The advantages, disadvantages, and trade-offs of both approaches for manufacturing companies
The question of whether a business should opt for a best-of-breed or an all-in-one solution has been around for a long time. The approach you choose should function as an extension of the teams involved. The fact that this question is still relevant today has everything to do with it; there is no default answer, due to the diverse needs and work processes among companies. To give you an idea of the considerations, we will discuss both approaches.
What is Best-of-breed software?
If you choose the best-of-breed approach, you are assembling a collection of software yourself. You have complete freedom to choose software solutions that each excel in their own field. For example, companies opt for a CRM system from one supplier and an ERP or MES system from another. Because these software companies have their own focus, the features can often be streamlined with very specific work processes.
Cons
What is an all-in-one system?
With all-in-one (or integrated) software you perform various work processes within one application. For example, HR and Sales work in the same application, but each with their own place. One advantage that is mentioned often, is the central database, making it possible to easily exchange data between departments. What is entered in one place can be used in real-time by other departments.
Integrated systems such as Togetr is built using a Micro-services architecture, in which the software consists of various services that work together from one database. This way, anyone who is authorized can request information, and those involved are automatically informed about important changes. A consistent user interface with each service contributes to the user-friendliness; a team or department only needs to get to know one software.
Cons
There is no default answer to the question "Best-of-breed or All-in-one?". The choice must fit the size of the organization and the corporate culture. Some teams work perfectly together in separate applications, while other teams can only work with one central database.
To find a good software partner, you are often better off with a company that is close to your industry. Large software companies offer general options, which means that they could fall short of specific work processes, such as in the manufacturing industry. Togetr offers a combination of an incremental system with industry-specific functionalities, which can also be acquired separately. One database operates as a solid foundationfor your work processes.