Editing Enterprise resource planning (section)

===Advantages===
The most fundamental advantage of ERP is that the integration of a myriad of business processes saves time and expense. Management can make decisions faster and with fewer errors. Data becomes visible across the organization. Tasks that benefit from this integration include:<ref name="MeerBest05">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9YaMB6tOd5oC |title=Best Practices in ERP Software Applications |author=Meer, K.H. |page=59 |year=2005 |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=978-0595345137 |access-date=9 May 2018}}</ref>
* Sales forecasting, which allows [[inventory optimization]].
* Chronological history of every transaction through relevant data compilation in every area of operation.
* [[Order tracking]], from acceptance through fulfillment
* Revenue tracking, from [[invoice]] through cash receipt
* Matching [[purchase order]]s (what was ordered), inventory receipts (what arrived), and [[cost]]ing (what the vendor invoiced)

ERP systems centralize business data, which:
* Eliminates the need to [[Synchronization|synchronize]] changes between multiple systems—consolidation of finance, marketing, sales, human resource, and [[manufacturing]] applications{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
* Brings legitimacy and transparency to each bit of statistical data
* Facilitates standard [[Product naming convention|product naming/coding]]
* Provides a comprehensive enterprise view (no "islands of information"), making real–time information available to management anywhere, anytime to make proper decisions
* Protects sensitive data by consolidating multiple security systems into a single structure<ref>{{cite web |first=Katherine |last=Walsh |url=http://www.csoonline.com/article/216940/The_ERP_Security_Challenge |title=The ERP Security Challenge |work=CSOonline |publisher=[[CXO Media, Inc.]] |date=January 2009 |access-date=January 17, 2008 |archive-date=4 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090504140508/http://www.csoonline.com/article/216940/The_ERP_Security_Challenge |url-status=dead }}</ref>