Workforce mobility is no longer a future trend; it has become a current requirement to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced business environment. Mobile devices are being used in all aspects of business not only as a source of real-time information but also as a way to improve efficiency and performance. Increased mobility is transforming industries. The question is no longer if you will use mobile devices, but how and when.

Mobility is firmly entrenched in today’s business operations. In a 2013 survey of 752 companies, CDW found:

• 94% say mobile devices make them more efficient
• 89% of business employees use mobile devices for work
• 67% would be less competitive without workforce mobility

The requirement for workforce mobility integrated with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is supported by recent studies conducted among IT leaders.

• 88% of CIOs prefer an integrated IT solution rather than a “best-of-breed” approach
• 10% of IT budgets are already being spent on mobile ERP
• over 50% have a plan for mobile ERP

If you are looking to add mobility to your workforce, what else should you consider? In your ERP selection, there are a number of mobile capabilities to evaluate including functionality, usability, compatibility and security. 

1. Functionality: Simple reporting and dashboards have been available on mobile devices for some time, but now companies are moving toward conducting business processes on these devices. Employees will need to have the same functionality on their mobile device as they would on a desktop computer.
2. Usability: At the same time, the interface will need to be optimized for smaller screens. The interfaces must be simple and easy-to-use to eliminate employee frustration.
3. Compatibility: The technology must work on a variety of devices. While there has been some pushback toward BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), the trend of BYOD has taken off and is becoming the norm in workplace mobility.
4. Security: Increased data accessibility helps improve efficiency and responsiveness, but it creates more data security issues. Care must be taken to secure data both internally and externally.

While mobile devices are being used in all areas of a company’s business, there are some areas that are more impacted than others. Mobile ERP applications are most important in functions where employees work more effectively away from their desk. Key areas include:

• Human Resources
• Distribution and Manufacturing
• Sales and Marketing

In future blogs, we will look at the mobility trends in these functions, the advantages of implementing mobility, and the challenges you will face.

As you can see, mobile technology will have a continued impact on your business and should be considered in your ERP selection. Please contact us to learn more about enabling mobile technology in your ERP.  For more information on ERP selection with mobile capabilities, visit here. 

Download our whitepaper, “Supporting Workplace Mobility with ERP”, for a comprehensive look at how to support workplace mobility with a modern ERP software solution. Through the whitepaper, you will learn the impact that mobility could have on your business. In addition, the whitepaper will identify the advantages to implementing mobile ERP in your company as well as the challenges that you will need to address in implementing mobile ERP solutions.