Category Archives: Enterprise resource planning

Netsuite localizes services in Asian markets

The globe close up, Asia pastNetsuite has continued efforts to localize services worldwide, announcing a number of new partnerships at CXO Summit in Singapore, as well as new product launches.

The company launched NetSuite OneWorld for companies based in Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as multinationals specifically doing business across Asia. The NetSuite OneWorld solution provides companies with multi-subsidiary management and global financial capabilities to run business operations in the region in a two tier model. Netsuite suite can be implemented in the cloud at subsidiary level, while maintaining legacy, on-premise systems at the company’s headquarters. The offering is also localised to meet the business, regulatory and tax compliance needs of regional businesses.

“Our long history in Southeast Asia and the dynamic business environment that has emerged in recent years, make expansion in the region a strategic imperative in NetSuite’s next phase of international growth,” said NetSuite CEO Zach Nelson. “Our announcements today demonstrate the success we’ve seen already and our deep level of commitment moving forward.”

Having launched its presence in Singapore in 2005, the company has made healthy gains in recent years, boasting a client list of 212 enterprises and subsidiaries in the city state alone. The new partnerships and product offerings appear to demonstrate Netsuite’s intentions in the region. Netsuite recently reported healthy growth over the course of the last 12 months, Q1 revenues were reported at $216.6 million, up 31% year-over-year, and since that point, Nelson has seemingly indicated the Asia market as a priority.

According to the South China Morning Post, Netsuite will be aiming to establish a number of data centres in the region, with Hong Kong and Singapore noted as possible locations. Netsuite’s tendency in entering new regions has been to open up multiple locations as a fail-safe, which could be seen during the company’s expansion in Europe last year. The company opened data centres in Dublin and Amsterdam within a short period of time during the expansion efforts.

While Hong Kong and Singapore represent healthy opportunities for the company to drive revenues, Netsuite has outlined China as a long-term target, with a Hong Kong platform offering a solid gateway due to its trade and political ties. “Businesses in Hong Kong and Singapore are already reaping the rewards of open trade and global expansion,” said Zakir Ahmed, GM of NetSuite Asia. “NetSuite OneWorld is giving these businesses the flexibility and agility to fully capitalise on the current cycle of growth.”

In terms of local partnerships, the announcement detailed new collaborations with 3PL Total Technology, a cloud warehouse management solutions company,, CuriousRubik, a previous Netsuite partner, and Doji Media, a company which helps local customers expand their remit to international markets.

Cloud is growing, but will it be your organisation’s downfall?

competitive swimmingThe reality is that most enterprise applications are well on their way to being cloud based. We’ve seen it with simple workloads such as HR and payroll, travel and expense management, and in the last decade we’ve seen the cloud as the new normal for customer relationship management (CRM) deployments. According to Gartner[1], “Spending on public-cloud-based, vertical-specific applications is expected to significantly increase through 2017, further highlighting the growing confidence in their use for mission-critical systems.”

Upgrading your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to the cloud means retiring your old approach to business management applications and no longer having to procure, install, maintain, and manage the infrastructure. And perhaps most compelling is to leverage the cloud to redefine your business processes and take advantage of a new era of service delivery and flexibility to enable your organisation to grow.

So what are the benefits of cloud based ERP solutions? Below are the top five reasons why moving your ERP system to the cloud will benefit your business and support business growth.

  1. Freedom of Choice

Put quite simply, not all cloud ERP systems are created equal. Specifically, very few ERP vendors respect your right to choose the deployment model that is most appropriate for you, and revise that decision down the road as your business grows or technical needs change. Your right to transition between on-premises, multi-tenant, and single tenant is an important one. It recognises that the “best” deployment model for you today might not be the best model in a few years, or even a few months. By providing the choice of Multi-Tenant (with its compelling economics and seamless upgrades) or Single Tenant (allowing more administrative control and administrative ownership), you can choose the model that works best for you.

  1. Compelling Cloud Economics

Despite the cloud having proven its value beyond just good financial sense, there is no doubt that for companies of all sizes the economics of cloud deployment are undeniably compelling, moving from capital to operational expenditure. Some of the more hidden economic benefits of the cloud include:

  • Not being as capital intensive as an on-premises deployment because of the subscription-based pricing model.
  • Better and more instant scalability, allowing clients to add (and sometimes remove) users to their system on demand and saving them from having to invest in hardware and software at the “high water mark”.
  • The direct and indirect costs of your infrastructure, from server to database systems to the actual hardware and replacement cycle cost.
  • The hidden costs of maintaining the servers yourself.
  • The benefit of the reduced deployment times (and corresponding improved ROI) that are typical for cloud deployments, as the necessary infrastructure is in place already.
  1. Better IT Resource Utilisation

Moving to the cloud means that your IT department will be able to deliver higher-value activities that are better aligned with your mission, and they will be able to spend less time “patching the servers and keeping the lights blinking.” At the end of the day, most IT departments are stretched pretty thin, and find themselves spending too much time on low-value (but admittedly critical) Development projectactivities such as verifying backups, applying security updates, and upgrading the infrastructure upon which your critical systems run. There is tremendous business benefit to assigning those tasks back to your ERP vendor as part of a cloud deployment, freeing up your IT department’s time to work on more strategic business projects such as creating executive dashboards, deploying mobile devices, and crafting helpful management reports.

  1. The Cloud is More Secure

Today, it’s hard to imagine a client who could possibly create a more secure operating environment than leading cloud providers. Indeed, Gartner reports[2] that “Multi-tenant services are not only highly resistant to attack, but are also a more secure starting point than most traditional in-house implementations.”

Where security once implied a locking the server room door and forcing people to use long passwords, today it means hardened electronic operating environments. You can’t claim to be secure unless you have systems and people protecting your infrastructure 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and verifying that security updates from all vendors are thoughtfully tested, then applied.

Security today is a comprehensive, end-to-end mindset that has to be built across every layer of the ERP environment from the physical network interface cards to the user passwords. It means a holistic approach to anticipating and minimising possible natural, human, and technical disruptions to your system to ensure uptime and peace of mind.

  1. Mobile and Collaborative

The modern ERP deployment landscape is full of mobile professionals, including sales and service staff operating outside the four walls of your office, who expect access to the ERP system from their handheld devices. You may also have mobile onsite staff such as shop floor operators and logistics staff that need to access your ERP from tablets and similar devices. Moving to a cloud-based system gives everyone the real-time system access they require as a routine part of their jobs while driving out the inefficiency of paper-based processes and the burden and security risk of figuring out how to deliver this yourself.

Opening up your ERP system by virtue of cloud deployment allows you to retire the poorly defined ad-hoc “integration by Excel file” workflows that might have cropped up across your organisation. In their place, you can deploy real-time integration processes that link your employees, suppliers, partners, and customers.

Cloud deployment brings the opportunity to redefine many of your legacy business processes and workflows in a way that leverages these more open, connected, instantaneous integration paths.

ERP solutions aren’t just software. They are tools that can be used to help grow your business profitably, offering flexible solutions that provide more accurate information in real-time, driving smarter, faster decision-making, and enabling customers to quickly meet changing market demands to stay ahead of their competition. The cloud increases the business benefits that ERP offers and can accompany your business on the road to successful growth.

Writes Martin Hill, Vice President Marketing, Epicor International

Cloud computing for improved business efficiency

A continued drive for optimum efficiency should be at the very heart of the business strategy of any organization wishing to stay relevant, profitable and competitive in their chosen field. Only by ensuring that operations are being carried out in the most effective and efficient way possible, with regard to all factors of the company, such as staff time and overhead investments, can it be sure it is achieving the best possible outcomes and therefore laying the foundations for ongoing success and continued growth.

In recent years, through the rapid development of technology and the opportunities it provides businesses, IT has been at the heart of identifying such efficiencies and the most forward thinking companies in all fields are now looking towards cloud based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software to help them achieve exactly that and thereby guarantee ongoing and future success.

The advantages

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is the term used to describe complex database systems introduced within organizations that enable employees, at all corporate levels, to access in a secure and appropriate way, real-time data. The advantages of doing so are all about efficiency, as access provides significantly greater scope for collaboration and streamlining. Everyone within the business is given a new kind of visibility of the relevant data and is therefore empowered and encouraged to identify ways of improving business operations to improve efficiency and reduce overheads as a result.

Cloud ERP is the term used to describe ERP software hosted on a platform maintained remotely, over the Internet, thus removing the necessity for individual companies to invest in expensive computer systems.

ERP software therefore has the potential to be a hugely helpful tool with regard to business support and planning and is perfect for creating an efficient, ordered and scalable backbone for any project within this area.

The right approach

ERP and cloud computing is employed across almost the entire range of industries, from heavy engineering to architecture. The most appropriate system depends very much on the business in question and its specific requirements.

Things to consider when deciding on the right approach include the following.

  • The size of the business in question, including projections and ambitions for growth and development.
  • The operational systems that are already in place, which could be replaced, streamlined or evolved through the introduction of cloud computing.
  • The fundamental vision and values of the business, what it is trying to achieve and how the introduction of such software could potentially contribute to future growth and development.

Staying relevant

Very few organizations are able to operate today without the application of technology in at least its most basic form. Ensuring that a company has the right systems in place to support the delivery of its goals and aspirations is a fundamental consideration.

Most analysts and expert commentators agree that the role technology plays in business is only going to increase, so installing the most appropriate solutions in place is the best way to ensure that a company does not get left behind.

A Beginner’s Guide to Netsuite

As a mid-tier ERP and CRM solution, NetSuite is an affordable software-as-a-service platform for small to mid-sized businesses. The cloud-based interface makes the platform available from anywhere with Internet access. Some of the many business tasks covered by NetSuite include sales and service tracking, order fulfillment management, project collaboration and lead tracking.

NetSuite Benefits

The benefits offered by NetSuite will differ between businesses. However, there are a number of service tiers and pre-configured options from which to choose that can help to provide maximum benefit with minimal start-up and implementation times. Benefits offered across most business types and sizes include:

  • Improved efficiency
  • Reduced maintenance
  • Improved collaboration
  • Greater accountability
  • Faster communication
  • Global access to data, reports and processes

How NetSuite Works

NetSuite is most often provided as a hosted service. This means that the platform is accessed and used through a web interface. Every person within the business uses the same interfaces and databases. This allows for real-time updates, instant access to information and improved interaction between departments and business segments. Setting access rights and roles by account or tier provides simple data management, user accountability and security.

Things to Consider before Choosing NetSuite

Though NetSuite offers many ways to customize and personalize the ERP experience, it is, at its core, a pre-configured product. This means that in-depth customization is often a highly involved process. Many NetSuite service providers will offer demonstrations or free trials to see if the product’s interface and features are a good fit for your business.

To help determine if NetSuite is a proper fit for your business, consider NetSuite consulting services. Professionals can help explain what to expect and provide an in-depth look in how your business can utilize the platform without the worry of service contracts, costly set up fees or time intensive research and training.

More Food for Thought…

As a cloud-based service, NetSuite offers a unified platform that is accessed using a high-speed Internet connection. However, with lack of local back up or local server solutions, any interruption in Internet service will result in an inability to access your NetSuite services.

NetSuite is a modular solution. This means that features can be added or removed on-demand to suit the needs of your business. Unfortunately, this also means that updating the platform can be tricky. Since modules are updated independently, you may find that you are forced to wait to implement an update due to conflicting module configurations and other issues.

The most common way of signing up for NetSuite service is through a value-added reseller. Comparing resellers and service providers is an essential part of finding the best NetSuite configuration. Phone and email support directly through NetSuite require recurring subscription costs as well. By finding a reseller that offers support, you can avoid unforeseen fees and service issues.

NetSuite is a proven platform for businesses of nearly any size. However, like any software suite, understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the platform is essential to maximizing benefits.

SYSPRO Launches ERP Mobile Solution for Mid-Market Manufacturers

SYSPRO announced today the availability of SYSPRO Espresso mobile ERP platform for mid-sized manufacturing and distribution companies. The new mobile solution is purpose built and leverages leading edge HTML 5, Microsoft technology and tools. The announcement was made here today at the company’s Winter 2012 analyst roadshow before 32 leading technology analysts. SYSPRO Espresso applications are available from the SYSPRO App Store.

SYSPRO Espresso is targeted at executives who require immediate access to c-level information as well as all users who are not office bound and who require secure access to real time data. The SYSPRO Espresso architecture is one of the first platforms of its kind to use a single source codebase (for the business logic) to create native applications for any mobile device, with built-in powerful customization capabilities both for the end-user and for developers to engage.

SYSPRO supports multiple mobile and desktop devices, provides easy user customization and an easy growth and change strategy via its component-based Quantum Architecture. The company has a strong mid-market presence with 14,500 customers and value-add industry expertise in the food, medical devices, machinery and equipment, electronics and pharmaceuticals/chemical sectors.

“We have been very careful with our new mobile solution to preserve what is one of our most acclaimed advantages, which is easy customization,” said Phil Duff, CEO SYSPRO worldwide. “The Power Tailoring tools that SYSPRO users have come to expect have not been compromised. SYSPRO Espresso users will be able to access and tailor SYSPRO applications that will work on-line and off-line on any popular device, while retaining the native look and feel of these devices, as well as for the look and feel of their personalized interface to SYSPRO. SYSPRO solutions feel like ‘home grown’ software solutions – as if they were built by their own technology development team.”


IBS Expands ERP Cloud Computing Solutions

ERP and supply chain provider International Business Systems today announced the expansion of its traditional on-premise applications into the cloud, making it the industry’s most secure offering available with service level agreements with guaranteed performance. IBS Cloud applications are scalable and designed specifically for the changing needs of distributors and manufacturers.

IBS Cloud applications combine the expertise of 3,000 implementations across 40 countries to enable faster deployment of critical IBS applications like IBS Business Intelligence, Mobility, Sales, Service, Warehouse and Supply Chain Management.

“IBS has a history and proven track record of delivering cloud solutions, said Tapio Voutilainen, Director, Business Processes and Tools, Evac Oy. “This evolution of the IBS cloud solutions provide distributors and manufacturers with a secure choice and a variety of options to meet their business requirements to give clients the peace of mind they need.”


Beyond Cloud Computing: ERP Helps to Land Curiosity Rover on Mars

SYSPRO, a devoper of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for on-premise and cloud-based utilization, announced today that Windings, a manufacturer of custom electric motor and generator components and a user of SYSPRO ERP since 1998, is the producer of a key component of the sky crane’s braking system that safely lowered Curiosity to the Red Planet for the rover’s explanatory journey of the Mars landscape.

While smaller rovers of past Mars mission have utilized airbag landing systems, the size of Curiosity necessitated the utilization of a special landing system to provide a soft landing for the huge vehicle.

According to Windings President and CEO Jerry Kauffman, this was not the first time that a Windings-built component has been instrumental in assisting in the exploration of planets, as well as the earth’s nearest neighbor, the moon. However, he did indicate that the Curiosity mission is the first time a Windings component has been utilized in the braking system of a device to safely land a large, mobile instrument package on the surface of a planet.

Windings, which is based in New Ulm, MN, has utilized SYSPRO Enterprise Resource Planning software since 1998. Prior to that time, Windings had been utilizing an IBM System 36, which lacked the flexibility to deal with the mixed-mode manufacturing operations utilized by Windings to produce both standard and custom electromagnetic motors, generators and sub-assemblies for numerous industrial uses, including factory automation, renewable energy, automotive, medical, defense and aerospace.


IFS Launches New Smartphone Apps

IFS, the global enterprise applications company, launched seven new smartphone apps in the IFS Touch Apps series, in addition to its first app for Windows Phone and Windows 8. The new applications—which are available from Google Play Store, Apple App Store and Windows Marketplace—offer intuitive mobile functionality in areas such as human resources, customer relationship management, ad-hoc reporting, enterprise application search, vehicle management, and IFS support services.

Following on from the release of IFS Notify Me, a cloud-based smartphone app for purchase, expense and invoice approvals, IFS is now extending its offering for the mobile workforce with seven new apps. In addition, IFS is also releasing IFS Notify Me for Windows Phone and Windows 8.

The new IFS Touch Apps are:

IFS Time Tracker for project time and attendance reporting, confirmation, etc.

IFS Trip Tracker for real-time, as-you-travel expense reporting for the mobile individual.

IFS Sales Companion for sales people to manage their accounts, tasks and opportunities.

IFS Quick Reports for running and viewing ad-hoc reports on a mobile device.

IFS Quick Facts for fast keyword search of any object in IFS Applications.

IFS Flight Log for management of platform operational data in the aerospace and defense industry.

IFS Support Companion for interaction with IFS support centers.

“By focusing on the actual needs of our mobile users, we have developed an app concept that delivers enhanced user experience, ease-of-use, and security to promote high user acceptance and increased efficiency,” IFS CTO Dan Matthews said. “The functionality of the new Touch Apps has largely been determined by our customers to exactly match their needs. In this way, we continue to produce functionally rich, elegant apps that are easy to try, buy and use.”

IFS bridges the gap between the fast-moving world of smartphones and apps and the slower-moving world of ERP software via a unique use of cloud technology. Rather than having the apps talk directly to the ERP back-end, the apps talk to services running inside IFS Cloud.

The IFS Touch Apps are designed to offer great, hassle-free user experience to the mobile workforce. The apps are focused on quick-to-complete tasks and present the user with only the relevant, rather than all, information. The apps are designed to minimise typing and allow the user to exit the app at any point and continue later.


SYSPRO ERP Software Able to Facilitate Medical Device Unit Recalls

SYSPRO today announced that SYSPRO ERP software offers manufacturers extensive traceability capabilities to facilitate the ability of manufacturers to trace products from origin, through the manufacturing process, to their ultimate destination, fully maintaining assurance certification and tracking expiration dates. The reaffirmation of the extensive traceability functionalities inherent in SYSPRO ERP software was in reaction to the announcement that “over 123 million medical device units were recalled in the second quarter of 2012, reaching an eight-quarter high,” according to the quarterly ExpertRECALL Index released August 22, 2012.

SYSPRO lot traceability and serial tracking functionality afford extensive visibility up or down the supply chain, as well as providing specific component to parent tracking, thereby providing the means to expedite recalls, should the need arise. SYSPRO optionally allows specific traceable components to be reserved for specific work-orders, as well as providing the flexibility of specifying the parent traceable numbers at the beginning, during or the end of the manufacturing process.

The Associated Press article reporting the record number of recalls contains the following statement by Mike Rozembajgier, vice president of recalls at Stericycle ExpertRECALL, “The growing importance of this product category means that companies need to have a comprehensive recall plan in place that can be deployed within the blink of an eye and can effectively protect their customers…”

According to SYSPRO USA President Joey Benadretti, “The implementation of cost- effective SYSPRO software helps medical device manufacturers streamline their supply chains and also to employ extensive ‘backwards and forwards’ component and product traceability for speedy recalls.


New Mobile Cloud Technology and Analytics Revitalize Next-Generation ERP Implementations

VAI, an ERP software provider, unveiled two new white papers — authored by renowned IT consultant Michael Dortch — that provide top-line guidance on how to maximize the value of existing ERP implementations with new innovations in mobile cloud technology, analytics and business intelligence. The papers, exclusively available from VAI at www.vai.net, outline specific steps that both business and IT professionals should take to add new functionality and value to ERP deployments while leveraging existing investments with minimal user disruption.

Dortch, long recognized as an ERP implementation expert for the past 25 years from his post at DortchOnIT.com, offers his advice to business leaders in the IT + “ERP3” = More Business Value paper and to IT staff in the “ERP 3” = From Enterprise Resource Planning to Enabling Rock Solid Processes. Both papers can be downloaded here at the VAI news page.

Among the key highlights of both papers is a look at how key industries will be transformed by adding new mobile cloud technology to their ERP implementations. Below is a quick snapshot of how five industries will benefit:

  • Distribution: workers at any point in the value chain will
    access real-time inventory information, uncover slow-moving or
    out-of-stock items, and improve order fill rates, inventory turns and
    responses to customer demands
  • Food Service: workers will hasten production and lower
    operational costs by replacing manual, error-prone paperwork with
    integrated solutions for tablet sand smartphones
  • Manufacturing: mobile networked devices and on-demand software
    will enable seamless integration, tracking and optimization of tasks
    from inventory, shop floor and warehouse management to capacity and
    materials planning and product quality control
  • Retail: automation of tasks and processes will improve
    inventory, purchasing, warehouse management and customer relationship
    management at point of sale, both in-store and online
  • Service: improved integration of customer interaction and
    product-related information will ease and hasten superior service and
    repair, increasing customer satisfaction dramatically

“Mobile cloud technology will improve cost and operational efficiencies while expanding collaboration with customers, vendors and partners,” said Dortch. “That, coupled with new innovations from IBM’s Websphere portal and Cognos Business Intelligence, can ignite existing ERP implementations with graphically rich personalized dashboards and easy-to-use yet highly functional e-commerce applications.”

In both papers, Dortch offers specific guidance on how to get started with adding new functionality to ERP implementations such as:

  • Embrace Customization as a way to reinvigorate existing ERP
    investments
  • Conduct an Audit to examine your organization’s readiness to
    add mobile cloud functionality
  • Develop Specific Criteria for upgrading ERP systems based on
    detailed feedback from both IT and business stakeholders
  • Create an ERP Playbook that outlines ERP goals, processes and
    supporting IT resources that will be embraced by both IT and business
    teams.