Reviewing the success of an ERP deployment

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Once a company has implemented an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, one of the next steps is determining return on investment (ROI). According to a report by Pulp & Paper Magazine called "Executive Study Assesses Current State of ERP in Paper Industry," depending on the scale of their enterprise, most decision makers expect seven to nine figures worth of savings from a new EDI system. 

The 120 participants were executives at medium- and large-sized enterprises in the paper industry. One of the most popular ways to determine deployment success was to perform an internal and external review of operations after implementation. 

"To assess whether the expected financial benefits of ERP have been achieved, almost 60% of the respondents indicate they will use some formal method, such as formal audit, performance management method, user survey, or customer survey," found the study, indicating that these methods were subjective. "Many respondents will use more than one method to assess whether or not ERP has delivered the expected set of benefits."

These inquests might not deliver an exact dollar amount for ROI, but they give decision makers a view into how effectively an ERP system has improved operations for employees and partners alike. Feedback from these areas is critical to identifying problem spots and addressing them quickly, without disruption to business operations. 

At Accent Software, we've navigated countless clients through the process of deploying a new ERP platform, including Microsoft business software, to boost productivity and improve communications. Contact us today to learn more about the benefit of better resource planning at your enterprise. 

How to decide on and best use your ERP solution

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Your business is growing so quickly that simple accounting solutions are no longer an effective option for you. This is where an ERP management software solution would be perfect for centralizing and streamlining all of your business needs. Microsoft Dynamics NAV is flexible and allows companies to house a system on-site or on the cloud. For businesses wishing to propel themselves ahead into this modern age, Microsoft Dynamics NAV may be the best solution. 

Even if you have decided on utilizing Microsoft Dynamics NAV, The Huffington Post created a simple guide as to how best to ensure that you not only find the right ERP solution for your business, but also utilize it properly. These solutions require proper planning, being smart with maintenance and life cycle management, finding the right tools and creating a scalable solution.

First, make sure your ERP provider can offer customer assistance with not only the planning, but also with the implementation and ongoing support. It is a significant undertaking and you want to make sure you are provided with the means for success. Also, be sure to choose a solution that will grow with your enterprise. Don't just choose a system that meets your current needs, try thinking ahead to the future! Utilizing a solution that is cloud-based will further increase your ERP deployment scalability. 

Interestingly enough, also try to treat your ERP as if it is a living creature. If you don't tend to it and let it grow with you business, it could be costly down the road. Finally, it is important to find the right tools that will allow you to supplement your solution with added functionality and streamlined integration. If you focus on what specific features your company needs, then look for ERP solutions that are tailored to those needs.

For more information on ERP solutions and other business accounting systems contact Accent Software.

Before you implement ERP, understand its many components

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If your manufacturing company suffers from difficulties in extracting business information from your existing systems or your company is facing an inability to coordinate order fulfillment for your customers, it may be time to turn to a trusted enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. TechTarget states that when approaching the implementation of an ERP system, there are five components that must first be considered and researched. These software components focus on functionality in HR, finance, business intelligence, customer relationship management and purchasing and procurement. 

Every manufacturing company needs to be able to track and consolidate all of its sales data and customer information in one central system. However, an enhanced software ERP focus on supply chain management is also needed to make your day-to-day operations run smoothly. Overall, the most important consideration is simply knowing your company's processes and what type of ERP solution will be best for you.  

"A manufacturer seeks integration of its manufacturing processes," explains TechTarget, "and starts with material requirements planning-style ERP that can solve its integration issues of tracking orders, beginning with order placement and origination and then processing these orders all the way through the operations of manufacturing, distribution/delivery and order fulfillment and payment. The company also wants to get rid of the data discrepancies and software licensing costs from using disparate systems for each function."

At Accent Software, we can expertly deploy, monitor and troubleshoot a new ERP system that centralizes operations at your enterprise and allows for more effective decision making. Contact us today to learn more about how we provide the most advanced business management software available. 

ERP as a “nervous system” for your business

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To understand an enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform, one good analogy is the human body. As we know, the body is full of organs that together keep a person alive, breathing, digesting and sensing. However, all of those individual functions are governed by the central nervous system, which directs and manages the activity we are both conscious and unconscious of. For example, we don't need to think about making our heart beat, but we can choose to take a step or what we have for lunch. 

A business functions in much the same way. On one hand, there are processes like payroll, accounting and other routine tasks that shouldn't interfere with the more deliberate moves an enterprise makes, like strategic planning and staffing. An ERP platform helps to organize those functions to happen simultaneously and harmoniously so that no time, energy and financial resources are lost. 

Mark Jeffery, research director of technology initiatives at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, proposed this analogy as a way to convince decision makers who aren't sold on the benefit of an ERP system. 

"The manufacturing, supply chain, financials, human resources and customer relations management each represent a different organ of the body or one module within the ERP system," explains IT Tech News Daily. "These modules help an organization run its business more effectively and efficiently through digitizing all information and data that used to have to be manually entered individually into each database."

At Accent Software, we can expertly deploy, monitor and troubleshoot a new ERP system that centralizes operations at your enterprise. Contact us today to learn more about which solution is right for your business. 

5 common ERP implementation mistakes

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A well-executed deployment of ERP business management software can play a crucial role in the success of a company by helping streamline workflows and reducing costs. Despite the benefits, poorly implemented ERP can hinder all of the advantages the platform offers. Here are five things to avoid:

  • Poor planning. An ERP can't just be added in a vacuum. Before implementing ERP, perform an assessment of your business and management needs. This will help you better understand what you need and how ERP can work towards those goals. 
  • Lack of knowledge. Many companies select an ERP solution without fully understanding its potential. If you don't know the full range of the ERP's capabilities than you won't be able to fully integrate it into your business. 
  • No employee support. The right team of people needs to be in place to successfully deploy ERP. Make sure everyone is on board with the change across the executive level ( c-suite), department heads and IT. Understanding and investment from the ground up will help the process go smoothly and will likely translate to greater efficiencies realized right from the start.
  • No training. An investment into an ERP system means nothing without employee support. It's just as important to invest in training and change management during implementation so that employees know what to do and the process operates smoothly. 
  • Loving legacy. Its understandable that people grow attached to legacy applications, but ERP offers a better solution. The sooner employees can transition to new systems, the quicker you'll notice the benefits of ERP in actuation. 

If your company is in the market for a viable business management software, contact Accent Software today.

For sound ERP deployment, manage expectations

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Managing expectations is one of the biggest hurdles decision makers face as they explore new technology. In the case of enterprise resource planning platforms, experts say that unreasonable expectations can lead to deployment issues. 

"These unrealistic expectations result in unrealistic budgets and resource allocations, causing corners being cut when it becomes clear that there are inadequate resources to get the job done," explains Eric Kimberling of Panorama Consulting Solutions. "When executive and project teams are under the gun to finish the project anywhere close to original projections, you can be sure that post-implementation business results are one of the first things to get thrown by the wayside."

This is why it's critical for enterprises to receive considerable support from their ERP service provider before, during and especially after implementation. When distractions and a lack of expertise combine in the post-deployment phase, errors and misuse can lead to inefficiency. The belief that problems will be solved overnight is one issue Kimberling addresses as a barrier to quality deployment. Patience and constant communication are required to ensure that the new system is effective. 

ERP systems are designed to boost efficiency, so it's particularly disappointing and wasteful when companies find themselves facing a new set of challenges after implementation. The best way to bridge the transition is with the support of specialists who are trained to troubleshoot and address issues as they arise on the front end. Otherwise, companies stand to lose their investment in time and cost-saving structures that ultimately save neither. 

At Accent Software, we're experienced in deploying and managing ERP solutions for a variety of enterprises. Contact us today to begin the process that will make your company leaner and more responsive to internal and external needs. 

7 benefits of ERP

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With the number of complexities that go into running a successful manufacturing company, streamlining processes can go a long way to improving your bottom line. A good manufacturing ERP software solution can help integrate individual department functions into one application. Here are seven benefits of an ERP solution:

  • Scalability. Adding new systems and functionality? ERP software is scalable, meaning the software needed to support new business ventures can easily be integrated into the existing platform.
  • Reporting. Accurate reporting has a huge impact on creating efficiencies in the workplace. ERP offers quick, easy and accurate reports that will help keep your workplace productive.
  • Savings. An ERP solution helps reduces costs in a number of ways. The software itself integrates the functionally of what would otherwise require investment in numerous other systems, costing more in licensing. In the course of your business operations, ERP helps manage workflow and resources, eliminating delays and reducing operational costs.
  • Analytics. The high-quality data that ERP provides allows for easier analysis of operations, enabling you to make better business decisions.
  • Supply chain. ERP offers improved inventory solutions, such as procurement, inventory management and demand forecasting, allowing for better management of all aspects of the supply chain. 
  • CRM. Quicker turnaround is one of the best ways to keep your customers happy. ERP gives you the ability to greatly improve your customer relation management by bettering your entire business process.
  • Simplicity. Reduced complexity is one of the strongest reasons to deploy an ERP system. ERP's improved workflows reduce will reduce inefficiencies across all aspects of your manufacturing business.

These are but a few of the many benefits an ERP system offers. At Accent Software, we can help you find an ERP solution that supports all the various aspects your manufacturing business.

Quality of deployment is critical for ERP integration

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A study by the Aberdeen Group sought to determine some of the reasons enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms are resisted by decision makers. To assess the pressure points for ERP implementation, the authors of the study divided enterprises into three categories:

  • Best-in-Class, or organizations whose implementation of ERP have led to superior industry performance, represented the top 20 percent of the survey. 
  • Industry Average organizations represented the middle 50 percent of the sample, with average industry performance. 
  • Laggards represented the bottom 30 percent of the participants, resulting from below average performance.

Overall, the survey found that organizations looking to graduate from average to superior performance faced many of the same challenges as those looking to move from below average to average performance. Pressure to reduce costs was a leading motivation to adopt ERP or improve ERP integration. Other concerns were optimizing the customer experience, improving response time and managing growth expectations. 

"Industry Average and Laggard companies with ERP were fairly consistent when compared to each other," says the study. "But as we look for where companies with ERP deviate from companies without ERP, we see areas around customers and growth start to stand out. overall, companies without ERP feel they need to be easier to do business with and they are concerned about managing their growth."

The study shows that quality of deployment is critical to the success of an ERP platform, as many that had nominally deployed a system still faced many of the same challenges as those that hadn't. This is why it's critical to have the support and expertise of a third-party service provider that can help navigate these barriers to successful integration. Contact Accent Software today to learn more about how our solutions can revolutionize operations at your enterprise. 

What’s holding your enterprise back from adopting an ERP platform?

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According to a study by the Aberdeen Group, small businesses that have resisted enterprise resource planning (ERP) technology identify many of the same stumbling blocks to implementation. In a whitepaper titled "To ERP or Not to ERP: It Isn't Even a Question," Aberdeen researchers highlight some of those pain points:

  • "Internal effort to implement." Many companies find it difficult to build consensus and momentum around a new system that threatens to disrupt familiar processes. As such, the role of executives is to be decisive in making choices that are perhaps a bit unpopular (at first), tuning out the reasons why not and reiterating why an ERP platform makes good business sense. 
  • "We will be able to function without ERP." This argument comes up all the time, as 41 percent of respondents to the study cited it. While it's possible to function without an ERP system, that rationale prevents companies from achieving the level of growth and efficiency that comes with a streamlined resource planning system. 
  • "Cost of software and services." While some critics may cite the new cost of adopting and maintaining an ERP platform, imagine the savings your enterprise will enjoy in areas like human resources, scheduling and other modules of the business that will be improved by a better system.
  • "We are too small." The beauty of a flexible ERP platform is that it's fully scalable to the needs of your business at this time. A small enterprise with plans to grow can take those expansion steps with a reliable, streamlined resource planning system in tow. 
  • "Systems are too complicated." The thought of giving your enterprise operations an overhaul can be daunting, but ERP platforms like the Microsoft Dynamics NAV are intuitive and easy to learn. Only 5 percent of respondents cited this issue, so the vast majority of hesitant organizations are on board. 

Contact Accent Software today to learn more about how our business management software solutions can boost productivity by streamlining efficiency. 

Manufacturers are moving ERP to the cloud

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In order to succeed in today's economy, surrounded by increasing competition, manufacturers must be ready to make use of all technologies available to them. This includes finding ways to efficiently use large amounts of data and leveraging this business intelligence to become more agile.

Cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions offer organizations the ability to access data and resources, in real time and on demand. Cloud ERP also helps reduce costs, is scalable and is ideal for storing and managing data.

According to Gartner, SaaS-based manufacturing and distribution software adoption will rise from 22 percent in 2013 to 45 percent by 2023. The outstanding growth will be due in a large part to the adoption of two-tier cloud ERP systems. Two-tier systems offer a hybrid approach for companies that wish to combine the stability of on-premise ERP with the agility of cloud-based solutions.

Two-tier approaches are especially attractive to organizations that have invested large amounts of resources into the establishment of a strong on-premise ERP systems. While these businesses want to modernize and keep up with the changes in the manufacturing industry, they are also forced to consider the amount of time and capital that went into developing a highly customized on-premise solution.

According to Gartner, while such manufacturers are moving in the right direction with the hybrid approach, by 2017 the two-tier solution will reach a its peak of effectiveness regarding improvement of cost-benefit outcomes. Companies will have to address this as they adopt cloud ERP solutions.

Carol Hardcastle, research vice president at Gartner stated, "Most organizations still fail to recognize and plan for the total lifetime costs of their ERP solutions, whether on-premises, cloud or hybrid. Such an approach actually leads to increased total costs once the additional costs for connecting the solutions together are taken into account."

To learn more about cloud-based ERP and other business management software, such as Microsoft Dynamics NAV, contact Accent Software today.