ERP Advisers

Would you like to improve your bottom line?

LET US HELP

Home | Best Practices for Effective ERP Implementation

Planning an ERP and implementing the project is a challenging venture for any company. Here are some best practices that will help you implement smoothly and effectively.

Get buy-in from the top

ERP selection and implementation requires research, purchasing, customization and implementation, and each of these steps takes time and resources. You’ll need support from the senior executives at your company, which can be challenging as you’ll have to justify the financial and human resources required. Ensuring your senior management understands the importance of this technology, and the extent of which a proper ERP can help your business grow.

Choosing the right solution

Choosing the right ERP solution is critical. Many vendors will try and oversell you on their product, and get you excited about features it offers, even if these are features that you’ll never use. ERP customization is key to a successful implementation, so choosing an ERP consultant that knows the product options, has learned your business and has a good understanding of which modules your company needs (and which is doesn’t), will be critical to helping you find the right solution for your company, without overpaying for modules and features you won’t use. Select your consultant carefully. Look for one with experience in your industry, and be sure to invest the time into building their knowledge of your business and every element of its operations.

Build the right team

Even after you’ve selected your consultant, a successful implementation requires a group of dedicated problem-solvers whose full-time job is this project. Find the brightest minds in your organization and assign them to this task. Because this will require back-filling their current positions, this is challenging to do, especially if you don’t have full buy-in from your senior executives.

Assign a strong leader

The best ERP implementations are led by diligent, curious, inspirational leaders who prioritize research and experimentation and do whatever it takes to stick to deadlines. This person should have both leadership and project management skills.

Scope creep

Every project manager at every company in every industry has battled scope creep. At some point, a stakeholder will push to broaden the scope of the project which typically diverts the project from its original purpose and causes deadlines to be moved and missed. The strong leader you’ve assigned should be empowered to push back and let stakeholders know that their requests can be tackled after the initial project is complete.

Invest in training

It’s important that your team is properly trained on the ERP system before you launch. About 30% of the resources dedicated to this project should be used for training and support.

Implementing ERP isn’t easy, but it’s certainly worthwhile. Things will go wrong at some point, but if you’ve implemented properly and trained thoroughly, you’ll prepared.

Home | Postmodern ERP Advisors

It’s the direction we’re headed. By 2025 organizations will buy 40% of their enterprise business capabilities through aggregator platforms. It’s a timely and strategic move to evolve your business with enterprise business capabilities. It’s imperative that you stay atop the latest technology platforms and deploy plug-and-play business functions. Adopt new applications and capabilities.

The technology is already being implemented. Let us help you provide aggregated platforms via PaaS. Here are some of the ways we’re opening up technology platforms:
* Connect easily with other applications despite increasingly varied processes and data architectures. Organizations are also open to using capabilities that are delivered by iPaaS providers
* Decrease the gaps using sophisticated API models
* Customers use marketplacy offerings from consulting partners and platform vendors.

What’s driving the EBC platforms?

Industry specific: Solutions will require customization, yet utilizing an aggregator vendor can help clients assemble, connect and manage applications to avoid the cost of customization and increase the speed in which platforms can be implemented.
Unified access and experience: Aggregator vendors can decrease the back-end systems that support ERP) and mask the complexity to provide a smooth transition, assessment and deployment of new features
Reporting and analytics: Business Intelligence will be faster than ever, with real time analytic data. Extraction, transformation and loading (ETL) processes needed by data warehouses. Acquire, inject, update and manage data as a deliverable for your business
Simplified contract and payment options: Streamline the payment process and simplify charges encourages enterprises to buy more because they can project costs
Faster: Customers and vendors will face complex challenges, aggregator vendors will offer smooth transitions using technology platforms, simplifying and adopting line of business (LOB) functional services

We’re here to help you make the switch and utilize an aggregator, simplify your bundle and increase your market share. Enterprises that don’t execute a business-outcome-focused strategy will miss out on revenue.

We will acquire capabilities from multiple sources to support your enterprise to create a resource that allows a smooth transition for our clients using aggregator platforms.

If you’re considering aggregator platforms you should:

Develop and continuously update a business capability model, even in divisions in different industries
Choose and aggregator that can support a multi cloud strategy, preventing limits
Develop an agile application governance and stay updated
Keep people and processes in mind in all aspects of innovation
Be aggressive at adopting enhancements to improve business processes and decommission customizations.

Let us help you invest in an aggregator platform that will yield the best results for your business. We look forward to working with you.

Home | Using ERP to Prepare For the Post-COVID Economy

The COVID-19 crisis has impacted every industry across the globe. Many companies have pivoted faster than others, making operational changes to every element of their business. While governments navigate the re-opening of the economies in some areas, business are strategizing how to get on a path that will help them recover quickly when the time is right.

These businesses are faced with an interesting challenge, because ‘going back to normal’ simply isn’t going to happen. There will be a new normal, and that new normal will bring many opportunities for businesses to capitalize on if they plan properly. In order to be successful in the post-COVID economy, businesses must be agile. They must be ready to act quickly when laws, regulations, resource availability and demand spikes change. This will require a deep understanding of every part of the business so that whether a change affects the sales, marketing, finance, production or development department, every area is ready to pivot and take advantage of any opportunity that arises. Proper ERP is critical to developing this type of agility.

This is why.

Setting the foundation
ERP sits at the centre of a business and bring together its value chain. By tracking, amalgamating and analyzing every element of the business, ERP provides data-driven insights that give decision-makers the visibility into business operations needed to understand what is happening today, what can/will happen tomorrow, and set the stage for years of success.

Responding faster
Cloud-based ERP gives business stakeholders all the information they need about what is currently happening within the company to make decisions around its future processes, operations and agility. It helps them understand all the intricacies occurring behind-the-scenes in the business, where the risks lie, which resources or inventory is needed, plus it gives them access to these insights all day, every day. It also provides the ability to analyze information to learn from past mistakes, understand the current business environment that they’re operating in, and look for opportunities that may not have been visible otherwise.

Imagine knowing which areas of the supply chain will be impacted by a pandemic or any other major crisis. What if, pre-COVID, the decision-makers at Clorox or Lysol had known about the pending demand for their cleaning wipes? How would things have changed? A proper, cloud-based ERP system could make this possible.

Feel free to reach out with any ERP software, implementation or business technology needs. ERP Advisers are open to help you and your business thrive in any economy.

Home | Why Manufacturers Need ERP Now More Than Ever

As COVID-19 spreads and panic-being causes shortages of certain goods, many manufacturers are focused on increasing automation. However, while automation has great potential to help keep our shelves stocked with cleaning wipes, toilet paper and face masks, a shift in process will only be possible for companies with the supplies they need to keep producing.

We have seen great shifts in manufacturing during this pandemic – from ramping up the production of hand sanitizer to the conversion of automotive plants into ventilator factories.  Manufacturers are under pressure to pivot production quickly, with little resources. Production teams are being minimized to reduce exposure to the virus, increasing the need of more automation on the plant floor.

For products that already have a highly-automated production process, the biggest barrier keeping them out of the stores is the supply chain.

Manufacturers will face different challenges in the short-term and the long-term. At first the challenge will be securing supplies from sources higher up on the supply chain. However, long-term, challenges will be linked more closely with the operation of their supplier’s suppliers. In order to mitigate these challenges, manufacturers must should start sourcing their components from multiple sources located in multiple locations.

This will likely spur a significant increase in the amount manufacturer’s spend on ERP software, especially those with inventory control and supply chain management modules, as the panic-buying that has occurred since the beginning of COVID-19 has exposed major weaknesses in the global supply chain.

The right ERP solution can drastically help manufacturers adapt to changes in the supply chain. There are typically two supply chains that manufactures must consider. The first is the physical supply chain (actual products), and the second is the digital supply chain (information).  Using the right ERP system will empower manufacturers to blend their production, distribution, and acquisition processes to allow them flexibility in their operations.

Automation can be a game-changer, especially in these trying times, but it will not make much difference for a manufacture without a reliable flow of materials.

ERP Advisers is here to help you find and implement the right ERP solution for your business. Contact us to set up a consultation.

Home | Choosing Your ERP Software Partners

The right enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is important to the continuity of your business, but choosing who to work with to help select, customize and implement this software is critical to its success.

What is ERP?
Enterprise Resource Planning is the integrated management of a business’ main processes, and ERP software is a way to execute and monitor this integration. ERP software facilitates the exchange of information throughout a company, helping to speed up business processes, cut costs, increase sales, improve quality, create positive customer experiences and measure successes and failures.

Purchase partners
ERP software comes in modules that perform a specific function – examples include accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, payroll, purchase orders etc. ERP suites require customization to be a good fit for a specific business.
To select their software, companies may choose to work directly with a software vendor. However, due to the wide range of options and customization needs of each business, it is recommended to work with a partner who can weigh the pros and cons of many different software suites and help each business decide which solution is right for them, especially when it comes time to customize and implement. This would be either a value-added software reseller, or an ERP consultant.

Value-Added Resellers (VARs)
VARs are recruited and trained by the software vendors to sell products on their behalf. VARs invest in their own technical staff, training facilities, workspace and software purchases and they usually share a percentage of sales with the software vendor.
ERP purchasers should remember that that while VARs also perform consulting functions, their advice may be impacted by their relationships with certain suppliers.

Consultants
Consultants with financial, accounting and software expertise often provide a different perspective and approach than a VAR. Consultants are typically selected based on comprehensive experience in specific industries, intensive knowledge about particular ERP software modules, or both. Selecting an industry expert that is able to compare the situations of similar companies they have worked with before can be valuable in helping them choose which suite will work best for a specific business.

Working with an ERP consultant provides a business with invaluable experience and expertise. Reach out to ERP Advisers today to discuss how we can help find the right solution for your business at this critical time.

Home | ERP Revolutionary Changes in 2020

ERP Revolutionary Changes in 2020
Part 1

What opportunities do ERP’s see? Unparallel opportunities to transform and improve efficiency to capitalize on. It’s important for Chief Information Officers to utilize this window of opportunity by preparing sourcing strategies, technologies and skills, with appropriate expectations.

What’s changing?

1. A new era or ERP, EBC “Enterprise Business Capabilities”. We are shifting, making use of new capabilities for application platforms, integration and low-code/no-code development.
2. Fundamental new ways people acquire new capabilities from applications.
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will be a part of every ERP business plan, using multiple business processes.
4. Cloud ERP, it’s never been easier.

What should Chief Information Officers do next?

Be open and embrace new technologies and keep utilizing existing applications that play a vital role. Artificial intelligence and machine learning offer business opportunities never seen before, investigate and integrate them into your business to increase revenue. Make sure you’re willing to commit fully when implementing a new platform to see best results.

What do you need to know?

Gain insight into the upcoming business challenges and the unparallel opportunities that are available from the new ERP>EBC. AI and ML offer more diversity and an increase in productivity, that increase the speed and the adaptability your business offer. ERPs can help you rise to the challenge and help implement new systems and methods. There is a need to simplify integration and capabilities.

How a new ERP platform can help your business?

Moving away from self-maintenance of point-to-point integration and adopting platform as service (PaaS) and integration platform as a service (iPaaS). ERPs will change the way you do business using the same applications, yet incorporating new capabilities or acquiring new services, or a combination of them.

New simplified platform technologies can be implemented, low-code development, process automation and the capability of running multiple applications on multiple platforms in the cloud.

In a competitive market creating a strategic plan to implement new systems will allow your company to gain the market share. Use applications, data and processes rather than integration technologies alone. On-demand “modeling” environment needs to replace the sandbox, which can contain old data.

Incorporate predictions and stay ahead of the learning curve to implement artificial intelligence and machine. Be prepared, updates and vendor capabilities will be happening quickly. Source educated talent and skills for a smooth implementation to automate and create smoother business transitions. Derive a strategic ERP plan to utilize these new platforms that enable a smooth transition and new capabilities. New ERP solutions and capabilities are a welcomed and exciting change that can increase your bottom line.

Customization, implementing new system processes ensures your business is on top of the curve.

Home | The Role of ERP in Higher Education

While it’s wonderful that colleges and universities are deeply rooted in tradition (think ivy-covered walls and centuries-old teachings), an attachment to the past simply isn’t efficient when it comes to running a business. And, according to a collaborative report from Education Dive and Unit4, nearly 50% of academic institutions are using out-dated systems to execute their administrative operations.

Current state of the industry

The Education Dive report surveyed back-office staff (in the IT, HR, and Student Services departments) from higher education centres to determine which systems are now in use. Around half of these employees noted that their institutions:

• Use multiple systems, rather than one time-saving model;
• Are unable to fix inefficiencies or streamline their operations with their current programs;
• And have systems that do not provide the necessary strategic data for decision-making processes.

Why is this a problem?

In today’s fast-paced, ever-changing climate, it’s essential for businesses to use technology that is highly adaptive and flexible. By using out-of-date, ineffective systems, not only are institutions preventing themselves from meeting new industry demands—they’re slowing themselves down. With low informational transfer, reduced data collection, and the creation of bottlenecks, these antiquated solutions create silos between departments, setting the stage for unsatisfactory organizational visibility as a whole.

In turn, this can frustrate staff, create obstacles for student success, reduce staff retention, prevent innovation, and lead to poor student experiences. Together, these issues can spell total disaster for any higher education establishment.

What’s the solution?

Luckily, these problems can be prevented using modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. By automating certain business processes, aligning ERP systems with their true needs, and focusing on efficient data management, institutions will bring their operations out of the past—and into the present.

By implementing the proper platform for their unique requirements, higher education providers can:

• Improve decision-making processes;
• Enhance departmental productivity;
• Increase employee efficiency and reduce attrition;
• Provide better student support services;
• And meet future student needs with greater flexibility.

If your institution’s operations are struggling to stay ahead of—or even with—the curve, a customized, intuitive ERP system is absolutely the way to go. ERP Advisers is here to help: to learn more about our services or to get started, visit our ERP Project Management page.

Home | Case Study: The importance of informed ERP implementation

When considering a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, receiving expert guidance is of the utmost importance. By ensuring that this new technology will meet your business’ needs correctly, you’ll avoid unnecessary spending—and get things right the first time.

This year, UK-based pub and hotel company Fuller’s learned this the hard way: after investing £10 million in an ERP system, it decided to scrap the project and search for a “simpler” accounting system.

The Fuller’s Dilemma: A £10 million misstep

Originally, the scrapped ERP system was intended to “deliver a continuous improvement program” in the company’s brewing, packaging, and distribution divisions. However, after selling its beer business to Japan’s Asahi, Fuller’s felt that this solution was no longer appropriate. As a result, it chose to replace the bespoke system with a “proven accounting system” for premium hotel brands, walking away entirely from its original investment.

Unfortunately for Fuller’s, this £10 million loss could have been entirely circumvented. Had its executives sought the guidance of an IT consultant, its existing ERP system could have likely been modified to suit each of its unique needs, even after the sale of its brewing sector.

This reveals a key truth about the importance of proper ERP implementation. By hiring an expert for—and investing the necessary time and effort into—the creation of these systems, potentially monumental mistakes can be averted. By choosing the right professional for your industry landscape, you’ll ensure that your ERP is effective for your business—and conducive to your requirements.

How can I evade this problem?

As stated, approaching a seasoned team of specialists (like that of ERP Advisers) is of paramount importance. With our approach to ERP system selection, we will:

– Review each and every area of your business, including sales, customer service, purchasing, warehousing, manufacturing, business intelligence, accounting, and logistics, to identify your immediate and long-term needs;
– Prioritize your requirements to address your most important needs first;
– Perform key market research to pick the right ERP software products for you;
– And ensure you understand why we’ve made these choices—and that you’re in full agreement with them.

With this, we’ll prevent you from costly errors, setting you on the path to success from the start.

Interested? Reach out to us here to learn more!

Home | 3 Reasons to Add or Alter ERP Functionality

Like the old adage says, the only constant in this world is change. This is undeniably true for businesses of all sizes—especially when it comes to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. A minimal number of companies hit the ground running with a complete ERP solution suite: generally, capabilities are added as novel needs arise, leaving these programs in a continuous state of flux.

This being said, it can be difficult to determine when it’s time to make adjustments. To help you figure things out, we’ve rounded up 3 major reasons (according to a 2019 report by Aberdeen) for your company to revisit or implement ERP functionality.

1. Your ERP system lacks flexibility.

As your corporation grows, your ERP solution must adapt to handle greater volume, increased informational flow, and new business process requirements. Like stretching your muscles, adding functionality can make your system more limber—and easier to use. The Aberdeen report notes that altogether, this will augment employee engagement and efficacy, enabling profitable growth.

Flexible ERP systems:
• Must be compatible with different language, currency, and accounting standards;
• Can manage multiple company sites;
• Are seamless to implement and run;
• Do not require disruptive enhancements or upgrades;
• And can adapt to changing business models and industry dynamics.

If your business’ ERP program does not meet the aforementioned standards, you may want to reconsider your strategy as a whole. These ERP essentials can be built into your existing system, or can be integrated at deployment to ensure continued versatility. Cloud-based options are an excellent choice for this reason: generally, they support remodelling quite well.

2. You’d like to upgrade your ERP program’s operational capabilities.

Often, businesses will choose to streamline their operations by housing administrative and financial applications within their ERP systems. For this reason, the following should be incorporated into your existing software (if they aren’t already):
• The tracking of costs against general ledger functionality, accounts, balance sheets, and profit/loss generation;
• Purchase order management processes;
• Basic project management functions;
• Workforce scheduling (including workforce management time and attendance solutions);
• And Core HR functionality.

3. Your internal communications are lacking.

A well-structured ERP plan provides a complete system of record for your business. This eradicates data silos and removes disconnected procedures, improving overall corporate communication and collaboration.

For improved informational flow across your entity, consider updating your ERP system with the following functionalities:
• A central repository for KPIs and metrics;
• Controlled data access for individual employees;
• And record-keeping capabilities.
A helping hand

At ERP Advisers, we understand the anxiety associated with updating software solutions. While reforming or reviewing your ERP system’s functionality, don’t feel you have to go it alone: let us help you with our ERP Project Management services. Together, we’ll ensure that your program is offering you everything you need to grow—and more.

Home | Top 4 reasons to implement an ERP system

As a business owner, maintaining a bird’s eye view of your corporation is imperative. However, this form of 360-degree surveillance can be incredibly difficult—especially if your organization is highly segmented.

Luckily, this burden can be eliminated with the use of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. As a pivotal hub for your data, an ERP system ties your business processes together into one user-friendly package.

What is an ERP System?

ERP systems are software programs that may be comprised of numerous integrated applications. They are used to align and manage all facets of a corporation’s operations, including human resources, financials, supply chain management, and manufacturing.

Here are the top 4 reasons why you should implement an ERP system:
1. They provide real-time information

By collecting and enabling the flow of data throughout all departments of your business, ERP systems allow for total transparency. With the improved reporting capabilities that result from this implementation, you’ll be able to access precise information; create comprehensive reports; and respond to complex data requests from clients. This will help you to make better business decisions, save precious time, and provide reliable answers to customers—with just the click of a mouse.

2. They increase productivity

By eliminating data duplication and usurping tedious manual tasks, ERP solutions can increase your business’s overall efficiency by saving your employees’ time. Furthermore, they improve your employees’ collaborative abilities, reducing siloes and enabling the smooth spread of information via one integrated platform. With this kind of seamless integration, you’ll enable better idea sharing and comprehensive decision-making processes.

3. They improve customer service

Having an ERP system allows you to access your clients’ files with total ease. With its all-encompassing view of your sales, distribution, accounting, and production processes, this software will allow you to quickly respond to your clients’ needs—and provide them with instantaneous information about their orders. Additionally, all relevant business departments will immediately be notified when any alterations are made, thanks to the platform’s shared nature.

4. They save capital

Finally, using an ERP system can save you money. Not only will it assist you with time management, but also reduce your operating and labor costs, save entrepreneurial resources, and consolidate your financial reporting. Ultimately, this solution will allow you to see maximum ROI—and boost your bottom line.

If you ask us, implementing an ERP system is a true no-brainer for your business. And, with our decades of experience in the industry, ERP Advisers can help you to find the right solutions for your needs. To get started or to learn more about our services, visit our ERP Project Management page.

Our Business Focus:

- With The Following Services -