10 Questions for Buyers of an ERP system.

10 Questions for Buyers of an ERP system.

1)      Financials. How well does the software handle General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivables (AR) and financial reporting.  Are these modules tightly integrated with the rest of the system or is a separate reporting system.

2)      Drill-down capabilities. Do you have the option “see” the data behind summary reporting.  Summary reporting is great to get a quick overview of your financial position, but what steps are needed to see the detail behind the summary.

3)      Sales and order entry. How straight forward are customer sales entered and tracked in the system?

4)      Inventory Control and Warehouse Management. How well is inventory tracked? Does your organization need to manage multiple locations?  What tools does customer service have to manage the relationship between inventory and customers?  Are you including Warehouse Management (WMS) in your solution?  Inventory is basically what you have on the shelf.  WMS is the tracking and management of the movement of inventory, from receipt to shipment.

5)      Integration. The whole purpose of investing in an ERP system is to take advantage of a central repository of information and the efficiency that drives in an organization to reduce operating costs and increase revenue.  Third party solutions often give greater functionality in specific areas like Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Payroll/HR, Business Intelligence (BI) reporting.  Before investing make sure you understand how the solution addresses your requirements and make sure the entire system integration is seamless and does not create new silos of disconnected information.

6)      Procurement. How well does the purchasing integrate with the rest of the system.  How well does historical demand drive forecasting?  What tools will you have to manage supplier relationships?

7)      Customer Relationship Management. Does the proposed solution include an integrated Customer/Contact Relationship Management (CRM) module?  In reviewing a new solution, you need integration, not separate systems.  Ask the ERP provider how are prospects and leads tracked, managed and converted into customers. How can you utilize this module to proactively market to your customers and prospects.

8)      Dashboards. Just like in the Financials modules, the other modules of an ERP system need summary information with the ability to drill down to the detail.  How easy is it to find key information that you and your managers need to manage your business?

9)      Solution Fit. How well does the software fit with your current infrastructure and business culture? Is there a clear growth path to follow as your business grows?  You do not want to invest the time and energy to upgrade only to find out that you need to repeat the process again in five years.  What changes will be needed to make the change to implement the new solution?

10)   Return on Investment, Return on Value. Before you can calculate any return you need the proper metrics to measure the effectiveness of your current operations.  Know where you are now and where you want to be in a few years.  Evaluating how the proposed solution meets the challenges becomes easier and provides the basis on calculating Return on Investment (ROI).  A more important metric may be to calculate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Return on Value (ROV).  How much more productive and engaged will your staff be when they understand that they are in control and not just merely keying data into a black hole?

Dolvin Consulting works with their partners VAI and IBM to deliver the right solution.  Contact us by clicking here for a no-pressure consultation.

Learn the 7 best practices for making Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing work.

Learn the 7 best practices for making Just-In-Time (JIT) Manufacturing work.

Focus Research has published a short white paper on the seven best practices for making Just-In-Time (JIT) manufacturing work.  The article highlights the following seven points:

 

Best Practices Checklist

1.       Delegate responsibility to employees on the floor.

2.       Ensure that line employees are properly trained.

3.       Information systems must give employees a holistic view of operations.

4.       A flexible work force and flexible machines are both important to achieving JIT production.

5.       Visual controls are an important element to managing JIT production.

6.       Accountability and governance are key.

7.       Stability in production operations is a requirement.

When you review this list do you see the important underlying message? What appears most is the need for leadership.  A true leader empowers those that he serves and delegates the responsibility and holds those people accountable.  Notice again that a true leader serves others, not the reverse that so many people incorrectly assume is the role of leadership.  That would be a dictatorship and history has proven that only works for a short period of time.

Dolvin Consulting works with its partners, VAI and IBM to build the resources that real leaders can utilize to empower their workers.  Click here for Dolvin’s contact information.  We are here to help.

WISP Vault - A Smart Solution for Protecting Your WISP Data

WISP Vault - A Smart Solution for Protecting Your WISP Data

Whether you are a company large or small, data breaches to Privacy Information are always possible as long as the human element is involved.

With data breaches becoming an almost every day occurrence, businesses of all sizes need a surefire alternative to keeping their Written Information Security Plans, files and information protected while following state and federal requirements. From state-to-state, a Written Information Security Policy (WISP) is required of organizations and establishments that must include how the WISP Plan will prevent such compromises (pre-breach) and what to do after a breach happens (post-breach). Failure to comply will result in hefty fines. Congress is cracking down on such offenses and businesses are the ones who have to pay, meanwhile, precious information which has been stolen can cost you more than just money. How will you tell your customers and clients that their personal information has been hijacked?

Now there is a smarter way to work with key-company critical data. Dolvin Consulting in partnership with Cyber Security Auditors & Administrators (CSA2), along with BMC Group, proudly introduces the WISPvault.

What separates this data security concept from any other is the highest protection for your WISP Plan, files and materials at efficient cost-conscious pricing, which puts you in control. A complete set up is easy and requires little time.  There are numerous customizable layouts and the feature-rich intuitive Windows-based interface offers dragand-drop capability, as well as other simple to operate features.

The WISPvault is effortless to update and only takes minutes. There is the option of managing it yourself or having a knowledgeable team assist you. A special team is assigned to you for the life of your site. Support is available 24/7 to answer any questions and aid in solving problems to keep your vault running smooth. The WISPvault offers the highest caliber of security with sophisticated encryption software, multiple firewalls, and powerful virus detectors and geographically dispersed secure servers.

Encompassing all aspects of cyber security, the WISPvault is the easiest method for executives; advisors and decision-makers to quickly access secure data. This essential solution allows businesses to stay a step ahead of the hackers and avoid breaches that are low cost and simple to navigate. You are at risk of being breached?  Can you afford not to have your data protected?

Written by Alan Heyman, CSA2 Managing Director

For further information, please contact: Dolvin Consulting

Network Security Checklist

Network Security Checklist

This two page report from Cisco highlights the need to review your network security.  Of course there is more to security than just wires.  This is a good starting reference point.  Start with the checklist, then use your consultant to help you navigate this field.  Your consultant may be able to help directly or by generating a referral to someone or who can connect with the needed resources.

As the article points out, start by identifying key areas and take a step by step approach.  Security is not just a technical issue, it is a business continuity issue.  This is part of operating a business in today's world.  No less important than sales or marketing.

Small companies do not fly under the radar anymore.  Any vulnerabilities will eventually be found and exploited.

The article makes several good points, some noted already, and another important one is to focus on Return-On-Value (ROV), not Return-On-Investment (ROI). 

Consider the harm a breach will do to your business.  Lost revenue, litigation.  Loss of customer confidence is likely going to be more costly than the remediation costs.

Do not make the mistake of taking a piece by piece approach.  Your organization is going to need a unified strategy.  That is where your consultant will be able to help.  Remember that a significant portion of attacks come from internal sources (employees).

In addtion to the questions asked in the article, you may consider answering the questions below.

HOW WILL YOU

Dolvin Consulting works with industry experts Cyber Security Auditors and Administrators (CSA2). 

We can be contacted through the following link: CONTACT US

• What software and/or applications do you use to prevent a cyber attack?
• What measures do you take to ensure your security and information is not infiltrated by hackers?
• Are you prepared in the event a breach does occur?
• How would you inform your clients and customers if a breach happened at your company?
• What would you do to gain back the trust and confidence of your clients and customers?
• Do you use any type of virtual space to hide and protect your documents?
• Are you in compliance with state and federal pre- and post-breach requirements?
• Do you know what a Written Information Security Plan (WISP) is?

PROTECT THE VALUE OF YOUR COMPANY FROM CYBER ATTACKS?

Wholesalers move toward intelligent warehouses

IBM Forward View

Read the PDF story:PDF

Wholesalers move toward intelligent warehouses...

For wholesalers, even the most organized warehouse is a source of cost and inefficiencies, ranging from basic overhead and energy costs to paper-based processes that can lead to errors. Fortunately, new IT capabilities are helping to make warehouses intelligent, interconnected and instrumented to enable smarter operations. By integrating business processes with technologies such as voice recognition, RFID and motion-sensitive automation, the warehouse is shedding both costs and inefficiencies. And by putting their warehouses in order, wholesalers are discovering that leaner operations can be greener as well.


VAI works with its customers to understand their needs and find and apply the appropriate solution.


Dolvin hopes that it can help to fulfill your technology challenges.
Click here to learn more about Dolvin and our success working with companies like yours.

Click here to contact Dolvin.

VAI's success at Miller Paint featured in the IBM National Ad Campaign...

IBM PartnerWorld

Read the PDF story: PDF

 

 

VAI's success at Miller Paint featured in the IBM National Ad Campaign...

Can a particular blue boost sales? It can—when it’s the right blue at the right time. For Miller Paint, spotting color trends and having the right paint in stock adds up to repeat customers. IBM and IBM Business Partner Vormittag Associates, Inc. (VAI) set up a system that links salespeople with inventory and headquarters with sales trends. Daily sales went up immediately. Miller Paint saw a 100% return on investment in eight months. In one year, they saved $130,000 just by being able to match colors more quickly. Want innovation for coverage? Talk to VAI.

Miller Paint is another example of how a great company such as VAI works with its customers to understand their needs and find and apply the appropriate solution.


Dolvin hopes that it can help to fulfill your technology challenges.
Click here to learn more about Dolvin and our success working with companies like yours.

Click here to contact Dolvin.

Five Critical Points for ERP Success

Focus Research has produced a two page quick read five point overview of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation failures. 

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) has been around for over 30 years but it is one of the least understood areas of enterprise software. ERP implementation failures are common but they can be avoided. This brief offers you the five key tips for a successful ERP implementation.

You'll learn:

• The business value of ERP
• How ERP can drive operational change
• How to find an ERP solution that fits your unique business situation

Read the full document here.


Highlights:

1. ERP is about business value.  It is a business investment, not a technology one.
2. Business fit.  How will it actually make you more efficient.
3. Transformation.  Change is the hardest thing to do.  Will the benefits be worth it?
4. Change Management.  Today success depends more on training and education.
5. Sponsorship.  ERP is for the Enterprise.  You need consensus at all levels

Conclusion:

As the article points out, no short list can describe all the factors required to implement an ERP system successfully.  Consultants can help your implementation, but you are ultimately responsible for its success or failure.

We at Dolvin Consulting are here to help.  Contact us here.