ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)
An integrated system that runs core business processes - finance, inventory, operations - in one place.
ERP software ties together core operations - accounting, inventory, procurement, manufacturing, HR - into one integrated system with shared data, so different functions are not working off separate spreadsheets or disconnected apps that have to be reconciled by hand.
In India the ERP ladder tends to run: accounting-first tools like TallyPrime or Zoho Books for the smallest firms; distribution and inventory-heavy suites like Marg or Busy for traders and wholesalers; industry-specific systems (for example Fedena for schools, or dedicated hospital and restaurant ERPs); and SAP or Oracle NetSuite at the enterprise end. Most Indian SMBs live on the first rung far longer than global advice assumes.
The GST regime is what makes an ERP's India-fit non-negotiable: it has to produce GST-compliant invoices, handle e-invoicing (IRN generation) and e-way bills above the turnover thresholds, and cope with multiple GSTINs if you operate across states. A global ERP that cannot do these cleanly forces a bolt-on or manual workaround, which defeats the point of integrating.
The trigger to migrate is usually pain, not size: inventory and finance stop reconciling, GST returns across entities become a monthly fire drill, or a second location means two systems that do not talk. Until then, separate best-of-breed tools are cheaper and simpler.
Budget for the implementation, not just the licence. ERP cost in India is dominated by data migration, configuration, training and the partner's fees - often several times the software price - so a smaller tool you actually adopt usually beats a big ERP you half-implement.