An Enterprise Resource Planning dashboard for strategic decision makers

Abstract

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system success is calculated based on the Return On Investment (ROI) it provides to a business. The core of an ERP is data. This is applicable for both full suite ERP systems or combination of multiple best of breed vendors. Strategic decision makers of a business are usually super users of an ERP system. This is because the number of ERP modules they are involved in are higher that standard ERP system users. These users need to look at data provided by all the modules they are involved in when making decisions in general. Best of Breed (BOB) ERP systems is an approach taken by businesses employ the services of a 3rd party vendor for a single ERP module. A limitation faced by BOB ERP system users is that a central point of data is not existent to allow easy access to key data. This dissertation reviews and discusses how BOB ERP systems super users could gain operational efficiency and finally a better ROI through a central point of accessing key metrics relevant to the modules they are involved in. A proposed design in the form of a centralized dashboard that would provide vital information using a dashboard is discussed.