How ERP Can Help Your Business Navigate Tariffs
By Katie Foley
The new tariffs are making the manufacturing landscape even more complicated — for companies in the U.S. and abroad. Whether it's a benefit or a setback really depends on the industry and how a company's supply chain is set up. ERP can help your business navigate tariffs by enabling quick adaptation, ensuring compliance, and minimizing disruptions.
What do tariffs mean for manufacturing businesses?
The new tariffs will add further complexity to the manufacturing industry, impacting both U.S.-based manufacturers and international companies. Depending on the industry and the structure of a company's supply chain, these changes could create either competitive advantages or significant challenges.
Challenges for manufacturers include:
- Higher costs for imported goods
- Supply chain disruptions if parts become scarce or delayed
- Retaliatory tariffs on American exports
- Administrative complexity as there become additional compliance regulations
Potential opportunities for manufacturers:
- Higher demand for American made goods
- Government incentives to bring manufacturing operations home
How can ERP help?
While only time will tell how the tariffs shape the future of manufacturing, ERP is a powerful tool that can help your organization navigate these quickly changing policies. ERP systems come with many built-in features that can help businesses navigate the impact of tariffs effectively.
Built--in features to help manage tariffs:
- Real time visibility into supply chain
- Advanced reporting and dashboards
- Automated tax and duty calculations
- Inventory optimization
- Cost accounting and pricing strategy
While there may still be challenges ERP hasn’t fully solved, the customization options within the Visibility software provide the flexibility to adapt and meet any situation head-on.
Conclusion
If you're a current Visibility customer, our team of experts is here to help you navigate these changes within your Visibility ERP solution. To see how other customers are tackling the impact of tariffs, consider joining us at VCC 2025 this May, where our consulting team will be doing a deep dive on this very topic. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out — we're here to support you.