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Is your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System Dying on the Vine?

Is your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System Dying on the Vine?

 

Hi, I’m Brad Feakes with the Estes Group. Now, with summer a distant memory and autumn full upon us, the winter still ahead, it’s a fitting time if you’re the leader of a manufacturing company to ask yourself whether your legacy ERP system is dying on the vine.

 

Doesn’t it seem like yesterday when your company first turned on its new ERP system and went live? Everything was blooming with possibilities, and your company was in its earlier season with its ERP system.

 

And then the years slipped away, and now your organization finds itself struggling with its legacy system’s withering limitations. And these limitations become an inhibitor to future growth. The truth is, winter is coming for manufacturing companies living on legacy ERP systems.

 

But you don’t have to hang your head over it, the ERP market is blossoming with different options, such as Epicor’s Version 10, with it’s Microsoft centered stack, and rest service compatibility, it offers the perfect platform for scalable growth.

 

As you assess your organization and its IT infrastructure, you need to ask yourself the question, have you harvested all the benefits of your legacy ERP system? Are you tired of endless patches? Are you frustrated with the narrow field of vision that your current system affords you? Is your legacy ERP system a husk of its former self? And are you ready to put it to pasture? Are you ready to leave your legacy ERP system behind.

 

I’m Brad Feakes with the Estes Group, and I’d love to talk to you, see if could help put some spring back in your business systems.

 

Have a question for Brad or another one of our experts? Chat with us now.

Can I Run Quickbooks and Compete in Smart Manufacturing?

Can I Run Quickbooks and Compete in Smart Manufacturing?

You’ve heard the term Smart Manufacturing or Industry 4.0; but what does that really mean for your manufacturing company? Can a company be “Smart” and use basic software like Quickbooks or do you need to have a real Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system?  The short answer is: yes, your company needs an ERP system to truly adopt Smart manufacturing and be ahead (or even keep pace) with the competition.

For those still wondering what Smart manufacturing or Industry 4.0 are, don’t worry, the terms are newer and only recently been used in a fairly regular manner. Smart Manufacturing is, simply put, the melding of operations technology (OT) and information technology (IT). Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing are really the newest phase or a new Industrial Revolution if you will hitting manufacturing on a worldwide scale.

In order to remain competitive, manufacturers must invest in inter-connectivity, automation, machine learning, and real-time data analytics.

Holding together various systems needed to properly track and analyze the smart manufacturing data captured, is a strong ERP system, which can marry the shop-floor data with cost breakdowns, operational information, job details, and customer information, etc. I find it interesting how many manufacturers still run homegrown systems or rely on access database, excel, etc to track production, which is clunky, prone to data corruption, and does not collect all relevant data to provide a company with true business analytics.

One of our clients used a homegrown system before deploying Epicor ERP a few years ago. They noticed immediate improvements in inventory control, accurate cost measurements for their products, and better shop floor scheduling. Now, image if the same company deployed machine learning and automation married with real-time data analytic software? The potential to outpace the competition is dramatically increased.

So to get back to the second question, no, Quickbooks or other smaller software systems will not support manufacturers focused on growth since they lack the basic shop floor data collection and analytics needed to streamline your business. Manufacturers that wish to remain competitive, and have an optimized business require an ERP system.

 

Is your company looking to move away from small accounting systems and move to a manufacturing ERP system? Or do you have an ERP system and need to work on optimizing it? We would love to talk with you about how we can work together to make your business run better.

10 Internal Questions You Absolutely Need To Ask For A Successful ERP Search

10 Internal Questions You Absolutely Need To Ask For A Successful ERP Search

Internal Planning is Key to Forming ERP Search Questions 

Let’s face it, many articles have been written about companies “Outgrowing QuickBooks” or “Signs you need an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system”. But what those articles don’t usually talk about is what you can do to prep your team internally for an ERP software system. This is a comprehensive sales, finance, and operations system. As such, planning comes into play. Unfortunately, “planning” is one of those words that tends to make people groan. They know it means more work, lots of discussions, and loss of time. However, asking detailed internal ERP search questions is paramount to a successful ERP evaluation and implementation.

 

Would a military general or combat veteran go into battle without a plan? There is a reason that ERP implementation rooms are nicknamed “War Rooms.” First, leaders storm through strategy. Then, heavy system testing is done and current company practices come into question.

 

What are some of the right internal ERP search questions to ask for planning purposes? Questions like system design, usability, industry specific functionality, cost, and implementation assistance are just some aspects to consider when looking for an ERP system. I look around on the web, and I find a lot of system questions written by software vendors, but not a lot of internal company questions to ask or considerations that need to be discussed. Having talked and worked with many, many companies over the years during their ERP searches, I wanted to give some examples of planning areas and questions for companies to prep internally.

 

10 Internal ERP Search Questions to Get the Project Planning Started

  1. What does my company need and want to accomplish with an ERP System?
    1. Accessibility throughout departments
    2. Financial reporting
    3. Time frame for evaluation purchase, deployment phases/locations, and full usability
  2. What are the challenges of my company’s current business software? Why is it no longer meeting the needs of my company? Look at this from a department level:
    1. Production challenges
    2. Services challenges
    3. Finance challenges
    4. Executive/Owner(s) challenges
    5. Sales & Marketing challenges
    6. Purchasing challenges
    7. the Warehouse(s) challenges
    8. Research & Development challenges (if applicable)
    9. Human Resources challenges (if required as part of an ERP search)
  3. Is my company fully utilizing current systems in place. Is the current software potentially sufficient with added training? (I suggest talking with an expert consultant of that software if it’s an ERP system. Through this view, you can see if the current software works for your needs. Then, you can focus on ERP user training.)
  4. Does my company have specific compliance or auditing conditions? Examples: Medical CFR, Aerospace & DoD DCAA, Medical Records HIPAA, Internal export FCPA, Electronic Underwriters UL, Federal Airlines FAA, Finance SOX etc.
    1. What are the key aspects of the compliance in relation to software? What data needs to be captured?
    2. Why do I need an ERP to do in order for my company to meet the compliance? Reporting?
  5. Do we need a SaaS (cloud-based) solution, on-premise (due to data security concerns), or a hybrid cloud (hosted) system? Hybrid cloud platforms combine the best of on-premise with the best of pure cloud.
  6. How do you plan to care for your ERP system? Do we have IT staff in-house to support an on-premise solution, or is there an outsourced IT firm we can work with to help?
  7. Do we need a system that will work for 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years?
    1. How important is scalability?
    2. What modules would you like to add to your core functions as your company grows?
    3. Do you have multi-company or multi-site requirements?
  8. What are the key functions we need the ERP system to do? Look at this on a department level:
    1. What does production need?
    2. What does services need?
    3. What does finance need?
    4. What do the executives and owners need?
    5. What does sales & marketing need?
    6. What does purchasing need?
    7. What does the warehouse need?
    8. What does research and development need?
    9. What does human resources need, especially for the ERP search?
  9. What are the “nice to have” or “wanted” functions beyond the base needed requirements?
  10. What is a realistic budget and ROI for a new ERP system?
    1. Licensing budget (per month spending for cloud or for fully purchased or financed system)
    2. Implementation budget (research firms say to estimate 1 to 2 times the licensing budget for implementation costs)
    3. Software maintenance, etc. should also be factored into a budget
    4. Hardware system requirement budget (especially important for on-premise software which basically requires a data center in-house)
    5. Additional personnel / staffing requirements to support a new system
    6. Expected ROI?

 

Is your company looking for an ERP system? Chat with us now!

An Independent Look at the Epicor 10.2 User Experience

Are you ready for an Epicor 10 Demo?

Epicor ERP is a powerful platform with thousands of manufacturers using it to run their businesses. With power often comes complexity, and that’s been the case with earlier versions of the system. There is no perfect ERP system, and the ever-changing balance between functionality and usability is a constant series of trade-offs. Epicor ERP Version 9 often required multiple servers, performance tuning was critical, it had a Progress data base layer, even when running on SQL, and the user experience was challenging. A personalized Epicor ERP demo is the perfect beginning to your Epicor consulting journey.

 

Epicor invested $25M in Epicor ERP Version 10, developing a completely new platform. The system was written and optimized for Microsoft .NET Framework and the Microsoft Data Platform, including Microsoft SQL Server. Users will experience a big increase in performance (over Epicor 9) and find the system easier to manage.

 

What you’ll see in your Epicor ERP demo

According to Epicor, here are the Top 5 user ERP system experience enhancements for Epicor ERP 10.

  •  Responsiveness – Performance has doubled and scalability has quadrupled across virtually all aspects of the system. ERP 10 is much more hardware efficient, which dramatically lowers hardware costs.
  • Simplicity – ERP 10 services are hosted purely using Microsoft Windows® components, including Internet Information Services (IIS) and Microsoft .NET. An all new management architecture makes deployment and migration much easier.
  • Mobility – Touch-enabled devices are now supported for a new navigation system and a re-architected Epicor Web Access (EWA) browser client.
  • Collaboration – Epicor Social Enterprise is included with ERP 10 and is a new way for ERP users to interact with each other and with ERP data.
  • Choice – ERP 10 can be deployed on premise, hosted, or access via subscription. It is also much easier to create a high-performing virtualized infrastructure.

The current version, Epicor 10.2, introduces some really exciting capabilities that you’ll see in your ERP demo, including Active Home Page and Epicor Data Discovery (EDD). Here are some highlights:

  • Developed using the latest web standard, which makes the system mobile-friendly and responsive.
  • Manufacturing role-based KPIs, examples: Percentage of Jobs without Scrap or Non Conformance, Manufacturing Hours and Indirect Hours.
  • Finance and Supply Chain role-based KPIs, including: Price Variance, Open PO Count and Amount, and Negative Inventory Items/Out of Stock.
  • Customization capabilities to modify out-of-the-box KPIs or create entirely new ones based on existing or newly created BAQs.

 

Epicor Consulting: How can we help?

What do you want to see? Our Epicor consultants will show it to you. The best way to get an in-depth look at the new Epicor 10.2 functionality is to experience it firsthand! Our Epicor consulting team can give you a demo of the full system, or one of our ERP specialists can walk you through a specific module. We can help you with project planning, including Epicor budgeting so you experience increased revenue at every step of your ERP upgrade. Your personalized Epicor ERP demo can even show you the newest managed ERP hosting capabilities.

 

The 10 Principles of ERP Selection Success & How to Apply Them: Be Honest And Dependable

The 10 Principles of ERP Selection Success & How to Apply Them: Be Honest And Dependable

In our final 10 Principles of Success for selecting an ERP system, we emphasize a foundational value: honesty and dependability. Selecting the right ERP system for your business is not only a technical choice; it’s about integrity, trust, and responsibility. These values must be central to the decision-making process, from your internal team to your ERP consultants and vendor.

ERP Selection Mobile Tablet Cloud ERP Security Symbols

The 10 Principles of Success Applied to ERP Selection

  1. Mindset Matters: Think success, not failure. A positive mindset fuels the journey, especially in the complex ERP selection process.

  2. Define Clear Goals: Write down specific objectives for your ERP system. Define what success looks like for your organization.

  3. Take Action: Plans need action. Don’t let the fear of imperfection hold you back. Start, learn, and refine as you go.

  4. Commit to Continuous Learning: ERP systems evolve. Ensure your team receives ongoing training to leverage your ERP to its fullest.

  5. Persistence Pays Off: ERP selection is a long-term project, not a quick fix. Stick with your goals and adapt as needed.

  6. Analyze Details Carefully: Gather as much information as possible, and learn from each stage of the ERP selection.

  7. Focus Resources Wisely: Time and budget are valuable. Avoid distractions and keep the focus on your ERP objectives.

  8. Embrace Change: Innovation can set your company apart. Don’t hesitate to explore new ways of working.

  9. Communicate Effectively: Foster clear, open communication with all stakeholders to ensure everyone aligns with ERP goals.

  10. Be Honest and Dependable: Without trust, the above principles won’t matter. Honesty and dependability should guide every step.

Why Honesty and Dependability Matter in ERP Selection

Your ERP system will touch every aspect of your business, and choosing the right one requires a foundation of trust with every person involved:

  • ERP Consultants: Independent consultants should disclose any partnerships with vendors. Look for consultants who provide unbiased, transparent guidance. At EstesGroup, we prioritize independence and transparency.

  • ERP Vendor Personnel: Evaluate how well vendors understand your business. If they’re rushing the sales process or offering quick discounts without a tailored approach, that’s a red flag. Reliable vendors work to understand your needs first.

  • Your Team: Internal bias can impact ERP selection. Establish an open dialogue within your team to identify preferences and ensure they align with your company’s goals.

ERP Honesty Gauge Toolkit

Here’s a practical toolkit to help you assess the honesty and reliability of consultants, vendors, and internal stakeholders in the ERP selection process.

Independent Consultants:

  • Verify their independence by asking for references and checking if they have partnerships with specific ERP vendors.
  • Request a signed statement confirming they do not receive referral fees.
  • Look for balanced recommendations across multiple ERP solutions.

ERP Vendor Personnel:

  • Require vendors to outline a customized demonstration based on your business processes.
  • Ask for relevant references in your industry and pay attention to their willingness to provide detailed answers.
  • If one person handles every aspect of the ERP demonstration without team involvement, this may indicate the vendor lacks resources.

Internal Company Team:

  • Have the ERP Review Leader issue a bias survey to gauge preferences among team members.
  • Address any consistent favoritism or opposition toward a specific ERP early in the process.
  • Encourage team members to focus on how a new ERP will improve company efficiency and avoid personal bias.

Taking the Next Step

Selecting an ERP system is a critical decision that requires trust, transparency, and teamwork. At EstesGroup, we understand the complexities of ERP selection and can help you establish a selection process built on these values.

Together, we’ll help you simplify technology, improve operations, and gain efficiencies.

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The 10 Principles of ERP Selection Success & How to Apply Them: Communicate and Deal with People Effectively

The 10 Principles of ERP Selection Success & How to Apply Them: Communicate and Deal with People Effectively

Goal #9 in Selecting the Best Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System: Communicate and Deal with People Effectively

We continue to review the ten principles of success and how they apply to ERP selection, focusing on the ninth goal: communicate and deal with people effectively.

ERP Principles ERP Consultant Happy

The 10 Principles of Success

1. Weekly Meetings with Upper Management Involvement

  • Always include a meeting agenda so participants know what to expect.

2. Written Reports

  • Document potential ERP system candidates.
  • Include demonstration dates and reasons for each candidate’s consideration.

3. Track Pros and Cons

  • Regularly update a written list of each ERP system’s advantages and disadvantages.

4. Individual Tasks and Updates

  • Assign specific tasks to team members, with weekly updates on progress.

5. Accountability and Responses

  • Require team members to report their completed tasks weekly.

6. Upper Management Inclusion

  • Ensure management participates in tasks and receives updates on progress.

7. Timeline Updates

  • Communicate progress and upcoming tasks weekly.

8. Address Incomplete Tasks

  • Politely remind team members who haven’t completed tasks to ensure accountability.

9. Schedule Demonstrations in Advance

  • Communicate demonstration schedules well in advance. Attendance is critical.

10. Follow-Up Calls with ERP Vendors

  • Assign team members to follow up with vendors post-demonstration and share findings with the group.

It’s time to begin. You can put these ERP principles in action beginning now.

By over-communicating and keeping all team members engaged, you can ensure a smoother ERP selection process. Understanding that most people are apprehensive about change is key. Be positive and clear when discussing potential impacts and benefits.

If you need expert guidance on effectively communicating during ERP selection, EstesGroup can help. Simplify technology, improve operations, and gain efficiencies with our expertise.

ERP Principles at Your Service: EstesCare ERP

Building on this principle, EstesCare ERP emphasizes the importance of clear communication and collaboration throughout the ERP journey. With a focus on understanding the unique needs of every organization, EstesCare ERP provides tailored solutions that bring teams together, ensuring alignment and confidence at every stage—from selection and implementation to ongoing support. By fostering open dialogue and addressing challenges proactively, EstesCare ERP helps businesses streamline operations, improve efficiency, and achieve long-term success with a system designed to adapt to their evolving needs.

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