The vocabulary of business software, without the jargon

A

Amazon RDS

Amazon Web Services' managed database service that hosts PostgreSQL, MySQL or SQL Server while handling backups, upgrades and high availability for you.

Audit log

An automatic history of who created, changed or deleted what and when in a piece of software, used to trace an anomaly, prove compliance and detect fraud.

Azure SQL Database

The managed cloud edition of SQL Server offered by Microsoft Azure; it removes server administration and fits naturally in a stack already built on Microsoft 365 and Windows.

C

Change management

The approach that prepares and supports employees when new software arrives: communication, training, internal champions and post-launch adjustments, so the tool is actually adopted.

Cloud computing

A model where servers, storage and software are rented from a provider and accessed over the Internet rather than installed on the company's premises, billed by usage.

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Cost price

The total of what it really costs to make a product or deliver a service, materials, labour and overhead included; the basis of the selling price and the margin.

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CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

Customer relationship management software that centralizes contacts, opportunities, quotes and follow-ups so the sales team works from a single version of the information.

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Custom or hybrid ERP

An approach where the strategic modules (production, warehouse, service) are built around the company's real processes and connected to standard tools, such as accounting, for the rest.

Custom software

An application designed and built specifically for one company's processes, which it owns, as opposed to a standard software package rented and shared by thousands of organizations.

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D

Data migration

Transferring data from an old system (Excel, Access, previous ERP) to the new one, with cleaning, de-duplication and validation, often the most underestimated step of an implementation.

Data volume

An estimate of the quantities a piece of software will handle (records, transactions per day, concurrent users, file sizes) and their growth, used to size the database and hosting.

Deployment

Putting a version of the software into service on the production servers, with data migration, backups, verification tests and a rollback plan in case something fails.

Dynamic slotting

The WMS continuously reassigning warehouse locations based on each SKU's picking frequency, season and volume, to bring the most requested products closer to the shipping area.

E

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

Central software that brings a company's operations (sales, purchasing, inventory, production, accounting) together around a single database to eliminate re-entry and give a unified view.

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ERP debt

The form of technical debt specific to ERPs: stacked customizations, modules bypassed with Excel files and a version frozen because upgrading would break everything, until the system cannot move.

F

FIFO

The "first in, first out" rotation rule: items received first are shipped or consumed first, which limits expiry and reflects the real cost of goods sold.

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I

Implementation cost

The initial investment to put software into service: scoping, configuration or development, integrations, data migration, training and change management, before the first day of real use.

Intranet

A private web application reserved for an organization's employees, gathering internal tools (forms, procedures, requests, dashboards) behind a single sign-on.

L

Laravel framework

An open-source PHP framework that supplies the foundations of a web application (authentication, database, queues, tests) and speeds up building reliable custom software.

LIFO

The "last in, first out" rotation rule: the most recently received items go out first, which suits non-perishable bulk materials but is not permitted for accounting in Canada.

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M

MVP (minimum viable product)

The first version of a piece of software reduced to its essential functions, put into service quickly to validate real needs with real users before investing in the rest.

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MySQL

One of the most widely used open-source relational databases, especially in web applications; simple to host and supported by every cloud provider.

O

Open-source ERP

An ERP whose code is open (Odoo Community, ERPNext, Dolibarr); no licence fees, but hosting, configuration, extensions and maintenance remain the company's responsibility.

Outsourcing

Entrusting software development or maintenance to an outside firm rather than an in-house team; success depends on clear scoping, code ownership and a partner who stays after delivery.

P

Permissions strategy

The rules that define what each role can see and do in a piece of software (view, create, approve, delete), designed to limit errors and improper access without slowing work down.

PGI (integrated management software)

The official French term for ERP: a software package that integrates a company's management functions (sales, inventory, production, finance) into one application sharing a single database.

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PostgreSQL

A free, open-source relational database known for its robustness, SQL standard compliance and advanced features; the engine of choice for most modern custom software.

Process automation

Replacing repetitive manual tasks (re-entry, follow-ups, reports, approvals) with rules executed by software, to free up time and reduce human error.

R

Recurring cost

An expense that comes back every month or year for as long as the software is in service: per-user subscriptions, hosting, support and maintenance, as opposed to the initial implementation cost.

Relational database

A system that organizes data into tables linked by keys, keeping it consistent and queryable in SQL, as PostgreSQL, MySQL or SQL Server do.

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Requirements / specifications

A written description of what the software must do (functions, business rules, data, constraints), serving as the shared reference between the client and the development team for estimating and delivering.

ROI

Return on investment: the ratio between the gains a piece of software generates (hours saved, errors avoided, additional sales) and its total cost, usually measured over three to five years.

S

Scoping / analysis phase

The first stage of a software project, where processes, requirements, integrations and priorities are documented to produce a firm estimate and a delivery plan before any code is written.

SKU

A unique code (stock keeping unit) assigned to every product variant sold or stored, used to track quantities, locations and sales item by item.

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Software maintenance

The ongoing work that keeps software healthy after launch: bug fixes, security and version upgrades, monitoring, backups and small enhancements, budgeted continuously.

SQL Server

Microsoft's relational database management system, common in SMBs running a Windows environment, available on premises or as a managed cloud service through Azure SQL Database.

Standard cloud ERP

A commercial ERP hosted by its vendor and rented per user per month (Odoo, NetSuite, Dynamics 365); quick to start, it imposes its own processes and a recurring cost.

Systems integration

An automated connection between two applications (ERP and accounting, website and inventory, CRM and invoicing) so data flows without re-entry, usually through an API or file exchange.

T

TCO (total cost of ownership)

The sum of everything a piece of software costs over its lifetime: licences or development, implementation, hosting, maintenance, training and internal time, rather than the purchase price alone.

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Technical debt

The future cost accumulated by shortcuts taken in software (rushed code, outdated versions, missing tests) that slow down every new change until the debt is paid back.

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W

Wireframe

A schematic mockup of a screen, without colours or styling, that positions areas, fields and buttons to validate the user's path before design and development.

WMS (Warehouse Management System)

Warehouse management software that tracks every product in every location and guides receiving, put-away, order picking and shipping, usually through barcode scanners.

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