enterprise software course
ERP and CRM Business Applications: Sales, Operations and Finance
Run one connected business application for sales, stock, purchasing and finance, and tailor it with low-code tools.
about this course
What you will be able to do
- Remember Remember : one business, one system.
- Apply Apply : sales and customer engagement.
- Apply Apply : stock, buying and warehouse.
- Understand Understand : finance and projects.
- Create Create : low-code: forms, flows and apps.
- Evaluate Evaluate : data, reports and dashboards.
- Create Create : implementation and architecture.
- Evaluate Evaluate : post-go-live review and coaching the team.
Task, condition and standard
Task
Run one connected business application for sales, stock, purchasing and finance, and tailor it with low-code tools. Finish all 8 modules on a practice set-up.
Condition
A free trial or practice account, practice data only (never real customer data), a peer circle and a mentor for the final review.
Standard
Every module standard is met; records are kept; a peer and a mentor rate the work 'Meets' or better on the rubric.
Who it is for: Business analysts, operations staff, finance staff, consultants, managers. Requirements: a computer and internet. Materials: slides with notes, worked examples, activities, quiz, rubric.
How the ladder works: modules climb from L1 (remember) to L7 (create); the ladder section shows each level as a slide. Take them in order; the first three suit new learners, 4 and 5 suit practitioners, 6 and 7 suit advanced staff.
lesson by lesson
8 modules with worked examples
Module 1 One business, one system 2 hRememberL1 Basic
An ERP joins sales, stock, buying and money in one set of records.
- Modules: sales, service, supply chain, finance, projects.
- Master data versus transactions.
- Roles and the home page.
Activity. Trace one order from quote to cash on a diagram.
Standard to meet. Name every step and record.
Slides with notes
Module 2 Sales and customer engagement 3 hApplyL2 Awareness
Run leads, opportunities and quotes with a clear process.
- Business process flows guide steps.
- Quote to order.
- Activities and timeline.
Activity. Create a lead to order flow with a guide.
Standard to meet. Order created; no step skipped.
Slides with notes
Module 3 Stock, buying and warehouse 4 hApplyL3 Foundation
Right item, right place, right time.
- Item setup and units.
- Purchase order, receipt, inventory counts.
- Reorder rules.
Activity. Run a purchase cycle and a stock count.
Standard to meet. Stock matches count; variances explained.
Slides with notes
Module 4 Finance and projects 4 hUnderstandL4 Practitioner
Money flows from every module into the ledger.
- Posting profiles.
- Budgets and dimensions.
- Project billing and time.
Activity. Set up a dimension and post a project invoice.
Standard to meet. Place entries in the right dimension.
Slides with notes
Module 5 Low-code: forms, flows and apps 4 hCreateL5 Specialist
Small tools built by the team, safely.
- Table, form, view.
- Automated flow: trigger, condition, action.
- App for mobile.
- Test in a separate environment.
Activity. Build a flow and a small app.
Standard to meet. Test in the sandbox and check that it works end to end.
Slides with notes
Module 6 Data, reports and dashboards 3 hEvaluateL6 Advanced
Numbers must be true and simple.
- Data model and relationships.
- Dashboard with five numbers.
- Row-level access.
Activity. Build a dashboard with row-level access.
Standard to meet. Record five numbers and pass the access test.
Slides with notes
Module 7 Implementation and architecture 5 hCreateL7 Super expert
Plan the whole programme.
- Fit-gap review.
- Environments and release path.
- Migration and cutover.
- Training, support and benefits tracking.
Activity. Write an implementation plan.
Standard to meet. Plan has fit-gap, cutover rehearsal, rollback and owners.
Slides with notes
Module 8 Post-go-live review and coaching the team 4 hEvaluateL7 Super expert
A system is not finished on go-live day. In the first months you check whether it really helps, fix what hurts and teach others to use it well.
- Compare results with the goals set in the plan: orders per day, stock errors, days to close the month.
- Review the first 90 days: open issues, user complaints, data quality and slow screens.
- Rank improvements by benefit and effort, then pick the top three.
- Coach users with short guides, a practice session and a named super-user in each team.
Activity. Write a one-page review of a practice system with three measured results, three problems ranked by benefit and effort, and a 20 minute lesson plan for new users.
Standard to meet. Review uses real numbers; top three actions are justified; lesson plan has a goal, steps and a check that learners can do the task.
Slides with notes
assessment
How you are checked
Evidence: your records from each activity. A peer and a mentor mark it. Pass: no criterion at 'Not yet'.
| Criterion | Not yet | Meets | Exceeds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy | Steps wrong | Steps right on practice data | Right and explained to a peer |
| Evidence | No records | Records for each module | Records and a lessons note |
| Safety and privacy | Real data used | Practice data only | Rules written for others |
| Standard | Misses the standard | Meets every module standard | Meets and improves it |
Ten-question check, with model answers
Q1. A sales order is confirmed and the goods are shipped. Which records change in a joined-up business system?
Model answer: Stock goes down, an invoice is created and the ledger and customer balance are updated. This is the benefit of one connected set of records. (Covered in module 1: One business, one system. To pass that module: Name every step and record.)
Q2. Name two examples of master data and two of transactions.
Model answer: Master data: customer and item (also supplier). Transactions: a sales order and a purchase receipt. Master data changes rarely; transactions happen every day. (Covered in module 1: One business, one system. To pass that module: Name every step and record.)
Q3. A guided sales flow stops a user from moving a deal to Won. What is the likely reason and who should fix it?
Model answer: A required step is missing, such as a named decision maker. The user completes the step; the flow should not be bypassed. (Covered in module 2: Sales and customer engagement. To pass that module: Order created; no step skipped.)
Q4. An item has a reorder point of 20 units and 18 are on hand. What should happen?
Model answer: The system should suggest a purchase for that item, because stock is below the reorder point. The buyer checks the quantity and confirms. (Covered in module 3: Stock, buying and warehouse. To pass that module: Stock matches count; variances explained.)
Q5. A stock count shows 96 units but the system says 100. Explain what to do.
Model answer: Find the reason first, such as a missed receipt or a damaged item, then post an adjustment of minus 4 with a note. Never change the number without a reason. (Covered in module 3: Stock, buying and warehouse. To pass that module: Stock matches count; variances explained.)
Q6. Why do posting profiles matter in finance setup?
Model answer: They decide which ledger accounts a transaction uses. A wrong profile sends money to the wrong account and makes reports untrue. (Covered in module 4: Finance and projects. To pass that module: Place entries in the right dimension.)
Q7. A flow must ask a manager to approve any discount above 10 percent. Name its trigger, condition and action.
Model answer: Trigger: a quote is saved. Condition: discount is greater than 10 percent. Action: send an approval request to the manager. (Covered in module 5: Low-code: forms, flows and apps. To pass that module: Test in the sandbox and check that it works end to end.)
Q8. Why should cutover to a new system be rehearsed twice before the real weekend?
Model answer: Each rehearsal shows steps that fail or take too long, so you can fix them and time the work. By the real weekend the team knows the order, the time needed and the rollback point. (Covered in module 7: Implementation and architecture. To pass that module: Plan has fit-gap, cutover rehearsal, rollback and owners.)
Q9. A regional manager must see only their own region in a shared report. How is this done?
Model answer: Use row-level access, so the same report shows only the rows that match the viewer's region. Test it with a real manager account. (Covered in module 6: Data, reports and dashboards. To pass that module: Record five numbers and pass the access test.)
Q10. Compare a fit-gap review with a post-go-live review.
Model answer: A fit-gap review is done before the project to see what the system already does and what is missing. A post-go-live review is done after, to measure results and plan improvements. (Covered in module 8: Post-go-live review and coaching the team. To pass that module: Review uses real numbers; top three actions are justified; lesson plan has a goal, steps and a check that learners can do the task.)
levels L1 to L7
The ladder, slide by slide
Seven slides, one per level. Open each for the slide text and the speaker notes.
Slide 1 L1 Basic: L1 Basic: know the words
Remember the main parts of a business application: sales, stock, buying, finance and projects. Recognise the difference between master data and transactions. Identify where to click to find a customer or an item.
Speaker notes. Show one order moving from quote to invoice on a diagram. Check that learners can name each record. A common mistake is mixing up an item (master data) with an order line (transaction).
Slide 2 L2 Awareness: L2 Awareness: see how it connects
Understand how one action in sales changes stock and finance. Explain why a clean customer list helps every team. Describe what a guided process does.
Speaker notes. Use a simple story: one sale, three departments. Ask learners to say which team sees the change. Watch for learners who think each module has its own separate data.
Slide 3 L3 Foundation: L3 Foundation: do daily tasks
Apply the standard steps to create a lead, a quote, a purchase order and a stock count. Follow checklists for every task. Fix simple data entry errors.
Speaker notes. Let learners complete the tasks on a practice company. Check that each record is saved and linked. A common mistake is skipping a required step and then editing the result by hand.
Slide 4 L4 Practitioner: L4 Practitioner: run a whole cycle
Apply the full order-to-cash and purchase-to-pay cycles without help. Analyse a stock variance and explain it. Set reorder points and dimensions correctly.
Speaker notes. Give a case with a few planted errors. Ask learners to find and explain each one. Common mistake: adjusting stock numbers to match, without finding the cause.
Slide 5 L5 Specialist: L5 Specialist: build small tools
Create a flow, a form and a small app that solve a real team problem. Analyse who should see which data and set access to match. Test in a separate environment before release.
Speaker notes. Review each build with the trigger, condition, action rule. Ask what happens if the flow fails. Common mistake: building straight in the live system.
Slide 6 L6 Advanced: L6 Advanced: judge and improve
Evaluate dashboards, data models and flows for accuracy and safety. Compare options by benefit and effort. Review a live system after go-live and recommend the top improvements.
Speaker notes. Ask learners to defend five dashboard numbers and drop the rest. Check that every recommendation is backed by a measured result. Common mistake: adding more reports instead of fixing bad data.
Slide 7 L7 Super expert: L7 Super expert: design the programme
Create an implementation plan with fit-gap review, migration, rehearsal, rollback, training and benefits tracking. Evaluate trade-offs across the whole business. Coach others to run the system on their own.
Speaker notes. Ask for a plan that two peers can challenge. Check owners, dates and a rollback path. Common mistake: planning the technology but forgetting training and support.
jobs this leads to
Where this takes you
- Business application analyst. Maps needs to settings.
- Operations coordinator. Runs orders, stock, purchasing.
- Low-code maker. Builds forms, flows and apps.
- Implementation consultant. Leads setup and training.
- Solution architect. Designs the whole system.
Next courses: data skills, process improvement, a sector course for your target employer.
ten locations and global
Your place
Local law changes how you store customer data and issue invoices. Check it for your place first.
India (Bengaluru)
Language: English, Hindi, Kannada. Use INR for amounts. Personal data rule: Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023. Skills frame to cite: National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and the national credit framework.
Netherlands (Eindhoven area)
Language: Dutch, English. Use EUR for amounts. Personal data rule: EU GDPR (Dutch: AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. Skills frame to cite: the Dutch qualification framework (NLQF) linked to the European Qualifications Framework.
UAE (Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
Language: Arabic, English. Use AED for amounts. Personal data rule: Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 (personal data protection). Skills frame to cite: the emirate education and training regulators (for example KHDA in Dubai) and the national qualifications framework.
Brazil (Sao Paulo)
Language: Portuguese (Spanish and English support). Use BRL for amounts. Personal data rule: LGPD (Lei Geral de Protecao de Dados). Skills frame to cite: the national technical-education catalogue and the national S-system training bodies.
Canada (Toronto)
Language: English, French. Use CAD for amounts. Personal data rule: PIPEDA, with provincial rules where they apply. Skills frame to cite: the provincial colleges framework and the national credential-recognition guidance.
United States
Language: English, Spanish. Use USD for amounts. Personal data rule: state privacy laws (for example California), and COPPA for children under 13. Skills frame to cite: state and community-college credit systems.
Singapore
Language: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil. Use SGD for amounts. Personal data rule: Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Skills frame to cite: the Singapore national skills frameworks and the national credit system.
Australia
Language: English. Use AUD for amounts. Personal data rule: the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. Skills frame to cite: the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) levels.
Hong Kong (Eastern Asia)
Language: Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin), English. Use HKD for amounts. Personal data rule: the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. Skills frame to cite: the Hong Kong Qualifications Framework.
Georgia and Israel (Western Asia)
Language: Georgian, Hebrew, Arabic, English. Use GEL or ILS for amounts. Personal data rule: the personal data law of the country where the learner lives. Skills frame to cite: the national qualifications framework of that country.
Cayman Islands (Caribbean)
Language: English. Use KYD for amounts. Personal data rule: the Data Protection Act. Skills frame to cite: the local education and training framework.
Mexico
Language: Spanish, English. Use MXN for amounts. Personal data rule: the federal law on personal data held by private parties. Skills frame to cite: the national competency certification system and the education ministry levels.
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Draft
Draft course. Written in our own words from our own training outlines; no third-party text is used. Not live.