International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 7/Issue 2/April-May-June -2024 1 © 2024, IJASRW, All right reserve https://www.ijasrw.com This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License Using MS Excel to Support an ERP System: a Corporate Management and Control Perspective Grzegorz Dzieża 1 , Marek Sikora 2 * and Mesut Selamoğlu 3 1,2 Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Management 3 Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Bahce Vocational School, Department of Management and Organization Email Id: zis@pbs.edu.pl 1 , m.sikora@pbs.edu.pl 2 , mesutselamoglu@osmaniye.edu.tr 3 Orcid: 0000-0003-4859-6475 1 , 0000-0001-9773-8527 2 , 0000-0002-5693-4772 3 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.12600278 Abstract The aim of the publication is to identify the reason for using an Excel spreadsheet to supplement the functionality of an advanced ERP system. Object-oriented research using the guided interview method was conducted with the managers of the company, as well as with the staff overseeing the empowerment process for product components in the ERP system. The managers showed little interest in being able to refine the functionality of some modules of the software used. This proved to be particularly relevant in the case of the supervision of the production process. The results of the study refer to the case found only in the studied facility. However, the situation in which one of the most advanced ERP systems is used in a company and is supplemented by a spreadsheet in a complex process prompted the authors to present their findings. It seems that regardless of the technological sophistication of the manufacturing processes used and the software used to manage all aspects of the company, the most important ingredient is a competent, trained workforce at all levels of management. It is also possible to improve the organisation in other companies by relieving lower-level staff of the burden of prolonged Excel work. Sometimes there is a much more effective possibility to use existing system software, which can be adapted after a few years to constantly changing conditions in the processes being supervised. Keywords: MS Excel, ERP system, management, efficiency, integrated information system Introduction ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems are comprehensive IT tools that integrate various business processes and activities into a single integrated system. They are also among the most frequently chosen by companies worldwide, due to their advanced functionality and extensive support for various business processes. However, the cost of implementing and maintaining such a system can be very high, making it often unaffordable for small and medium-sized companies. With the development of information technology, these systems have become an indispensable element in business management. However, despite their advanced functionality, there are situations where an Excel spreadsheet plays a supporting role to these systems. An example of an integrated IT system that is designed to support, the management of a company, at every level of activity is SAP. At present, it is the system more frequently chosen by companies in Poland and worldwide. The total number of users worldwide, according to the all-for-one report (Kunze, 2024), currently exceeds 400,000. In Poland, according to the Press Office of SAP Poland (2024), the system is used by some 1,800 companies, but the company's own research shows that as many as 6 out of 10 companies surveyed cannot develop competence in the digital supply chain sphere due to insufficient employee competence in the use of technology. SAP also has 15,000 users in Turkey, offering business analysis and consulting services in the areas of system technology, localisation, application support and system adaptation. According to a study by International Data Corporation (IDC), the Turkish enterprise software market is expected to grow over the next five years in small and medium-sized companies. It is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1 per cent. The Turkey Enterprise Application Software Market 2018- 2022 Forecast report (International Data Corporation 2018) estimated that the market will reach 405 million USD in 2022. The 1 Corresponding Author: Marek Sikora, Bydgoszcz University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Management, Email Id: m.sikora@pbs.edu.pl , Orcid: 0000-0001-9773-8527 2 Cite as: Grzegorz Dzieża, Marek Sikora and Mesut Selamoğlu (2024). ”Using MS Excel to Support an ERP System: a Corporate Management and Control Perspective". International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work, 7(2), 01-06.