21
Jun 2018
6
An image of all the core concepts ERP consultants help businesses understand about ERP implementation

10 Ways To Ensure Your ERP Implementation Is A Success

ERP Implementation It’s no secret that the manufacturing landscape is changing constantly and new technologies are emerging faster

10 Ways To Ensure Your ERP Implementation Is A Success

Helpful Tips , , , , , , Sean Balogh

ERP Implementation

It’s no secret that the manufacturing landscape is changing constantly and new technologies are emerging faster than ever. It is for these reasons that identifying which technologies will give your enterprise a competitive edge and allow it to weather the storm of disruption is essential. Adopting a unified ERP system to more efficiently connect and organize your operations is one such advantage. Here’s a list of 10 things you can do to ensure your ERP implementation is a success once you’ve identified which solution is right for your enterprise.

1. Pick The Right Partner For The Job: ERP Consultants, Vendors, and Partners

Who you enlist to assist with your ERP implementation is a crucial component of ensuring your success, if not the most important factor contributing to the outcome project.

Don’t add yours to the long line of inefficient and outright failed ERP implementations by doing your due diligence and identifying a vendor, partner, ERP consulting firm, or other organization that speaks to your needs and connects with your organization, its goals, and desired outcomes. You and your teams will likely be working with these ERP experts for months on end, so it’s important to connect not just on a professional level, but a personal one too. After all, if you’re collaborating with someone you can’t stand, there is little chance the project will survive such a strained working relationship.

Trust your partner to know how to manage the project since it’s likely they’ve completed several implementations across an array of industries. It may mean giving up some control you’re used to maintain, but the success of your project trumps comfort, without question.

2. Pick The Right Solution For Your Situation: Not All ERP Solutions Are Built Alike

There are ERP platforms that have been around for decades and ERP solutions that were developed as recently as last year. They all offer different values for their price. Some sacrifice capability for ease of use, while others sacrifice emphasis on one enterprise need at the expense of another. Whether you want an ERP solution that is cloud-based, hosted, on-premise or one that can be all three, options exist to address your enterprise’s needs. That doesn’t mean the search for the right fit will be easy.

Are you shopping for an ERP solution geared closer to process manufacturing, discrete manufacturing, or a service you provide? It’s better to measure twice and cut once. Don’t’ waste precious resources, like time, money, and labor, on a solution that won’t address your most critical of needs. Contact ERP consultants and vendors, arrange for demos of each solution and meet with your teams to understand what they’ll need out of the final product.

3. Plan For The Future: Going Beyond Go-Live

Your success doesn’t stop once things are up and running. How will your enterprise utilize your new ERP solution for the next 5 or 10 years? Upgrades, turnover, customizations as you enter new markets, and so many more factors await as you move forward.

You need a solution that grows with your business’ trajectory, which makes it even more critical to select a solution that can accommodate that new warehouse overseas or subsidiaries on the horizon. Changing regulations and compliance requirements at local, state, national, and international levels may be something you need to consider.

Going into your selection process with a roadmap of where the organization is going over the next decade will ensure you aren’t painted into an expensive corner. Plan as far as you can to give your partners the clearest picture of your intended journey as possible.

4. Staff Buy-in: On-Boarding Makes The Difference

Let’s put this out there first: nothing ensures a business’ success more than its employees. That said, your staff needs to be on board with this transition or it’ll be destined to fail before it starts. Naturally, change, especially significant change can be fear-inducing. However, with the right approach, your staff can come to embrace the coming change. Address their apprehensions, and be prepared to give concrete answers to how the new system will address employee needs and make their jobs both easier and more efficient. Getting your staff to understand why this change is coming is integral in getting them on board with how you go about implementing it.

5. Sideline The Bureaucracy: Streamline Implementation

Bureaucracy is notorious for slowing down even the most efficient processes. EPR consultants and integrators are good at their jobs when they’re allowed to operate. By getting the necessary parties involved from inception, you can avoid blockers to critical processes during implementation. This may depend on how many layers of management your organization had in place, but by clearing the channel to enable the ERP consultants to do their job without impediment, you can avoid bottlenecks and wasting precious resources in the process.

6. Establish Order: Project Roles And Responsibilities

When it comes to both in-house and external resources, make sure everyone has a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities during your ERP implementation process. Your partnered ERP consultant will walk you through the process and give recommendations on how best to delegate the workload during implementation. Ensure that you and your team know what’s going on at every stage to avoid bottlenecks and unintended setbacks.

7. An Opportunity To Redefine Your Business Processes

Your ERP consultants will likely conduct a business process review before beginning your ERP implementation. This is a critical time for your business to reevaluate how processes are carried out. While you may be tempted to replicate old ways of doing things on a new ERP platform, the new system enables your teams to make more efficient use of the tools at their disposal. Go back to the beginning and determine whether your organization should change the way they do things from the onset. Keep in mind, that many ERP software solutions come built-in with the best practices of hundreds if not thousands of businesses in related industries.

8. Emphasize Clean Data

Old SKUs, incomplete, and just plain bad customer data don’t need to follow you into a new era for your business. make an impact with a new start that doesn’t leave room for shoddy work. Ensuring your recording and data practices are clean and clear from the start is the best way to ensure the right approach to record-keeping and management is in your future.

9. Don’t Cut Corners On Training

Like onboarding, your team should be in it to win it when it comes to your ERP implementation. That means they need to know the software inside and out when it comes time to use the platform. A quality ERP consultant will get your staff trained in all the right tools needed for their given role. Instill confidence in your team by giving them the best training that money can buy, your business with prosper and your staff buy-in will increase with your investment.

10. Don’t Cut Ties After Go Live

When it comes time to use the new ERP solution on your own, chances are there will be bumps in the road as you move forward. This is where your team’s training is proven and your reevaluated business processes are put to the test. Consider bringing on an ERP consultant that offers managed services and support beyond ERP implementation. Maintaining a solid professional relationship with partners can save your business a lot of unnecessary grief and precious resources in the long run. On the other end of a successful go-live, when your business hits the ground running and has a bright future ahead a good partner can enable your enterprise to take advantage of rapid development and position for expansion.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm and Epicor Gold Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.

01
Jun 2018
2
A photo of a woman covering her eyes. encompass solutions erp and business consulting.

The Problem With “It’s Someone Else’s Problem” (SEP)

Someone Else’s Problem (SEP) A concept coined by Douglas Adams in his famous science-fiction novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide

The Problem With “It’s Someone Else’s Problem” (SEP)

Helpful Tips , , , , , Sean Balogh

Someone Else’s Problem (SEP)

A concept coined by Douglas Adams in his famous science-fiction novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, the Someone else’s problem (SEP) Field masks objects and concepts. According to Adams:

An SEP is something we can’t see, or don’t see, or our brain doesn’t let us see, because we think that it’s somebody else’s problem…. The brain just edits it out, it’s like a blind spot. If you look at it directly you won’t see it unless you know precisely what it is. Your only hope is to catch it by surprise out of the corner of your eye.

In the field of social psychology, SEP goes by another name: the bystander effect. The phenomenon revolves around the concept that an individual is less likely to help someone in need or solve an existing problem in direct correlation with how many other people are present.  In this case, the larger the number of bystanders, the tendency for the individual is to believe someone else has taken the agency to get things under control. The individual is, therefore, less likely to lend aid.

 

A photo of a woman covering her eyes. encompass solutions erp and business consulting.

Someone Else’s Problem is a dangerous concept to underestimate or allow to become established as the status quo.

Other Factors Contributing To SEP

Some other concepts that come into play are the ambiguity of the problem at hand, group cohesion, or how close the social ties are between members of a group, and the diffusion of responsibility. That last concept is perhaps the most significant of the three, whereby the individual in question may believe the responsibility lies solely on other group members or that those individuals are assumed to have already addressed the problem.

The Harm Of SEP In Business

When it comes to business, the concept of SEP can emerge with significantly detrimental results. When it comes to the operations of an enterprise, Someone Else’s Problem is a dangerous concept to underestimate or allow to become established as the status quo.

Playing games of tag on tasks within a department or between departments can choke a business’ efficiency and mishandle resources when they can be put to more efficient use. For example, try to assign a list of tasks for your team to tackle as a whole and a list of tasks for each member. Team members will consistently take on the individual tasks first and consider the broader tasks as secondary priorities.

What if one, or several, of the team tasks, is a blocker for one, or several individuals’ tasks? who takes the initiative to resolve the issue(s)? Who in your organization has the visibility and understanding to prioritize and delegate essential tasks? Being able to prioritize accordingly and assume ownership is essential in keeping the business functioning at peak performance. The problem is a common one and, fortunately, the solution an accessible one.

Keeping SEP At Bay

The good news is SEP doesn’t have to be a plague upon your business. According to social psychological research, the most effective solution emerges in the reinforcement of teamwork and forming of strong bonds between coworkers. Business investment in the employee also tends to lead to their reciprocated investment in the company. Issues that can be detrimental to the business are viewed as detrimental to the individual by association. In this way, the issue isn’t kicked further down the road or ignored altogether as SEP, because, while not everyone may have the ability to address the problem, they are invested enough to acknowledge it needs to be addressed, resolved and learned from.

Once your team is functioning together and understands working towards the success of the business is an investment in their success, you can focus on reinforcing strategies for collaborative problem-solving. Quality training along with clear workflows and processes play important roles in keeping SEP at bay. A quality ERP solution can also provide the essential visibility and task management capabilities a business needs to avoid the pitfalls of SEP peril.

Having the right tools on hand, a procedural plan of action, and an answer to ” It’s Someone Else’s Problem” is the best way to keep your business SEP-free before the phenomenon can take root within your workforce.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm and Epicor Gold Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.

16
May 2018
0
ERP-Integrated Customer Self-Service Portals

Enhance Your Customer Experience with ERP Integrated Self-Service Portals

Encompass Solutions’ strategic partner Bezlio has added further enhancements to its mobile dashboard and user interface capabilities within

Enhance Your Customer Experience with ERP Integrated Self-Service Portals

Helpful Tips , , , Sean Balogh

Encompass Solutions’ strategic partner Bezlio has added further enhancements to its mobile dashboard and user interface capabilities within ERP software. The latest feature comes in the form of streamlined and intuitive customer service portals that enhance the overall experience when it comes to providing documentation and service to clients at all hours. An effective ERP solution, with the latest in customer-focused tools, can help differentiate your business from competitors and stand out in a crowded marketplace.

ERP Integrated Self-Service Portals

Customers want access to their essential documents, invoices, and purchase orders, and not just during office hours. Customer portals have fast become a crucial component of the customer experience. As a result, their availability has risen to the top of expected features in any business environment. And why shouldn’t they be?

Bezlio has delivered an attractive and seamlessly integrated answer to customer demand with a customer service portal that can be easily incorporated into an existing EPR system and accessed via desktop or mobile device. Within the ERP integrated self-service portals, customers can:

  • Open orders
  • Review order history
  • Track orders
  • Review shipping records
  • Access inventory in real-time
  • Access invoices

These powerful capabilities are the new normal when it comes to the customers’ experience and businesses must keep up to satisfy an increasingly discerning audience of current and prospective clients. However, reading and displaying data is just the beginning.

An Open Channel Of Communication

Now more than ever, Customers want an open channel of communication available for when questions are asked and answers are needed, on-the-fly. Two-way communication within the customer portal ensures that your customers are empowered to write data and complete transactions directly to your source application. Cut out the complication of modern e-commerce systems and let your customers place orders on their time with the Order Entry functionality of Bezlio’s customer self-service portal.

Security Is Key

As with all digital information exchanges, security is of the utmost importance. Bezlio’s approach ensures you never synchronize a single byte to the cloud, and receive the benefit of top-level encryption and security measures to protect your business and your associated data.

ERP-Integrated Customer Self-Service Portals

The Gauntlet of Bezlio Security Measures Keeping Your Data Safe.

How To Implement The Bezlio Self-Service Center

So, you know you need a functional ERP integrated self-service portal, but don’t know where to begin with integration. Fortunately, the process is made simple and enterprises will only need to follow a few simple steps before they are up and running with this powerful integration from Bezlio.

Initially, the data agent from Bezlio will need to be installed inside of an enterprise’s firewall, be it through Bezlio, a partner, or an ambitious enterprise with a crack IT squad. The agent will be configured to communicate with the sources of data within the enterprise ERP, which can be assigned permissions based on the data to be shared. After that, queries to pull the data are linked up with Bezlio. These can be existing queries or built from scratch to fit a particular purpose within your enterprise. Once the backend is set up, templates and custom HTML/CSS/JavaScript can be utilized to create an attractive interface on the customer-facing end. Once things are set up, all that’s left is to bring your customers into the fold and show them the new and powerful tools at their fingertips. The benefits of more satisfied customers and enhanced ROI are now yours to enjoy.

About Bezlio

Bezlio is a US-based company with 15 years of experience in customizing and optimizing ERP (enterprise resource management) systems and manipulating data. Specializing in mobile, cloud-based integrations, Bezlio offers many supplemental tool integrations for existing Epicor systems, such as mobile crystal reports, Amazon Seller integration, Salesforce + ERP, tableau write-back, and the recently added self-service customer portals.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm specializing in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.

05
Mar 2018
0

What Every CEO Should Know When It Comes To An ERP Implementation

When it comes to directing the future of a company, CEOs have to understand the necessity and difficulty

What Every CEO Should Know When It Comes To An ERP Implementation

Helpful Tips , , Sean Balogh

When it comes to directing the future of a company, CEOs have to understand the necessity and difficulty in choosing the right ERP solution for their business. Not only does the solution need to fit the industry, but it must be one that a workforce can adapt readily to avoid any lull in services being delivered to customers.

a photo of a checklist being marked with a red pen.

The Implementation Journey Is An Exhaustive One And The More Preparation In Place, The Better.

The journey is an exhaustive one and the more preparation that can be put in place prior to an implementation, the more likely your success. To help avoid banging your head against the office wall in frustration, here are a few suggestions that will help ensure you make the right decision when it’s time to upgrade to a quality ERP solution.

Understand The Problem And The Process

Being an executive in-the-know certifies that your positive influence regarding an implementation reaches every level of the organization. A CEO needs to be the first one who knows what the business needs and how the ERP solution addresses those needs. These details need to be clearly articulated to the upper-management, management, and ground-level employees to make certain everyone is on the same page.

Be Involved, Own The Effort

This really can’t be stated enough, as a leader in the company’s direction a forward-thinking CEO should be on board and support the project from day-one with regular check-ups on progression. This doesn’t just ensure your workforce and additional help are on task with implementation, but that the business is in the mindset that this change is happening, it’s good for the future of the company, and everyone is committed to its success. Whether you’re entrusting the stewardship of your implementation to vendors, VARs, consultants or none of these, ownership still needs to come from the heart of the organization.

Know ERP Is A Solution, Not A Magic Wand

While ERP systems can make running an enterprise infinitely easier, these solutions are not a magic wand. ERP systems require users to put in the effort to get the benefits. Realistic expectations are essential when faced with replacing fractured systems and poor data utilization. ERP can streamline your methods and make every process, from quote to cash, a breeze. However, this is true only so long as your enterprise puts the tools to work properly.

Maintain Focus

It may seem like a no-brainer, but ERP implementations are tricky things in that they can easily sprawl into larger projects as time goes on and needs are constantly added to the list of things to address. Being clear about what must happen from day one will ensure that only mission-critical components of an implementation consume your precious time, capital, and labor resources.

Partner With Experienced ERP Professionals

Partnering with a vendor, VAR or consultant can make the difference between a successful implementation and a failure, as they’ve directly participated in several implementation projects. An ERP professional can help guide your business to greater success than if you went alone into the implementation. That’s not to say it can’t be done. However, projects that don’t incorporate at least some level of experienced consultation into the process generally end up costing far more in the long term than they save upfront.

Know Your Partners

If you do choose to bring on outside help for the implementation process, it’s important to be realistic about the timeframe and how well your solution provider understands your goals. After all, the implementation process can span several months, depending on the size of an enterprise, and your organizations will be spending a lot of time working together. An implementation is more than a transaction, it’s a business relationship.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

05
Feb 2018
0

The KPI That Satisfies Both Customers And Stakeholders

When it comes to delivering on your stakeholders’ expectations, there is only one action that defines success in

The KPI That Satisfies Both Customers And Stakeholders

Helpful Tips , , , , Sean Balogh

When it comes to delivering on your stakeholders’ expectations, there is only one action that defines success in the world of commerce. That is getting the right products to the right customers at the right price. Achieving the goal while keeping costs to a minimum and efficiency to a maximum is what manufacturers, distributors, and retailers strive for. In the case of many enterprises, only a quality ERP solution can tackle each challenge of order fulfillment head-on.

The commerce ecosystem, whether it be in traditionally grounded retail or exclusively an online operation, is a delicate one that relies equally on manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers delivering the product to customers the way they want it and when they want it. Order fulfillment is the key performance indicator that illustrates when these systems are operating in harmony and out of order.

Creating the perfect order for customers will satisfy everyone in the commerce chain from end to end and there are crucial components that every enterprise needs to deliver to reach that harmonious result.

Hit Your Shipping Times, Every Time

If you are shipping customer-direct or sending components to a trading partner for the next stage of the process, your product needs to be where you say it will, when you say it will. Dependable delivery is not just a selling point, it’s a contract that can make or break future business between parties and even open you up to legal ramifications in certain situations. Ensuring that your deliveries meet their recipients on the expected dates is one of the best ways to maintain working relationships and secure the business of your customers for the foreseeable future.

an image of the world map with two points connected by a line. Points are labeled a and b to indicate order fulfillment is getting products from origin to destination.

Getting Your Customers’ Order From Point A To Point B Is Paramount In Order Fulfillment.

 

Right Order, Right Size

The last thing anyone wants to deal with in commerce is additional back and forth through shipping. If your order is delivered with the wrong components or in a quantity other than what was agreed upon at purchase, it speaks volumes to the recipient about how you do business. Purchase order change requests are supply-side hassles and are often the latter in a ‘fill or kill’ scenario. End customers have lives too, and demanding schedules don’t leave much time to work around reordering and returns. Getting it right the first time will ensure there is a next time for you to fulfill orders.

a picture of a stack of boxes with one open and seemingly empty to signify accurate order fulfillment is required for success.

Ensure Your Customers Get What They Ordered In The Correct Quantities.

Safe Arrival Without Compromise

So, you got the shipment where it needed to be when it needed to be there, in the right quantity and all, only now the box is bashed in because of poor handling and your packaging didn’t do enough to protect the precious cargo. Placing blame on the shipping company doesn’t do for a customer who needed their order intact. Next time, account for problems that can arise even when the order is out of your hands and en route to its destination. Whether you’re flying it freight or hand-delivering, make sure the packaging can stand up to whatever the journey may throw at it.

A picture of a heavily damaged package labeled fragile - handle with care to signify proper order fulfillment needs to consider damage in transit.

Packages Are Damaged In Transit On A Regular Basis. Hope For The Best, Prepare For The Worst.

Having All Your Docs In a Row

From start to finish, documentation should be spot on and detail every aspect of the purchase from entry to delivery. There are plenty of places within the chain where the process can go awry, but making sure documentation on your end is on the up and up will ensure that the final component of your perfect purchase order is in place.

a picture of two warehouse workers comparing shipment documents.

don’t Leave Any Room for Confusion When It Comes To Providing The Proper Documentation Of Customer Orders.

Achieve Optimal Order Fulfillment With A Modern ERP

Beyond the four pillars of perfect order fulfillment, maintaining your stride with modern tools will help you streamline your efforts and remain competitive. Antiquated and manually maintained systems of packing, shipping, and documenting leave too much room for human error and incorrect data to find their way into the pipeline. By implementing an effective ERP solution, your operations will maintain an efficient process from start to finish while giving you the competitive advantage of functioning with the latest in tools and systems built specifically to support your enterprise.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

16
Aug 2017
0
machine learning and predictive analytics with bezlio and epicor erp

Adding Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning To ERP

How Bezlio Adds Predictive Analytics And Machine Learning To ERP I’ve always been passionate about bringing new technology

Adding Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning To ERP

Automation, Encompass Solutions, Epicor, Helpful Tips, Manufacturing, Production, SMB, Technology , , , , , , bellis

How Bezlio Adds Predictive Analytics And Machine Learning To ERP

I’ve always been passionate about bringing new technology to companies to help them be more competitive. An exciting emerging technology that’s got the IT/IS crowd buzzing right now is using machine learning to allow for smarter data analysis. Companies spend a significant amount of money generating data compared to analyzing it. With the technology Bezlio is built on, we allow companies to take emerging technologies, like predictive analytics and machine learning, as they become available and leverage it regardless of the back-end system.

machine learning and predictive analytics with bezlio and epicor erp

In a recent technology article, Forbes tells us that Machine Learning is the ability for computer programs to analyze big data, extract information automatically, and learn from it. 

We are able to run Epicor ERP along with Bezlio to utilize machine learning and predictive analytics. Bezlio’s plugin architecture means that the source data can be from anything, along with a plugin available in Bezlio that utilizes the Accord.NET Framework, a very popular machine learning library.

To get to the golden Promised Land of machine learning, however, we must first walk the dark path of statistics. Seriously though: Most of the machine learning concepts were derived from past statistical analytic techniques. Even applying some simple statistics can be used with ERP data to gain better insights. I have always liked statistics because it takes the gut out of gut decisions based on incomplete data.

To learn more about Bezlio please visit the website.

During the 2017 Bezlio Mainspring Developer Conference, Brian Ellis spoke about the subject of predictive analytics and machine learning as it relates to using it with Bezlio and any ERP or CRM.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.

02
Dec 2016
0

The 12 Steps of Fiscal Year Period Accuracy

‘Tis the season for 12 steps of fiscal year planning for the 12 periods in the fiscal year, to

The 12 Steps of Fiscal Year Period Accuracy

Helpful Tips , , , , felixc

‘Tis the season for 12 steps of fiscal year planning for the 12 periods in the fiscal year, to ensure you enjoy the 12 days of Christmas.

Fiscal Year Planning

A proper fiscal year planning for all your departments is imperative to ensure your organization’s success in the coming year. You can start by defining your priorities and implementing them in a go-to-market strategy. However, the number of moving parts needed to accomplish this is massive. Tasks include evaluating your projected revenue goals, defining target markets and how to segment them, as well as determining your resource availability. Accomplishing these tasks will ensure you have a good roadmap to achieve your fiscal year planning goals. Below you’ll find the twelve steps to generate financial reports for your annual planning periods. This will help you to identify resource availability, as well as other data, to ensure you have good visibility into your finances.

an image of the 12 steps of fiscal year planning

 

IF

at (Financial Management/General Ledger/ Setup/Fiscal Calendar/ Selected Calendar) Latest FY = Current FY+1

THEN

Go to the Twelfth Step of Fiscal Year planning

ELSE

  1. Add a New Fiscal year
  2. Enter End Date
  3. Save
  4. Check Number of periods and closing periods for accuracy (check for period 13 requirements)
  5. Go to Actions. If a Calendar period THEN Generate Periods
  6. Check data accuracy
  7. Generate Periods
  8. Save and Exit ELSE
  9. at (Fiscal Year/Fiscal Period/List tab)
  10. Enter period date ranges needed
  11. Save and Exit
  12. Have a Happy New Year!

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

30
Sep 2016
0
an image of a hiker conducting their own

Complete ERP Implementation Toolkit – The Business Process Review

Ever been on a hike? A real hike. I’m not talking about a long walk with a bottle

Complete ERP Implementation Toolkit – The Business Process Review

Helpful Tips , , , , felixc

Ever been on a hike? A real hike. I’m not talking about a long walk with a bottle of water, here, I’m talking about carrying thirty pounds of a tent, sleeping bag, food, and equipment in a backpack the size of two small children twenty miles up and down mountains.

Whether you have or not, you know that a whole lot of prep happens before a hike: breaking in the boots, getting the pack fitted, and paring weighty equipment down to the barest essentials. If you’re just getting started on your ERP journey, you may want to consider our free ERP selection strategies ebook. If you’ve just finished your ERP implementation project, you’ll certainly feel as though you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail.

Just as with a hike, though, your ERP system isn’t just about the destination, it’s about the journey: In the same way that any good hiker will be constantly adjusting their pack, changing their pace and stride, and constantly reorienting themselves via map and compass to keep themselves moving steadily and happily, a good company is going to be constantly reevaluating their system and making upgrades, streamlining processes, and changing to meet market demands.

Encompass will be with you every step of the way in your ERP journey with a BPR: A Business Process Review.

an image of a hiker conducting their own "business process review" overlooking a mountain range

What Is A Business Process Review

A business process review is like a hiker’s gear adjustment: It is an objective look at how your company is currently operating. It involves a review of current business practices and system-user interaction, with a focus on optimization. It includes an analysis of system transaction use and configuration to identify functionality that may better support your operational needs. Although technology application and configuration is a core part of this assessment, your business processes, resource skills, and infrastructure are also evaluated. We also conduct employee interviews to determine ‘pain points’ for the user and management.

Here’s a list of the mountains we often have to climb while getting your ERP system on the right path:

Poor Data Quality – Incomplete or incorrect data creates mistrust in the system, creating the need for offline workarounds, which increases the risk of inaccuracies while creating an unneeded workload.

Mismatch Between Roles & Responsibilities – Insufficient training in the case of high employee turnover and lack of proper training creates inefficiencies and inaccurate data, as does ignoring the hierarchy of responsibilities (managers assuming duties meant for their employees, or giving work to employees that are beyond their skill level, for example).

Offline Processes – Employees may perform work off of the ERP because ‘that’s how we’ve always done it,’ or because they ‘don’t trust the system’. This could be through the incorrect implementation of the ERP, poor training, or the need for a ‘mindset change’.

Growth – Unexpected or aggressive growth may require an expansion of existing infrastructure before operational systems impact and slow growth.

Training – High turnover or increased growth creates staff with less expertise and knowledge. Even with experienced staff, cross-training or advanced training is needed for employees to understand the ‘big picture’ of the ERP process.

The Result: The business process review provides a suite of deliverables that improve your business by refining and upgrading your ERP system. The BPR identifies the ‘Hot Spots’ where efficiency drops, where lack of training creates problems downstream, or where features are not being used correctly (or at all) and offers solutions to all of them, through new functionality, increased training, or modifying the procedure.

So, break out the boots and the hiking stick: The trail to a better ERP and better business is a steep one, full of rocks and switchbacks, but trust us: when you’re at the top of the mountain, the view is incredible.

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.

05
Jan 2016
0
an image of employees celebrating new year erp implementations with fireworks

Going Live In The New Year With ERP

I’ve been reading many opinion articles lately about New Year ERP implementations. Namely, shooting for the New Year,

Going Live In The New Year With ERP

Helpful Tips , , felixc

I’ve been reading many opinion articles lately about New Year ERP implementations. Namely, shooting for the New Year, January 1, as the day the new software goes live. None of them had a particularly rosy outlook on that goal: Your employees, if they’re not all still on vacation, won’t be back into the rhythm of things after the holidays, will still have work to attend to and catch up on, and so on.

I agree, it seems impractical, maybe even impossible. But this is where Encompass shines. In fact, we are, RIGHT NOW, taking four of our clients to Go-Live over the new year on their brand new Epicor ERP 10 systems. It can be done, and done well! Here are some of our tips and tricks we keep in mind while we get our clients running right out of the gate.

Consider This For New Year ERP Implementations

If you’ve got your sights set on a New Year Go-Live, consider these important factors to make your implementation and subsequent onboarding a much smoother process.

Strong Employee Support

It’s not a bad idea to postpone a launch of new software until everyone at the organization has had the time to settle back into the rhythm of the day-to-day, to catch up with outstanding items, and, of course, serving customers and processing deliverables. While all this means that there is less focus on system adoption, an external company such as Encompass can provide the support needed to take your users through it successfully and painlessly.

Walking Before Running

Some argue that business is slower at the start of the year, and that there are not enough transactions happening that will test the full functionalities of the system, or allow it to run at full capacity. This is a good thing! Your team, already spreading their focus onto ramping back up into the new year, won’t be under pressure to process orders while learning the new handles, or to do so at full speed. Rushed mistakes are costly to any company!

Change Management

Preparedness is key. Before the New Year begins and the switch happens, you need to be ready for it, and that also means being ready when things start to go wrong. Our post on Change Management provides a glimpse at the solutions we can help provide.

Feel the Fear

… And do it anyway! Rip the band-aid off, tell your dad to let go of the bike seat, jump right in the deep end. The best way to learn something is to do it, so don’t mistake hesitating for preparing. The time you lose waiting is time you could be using learning and improving.

We at Encompass Solutions would like to wish all of you a smooth and successful start to the New Year!

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

08
Dec 2015
0
An image of accountants and financial professionals generally accepted accounting practice fiscal year period accuracy

The 12 Steps of Fiscal Year Period Accuracy

Tis’ the season for the 12 steps of Fiscal year planning for the 12 periods of the fiscal

The 12 Steps of Fiscal Year Period Accuracy

Helpful Tips , , , , , felixc

Tis’ the season for the 12 steps of Fiscal year planning for the 12 periods of the fiscal year. Get these steps out of the way so you can enjoy your holiday with peace of mind.

 

For those in need of a rundown of what a fiscal year (FY) is, it is a period that any company or government uses for accounting purposes. Financial statements are prepared according to the dates that make up that organizations FY. This may or may not align with a standard calendar year. The IRS recognizes that not all companies align their FY with a calendar and allows organizations to file as calendar-year taxpayers or fiscal-year taxpayers. You may hear this term used when referring to budgets, financial performance, and other accounting discussions.

Fiscal Year Period Accuracy

Here’s a brief guide to help you set up your FY period accuracy within your ERP system.

IF

  • At (Financial Management/General Ledger/ Setup/Fiscal Calendar/ Selected Calendar) Latest FY = Current FY+1

THEN

  • Go to the Twelfth Step

ELSE

  1. Add a New Fiscal year
  2. Enter End Date
  3. Save
  4. Check Number of periods and closing periods for accuracy (check for period 13 requirements)
  5. Go to Actions. If a Calendar period THEN Generate Periods
  6. Check data accuracy
  7. Generate Periods
  8. Save and Exit ELSE
  9. at (Fiscal Year/Fiscal Period/List tab)
  10. Enter period date ranges needed
  11. Save and Exit
  12. Have a Happy New Year!

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.

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