Business leaders with a limited understanding of enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms might look at implementation as a "one-and-done" proposition. However, deployment and management of an ERP system is an ongoing process that requires continuous attention and review. 

One aspect of this is preventative maintenance, like software updates, routine checks and other anticipatory steps. Jennifer Lonoff Schiff of CIO Magazine cites failure to conduct these practices as one of the most common ERP mistakes enterprise leaders make. She quotes Marco Valencia, vice president, Upgrade Office, North America & Latin America, SAP America, Inc. to understand more about the consequences. Overall, neglecting maintenance causes an enterprise's investment in an ERP platform to lose value. 

"Customers not conducting preventative maintenance are not taking full advantage of their ERP investment and their maintenance dollars," said Valencia. "By not applying maintenance, their systems will quickly become obsolete (from a technical perspective) as will their business processes."

In order to enjoy the benefits of an ERP platform, business leaders need to maintain their systems for the best results. Without doing so, enterprises may find themselves in the same lacking position as they did before deployment. Because good ERP systems address many different aspects of the business, all of those areas will suffer when little attention is paid to maintenance and upkeep. A third party service provider with a high level of expertise can help enterprises stay on top of their routine, preventative and responsive maintenance needs. 

At Accent Software, we help enterprise navigate the selection, deployment and maintenance of ERP platforms that boost efficiency and optimize operations across the business model. Contact us today to learn more about our flexible solutions for resource planning. 

Operational business intelligence (BI), or real-time business intelligence, is an approach to data analysis that enables decisions to be made based on the real-time data companies generate and use on a daily basis. Operational BI technology is primarily targeted at front-line workers, such as production employees, who need timely data to do their jobs.

As organizations turn to data analytics to improve business operations and increase the efficiency with which they respond to changing conditions, operational BI tools and techniques become more mainstream. This is a positive move, since operational BI is necessary for many companies these days, regardless of size.

Adding operational intelligence to business processes allows organizations to better manage their work. Many companies, especially in the manufacturing industry, have sophisticated and complex processes — the more data they have available about these procedures, the better they can prospect for customers, manage current client business and build profitable products. Intuition-based management no longer cuts it. Today companies are looking for hard data to support their operations.

Of course, before operational BI can truly support a business it must be successfully deployed. This means that executives must understand what their business community needs. What information is required to make decisions in your company, especially at the front-line? What decisions are being made on a day-to-day basis? What is the sequence of business decisions users are making? The answers to these questions will help you find operational BI that best suits your company.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers a range of business intelligence capabilities, from built-in reports and wizards, to advanced tools allowing users to gain the insight required to optimize performance across the entire organization. This complete, flexible solution meets the requirements of both small businesses and larger organizations.

If you are in the market for a viable operational BI solution or other business management software, contact Accent Software today.

Ever since companies began storing information digitally, there have been cyber criminals intent on leeching and misusing that information. As such, cyber-security has been a hot topic as long as networked computers have been employed in the business world. Each year presents new challenges for cyber-security, and this one is no different.

One of the great hurdles cyber-security must overcome is the increased vulnerability of the growing mobile business sphere. "When your cell phone can communicate with your home security system or your car engine, the internal security measures that protect the mobile network must increase exponentially," says Karl Volkman of Manufacturing Business Technology. Another potential area of weakness is the burgeoning virtual payment industry – any time money is involved, says Volkman, security is an issue.

The cloud, especially with the recent scandals fresh on the minds of Americans, also remains a possible weak link in an economy that grows evermore interconnected as the years pass. On a related note, the prospect of security problems with telecommunication, something that has made significant use of the cloud in recent times, gives executives headaches.

Indeed, many of these worries have come to fruition and cost executives their jobs. Gregg Steifenhal of Target, who was released after the retailer's massive data break-in, is just one example of how CEOs are being held more responsible for IT breaches as the issue becomes more pertinent. This relatively new source of consternation is one of the key issues facing company leaders going into the new year, and is expected to cost businesses $30 billion dollars in cyber-security measures.

As technology becomes more and more the connective tissue of the manufacturing industry, growing concerns over cyber-security are understandable. At Accent Software, our experience with manufacturing ERP software and business management software solutions make us the perfect people to go to with those anxieties. 

What is job costing?

An often overlooked but potentially money-saving activity, job costing is the calculation of the "total cost of a given unit by adding together all material and labor costs, both direct and indirect, that are involved in manufacturing." Essentially, job costing will pinpoint where you are losing and making money within a business' processes and in doing so will highlight any unnecessary expenses.

So why is it so important?

As Gene Marks explains for Hiscox, once you make those calculations, "Some jobs that you thought were making money didn't make as much.  Other jobs may have been more profitable than you estimated.  And many probably came in line with what you expected." Now, says Marks, you can adjust your company's operations accordingly and decide which jobs you should and shouldn't keep on board. This knowledge can also give you an edge in future negotiations with vendors.

The benefits of this are evident, but the process itself can be time consuming, which is why it is crucial for your ERP software to have job costing as an integral part of its core functions. Microsoft Dynamics NAV does perform job costing, and does so automatically to give you more time to focus on your business. 

Should your Indiana, Ohio or Kentucky manufacturing company require aid in the implementation and customization of manufacturing ERP software, get in touch with us at Accent Software. We have over a decade of experience with industry leader Microsoft Dynamics NAV and will be able to train your employees in the management of the program as well as provide troubleshooting should you need it after the initial installation.