Today more and more midsize companies are looking to replace outdated ERP systems or jump into the technology for the first time. A recent research survey says, "in the small and midsize business (SMB) segment, which continues to outgrow the overall market, companies are buying new ERP systems in response to new customer requirements and the desire to participate in the global market." ERP solutions tailored to the midmarket abound, making it a buyer's market. In this age of mergers and acquisitions, many of these organizations were once small companies, and now, as midmarket organizations, they need to consolidate various software systems and standardize business processes. Most companies in this space are coping with increasingly complex operating environments, aging technology - including outmoded ERP systems - proliferating business-management software and, of course, the need to grow revenue.
A large number of players are currently in the market today in the ERP segment. Though some of these ERP solutions are tailor-made for certain industry segments only, most solutions are designed to cover a range of industry segments. The extent of customization/configuration and modification of these packages mostly depend on the particular ERP solution
or ERP Products shortlisted for implementation and its applicability for a particular organization, as well as the extent in which the organization is willing to change its business processes. ERP systems do not neatly fit the traditional distinction between custom-built software and 'off-the-shelf' package in several aspects.
