Tag Archives: ERP

7 Things You Should Be Looking For In A Modern ERP Solution

Disruptive technologies that were once seen as “ideas” are today a reality for many businesses.

Given the advancement of these new technologies over the last few years, if we look at how Enterprise Resource Planning has evolved, one thing is clear – the ERP world has changed!

Cloud, Mobility, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to name a few. What impact is this having on ERP and how do you make sure that you take advantage of these technology shifts when the time comes to implement or choose an ERP software for your business?

Here is a short video on what to look for in modern ERP software.

Riding the wave of innovation in ERP

Firstly, a technology that doesn’t translate into meaningful change and associated advantages for your business is absolutely pointless!

You need to make sure that Cloud, Mobility and AI have a positive impact on your ERP solution by providing real business benefits.

Assuming we are in agreement that these technical changes will lead to business benefits and should be taken into account when choosing an ERP, let’s focus our attention on what we should be looking for in a modern ERP software.

Fit for purpose. Let’s start by making sure that we choose an ERP solution that is a good fit for the business. This requires an analysis of multiple components:

Budget – can you afford the solution?
Does the solution that you are planning to implement offer the required functionality to help run your business better?
Make sure you cover all functional requirements (financial, operational, manufacturing, CRM) during a scoping exercise.

Internal muscle. Do you have the internal muscle to implement ERP? If you want to learn more about why you need “internal muscle” to implement and maintain an ERP solution, check this blog post.
Web-based technology. Sounds obvious and it is! Your Cloud-Based ERP solution should have web client technology to allow access from anywhere, anytime via any device.
Mobility. Apps and web client access are critical to give the user a consistent user experience across any device. You should be able to log in via mobility apps or the web from your phone, tablet or pc.
Support. It goes without saying that you will require an ERP partner that offers great support. Without a strong support partner, you might encounter challenges for your day-to-day ERP users and long-term ERP optimisation strategy.
Upgrades. Upgrades should be included as part of your cloud solution. If you are not going with a cloud solution, then find out more about future upgrades. Things like frequency, costs and potential disruption to your day-to-day operations should be taken into account. Technology is moving at a more rapid pace than ever before so make sure that your ERP provider can offer technology enhancements to give your business the competitive edge that you are seeking.
Cloud. The team at Leverage Technologies has written several blogs on the subject of Cloud ERP vs On-Premise ERP. There is no right or wrong answer except to say that more and more companies are moving their ERP solutions to the cloud for all the reasons we know about – lower costs, scalability and access to computing power to provide a more agile environment. Ultimately leading to an easier deployment and maintenance of your ERP system.

Conclusion

New technology shifts are making it easier to do business and are providing a competitive edge for organisations that embrace change.

Current technology trends that will provide a competitive advantage include Mobility, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, IoT and Big Data analytics.

Make sure you are positioned to take advantage of these technologies by having a modern, technology-ready, ERP platform.

Modern ERP solutions can help you run a better business. Invest in the right ERP solution and take advantage of a world of new technology that will provide your business with real day-to-day benefits and strategic, long-term opportunities.

For more information or to learn how modern Cloud ERP can help your business grow, call 1300 045 046 or email [email protected].

Cloud Computing And The New Era Of ERP Software Functionality

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Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) has moved away from core functionality and to a new era of technical, integrated solutions.

The advent of Cloud-Based ERP solutions has provided smaller companies with access to computing power that was previously only available to large organisations.

What does this mean to your business and how can you use this to your advantage?

In this article, we are going to review some of the main changes that the Cloud has brought to the ERP market and how businesses like yours can benefit from such innovations.

Leverage the Cloud to make ERP the centre of your universe

Why would you want to move your ERP software solution to the Cloud?

First of all, with the advent of Cloud-enabled applications, you can get more computing power than you have ever dreamed of and you can rent it monthly.

Secondly, it opens up your business to a universe of new functionalities that can be integrated more easily and cost-effectively into your core ERP software.

As always, I am a huge believer in business benefits. There is no point moving your ERP solution to the Cloud unless there are real, everyday benefits. Some of these may include:

Improved cash flow;
Quicker quote to cash times;
Improved customer satisfaction;
Better information for decision making.

One integrated system to manage every aspect of your business

There is a move away from ERP being a non-technical, functional solution and towards total integration across multiple platforms, technologies and function set.

Cloud computing has opened up a new world for developers. As an example, if you want to develop an app for sales or a solution for expense management, you can rent infrastructure in the Cloud and can start to develop your apps, quickly and cost-effectively.

This is opening up a whole new world where the customer can choose to integrate multiple different apps and solutions for a fraction of the price that would have been paid several years ago.

Think about the following point solutions that can be added to your core ERP solution:

AP automation
Expense management
Timesheet billing
Job Costing
Service management
Mobility based Sales order taking
E-commerce
BI

Ten years ago, when selecting an ERP solution, you looked to have all of these requirements inside a single system. This is because back then, integration was time-consuming and expensive.

Today, in a Cloud-connected world, your ERP application is fast becoming the centre of this connected universe with options to easily integrate point solutions as and when required.

This breaks down the barriers to ERP adoption for small and medium businesses. Instead of embarking on a single, huge, ERP project across the entire enterprise, a modern ERP application for SME businesses allows the organization to add best of breed winning solutions to the core ERP application as and when required.

What are the transformations in the ERP industry that are facilitating the new era of Cloud-enabled ERP software functionality?

Better web integration technology;
Easier Cloud-Based development platforms for small development companies;
A change to a more connected world and an expectation of quick time to value.

Conclusion

The new age in Cloud-enabled software is great news for small to medium-sized businesses wanting to implement an ERP software solution.

Now more than ever customers can choose the applications they want, when they want it and easily integrate it into their ERP systems to extend their capabilities.

If you are evaluating possible Cloud ERP options for your business, call 1300 045 046 or email [email protected] to speak to one of our consultants.

Brett Mundell

Managing Director

Brett has more than 20 years of business software sales and company management experience. Brett has been involved in more than 300 ERP projects. His passion is customer satisfaction, making sure every client is more than just satisfied. Brett wants our customers to be driven to refer their friends and peers because we offer the best services and technology available and because we exceeded their expectations.

Cloud ERP or On-Premise ERP? Answering The Million Dollar Question

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We have written multiple articles looking at the pros and cons of Cloud ERP vs on-premise ERP.

I am often asked by existing and prospective customers “should my ERP solution be on-premise or Cloud-based?”.

My answer is “you, the customer should decide”.

The team at Leverage Technologies will provide you with all of the relevant information to make an informed decision but at the end of the day, the decision is yours – the customer.

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to Cloud ERP. What works for one company might not work for another.

First of all, let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Cloud-based ERP! Want to know why? Here are some numbers and statistics from our experience implementing ERP in the last year.

In 2017, roughly 60% of all our new ERP customers were Cloud-based. Last quarter, the adoption rate of new customers choosing the Cloud was 100% across our SAP, Sage and MYOB Acumatica(formerly MYOB Advanced) business units.

These numbers indicate what most ERP providers already know. There is a growing shift towards taking ERP into the cloud.

Why move to a Cloud-Based ERP system?

Many business applications (in fact almost all of them) can be moved to the Cloud. These include your e-mail, documents and other systems like Customer Relationship Management, Enterprise Resource Planning and more. The benefits of moving to a Cloud ERP system include:

No need for onsite, expensive IT infrastructure;
Pay as you use, just like a utility;
Use Operational expenditure (Opex) rather than Capital expenditure (Capex);
No large upfront software costs;
Make use of cloud infrastructure for better security and scalability;
Gain access to software, hardware and infrastructure “power” previously not available to SMEs.

Given the many advantages of Cloud-based ERP software, what prevents all companies from moving their ERP to the Cloud?

Here is our view on why some companies may prefer an on-premise ERP setup.

Why implement an on-premise ERP system?

Internet infrastructure. Slow Internet is the number one reason why businesses might decide to implement ERP on-premise. This is because slow or unreliable internet infrastructure just won’t work for Cloud ERP deployments.

On-going costs. A number of businesses tell us that they believe that cloud will be more expensive over five years. But let’s be careful with this assessment! When comparing the cost of on-premise vs Cloud over a particular time period make sure you consider all relevant on-premise costs including infrastructure, back-up, IT management etc.

Security. Some SMEs still consider Cloud-Based ERP to be a “security” risk. Usually, this is a false economy. A global ERP provider of cloud ERP Solutions usually provides more security than an SME running their own infrastructure and security. If anything, your Cloud ERP solution is likely to be more secure than an on-premise solution.

What happens to my data if I stop paying my Cloud fees? The feedback on this particular topic will no doubt differ from one ERP provider to another.

The fear that some businesses have is that if they stop paying the monthly or annual Cloud fees the Cloud provider will cut off access and hold the data to ransom. I would suggest that this is an unlikely scenario if you are working with a global, well-established, provider of Cloud-based ERP solutions!

Looking beyond the 5-year ROI

The main reasons to move your ERP to the Cloud are often overlooked.

SMEs often spend time comparing the cost of Cloud vs on-premise over five years or talking about security and other structural elements. This ignores one of the major reasons for moving your ERP to the Cloud – endless possibilities!

We live in a world where Cloud has given us access to unlimited computing for a relatively low monthly fee. In today’s world, even small businesses can access enterprise-grade computing resources at a small business cost.

The world of ERP is changing too. Customers want a single, integrated platform for all aspects of their business – ERP, E-commerce, CRM, Expense Management, Accounts Payable (AP) Automation, Human Capital Management (HCM), Payroll, Business Intelligence (BI) and more. Previously, these functionalities were exclusive to large enterprises but today any business can use such applications, all possible through the Cloud.

Let’s consider two examples, BI and AP Automation.

Ten years ago, under a traditional on-premise ERP model, BI and AP Automation software was only available to mid-market and enterprise customers. The computing power and internal IT infrastructure required for BI and AP Automation tools were beyond the budget and expertise of most SMEs.

In a Cloud-based, connected world. BI and AP Automation software is hosted in the cloud and available to be switched on at short notice.

Suddenly, you can access BI tools for $10 per user per month with pre-written integration to multiple databases and platforms. Time to value is quick.

The same is true of AP automation. A few years ago, AP Automation projects were beyond the budget of most SMEs. With the advent of Cloud-based AP Automation solutions, SMEs can now “rent” an AP Automation solution for a relatively low monthly fee.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing between a Cloud-based or On-premise ERP software solution, there is no right or wrong answer.

From our experience, Cloud Computing is rapidly shifting the way ERP is adopted and consumed. This is because of the many advantages that a Cloud-based ERP system provides, even beyond the 5-year ROI.

On the other hand, some businesses still prefer an On-premise setup due to considerations involving mainly security and cost.

Our advice when considering the two options, is ultimately to factor in all costs associated and look beyond the 5-year ROI to truly understand the possibilities that one system will give your business over the other.

The truth is, Cloud-based ERP might not be for everyone. The good news is that the choice is yours and as a customer you can assess the pros and cons to make an informed decision.

Are you evaluating possible ERP options for your business? Call 1300 045 046 or email [email protected] to speak to one of our consultants.

Brett Mundell

Managing Director

3 Reasons Your Manufacturing Firm Is Fighting For Survival

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According to a recent report from the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre, the Australian Manufacturing sector is larger and more diverse than thought.

With more than 1,200,000 jobs in both its workforce and the inputs it purchases, the Australian manufacturing sector has been growing from strength to strength over the last few years.

The increased competitive pressure means Australian manufacturers can’t afford to compete on cost and need to focus on value. In fact, according to the same report, being advanced is not what a manufacturer makes, but how.

In this post, we are going to have a look at the three main reasons your manufacturing firm might be fighting for survival and what you can do about overcoming those challenges.

To fight for survival or not: a guide for Australian Manufacturing firms

Manufacturing businesses have many challenges to overcome if they want to be successful in Australia’s business landscape.

From complying with regulations to the skill gap in qualified personnel across the country, there are many different problems that can affect the growth of your organisation. Sadly, these issues can linger for a long time in your business because they’re difficult to detect.

The good news is, manufacturing is one of the areas where technology has had the biggest impact in the last few years. In fact, there are many tools and applications that you can leverage to overcome those challenges and run a more agile manufacturing practice.

Enterprise Resource Planning, for example, is one of the most commonly implemented types of software that businesses use to help manage everyday operations, finance, accounting, distribution, and more.

From helping you manage responsive deliveries to delegating tasks to your staff, we’ll be going through three different challenges that manufacturing firms face and how ERP software can help you overcome them.

Challenge 1 – Delivery Responsiveness

Responsiveness is a concern that many small and medium-sized manufacturing firms face. Companies that have less capital need to be responsive, flexible and ultimately mobile in order to adapt to changes in the industry. Some of the main challenges that Australian Manufacturing companies face when it comes to delivery responsiveness are as follows, how many do you recognise?

Demand for innovation – Consumers will always want your company to innovate and offer something new to the world. Unique selling propositions will completely change how your business is seen and innovative products will always trump working products due to their nature.
Short product life cycles – Since innovations are always happening, this ultimately means that product life cycles are shorter. This means that your advertising materials will constantly be changing and the way you approach consumers will also need an overhaul.
Raw material inventory – And of course, we can’t make new products if we don’t actually have the raw materials required. Managing your inventory is crucial if you have strict deadlines for your products or if there are complicated procedures involved in your manufacturing process.
Changing regulations – As mentioned before, small and medium-sized businesses need to be responsive and mobile. If a regulation is changed, then we’re expected to keep up with it and change our processes to match the new rules.

These are the main challenges of delivery responsiveness, but how does ERP software help?

For starters, ERP software can help you schedule material production and plan the required materials that will be converted into actual products.

As a manufacturing company, your primary goal is to turn these raw materials into working products and this often means that you’ll run into trouble managing your raw inventory versus your actual product stock.

ERP software also helps you maintain quality assurance since it can be implemented in every phase of your operation. From the moment you receive your raw materials to the time you inspect the goods before packaging them, the entire quality assurance process is simplified with the use of ERP software.

Challenge 2 – Keeping up With Regulatory Compliance

As more and more technology is introduced into the world, regulating bodies and organisations need to figure out how to control the technology being made in order to prevent cybersecurity threats or data leaks. Whether it’s to protect industry secrets or end-users, regulatory compliance is required to ensure the end product is of high quality and passes inspection.

A great example of how regulator compliance changed was when Uber and other private transport companies grew larger. The entire business model was built around inviting strangers into your personal vehicle as a taxi driver, and this forced the relevant governing body to completely overhaul its regulations to fit this new idea.

In Australia, like in many other countries, Manufacturers have to be aware of the actual laws, and processing standards to ensure the manufactured products, services and solutions are safe and reliable

With ERP software, everything from production management to quality control and assurance is taken care of electronically. ERP software will help you control every phase of your production process to ensure that everything meets the standards you set.

This makes it incredibly easy to comply with regulations and it means you also have proof that you are following them.

Challenge 3 – Dealing With Skill Gaps

A recent report from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science has identified business management, marketing, business regulation and others as skills deficiencies in the Australian manufacturing sector.

Addressing management capabilities and future workforce skill needs is important for business leaders as qualified staff can enable growth and innovation in a very competitive industry.

To counteract this, ERP software has many tools that are capable of managing human resources. While ERP software can’t keep senior members working if they want to retire, it can help to delegate work and streamline human resources operations.

The costs are much lower than traditional human resources tasks and thanks to the implementation and automation, it’s much easier to get an overview of how your employees are doing. It also prevents overstaffing which is a common issue in small and medium manufacturing firms. It’s cost-effective to use fewer employees, but growing your manufacturing firm ultimately requires you to hire more employees. With ERP software, it’s possible to achieve a comfortable balance that will ensure business growth and employee satisfaction.

Conclusion

As competition in the Australian Manufacturing sector continues to increase, competing on value is one of the key requirements for organisations to succeed.

To do so, innovation and processes become key. If your manufacturing organisation is struggling with the challenges of delivery responsiveness, regulatory compliance and skill shortage, implementing Enterprise Resource Planning can help you overcome those challenges.

Use an ERP system to:

Plan your production process to beat your competitors on responsiveness;
Keep up with regulatory compliance;
Streamline the Human Resource management process and retain key talents.

At Leverage Technologies, we have implemented ERP systems since 2005, serving more than 250 customers Australia-wide in many industries. If you are interested in understanding how an Enterprise Resource Planning system can help your Manufacturing organisation, call 1300 045 046 or email [email protected].

Top FREE Online Resources to Help You Find The Best ERP System

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Choosing an ERP system for a business is never easy.

Sometimes, a high-level understanding of the requirements and objectives can be enough to get a sense of what system will suit your business.

Other times, a full pre-sales requirements analysis with a specialised consultant is required to understand the business, scope the project and provide ERP recommendations.

However, there is always room for pre-research that you can do upfront to understand the Australian ERP landscape, discover what ERP systems other organisations in your industry are using and what ERP software is best positioned to meet your needs, even before engaging an ERP implementation partner.

In this article, we are going to review the top free resources that any business can find online to understand more about Enterprise Resource Planning and perform a high-level self-assessment of the ideal ERP fit.

Top resources to learn more about ERP

So, you are starting to look at possible ERP software options for your business. Here are a few top-notch resources that are available for free on the web and should point you in the right direction as to which ERP systems you should be considering.

Understanding Enterprise Resource Planning

Here are the most followed and informative blogs about Enterprise Resource Planning. Read these blogs to understand more about ERP and how it can help your business grow smart.

ERP News
CIO
Search ERP by TechTarget
ERP Focus

Narrowing your ERP research

Now that you have understood ERP and to what extent your business can benefit from it, it’s time to narrow down your research. Which are the most popular ERP systems in your industry?

Use these top ERP Software selection websites to start your research. You can filter all the possible ERP options by selection criteria including user rating, features, deployment options, pricing and more.

Learning from opinion leaders

Play the following Podcasts in your spare time to learn more about ERP from industry leaders.

Learning from your peers

Case Studies are an excellent way to learn from the experience of other businesses similar to yours. If reinventing the wheel is not your main priority, these case studies will help you narrow down your research.

SAP Business One case studies here
MYOB Acumatica(formerly MYOB Advanced) case studies here
Sage X3 case studies here

Conclusion

There are multiple aspects to consider when choosing an ERP software. Functionality, pricing, deployment options and business objectives to name a few.

If you are not ready to engage a specialised ERP consulting company to help you find the right solution, the resources listed in this article are a great starting point.

Remember, always start with the end in mind and ask yourself the following questions

“What is that I want to get out of the system?”
“What is the idea of a perfect business for us?”

The team at Leverage Technologies has helped more than 250 Australian businesses find and implement the right ERP solution. Call 1300 045 046 or email [email protected] to speak to a specialised ERP consultant in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.

Why ERP Project Management is Key To The Success of Your Implementation

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Often overlooked by small to medium-sized businesses during an implementation of ERP Software – do not ignore ERP project management!

Make sure you allocate at least 10% of your ERP implementation budget to project management.

Key elements of Project Management for ERP implementations

ERP Project management is divided into two key elements – your ERP implementation partner project manager (part of the ERP implementation partner team) and your own internal ERP project manager. Even if you have the best external ERP partner implementation project manager always appoint your own internal project manager to assist with the management of your ERP project.

These ERP project managers will have responsibility for guiding the implementation through the various phases, managing scope change, budget control, ensuring decisions are made in a timely manner and reporting progress to the business.

A strong internal project manager will make a huge difference to the timely delivery (within budget) of your ERP software implementation.

Appoint a Project Manager to avoid the following challenges

Very often the delays associated with an ERP implementation relate to the following:

Slow decision making;
Poor planning of meeting agendas;
Unnecessary scope changes;
Unclear scope or poor communication to ERP implementation consultants;
Poor delivery of legacy data.

These issues can be resolved with careful ERP project management – by both the external ERP implementation consultants and your own internal ERP project manager.

Assuming you have chosen the right ERP implementation partner for your ERP software project they will provide you with a good project manager. Now the important aspect is your choice of internal ERP project manager.

Very few Small to medium-sized companies have dedicated IT or project management skill sets in their business. As a result, you will be asking someone in the business to take on the internal ERP project management role as a part-time role for the duration of the ERP software project.

For small to medium-sized businesses this is usually a three to six-month timeline.

What are the key skills required from an ERP Project Manager?

Let’s assume one of your accounting team members is happy taking on the internal project management role for your ERP Software implementation – let’s look at the required skills.

Good communication skills;
Good general business knowledge (accounting, operational and technology);
Highly organised;
Operates well under pressure;
Has the buy-in of senior management;
Is well respected by peers.

Your ERP software internal project manager will take responsibility for managing the following elements of your ERP Software implementation:

Budget vs Actual billing;
Scope changes;
Communication between the ERP implementation partner and your business;
Making sure that the ERP implementation partner gets access to the right people, the right technology, and the right data in a timely manner;
Company representation at project meetings;
Expectation setting;
Assist with change management;
Help create system documentation as required.

Conclusion

Appoint a strong internal project manager to manage your ERP implementation. This is another important step in the process of successfully implementing ERP software in a small to medium-sized business.

The team at Leverage Technologies has helped more than 250 Australian businesses grow smart woth Enterprise Resource Planning. Call 1300 045 046 or email [email protected] to talk to an ERP consultant in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.

ERP Implementation Roles & Responsibilities Guide: Defining Your ERP Dream Team

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Every ERP implementation requires clearly defined roles and responsibilities for both internal teams (your staff members) and external consultants (your implementation partner).

We have previously discussed some of the key reasons why you need “internal muscle” to implement an ERP system.

In this article, we will review some of the key aspects to defining your ERP “Dream Team” to ensure project success.

Why you need to define ERP implementation roles and responsibilities?

When implementing ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) Software make sure that you clearly define (at the start of the ERP project) who will have responsibility for which parts of the ERP system implementation.

You also need to define:

ERP implementation team members
ERP project team structure
ERP project team roles

Understand and account for the fact that your team will need to take responsibility for certain parts of the implementation. ERP Training, user acceptance testing, and the system blueprint will all require time and input from your internal team. Set realistic go-live dates so that your team has enough time to do their daily tasks.

Key ERP implementation team roles and responsibilities

Internal project management – your ERP implementation partner will provide project management resource to guide you through the project. Do not underestimate the importance of having your own internal project manager to manage budget, expectations, coordinate training and user feedback, track and follow up on user acceptance testing and report on progress to senior management.

Super users – make sure that you appoint super users to each functional area of your ERP Software implementation (finance, sales, logistics etc.). Super users will take responsibility for coordinating training, user testing and feedback in their department.

Admin superuser –When implementing ERP software you can ensure a lower cost of ownership by training one of your more technical users as a systems administrator. The systems administrator will take responsibility for day to day ERP Software administrative tasks – setting up new users, basic support for user queries, user authorisations and reporting.

Senior management participation – all good ERP Software implementation methodologies refer to the fact that buy-in from senior management is required for a successful implementation of ERP solutions. I would argue that you need more than senior management buy-in – you need senior management input into some key design phases of the ERP implementation. The amount of senior management participation required will depend on the size of your organisation. In smaller companies where the senior management is actively involved in several day-to-day business activities, you will definitely want to make sure that the senior team is involved in the more strategic design workshops. If you do not involve senior management you might spend time configuring your solution only to find out that the end result is not what management wants.

Conclusion

Implementing an ERP needs clearly defined roles and responsibilities of all parties involved.

Ensure that your ERP implementation partner provides a detailed project plan which highlights areas of responsibility for the ERP implementation. How much internal time needs to be allocated to all ERP project tasks and on what dates are some important inclusions in the project plan.

Clearly defining roles and responsibilities are an important step in the implementation of successful ERP software solutions. The ultimate advice is to spend some time on this aspect of your ERP planning to ensure project success.

The team at Leverage Technologies has helped more than 250 Australian organisations with their ERP software requirements. Call 1300 045 046 or email [email protected] to speak to a consultant in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.