A situation has arisen where (if I don’t scream and run away) I will be involved in an ERP system. This project will be using OpenERP specifically. My background is entirely science/engineering/music/games/art/whatever. I’ve never set foot in the realm of business systems or anything describable with the word “enterprise”.
What is a good introduction to the whole ERP concept, OpenERP and business systems in general suitable for those with flat zero experience in that world?
The ideal intro would explain, from no assumptions, what the main ideas are, terminology, they style of work and thinking of people in that world, and maybe some concrete suggestions how one can tinker around with a copy of OpenERP to gain basic familiarity.
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What is a good introduction to the whole ERP concept, OpenERP and business systems in general suitable for those with flat zero experience in that world?
Start with Wiki page and then move toward the tutorial videos that are good source of information for start-up. There are some other source of information as well.
- OpenERP tutorial
- Magento module and the OpenERP extension
- OpenERP Quick start
- OpenERP sample module development
- openerpvideos.com
In addition, start reading the code asap. Although, going through some introductory tutorials is good in the beginning, once started reading the code you will better understand the inner-workings within the framework.
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ERP systems are designed to be the backbone of an Enterprise’s technology infrastructure. The idea being that it can provide the basics of everything involved in running a business (HR, Accounting, Inventory Management, Project Management, etc.) so that all the business has to do is focus on what makes their business different.
There are a number of books that walk you through the basics of enterprise systems (in a software agnostic way). Understanding the core concepts will provide you with a roadmap as you dive into the details of your chosen platform.
I’d recommend the Data Model Resource Book. Although it’s ostensibly about database design, the resources in the book go beyond that and help you get a grasp on the deeper concepts that underly an ERPs more complex data model.
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I’m in roughly the same situation: Got trapped into the implementation of OpenERP with zero prior experience in management/accounting domains.
My advice: read the code.
Yes, it’s big, and it’s not the cleanest OSS out there; but it’s quite readable. Start with the OpenERP documentation, and when you think you understand what a small module does, start reading how does it do that. After a while, it’s easier to read the code than trying to find documentation.
good luck!