The purpose of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is to integrate and manage all of a manufacturer's core processes and systems in one place. ERP software touches nearly every functional area of a company, from manufacturing, finance and supply chain to HR, sales and beyond.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system integrates a manufacturer's operational data systems into one automated platform. It often serves as the system of record for transactional data as financial and material resources flow through the enterprise.

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) system may be used when a company wants to streamline the flow of data between its different data sources. It is used to consolidate information that might otherwise be stored in disconnected systems and managed by different teams into a shared database.