Posts tagged with "ERP"

A self-described 20-year-old teenager, Revitas is a company with a long history of helping its customers make complex manufacturing and distribution channels easier to manage. We sat down with President and COO Al Smith to learn how Revitas is reinventing itself for the 21st century using its unique Flex platform and suite of tools including Contract Manager, Pricing Dynamics, and more.   How did Revitas get started? What did you identify in the market that got you interested in it and what need were you attempting to serve at the beginning? This interesting thing about this company is it was founded in 1989 ... READ MORE

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

Why aren’t more companies demand-driven? I had an eye opening discussion with the SVP of supply chain at a multi-billion dollar company the other day, and together we tallied up the number of systems under his watch. In less than 5 minutes we came up with over 20! I thought it would be an interesting exercise to turn our discussion into a “Coordination Quiz”. To take the quiz, look through the list of supply chain processes/functions below, and try to determine whether each is managed with a separate system. If you can’t answer or don’t know because the process is outside ... 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

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

Since 1992 BlueLink has been working on ERP solutions designed for wholesalers and distributors--companies in the business of buying and selling products. We interviewed BlueLink CEO Mark Canes on the origins of his company, the development of the ERP industry and how to design systems that speak to the needs of smaller organizations. How did BlueLink get started? Was there a niche service you wanted to provide that wasn't being met at the time? Well, keep in mind the company's been around since the 90s. I'm an accountant and then I became a computer programmer and then I became a system analyst. ... READ MORE

Back in the 1990s, Michael Hammer ignited a wave of business reengineering initiatives across the country with his ground-breaking article: Don’t Automate, Obliterate. However, since that time the term “reengineering” has become an overworked word, a catch phrase, and to a certain extent, all things to all people. The ERP industry is no exception when it comes to dumbing down the true meaning of business reengineering. Most ERP vendors these days use the term rather loosely when describing the benefits of their software, consulting services, and implementation approach. The truth is… business reengineering and ERP implementations are two very different initiates. This ... READ MORE

Put PLM and ERP next to each other in a Google search and you’ll discover a seemingly endless archive of definitions, essays by industry experts, and debates assuring you that with a more digging you’ll be allowed into the inner circle of PLM/ERP wisdom. The truth, however, is that understanding the relationship between PLM and ERP is a bit like understanding the relationship of peanut butter and jelly; they go together well, but they certainly aren’t substitutes for one another. The reason that so much ambiguity surrounds the interplay of the systems is twofold: First, PLM and ERP mean different ... 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

I have a good friend who was a producer of the cult TV show "Veronica Mars" from 2004-2007.  Recently, the creative team behind that show made Internet history in an interesting way - they partnered with the website Kickstarter, a resource for crowdsourced fund-raising, to raise millions of dollars to underwrite production of a "Veronica Mars" feature film. As of this writing, over 50,000 fans have pledged anywhere from $10 to $10,000 or more. Pretty cool. My company is the corporate sponsor of xTuple PostBooks - a leading open source ERP - which is currently being honored as the "Project of the Month" ... READ MORE