What is a Future Proof ERP?

This is a question we think a lot about at Openbravo, because deploying a new ERP is a big investment for our customers, and we want Openbravo to be the last ERP they ever implement.  Our goal is not just “Agile ERP” but “ERP for Life”, and that means becoming future proof.

As we engage with customers and prospects,  we clearly see that as they grow, a lot of small to medium sized businesses end up supplementing their hard-to-change, legacy ERP back office systems with a complex patchwork of:

• "best of breed" applications,
• point solutions purchased by end users,
• external portals,
• spreadsheets, etc.,

… in an attempt to reactively respond to the real needs of the business.  This is called a "best practice" by the legacy vendors and system integrators who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.  :)

But there is clearly a better way.  

A "Future Proof ERP" puts a change-ready business application platform at the center of your business, enabling you to get rid of that complex mess, and deploy all or most of your required functionality natively in the web based ERP.

To communicate this clearly, I created a brief video called (1) "What is a Future Proof ERP?", which addresses the topic in a practical way, and demonstrates three ways in which Openbravo 3 is future proof, today.

So take a few minutes and check it out.  If this video strikes a cord, you will probably also be interested in our new (2) technology page.  Finally, if you need help getting your company ready to face 2012 and beyond, please fill out this (3) registration form for a free consultation with an Openbravo expert.  

(1) http://youtu.be/OZutelDNgzE?hd=1
(2) http://www.openbravo.com/product/erp/technology/
(3) http://www.openbravo.com/form/customer/index.php?source=Blog

Openbravo Revs up Retail! (check out the webinars in English and Spanish)

Openbravo has delivered proven results in the retail sector for several years, and this week we are intensifying our Retail focus with a new commercial offering called Point of Sale Retail (press release here).

Point of Sale Retail extends Openbravo 3 Professional Edition with commercial support for Openbravo POS, providing a unified, highly scalable and cost-effective open source solution platform for Retail. 

To learn more about the Point of Sale Retail Module and the agile Openbravo 3 platform, please register for the webinar

”How to affordably super-charge retail performance with an integrated, open source retail solution”:

·       In English on June 9 at 9-10 am PDT

·       In Spanish on June 14 at 4-5 pm CEST

This webinar will be informative for Retail companies requiring an agile, cost-effective retail solution, as well as IT services companies who cater to the Retail sector—and who want to implement the best possible retail solutions for their customers.

Introducing the Openbravo 3 Module Monitor

I'd like to announce a new tool to help keep you informed about the extensive module development activity happening across Openbravo's global Community--the Openbravo 3 Module Monitor Report. 

The very first edition, for April 2011, is now available for direct download here.  If you want to receive this report automatically every month, please click here to sign up for our mailing list, and be sure to check the box re: "Technical Product Updates".   

Since the Openbravo 3 Monitor Report can be a bit intimidating (there is always a LOT going on! :), read on to check out some summary highlights.  

April 2011 Module Development Highlights

This month Openbravo developers worldwide are heads down publishing their modules for Openbravo 3, and several localizations achieved GA (General Availability) or CR (Controlled Release) status for Openbravo 3, including localization modules from these countries:

• Japan (S&S Global Services)
• France (Phidias)
• Turkey (thanks Kasim!)

Dozens of of Openbravo’s own modules were updated to Release Candidate 6, adding new functionality and correcting over 100 defects as reported by Openbravo CEO Paolo Juvara in this blog post.

I have a special call out for the Initial Data Load Extension for Java  module, which is now published in Test status for Openbravo 3. As Adrian Romero discussed in this blog post, the module makes it easy to tailor your initial data load process. If you are piloting Openbravo 3 and want to import your own specific data, give it a try!

Similarly, if you are a developer authoring a module and want to add an import process to it, check out this post from Shankar Balachandran. A lot of people have data in spreadsheets (or can easily put it there), so it is often worth your time to go the extra mile to make it as easy as possible to import customer data into your new module (instead of entering it by hand).

Great Example of Web-based Integration!

Finally, I want to refer you to Asier Zabaleta’s excellent blog post describing how easy it is to integrate Openbravo 3 with Zoho reports, and expose a Zoho graph as an Openbravo 3 workspace widget. Asier sums it up very well at the end,

• “And this is just an example of why web solutions are so powerful these days. Their ease of integration with other tools makes them a must”!!

Indeed, open source is at the forefront of modular web technology, and Openbravo is leading the way in the ERP space, with Openbravo 3, the agile erp.

Until Next Month...

 I hope you have found this monthly update on Openbravo 3 module development informative and useful. Openbravo 3 modules are the key to achieving a best fit, maintainable ERP implementation at a low cost. So stay informed informed about what modules are available, and don’t be shy about trying out a new module--it’s easy, just follow these simple instructions.

Note that if you ever miss a month, I will keep a complete list of the monthly reports in the wiki, just click here.