When looking for an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, manufacturing businesses must consider how their ERP will interact with their manufacturing processes, whether they use discrete, process, or mixed manufacturing.
When looking for an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, manufacturing businesses must consider how their ERP will interact with their manufacturing processes, whether they use discrete, process, or mixed manufacturing.
Topics: ERP, enterprise resource planning, inventory, john shepperson, oates co, recipes, workflow, mixed mode manufacturing, discrete manufacturing
Inventory is a major asset in a business, as it ties up considerable cash that could be used for other purposes.
For this reason, good inventory management is a must. What is good inventory management? Essentially, it is a balance between over-stocking and under-stocking – that is, stocking sufficient materials to fill customer orders without having too much or too little inventory.
Topics: training, software, inventory management, inventory, inventory control, john shepperson, oates co, cycle counting, variances, blind counting, procedures, adjustments
Getting visibility from the shop floor to the top floor of any manufacturing center begins through the effective use of business intelligence. Manufacturers are streamlining their operations while gaining greater insights into where and how they can improve operations using business intelligence applications and platforms.
In addition, integrating business intelligence applications with customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems provides insights and knowledge about manufacturing operations and company operations that weren’t available before.
Here are some strategies for improving manufacturing with business intelligence:
Topics: ERP, supply chain, customer relationship management, business intelligence, key performance indicators, enterprise resource planning, inventory, crm, integration, john shepperson, oates co, manufacturing, KPI, forecasting, metrics, suppliers
In order to stay competitive, distributors need to increase customer loyalty while still keeping their operational costs to a minimum. Any company that wants to grow needs a solution to help them solve this problem – better customer service with good inventory and product control.
To accomplish this with data available at your fingertips, Sage ERP X3 distribution software uses modules to help with finance, sales, customer service, purchasing, inventory, shipping, and receiving.
Topics: ERP, Sage, sage erp x3, customer relationship management, enterprise resource planning, inventory, john shepperson, oates co, customer service, inventory tracking, marketing campaign
We love our enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, and we espouse that love frequently, so it might be surprising that we admit they aren’t perfect. While searching for an ERP system to buy, you may find that some of the things you want to do – like tracking warehouse inventory and specific lots via barcoding – isn’t automatically done by the ERP. Sometimes a third-party system is necessary to collect data and bring it back into the ERP platform.
Topics: ERP, Sage, sage erp x3, enterprise resource planning, inventory, integration, john shepperson, modules, oates co, data collection, cycle counting, barcoding
Distribution and supply chains rely heavily on information to keep the conveyors moving, products flowing, and customer orders filled in a timely manner.
Sometimes, though, such information isn’t available when you need it – it can only be found after the fact: a line shuts down because a part must be searched for to see if it is in inventory or a custom order must be filled immediately.
Topics: ERP, Sage, sage erp x3, enterprise resource planning, inventory, Sage X3, john shepperson, oates co, distribution, supply chains
Proactively addressing potential issues in your business can prevent future problems, and inventory is especially important, as it is your biggest asset and represents a significant investment of company cash. 
First, what is inventory? Inventory is your … stuff. The stuff you have to make things, the stuff you sell, the stuff you use to run the office – basically, all the things that you use in your business to generate revenue.
Here are two tools to evaluate efficient inventory management.
Topics: inventory management, inventory, john shepperson, oates co, tools, turnover rate, obsolescence, purchasing policies
Small businesses face big odds, but despite the risk, many determined entrepreneurs take the plunge to go into business for themselves. If you are considering starting your own business, you are going to want to avoid common pitfalls and make sure you are as prepared as you can be to succeed in this tough environment.
Topics: Sage, customer relationship management, billing, enterprise resource planning, inventory, john shepperson, oates co, human resources management, payments, tools, new business
Even though the goal of your business is expansion, big upsurge in your growth can land you in some situations that you’re not quite prepared to deal with right away, especially if the influx of growth catches you off guard.
The good news is these growing pains can be managed with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software that will make your small business thrive – and be prepared to deal with more and more growth and you become more and more successful.
Topics: oates, automation, billing, software, inventory management, inventory, Sage 100, Sage 100 ERP, john shepperson, oates co, manufacturing, payments
Incremental improvements in your container tracking can lead to enhancement in your organization's supply chain clarity and control, which ultimately means being a more competitive company with a higher profit yield. Building your company into a more nimble and profitable juggernaut is possible with the right tools and their thorough implementation.
Topics: supplies, supply chain, inventory, john shepperson, oates co, container tracking, control, clarity, competitiveness
