Whether you want to optimize processes, improve customer service, increase the accuracy of marketing initiatives, break into new markets, or find ways to get ahead of the competition, the key factor is getting the right data to the right person at the right time. This is a type of business intelligence, and it should be neither overwhelming nor difficult.
Topics: Sage, data, Sage 100 ERP, john shepperson, oates co, survey, dashboards, governance, economist
When your distribution company starts to grow, gaining local and global customers alike, your accounting department will find it more and more time consuming to prepare invoices.
Topics: ERP, Sage, tracking, enterprise resource planning, integration, john shepperson, modules, oates co, sage erp, sales orders, credit card processing
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
Factory and plant supervisors who are responsible for moving product down the line to warehousing and then through the distribution chain require an accurate way to identify both products and routes, which is very difficult to do manually.
Sage 100 ERP’s bar coding system, however, can help.
Topics: ERP, Sage, enterprise resource planning, Sage 100 ERP, john shepperson, oates co, manufacturing, warehouse, distribution, database, bar codes, bar coding
Spending time on business analysis will enable you to make better plans for the future of your business. The planning cycle starts with a goal of where to go, an idea of how to get there, and a method for measuring progress. Next comes evaluating the growth, asking what enabled progress, and determining what needs to change.
Topics: Sage, accounting, enterprise resource planning, john shepperson, oates co, credit policy, work papers, roll forward, schedule, debit, reconciliation, month end
It’s happened to everyone – duplicate order entries. It wouldn’t happen if only one person worked in the office and handled everything from order execution to accounting, but that isn’t how businesses are run in the real world. In the real world, of course, more than one person is needed to get the job done, and so duplicate entries can be a problem.
Duplicate entries are most likely to happen when a company is doing business the old way: with legacy systems like Excel, Word, and Outlook. Duplicate orders are difficult to avoid when using this older technology because files, orders, invoices, etc. are often spread out amongst various staff members in various offices on various computers – making it very difficult to keep things organized.
Topics: Sage, sage erp x3, Sage X3, john shepperson, excel, duplicate orders, outlook, word, duplicate entries
As your business has grown, it’s getting more difficult to generate timely reports on budgets and expenses and/or to align these categories with ongoing projects.
In the past, you’ve spent way too much time searching for and gathering much needed data and relevant information. Multiple open windows led you to more windows and separate programs like Excel and Word. Sometimes you have to open Outlook too, as you need to search your emails to find the latest information about the warranty, serial number, or other parts information for a broken piece of equipment.
Topics: ERP, Sage, accounting, enterprise resource planning, Sage 100, Sage 100 ERP, john shepperson, oates co, distribution, real time, parts inventory, reduce costs
Today, business moves at a phenomenal pace, with decisions needing to be made on the spur of the moment, often requiring the consideration of large sums of money, inventory, personnel, and other important aspects of business.
Topics: Sage, business intelligence, Sage 100, Sage 100 ERP, john shepperson, oates co, forecasting, ODBC compliant, connector, intelligence reporting
In today’s world of multi-site operations, be it global or across town, the data transparency feature should be of utmost importance when searching for an enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite like the Sage ERP X3.
Why?
Topics: ERP, Sage, sage erp x3, enterprise resource planning, john shepperson, oates co, real time, data transparency, silos, big data
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
