SAP R/3 Security in the Sarbanes OXley Era – 7 Steps for Better SOX Compliance

Posted by Administrator on January 31, 2006 under ERP Software, Process Improvement | Be the First to Comment

An interesting article on how to focus in on Sarbanes Oxley with your ERP:

7 major pointers which can help organizations towards better SAP security in the Sarbanes Oxley Era.Big4Guy – SAP R/3 Security in the Sarbanes OXley Era – 7 Steps for Better SOX Compliance

Integrated Solutions – RFID Required: LEGO’s Integrated RFID System

Posted by Administrator on January 27, 2006 under ERP Software | Be the First to Comment

You’ve probably heard the stories of frustration with RFID: high overheads and little returns, constant implementation challenges, and business benefits that will be realized someday. So I’m sure you’l be as floored as I was when you hear LEGO Systems, Inc.’s story. Pat McGrath, project manager, distribution, Americas; and Gary Deets, applications manager, global IT, are so positive about RFID that you’d think they’re speaking pure conjecture, or at the very least, a bunch of marketing fluff. But, they aren’t. McGrath and Deets are speaking from real experience, from implementing an RFID solution into a LEGO DC (distribution center) to comply with both Wal-Mart’s and Target’s mandates – compliance they gained three months ahead of schedule.Integrated Solutions – RFID Required: LEGO’s Integrated RFID System

2005 Review of the Year: Enterprise software

Posted by Administrator on under ERP Software | Be the First to Comment

As Oracle continued its buying spree in the enterprise software space, the vendor exchanged some carefully aimed punches with SAP.

The most visible confrontation occurred early in 2005. SAP unfolded a $496m plan in February to acquire Retek, a maker of enterprise software for retail clients.

Oracle quickly responded and in Read More…

Corporate ERP of the Next decade: Microsoft/Unix/Java – Coexistence & Harmony?

Posted by Administrator on January 24, 2006 under ERP Software | Be the First to Comment

Andrew Karasev

While in 1990th we saw very fierce fighting between Microsoft Windows and Apple Computer PowerMac for the workstations market, when two systems were practically not compatible and didn’t have plans to understand each other, plus all the blends of Unix/Linux were trying to step in and take workstation market over, the next decade in our opinion will be the decade of coexistence, integration, cross-platform heterogeneous data distribution and querying. Good example would be this – imagine you are freight forwarder and your company has Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains implemented as accounting and partly distribution application and on the other hand you have Oracle based cargo delivery / tracking system. You do not have to phase out one or the other – you make them coexist: if you need Great Plains user to lookup shipment status – you use heterogeneous query from MS SQL Server (Great Plains) to Oracle via linked server and have instant result set on the screen. Similar heterogeneous query you can have from Oracle side to MS SQL Server. Let’s look at the trends:

• XML – is platform independent way to communicate: transfer inbound/outbound streams of data. This is the sign of future coexistence and it is very simple in reading and understanding by human being

• IT Budget. Evolution versus Revolution: the old days of restructuring your company business operation around new computer system are probably over. Nowadays IT budget is pretty limited and corporate management considers IT as regular (not elite) internal services department. So – you, as IT manager or director has limited resources to revolutionize the company, so you follow the step-by-step evolution

• The sunset of proprietary languages. Good example is Great Plains Dexterity – this is the core of recent Microsoft Great Plains, former Great Plains Dynamics. Dexterity had the history of evolution, and now it is using SQL Stored procs to do the majority of database querying and updating, Microsoft plans to phase it slowly out and replace with the future .Net language of choice (not sure which one will win: C# or VB.Net – but this is not important at this moment). In the close future SQL with XML inbound/outbound will be the language of integrations

• The end of heavy custom programming. At least in the US – majority of the project will be outsourced. In the USA we will be mostly dealing with project management and specifications writing, plus physical hardware support. Even if you are dealing with, say Microsoft Business Solutions partner in San Francisco – partner itself will be using either overseas facility or simply contractors over there. When the majority of us will become project managers, thinking about business logic, not the way of realizing it in the code – we will stop heating the opposite platform –no more Microsoft VB.Net programmer hatred toward Java/EJB/J2EE programmer

We are already doing cross platform integrations from Microsoft Business Solutions products: Microsoft CRM, Great Plains to Oracle, DB2, Lotus and other databases, plus Microsoft CRM email messaging through Lotus Domino to begin realize the strategy

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving clients in Chicago, California, Texas, Florida, New York, Georgia, Arizona, Minnesota, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is CMA, Great Plains Certified Master, Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

What You Need to Know About CRM

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Frank Dazerton

Customer Relationship Management (abbreviated CRM) is a very hot topic among businesses. CRM is such a hot topic because it is a way for businesses to connect with their customers, increase profits, and have better customer service. There are several things that you need to know about CRM.

1. It’s all about the customer. Some companies focus too much on expensive CRM programs and elaborate IT departments and not enough on what is at the core of CRM. CRM programs need to be designed to appeal to the business’ customers. The best Call Centers are the ones which customers find easy to navigate. The best CRM vendors have the customer satisfaction in mind when designing their CRM applications.

2. On-demand is the way to go. Many vendors offer traditional CRM programs and service. I believe, however, that On-demand CRM is the way to go. On-demand CRM is different from traditional methods in that instead of requiring companies to hire new IT people, and use extensive resources to implement elaborate CRM programs, the software comes with support. On-demand CRM is no longer the “bring your own IT department” approach. Many vendors like Salesforce.com, Siebel, and NetSuite offer On-demand solutions that are great for businesses just getting into the CRM market.

3. Customer Relationship Management is not just software. Some businesses would like it to be simply software, but it will never be as simple as that. Customer Relationship Management is an ongoing learning process. The business must learn from the customer and change accordingly. The closer a business gets to its customer, the better. CRM applications and strategies are the methods through which the business can access, analyze, and learn from customer Data. Knowing what CRM applications are actually for is a very important step in understanding how to be successful when implementing CRM practices.

4. It is important to understand that there are hundreds of CRM vendors out there. Many of the vendors claim to be number one, but if you look closely, they may be number one in only one category. Other companies say that they are number one in CRM, but there is no basis for their statement. It is important for companies to choose the right vendor that will attend to all of their CRM needs. This may not always be the most expensive, “number one” company. On the contrary, some simple companies offer CRM solutions that are highly effective. Some of the major CRM providers are Siebel, Salesforce.com, NetSuite, IBM, Microsoft, and SAP.

5. The best CRM technology can be very helpful for any business. Some CRM applications can now be accessed via BlackBerry devices. Major vendors are constantly updating their software and improving their service. It is a good idea to stay as current as possible in terms of CRM technology. However, always remember to balance technology with customer service. There is no substitute for old-fashioned customer service, the most basic of all CRM ideals.
Customer Relationship Management can be very beneficial for a business if it is carried out properly. It is important to keep the customer in mind at all times when you are implementing CRM practices into your business. Remember that there are quite a few CRM vendors out there, and it is important to choose the vendor that is best for your company. Customer Relationship Management seems like a very daunting idea for someone who has never used it before, but if you follow these steps, you will surely see the benefits of successful CRM.

Frank Dazerton enjoys writing about a variety of Custromer Relationship Management topics. In addition to writing CRM articles, he writes for CRM Lowdown ( www.crmlowdown.com ).

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