ERP stands for Enterprise Resource Planning and refers to software used to plan and manage all the core supply chain, manufacturing, services, and financial aspects of an organization. In the print industry, we commonly use the term Print MIS (Management Information System) to mean the same thing.

Companies across all verticals need ERP/MIS solutions, so when you shop for an ERP/MIS you could consider “generic” or non-print specific solutions. The global ERP software market is expected to reach $78 billion by 2026. That’s a lot of money; hence, there are a lot of vendors with a lot of solutions.

Over the years, we’ve interacted with many printers who wanted to go down the route of trying to run their print business on an ERP that was not specifically built for print. In my consulting business, I have only once recommended a non-print-specific ERP solution. The case was unique: it was a print management company, not a print manufacturing company, and they had the need to immediately operate globally (20+ countries). In every other situation where my consulting company has offered advice about Print MIS/ERP solutions, we have recommended print-specific solutions. This does not mean that ERP systems outside of print are not good systems; we have experience working and integrating with NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, and Oracle—all very good products. The reason we don’t recommend those solutions for print manufacturing companies is we know the kind of detail print businesses need from their estimating and cost collection, which are two critical components of ERP/MIS solutions.