So, you’ve heard the buzz words in the industry: Everyone’s using it, so you should too: ERPs.

In business, a popular trend usually has some value for the industry, instead of just being a gimmick. So, it’s worthwhile keeping an eye on what others do. That’s definitely the case with ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). But that doesn’t mean you should be too quick in joining the crowd.

Warning: Making the wrong decisions during planning, vetting service providers or implementing could lead to more problems, rather than this great technology helping you enhance your business.

So, we’ll break it down for you: The most important facts any CFO should know about ERPs. Read this before embarking on this exciting, (usually advantageous) journey.

How Does This Relate to CFOs?

No, you can’t leave these important decisions in the hands of the IT department, the office manager or a committee. An ERP will affect business processes and therefore influence the company’s growth. That makes it relevant to a CFO’s responsibility in the company and you must work together with other role players to ensure a desirable outcome.

Here’s what you need to know.

The 6 Important Facts

1) You Must Understand the Process

Don’t leave it to others who are more technically minded. You can easily miss important aspects—which will affect costs—if you don’t educate yourself. For this reason, consider the most important software concepts relating to ERP implementation:

• Installation: What it takes to load software on hardware such as a server.
• Configuration: Making sure the software works according to your workflows and security requirements.
• Customization: Modifying software to suit your unique needs, often involving changing code.
• Conversion of data: Importing data into the system. If not in a compatible format, it must be done manually.
• Integration: How it communicates with other software platforms. (see more below)

2) You Must be Hosted on a True Cloud

Don’t be confused by unknown terms or technical jargon. The simple question to ask your service provider is whether the ERP is hosted on the cloud. This is the preferred method at the moment. It’s easier and more secure.

However it won’t help to simply be hosted on the cloud. Confirm that the solution has been rewritten for the cloud. This ensures it will keep up with future changes. As CFO you must ensure you invest in quality long term solutions.

3) Your Service Provider’s Vision & Longevity Determine Your Own Future

The next aspect that will affect whether this is a long term answer is the service provider’s own situation. You have the right to ask questions and research certain aspects of the vendors that offer you their services:

• Does the vendor’s financial situation make it a viable option for the long term? This isn’t simply about making sure you get good service. If the vendor hosts your data on their servers or on the cloud you need to make sure you’ll have access to that information for years to come. That won’t happen if a company suddenly goes bankrupt.
• The vendor you pick must be relevant to today’s market, but also stay relevant in future. We all know how fast the tech environment changes. It’s your prerogative to ask questions about how they plan to stay on par. Request information on their research and development plans to ensure they’ll keep on giving you a high end product for years to come.

4) Integration is Key

Your ERP isn’t the only system that will determine your company’s performance. You need all factors to work together well (integrate) if you want optimum results and frustration free days. This means you have to ask about integration with any aspects regarding:

• EPM: Enterprise performance management
• SCM: Supply chain management
• HCM: Human capital management
• CX: Customer experience

It’s vital that different platforms work together well, so you don’t have problems such as inconsistency of data between two systems.

Consider this before you pick a vendor and use the one giving the best support. You don’t want to face cumbersome processes where you and your team have to handle integration after the ERP is implemented. You also don’t want to deal with difficult processes of continuously keeping all the different platforms updated. They should function as one unit.

A specific risk—especially relevant to a CFO—is integrating ERP with EPM. You want your systems integrated, instead of doing a lot of work manually.

Luckily this is usually unnecessary in today’s market—you just have to pick the right vendor.

5) It Requires Teamwork

Your goal is to see the ERP deliver excellent results, helping various aspects of your business more effectively:

• Supply chain
• Manufacturing
• HR
• Payroll

That’s a lot of people that have to work together and you need to make sure all of them get on board and stay on board. A negative attitude towards the new system will prevent employees from using it effectively. This immediately affects productivity and your bottom line.

To ensure everyone’s buy in it’s important to:

• Identify needs in all departments and making sure the ERP will meet these requirements. This way everyone will experience an enhanced workflow and see the value of learning the new system.
• You won’t get departments’ buy in if their top leadership don’t believe the change is necessary. That’s why you need key role players and even your CIO (Chief Information Officer) to become part of planning & implementation.

6) Scalability = Success

The key to picking the right ERP is realizing that one size doesn’t fit all. You need an ERP that matches your unique requirements, not necessarily the one your greatest competitor implemented. And here’s why: Scalability.

If your ERP doesn’t cater for your size business, it won’t be effective. As CFO you’ll need financial planning tools that suit your business size, whether small, medium or large.

Apart from catering for your unique business needs, it must also be scalable to serve different employees well. As much as you need features to do financial planning, other role players in the business also takes part in these processes. The ERP must cater for their responsibilities too.

Conclusion

Yes, adding ERP to your business will take a considerable amount of time and effort. But, as a CFO, it’s essential you prioritize this process if you want to see positive long term results. Don’t worry. It will be worth it.

We are excited to announce the general availability (GA) of SAP Business One 9.3, both on MS SQL and SAP HANA databases.

The 5 most wanted features that drove customers to adopt the new 9.3 release were:

• Import from Excel
• Return merchandise authorization management (RMA)
• Streamlined CRM processes
• Approved procedures enhancements
• Project Management enhancements

What Can You Expect in SAP Business One 9.3?

1. With core expansion, release 9.3 supports new business processes and rounds out key areas such as:
   • Simple production routing
   • Return merchandise authorization management (RMA)
   • Project management updates
   • Simplifying and streamlining CRM processes
   • Authorization management
   • Price list enhancement

2. Leveraging our SAP HANA platform and building on the semantic layer, we offer new cockpit templates. With a new analytics portal, end users can schedule and consume reports without the need to log into SAP Business One.
3. With add-on solutions playing a key role in shaping our comprehensive business solution, we make it easier for partners to develop add-ons with the support of XML methods for user defined tables and the latest visual studio 2015 suite.
4. Deployment and management of SAP Business One is simplified with a centralized approach. Single Sign On (SSO) is utilized for apps for SAP Business One, version for SAP HANA making partner add-ons easier to manage and consume.
5. Optimal performance, higher stability and better supportability.

Check the SAP Business One 9.3 Highlights presentation for a solid overview of newly developed functional highlights.

Even though the ERP system has been proven to be an efficient method of managing one’s business, any system is only as good as the people who operate it. A shocking 75% of all ERP implementation is a failure due to lack of knowledge or training and budgetary constraints.

Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” These words ring true in the business environment in many aspects and this is no different.

No matter which industry you specialise in, “proper preparation prevents poor performance”. This saying is well known as the “5 P’s of success” originally created by the British army.  How does this link to the failure of implantation of an ERP project into a business? Research, information, training and a high standard of management are essential to the success of this system in a business.

There are obviously a dozen or more reasons why ERP implementation might fail, but below are a few valid points to take into consideration.

Poor Planning in the Initial Implementation Phase

Too many businesses rush into the process of incorporating this complex system into their existing business model. The truth is that Enterprise Resource Planning is a large and complex system. It takes time, dedicated training and adequate management to flourish as a proficient tool within your business. Time devotion to this phase is paramount.

How could something prosper in a business when nobody really knows how to operate it confidently? The relevant trained employee/s should know without any doubt that the results of the data collected is 100% accurate with utmost certainty.

Should this phase be tended too with enough diligence, ERP could prove to be an invaluable aid tool to your business.

Lack of Adaptability

In all areas of life, change is never easy, but necessary for growth. A lack of adaptability often prevents growth and tends to have an adverse effect on productivity. The same applies when it comes to introducing new systems into a business. The more adaptable your business model and staff are, the greater your chances of encouraging growth.

In an ever-changing and extremely competitive business world, flexibility is likely to be one of the key factors to being a step above the rest.

Ask yourself how trainable and adaptable your staff are. How dependant is your daily operation on your current business management system, should you have one? Can the business afford the time needed to dedicate to training? These are a few questions that need to be answered with a positive outcome prior to committing to an ERP project.

Poor Data Quality

Should the ERP system be integrated into an existing operation, the quality of the existing data would be paramount. ERP needs to be well equipped with data to enable it to process information like sales trends, customer data, staff efficiency and the general day to day operations of the existing business model.

Due to the nature of ERP, this data would need to be of a high quality to fit into ERP to ensure accuracy. The data collected by this system is of no worth if the input is not accurate. ERP thrives on the quality of the data used to make it efficient.

A consideration in this area would be to plan the transfer of the data from the current system being used, to the ERP system. Loss of data would cause a negative knock-on effect, resulting in the transfer from the current system to ERP obsolete until sufficient data could be accumulated. You might as well not waste any time on capturing data in any specific department if the data is not good quality, accurate and complete.

There is no use in starting to build a puzzle if you know that pieces are missing, and the full picture will never be experienced.

Lack of IT Support

In-house IT support is a huge advantage to the ERP system. Though this is not mandatory, implementation into a business without an in-house IT department has proven to be costly and time consuming. Even in a case where an IT department exists within the organization, enough and specialized ERP training would be necessary to ensure proficient expodition of any repairs or updates that may be necessary from time to time.

Another option would be to hire prequalified staff who have already undergone training and have experience in ERP operation. Using external IT vendors would strain the organization in costs and efficiency in terms of call out times. This would still make more sense than an untrained employee stumbling around a problem for hours on end with insufficient knowledge and experience to deal with the challenge at hand.

Lack of Data Sharing Ability

One of, if not THE most integral aspect to the successful implementation of ERP into an organization is the ability and capability to share data in the supply chain. Without this the system can be rendered as useless. Keeping up to date with the latest updates and putting them into practice would determine whether this system will make or break your company. Difficulties in the sharing of data could cost time and funds and end up being more of a liability than an asset to an organization.

Customization add-ons and the migration from an older system to ERP may pose as a challenge in this aspect and would need careful attention in the beginning phases of implementation.

Conclusion

75% is an alarming number of failures of the implementation of ERP. All factors above considered, it is paramount that all of them be investigated and thought through thoroughly prior to the implementation of ERP into a business.

Has the right software been chosen? Has there been enough training offered to the right employees to optimize productivity? Does your current data match up to the standard? Do you have informed and capable support available? Is your system correctly customized to the specific business? Does the business have the capacity to carry the cost of such a system? These are all important things to consider before implementing ERP in a business.

The efficiency of this system has been proven for decades, but if not managed correctly, could have a negative effect on an otherwise stable business. On a positive note, if the answer to the above questions are yes, Enterprise Resource Planning software could revolutionize your business.

Sage 300c offers you all the 2016 release enhancements plus anytime/anywhere mobile access, a modern new user interface, and easy mobile access to real-time key performance indicators.

These new screens aren’t just great looking; they also help you improve productivity. You can access Sage 300c as you do today or leverage the new web screens using a browser from a desktop, laptop, or tablet. You have the freedom of choice on how you want to access Sage 300—anytime, anywhere.

Enjoy mobile access with new modern web screens

Sage 300c features new web screens that can be run side-by-side with the Sage 300 traditional Windows screens. These web screens are intuitive, easy to navigate, and provide the same functionality you have today in Sage 300.

Keep tabs on critical information with the new homepage

Get a pulse on your business with the new web homepage in Sage 300c. You can select an anytime, anywhere dashboard specific to your business with key performance indicators (KPI) to access in the office or away through any mobile device.

Do contact us for more information regarding SAGE 300C.

The world is changing quickly and if you want your business to be relevant 10 years from now, you have a responsibility: Make the right decisions now.

This may seem a bit obvious, but many business leaders don’t apply this guideline in all aspects of their companies yet, especially their tech departments. Not that anyone should feel guilty. The tech industry changed quickly and excessively over the past two decades. Now it’s difficult to keep up, understand what you should prioritize and then lobby for the funds to implement the technology.

So, we’re going to provide insight on one aspect: Your cloud ERP. Yes, this MUST be at the top of your to do list.

What is a Cloud ERP?

Your business success depends on how efficiently you can function. An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is one of the best ways to streamline:

• Taking orders from customers
• Storing data (e.g. financial figures)
• Keeping inventory
• Operation scheduling

The focus is on integrating and automating your company’s core business.

But don’t simply pick the first system you come across. You can firstly opt for a Cloud ERP, which will be hosted on the vendor’s servers. Alternatively, there’s an on-premise ERP for which you use your own computers and servers.

So why do we vehemently promote a Cloud ERP?

Reasons to Deploy Your Cloud ERP

It’s Your Safer Option

It’s common to find opposition to new technology and many people feel sending their data ‘up in the air’ is a dangerous notion. The truth is that it’s the more secure option between various storage methods.

Cloud systems have excellent encryption features, such as 128-bit encryption for any data you send into the cloud. When you use a cloud system your paid for services include personnel that are dedicated to keep the cloud secure.

This is much more effective than an overworked IT department on site where a large workload may keep them from ensuring optimum security levels. Can you guarantee that your team can implement and test the necessary features 24/7? It only takes one breach to put your entire system at risk.

It Makes Financial Sense

Of course, you obviously need to consider your budget. You may expect to pay more for a such a professional service, than simply hosing it yourself. Luckily, in most circumstances, that’s a myth.

If you aim to create a top of the range system on your premises, you’ll have to spend a large amount of capital on hardware. This isn’t viable for new businesses who don’t have the funds yet and for established businesses, this is an unnecessary expense.

Added to this is the cost of running servers, as well as time—and money—lost when you deploy new features.

On a cloud system you pay for the use of servers, but this is much more economical than buying them yourself. Thanks to faster deployment and excellent scalability a cloud based system positively affects productivity and therefore revenue.

An on-premise system also demands the presence of on site experts. If you don’t have an equipped IT team a small problem can lead to huge losses while you wait for a professional from elsewhere to arrive. With a cloud ERP you don’t have to grow your IT department if your finances don’t allow for it.

This isn’t only beneficial to your budget now, but also in the long term.

Enjoy a User Friendly System

Because new technology seems daunting to many people you may think it’s the more difficult option to use in your business. Once again, a myth!

A cloud ERP has many user friendly features. First of all, it’s a common feature that cloud ERPs are designed according to systems most employees know already, which include:

• Intuitive dashboards
• Familiar interfaces
• User friendly features

Vendors understand the necessity of not wasting too much time on getting to know a new setup.

If speed is a priority you’ll also pick a cloud ERP for how quickly you can implement it. It’s a fact that they can be deployed in much shorter time frames than on premise ERPs. The benefit here is that there won’t even be much disruption to your normal processes when you start using it.

And now think of how you’re conducting your business. Don’t your team members function more effectively when they have access to business information at all times, no matter where they are? This is easily possible with a cloud ERP, as you only need an internet connection to access the cloud.

Upgrades Made Simple

As mentioned, technology changes quickly. That means your system won’t always function the way it does today. Upgrading an on-premise system is loaded with challenges:

• It adds more pressure to IT departments who in general have too much to handle already.
• Downloading upgrades to computers is bothersome to workers, as it takes time.
• Testing an upgrade can disrupt workers and lower productivity levels.

When upgrades happen on the cloud, most of these challenges are negated. IT personnel can focus on their other work and you don’t run the risk of a possible breach because they don’t have time to work on the new security upgrade.

Staff members don’t waste time on downloading upgrades or testing the software, because it’s done on your behalf.

Upgrades aren’t only simpler, but actually more cost effective, since upgrades to software are usually covered by the premiums you pay.

It Shows Your Concern for the Environment

As much as you value productivity and efficiency, your clients may prioritize one feature even more: your social responsibility.

If your carbon footprint is important to you, realize the value of using multi-tenant systems on the cloud, rather than deploying your own system on site. The latter can increase your footprint by 95%.

Conclusion

No matter where your priorities and business focus lie, there are clear reasons for using a cloud ERP, rather than deploying it on site. We will say it again: Your future success depends on the decision you make today. The only question left to ask is: When will you join the cloud?