Building ERP Systems That People Actually Use

An ERP is only valuable if people use it. Over several projects - accounting, school, hotel and clinic systems - I've learned that adoption comes from fitting the software to real workflows, not the other way around.

Principles that work

1. Model the domain honestly

Accounting has debits and credits. Hotels have folios. Clinics have encounters. When the data model mirrors how the business actually works, the software feels natural and the reports come out right.

2. Enforce the right controls

ERPs touch money, so segregation of duties, approvals and audit trails are not optional. My accounting background shapes how I bake these in from day one.

3. Keep the interface focused

Every role should see what it needs and nothing more. Fewer, clearer screens beat sprawling forms.

4. Automate the boring parts

Posting journals, generating statements, reconciling balances - automation is where ERPs earn their keep.

The takeaway

Great ERP work sits at the intersection of software engineering and domain expertise. That combination - engineering plus accounting and finance - is exactly what lets me build systems that businesses trust and keep using.