 Desktop Client
• Windows 8 Tablets
• Windows Phone 8
• Windows Server 8
• SQL Server

and ERP apps. Microsoft will have a very comprehensive place at the table for any enterprise going forward. The combination of these Windows Enterprise apps, coupled with virtualization are going to make the future for ERP very exciting indeed. Stay tuned for more Windows 8 ERP news.]]>