All News & Views Articles
Creating Business Systems that Drive ProfitsIs Your Business Growing Too Big to Control?
Growth is good. It is a sign of a healthy business.
With growth comes new challenges, which if left unaddressed for long can quickly spin your organization out of control.
Meet Dawn, a CFO for a local medical consultancy that provides independent medical examinations for insurance and legal claims.
As CFO, Dawn oversees budgeting, vendor accounts, and overall cash flow projections to ensure business runs smoothly as planned. With business growth, Dawn’s job became harder. Dawn experienced more and more difficulty in making decisions, budgeting accurately, and tracking and evaluating company performance. Vendor complaints were at an all-time high due to inaccuracies in vendor payment information.
This was just the start of Dawn’s problems. Lack of proper business controls created an opportunity for accounting abuses – a vulnerability that no business can tolerate.
Underperforming Accounting Package
Dawn made the decision to take action. She was on a mission to upgrade their underperforming accounting package, Quickbooks, with a system that would better suit the complexity and growth projections of the consultancy business.
That’s when Dawn found PC Ware Business Solutions. PC Ware owner Zev Kizelnik is knowledgeable in all aspects of accounting systems for growing businesses. With Dawn’s busy schedule, she was deeply appreciative of Zev’s uncanny ability to understand her business. Rather than giving the quick answer, Zev took time to listen and understand Dawn’s processes and business needs. PC Ware provided Dawn with real solution options. Best of all, the solutions were cost effective, customizable, and could be timely implemented.
A New Accounting Solution
PC Ware implemented a new accounting package for Dawn’s medical consultancy. The package, Sage ACC PAC, included sophisticated customization to allow Dawn to instantly calculate sales commissions based on a complex proprietary formula.
Dawn and her staff are happily up an running with Sage ACC PAC. Accounting controls are strong; reporting, tracking, budgeting, and projections are more accurate and timely; and data is now stored in a more usable and accessible manner. Moreover, management has the confidence that business is under control and set to handle future growth.
The result? The consultancy is making decisions faster, management spots trends more quickly, and there has been a dramatic decrease in vendor issues – saving Dawn time and money.
Is your business feeling out of control?
Call Zev for a free consultation on how to get on top of things.
Zev Sez: If your business feels out of control it probably is.
Contact Us ->Investing Wisely on Inventory Solutions
Whether you have a store or an online business, you’ll need to manage an inventory of your goods. Handling a large amount of merchandise can be difficult. You can have a hard time tracking down sales and identifying which product is in demand. Follow these simple tips to manage your inventory well.
Know Your Supplies
Successful maintenance of inventory means knowing what is on hand and monitoring where it goes after leaving the storage area. Your supplies may include small items that can easily disappear. Inventory management software can help you locate these items easier.
Organize Your Inventory
Organize your storage room to track the products coming and leaving the warehouse. Create labels with ordering information and place this near the designated space for your inventory. Allot enough shelving to store your overstock inventory. Your employees should store supplies with the most used items at eye level and within easy reach. Stock items you do not use often on higher shelves.
Keep Track of Your Supplies
Maintaining an inventory of office supplies allows you to buy larger quantities, translating into discount savings. These savings will accumulate quickly when buying bulk items. Regular quality control checks on your software are important to avoid running out of supplies.
Centralized Inventory Management Software
A smooth and efficient communication is important in managing a warehouse, thus inventory software can be useful. A warehouse operator can have immediate access to necessary data with these tools. Its innovative features allow your staff to locate stock items quickly. The record will show the available space left in the warehouse before it accepts more items. This can increase transaction speed and decrease your customers’ holding time. Your staff can be more productive by devoting time assisting customers.
As a provider of industry-leading business management software, we offer sage business solutions that are easy and economical to implement and maintain. Our team can even modify your preferred software so it can integrate with your business system. Check our page for a selection of software that can help increase business efficiency.
Sage 300 ERP (Formerly Accpac)
Sage 300 ERP (Accpac) is one of the most popular Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solutions available today. It is an automation software that integrates all the different functional aspects of the business. As with any software, Sage 300 ERP (Accpac) just released a new version (2012) that meets the demands of customers worldwide.
Sage 300 ERP (Accpac) has a simplified name that is easier to remember and a better customer support system integrated with it. The new name and features are built on the existing Sage 300 ERP system and through this solution, the developers at Sage have brought out a better software without re-inventing the wheel. They have used the existing features and codes and have built on it, thereby cutting time and effort.
Sage 300 is compatible with other Sage solutions such as Sage CRM, Payroll and Sage HRMS. This makes it convenient for users to adopt the new software solution without the need for any additional installation or changes. This easy integration with existing systems has made it easy for businesses to tap into the enhanced ERP solution and its additional capabilities with relative ease.
Sage 300 ERP is a cost-efficient solution to enhance the productivity of any company. One of the salient features of this product is its flexibility. It can be customized with on-site hardware and software to meet the needs of most kind of business. The architecture is also expandable and this makes it appropriate for multinational businesses that have operations in different countries around the world. The flexible architecture also makes it possible for businesses to adapt to the changing business environment and make use of opportunities as they emerge.
Companies also have the option to use Sage 300 ERP without installing it in their system. With a subscription-based online program, Sage has made their product accessible to businesses around the world. This eliminates the need for installation and compatibility issues and at the same time, makes it possible for companies to tap into the power of Sage 300 ERP. The monthly subscription is nominal and companies can access this software from anywhere. It gives companies the stability that comes with off-site hosting and at the same time, helps them to cut back on IT costs.
These features of Sage 300 ERP provide many advantages for companies and this is one of the reasons for its popularity. As companies enhance their global presence, this ERP package provides the necessary support needed for expansion.
Success factors of an ERP implementation
Author: erppandit
IMPLEMENTATION of an ERP system is a major investment and commitment for any organizations. The size and complexity of ERP projects are the major factors that impact the cost of ERP implementations. Different companies may implement the same ERP software in total different approaches and the same company may integrate different ERP software applications by following the same procedures.
However, there are factors common to the success or failure of ERP implementation regardless of the ERP systems they implement and the methodologies they use.
Starting with this article we will discuss the various success and failure factors of an ERP implementation. So when you are planning to implement the ERP system in your company, try to follow as many success factors as possible and avoid the failure factors.
SUCCESS FACTORS
Project Planning: ERP implementation starts with project planning – setting project goals, identifying high-level business requirements, establishing project teams and estimating the project costs. Project planning offers the opportunity to re-evaluate the project in great details. If the ERP project is not justified at the planning phase, organization should not hesitate to cancel the project. For every successful ERP project there are projects that are cancelled before implementation.
Align the organization on the true destination: You should make sure that everyone in the organization has the same vision about the original motivations for implementation ERP-enabled processes: what the targeted capabilities were, as well as the targeted benefits. Only then can an organization really know how close its ERP program is to being complete. This alignment needs special focus on people: communicating, expectations, education, and top management support.
Architectural Design: While high-level architectural decision is made in the process of ERP vendor selection, it remains a crucial successful factor in integrating ERP with other eBusiness applications, e-commerce applications or legacy systems. Choice of middleware interface software or programming languages drastically impact the implementation cost and release date.
Transition project roles to a way of life: Information technology people, ERP expert, process expert, site leaders, the project manager and the steering committee – going live can involve hundreds of people, in dozens of roles. But at go-live, once the program is operational, the way roles change and the way such change is orchestrated can be an even larger undertaking. Companies successful in the post-implementation phase are simply better at mobilizing and guiding such efforts. They are also better at preparing people for the critical shift, moving from being team members to champions.
Data Requirements: Unlike in-house eBusiness applications, much of the packaged ERP implementation involves the integration of ERP systems with existing eBusiness software (CRM, SCM and SFA) and legacy information systems. Appropriate level of data requirements is critical for an ERP to interact with other applications. Data requirements usually reflect details of business requirements. It costs ten times to correct a mistake at later phase of ERP implementation than the effort to correctly define requirements at analysis and design phase.
Apply planning and program management practices throughout the program life cycle: If there is one thing that companies should master by the time they go-live, it is program management and planning. Companies that will succeed are those that accept the fact that if they are to achieve their benefits, the operation and maintenance phase demands at least as much planning as the implementation phase did.
Achieve balanced people, progress and technology chances across all areas: Companies undertaking the ERP journey must make changes and take action in all areas of the modern enterprise. They need the best-of-breed technology tools, the most effective work processes using world-class practices and people who are trained and motivated. They will also need strategies that fully leverage these new organizational abilities. Far from being a one-dimensional project, the ERP journey must keep change in play and in balance, in all these areas – a fact that successful companies never forget.
ERP must be driven by business case: In other words, the work must be directed toward improving specific business metrics: improved cash flow, faster hiring, reduced costs and accelerated shipments. Both line and IT managers must identify the processes that need improvement. Focusing on business process improvement is the only way to know whether you have got your money’s worth.
Active executive direction: Executive direction in this case means more than just oversight or support. People do not adapt to doing work in new ways without some inspiration from the top. ERP systems are huge, influencing thousands of people, processes, practices and policies. There are thousands of decisions to be made – both large and small. Someone at the top of the organization has to make the call.
Focus on capabilities and benefits, not just going live: The ERP implementation was initiated because of its benefits. So it will not matter much if a schedule is missed by a few days or even weeks. However, if you miss out on an expected feature or benefit, then it is going to hurt. So make sure that all the features that were planned are implemented.
Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1496703_11.html
Making Automation Work for You
In the world of small businesses, owners share one thing in common, and that is the ability to multi-task just so the overhead expenses would be kept to a minimum. This can actually be quite helpful especially if you would want to monitor every aspect of your business. Unfortunately, no business stays small forever. Sooner or later, multi-tasking just won’t cut it.
It is in situations like these that automating your business would prove to be very beneficial to your business. Take for example a small time manufacturing business. As a start-up, the owner can handle all the incoming calls, prepare orders, do the billing and track all the paper work. However, when his or her business starts to grow, he or she will need help tracking every transaction while attending to the paper works. Although most would say that she could hire someone to help in running the business, the complexity of the task might mean that she has to hire three or more people. By automating some of her processes, she can not only hire just one person, she can also cut down the time spent in preparing reports and tracking figures.
One such software that most small manufacturing businesses can make use of is the MISys Manufacturing Software. This MISys software application packs a number of features such as inventory control, multi-level bills of materials (BOM), and revision control; that can help you streamline your processes while ensuring that you still have overall control over your production. And since MISys uses the modular approach, you can opt to buy only the basic modules and then add further module only when the need arises. The more advance modules this application includes advanced purchasing, bin tracking, production control, master production scheduling, and shop floor control, among others.
What makes the MISys software solutions even more popular among small manufacturing businesses is the fact that it allows them to have the needed information when they need it. You can even set it up to inform you and give you a heads-up when certain conditions are met. That way, you are always on top of your business processes.
The MISys systems and solutions were developed by Manufacturing Information Systems, Inc. The company came into being in 1977 with the aim of providing PC-based solutions to non-technical people. It is because of this aim that most MiSys solutions are user-friendly and easy to understand.
See what we can do for you at MISys software manufacturing business software systems
ERP And Your Business Performance
The accounting process is one of the most intricate and detailed aspect of any form of business. Considering the impact in business of a glitch in the accounting process, it is a must that a good accounting process be in place. Sage systems have the accounting software
designed to cater to your business
needs.
From every accounting process from the basic recording to the more complex processes of computation and cross referencing between records, Sage accounting software has everything you need. This came about since Sage has a group of professionals that specialize in the field of accounting who contributed for the enhancement of the said software.
Sage systems have always been renowned for satisfying customers with their easy-to-use interface and user friendly processes. These abilities have enabled Sage users to save on manpower hours that would have otherwise been lost in training and familiarization with the system.
The ERP bundle of Sage 300 ERP includes a number of different modules that could answer the different demands of your businesses
. As a whole, this particular software bundle of Sage helps in marketing, sales, operations, and finance to bring your business at a more advantageous position by keeping clients happy, and thoroughly smoothening daily business operations that contribute to a better overall performance of the business.
Sage 300 ERP is indeed a powerful tool that any business entity should have. With this software residing in your systems, you have the power to collate data and make it available for everyone with just a click of a button. The different modules share the same information helping you in managing complex business finances. This Sage application also improves operations related to inventory monitoring, order-taking, and supplies management.
Another strong feature of Sage 300 ERP is its customer relationship management modules. This particularly includes, marketing processes, highly acclaimed world-class sales, and providing solutions directed to automate customer service.
Indeed, the Sage 300 ERP could relatively deliver the optimum business performance that most companies desire. Together with Sage Pro ERP that maintains and organizes your payroll processes, your business would surely flourish in just a blink of an eye.
