ERP and Cloud Applications Strategies

There is an informative article on ERP and Cloud Applications Strategies at SoftwareAdvice.com. In the article, the author discusses the considerations of implementing the Suite of an ERP solution or doing a Best-of-Breed approach where a company would pick and choose the functionality from various vendors. Not so long ago, companies would only pick a suite and stay within its boundaries.

Now, however, companies are finding that moving to a varied vendor set, including a mix of traditional and cloud applications provides some advantages. This brings up some questions: How well does this work? What are some of the considerations you need to look at before making an investment in a cloud app? Let’s take a look at these issues.

Cloud Applications as a Best-of-Breed Approach

The typical scenario for many companies is one of adding a cloud CRM such as Salesforce.com, to their mix of in-house ERP applications. More often than not, Salesforce is acquired by the business users and IT does not even know of its existence until the business users ask for integrations to the back-end systems.

One concern for moving to Cloud Applications is that frequently, IT departments do not “get” cloud computing. In fact, they often see it as a threat. Because the applications are hosted elsewhere, there is little or no overhead required from an IT department. The IT department does need to be involved in Cloud Application selections and implementations so that they understand what will be implemented.

Secondly, modern Cloud Applications such as Salesforce.com do not require traditional programming overhead.

Because it is configuration based, adding a field is as simple as filling out a form. If you find you don’t want that field, remove it. In traditional applications management, you would want to run this field addition in a sandbox, test it thoroughly to make sure it doesn’t break anything. In a cloud application, like Salesforce.com, you simply don’t expose the field to the users until you review it. You do not need to implement a sandbox to change configurable settings.

As pointed out above, IT departments frequently do not get this paradigm. They are used to code-upon-code where small changes make a big deal. In a configuration environment of a cloud application, there is little if any impact when configuration changes occur. Everything lives as metadata. Nothing touches the code.

Because many of the available cloud offerings are configuration driven, they are much faster to get up and running. Due to this, it often make sense to run an agile-like implementation of various releases (or sprints) of various best of breed applications coming on-line at different times. Not everyone chooses to do this, but a two or three-month release cycle of various solutions provides a way to move forward on systems quickly.

Integrating Cloud Applications with non-Cloud Applications

After configuration, integrations need to be defined and typically there are three options. First, you can manually export a csv file from the source system and upload it to the target system. This works for very basic updates. The next option is custom coding to push/pull the data from the APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). The last option is to use a Middleware product such as Pervasive, Informatica, or Boomi.

Traditionally, middleware was a separate application sitting on an on-premise server and it would transact the data between the source and target systems. It would also perform and data transformations that needed to occur to align the fields between the systems.

Now, there is a trend to going to Cloud-based middleware, such as with Informatica-on-demand. Like other cloud solutions, they come with a less expensive price tag and they do not require a full implementation on an on-premise server. Rather, what they do need is a small install of an “Agent” software that allows the cloud app to talk to the in-house solutions.

These middleware cloud applications work well, but they do have some limitations. First, since they are newer than the traditional software, they still have some bugs. Not a lot, but don’t be surprised if you run into one. Next, they have a more limited toolset than the traditional in-house solutions as the programming and scripting tools are not as robust (but they are getting better every day).

Moving forward with Cloud Applications

Using Cloud Applications has many benefits, including financial and technical reasons for approaching the platform. Often Cloud Apps can be charged as an expense monthly rather than being capitalized like large asset purchases. Further, you can buy as much or as little licensing as you need and scale up or down much more readily than a traditional application.

All-in-all, Cloud applications have tremendous benefits to organizations as part of a best-of-bread solution. For a smaller firm, an app like Netsuite may provide a complete solution, but for the larger enterprise, a “pick and choose” solution strategy may be a good way to go.

ERP on Tablet PCs

ERP on Tablet PCs is Now!

ERP on Tablet PCs is here now. Earlier we did an article on ERP on the iPad. With the amazing pace of technology, people can now use mobile platforms for accessing their corporate data. For some people, the iPad is a great tool, but others may have different views on using the iPad. Now there is an alternative. Small form factor Tablet PCs are available. Some of these are Windows-based and others are Android OS-based.

Imagine being a salesperson on the road and being able to review a customer account before the big meeting right from your car. Or during the meeting, being able to check stock on a particular item for the client right in their office! These are now completely realistic scenarios. Allowing the ERP on Tablet PCs to be a reality today.

Of course, it will have to gain support of the IT departments who are holding security as one of the highest priorities. Issues such as security will need to be addressed on a company-by-company basis to ensure that the corporate data is still well protected. But many companies are providing this data already on a web enabled portal, which would be perfect for ERP on a Tablet PC scenario.

We are seeing a lot of iPhone and Android apps being made for the phones, but these apps will also run ERP on Table PCs as well. So within a few years we should see a lot more of these apps available from all the major ERP vendors.

Here is a video review of the ViewSonic ViewPad 7 that will give you an idea of how powerful these technologies are now and it will give you an idea of how you will soon see ERP on the Tablet PCs.

ERP on Tablet PCs – ViewSonic Video Review

Click on the video to find out more information.

File as: ERP on Tablet PCs

Fundamentals of Manufacturing ERP

By Chris Shaul

What is Manufacturing ERP?

Manufacturing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software is a much more complicated system than standard ERP systems. Before we talk about software though we need to understand that Manufacturing ERP also consists of the business processes that it takes to run a manufacturing operation. Unlike distribution or service businesses, there is a complete set of processes that enable the create of value from raw materials. These materials are supported by a supply chain which also needs to be managed.

Setting the software aside, there are inventory processes, shop floor processes, design processes, procurement processes, quality control measures and processes, and order management processes that need to be properly managed in the manufacturing ERP system. Many people have tried to solve the issues related to all of these processes by applying a new software solution to manage the process and have failed.

A blend of people, technology and process factors needs to be evaluated and optimized. If any of these three areas are missing or weak then the overall manufacturing process will not succeed. What will make you successful is improving the processes before you apply a manufacturing ERP software solution.

When evaluating Manufacturing ERP software, it is important that the functional requirements for each of the three factors needs to be evaluated. How will the people be managed and evaluated in the Manufacturing ERP system? How will controls on the machinery and other technology be managed in the manufacturing ERP system? How will the technology enable efficient operations?

A trend in manufacturing over the last decade has been to apply lean manufacturing principles. Essentially, you want to remove waste from a process before automating it. If you do not, you will make the inefficiencies operate faster, creating more in-balances in supply and demand. It really doesn’t matter what you produce in terms of products, or what you utilize as your input raw materials. Lean principles balance out your supply and demand and in doing so, create better throughput. With the advent of Lean Manufacturing principles, many ERP software systems have incorporated a lean thinking into their systems.

Using a combination of Lean principles and common sense, you can work at creating operational efficiencies that will help when you apply any manufacturing ERP software system to help manage the business processes. Bottom line: don’t automate a mess.

Manufacturing ERP Software

Looking at Manufacturing ERP Software, you need to evaluate how well it manages the manufacturing business functions (such as creating purchase orders, the business processes (such as managing the demand planning process), and how well it manages the data (as in providing efficient access and ease of reporting). That being said, all systems typically have a set of financial modules, a collection of inventory modules, manufacturing modules, and sales and order modules. These various modules each have certain functionalities that help you run the core business.

The differentiation between these various systems is in how well they accommodate the niche business that you are in. If you are a process manufacturer making blends then there is a certain set of Manufacturing ERP systems that work best for you. If you are a machine shop, then another class of Manufacturing ERP solutions work for you. If you are a complex or project based manufacturer, then you will look for different software than others. The good news is that there are ERP vendors that specialize in these different niche areas and others.

Understanding the class of software you want to evaluate is key to creating a short list of vendors. Keep in mind that there is a class of ERP software that fits in as a generalist niche solution. In other words, these software do all aspects of manufacturing fairly well, but do not have a specialty in any certain industry. Often these manufacturing ERP solutions will rely on their value added reseller chain to create add-on modules to fit certain industries. For example, there may be a generalist solution that has a set of 3rd party modules (written in the native tool-set) that provides the process manufacturing functionality.

Things to look for in Manufacturing ERP solutions

When you evaluate Manufacturing ERP software, it can seem overwhelming. There are hundreds of manufacturing ERP software vendors all looking to be the next system at your company. If you step back and look at the industry that you belong to and evaluate the systems based on those that are successful in your industry, you will have taken the first step.

Second, you need to look at those systems that support all areas of your business. If you have unusual requirements make the vendor demonstrate how they will handle these unique functions. Many vendors claim to support various business processes, but when you make them show them in detail, there will be a clear distinction between those that can and those that only think they can handle your requirements.

Thirdly, you should evaluate the standard functions, but do not spend too much time on those things. Being able to cut a check or create a debit memo are pretty standard these days. Rather, have the vendor spend time showing you how they will handle your unique Return Merchandise process or your specialized Quality Management requirements. There is a consulting joke about the fact that “you as a customer are unique just like everyone else.” This is both true and false at the same time. Every business thinks it is unique on the whole. But the reality is that you probably do a majority of the things that most other businesses do. However, there is probably 20 percent of the things you do that make you special and make you successful. You want to make sure that these are the things that you drill down on with the vendors to ensure that you can continue to be special in those areas.

What if you cannot make a decision on a Manufacturing ERP solution?

We know how hard it is to try and make a software selection on your own, but if you want to really be successful and choose the perfect fit software for your organization, you will need to find the right guidelines to help you be successful.

These methods are simple to pick up and they don’t take a lot of learning. You can read how to do it in our free report on ERP Selection, the ERP Software Buyers Guide.

Don’t worry, it is not impossible. Learn more ways on How to Have a Successful Selection Project by clicking on the link.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Shaul

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Business Process Optimization Using ERP And CRM

For any business to be successful, it has to manage its operations deftly, both within its organizational framework as well as with the outside world. Today, a lot of innovative solutions and software are available in the market to address to both these needs and make management easier. These are Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management or CRM.

ERP utilizes ERP software applications to improve the performance of organizations’ resource planning, management and operational control. ERP software is multi-module application software that integrates activities across functional departments like product planning, purchasing, inventory control, product distribution, order tracking, finance, accounting and human resources aspects of an organization. The goal of ERP is to improve and streamline internal business processes, which typically requires reengineering of current business processes. The users of ERP systems are employees of the organization at all levels, from workers, supervisors, mid-level managers to executives.

Whether a small or home-based business venture or a large corporate, the customers shape future potential of any business venture. Hence keeping the customer happy is one of the baselines of a successful business. Achieving customer satisfaction involves various things like understanding their problems and solving them quickly, and serving them in a better manner thenceforth. And so to simplify things, we have Customer Relationship Management or CRM.

CRM is a term for methodologies, software, and usually Internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. For example, an enterprise might build a database about its customers that describes relationships in detail so that management, salespeople and perhaps the customs themselves can directly access information. Most online shopping portals can be cited as an example. Effective CRM application involves customizing the CRM software to match your own business type, whether it is B2B or B2C, and making sure that the customer care executives understand the basic premise and technicalities of operating the software.

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CRM software is easy to use and very dominant. Small business software always helps improve sales and conversions. If you need to manage bulky databases crm application and erp software visit for more decent detail on http://www.interprise.co.uk

Erp Popularity And Need in Heath Care Industry

The scope of implementing ERP in healthcare industry has been increased fairly as more and more hospitals are coming up with the growing population and critical diseases causing to the mankind. Nowadays treating patient is no more just a service, the whole hospital sector has become hospital industry. As number of hospitals are coming up, so every one is looking for better professionalism and better service from the concerned department.

These days patients are more demanding. With so many medical facilities they get and they invest money just to ensure they get the best of treatment so naturally they want the best return of their hard earned money. So this health care industry is developing at a great speed with the two major factors namely business and service. So now the situation has come that hospitals can’t continue with their old practices and technologies where service are not up to the mark and yet charge huge bill to the patients. Therefore it is mandatory for hospitals to go for the latest trends of technology and ensure the best service to the customer or patients. So there is a need of implement an ERP solution which has been specially designed and developed for the health care industry. Every hospital has their basic set up in terms of equipments and necessary instruments, devices to give treatment to the patients. Also they hire best doctors, nurses and other clinical and surgical staffs in order to maintain the reputation of the hospital.

So the focus here is to manage the whole operation smoothly and in more professional way, so that the patients can be really satisfied by the service of the hospital. The main focus of the ERP in health care Industry is from the point of view of patients’ satisfaction. The key factors which one has to keep in mind while implementing the software are as follows – 1. Patients should not wait in queue for long to visit a doctor of their choice. 2. There should be option for booking in advance for the specific doctor. 3. All the bills can be paid online by the patient party in case of emergency. 4. Availability of choice of beds should be there in case of admission. 5. Discharge procedure should not be long. 6. Medi claim facilities and procedure should be fast and should be directly with the insurance company. The hospital authority should also focus on that type of software which can give a proper track of the following. 1. Doctors’ schedule with date and time. 2. Proper intimation to the dashboard when specific doctors are not available on some said days. 3. Daily entry of patients list. 4. Proper billing methods for surgical treatments, and medical treatments along with diagnosis reports. 5. Regular update for the stock of medicines. 6. Regular attendance of the staffs of the hospital. 7. Stock updates of laundry and kitchen materials.

These should be the basic features of the ERP in health care industry. It can reduce hospital overheads as it helps to integrate all functions namely accounts, finance, human resources and bring them under one roof or one common database. In hospitals connectivity is most important, because every time the information has to be circulated ion various departments in order to maintain a chain of events. Like a chain of events happen when a patient got admitted for certain operation. So keeping a track from admission to discharge is very important. So for hospital industry there is a need of developing specialized ERP software that can take care of every aspect that has been mentioned above.

About Author
Read review on Aplicor ERP Software. Also find information about Small Scale Industries in India. Read information on Importance of E-Commerce.

ERP Project Management Tools

Project Management Tools that Save you Time and Money

Managing an ERP Project requires the right project management tools. Using pre-defined tools saves a lot of time and effort and prevents you from “recreating the wheel.” Being able to run an ERP project effectively requires that you be on the top of your game, everyday. There are an infinite number of challenges that may arise to create problems for you. That is why you don’t want to spend time trying to build new forms, templates, presentations and the like from scratch. You have better things to do.

Having run many projects, we understand the time commitment and the challenges. As such, we are listing out some very useful and time saving tools. Some are references, some are downloadable templates. But together, they can assist you in running your project smoothly and with adequate controls.

Project Management Tools – Deliverables Templates

You’ve just been assigned a new project and you now need to put in place the weekly status report, the project charter, the project plan, the ERP Vendor criteria checklist, and so on. Unless you work for a consulting firm, you may not have these various documents on-hand. As such one of the best resources we have found is this collection of project management tools and templates. You should download the entire collection of project management tools and set it aside for the many various projects you might encounter in your career.

Another useful collection of templates are a set of Powerpoint slides that explain what ERP is and does, as well as Lean Manufacturing, and other business topics. These will save you a lot of time. Again, instead of starting from scratch, you can tweek and modify. You can find this collection here.

Project Management Tools – Collaboration

Working with a project team with hundreds of tasks assigned can be difficult to manage. Fortunately we have found the ideal solution in a web based software called Nozbe. Originally designed for people who want to use the GTD Methodology (Getting Things Done), it has grown into a project manager’s dream tool. Use it individually or in a team to accomplish a lot and get things done.

Project Management Tools – Project Management References

One of the best sites we have found that lays out the entire process of project management is the ePMBook. It is from the UK, but if you live in the US, it is just as applicable. If you are new to Project Management, or you are a seasoned veteran, this free online ebook will provide you with all the reference material you need to be successful.

Of course the ultimate resource is the Project Management Institute and their PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge). If you are serious about field of Project Management and want to get more training and access to other project management tools, then you need to become a member of PMI. If you wish, you can pursue the Project Management Certification that they offer.

Do you have project management tools you refer to all the time? Please comment and let us know about them.

Project Management Tools

SAP ERP Platforms For Integrating Business Functions

No one can doubt that SAP is one of the biggest ERP software developers in the country. SAP carries the majority of U.S. based sales throughout the ERP systems, working with thousands of companies across the country. Again, there are other intelligent ERP setups, like Dynamics or Great Plains can be very beneficial to your business and probably all you’ll ever need. There are also other opensource software companies that provide very customizable programs for your business, especially if you have quality IT support, this can be an economic and successful choice. Why is SAP one of the best enterprise resource planning solution? SAP is focused on providing all of the framework and foundations for every need in a business solutions software.

Of couse SAP software is looking at the complete operations of your business: full integration and communication amongst all functions. Whether it is human resources, inventory management, sales, marketing, accounting, planning, any sector! All of these areas of the ERP software can be customized for your specific needs and requirements. There are a lot of opportunities to find local SAP consulting, primarily due to how many companies are implementing ERP solutions for their business intelligence needs. SAP is definetely one of the first companies to take a look at and evaluate for your business. Its tried and true, you can absolutely be successful and very efficient with this platform. Whether its overkill for your small business? Well, you need to answer that yourself and look into more economic options like peoplesoft, openbravo, and others. If you have quality IT support around or someone you can hire to integrate the ERP software, then these options may suit the small business owner or entreprenuer more. Just know that, this is 2011 and your company needs a brain for your business, get enterprise resource planning.

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ERP System Software information, help, reviews, and discounts online.

The Business Guide to ERP Systems

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) refers to a management system that is used integrate the various departments and functions of business into a unified system. The single system is composed of various software modules and components that handle all the different processes of each department, from manufacturing operations to finance and human resources. An ERP system will generally require both hardware and software components.

The original ERP systems were integrated monolithic packages, but newer ERP systems are more flexible and can be installed as separate components. While ERP is introduced into an organization as a software solution, it is really a work methodology that requires a great deal of business process analysis and system re-engineering beyond the software.

In choosing to implement ERP you are also committing to a complete change of business processes. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are typically used to replace a disparate set of individual systems strung together in a complex and clumsy manner. ERP packages offer a solution to this while bringing specific and tangible business benefits.* ERP systems make it much easier to integrate systems across multiple locations.* Most ERP systems run on a single database, which means there is only one data warehouse to manage and maintain.

This single database system also means there are fewer points of failure in your system as a whole.* The processes that go into fulfilling a customer order are automated and enhanced by a successful ERP system. It creates a software flow chart for each step in the process to give direction to the whole.* Every employee in the chain sees the bigger picture and becomes more accountable for their role in order fulfillment.* ERP systems can speed up the manufacturing process through automation in areas such as procurement and production planning. This can help reduce the costs of carrying inventory and increase inventory turnover.* Simplified supply chain operations mean you gain more responsiveness in terms of both quality control and timeliness.* ERP systems enable you to remain competitive by taking advantage of the latest technologies in your market segment.

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