Finding the right manufacturing ERP solution

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Manufacturing companies have a number of unique processes that the right enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution will address. They also face quite a few distinct problems that can wreak havoc on their operations. A good manufacturing ERP software will be able to streamline operations, but also decrease the risk of issues like miscommunication or disconnect amongst employees. 

Selecting the right solution for a manufacturing company means being aware of business pain points, as well as the top processes that help an organization run smoothly. These can be understood and outlined by conducting an evaluation.

Dick Schultz, director of product marketing-manufacturing with an ERP solutions provider says, "The very first thing when looking for an ERP system is to make sure that the top line executives are on board with their business systems in starting an evaluation. IT-driven evaluations typically don't end up in a good place and even if they do move forward implementations aren't nearly as successful. You need to align the system gaps you currently have with your current and future business plans — then go out and really looking at a system that fills those gaps."

Manufacturers must identity strategic business operations that are currently necessary and will continue to be essential in the future. The chosen ERP system should support these goals first, since these are the processes that support a company and make a profit.

The next step is to outline day-to-day requirements. Employee input is important at this point, because workers will be able to define what they need an application to do for them on a daily basis. While these functions are fundamental to a company, without the primary processes they would be useless, which is why they are considered second.

A successful ERP solution will, however, take both primary and secondary functionality requirements into account. At Accent Software we can help you find a system that supports your manufacturing business from top to bottom.

Misconceptions about manufacturing ERP

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Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is invaluable to today's manufacturer, offering the ability to increase process efficiency across the board and optimize operations. For most manufacturers, this type of system is critical to survival in the current market, where competition is high and there are a number of regulatory standards to meet. Manufacturers must be consistently on top of their game to succeed in the industry.

However, there are many misconceptions that stand in the way of companies looking to implement their first ERP system or upgrade to a new software. These false impressions regarding the reality of ERP selection and implementation can cause manufacturers to avoid using the system altogether.

The first is that all ERP system implementations take years to complete, requiring serious downtime for the business. This is not necessarily true. While legacy systems, with numerous customizations, do carry a longer implementation time frame, newer software takes a very short time to implement. Older systems required functionality to be built in, which resulted in the need for in-depth consultancy and IT expertise for successful implementation. Today's ERP systems are built with manufacturers in mind, with exceptional capabilities right out of the box. The implementations for modern-day ERP can take as little as four months.

A second misconception involves ERP selection. Many manufacturers believe that they will need to buy different pieces of software from different vendors to achieve the functionality needed to run the business. Today, many ERP vendors offer single-source solutions that include hardware, software and professional services.

Understanding ERP and its benefits is a process. If you would like to learn more, contact Accent Software. We can guide you through the processes of getting to know manufacturing ERP software, selecting a solution that is right for your business and implementing the system.

Questions to ask when making the switch to cloud ERP

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Like most companies, manufacturers are aware of the changing technological landscape. According to a recent study by Gartner, use of SaaS-based manufacturing and distribution software will increase from 22 percent in 2013 to 45 percent by 2023. Gartner predicts the catalyst for much of this growth will be two-tier cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) adoption.

If your company is looking to upgrade to or implement cloud-based manufacturing software, there are three questions you should ask before making the final software selection:

Are you running the software? It can be easy to get caught up in a solution that functions in a way vendors think your company should operate, instead of improving processes already in place. Don't make a software choice built on assumptions. The many ERP solutions will all require some adaptation from the company, but  too much means that the software isn't a good fit for your business. 

Have you discussed requirements? Consultants need to understand your company's requirements before they can recommend any software options. No one person should be in charge of deciding what functions a cloud ERP solution should perform. Instead, use a team that represents a cross-section of the organization. That way the vendor is able to understand the needs of the entire business, not just a single department. 

Is it made for manufacturers? This is incredibly important. Manufacturing has a number of complex operations that typical ERP solutions can't handle. Generic business management software will leave gaps in functionality that will eventually snowball into bigger problems. Industry-specific solutions should always a major consideration.

For more information about ERP and the cloud, contact Accent Software.

How to deploy manufacturing ERP successfully

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Manufacturing processes have undergone serious transformation in the past few years due to technological advances. Cloud deployments, 3D printing and real-time collaboration are just three of the many ways manufacturers are increasing productivity and efficiency in their companies. To make the most of these strategies manufacturers need reliable and flexible enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. However, selecting, implementing and deploying an ERP system can be a difficult task. Here are a few tips to help:

Long-term use: Undoubtedly business practices change over the years, but ERP is a big investment and it's next to impossible to replace it frequently. Select a flexible solution that can be adapted to evolving processes over time for a positive return on investment.

Avoid over-customization: Manufacturing processes are specific and complex, so it's natural to require a few customizations. However, if you can barely use your ERP software out of the box you've made the wrong choice. Excessive customizations make it difficult to upgrade ERP and eventually you will see your business suffer.

Specialize: Springboarding off the previous point, your ERP solution should fit the specific needs of your vertical industry before any customizations are implemented. It's important to choose a software that already contains much of the functionality you need, to address industry-specific processes and regulation compliance. This will help you avoid costly modifications later on.

User experience: Remember who is going to be using the software. Intuitive solutions not only speed up the implementation process, they also ensure widespread adoption and reduce the amount of training required. If employees are unable to use the solution it's not the right choice for your business.

Adopt all functions: It's tempting to change ERP to accommodate your organization's workflows but it's not efficient. Adopting the best practices and workflows of the ERP itself is imperative to success. ERP is built to streamline processes so molding a new software to old strategies means losing out on one of the key functions of ERP.

Be realistic: Don't allow your expectations to shoot through the roof and then be disappointed when they aren't met. ERP implementation takes time and rushing through the process or skipping steps in an attempt to speed things up will only result in bigger problems down the line.

Flexible ERP systems allow companies to remain one step ahead of customer demands and market changes. No manufacturer wants to be left scrabbling to catch up after changes occur. ERP allows organization's to prepare and pursue strategic actions, preventing issues from snowballing into bigger problems.

If you are in the market for a new ERP solution for your manufacturing company look no further than Accent Software. We have years of industry experience and would be happy to walk you through all our available business management software options.

Why stakeholder approval is imperative to ERP implementation success

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Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is an integrated technology solution meant to streamline critical business processes, increasing business efficiency and profitability. So what happens when things go wrong?

In 2013 Avon Products Inc. pulled the plug on its $125 million ERP implementation. The software had been rolled out for testing in Avon's Canadian branch and was expected to be expanded globally thereafter. However, upon introduction the software disrupted regular operations and was so difficult to use that employees began leaving the company in droves. Karen Edwards, an independent executive sales leader for Avon, estimated at the time that Avon lost approximately 16,000 independent sales representatives across Canada. 

It is well-known that successful ERP implementations unfold as planned, stay on schedule and on budget, and produce the desired results — so why do things go so wrong sometimes? 

A company needs to know its own strengths, competencies and deficiencies to understand precisely how and why ERP is a good option. Many businesses fail to conduct detailed operational assessments or gain input from stakeholders. In Avon's case the cosmetics firm wanted an application that allowed independent sales reps to use their tablets to digitize consumer experiences. Yet, when the software was introduced it was too hard for the average representative to use.

Avon's reps are not onsite and available for training. Many of them work part-time and have partnered with Avon precisely because it allows them to earn an income by networking amongst friends and acquaintances. A highly technically ERP implementation that was not user-friendly denied the realities of who Avon's employees were and how they worked. Avon might have avoided the failed implementation if they had taken the time to consider their key stakeholders and understood their requirements before beginning the project.

Interested in learning more about ERP or other business management software? Contact Accent Software today.

3 overlooked ERP implementation mistakes

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Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software implementation errors usually seem the result of a series of small, unrelated mistakes. This seemed true for Christina Hanger, the senior vice president of HP's Americas operations and IT, who undertook a project to move one of Hewlett-Packard's biggest North American divisions onto a centralized ERP. She was an experienced IT migration expert, with five successful implementations under her belt and an awareness of everything that could go wrong. 

What happened, however, belied Hanger's preparedness and expertise. The project ended up costing HP $160 million in lost revenue due to order backlog, which was more than five times the project's estimated cost. Gilles Bouchard, the CIO of HP's global operations at the time, said regarding the incident "We had a series of small problems, none of which individually would have been too much to handle. But together they created the perfect storm."

Luckily not every case is this extreme, but it is still proof that it pays to be over-prepared and hyper-ready. ERP projects should only be tackled when everyone involved understands what might go wrong. Here are three often-overlooked reasons ERP implementations fail:

Lack of participation: Business management software affects companies from top to bottom, so everyone should be involved in the project — or at least aware of it. This is especially important for the CEO. Engaged executives ensure that top managers and decision makers are inspired. ERP implementation is a major undertaking, so it's necessary that each employee within the company understands the software and its timeline for arrival.

No data migration plan: Data is the power behind ERP software, which is why it makes little sense to avoid protecting that data. Put procedures in place to protect against data inaccessibility, corruption or loss. Clean up obsolete or redundant data, and decide what needs to be kept and what can be trashed. Data migration is one of the most time-consuming processes in ERP implementation. Make sure that enough time is dedicated to it and to ensuring that data is transferred safely.

Failure to understand key features: If your company doesn't know what the chosen ERP can do and how, you will be left with a software that offers the business limited benefits. Make sure you understand all the functions of a solution and use them. Failing to do this leaves the company with what amounts to a glorified accounting program — which is definitely not what an ERP solution should be.

For more information about ERP applications, such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV, contact Accent Software.

How manufacturers should select ERP vendors

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Considering the number of unique processes manufacturing companies work with, it is important they find an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution that can efficiently handle industry-specific workflows, forms and data formats to support specialized verticals. To select such a software it is important to find a vendor who understands the needs of manufacturing industries and can provide applications that either meet demands or can be customized to reach the required functionality. 

Here are a few tips to help your business select an ERP vendor:

Find out about the vendor's other customers: If your vendor has customers in the manufacturing industry and has successfully supplied them software that meets their demands, you are on the right track. Remember to go beyond the vendor to find out about past customers and their satisfaction. A business might claim vertical industry experience but you need to find out directly from the customer if a vendor's actions can back up its claims.

Look for industry-leaders: If you have heard a lot about a specific vendor and its software chances are they are a good option. Leading vendors are often covered by trade media and asked to speak at conferences. Word-of-mouth and industry chatter are a good source of information about reliable vendors.

Cloud-based software: The type of customization capabilities most manufacturers require are extraordinarily time consuming and expensive on legacy platforms. Such ERP software wasn't built for web-based operations, which means that customization could take a very long time. The open web standards of cloud-based ERP allow for easy and quick customization.

If you are a manufacturing company looking for the best business management software for your company, come visit Accent Software. We are a leading ERP provider, dedicated to offering our clients the most advanced solutions available.

3 more signs that your ERP system needs an upgrade

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It is essential that manufacturing companies have access to the top enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions. Manufacturers employ a number of specialized processes that need the best support from software that streamlines and simplifies functions, reduces costs and improves overall performance. 

In a previous blog post we discussed three signs a company should look out for that suggest their ERP system might not be supporting the business as it should. These signs indicate that the organization should be looking for software upgrades.

Here are three more "cracks in the system" that companies should keep an eye out for:

Backup is stored on tapes: On the off-chance that sometimes serious happened to your servers or data center — for example, a fire — you would need to buy new equipment, configure it and then load your backup data. If your information is on tapes the time it takes to get back up and running after an emergency or a disaster is much longer than preferable. Tapes also increase the chances of losing data in the case of a failure.

High maintenance fees: Legacy ERP systems have significantly higher maintenance fees than more current solutions. If your software's maintenance fees consistently rise, the overall cost of ownership will also be increasing. Overtime you might find that you are paying a lot for functions that cannot meet the demands of your company.

No remote data access: Business doesn't stop running when you travel. If your ERP system does not have mobile applications, or support remote access via a smartphone or laptop, you may find yourself unable to run things efficiently. Wireless connectivity is so widespread that it makes little sense to be limited by your software in this regard.

If you are looking to switch to a new ERP system, contact Accent Software. We can help you define your ERP strategy, and work with you to design and implement the manufacturing software best suited to your company's needs.

3 signs that it is time to upgrade your ERP

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Manufacturers turn to enterprise resource planning (ERP) software to improve the overall performance of their company by supporting business processes. The manufacturing industry in particular requires software that streamlines operations, addresses customization requirements and manages complicated supply chains in order to increase profitability and company sustainability.

After a number of years depending on one system many companies find that the benefits of the software are reaching their peak. Instead of continued support for processes, cost reductions and business agility they discover that legacy ERP systems are inflexible when it comes to changing requirements.

Fortunately, there are a number of warning signs that company's can look for, which will tell them that their ERP software is beginning to lose its edge and might need an update:

Data is difficult to access: Is your company's data "locked up" within an outdated ERP system? Many businesses find that older software doesn't have the data-support features modern companies require. Manufacturing businesses need to be able to analyze data for better decision making. Without this capability other processes suffer.

Changes to system are costly: Most software vendors release updates regularly. If you find that your company is paying a lot more for updates than usual, and the changes take months to complete, it's probably time to update to a more modern system. Some companies simply choose to skip releases but this will hurt the business in the long run.

Thick clients needed to run the system: If your ERP system requires that you install and maintain a number of thick clients you will run into IT management difficulties, security risks and high maintenance costs.

Considering an upgrading to a new manufacturing ERP software? Contact Accent Software for more information. 

Cloud ERP changes the game for manufacturing software

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Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is undergoing a revolution. The introduction of cloud-based ERP solutions has changed the game for a number of businesses, particularly manufacturers, who have long depended on on-premise systems to support business processes.

According to Gartner, by 2016 heavily-customized ERP implementations, such as those used by manufacturers, will routinely be referred to as "legacy ERP." 

"The need for agility and responsiveness has led highly customized ERP implementations to an impasse," said Andy Kyte, vice president and Gartner Fellow. "Early ERP adopters, particularly large enterprises in energy, manufacturing and distribution industries, are paying the penalty of a decade or more of excessive customization."

Cloud ERP brings greater accuracy, clarity and competitiveness to a company, allowing manufacturers to better support their business. Here are three reasons off-premise ERP solutions are changing the game for manufacturing software:

Integration: ERP is at its most powerful when it is fully integrated throughout the company. All aspects of operation are brought together and coordinated, from supply chain inventories and parts traceability to production planning and quality checks. Cloud ERP promotes the easy integration of a single platform across an enterprise.

Increased visibility: Many legacy ERP solutions suffer from outdated, overnight batch processing, decreasing real-time insight into a company's operations. Off-premise ERP allows businesses to increase visibility by providing necessary information immediately, and putting the right information into the hands of the right people.

Ease of use: Legacy ERP software tends to be outdated in many ways, including modes of use. Cloud ERP, on the other hand, empowers end users through the use of intuitive user-friendly designs.

Considering the switch to cloud-based ERP solutions? At Accent Software we can help you find business management solutions that meet the needs of your organization.