Intelligent SME.tech Issue 35 | Page 22

? EDITOR ’ S QUESTION //

WITH FEWER MANUAL
PROCESSES , SMALLER
COMPANIES CAN
TAKE ON MORE INNOVATIVE , PROFITABLE PROJECTS .

S mall- and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs ) are the growth engine of MENA ’ s economy and face a number of the same business challenges as larger , more established organisations . While an ERP solution may not be an immediate priority , it ’ s critical to deploy enterprise software to achieve key business goals . These include the provision of intelligent capabilities to unlock growth opportunities , the ability to swiftly adapt to changing customer expectations , disrupted supply chains and uncertainty and a focus on streamlining core functions to deliver efficiency and agility across the business .

At a fundamental level , ERP solutions enable SMEs to condense workflows , streamline processes and automate , eliminating the need for manual input . With fewer manual processes , smaller companies can take on more innovative , profitable projects . Ease of workflow increases , with faster turnaround time and high production capability . ERP solutions also deliver transparency about how problems within an SME affect the rest of the process , allowing managers to analyse , gain better insights and make effective decisions . It provides real-time financial data that offers a competitive advantage , increases efficiency and helps ensure cost savings .
SAP has found that SMEs are embracing cloud computing solutions due to their reliability as well as speed and usability that accelerates ROI . With cloud solutions , mid-size companies can be up and running quickly at a more predictable , affordable price .
SMEs that are evaluating a cloud-based ERP system should consider solutions that are designed to work together to bring visibility and clarity across the company and avoid silos , have built-in scalability to grow quickly alongside the business and incorporate industry expertise and best-practice support to optimise performance .
SAP delivers a range of ERP solutions , tailored to the needs of SMEs including SAP S / 4HANA Cloud , public edition . This solution is the core of GROW with SAP , a flagship offering for midmarket customers . Mid-sized organisations can also consider SAP Business ByDesign , a suitein-a-box that offers 39 end-to-end business processes for mid-size businesses including security and compliance topics to ensure that they remain up-to-date with changing business needs . Finally , smaller enterprises in the region are deploying SAP Business One either in the cloud or on-premises to manage functions from accounting and financials , purchasing , inventory , sales and customer relationships to reporting and analytics .
Growth-focused companies trust SAP – up to 80 % of our global customers are SMEs . Newer enterprises need cloud solutions that combine built-in industry and business best practices with the scalability to handle more volume , languages , currencies and new business units . With an ERP strategy , SMEs benefit from greater innovation and related growth ; it ’ s an opportunity that smaller and mid-sized organisations can ’ t afford to miss .
SAP also delivers Business AI that ’ s relevant , reliable and responsible . The SAP Business AI portfolio is embedded into the SAP product portfolio , with more than 26,000 customers already using SAP Business AI across multiple scenarios and partner solutions .

ZAKARIA HALTOUT , MANAGING DIRECTOR , SAP UAE

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