After years of investment and implementation, many companies are realizing the benefits of an Enterprise Resource Planning deployment. The most important transactions have been standardized and automated so that expert users in departments like Order Management or Human Resources can work efficiently. However, many companies find that their ERP systems are not well-suited to some of their important processes. Particularly those that span organizations, involve partners, require simple user interfaces for simple interactions, or change frequently because of regulations or competitive forces. Typically, it is too expensive and complex to customize ERP solutions to handle these dynamic processes. As a result, companies are forced to execute the process manually to gather the necessary information to enter into the ERP system.

BPM Opportunity

Some companies have realized there is a better way. They see the opportunity to complement their core transactional ERP system with a BPM solution designed to orchestrate even the most dynamic processes.

In evaluating BPM, many companies find that it will help them not only for a specific process but also serve as a platform for extending their ERP system for many different processes — from accounts receivable to requisitions, human resources and order management. With BPM, they expect to realize the following benefits:

• Deploy and realize ROI today. Many ERP vendors have announced BPM capabilities, but will not be able to provide reliable, deployable solutions for 12-18 months.
• Enable collaboration across and beyond the enterprise. Automatic work routing and notifications across groups — and with outside partners and customers - reduces time, errors and complexity of executing processes.
• Simply user interactions. Provide simple screens for users that need to participate in a process, but are not power ERP users.
• Provide end-to-end process visibility and control. Give managers real-time insight into process status and performance — across any number of ERP modules and external systems.
• Leverage existing data and logic. Direct integration to the ERP system allows the process to reuse existing data and business logic — where available.
• Respond to change faster. Revise processes to respond to organizational or regulatory changes — in days if necessary!

Lombardi In Action

One global consumer products company deployed BPM to extend their ERP deployment into vendor management, shipping and customs. Their BPM solution encompasses seven key processes ranging from Request for Quote (RFQ) through Shipping and Customs management. Extending from the core order information in the ERP system, the BPM solution brings over 800 external partners and shippers into a tightly orchestrated series of processes that move from quote to order and delivered products with a 300% improvement in efficiency over the old processes.