ERP as a primer for organizational updates

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For many organizations, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform sounds like a solution to a host of present problems: managing inventory, human resources and other internal systems and tasks. And while a new, flexible system should solve those problems in the present, it's also important to look at the long-range benefits of the system your business deploys. For many companies, ERP provides a new place to start for future updates and overhauls to critical systems. 

Panorama Consulting reports that many organizations "miss" this benefit when they survey the advantages of adopting ERP. 

"When it comes to software selection, be sure keep your eye on the future state of how the business will be run so that it might avail itself of all the incredible benefits an integrated solution can bring," explains a company blog post. "Choosing an enterprise solution that matches an organization's current state is like redoing a house before you gut it — nothing but a waste of time and money."

By thinking big about how their companies may grow and change one, five and even 10 years down the road, decision makers can select and implement a system that puts them on track to achieve success. Panorama lists this as one of the five key factors to ERP implementation success. Conversely, overlooking this critical aspect of adoption can lead to failure down the road, so it's worth exploring with the utmost attention. 

At Accent Software, our team of experts has deep knowledge and experience in matching enterprises with ERP systems that address their most pressing business needs and more. Contact us today to learn about the Microsoft Dynamics NAV platform and other business management software solutions to improve efficiency. 

How Dynamics NAV can improve human resources management

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If your business is like most, then people are at its center and people drive it forward. These human resources are valuable, so finding a way to manage them effectively supports the performance of the entire enterprise. Longtime business leaders understand that this is easier said than done: Regular tasks like attendance and payroll, as well as special circumstances that arise unexpectedly require continuous attention to detail and a great deal of patience.

"People," emphasizes the manufacturer. "They're the emotional, the inspirational, the sometimes confrontational, and the always human piece of human resources. Our vision is to enable the Dynamic HR professional to be more strategic, help drive employee and organizational development focus, and enable a more empowered and connected workforce."

Here are some of the ways the Dynamics NAV can improve HR management at your business:

  • Streamline hiring. One of the biggest responsibilities HR professionals face is placing the best candidates in the right positions. This means managing a large volume of applications, listings and other hiring information. The NAV places this information at your HR department's fingertips so nothing ever gets lost in the shuffle. 
  • Track and disburse benefits. Distributing benefits like health insurance and vacation time can be overwhelming and error-ridden in a manual business environment. ERP platforms like the NAV give administrators a consistent way to view, update and monitor benefit distribution. 
  • Manage time, attendance and payroll. This is a human resources task that rarely strikes administrators by surprise, but is instead a regular and methodical function of the business. It can be costly and time consuming to manage these statistics and payments manually, so ERP relieves administrators of the process. 
  • Keep an eye on company materials. From computers to credit cards, your company may issue a variety of physical property to management and other employees. The NAV can keep a clear record of these transactions so your valuable items aren't lost or unaccounted for.

Furthermore, Microsoft technology for ERP HR management is expandable and regularly updated, so your investment is optimized continuously. Our clients have embraced the flexibility of this solution to address diverse needs, including those that arise years down the road. According to the Houston Chronicle, the average HR administrator spends 18 percent of his or her time on payroll alone. Imagine the freedom and flexibility of reallocating those resources to more useful and purposeful ends. Businesses can benefit from automating all of these human resources tasks to reduce waste at all levels. 

"Unified, trustworthy data is crucial," explains Shawn Price of Forbes. "Nearly a third (32 percent) of organizations surveyed said that having a single source of the truth is one of the biggest challenges for running and maintaining core HR systems. And 42 percent believe that finding a single solution that will suit their needs is a challenge."

The best place to start to deploy an ERP platform designed to meet your HR needs is to communicate with a vendor with a comprehensive knowledge of your business needs, both present and future. At Accent Software, we've implemented ERP solutions for a wide range of enterprises so that functions like HR, inventory and scheduling go off without a hitch. Contact us today to learn more about how our solutions can support efficiency at your enterprise. 

Choosing the right ERP vendor minimizes risk of failure

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When your company decides to invest in a state-of-the-art business management software solution, one of the biggest factors to consider is what company to choose as your vendor. Vendors do much of the heavy lifting during the deployment of a system, so finding a partner you can trust and rely on is crucial to the success of an implementation. 

In a paper presented before the World Congress on Engineering, Päivi Iskanius divides ERP deployment risks into the following categories: issues with the ERP supplier, the system itself or the customer company. 

"The most potential risk related to the ERP supplier, is simple to choose the wrong supplier, which doesn't understand the company's special demands, or are not interested enough to committed to the ERP project of small customer," writes Iskanius. "Also, the high potential risk is that the ERP supplier chosen ends the development and/or support of the system."

Enterprises need to select a supplier that will commit to the long-term success of the chosen solution. This process also requires a provider who can get a 360 degree understanding of how the business works, what its operational pain points are and how an ERP solution can best support growth and efficiency. Choosing a supplier who can't meet these requirements can lead to wasted time and lost investments down the road, so the selection process is pivotal to success. Committing too quickly to a company without your best interests in mind can be disastrous and lead to well-documented deployment failures. 

At Accent Software, our mission is to optimize operations for our partners so they can achieve long-range growth objectives. Using an ERP platform like the Microsoft Dynamics NAV system, our partner companies reduce waste and improve efficiency. 

ERP solutions need to match company needs

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Enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation is becoming more widespread in the manufacturing industry, but not every deployment is successful. There is a variety of common pain points that lead to implementation failure and working with a team of experienced specialists can help your enterprise avoid those stumbling blocks. One of the most common problem decision makers face leading to unsuccessful deployment is when the selected system is a poor fit for business needs. 

From the outset of ERP consulting, companies need to be matched with the business management software that will yield the most improvement to operations. Consultants say they've seen examples of businesses whose chosen ERP platform isn't a good fit for the enterprise. 

"One of the main causes of ERP implementation failure is the misfit of application software with the company business processes," writes Rockford Consulting in a study. "This failure — to examine underlying business process flaws, and integrate the applications with the business processes, causes loss of productivity and time, and ultimate benefits."

To avoid this, it's important to select an ERP partner with a strong understanding of your business model. Only when consultants get a 360 degree view of operations can they properly identify which areas are lacking or need to be automated. If those critical areas go overlooked, the time and expense of an ERP solution are wasted and operations are just as inefficient as they were before the system was deployed. 

At Accent Software, we have more than 15 years of experience supporting enterprises as they adopt new ERP platforms. Our team of experts can help your company choose the right platform and extensions to achieve efficiency goals as soon as possible. 

Microsoft NAV is still Microsoft’s leading ERP solution

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Small-to-midsize businesses are continuing to reap the benefits of Microsoft Dynamics NAV, the leading global enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. These businesses are able to simplify their operations and supply chain management through gaining significant control over their finances through this solution. It is not only easy to implement and utilize, but Dynamics NAV is also still Microsoft's leading ERP solution, according to Computer World.

Keeping with the trend of thinking ahead into a brighter future, Microsoft Dynamics recently moved to the Cloud and Enterprise group, where it will continue to provide you with the tools your business needs to perform better each day. Some of the new features offered through this move is built-in Azure services. This change has been called a "natural and logical step" for Dynamics by a Microsoft spokesperson. This division is beneficial for Dynamics and its customers because it will be even more of a critical solution for managing businesses. 

"This latest move with Dynamics is in line with the trend for CIOs to focus on business transformation rather than just be a supplier of IT," said Frank Scavo, president of Strativa, a management consulting firm that tracks Dynamics. "For customers, all of these technologies are interrelated. You never know what combination of products a customer would want or need for a given application. So having them all be part of one mainstream Microsoft development organization makes good sense."

If you are interested in learning more about how Microsoft Dynamics NAV could be the business management software you have been looking for, feel free to contact Accent Software today. Our employees average around 10 or more years working with our product, therefore you can be assured that we are dedicated to providing you with the most up-to-date ERP solution available.

Why more businesses are choosing Microsoft Dynamics NAV

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Microsoft Dynamics NAV originates from Navision, a suite of accounting applications which Microsoft acquired in 2002, but take a look at the industries that use NAV today and you wouldn't guess that it has its roots in accounting.

Today NAV is the go-to enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for manufacturing, warehousing and distribution. Here are three reasons why it might be the right choice for your business too:

Hosting: Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers flexibility in terms of hosting, accommodating either an on-premise server or remote storage. This makes it a good solution for companies looking for complete control and for those in search of reduced upfront costs.  

Financial control: Here is where a foundation in accounting comes in handy. Microsoft Dynamics NAV provides a high level of visibility into an organization's financial processes. Instead of waiting for the end of a quarter or fiscal year, NAV offers companies real-time cost accounting features, which then allows for proactive decision making. Business can track and visualize the flow of revenue and spending to understand current situations and prepare for the future. 

Customizability: Manufacturing and similar industries use a series of complex business processes to achieve their goals. NAV has a number of additional components available that can be added onto the underlying ERP framework to provide specific enhancements. The option of separate modules also allows companies to spread out deployment costs over a larger period of time, by installing a base system initially and then adding personalizations as they are needed in the future.

If you are interested in learning more about why Microsoft Dynamics NAV could be the business management software you have been looking for, contact Accent Software.

Why small and medium businesses should adopt Microsoft Dynamics NAV

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Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a popular enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution that supports over 85,000 companies and more than 1.3 million users around the world. 

NAV offers its users an array of amazing features which greatly simplify management functionalities of organizations, regardless of the nature of their business. Despite NAV being one of the most cost-effective ERP solutions available in the market today, many small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) question the worth of the software for their enterprise. Here are a few reasons SMBs should consider investing in Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP:

One platform: Microsoft Dynamics NAV offers a single platform for multiple business operations. The solution has a number of modules for processes such as financial, accounting, manufacturing, supply-chain, BI (Business Intelligence), sales & marketing, service management, project management and HR (Human Resource) management. All of these departments can be integrated and centralized for automation that makes it easy to share information between departments.

Increased productivity: Dynamics NAV offers a simple user interface that anyone who has used other Microsoft applications will be familiar with. The intuitive operations allow all employees, regardless of their level in the company, to use the software and streamline their key processes.

Decision making: NAV allows managers to make prudent business decisions through the use of real-time business data and reporting. There are a wide range of analysis tools available in the software so that leadership can get a better visualization of where the company is and how it is doing. Enterprises will be in a better position to make the most of opportunities that come their way by using these features.

Easy to implement and customize: A highlight of Dynamics NAV is that it can be implemented at a wide variety of companies, irrespective of industry, size or geographic location. Implementation time is also short, reducing business downtime. NAV can also be easily customized to meet the unique requirements of a range of organizations, allowing easy adaptation in the future.

To learn more about Microsoft Dynamics NAV and other business management software contact Accent Software. We would be happy to answer your questions.

Questions to ask a manufacturing ERP vendor

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The process of qualifying potential manufacturing enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendors is a critical phase in the ERP implementation process. It is essential to ask vendors the right questions as you evaluate them and their expertise in providing cutting-edge service.

Does the proposed solution support the style of manufacturing? 

Manufacturing is not a homogenous environment. It includes everything from job shop systems and cell-type organizations, to complex automated systems and robotics. Manufacturers exist in a variety of industries (e.g. automotive, medical, food processing), and there are hundreds of different processes that are employed by these industries (e.g. stamping, forging, assembly). Selected solutions must fulfill each combination of manufacturing style, process and the industry's unique set of requirements 

For example, companies that create highly-complex machinery that depends on precision for accuracy will not use the same ERP as organizations that use high-speed automated equipment to create thousands of small pieces every hour. It would be impossible to optimize a single ERP to suit the specific needs of both of those businesses.

Supporting the style of manufacturing means supporting the employees who help create that style. When evaluating ERP ask for system demonstrations or reference visits which allow plant workers to judge ease of use. If workers will not or cannot use the software the return on investment will be compromised.

Can non-programmers develop new business processes in the system?

Programming difficult-to-use systems can cost hundreds of dollars per hour. It is important to vet ERP solutions to find out which ones support point-and-click or drag-and-drop interfaces that allow advanced (non-programming) users to create new processes without writing code. If a vendor does not support this type of development find out the precise operation involved in creating new screens or reports. Will you required to consult a third-party or does the vendor offer growth services?

Does the system support the extended enterprise?

Manufacturing is not an isolated process. Suppliers and customers, located around the globe, often require direct access to data from the enterprise. Business management software should be able to quickly and securely expose transactions to customers and suppliers, without the need to install extra software on the trading partner's end. The interface should also be user-friendly so that customers and suppliers do not need training to understand how to use it.

Many ERP solutions offer web browser portals that allow access to reporting and data, or simple included clients, such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV's SharePoint. This simplifies the procedure, and makes it unnecessary to build a separate point of access, considerably shortening deployment time.

How is the software licensed?

Avoid vendors who offer licensing on a per-user basis. While this might keep the price low, many companies find out after deployment that ERP can only be fully functional when a lot more employees use it. Manufacturers tend to fall into this trap more often than most, because they are not used to so many people using a software and therefore underestimate the number of users.

Flexible licensing models will allow deployment throughout the business and will allow you to add users and remove them as need be. There are a number of flexible licensing options available with Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is a worthwhile solution for manufacturing companies. The versatile ERP software offers industry-specific optimization and a variety of features that can be tailor-fitted to your business's needs. To learn more, contact Accent Software today.

3 ways inventory management eases the burden of tax season

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Tax season is a miserable time of year for many people. Business runners have it even harder as they work to compile information on lost inventory, income and yearly expenses. Even companies with automated accounting tend to run into challenges since inventory control is often tracked separately.

Inventory management software can help create a seamless automation process that can ease the pain of tracking, calculating and filing once it is time to file taxes. Here is how:

Separate assets: Many businesses operate from multiple locations, making asset tracking a difficult task. Companies need to be able to accurately track inventory between multiple locations, which often includes online and brick-and-mortar stores spanning several states. Online sales and in-store sales will need to be separated, and companies operating in multiple states will need to file individual state income taxes for each store or warehouse. Inventory management software such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV can automatically keep track of inventory, no matter how far and wide it is spread, and necessary information can be extracted separately or together, making tax filing much easier.

Intelligent tracking: The accounting method a business uses can make a difference on the taxes that business pays on earnings. The most common inventory valuing methods is Last In, First Out (LIFO), where it is assumed that the items the organization acquires last are the first ones it sells. The First In, First Out (FIFO) methods assumes that items are sold in the order they are received. Which method is best depends on the business, its size and how it operates. Often times companies will start with one system and then switch over to the other when it becomes more beneficial. Microsoft Dynamics NAV and other inventory software can give organizations the flexibility they need to use the accounting method that suits them best. Software can quickly and easily switch between one method and the other without a company having to retrain employees or rework spreadsheets.

These are just two of the ways inventory management software can help a easy tax-time challenges. Contact Accent Software for more information on Microsoft Dynamics NAV and its inventory management capabilities.

Should manufacturing adopt cloud-based ERP?

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Manufacturers are under immense pressure to increase process speed, improve accuracy and leverage internal business intelligence to make every company interaction count. Like on-premise enterprise resource planning systems, cloud-based manufacturing software can help companies bring innate knowledge into every sales situation, but has the added benefit of being easier to deploy and implement. 

It seems like a no-brainer: Why shouldn't manufacturing companies adopt cloud-based ERP? Current manufacturing managers and experts believe there are a number of reasons.

Undoubtedly there are a few typical cloud-related issues such as security, but in general manufacturing business are extremely complex, with tailored workflows, business rules and data structures. There are concerns that multi-tenant applications do not currently offer the level of customization manufacturers would require. Many enterprises have been in the industry for decades, and have invested in complex ERP systems that have been upgraded over the years to create a software that fully supports all their process. Walking away from the kind of work that was put into most legacy systems is difficult for companies.

Robert Kugel, senior vice president and research director at Ventana Research told TechTarget, "There isn't a company on the face of the earth that would decide to replace their ERP system just to be able to move to the cloud. A tipping point will only come when there's some breakthrough in ERP system design that enables a large number of manufacturing companies to configure and script in a multi-tenant environment without having to make too many concessions."

Cloud computing can, however, revolutionize manufacturing, and while many older companies may choose to stick with what they know,  younger generations of manufacturers who do not have legacy systems appear predisposed to adopt cloud-based strategies. For these companies, software like Microsoft Dynamics NAV, which offers cloud-based SaaS hosting, may be an excellent solution.

If you are intersected in learning more about Microsoft Dynamics NAV and its various deployment options contact Accent Software today.