Profitsflow were proud to be exhibitors at the Manufacturing & Supply Chain Conference & Exhibition in Dublin at the RDS Simmonscourt and also at the Lean Business Ireland Conference at the SETU Arena Waterford.

Streamline, Optimise, Succeed: Unleashing the Power of ERP for Efficient Stock Management.

Do not Settle for Outdated Systems and Processes: Upgrade to ERP for Streamlined Operations and Increased Efficiency

Give Your Organisation the Best Opportunity to Grow Through Your Very Own ERP Solution

"Unlocking the Full Potential of your ERP Investment: Strategies for Maximising ROI.

Maximise Your Business Efficiency and Growth: Discover the Top 10 Key Features to Look for When Choosing the Right ERP Software for Your Unique Needs.

Unlocking the Power of Synergy: Seamlessly Integrate Your Business Systems with ERP for Optimal Operations

Empower Your Manufacturing Journey with ERP

Unveiling the Future of ERP Software: Trends, Predictions, and Growth Statistics

Now in 2023 more and more businesses are converting to integrated ERP systems. But how do you find the right solution for your business? We dive deep into this topic to help you make the right decision

Profitsflow were Co. Wexford runners up at the National Enterprise Awards 2023

We had our second successful ERP Information Day of the year which we held in our local county of Wexford. The event was held in The Clayton Whites Hotel in Wexford Town.

Profitsflow were proud to accept the award for All-Ireland ERP Solution Provider for 2023. This is now the third consecutive year that the All Ireland Business Foundation (AIBF) have provided us with this honour.

Our innovative software solutions are designed to help companies improve their environmental sustainability by reducing waste, minimising energy consumption, and promoting resource efficiency

We at Profitsflow had our first ERP Information Day of the year. The event was held in Treacy’s Oakwood Hotel in Shannon, Co. Clare.

Identifying the pinch points within your internal process is key to understanding how to drive efficiencies in your organisation.

You have made the decision to onboard a comprehensive and efficient ERP system for your manufacturing or field service company.

Examine below just 5 of the many benefits you are about to discover.

Profitsflow achieves Gold!

Today’s chemical manufacturers and distributors are facing many modern challenges encompassing compliance and legal hurdles and their own software infrastructure; outdated business software can slowly damage even the most healthy of businesses.

Chemicals Industry ERP

Thankfully ERP has grown, changed and improved to meet the challenges and demands of the modern chemical company, and is the best option for any type of chemical industry. ERP enables chemical manufacturers to efficiently manage and record formulations, maintain quality control standards and streamline production processes.

The embedded and integrated modules of EFACS E/8 help manage data flow from managing formulations to processes and delivery inline with the regulatory requirements of the chemical industry.

An important element of ERP for a chemical manufacturing company is the ability to customise the solution to the specific requirements of the business. With EFACS E/8, the software is fully customisable to the exact specifics of the business.

Particularly relevant to the chemical industry, the EFACS Hazardous Goods module will assist in all aspects of the transportation or processing of hazardous or dangerous goods. The functionality allows all UN, EU and COSHH standard hazardous information to be stored and maintained. Carrier selection logic can be based on a carrier’s capabilities and stock locations can be restricted according to the properties of the part in question.

EFACS' automotive industry users include finished vehicle, as well as OEM automotive component manufacturers and aftermarket parts suppliers. Each client is able to respond to their specific market pressures with the assistance and flexibility of the EFACS integrated manufacturing system.

Automotive Industry

It is no surprise that EFACS is such a good fit for a sector in which the tools of manufacturing excellence and continuous improvement, such as Lean, Kanban and Just in Time (JIT) were first developed.

Flexibility to changes in demand, combined with faster response times and greater economy, are driving forces throughout the automotive supply chain. EFACS is able to assist in meeting these challenges through elimination of waste, maximisation of efficiency and optimum utilisation of plant, inventory and personnel.

EFACS’ end-to-end integration of tender and supply chain management, materials resource planning, quotation, sales and customer relationship management into a single database ensures that pull strategy inventory, manufacturing and purchasing processes can be applied with great effectiveness. As can other tools of lean manufacturing, such as vendor managed inventory and consignment stock.

The EFACS browser based interface is easily deployed onto thin client mobile devices and used with bar coding and RFID to provide highly responsive Shop Floor Data Collection (SFDC). This real-time data on material consumption allows more effective planning than can be achieved using forecast values. Production capacity planning can be optimised and smoothed and waste through delays minimised. Barcoding and RFID are technologies that can also be used to streamline goods receipt, as well as assembly and despatch of finished products.

Effective product life cycle management can be achieved using EFACS Engineering Change Controls (ECN) and its fully integrated mechanisms for serial number and batch traceability. The EFACS inventory control procedures are easy to align with the stringent quality assurance and quarantine requirements demanded by the automotive industry. The capability for version controlled document management and the option to link CAD/CAM systems to bills of material all make EFACS an ERP Software of choice for the automotive industry.

The stringent demands placed upon aerospace manufacturers and fleet maintenance organisations makes EFACS a popular choice in this sector, where it is used by manufacturers of components for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

Aerospace Industry

Landing gear, airframes, avionics, jet and conventional aero-engines; as well as components incorporating advanced composites, laminates and specialist coatings comprise just some of the items manufactured using EFACS.

Complex manufacturing processes, including subcontracted activities and lean processes that make efficient use of inventory and resources, can be managed using EFACS Capacity Planning and MRP modules.

Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) functionality, available in EFACS, enables asset tracking with serialised audit trails incorporating records of in-flight times and repair activity and components used.

The fully integrated structure of EFACS E/8 ensures that replacement and renewal business opportunities can be maximised as part of planned product obsolescence programs.

Development of Qualified Manufacturers Lists for critical components can be achieved using EFACS’ integrated supplier, purchasing management, quality assurance and stock control functionality.

Your company has decided that a new ERP system needs to be implemented. This is just the start of your ERP journey.

Below you will find 7 tips for a successful ERP selection process and implementation.

How can ERP help to future proof your business?

Is your current business system creating more problems than it fixes?

The EFACS MRP Workbench provides a single, central area to manage the entire MRP process, including all functional areas and reports.

Profitsflow wins third place for Best Vendor Demonstration at Lumenia’s ERP HeadtoHead event in Dublin!

Profitsflow will once again be at the Lumenia ERP HeadtoHead event in Dublin, showcasing the latest version of EFACS, Version 8.6.2

Manufacturing and selling configurable products can be a challenge. Specifying the options, managing any conflicts, managing the costs, creating the BoMs and Routings - EFACS’ Advanced Product Configurator helps to remedy this.

Profitsflow are celebrating 10 successful years!

A packaged solution to quickly scan, store and reference supplier purchase invoices in the EFACS Document Management module.

Highly Flexible:

EFACS E/8 is a powerful and modern business solution that is built using the latest internet technology. It has a component structure, enabling an economic and precise fit to the most demanding of business requirements. The tabbed browser interface uses the latest AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) technologies to provide a smooth and fast user interface which operates on a wide range of servers, operating systems and leading databases.

Fit to your Business:

Companies require that their IT systems are both comprehensive and can be adjusted at relatively low cost to fit their precise needs. This is not only in the case of initial implementation but also in the longer term, as business circumstances and needs will vary over time. The IT systems should be adaptable to fit changing circumstances, without incurring significant cost for the company. Due to the Variable Component Architecture and Customisation Toolkit that is found within EFACS E/8, the software can be easily adapted to fit your exact requirements.

IT Integration:

Companies may choose between competing IT strategies: integrated solutions, or “best-of-breed”solutions. Best-of-breed solutions require integration between different software products, and the component parts of the combined systems will inevitably have varying characteristics. There may also be issues connected with new releases of different products. An integrated solution is preferable, as it delivers seamless operation to the end-user. With EFACS E/8 ERP software, you get a fully integrated solution, covering the widest possible range of business functions.

To download the EFACS E/8 brochure, click here

Landed cost encompasses the total cost of purchasing, transporting, warehousing and distribution of a product, which can be a raw material, a semi-finished item or a finished product. The EFACS E/8 Landed Cost module allows the capture of these indirect costs so they may be analysed and ultimately incorporated into the total cost of the product.

The first Profitsflow ERP Information Morning of 2019 was held on Thursday March 14th at the Park Inn by Radisson Shannon Airport.

Within EFACS E/8, there is the Advanced Customisation Toolkit. This module allows users to customise the functionality of the standard EFACS software to meet a user’s specific requirements. The technology behind this functionality ensures that future upgrades are not compromised by too much customisation.

Profitsflow provides Eagle Field Service software, authored by Profitsflow’s partner, Exel Computer Systems in the UK.

The three main benefits of any field service software is:

• To increase efficiency
• To reduce costs
• To improve customer service

EFACS Mobile CRM is a tool for offsite users, enabling the user to transact and report on sales orders, quotations, projects and customers details.

The Audit Trail Module is available for both the EFACS E/8 and Eagle Field Service software. The Audit Trail module logs, tracks and investigates data that is changed within the EFACS system. The functionality within the Audit Trail module provides an easy to use method of recording information when it is changed. The module also records who changed the information, how the information was changed and why the information was changed.

Within version 6 of EFACS E/8, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Reporting are embedded into the Menu Dashboard. These dashboards can be either a BIRT report or a Microsoft Power BI report.

The last Profitsflow ERP Information Morning for 2018 was held on Wednesday November 21st at the Carnegie Court Hotel, Swords, Co. Dublin.

The third annual Profitsflow Customer Day was held on Tuesday 20th November, at the Carnegie Court Hotel in Swords. We had a mix of EFACS and Eagle Field Service customers at the event. Customers came from as far as the US and UK and there was a good mix of Irish customers in attendance as well.

The 2018 ERP Head to Head event has wrapped!

In our last post, the Capabilities, Workflow Models and Scheduled Workflows of the Workflow module were detailed. Below, the Filescan element of the Workflow Module is highlighted.

The Workflow module can be found within the EFACS and Eagle Field Service software. The module is used to automate business procedures and improves operational efficiency. Workflow provides a framework for automating the flow of a company’s business procedures via the software, allowing EFACS E/8 to be utilised more effectively with the users specific requirements regarding the automated flow of data through the system.

The Lumenia ERP Head to Head 2019 event is only weeks away. Profitsflow will be at the event for the fourth year running and all of us here at Profitsflow HQ are getting ready.

If you are attending the event, there are a number of things that you can do in preparation, during and post event in order to get the most out of ERP Head to Head showcase.

Read below for our guide!

The storage, retention and accessibility of information within a business are critical to its efficiency and will ultimately determine the speed at which an organisation responds to demands placed upon it. Nowadays, organisations need to effectively and securely manage a variety of documents including; general communications, such as letters, memos and emails, and more specialised documents, such as CAD drawings and designs.

EFACS now has fingerprint technology within the Time and Attendance module to help improve efficiency and accuracy of clocking in and clocking out for users.

The Project Management (PM) module can be found within the EFACS E/8 software. This module acts as a ‘project umbrella’, containing all the information regarding the initial tendering process and can be used for the subsequent management of a successful project.

Nowadays, businesses find it hard to be competitive in an ever changing business environment. Customer service has always been used as a point of differentiation for many businesses. It is vital that field service providers deliver outstanding customer service in order to be competitive. Remote workers can find it difficult to meet agreed upon service levels, as remote working can lead to inefficiencies and inaccurate data.

Eagle Field Service can alleviate these constraints through the Remote Worker module.

Within the EFACS E/8 software, there is the Shop Floor Data Collection (SFDC) module. This easy to use module allows the user to capture data while on the shop floor, with the data being transmitted in real time to the EFACS database.

The SFDC module is fully integrated with the rest of the EFACS software and is accessed on touchscreen devices through an Android app.

In this blog post, we will delve into the Planned Maintenance module that is available in the Eagle Field Service software.

This module allows the business to record what equipment their customers have on site that will need maintenance. This module can also record changes to the equipment and allow new contracts to be produced when changes occur, producing a new pricing contract annually.

The Capacity Planning module in the EFACS E/8 software aids the manufacturing sector by alleviating the pressure of controlling and planning many manufacturing jobs, which are composed of a number of operations using limited resources.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) encompasees a large number of businesses processes. The CRM module allows the user to interact with potential and established customers in a number of ways, such as marketing, sales, customer profile, customer support and customer service.

Choosing an ERP system can seem like a daunting task. It is a big undertaking but in the end it will streamline your business workflow. If you are thinking of implementing an ERP system, consider our top tips for choosing an ERP system that is right for YOU.

Following on from continued success and growth, Profitsflow has further developed its resources and offering to clients. The Wicklow and Wexford based firm has recently compiled the Irish ERP Market Report for the first quarter of 2018. Drawing information from participants across all relevant industries, a survey was conducted, with contributors having implemented ERP as well and looking to implement a system.

According to Tadhg Henderson, Managing Director of Profitsflow: “We are delighted to publish our ERP Market report for Q1 2018.  The results show the continuation of a clear trend towards hosted solutions in the Irish market. Of particular note is that over 50% of respondents have not changed system in over 6 years.  This underlines the quality of system selection processes Irish businesses engage in.”

The report uncovered the factors of most importance to those looking to implement ERP solutions;

• Functionality
• Customisability
• Full integration
• Flexibility

Profitsflow are island of Ireland resellers for EFACS, which encompasses all these factors. Authored by UK-based company, Exel Computer Systems, EFACS is a modern, fully integrated, flexible ERP software solution encompassing a broad range of business functions aimed at driving improved efficiency, visibility and organisational performance.

EFACS E/8 is a modern, fully integrated, flexible business solution. Built using the latest internet technology, EFACS E/8 can be run either in the cloud or on-premise. It has a component structure that enable an economic and precise fit to the most demanding of business requirements. It is browser based and operates on either a Microsoft platform with an SQL Server databases, or can run under linux on an Oracle database.

The benefits of implementing the EFACS solution are endless; users have a flexible and customisable software system in place which can be adapted to perfectly suit their business’ needs, while also increasing the profitability and efficiency of the business.

EFACS E/8 is a browser-based solution, and is in real-time, which allows users to have up-to-date information on stock levels, scheduling and CRM. By having a single-data input, efficiency is once again increased as repetitive work is eliminated as is having duplicate information stored. All of the EFACS E/8 modules are fully integrated so one solution can cover the widest possible range of business functions.

EFACS E/8 is a business solution that applies to many different types of company. For example, it satisfies the requirements of discrete manufacturers from automotive, aerospace and electronics companies, who have strict requirements for traceability and engineering change management. It is also suitable for high volume schedule-driven component manufacturers who require lean manufacturing techniques to reduce work-in-progress and to provide Just-in-Time performance.

Established in 2009, Profitsflow has built a reputation as an expert ERP solution provider to Ireland’s manufacturing and field service markets.  From our Wexford base we provide a full sales, implementation, development and ongoing technical support service to all of our customers throughout the island of Ireland and beyond.  As an end-to-end solution provider, our clients benefit from the fact that we are a local resource with a wealth of experience implementing our products in their industry. 

To learn more about Profitsflow and EFACS click here

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It was a successful morning at the Profitsflow ERP Information Morning, held on Thursday, March 22nd in the Wexford Enterprise Centre. This event had originally been planned for March 8th but due to the snow was postponed for 2 weeks.

Companies from a variety of industries met and a brief introduction to Profitsflow and EFACS E/8 was given by Profitsflow MD, Tadhg Henderson. After a short coffee break, the group reconvened and discussed the EFACS solution in greater depth, while also focusing on field service modules within the software.

The new EFACS Mobile Solution was of great interest to attendees, bringing a whole new range of benefits to EFACS customers. The Field Service handheld devices were also a particular point of interest for those in the sector due to the easy-to-use interface and the realtime recording, which can benefit the field service agents and also those in the office for recording.

An informative and engaging morning was had, with participants gaining expert knowledge in the world of ERP.

For more information on how your company can benefit from the implementation of the EFACS ERP solution, contact us here

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The first stop in our 2018 Information Morning Series is in our new office in the Wexford Enterprise Centre on Thursday March 22nd.  The event promises to be an informative morning, giving attendees a full view of the EFACS solution and the opportunity to get a comprehensive understanding of the software and its benefits.   

The largest industry in the world, the food and beverage industry is also one which is extremely regulated and requires full traceability, a task made easy with the EFACS E/8 ERP solution. Companies within the food and beverage sector require tailored solutions, in order to fit their exact requirements, with EFACS E/8 it is achievable as the software is fully customisable, suiting precise needs and requirements for an individual company. Easy customisation of EFACS means that familiar user friendly terminology can be used; works orders can become cooks plans, bills of materials become ingredients lists and routings become recipes.

The electronics industry is faced with the most dynamic challenges of any industry. With fierce global competition these firms must compete with how rapidly they can develop and launch new products, especially when they are faced with constant change. In order to be competitive and effective, the firm must incorporate change as a normal business procedure. Implementing a highly-flexible ERP solution can help make some of these day-to-day challenges a little bit easier and therefore creating a more efficient workplace.

Today’s chemical manufacturers and distributors are facing many modern challenges encompassing compliance and legal hurdles and their own software infrastructure; outdated business software can slowly damage even the most healthy of businesses.

Exel’s EFACS E/8 is thoroughly invaluable to the engineering sector, and Profitsflow’s Irish customers are reaping the benefits. Each client is able to respond to their specific market pressures with the assistance and flexibility of the EFACS integrated manufacturing system, irrespective of whether they need to manufacture bespoke items, prototypes, tooling or products with high or low volumes. Effective product lifecycle management can be achieved using EFACS Engineering Change Controls  and its fully integrated mechanisms for serial number and batch traceability.

Going for Gold! 

The 10 key criteria successful manufacturing companies apply when buying or replacing an IT Manufacturing System: A Brief Guide to Software Selection

This article is for anyone considering the purchase of an ERP/MRP system in manufacturing, whatever the size of your organisation. As gathered from our experience in ERP implementation, it presents a short guide to the top ten considerations used by successful manufacturers when buying or replacing an IT system for manufacturing. This article is intended to share our knowledge of what we see as key factors to take into account prior to selection.

The value or return on investment of integrated manufacturing and finance systems to manufacturers is well documented but principally includes both ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ benefits. These can be used to build the business case required to justify the expenditure on ERP. They include:

• Superior Efficiency: Increased annual stock turnover due to the ability to rotate stock more efficiently throughout the year, as excess stock situations are avoided and material purchasing is strictly tied into production schedules.

• Reduction in Annual Stockholding Of Between 10 – 15%: By tying stock requirements into demand (in the form of sales orders and production schedules) streamlined MRP Planning can reduce the average value of stock held by between 10-15% in the first year of implementation.

• Improved Liquidity: Significantly improved cash flow positions, through a) Purchase Invoice Matching functionality that allows only those supplier invoices to be paid that can be traced to original purchase orders and material receipts and b) the ability to start invoice collection immediately upon sales order dispatch.

• Reduction in Manufacturing Costs: Direct and Indirect Labour Costs decline as staff become productive, spending less time spent waiting for overdue raw material shipments to arrive; some staff can be retrained or reassigned to more productive roles; production bottlenecks can be avoided by viewing potential conflicts ahead of time ensuring no delay in customer order shipments.
• Improved Productivity: A single central repository of information for order processing from start to finish eliminates duplication of data.

• Real Time Reporting: Unlimited custom reporting potential using your own data exists, meaning users spends less time having to go searching for information.

With the general pickup in IT spending continuing into 2015, manufacturers considering an ERP system now should consider these very real and significant benefits that accrue.

A recent positive impact in running an ERP has been the ability to allow Irish manufacturers counteract the threat of low cost manufacturing centres coming from Asia. By providing new and innovative ways of interacting with customers via Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and techniques, ERP and CRM together can allow firms to differentiate themselves along customer service factors and help offset the impact of firms in low cost manufacturing centres relying heavily on price.

MRP II / ERP systems now scale to the smallest companies driving competitiveness, and bottom line growth. This article discusses then how to choose a product and vendor that will suit you.

10. Clearly Define The Business Requirement.

The first step in the selection of an ERP Systems is for the management and staff of a company to take the time to agree the objectives of the new system. For instance “Do Goods Received update stock lists? Do people even log Goods Received so that accounts can settle with supplier seamlessly?” When your requirements are clear then decide those that are “Vital” or “Nice to have”. Defining everything as essential will limit your choice and drive up the end price exponentially. This will also give you a false impression of a systems suitability. If a system has all the bells and whistles that’s, great but will you ever be in a position to use them. Don’t overcomplicate your system just because you can.

One well established firm recommends that you don’t specify any changes to your new system for the first year of use following the “GO LIVE” date, forcing users to get used to the new system. After that the specified changes list can reduce by 85%.

Knowing your requirements in advance of speaking with vendors is going to make the choice a great deal easier. The vendor will therefore concentrate on the solution as opposed to teasing the information out of you.

9. Choose A Solution Appropriate In Size To Your Organisation and your Manufacturing Process.

It may be stating the obvious but it is paramount to choose a solution that is right size technology for your organisation - as opposed to one which has been unnecessarily scaled down or ‘hammered’ to fit. Choosing the right fit will result in less cost over the project’s lifetime. Some inscrutable vendors have been known to give the software away at cost, only to make up for it by charging a small fortune in service days!

8. Value The Investment Over 3 -5 Years For A True Total Cost of Ownership

Do you want to be locked into a system two years from now with no way of making even the slightest change unless you pay for expensive custom work every time from the authors? Probably not! Ask your vendor how easy is it to make changes to the system once it’s installed. Some products allow the customers to make changes to the system without recourse to the authors for expensive custom development work. Others do not. This can have a considerable impact on total cost of ownership (TCO).

Always ask for an indication upfront of year 2 and beyond maintenance charges on both software and hardware for a true comparison of vendors. (See also point 4 about whether the software will work if you are not on annual maintenance). Identify how maintenance charges are calculated. This will allow you to accurately forecast running costs in the future more accurately.

Find out too if it can connect easily with existing legacy systems or even just your existing MS Excel or Autocad/Solid Works. The ability to connect and transfer data to or from an unrelated system. Eg. Temp monitoring system for fridges.

7. Find Out What Is The Likely Upgrade Path For Software.

This is one area often overlooked in the selection process. In choosing a solution today, will you be liable for upgrading to a newer version two years from now? In addition, you may find that any existing versions of any third party products required to run with the ERP application may also need upgrading, entailing additional expense here too. What are the software developer’s plans for this current version? Is the software written in a commercially available development language which is still being enhanced and supported by the supplier? This can greatly increase the cost of maintenance to a system if there aren’t many experienced individuals around to carry out the work in a few years. Don’t buy a system that will be a dinosaur in a few years time.

6. Invest in a Dedicated Server(s) to Run the ERP Application

Hardware prices have continued to slide, making the case for a dedicated ERP server considerably more attractive. It has been our experience that companies looking to save a few euro by not investing in adequate IT hardware end up paying more in poor system performance, compatibility problems between ERP and other applications, and general system crashes. ERP can be a considerable hog on server resources to the extent than other office applications can suffer considerably – so invest in a dedicated server! Take the opportunity to upgrade network components if required. A fast server with a slow network connection is a waste of money.

5. Arrange a site visit to an existing customer of the vendor(s).

One of the surest ways of cutting through all the ‘vendor rhetoric’ is to arrange a site visit
to an existing customer and talk to existing users. They are in best position to tell you how it has gone. Look for a clearly defined payback and benefits accrued from running the system. Do they match what the vendor claims? Go prepared with a list of items you want to see and a list of questions you need answered. This is your chance to see the system in action, make sure you see the areas of the system relevant to your company. If possible agree an agenda in advance.

4. Will The Software Work If I Am Not On Maintenance?

Maintenance agreements function somewhat like an insurance contract between vendor and customer, providing access to seasoned product technical experts on issues that the customer’s own staff may not be able to resolve once implementation is complete. Some ERP vendors may tie the ongoing usage of their software in with the issue of whether or not you hold a current software maintenance agreement. In other words it may not be yours to actually own, and if you are not on maintenance the software may refuse to function. Other ERP solutions are sold in perpetuity – i.e. their continued operation is not tied in to whether or not you are currently on maintenance.

In addition, try to find out about the proximity of local technical support staff. Does the vendor have a fully staffed local presence or is it merely just an administrative office? What happens if you require technical support on site at short notice?

3. Database – Proprietary or Standard?

ERP applications that require proprietary databases to run can prove expensive to maintain and lead to difficulty retaining the knowledge base in house to support them. Most IT staff will want to keep their skills profile current, and introducing proprietary non standard databases may encounter resistance that would otherwise act as a hindrance to a successful implementation.

2. Client Server or Web – which should I choose?

A big shift is occurring in the industry, as more ERP solutions are becoming web enabled. In the long term this has the potential to be even more significant than the emergence of NT Server Software over a decade ago. The benefits of deploying a web enabled ERP system lie in the twin areas of cost and time – time in respect of deployment times, from start to ‘Go-Live’ date, can be up to 15% faster as measured in service days, compared to traditional client server technologies; and cost in that web applications allow functional changes to be made much more easily, resulting in less time and less expense overall.

Web applications also offer the long term benefit of technological independence – i.e. they are as confined to, or restricted to work with a limited set of preferred technologies - as would be the case with client server technologies. A technology independent solution therefore can easily be ‘future proofed’ over time. Manufacturers on these systems have more freedom to choose an optimal software & hardware configuration to run ERP, but keep in mind that the system itself may operate best under a particular flavour or type of technology too. Web based systems have the added advantage of substantially lower maintenance for your IT personnel. No complicated software needs to be installed on the users PC. They simply connect through their internet browser. This can also allow your IT dept to get extra life form PC’s as the system requirements will be less.

1. Allow Enough Time For Implementation and Training

A crucial area this one. Whichever ERP tool you choose, you will need the assistance of an experienced ERP implementer. Search for one with a good track record here. Don’t be fooled into believing you can save a few euros by reducing the number of training days. Why have an expensive investment go to waste if you’re not willing to devote time & effort in getting your people trained up? Granted you can spread this phase of the implementation out over several weeks or months depending on complexity, but if you’re really serious you’ll want to budget for this appropriately.

It’s much more effective towards the successful adoption of any new technology that key system users are involved from early on in the project. Try to avoid leaving the implementation in the hands of a concentrated few until the very end – just 4 weeks before go-live! During the implementation, regular review meeting should be held to inform key personnel of progress and prevent the implementation turning into a last minute effort to get everyone on board.

This article then has presented some of the key considerations that successful manufacturers adopt when evaluating IT manufacturing systems. We believe that they will prove useful in their application during the selection process. Following these guidelines will result in a more ‘enlightened’ buying decision so that the final selection of a product can take place in confidence.

This Blog details how investing in ERP software can improve your Company’s decision making process.

We buy tools to make products and to increase the work capacity, we install machines and for designing and selling products, we hire people; because we know they are needed for the business growth. Information Technology and software has become a basic need in our day to day life and when it comes to run a business, whether a small or medium sized, one way or the other we are dependent on them.  As long as you can manage spreadsheets and other basic software like Sage for invoicing, account management, you avoid spending capital on other software or technology to materialise the similar need. (That can make your work much easier and quicker).

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software has become very popular among large Industries as they use to run their businesses through it. If you think ERP Software is not affordable or you are not aware of its real benefits then this article will help you to know why ERP is real value for the business.

It is important to highlight a few things about ERP and its utilisation in the business process. ERP is business management software which is developed to manage typical enterprise; it is an integrated application that improves the business decision by creating information from every part available to throughout your business operations. Company’s use to handle and store data from every level of business, starting from product, planning cost development, invoicing, accounting, marketing and sales order entry, manufacturing, shipping and payment, financial, warehousing, payroll. ERP software has the collective source of master data which tracks the record of customers / buyers, vendors, product bill, manufacturing work processes and many other records. By maintaining such records help company to improve consistently with the same set of Information. Most of the small sized companies are used to work on Sage and spreadsheets but as the business grows these software starts impacting business results in actual ways which affects the bottom line i.e. lost data, missed shipments, invoicing and so on.

Although Sage provides solutions to many small businesses and it is the most users friendly software but it has certain limitations and still far from being integrated ERP with proper control of auditing and scale the end to end business operations. 

Here are more benefits of ERP:

• It uplifts sales performance.
• It improves the visibility of organisation’s financial growth.
• It helps in managing business operations.
• It reduces labour costs.
• ERP improves product’s delivery on time.
• By consistent business processes and polices throughout the organization it improves customer services and profitability.
• It upgrades control and planning record

ERP software is cost effective, affordable and can be easily customised according to the nature of business i.e. General Manufacturing, Retail, CPG, Life Sciences, Process, Distribution, and Service Industries.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a constantly evolving field. Every year we hear about new features, support models, and deployment options. But when it comes time to get a new ERP system, what is the best ERP platform?

ERP investments have a long life, typically 15 to 20 years. In order to determine which ERP system is best, we must explore each and every phase of the ERP lifecycle. We have to consider what drives people to actually acquire the ERP system, what leads to success during the deployment, and then we have to consider what IT leaders need to do to administer and maintain the system.

Obviously, an appropriate system has to be able to meet the base requirements of the enterprise. A manufacturing company, for example, must have the appropriate manufacturing modules. The best products, however, have features that address the problems that we see at each stage of the ERP project.

What are the differentiating features?

Data Integration: The ability to incorporate data from across the business.

Workflow: The ability to create and manage business processes.

Financial Consolidation: Functionality to incorporate data from different operating units and from different countries. These capabilities are key to both supporting executive projects and to supporting enterprise growth.

Budgeting: This presents a challenge for many ERP platforms. Budgeting processes require business leaders to review actual data and to make commitments on future spend and performance. Since this data isn’t just a record of an actual transaction, it can really stress rigid data models.

Data Management: Finally, a system should encourage clean data. Dirty data frustrates reporting, business growth, end users, and executives!

    Companies looking to improve their links across various functions, such as inventory control, accounting, and human resources may find the answer lies in ERP software. Enterprise Resource Planning systems allow businesses to improve their operations infrastructure, enabling businesses to share information and make decisions more quickly across multiple departments.

    Enterprise Resource Planning has come a long way in recent years and significant progress has been made to modern ERP business solutions. Many Companies spending for ERP projects is expected to keep growing.  52 percent of Companies plan to invest in significant IT infrastructure and computer upgrades. Some software providers are already making evident changes to their ERP platform design to address such concepts as that of automated business landscape transformation

    With ERP investments on the rise, some experts have suggested the technology will significantly impact some industries more than others. According to an accounting and advisory firm, the Manufacturing market, in particular, will be affected by cloud-based ERP software. The company went so far as to say that manufacturers not leveraging this technology will remain stagnant. Cloud-based ERP is not expected to just benefit large manufacturers either. In fact, small and medium-sized companies are already integrating their ERP business solutions with collaboration technologies, analytics and mobile applications to stay ahead of the game.

     While such platforms are considered ideal for going head-to-head with competitors, Manufacturers with cloud ERP systems can also establish themselves as industry leaders. One to watch for the Food Manufacturing and Engineering industries across Ireland.

We have all heard about ERP implementation projects that have failed, gone on long past the planned implementation time, or gone way over budget.  In such circumstances, it is all too easy to blame the vendor or the selection team.  However, normally the fault in these cases lies in the planning and execution of the plan prior to system selection and purchase.  Detailed below are six of the most common mistakes found in ERP implementation projects.

1: Poor Planning/Explanation of New ERP

Planning is absolutely necessary if you want your ERP project to succeed. You simply can't Wing ERP implementation. Companies that explain up front the business case for upgrading, the benefits to the company and employees, and any changes in the end user experience are the most successful. The software will work, the hardware will work, but it doesn't matter unless the users buy in. There is nothing more powerful than user perception, and if they decide the system doesn't work, it won't. If you feel you do not have the in-house capability to properly evaluate ERP systems, consider hiring an experienced third-party, vendor-neutral consultant, who has experience implementing ERP solutions at companies in your industry.

2: Not understanding/Using key features of New ERP Software

Without knowing features of the new ERP Software, companies miss opportunities to automate business processes, complete functions faster, and meet business objectives. In addition upgrades, enhancements, and maintenance are more costly, and less likely to succeed. Create a master list with all features, tracking usage, and periodically reviewing the list to determine which features are being used and which are the most helpful. This knowledge catalogue can be used to train new employees, write test scripts, and assist with audit, compliance, and reporting requirements. The only way to determine for sure is to load test the system. The most accurate way to load test a system is with load testing software and scripts and with real users. If you just use scripts, you won't see the effects of user mistakes, and if you just use people, you can't really simulate the effect of batch jobs and EDI. But if you can't do both, pick one and run with it.

3: Not having the right people on the ERP implementation team

Sometimes Companies do not bring the right people together from the very start of an ERP implementation. Companies should focus on gathering key participants from across the staff force, from finance, operations, manufacturing, purchasing, and the warehouse, in addition to IT staff. The benefits: employees who are actively engaged with the ERP implementation, who have an investment in getting it right, right from the start. A lot of customers think they can save money by eliminating the Project Manager and doing it themselves. For an ERP upgrade, this could be fatal. A consultant Project Manager's focus is on upgrades so they know any pitfalls. Navigating these pitfalls ahead of time will make all the difference in an on-time/on-budget ERP Upgrade.

4: Not investing in training up Employees on ERP

A lack of proper training is one of the most common reasons that ERP projects fail, and it can also result in employees resenting the new system because they don't understand it. Making sure employees have a chance to become comfortable with the new system before it goes live will do wonders for your chances at ERP success. If you make training and frequent communication with users a top priority, it will hugely benefit the ERP implementation. Classroom training and a Knowledge Vault of recorded videos to help employees to adapt to new ERP Software will go a long way in a successful ERP implementation strategy.

5. Not performing a Mock Go Live of New ERP System

A mock Go Live is the time when you find out whether everything will go as planned ahead of time. It is also the point when you capture timings for all the different Go Live tasks. If you don't practice under the same conditions you'll have when you plan to go live (e.g., if Go Live is on a weekend, mock Go Live needs to be on a weekend), you will run into issues that you never planned for, such as: Do I have access to everything on a weekend? Will we run into backups or maintenance windows? Are the offices open? Some of these may sound trivial, but when you are under pressure and have spent thousands on a new system, the last thing you want is to be delayed because you missed something that was easy to catch.

6. Not having a maintenance strategy

By not applying maintenance, their systems will quickly become obsolete (from a technical perspective) as will their business processes. With improvements in installation technology, customers will experience only limited disruption when implementing support packs. ERP upgrades don't happen every day or every year. So it's important to utilise the most experienced technology consultants to keep your system running during the upgrade. If you're like most companies, you probably have several consultants and internal people working on the project. If it is down all the time, no work is done and money is being wasted. Experienced consultants will know the ERP system and will keep it performing during the ERP upgrade.

Unable to get data from your system

Your business needs to make important decisions, Poor reporting capabilities can delay a business and waste valuable time in improving the business.  Limited reporting capability can lead to a poor user experience which inhibits roll out and adoption of new products. Poor reporting capability also relates to vendor enablement - usually there is no simple way of getting all your suppliers on the system. And poor data which is heavily reliant on the data provided by suppliers.

 Old, “clunky”, unintuitive screens

Today’s global business world is more complex and interconnected than ever, constantly posing new challenges on productivity and business agility. There is therefore a growing demand among companies for enterprise applications that are intuitive and easy to use. ERP providers must improve their software in order to meet these demands.

  Lack of visibility of customer data

Nowadays, it’s all about Customer Relationship Management (CRM).  Do you have it? Is there effective communication with your business customers? Can your business specifically target markets with a marketing/email campaign? Is there inadequate customer contact and call centre support? Are there inadequate service options offered to your customers?

  Old systems cost more to maintain

Old ERP systems can take away the innovation from your company’s IT budget. How much of your business IT budget is devoted to innovation rather than maintenance? The mobile workforce can’t perform efficiently with an outdated ERP System.  Old ERP doesn’t satisfy the appetite for real-time information. Old ERP systems generally make reporting an onerous and error-prone exercise – leaving organisations to manually generate reports and create budget or forecast spreadsheets. To compete, businesses need modern ERP designed for today’s needs.

 Lack of or Poor support

Very often older products go “end of life” with no backup support available.  Sometimes, support can be made available via freelancers, old distribution agents for the product, or groups of individuals coming together with the objective of providing a support service in return for a secondary income.  Do you really want to put your business on the line?  These people may not be available when most needed.  And for those cases where there still is “official” support, it is often the case that one or two “seasoned” support consultants are retained to service the few remaining clients on that product or version.  New entrants to the support team are only trained on current products.  This can mean increased cost, lack of availability when most needed, and ultimately longer down time.

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