IT & ERP Consulting: Industry Trends

IT/ERP/MRP consulting industry is currently under the transformation. This process is usually happening and comes in parallel with new economic recovery and change in the business paradigm. We'll try to appeal to historical excurse and give some hints on the future trends. In our case we work with such products as Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, CRM, Navision, Retail Management System (RMS) and cross integrations between them and non-Microsoft products: Oracle, Lotus Notes Domino, Unix & Java platforms: J2EE, EJB, Bea Weblogic, Websphere, etc. 

Let's look at the history and the current processes:

o Classical Business Consulting. It was flourishing back in 1950th and had two major schools or directions. It was the time when large businesses were trying to deal with the dilemma of growth and efficiency of internal document workflow. If you remember - in that time computers didn't exist and everything was recorded on the paper. Plus it was the need to probe and deploy psychological methods of coordinating headquarters personnel: sales, purchasing, finance and accounting departments to work in synch with one another under the condition of paper document workflow

o ERP System of 1960th. This was the time of mainframe and first ERP. If you look at the ERP application, it has GL, AP, AR modules - these are classical and could be tracked back to the 19th century. When you automate Sales Order Processing or Purchase Order Processing - this would be something new and each ERP vendor would be doing it as its own invention. ERP Systems implementation faced the challenge of user experience lack in those days - this is why we see large number of flourishing ERP consulting firms in late 1960th and 1970th.

o ERP with rich functionality 1980th & 1990th. Looking back to 1980th - the typical large and midsize corporation had relatively similar business processes in Sales, Purchasing, Inventory Control, Warehouse Management, Logistics, Shipping & Receiving, Manufacturing, Accounting and Finance departments. When we talk about similarity - we are comparing it to the diversification of late 1990th and 2000th when a lot of new companies grew up and went public. The market conditions of 1980th and early 1990th made it feasible to design the systems with rich functionality. From the ERP side we would name: SAP, Oracle, PeopleSoft, JDEdwards. These systems cost several hundred thousand dollars in software licenses and the implementation of the system requires comparable budget.

o Business Models Diversification 2000th. If you look at the dot-com boom of late 1990th - you will see that these companies tried to invent their own way of business processes to automate serving their unique business offer to the potential clientele, usually related to the new opportunities of internet marketing & sales. In the case of these new public (plus small & micro cap) rapidly growing companies - business processes were in the turbulent change and the deployment of the system with rich functionality (usually with long implementation cycle) would not be the option.

o Customization & Integration. As the alternative - new large and midsize businesses have to deploy standard functionality ERP system (not rich functionality ERP) and consider it as a platform for customization, custom development, reporting and integration. These standard functionality systems are the ERP applications of the middle market: Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Accpac,

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What Job Opportunities Are After the SAP Certified Course?

It has become a must for companies that want to be competitive and profitable to use ERP software to optimize their business processes. In the segment of ERP software, SAP is very popular and widely used. The direct consequence of this is the fact that people knowing how to implement this software are in great demand on the job market. A job opportunity after SAP course is not difficult to find and such a course will definitely add value to one's resume. SAP is basically used by all the departments in a company.

The production department, the human resources department or the financial department, they all benefit from SAP in conducting their activity. An SAP course is thus a good solution for somebody looking for a job, but also for someone already having one and looking for a promotion. A job opportunity after SAP course will then come as something natural in your career.

A job opportunity after SAP course might be a lot different than the opportunities existing before taking the course and are also better paid. The knowledge in what concerns SAP combined with previous experience in your field of expertise can act as a magnet for potential employers. Everyone wants to attract in his or hers company people able to implement effective business solutions and everybody is willing to pay them more money in order to keep them there.

A job opportunity after SAP course is definitely a possibility in companies using ERP software. However, attending such a course does not turn you into an expert in a certain field. It enhances your exiting abilities and it teaches you how to maximize the work you were already doing or the work you have been prepared to do in your school years. An SAP course in itself is not going to get you a job unless it is backed up by specific knowledge and experience in a certain area.

Some consider a job opportunity after SAP course the possibility of developing a career as an SAP consultant. Lots of companies are introducing ERP software in their activity and are looking for a person capable of offering them the necessary guidance and help in implementing it. Getting an SAP certification can open unexpected career opportunities because it allows you to combine planning and execution in a manner that can only be in the best interest of the company.

Benefiting of a job opportunity after SAP course is nothing difficult, especially for someone already a professional in his or hers field of activity. SAP courses are available to be attended by anyone interested in expanding their horizons. Getting certified after finishing the course is also simple and it would be a shame not to take advantage of all the perspectives that the certification can open in your professional life.

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ERP System Tips - Implementations, Upgrades And Modules: What To LookFor When Hiring Help

Your Enterprise resource Planning system, such as Infor / Lawson, is not only a vital working part of your business, but it is also very complex. It has to be, or it would not be so effective. The complexity of the system and all the power it contains does make it a bit of a tricky process when it comes time to make changes, add new modules, or even implement a brand new ERP system from the start.

One of the biggest issues that most business management system users have is that when it comes time to make large changes to the system itself, it is a timely, costly and difficult process. Sometimes, even the ERP system administration people who use it on a day to day basis do not have the technical skill level to dig into the guts of the system.

This, among other reasons, is why it may be a good idea to consider hiring a third party consulting firm to assist in this complex and vitally important process. After all, when so much is riding on the perfect process flow you need from your enterprise wide software system, payroll, taxes, employee management, and so much more, it pays to have the job done right the first time.

So if you do decide to hire some outside help, what should you look for? For one, the firm or consultant should have a broad spectrum of experience with ERP's, business intelligence and even non-integrated software packages. After all, you want to leverage their expertise and training so that you get what you need quickly, efficiently and without putting a huge dent in your profit margin. Whether you are implementing the entire compliment of Lawson or other software suite components or upgrading the system to new environment service packs, or just installing a few new modules, your ERP system consultant should be able to guide you smoothly and easily.

A quality business management software consultant will work with you in all steps, starting with a pre-implementation evaluation, project management, project planning. They will bring technical and functional expertise on all modules, testing, and conference room pilots. Equally as important, the consultant or team should provide you with post-implementation support. This is often a very critical phase.

It should also be noted, that perhaps just as complex, or maybe even more so, as a new system install is an upgrade. Migrating your current ERP system setup to the newest version requires a great deal of care. This is primarily due to the fact that you must maintain the integrity of your existing data and make these changes on an active system. It is akin to trying to change a flat while you're still driving down the highway.

Thus once again, when considering hiring outside professional help, be sure that their upgrade services include the following:

Pre-Upgrade Review and Checklist,

Data Cleanup,

Upgrade assistance for Environment, Security and Applications,

Upgrade Testing,

Post-Upgrade Support, and

Training.

Often it is thought that by doing this type of work in house, a company is actually saving money. This may be true in some cases. But unless you have an on-staff ERP System Administrator, when it comes time for implementation, upgrades or other installs, keep in mind that a top notch consultant comes with years of experience that will save you a lot of time and money.

As the old saying goes, sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees. So, wouldn't it be advantageous to have a guide who knows the way?

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ERP Data Conversions - Best Practices and Steps

Every company who has gone through an ERP project has gone through the painful process of getting the data ready for the new system. The process of executing this typically goes through the following steps:

(1) Extract or define

(2) Clean and transform

(3) Load

(4) Validate and verify

This process is typically executed multiple times (2 - 5+ times depending on complexity) through an ERP project to ensure that the good data ends up in the new system. If the data is either incorrect, not well enough cleaned or adjusted or loaded incorrectly in to the new system it can cause serious problems as the new system is launched.

(1) Extract or define

This involves extracting the data from legacy systems, which are to be decommissioned. In some cases the data may not exist in a legacy system, as the old process may be spreadsheet-based and has to be created from scratch. Typically this involves creating some extraction programs or leveraging existing reports to get the data in to a format which can be put in to a spreadsheet or a data management application.

(2) Data cleansing

Once extracted it normally reviewed is for accuracy by the business, supported by the IT team, and/or adjusted if incorrect or in a structure which the new ERP system does not understand. Depending on the level of change and data quality this can represent a significant effort involving many business stakeholders and required to go through multiple cycles.

(3) Load data to new system

As the data gets structured to a format which the receiving ERP system can handle the load programs may also be build to handle certain changes as part of the process of getting the data converted in to the new system. Data is loaded in to interface tables and loaded in to the new system's core master data and transactions tables.

When loading the data in to the new system the inter-dependency of the different data elements is key to consider and validate the cross dependencies. Exceptions are dealt with and go in to lessons learned and to modify extracts, data cleansing or load process in to the next cycle.

(4) Validate and verify

The final phase of the data conversion process is to verify the converted data through extracts, reports or manually to ensure that all the data went in correctly. This may also include both internal and external audit groups and all the key data owners. Part of the testing will also include attempting to transact using the converted data successfully.

The topmost success factors or best practices to execute a successful conversion I would prioritize as follows:

(1) Start the data conversion early enough by assessing the quality of the data. Starting too late can result in either costly project delays or decisions to load garbage and "deal with it later" resulting in an increase in problems as the new system is launched.

(2) Identify and assign data owners and customers (often forgotten) for the different elements. Ensure that not only the data owners sign-off on the data conversions but that also the key users of the data are involved in reviewing the selection criteria's, data cleansing process and load verification.

(3) Run sufficient enough rounds of testing of the data, including not only validating the loads but also transacting with the converted data.

(4) Depending on the complexity, evaluate possible tools beyond spreadsheets and custom
programming to help with the data conversion process for cleansing, transformation and load process.

(5) Don't under-estimate the effort in cleansing and validating the converted data.

(6) Define processes and consider other tools to help how the accuracy of the data will be maintained after the system goes live.

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Computerized Maintenance Management

Data security and data management are two of the most popular buzzwords in today's world, where computerized maintenance management rules. Computerized maintenance management systems, or CMMS, are those systems, which are used to storage and maintenance of data. For instance, SAP and ERP are two such important systems.

SAP and ERP help people manage a database of information about an organization's data maintenance and management operations. These software packages can also be used for taking work orders, managing the assets of an organization, controlling the inventory, and for preventive maintenance or keeping track of the various jobs and work orders.

Now, there is new software called facility manager. What has facility manager got to do with computerized maintenance management? Facility manager is an important paperless computerized maintenance management system, and a solution to control other maintenance management systems. It is used in various industries, including call center businesses, and also on helpdesks for maximizing productivity, increasing efficiency in the work and simplifying the tasks at hand.

Computerized maintenance management systems also help you to determine your liabilities and costs, and can also be used as an accounting system. Some of the computerized maintenance management systems come with the usual features, whereas others come with more sophisticated and advanced features, for a price.

You can get computerized maintenance management systems at your local retail software stores, or stores that stock computers. You need to consider the main product and its features before selecting the system. It must be preloaded with mechanical, bio-medical procedures and compatible with Microsoft Windows. Finally, buy the system from a trusted vendor.

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SAP MM Interview Questions

With a SAP MM (which stands for Material Management) certification, you can avail higher payment jobs and boost up your career. If you really want a booming career with your SAP MM certification, then you must know first about the aspects that SAP MM deals with and how you would get an SAP certification.

 In order to pass the SAP certification exam and start working as a certified consultant, you don't need any extra qualifications or certificates or coaching. However, to obtain a good score in the exam and to be identified in SAP society, you have to follow some rules and it would be better if you realize that you have to apply some tricks while preparing for your SAP certification exam.

Different websites, study guides, training centers etc provide you with sets of questions that will help you to sort out the specific areas which seem really problematic. This is the trick that, if you can sort out your problems, then your self-confidence levels will rise up which you must acquire before cracking the certification exam.

You must be evaluated in proper ways and the people who are assessing you must know that you know all the things they want you to know. You must keep in your mind that, your recognition to the SAP community depends on whether you can prove yourself eligible to answer all the questions when sitting before your examiners or not.

The sets of sample questions, interview questions, answers, explanations given by different websites or study guides are the same as the questions you may face at your SAP MM certification test. Therefore, following the interview questions during your preparation for SAP certification exam is a must. It will help you to be updated with the world of SAP MM certification and obviously it will help you to take your preparation for the exams as well.

Furthermore, when you get familiarized with all the related terms of SAP MM certification, it will be easier for you to build your career with it. As interviews are the proper place to show your preparation, interest and confidence, you must not overlook this part of your exam. The interview questions improve your knowledge level and find out your problems. By practicing those you can overcome your problems and solve them that will push you one step ahead to the path of your success.

So, the success of your SAP certification tests largely depends on how prepare yourself for the exam.

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SAP Business One Implementation in Rentals Industry Example

SAP B1 implementation is really very flexible and you often do not need third party SB1 ISV add-ons and instead discover how you can establish your unique business data entry procedure within SAP BO standard functionality. In this small publication we would like to give you highlights on how to automate mid-size rentals business in SAP Business One ERP

1. Service Contract in SB1. If you have serialized item you can associate it with contract main form. However item and its serial (or alternatively manufacturing) number is optional. One of the scenarios might be when you have one principal item, which is mentioned in the contract and then you add multiple additions: parts, auxiliary equipment - all these part are subject to the rent and needs to be accounted accordingly. In the case like that you associate main item with contract in Service Contract screen

2. Additional items. These items could be serialized, but it is your choice, you might be OK just with counting them in your inventory warehouse as temporary rented by quantity. Here is what is a bit interesting and what is not really on the surface - look how we add items to rentals contract. Create new service call document, click on Expenses tab and Expenses Detail, then Service Call Expenses screen click on New Document and now you see the document options - here pick Transferred to Technician. Transferred to Technician will suggest you to select from which warehouse it should be transferred and which is destination warehouse.

 In essence it is simple inventory item transfer between two sites, however it is associated with Service Call and it is in turn associated with Service Contract, in our case we deploy Service Contract as Rental Contract

3. Rentals Warehouse. We recommend you in Transferred to Technician window use specially created Warehouse - named something like Rentals

4. Contract Termination. In order to place rented items back to their normal location, you should create new service call or open existing one and create new Expense document, pick Returned from Technician option. Here you should select from Warehouse Rentals

5. Rented Items report. If you are SB1 consultant, you should know how to create either query or modify existing service report or even create Excel or Crystal Report, showing you details on your Rental Contract

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Choosing a CRM - Bespoke Customer Relationship Management System orOff-The-Shelf CRM

What is a CRM System?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems basically allow you to manage your company or organisation.

 Typically a CRM system will let you:

- keep track of enquiries

- log when and how these are turned into sales

- keep track of contact details for your customers (including running mail merge campaigns)
You can also get your CRM system to interface with your accounts systems, so that it manages purchasing and invoicing. Indeed, the problem when commissioning a Customer Relationship Management system is often knowing when to draw the line.

The Two Choices Available

If you're looking to implement a CRM system, you have two basic choices. You can either ask a company to write one for you, or you can buy one off-the-shelf (typical suppliers are Mamut, Microsoft Dynamics, SalesForce.com, Oracle, SAP and Maximizer). Either way has big pros and cons, so it's vital you understand the difference between the two. This article considers the pros and cons of each approach under separate headings below.

Buying an Off-the-Shelf System

The obvious advantage of this approach is that you avoid reinventing the wheel: if someone else has already written a complete system, doesn't it make sense to buy the bits of this that you want? Surely this will make it cheaper to buy a system, and you'll get a more powerful system into the bargain?
The problem with any off-the-shelf system is that it will do far, far more than you want.

 You can either license the entire system (and then ignore the 90% of the system that you aren't using), or you could customise the system to suit your own needs. The problem with the second approach is knowing what to cut out, and how.

 When your CRM system has been in place for several years, you'll be in a perfect position to realise which bits you need and which bits are irrelevant, but when you first commission the system it's unlikely that you'll be able to make sensible decisions about what to do. You'll therefore be at the mercy of the company selling the system, whose main incentive will be to deviate as little as possible from the core product.

None of this is a reason not to go for the off-the-shelf approach, but be aware that you will end up with a complex system, which requires you to input more data than you need to. Oh, and watch out for those annual licensing costs.

Building your Own System
This approach would undoubtedly give better results - if you have an infinite budget. With no limits on the amount of money you have to spend, you could employ a large consultancy to write the perfect system for you, which mirrors your business in every detail.

In practice the above approach isn't feasible, so you'll need to think which bits of the system are necessary for your business. Thus for the build-it-yourself approach you will start with nothing and add the bits you need (rather than starting with everything and getting rid of the bits you don't need).
Whether the DIY approach works is mostly down to who specifies and builds the CRM system for you. Your supplier will need to understand your business, and share your mission to keep the cost and complexity of the system down. Be wary of consultants trying to write the perfect system for you - you'll end up with the perfect bill.

Our Recommendation
Actually, we don't have one; or at least, not a one-size-fits-all recommendation. Every CRM system we've ever seen has been over-complicated, requiring company staff to input far more data than necessary (which then all too often means that the system falls into disuse). On the other hand, proprietary systems cost a lot of money, which is probably acceptable if the supplier gets it right.
Perhaps our tentative advice would be this: if it's your own business and you're trying to skimp and save, go for the proprietary CRM system and make sure you keep it simple; if you work for a company and have a tendency to gilt-edge things, maybe the discipline of fitting into an existing off-the-shelf CRM is what you need.

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Goals and Objectives of ERP Software Implementation

Many organizations are implementing Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP to help streamline the internal business processes of the organization. A lot of resources are involved for the implementation of the system. The ERP system can change the performance of the business and give it an edge over its competitors. ERP implementation goals and objectives must be defined before the implementation. Some of the company's goals and objectives are growth rate, ROI, ready information and measuring the operations.

Organizations go in for ERP to increase their growth rate using the latest technology and new procedures. To get return on investments or ROI the company needs to achieve targets within time. The information provided by ERP helps the management to take better decisions and actions.

ERP implementation may present many challenges in the organization and to derive the maximum benefits with minimum risks, careful planning must be done. Evaluation of the phases of the implementation is required to achieve the ERP implementation goals and objectives. When this is done, the ERP provides with business benefits and improvement in productivity. Firstly the business objectives need to be defined so that a solution can be selected accordingly.

 This will ensure an improvement in the information flow by creating transparency in the business units. Defining the infrastructure is also required to prevent a misfit of the solution that will be provided. Since the solution has to be created from scratch, it is essential to choose the right ERP vendor which fits to your budget and business needs.

The implementation is a complex process and requires a lot of planning, therefore it is essential to select the right vendor. To achieve the implementation goals and objectives, establish the communication standards, establish timelines, budgets, etc. Create performance benchmarks and an implementation schedule. One has to employ the team which will work at the development and implementation. For monitoring the project, manage the benchmarks with the team members. Conduct the stress testing and usability testing of the ERP system and train the staff to use the new system. It is important for the end users to be familiar and to know the new system.

For ERP implementation goals and objectives, appoint maintenance and support staff for security and backup procedures. The future initiatives and enhancements need to be determined by conducting a systematic review of the ERP implementation. The implementation needs to be done in the right manner to obtain all the benefits and prevent waste of resources allotted.

 A gradual approach is required to transfer each section of the organization to the new system. For this, proper planning is needed else it may result in a mess. An experienced project manager and capable consultant will ensure that the ERP implementation goals and objectives are achieved. The objectives have to be set to comply with the standards and law too.

The Enterprise Resource Planning brings the functional applications into a single database which helps the company by providing better decision making and improved communication. ERP resolves the problems of the organization be streamlining the internal business process and providing customized solution according to the requirements.

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Different ERP Implementation Methodologies

Enterprise Resource Planning involves applications which collectively function to assist in all the cardinal areas of management process. Choosing the right way of implementing ERP is as important as choosing the right software. ERP implementation methodologies should be discussed with the vendor so as to use the best suited method.

Some of the various ways of implementation are the Phased rollout, the Big bang method and the Parallel adoption. To choose the appropriate method of ERP implementation may be difficult as what may work for some company may not work for the other. The strategy has to be chosen according to the circumstances. Let us look at the different ERP implementation methodologies in details as below:

1. Big Bang: In this, the implementation of the Enterprise Resource Planning system happens at once and the system is installed across the company at once. To achieve this, a lot of planning has to be done prior to the implementation. With proper planning in place, the new ERP system is launched by switching off the old system. This kind of ERP implementation methodologies cost a little less and is quick. It happens all at once, so the implementation time is shorter and all are aware of the day the implementation is going to take place.

The training period is also shortened as the training is given only for using the new system and not for the transition period. But Big bang has its set of disadvantages too. The employees have lesser time to get used to the new system and some details can be overlooked in order to switch over to the new system in one go. The full testing of the system before implementation may be difficult to carry out and a failure in any part can affect the others parts.

2. Phased Rollout: This is different from the Big bang and the changes do not all happen at once. The implementation is done in a series of phases which are predetermined module wise, unit wise or by location. In the phase rollout by module, the modules are implemented one by one. The critical ones are implemented first and then the rest added. In some cases, the critical ones are added later. One of the ERP implementation methodologies is phased rollout unit wise in which the implementation is done in one business unit at a time.

In the phased rollout location wise, if the company has multiple locations, the new system is implemented one location at a time. This approach is used for large organizations usually. The advantages of phased rollout are that plenty of time is available for the alterations and users have more time to adapt to the changes. The disadvantages are that several adjustments are required and duration of implementation is very long.

3. Parallel Adoption: This is one of the least risky ERP implementation methodologies as it includes running of the old and the new ERP system together. It has its own set of pros and cons.
There is certain way of choosing the right ERP methodologies for your company as it has to be based on the company strategies and goals.

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Can You Afford to Put in an ERP System Into Your Business?

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) has a reputation as being the key to effectively managing a multitude of business applications across an organisation. While many large Fortune 500 companies jumped on the bandwagon very early on, smaller companies are hesitant to adopt ERP Software for fear of making a wrong, costly investment.

However, many small and mid-size businesses (SMBs) that have been using decade-old systems are now acknowledging the need to upgrade the system that is the backbone their business.

Owners are also finding other software programs that have worked previously, no longer function well with other new business processes, leading to an inflexibility that eventually hinders the working cycle across a company's business portfolio. Whatever the reason, many companies are now investigating ERP as a solution to help significantly contribute more to the bottom line.

Although many SMBs balk at the idea of investing in ERP - thinking that they could not possibly afford to make the sizable investment in this technology - it holds true and somewhat inevitable that SMBs can no longer afford NOT to have an ERP system in their business.

The time and resources spent on administration in supporting multiple platforms across different departments can be eradicated with a simple ERP package.

SMBs need to know that ERP is no longer just for the fat cats. ERP software vendors know that there is a bigger slice of the pie out there for them with SMBs. These vendors have tailored their ERP solutions for such companies, so that they can also take advantage of ERP for maximum efficiency in conducting business.

Smaller companies that have outgrown MYOB and Quickbooks are now able to reap huge rewards from using an ERP system that has been specifically designed for their business. A good ERP system can be affordable for small and medium businesses and can save a significant amount of money on administration in the long run because ERP ties together all facets of a business, and is able to provide unique insight into managing the company.

For example, the Jim2 Business Engine from Happen Business is designed specifically for SMBs to take advantage of ERP. The software helps SMBs drive down costs, manage their data more effectively and operate more efficiently. For example, the Jim2 Business Engine provides a quality system framework and a front-end interface to manage business workflow and processes, representing a substantial move away from running small to medium-sized businesses via standard accounting software.

Putting in a good ERP software will give any company the ability to consolidate, measure and control the business.

It can also help improve customer, vendor and staff relationships.
Five important facts about an ERP system:

1. Affordable for small and medium businesses


2. Saves you money on administration


3. ERP ties together all facets of your business


4. Provides proper "Big Business" reporting - essential for any size business At the risk of using a cliche... if you can't measure it, you can't manage it".


5. Is flexible and will grow with you

In the case of Central Communications, a company that offers complete turnkey solutions and services for all communications needs across Australia, the director of the company knew that its growing business needed to upgrade to a better working platform. Central Communications was born after a merger between an electronics radio communications business and a commercial satellite and broadcast business. After the merger, Central Communications continued to process invoices with the Pronto accounting system, which was the program used at one of the originating companies. All other job management and tracking tasks were done manually.

The lack of an integrated database meant an employee either manually entered the information on paper forms or typed the information into their department's computer program. Typically, the information was emailed between departments if stored electronically.

Fuelled with the need for a new system to accompany the new business, Central Communications tried the Jim2 Business, and almost immediately, processes began to change for the better. The Jim2 Business Engine integrated Central Communications accounting, workflow and business process management into one software package that is designed to support every aspect of the workflow cycle. Jim2 managed to free staff from the burden of tedious administration work, lowering overhead costs, and offering a fully controlled and monitored system for management reports, while being user-friendly and accurate, all at the same time.

Marc Woods, Director at Central Communications said, "Happen Business did some customisation and the Scheduler Calendar system was born. This system is invaluable in tracking our appointments and meetings. It is very easy to use and has key features, such as opening a job directly from the calendar screen. The level of detail and customer focus put into this project was excellent."
While an ERP system can be quite an investment, its monetary benefits are long term.

Knowing the costs up front can help with the decision on buying a good ERP system. Here are five things to consider when purchasing an ERP system:

1. Functionality and flexibility - does the ERP system offer solutions that fit your business requirements? Tailored options can be a huge asset to your company, and flexibility allows the system to adapt as the company grows


2. Cost of software - how many staff would be performing tasks with the system? Licensing costs are usually dependent on the number of users


3. Implementation - are you able to invest the time and resources for data conversion? Time for data migration needs to be set aside for an efficient ERP system


4. Training - does the vendor offer complete and practical training support?


5. On going support - does the ERP package offer after sales support? Good customer service is an essential factor for ERP in order to maintain the system and keep it working to its maximum efficiency.

While like Central Communications, your business may be too small for SAP there are other ERP alternatives available to help you manage your business.

So when it comes to choosing an ERP system for your company, regardless of size, research well to find a solution that best meets your needs.

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Working With Subject Matter Experts to Develop and Deliver Training

There are many times when training staff need to work with subject-matter experts (SMEs), both internal and external to their companies. This article focuses on the challenge of working with internal SMEs. Here are two examples of these types of situations:

• There is a training need for a new product or service that your company is planning to introduce to the market. The training group may be asked to develop training for those who will sell the product, those who will service the product, those who will provide the service, etc.


• There is a training need for employees who will use a new company system, e.g., SAP, or Oracle, or a new manufacturing system, a new call center response system, or a new performance management system.

Supporting the Introduction of a New Product or Service by your Company
In many companies, a member of the training staff may be assigned to develop new training materials, or a new instructor-led or e-learning program, for a new product or service. If this is how your company works, you should try to become part of the product development and introduction team as early in the development process as possible, and certainly no later than the beta testing of the new product or service.

The more you can learn, and the earlier you can learn it, the better off you are. Sometimes, the product development team will resist putting a training person on the team - "What do they know? How can they possibly help us? We're the engineers/product designers/service developers - we know what we need to do, and putting that training person on our team is only going to slow us down." Try this argument to overcome these types of objections from the technical staff (SMEs):

• The product isn't going to do the company any good unless our salespeople know how to sell it, our service people know how to install it and fix it, and our customers know how to use it. We want to make certain that the training for all of these groups is ready when you are ready to announce the product. We don't want to hold up the product introduction because we can't provide the needed training to all of these groups.

In some cases, the product or service may be so complex that you really need to have the SME provide the initial training. In these cases, the SME may object to working with someone from the training group with an argument such as: "Look. I know this product inside and out. I'll just get up and talk about it. The technical staff, from here in the company or from customers, will be so impressed with the depth my knowledge and have such confidence in my technical knowledge and abilities, it won't make any difference whether we have pretty training materials or not - they'll get all the answers from me and they can take notes." Try these arguments to overcome these objections:

• This may be true for the customers who will participate in the beta-test for the product. But if the product takes off like you hope it will, you aren't going to be able to provide all the training yourself. And while customers for the beta-test may be satisfied with your notes, as more and more customers buy the product, they are going to expect that the training materials are as professional as the product. We can help you put together a more professional presentation for your initial training session and, at the same time, learn what we need to learn about the product so we can start working on the formal customer training materials.


• We acknowledge your technical expertise. But we are the experts at training our internal support groups and our customers. Let us help you translate your technical jargon into language that your audience will understand. Let us help you put together a powerful, professional presentation - it can only make you look better.

I was in charge of a customer seminar/road show to introduce and demonstrate the company's newest products. The show was being professionally produced and we had recruited speakers from marketing and product management to present the seminar. Several of the engineers who would be traveling with the seminar to support the equipment and do demonstrations asked if they could also be speakers at the seminar. I had no objection to this, but I insisted that they take the same presentation skills workshop that all of the other speakers were required to take to prepare for the seminar.

The engineers objected: "We don't need to waste our time on this training. Customers will see that we know what we are talking about and will soak up the information from us. Our technical expertise will be sufficient without wasting our time to learn how to present." I forced the issue and got them to take the workshop, despite their protests. A few years later, I was visiting one of the company's sites and, at lunch time, one of the engineers who had participated in the seminar sat down next to me in the cafeteria.

After exchanging greetings, he told me, "You know, I just got a big promotion." "Congratulations," I said. "I'm sure it was well-deserved." "You know," he continued, "I've been thinking about it. And I came to the conclusion that the presentation workshop you made me attend a few years ago was probably as much responsible for the promotion as my technical knowledge and skills." "That's an interesting observation," I replied. "Why do you say that?" "It's just that engineers in general are such poor presenters, the fact that I have good presentation skills separated me from my peers who are just a bright technically as me, but can't make a good presentation to save their lives."

Training on a New Company System
Typically, when a new system is being introduced to a company, there is a core group of people who work on the installation and who will support the system once it is installed. It is vital that the trainers who will provide the initial training on the system form a close working relationship with that core group. The first questions to ask about any new company system (e.g., a manufacturing system, SAP, Oracle, call center response system, performance management system, etc.) are:

• How many people need to be trained?


• To what level do they need to be trained?


• Where are the people located?


• If the company is purchasing the system from a vendor, what training materials are available from the vendor?


• What training or job aids can be created to help people use the system?

I received a call one day from the company's CFO. He said that the company had just spent $300,000 on a new physical asset tracking system to keep track of all physical assets such as office furniture and equipment. The vendor was now proposing to develop an e-learning program to train people on how to use the system. Their price to create the e-learning was $100,000. "I have no idea whether this is a reasonable number or not." Can you help me out here?" I arranged a meeting the next day with the CFO and the person leading the team in charge of the new system.

After some discussion, I learned that:

• The system was very intuitive to use.


• There would be about 200 people, worldwide, who would enter data into the system.


• There would be about 15 people worldwide who would need deeper expertise on the system.


• The core group, who would provide the ultimate back-up for all of the users, had about eight people and they already had the knowledge they needed.

The training solution we designed included:

• A one-hour webcast for the 200 worldwide users. We conducted the webcast several times to accommodate different time zones and recorded the webcast for those who could not attend the live webcasts.


• A one-page laminated instruction sheet for the 200 worldwide users.


• A three-hour webinar for the 15 people who needed more in-depth training.

The training group created all the learning materials for both groups, working with the SMEs in the core group and documentation from the system vendor. The training group conducted the one-hour webcast, with members of the core group in attendance to answer questions, and trained two members of the core group who gave the three-hour webcast. The total cost, including the cost of the webcasts, was about $15,000.

Some Additional Strategies for Working with SMEs
Here is another strategy I have used to work with an SME when it was clear that the SME, rather than the training staff, needed to do the actual training. I once asked an engineer if he could put together a 2-hour training session as part of a larger training program I was writing. "Sure," he said. "Tell me when and where I need to be and I'll show up and do the session." I offered to have one of the instructional designers on my training staff work with him to organize the presentation and prepare materials for the training participants.

"I don't have time for that," the engineer said. "Just tell me where I need to be, and I'll provide the training. Just make sure that I have at least one big white board that I can draw on." I knew that the engineer was very busy with other projects, but he was the best SME the company had on the topic. I wasn't going to win this argument. Instead, I asked, "Could you give the presentation twice? Once, say next week. The second time will be about a month from now when we hold the formal training session." He agreed. The next week, he did his two-hour presentation.

I had put these people in the audience for this preliminary presentation:

• An instructional designer


• A graphics designer


• Two members of the target audience for the training


• A camera operator

The two members of the target audience helped to focus the presentation on the needs of those who would be trained. These two people made comments on what material was on target, what material was superfluous for the target audience, and what topics should be added to the presentation. The instructional designer and the graphics designer who attended used their notes from the session, along with the video we recorded, to prepare an agenda for the later training session and to prepare slides (rather than the hand-drawn diagrams the SME had put on every inch of the white board) and other materials for the target audience. About a week before the main training session, I went to see the SME.

I went through the agenda with him and gave him the slides and materials that my staff had prepared. "Could you use the agenda to organize what you are going to say next week? And here are some slides that I had my people make up so you don't have to spend so much time drawing." The SME was very grateful for the help. "It would have taken me days to put this stuff together, and I just don't have the time. Thanks."

An important point from this story concerns having members of the target audience work with the SME to ensure that the audience gets the information it needs. I once worked with a telecommunications equipment manufacturer to put together a multi-day training program for its sales and sales support staff on a set of new products it was introducing to the market. All of the training was going to be done by the SMEs, in this case marketing, product management, and engineering personnel. I provided a half-day workshop on how to put together the training materials.

I also gave each presenter the names and contact information for two people from the target audience who had agreed to work with them to help target the content to the needs of the audience. About half of the SMEs contacted their two audience resources, while the other half didn't bother - "We're the experts on these products. We know what they need." At the end of each session, we asked the audience to complete an evaluation. On a 5-point scale, those SMEs who had worked with the audience resources ahead of time scored an average of 4.4.

 Those who didn't use the audience resources in developing their sessions scored an average of 3.7. This is a very significant difference. Most training groups have to rely on SMEs to help them learn the material they will be training or to actually do the training themselves. But, as shown above, the training group can add great value to the training process by working closely with the SMEs.

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The Benefits of Supply Chain Management Systems

As a business owner, you need to know the importance of effective supply chain management systems. This aspect of business can help improve customer satisfaction. It can also help enhance efficiency and minimize the costs. Read on to know more about this important aspect of business.

What is an SCM system?

A supply chain management system helps in the operation of interconnected businesses that provide products and services to the customers. This system allows business owners in planning, designing, implementing, and monitoring the related activities to improve the performance of the business. Supply chain management systems often take time and money to implement. Many businesses, however, invest on these systems because of its benefits.

What are the benefits of SCM system?

Lower cost is one of the leading benefits of using an SCM system. It helps lower the costs of raw materials. An efficient system helps you plan for the materials to be brought to your company at the lowest possible cost. It also helps ensure the materials are exact in amount. With an improved relationship with the suppliers, you can have the chance to cut on cost through a volume discount.
With the latest software, you can track your suppliers and distributors. This way, you can monitor the location of your raw materials and finished products.

These companies can also track you while receiving or sending the materials. The most advanced systems may also include reports on how the chain of goods goes from the supplier to the distributors. Such reports are important as they allow you to see the areas that need improvement.

What is a Cycle Time?

A cycle time is the time your business takes to turn over a product from raw materials, give it to your distributors to sell, and make money to buy new raw product. The cycle starts with the purchase of new materials. When it takes too long to obtain the raw materials, production may need to stop. As a result, the operation and revenue slow down and.

With an effective SCM system, you get a smooth and effective cycle time. It ensures raw materials are provided as the business needs them. This way, the production can go on smoothly and continuously.

What is a WMS Software?

Warehouse management system software or warehouse software is important in a productive supply chain management. Such software allows warehouse managers and owners to properly control the movement and storage of the materials taken in, stored, and disbursed. WMS software is practical and advanced to provide better and easier management.

Many companies today provide warehouse software and other management systems. Choosing a good software or system can be the key to an improved productivity. With the help of these innovative platforms for business, you can gain the trust of your business partners and consumers.
Start searching online for companies offering supply chain management.

Compare all of your options so you can have a suitable management system for your warehouse and other related operations.

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ERP Consultants - Technical Vs Functional

Most of the business houses and big organizations are opting for ERP consultants nowadays. An ERP system is adapted to the customer's business process and is made industry specific. The demand for ERP system has increased the need for ERP consultants to implement the system.

The consultant is required to understand the business process and manage the day to day functioning of an ERP system in the organization. These consultants can be functional consultants and technical consultants. The functional consultants need to have knowledge of business process and should know the functionalities of the different modules. The technical ERP consultant needs to provide the technical support for evaluation, implementation and after sales to the client.

Functional consultants and Technical consultants both are required for conceptualizing, designing, implementing and for maintaining an ERP system. Both technical as well as functional consultants have their roles and responsibilities well defined and offer their respective expertise to the projects. The functional ERP consultant vs technical ERP consultant is required to offer his work before the start of the implementation phase. He has to outline the scope of the business functions which will be implemented in the ERP system.

The consultant has to identify the problems that occur during the implementation phase and address the issues. He acts like an advisor and suggests the improvements that can be done to improve the existing business process of the customer. He needs to take care of the communication between the core team members. He is required to map the needs of the client and suggest an appropriate solution accordingly. All these steps take place in the pre implementation phase and then the implementation phase starts once the customer is satisfied.

The functional consultant has to prepare documents regarding the needs and the solutions provided. These documents need to be approved by the client and his project manager to go ahead with the GAP analysis. He needs to handle the coordination and interaction between the module consultants and technical consultants.

Technical ERP consultant has a different set of roles and responsibilities from that of a functional ERP consultant. The technical consultant needs to be well versed with the latest technologies and work of the programming and coding aspects of the system. He has to trouble shoot the errors and fix the bugs if present in the system.

A technical consultant is usually not involved in the pre implementation phase and becomes active once the implementation phase starts. The consultant may not directly interact with the client but needs to interact with the financial consultant and the project manager for updating them on the progress of customization. This technical consultant looks at the modification process of the application according to the requirements of the client.

 One cannot say who is more important in functional ERP consultant vs. Technical ERP consultant as both are required for the implementation process. There has to be a sound coordination between both the consultants in order to work on the project smoothly and complete it on time.

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ERP Software in the Health Care Industry

There has been a significant growth in health care industry recently which has enabled the hospitals to use latest technology like ERP for better services and provide value for money to their patients. Hospitals cannot continue to follow old practices and technologies. They need to be updated in terms of use of latest technology and faster information transfer for better services and retain their patients.
ERP in health care industry still needs lot of development as most of the ERP solutions today are inclined towards manufacturing or distribution and have some common features with health care industry but lack in providing industry specific solutions. Still ERP can be of immense help in improving the working and value realization of any hospital of any size.
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ERP in health care industry can be very handy in improving human resource management for maximizing the value realization of investment done on the human capital. ERP system can relate the HCM applications with customer relationship tools to make every employee responsible for his actions and directly involved in the success of the organization. ERP in health care industry help greatly by providing an edge in anticipating demands for skilled work force and improving the retention rate to use their work force as strategic asset.

Lower operational cost in another marked improvement brought in by the use of ERP in health care industry. With the use of ERP, human intervention and requirements are reduced, information transfer is quick and automated, tedious works like scheduling and appointments can be managed with greater ease and lesser effort, patient management like registration, discharge, billing and transfer can be done with lesser manpower to cut down the cost of operations drastically. The hospitals can utilize this money and energy for improving other industry specific processes.

Financial management is another department where ERP provides innovative solutions to increase profit margins by providing cost cutting methods, better managerial reports, risk management and better insight in the business. The integration of various financial processes and development of new processes help in much better financial management of any unit of health care industry.

Inventory management has been an integral part of any ERP solution and it continues to work as an important feature in the ERP for health care industry too. Any hospital faces big challenges of maintaining the inventory and instruments required on daily basis by the hospital staff for daily services. ERP solutions is of great help in maintaining minimum levels of inventory, instrument maintenance and purchase, reorder status, expiry, helping in finding more economical sources and suppliers. Better inventory management helps in giving better services and increasing profit margins.
Front office of any hospital is of prime importance to provide updated information at one desk. Bed availability, appointments, schedules of doctors, specialized services and treatments and other information are readily available to the people working at the front desk and also ERP for health care industry supports front desk by their expert advice on any latest medicine, disease or treatments.

Though there are many opinions for unavailability of an industry specific ERP solution for health care industry but presently available solutions also contribute immensely in improving the working of hospitals to have an edge over growing competition.

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Steps Involved in the Enterprise Resource Planning Process

ERP (enterprise resource planning) is considered to be an integrated business solution package that is instrumental in providing business support tools for achieving and maintaining business solutions. The ERP process is never-ending process which is not merely concerned with planning, implementing and coordinating business efforts but also extends to constant reviewing, and updating plans to meet the changing needs of the business organization.

There are many reasons, which make an organization opt for an ERP system. An ERP system is an effective tool in achieving the business objectives with a high level of efficiency. It is also beneficial in enhancing the levels of productivity and employee motivation and lowering paperwork and human efforts and is thus, an effective business package designed to satisfy the requirements of the business.

The ERP process extends to the entire organization, as a whole. It is concerned with harmonizing the efforts of various departments such as accounting, sales, inventory, procurement, logistics and supply chain management. An ERP process may be implemented by a business organization for the following reasons:

• When the organization is witnessing fast uncontrolled growth.


• Unexplainable rise in operating costs.


• Lower inventory levels than expected.


• Duplication of human efforts.


• Failure of the existing system.

The ERP system needs to be carefully planned, implemented and reviewed to achieve the optimal results. The ERP process involves the following measures:

Strategic planning: The organization must make a detailed strategic planning according to the system capabilities and the business requirements. Unless there is equilibrium between the two, the ERP system would not be able to achieve the predefined objectives of the business. There must be a thorough study on the pros and cons of the ERP system. The high level management must also be an active party in the planning process.

Readiness assessment: The organization and the prospective users of the ERP system must not be reluctant to implement an ERP system. It is the responsibility of the management to make sure that the benefits of the system are conveyed to the users in an effective manner.

Selection of ERP vendor and third-party consulting organization: This is considered to be an important step, as the selection of the ERP vendor is an important factor in determining the system success and effective implementation. Normally, the third-party consulting organizations are the ones who implement the ERP system and they must also be properly viewed and then selected.

Training and education: The management must take all necessary steps to insure that the users of the ERP system are given the information regarding its usage and benefits in the most precise, clear and effective manner.

Implementation and coordination: Once planning is done, there is a need of effective implementation of the ERP system throughout the organization. There must be harmony and coordination in the business efforts.

Reviewing and post implementation assessment: The task of the management and technical staff also extends to reviewing at regular intervals the benefits, usage and implementation. This is done to ensure that the system is conducive to the changing business needs.

Thus, it can be rightly said that an ERP process is a comprehensive process, which involves effective decision-making and effective implementation. And for the success of any ERP system and achievement of business objectives, the management and the users must be intimately involved for the best results.

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Information Technology In Day To Day Life

Every day, people use computers in new ways. Computers are increasingly affordable; they continue to be more powerful as information-processing tools as well as easier to use.
Computers in Business, One of the first and largest applications of computers is keeping and managing business and financial records. Most large companies keep the employment records of all their workers in large databases that are managed by computer programs. Similar programs and databases are used in such business functions as billing customers; tracking payments received and payments to be made; and tracking supplies needed and items produced, stored, shipped, and sold. In fact, practically all the information companies need to do business involves the use of computers and information technology.

On a smaller scale, many businesses have replaced cash registers with point-of-sale (POS) terminals. These POS terminals not only print a sales receipt for the customer but also send information to a computer database when each item is sold to maintain an inventory of items on hand and items to be ordered. Computers have also become very important in modern factories. Computer-controlled robots now do tasks that are hot, heavy, or hazardous. Robots are also used to do routine, repetitive tasks in which boredom or fatigue can lead to poor quality work.

Computers in Medicine, Information technology plays an important role in medicine. For example, a scanner takes a series of pictures of the body by means of computerized axial tomography (CAT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A computer then combines the pictures to produce detailed three-dimensional images of the body's organs. In addition, the MRI produces images that show changes in body chemistry and blood flow.

Computers in Science and Engineering, Using supercomputers, meteorologists predict future weather by using a combination of observations of weather conditions from many sources, a mathematical representation of the behavior of the atmosphere, and geographic data.
Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing programs, often called CAD/CAM, have led to improved products in many fields, especially where designs tend to be very detailed. Computer programs make it possible for engineers to analyze designs of complex structures such as power plants and space stations.

Integrated Information Systems With today's sophisticated hardware, software, and communications technologies, it is often difficult to classify a system as belonging uniquely to one specific application program. Organizations increasingly are consolidating their information needs into a single, integrated information system. One example is SAP, a German software package that runs on mainframe computers and provides an enterprise-wide solution for information technologies. It is a powerful database that enables companies to organize all their data into a single database, then choose only the program modules or tables they want. The freestanding modules are customized to fit each customer's needs.

Information Technology has become part and parcel of our day to day life.

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Why Implement ERP Software?

ERP software has turn into an essential constituent of organizations universal, outstanding to its skill to improve business presentation and income.

Businesses are ward on the ERP to ways their core businesses as well as their back-end operations. The ERP software may have its limitations too, but organizations cannot disagree with their convenience or managerial dependencies on them.

The profits of ERP implementation are many. These include:

1. Substitute of separate data systems by an included one

2. Right of entry to information, anytime, anywhere

3. Work automation

4. Work scheduling

5. Cost reduction

6. Data security

The ERP software can be broadly classified into two parts:

1. Core business management software: Manages the core business functions of an organization

2. Back-end management software: Financial Accounting management software, HR & Payroll management software, etc.
The above mentioned parts of the software are additional separated into modules that take care of the managerial business processes. Every module is in charge for managing a exacting feature of the commerce.

The ERP system is a grouping of the best of domain knowledge and technology, which help in the cost-effective fulfilment of client organizational goals. Such cutting-edge ERP systems are able to hold up the entire client business, successfully and economically.

ERP systems are known for their fast and truthful calculation abilities. Calculations are established from time-to-time for error-free results. Such fast, error-free presentation allows for better attentiveness on core commerce processes, rather than on back-end operations.

The ERP functioning process is now short and simple, even though the scale of implementation also matters. In a small or medium-sized organization, the implementation progression takes about a week, which also includes the process of user training.

The last and the most significant step in ERP implementation is user training. It is required to train the end users on the system's functionalities and usage. Also, these end-users may also consist of people with no prior computer expertise. Hence, user-friendliness of the software is an vital virtue.

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ERP Implementation Methodology

Large size companies anywhere in the world tend to have access to good IT talent which can carry out an ERP implementation in a planned and managed way. But the scenario for small and medium size companies is very different. First one needs to answer the question whether they need ERP or not. Most of the small size companies in the world do not need an ERP. They need Business Automation systems till they grow to a certain size.

Let us discuss the specific steps that I recommend one should take to implement ERP in SME.

- Work with account consultant to finalize Chart of Accounts first. Chart of accounts must ensure compliance with laws of the land. If this is not finalized then any changes to this results in having to change data which is error prone.

- Start next on Fixed Assets of the company. Get all existing FAs entered in the system using right depreciation schedule permitted by law. Provide customer with couple of reports that give them information they need to know that the information got entered properly.

- Once accounts are set up, start purchasing module implementation. Sub divide the implementation into multiple flows (e.g. Import, Local purchase etc..). Trying to implement complete purchasing cycle is treacherous due to the amount of activity that needs to be done. You want to select certain flows, get those delivered and then move to the next flows.

- After purchasing, next should be inventory. Once material management is addressed, major pain areas for most of the businesses in SMEs will be addressed. There are very few SMEs that struggle with managing sales. That is a goos problem that they know how to handle. Inventory implementation will include QA at the time of receipt, material rejection etc.

- Manufacturing should be handled last. This is for the simple reason that in the SME sector, there are very few companies who optimize Manufacturing while implementing ERP. In other words, there are no major gains to be had when one implements ERP for the first time. ERP in manufacturing starts showing results once the organization is used to ERP and data residing in ERP.

It is my belief that ERP implementations in SME will benefit greatly by using the basics of Agile methodology.

- Demonstrate the product

- Make list of changes to make. Get the list prioritized. Put non-critical items in the marking lot. Get critical items completed and demonstrate the product back to the key users.

- Once accepted, implement the module.

Above article is written due to the experience the consultant had in getting systems implemented. Hope this article allows successful implementation of many ERPs.

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Document Archiving Software For Office Use

One of the most important things for you to make sure in order that your business records storage goes properly, is to have some document archiving software. Not only is it important for you to make sure that the software is easy to use, you must ensure that it is going to archive your documents in such a way that they will be able to easily be retrieved at a later date.

 If you need something specific, such as software for SAP solutions, you will also need to find something that will work well in this regard. It also helps to have the availability of NFS in your business records storage, but those are only a few of the options that you should have available in your document archiving software.

As with any piece of software that you are going to use regularly at the office, one of the most important things for you to look at is exactly how easy it is for you to utilize the software on a regular basis. After all, we constantly have papers coming in then going out, and unless we are able to archive them easily, they will simply pile up on top of our desk. If the document archiving software that you are using is rather simplistic, you would be surprised with how often you will use it and will be able to keep the physical papers at your office in check regularly.

I've seen a number of different software solutions that were available, some of them that were rather specific. For example, if you were looking for some type of software for SAP solutions, it is better for you to find one that works hand-in-hand with the SAP software, instead of getting one that is going to require you to switch the core software that you are using. Even though it may take some time for you to become accustomed to using the archiving software for business records storage, it is better than having to learn an entirely new system, which can really take a lot of time.

One other thing that you would want to look for is the availability of archiving your records using NFS. Having the availability of doing so over a network can assist you in not only taking care of the archiving remotely, it also generally gives you the availability of storing the software off-site. As long as the networking that you are using is secure, there should not be an issue.

Although there are a lot of different options that are available for document archiving software, it really is a matter of finding something that is going to work well with your existing business plan. Regardless of whether you are looking for business records storage or if you are doing something more specific, such as looking for software for SAP solutions, there are going to be options that are available to you, such as the availability of archiving your records over NFS. Once you have the system set up in place, you would be surprised with how much additional productivity you will gain as a result.

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The Importance of Data Management for Business Today

Big data, as the name implies, is big. Massive, in fact, and it's growing at a rapid pace each day. As big data grows, it becomes more difficult to manage and use effectively. In short, there's simply too much of it. This new technology can quickly morph from a valuable source of insights to an overwhelming beast. That's where data management can help.

Many organizations mistakenly believe that the problem with big data centers solely on storage. For example, "Companies using SAP® are experiencing rapid data growth through expansion or acquisitions. Keeping transactional data online, particularly after it is closed, is expensive, impractical and fraught with risk. The real challenge is not storage but data management. They are rapidly growing causing system performance and productivity to plummet, frustrating users and saddling IT with higher maintenance costs.

What happens if you don't have a good database volume management system in place?

According to an article featured on Electric Light and Power's website, Big Data Jolts Utilities:

Why Harnessing Big Data Will Help Companies Surge, typical problems that can occur include:

• IT strain -- Big databases grows fast, requiring more and more IT resources including bandwidth, storage, and processing power. As data gobbles up more network resources, users become frustrated with sluggish performance. In an attempt to satisfy users, IT must invest in bandwidth, storage, and processing power, putting another type of strain on the IT department: budgetary strain.


• Increased complexity -- As big data continues to grow and new initiatives adopted, operational issues become more complex.


• System maintenance takes longer -- It takes much longer for administrators to perform system maintenance tasks such as backups and restores when data grows. The more data there is to back up, the longer it takes to back it up. For organizations that operate around the clock, such as electric and gas utilities, there's never a good time to go offline for system maintenance. Shortening the amount of time system maintenance requires is essential.

(Source: Electric Light & Power, "Big Data Jolts Utilities - Why Harnessing Big Data Will Help Companies Surge")

How Data Management Solves These Problems
Data management helps to overcome the problems associated with too much data by prioritizing and moving data.

For example, think about how you use databases when filing your income taxes each year. You need last year's data in order to prepare last year's tax returns, and you need to keep all current data readily available for next year's taxes. You no longer need receipts from two, three, five, or even ten years ago, yet you need to hang on to all that data should you ever get audited. Assuming this databases took up most of your hard drive, you'd want to manage it. Using a data management approach, you'd keep the data that you need to file your tax return on your hard drive and move the older tax data to an archive.

This is exactly what data management does to big data. It moves the data that you need for legal compliance, historical records, and other purposes into a data archive (or near line storage system depending on your needs) while keeping the data that you access on a regular basis on primary storage systems. This significantly reduces bandwidth, storage, and processing power requirements while ensuring that all data is readily accessible should you need it.

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Skills Needed To Become An ERP Consultant

Large business and corporations usually employ a staff of ERP consultants. Before seeing what are the skills needed to become an ERP consultant are, let us see what an ERP consultant is. ERP or an Enterprise Resource Planning consultant is involved in the enterprise resource planning implementation activities.

He is required to facilitate the day to day activities of the supply chain. It is a service that helps with the selection and implementation of ERP systems. The requirements to become an ERP consultant are important as these consultants help to assist the organizations in managing the business requirements. These consultants aid in monitoring the system and optimizing the system by fine tuning the business procedures and technical components.

Now let us see what are the skills needed to become an ERP consultant. This consultancy job is quite rewarding and requires good communication skills, technical knowledge of ERP, knowledge of functioning of ERP, aptitude for problem solving and a capability to convince. You may need to solve business problems and redesign business procedures. A lot of planning, testing, coordination and designing are required which needs you to have patience. You may be needed to provide your views regarding certain problems in the business and train the users.

 Let us put what are the requirements to become an ERP consultant in points as below:

1. Educational Qualification: A person who wants to become a consultant requires a basic educational qualification in computers. This is important so as to be able to learn the software use and know the technical and functional features. This is one of the basic and key requirements to become an ERP consultant.

2. Communication Skills: Having good communication skills is rather important for a consultant. He should be able to answer all queries of the client and have convincing skills.

3. Software/Hardware knowledge: The knowledge of basic software and hardware is advantageous. He should be aware and familiar with Oracle, SAP and Microsoft.

4. Understanding of Business: The flow of company and the operations of the company must be understood well by the consultant. It is important to understand the business environment to be able to implement an ERP application.

5. Know Fundamentals: One should know the fundamentals and the basics of ERP. You should understand why ERP is required by a company and its importance. This is one of the requirements to become an ERP consultant.

6. Know few modules: It is good to know the basic modules like Purchasing, Inventory, General Ledger, etc. Understand the basics of each and the technicalities.

7. Training: Having a formal training in use of ERP platforms and software is extremely helpful. There is also the option of online training available. Many tutorials are available online for starters that can help you.

8. Problem Solver: You need to be a person who has an aptitude for solving problems and finding solutions.

9. Business Intelligence Tool: Learn a Business Intelligence Tool like Discoverer and become an expert at it.

10. Start free: You should be willing to offer free services at the start to have a chance to showcase your potential.

If you follow these basics on what are the requirements to become an ERP consultant, you will be eligible to jump start your career as an ERP consultant.

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The Benefits of Working From Home For SAP Professionals

More companies are valuing the time of the employee and strive to make the workforce more viable for the working individual. Currently, companies are allowing employees to work from home to increase productivity and save money. The ERP Consulting Exchange, Inc. has more than 3,500 members who work as virtual SAP consultants. These consultants assist SAP customers by providing technical and functional support.

The ERP Consulting Exchange's virtual help desk environment allows SAP Consultants to assess technical problems from the comforts of their home. Each SAP Consultant can access the customer systems with the customer's permission. With this access, SAP Consultants can analyze the customer problems by diagnosing the problem virtually.

Once the problem is diagnosed, the SAP Consultant may access the customers systems and fix the software problems or empowers the customers employee's to do so. This eliminates the need for the SAP professional to travel from customer to customer. He or she can remain in the comforts of his or her home and answer the calls from that location. The ERP Consulting Exchange has developed proprietary software to handle customer calls.

The benefits of the technology are tremendous:
• Increased Productivity: Companies can handle a greater call volume when the professionals are working remote and do not have to travel from location to location. The software allows SAP Professionals to handle calls in a more efficient manner. SAP Consultants can diagnose and analyze problems from home rather than travel to a customer's location and assess the situation onsite.

• Efficient Routing: There is a quality control layer that makes sure that customer calls are routed to the most suitable SAP Consultants via the virtual helpdesk software.

• Improved Control: Virtual help desk software allows SAP consultants to solve problems much faster and more efficient. Instant access to the customer's systems allows virtual helpdesk providers to quickly resolve problems without step-by-step instruction via phone.

Cloud computing and other virtual help desk applications allows companies to use existing IT resource management more effectively. Effective operations save companies money. During economic difficulties, companies are seeking ways to streamline costs. Virtual help desks allow companies the resources to accomplish these goals.

The SAP Professional who acts as a virtual SAP help desk provider increases his earnings and benefits from this technology by the following:

• Save Travel Costs and Travel times

• Save on Dry Cleaning Costs

• Save on Work Attire

• Cloud Computing saves on Energy Costs

• More Efficiency through an Autonomous Work Environment

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Business Application Consulting

Business Application Consulting helps to connect technology with people to enable business processes. Every business requires business processes to execute its operational goals and meet its targets. When these processes are installed and implemented, changes to existing systems and procedures are likely to happen; the process of accepting, managing and dealing with the implementation in a phased and successful manner forms the basis of Business Application Consulting.

 If in the process of accepting and implementing these changes, due consideration is not provided to the people and the business culture that will be affected, the implementation will utterly fail.

This kind of Application Consulting helps businesses to maximize the potential and returns of business management systems. Therefore when the need is there to optimize business for maximum profitability and efficiency in performance, great importance has to be attached in choosing the best solution that can support the company in every way. Along with this, it is also important to find the right business applications solution partner who can help implement the solution in a manner that supports existing processes and smoothens the transition to new processes while maintaining a high level of operational insight all the time.

The benefits accrued from Business Application Consulting to a company or business are:

• Highlighting and pinpointing areas of inefficiency - recognizing weak spots and putting in place long-term solutions

• Helping to streamline operations - devising an efficient business management solution to shorten workflows

• Being supportive of the unique processes that drive the business operations - providing maximum support to operational functions

• Gaining insight into future objectives and perspectives - making the reporting process quicker and easier to help better decision making

Whatever the business application - e.g. ERP, Oracle, SAP or other, the goal of implementation forms the core in formulating business processes and strategies together with people power to help align the technology offering to the company's functions and achieving the best results possible.

With the help of a business application consultant, most businesses are able to achieve their end targets. A business application consultant provides advice and expertise in redesigning an existing business process or bringing in a new business process; to be very specific, some of the core areas that the consultant is involved in are:

• Implementation of business process

• Planning workflow

• Custom development

• Project management

• Software configuration and installation

• Software training

• Systems integration

• Accounting and internal control functions

• Financial management reporting and analysis

• Employee skill assessment and feedback process

The services provided by application consulting services enable companies to successfully and quickly translate business strategies into tangible business benefits.

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Service Design - A Guide for Enterprise Solutions

This article on service design has been written keeping in mind engineers and business analysts who are interested in the designing process and involved in implementing information technology based solutions for companies and business organizations. The concept of an enterprise service design is needed because it throws open a whole new arena and dimension to designing which incorporates the needs and perspectives of both the end user and the business process as such.

What is the need to design an Enterprise service

-The full potential of an architecture blueprint can only be brought to life with the right enterprise service.

- An in depth understanding of the business processes and situations are obtained

- It helps to automate the entire process in a flexible and user friendly manner

Any enterprise service is designed in such a way that it helps different components of the business to work in unison or a single component to function in multiple ways. These services are also designed in such a manner that they can be reused again and again even when a change is being made from old to new.

The designing process for enterprise services will bear fruit only when different sources work together in an adaptable environment.

One such source is the business analyst whose main challenge will be to create services that incorporate the various processes undertaken by his company; in short, the services have to be unique to the needs of his organization.

The role for addressing client requirements goes to SAP Managers and they can do this by incorporating the designed enterprise services into the SAP Business Suite family.
System experts will also be required to create new automation facilities for customers when a new service is incorporated.

The new enterprise service design can also be used by software vendors who are interested in broadening their functionality horizon and mete out better customer service.

Tasks involved in designing an IT enabled enterprise service design

1. The first and foremost task is to identify the problem and get an idea on which business processes are dependent on this


2. Requirements have to be gathered from various sources as a potential solution to the problem.


3. The next step is to devise ideas for addressing the various components of these requirements.


4. Once an idea has taken form, this has to be evaluated thoroughly with respect to the business processes it is related to and fresh inputs and suggestions can also be obtained from all those who are associated or use this business process.


5. Since the IT solution will have to be constructed by the technical team, the next task is to hold discussions with this team to ensure that it can be easily implemented to aid the business process.


6. Last and the most final task is the implementation step; ensure that the solution has been eased seamlessly into the enterprise service design to function for better and effective business processes.

Understanding these aspects of enterprise service design will be helpful to all business analysts who are constantly challenged with the need to offer better solutions for customer requirements.

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