The Needed Adaptability for ERP Systems - Enterprise Information Systems Design, Implementation and Management: Organizational Applications - page 209

Figure 9. Database framework

concLusion goal, one has to consider the possibility of “creat-

ing” (adding new) data on the information system
database.
Our approach to the Manufactor software had
to do with managing operations like adding new
fields to the standard tables. We've called it “ User
fields ”. Higher demands require a new complete
table, called “ User tables ”, allowing the definition
of a new and complete table that can be applied
to a grid object, for instance using the Interface
Framework described at the previous topic.
Every time a user opens a screen, an internal
validation is provided to check if the local VFP
remote view is updated with the information's
table scheme presented on the server. If not, the
local remote view is deleted and a new one is
created (with the updated data). This procedure
is summarized in the next image (Figure 9).
All the database maintenance related with these
user fields and user tables are kept in the applica-
tion's database, providing an extreme portability
(anytime it's needed to change the data server,
for instance) and abstraction to the user (since
it doesn't need to know the SQL instructions to
create fields and tables).

According to Davenport (1999), if a company ac-
cepts all re-engineering suggestions (when imple-
menting an ERP system), it may see the dream
of information integration turns into a nightmare.
This enhances the importance of an ERP system
on a company and, therefore, the responsibility
of a manager when choosing a system.
This paper summarized some of the main re-
strictions found by companies when configuring
ERP Systems, guaranteeing constant adaptations
so that it is possible to provide an accurate answer
to the market. For several times, financial and time
restrictions have blocked the decision to change
an ERP system; on other occasions, the systems
do not provide the “reaction capacity” that is
required in order to face this reality.
To achieve a complete solution, a new func-
tional model (called FME) has been designed
to be applied to any ERP system. Using brief
descriptions and simple diagrams, this complex
model has been summarized and divided into five
sub-systems that would ensure a dynamic lifecycle
for these kinds of enterprise systems. It promotes