[Ilugc] Open Source software for Textile unit billing and inventory management
- From: knura9@xxxxxxxxx (Arun Khan)
- Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:42:59 +0530
On Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 2:32 PM, aruntheguy at gmail.com
<aruntheguy at gmail.com> wrote:
I have a friend who runs a textile unit. His father has been doing all his
billing and inventory management in paper till now. He wishes to computerize
them now. I would like you to suggest the way things are worked out in this
area in open source.
1. Is there a specific package for this or generic ERP solutions are to be
used? Comment about the customizations that can be done in generic ERP
solutions.
Not aware of any specific package. However, if their process is not
too complex, it might be worthwhile exploring a custom app using any
one of the CMS packages. A friend of mine has done so for a plastic
manufacturer on a Drupal platform. You have to weigh the effort of
learning/customizing a canned package v/s doing it from ground up.
2. By how are the ERP solutions generally deployed? Is it pay for both the
software and service, or is free software available and people charge for
the service and training?
Typically with the help of a consulting company with domain knowledge
in the industry and/or ERP methodology.
Budget for a competent consultant (who knows both ERP as a methodology
and at least one software implementation). End user training should
be part of the contract. Convince the friend's father not be penny
wise and pound foolish in this aspect. I mention this specifically
because I have experienced this first hand. In one case, the CEO
wanted the system to be "distributed" pan India in remote mills but
balked at the price. He told me he could do it with a "networked"
version of the most popular accounting package starting with the
letter T. I told him he was welcome to do what he thought was best
for his enterprise.
A well implemented ERP can pay for itself in a matter of couple of
years - the opposite can be a disaster. Some of the biggies are
offering it as SAAS.
3. And a dumb one. Suggest a package / service. Preferably free license, as
he is going to test it out and convince his father before getting it
deployed in real world.
openBRAVO has a downloadable virtual appliance that you can experiment
with. openTAPS also used to have one.
--
Arun Khan
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