Zeyto Academy · Foundation · Module 21
ERP fundamentals for implementers
What an ERP is, how business processes map to Zeyto modules, who is involved, how to compare options and how to advise on cloud, private cloud and on-premise.
You will be able to
- Explain an ERP and Zeyto's masters, documents and reports pattern to a business owner
- Map order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, record-to-report and plan-to-stock to Zeyto documents
- Describe a process by trigger, steps, controls and exceptions and map its stakeholders
- Separate the work of functional consultant, technical consultant and project manager
- Run a fair ERP selection with weighted criteria and five-year cost
- Advise on cloud, private cloud and on-premise deployment and explain Zeyto's licensing basics
What an ERP is, and what it is not
- An ERP is one shared database where a fact is entered once and used by every department.
- Zeyto's pattern is masters (lists), documents (events) and reports (read-only views).
- Software enforces a rule only after the client has decided the rule.
Business processes and how they map to modules
- Four chains cover most trading firms: order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, record-to-report and plan-to-stock.
- One submitted invoice can update stock, receivables, sales, VAT and cost together.
- Discovery decides which steps of each chain the client really uses.
Process thinking and stakeholders
- Describe every process by trigger, steps, documents, controls, exceptions and output.
- Exceptions drive most configuration, so ask about them early.
- Map stakeholders by power and interest, and name an accountable owner for each process.
Functional consultant, technical consultant and project manager
- Functional work is business fit; technical work is environment; project management is plan and risk.
- The functional consultant owns discovery, blueprint, configuration, mapping, tests and training.
- Do not promise what the product does not do. Raise gaps as requests.
ERP selection basics
- Select with weighted criteria, scripted demos and five-year cost.
- Small score gaps mean you need more evidence, not a winner.
- Be honest about fit and never name competitors.
Deployment models and how to advise
- Deployment is where Zeyto runs and who looks after it.
- Zeyto works offline; only licence activation and a few outside services need the internet.
- Choose by internet reliability, IT capability, data location and backup ownership.
What an ERP is, and what it is not: key table
| Symptom in the old setup | What changes with an integrated ERP |
|---|---|
| Stock in Excel differs from the accountant's inventory figure | Stock movements and ledger entries come from the same document |
| Customer balance is known only after the month is closed | Every invoice and receipt updates the balance when it is submitted |
| Prices are quoted from memory | Prices come from a price list picked on the document |
| The VAT return is rebuilt from three spreadsheets | VAT is worked out per line at posting and added up for the return |
Business processes and how they map to modules: key table
| Process | Typical chain in Zeyto | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Order-to-cash | Quotation, Sales Order, Delivery Note, Sales Invoice, Receipt; Sales Return for goods coming back | Stock out, customer balance up, sales and VAT recorded, then cash or bank up and balance down |
| Procure-to-pay | Purchase Order, GRN (goods received), Purchase Invoice, Payment Voucher; Purchase Return | Stock in, supplier balance up, input VAT recorded, then cash or bank down |
| Record-to-report | Journals and vouchers, bank reconciliation, period locks, VAT Return Worksheet, financial statements, year-end close | Ledger corrected and reviewed; statements and the VAT return produced |
| Plan-to-stock | Item min and max stock levels, warehouses, stock transfers and adjustments, stocktake; bills of materials and production where used | Right goods in the right warehouse at a known cost |
Process thinking and stakeholders: key table
| Stakeholder | Typical person | Cares about | What you need from them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | Owner or general manager | Cost, risk, daily visibility | Decisions, budget, public backing |
| Process owner | Sales, purchasing or warehouse manager | Their team's speed and control | Process knowledge, sign-off of their part |
| Finance lead | Accountant or finance manager | Correct books, VAT, month-end | Chart of accounts, opening balances, accounting rules |
| Key user | Experienced clerk or storekeeper | Not being slowed down | Testing, training colleagues |
| End user | Cashier, salesman, data-entry staff | Simple screens, no blame | Attendance at training, honest feedback |
| IT contact | In-house IT or outside provider | Network, PCs, security, backups | Access, hardware, printers |
ERP selection basics: key table
| Criterion | Weight | Product A (score) | Product B (score) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fit to core processes | 30 | 4 | 5 |
| UAE VAT and local compliance | 20 | 5 | 3 |
| Ease of use and training | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| Deployment fit | 10 | 4 | 3 |
| Partner and vendor support | 15 | 3 | 4 |
| Five-year cost | 10 | 4 | 2 |