Posts tagged with "Enterprise software"

When it comes to ERP systems, the word “customization” is one of the most dreaded terms that an executive hears. In fact, I would estimate that at least 90-percent of Panorama’s ERP selection clients indicate a strong preference for zero or no customization. In other words, most CIOs and CFOs want to use the system out of the box without making any changes to the software code. There will always be configuration and personalization, which every ERP implementation requires, but when it comes to heavy-duty changes to the software, most executives don’t want to hear about it. However, something strange happens during ... READ MORE

For many organizations evaluating ERP software, it is not unusual when the euphoric atmosphere during the software demonstrations eventually gives way to the harsh realities of implementation. That is, ERP software vendors are no help in setting realistic expectations and are usually part of the problem. Understanding the games that many ERP vendors play during the evaluation process can help avoid selecting the wrong package and dooming your project from the start. First it must be recognized that the business of peddling ERP software involves huge commissions and the biggest sales pitch on the planet. While software vendors speak of the desire to partner with ... READ MORE

Adoption rates for Cloud computing and software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions are rising despite some people’s concern over Cloud security. The fact is, security and protection of confidential business data should be a concern whether it resides on an in-house server or a Cloud environment. Moreover, server locations of companies are not necessarily better protected than the Cloud. In fact, reputable Cloud applications are usually far more safe because they have better means to protect, secure, and back up data than any small-to-medium company ever could in-house with an on-premise solution. The advantage of the Cloud is economies of scale. Have you ever ... READ MORE

Cloud ERP systems are getting a lot of attention these days. SaaS ERP vendors – such as Salesforce, Workday, Plex Systems and NetSuite – and other cloud providers are demonstrating revenue growth that most traditional ERP vendors aren’t seeing. In addition, many industry pundits already have their epitaphs prepared for the allegedly inevitable death of traditional ERP software as we know it. The Panorama team helps many clients implement ERP systems each year and we simply don’t see the need to start making funeral arrangements for the enterprise software industry as we know it – at least not yet. While smaller ... READ MORE

Each year, Panorama conducts an annual survey of hundreds of ERP implementations across the globe. Our most recent study – which was published in our 2012 ERP Report - shows that most ERP system initiatives take longer than expected, exceed expected budgets and fail to deliver expected business benefits. While this study demonstrates the perils of ERP implementations, another data point from a recent industry survey shows that ERP systems are in fact delivering measurable results for many organizations. A recent snapshot study by Sage, a leading manufacturing ERP vendor, reveals that 67-percent of manufacturers indicate that their ERP systems have ... READ MORE

Most in the ERP industry agree that software consultants can play an important role in helping their clients successfully implement a new ERP system. While some consulting firms have more expertise than others, at least most firms try to operate with their client’s best interest in mind. However, there are many firms within the ERP industry that are outright thieves. They will not hesitate to take advantage of their clients in order to pad their own wallets. In fact, some firms are so good at this it has become part of their standard operating procedures. This is one reason huge consulting ... READ MORE

While the security issues surrounding cloud computing have garnered much attention in recent years, many companies have fallen victim to dangers of the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend they adopted more readily. Oddly enough, adopting BYOD means vicarious integration of cloud computing, though BYOD is where security fails rather than the cloud vendors themselves. According to an August 2012 Trend Micro study, "Security breaches have been experienced by nearly half of all companies that allow BYOD and immediate changes to security protocols typically follows such breaches, with data access right restrictions (45 percent) or security software installation (42.9 percent) ... READ MORE

You come across it all the time. You read it on the ERP vendor websites, you hear it from ERP software sales reps, and you see it in proposals: “Don’t worry about business process reengineering – our ERP software will tell you how your processes should work.” You may also hear things like: “Just use our pre-configured ERP system with best practices baked into the software, and your business processes will improve by leaps and bounds.” It sounds good in theory, and it’s what most executives want to hear in the boardroom, but how realistic is this notion? Unfortunately, it’s not ... READ MORE

It’s been a long time since ERP systems started becoming too complex, too costly and too risky for implementing organizations. But even though its been roughly ten years since the well-publicized Hershey’s ERP failure and a number of Y2K-related implementation debacles, it often feels as if organizations still aren’t any smarter about ERP implementation now than they were a decade ago. In fact, each of our annual ERP Reports dating back to 2008 reveal the same general message: most projects take longer than expected, cost more than expected and fail to deliver expected business benefits. The irony is that while Panorama ... READ MORE

Think of your company's intranet--does it invite social collaboration across the enterprise? Have you ever even thought about it as a tool for that purpose? If you answered no to those questions then Igloo Software has a solution it wants to sell to you. We sat down with IGLOO's Stephen Rahal to ask some questions about how enterprise social can make good on the promise of boosting productivity and helping accomplish tasks. What was the inspiration behind Igloo Software? What sort of specific business needs did you see that you could address better than the competition? The concept for Igloo Software actually ... READ MORE