2.2 Enterprise Resource Planning

ERP systems can be seen as the backbone of electronic business [15]. Today big companies run ERP systems to stay in business. The days with folders, copy machines, immense paper work should be gone and all the work of a company should run by an ERP system. Companies in the world have similar activities within the company. Finance, Human Resource, Logistics, Planning, Manufacturing are some typical activities in almost every company. In human resources for example a company has employees and the company has to pay them. The company has to keep track of the addresses, holidays, overtime, social payments (insurance, retirement), payment itself, bonus systems, government taxes and other information. The latest human resource software systems help even to analyse fluctuations and to analyse employee satisfaction.

With ERP, the processes of companies are modelled in a computer system but still with the ability to change and to extend. Processes are central in ERP systems. First the company is analysed and common business processes have to be found. Those processes get defined in the ERP system. Very often though a company changes its practice in order to ``simply'' adjust for a new ERP system.

Today, companies need ERP systems. Companies need information in real time. A chief finance officer (CFO) has to know the current financial situation in detail at any time, anywhere. Decision Support Systems support employees to make decisions.