Enterprise Resource Planning (application, business) (ERP) Any software system designed to support and automate the business processes of medium and large businesses. This may include manufacturing, distribution, personnel, project management, payroll, and financials.
ERP systems are accounting-oriented information systems for identifying and planning the enterprise-wide resources needed to take, make, distribute, and account for customer orders. ERP systems were originally extensions of MRP II systems, but have since widened their scope. An ERP system also differs from the typical MRP II system in technical requirements such as relational database, use of object oriented programming language, computer aided software engineering tools in development, client/server architecture, and open system portability. JBOPS are the major producers of ERP software. "ERP Systems - Using IT to gain a competitive advantage", Shankarnarayanan S.. Last updated: 1999-07-27