Early manufacturing software systems were designated MRP (Materials Resource Planning) programs. The basic functions of MRP systems included inventory control, bill of material processing and elementary scheduling. With the later addition of scheduling functionality, MRP became “MRP II”.
MRP II was advanced further when “routings” became a standard part of software architecture, and was dubbed “ERP”. The capabilities of ERP systems expanded up those of MRP; in addition to manufacturing, this new system handled logistics, distribution, inventory, shipping, invoice, and accounting. Soon, ERP software became even more comprehensive, serving the operations of a number of other business activites, including: sales and marketing; production management and quality assurance; and human resource management.
With the evolution of the old system into today’s ERP solutions, “MRP” as it was known is today obsolete.
Read the full development history of ERP on Wikipedia.
