Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems integrate internal and external management information across key business functions like finance, manufacturing, sales, and customer relationship management. The concept of ERP systems originated from material requirements planning and manufacturing resource planning in the 1990s. By the mid-1990s, ERP systems addressed all core functions of an enterprise by integrating financial information, customer order information, allowing inter-departmental monitoring and reporting, and generating reports from across the organization. While ERP systems provide benefits like increased efficiency, faster decision making, and increased data visibility, they also have challenges like customization issues, overcoming resistance to information sharing, and extensive training requirements.