A Mobile User Interface for an ERP System

Mobile access to information stored in corporate back-end systems such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems is particularly beneficial for mobile workers. They can interoperate with such a system from anywhere and at any time. However, preparation of content targeted to various mobile devices is a complex task. It requires special content adaptation methods or at least specific design principles. This paper presents an approach for designing mobile user interfaces for information systems equipped with a Web Services Facade. An implementation of mobile access to an open-source ERP system, Compiere, is described with the help of a sample scenario. Access to thin mobile clients is provided through Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) technology. Open research issues are pointed out in the conclusions.