Role of Cloud Computing for Implementation of ERP in SMEs

The present paper compares technologies used in the architecture of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Systems to evaluate the benefits and advantages of emerging technologies. The emerging technologies, Cloud Computing, Software as a Service (SaaS) and Multi-Tenancy, could significantly alter the current ERP space and become a primary part of ERP Systems of the future. A survey was sent to industry professionals to obtain feedback on their company's ERP Systems and to collect their comments on these new technologies. The survey results and related analysis show that Emerging Cloud ERP Systems outperform Traditional Legacy ERP Systems in all important characteristics - Accessibility, Business Cost, Implementation Time, Mobility, Scalability, Upgradability, and Usability. Cloud Systems were also found to have a shorter implementation time and a larger proportion of Cloud Systems were on the most recent version of software. Furthermore, industry professionals identified Cloud Computing, SaaS and Mobility as the emerging technologies of the coming decade. The present demonstrates that there are significant benefits for companies to use ERP Systems that use the emerging technologies and that the shift to Cloud ERP Systems has begun.