Given the relative newness of the cloud, it’s not surprising that a good portion of the 3,000 respondents are still feeling more comfortable on the ground. Nonetheless, businesses ranging from two to 250 employees are transporting their operations to the cloud at a growing rate, and according to the responders, that rate will continue to grow over the next three years. In some cases, it’s possible that nearly 91 percent of businesses (in this example, with 101-250 employees) will adopt the cloud by 2015.

In the meantime, what’s holding back SMBs from adopting the cloud for their businesses right now?

• Decision makers think the cloud is for photos and music sharing.

While nearly one half of SMB responders seemed to have a broad understanding of the cloud as it pertains to business, a surprising 32 percent (almost one third) think cloud computing is a tool for photo sharing, music, email, or other personal endeavors. For these responders, products like hosted Exchange or GP will need some additional explanation.

• Nonusers don’t understand the competitive advantages of cloud computing.

Once those surveyed understood the standard definition of cloud computing, then just under half (44 percent) responded that the cloud could make companies more competitive. These numbers are strong, but of course, this is a double-edged sword: companies who already have the cloud are more likely than nonusers to understand the productivity benefits of technology (59 percent). Thus, nonusers are likely to remain nonusers until the benefits of technology are clearly presented to them.

• Security concerns continue to frighten off would-be cloud adopters.

The issue of security is not new for those who follow cloud trends, but the good news is that security is becoming less of an issue for SMBs. While almost half (44 percent) are concerned that cloud services are still risky, less than 10 percent feel strongly about this and only 20 percent believe their data is actually less secure in the cloud than on-premise. The best way to assuage their fears appears to be clearly telling them where their data is located and that their data is secure. As an added bonus, tools like our online cloud calculator (www.myappsanywhere.com/savings) can address concerns that nearly one third have: that the long run cost of cloud services will actually be higher than the traditional model.

• SMB leaders want to hear the benefits that matter most for their business.

It’s important to remember that the biggest benefits of cloud computing are still lowered costs and increased productivity—the other bells and whistles are still secondary, given that many SMBs are still fuzzy on what the cloud actually does. What insiders like to talk about is not as important for SMBs at the moment. Flexibility is the top secondary interest, with innovation and responsiveness trailing as the least important factors for SMBs.

NetStandard Inc., established in 1996, is a leading information technology business and SSAE 16 compliant data center headquartered at 2000 Merriam Lane in Kansas City, Kansas. We deliver IT managed services, scalable secure data center service, and hosted/cloud computing services under the name Myappsanywhere through a nationwide reseller network to small and mid-size businesses.

by Myappsanywhere,

The Big Four: Microsoft’s Recent Study Parts the Clouds on SMB Hesitations is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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The two utilities that are provided are Check Links and Reconcile.  Each of these utilities fill a different need and together they can help in many different types of data correction issues.

For example, suppose a power outage causes connection issues between your workstation and the server.  This can cause some issues depending on what you were processing at the time of the outage.  With the Microsoft Dynamics GP utilities Check Links and Reconcile, some of these issues can be quickly rectified without the need to restore a backup.  We have used these utilities extensively in data correction situations with our clients.

Check Links: The Check Links utilities are great at “filling in the missing pieces.”  When run, Check Links reviews the master tables in the accounting database and matches transactional data with master data.  Let’s assume that during the power outage one of our customers was inadvertently deleted from the tables.  Check Links can be run and it will review the transactional information (invoices, payments, etc.) and then  match them up with records in the Customer Master table.  If the Check Links utility cannot find the matching customer record, then it will create the customer.  This feature is not restricted to just the Sales side of things; there are Check Links processes that can be run in Purchasing, Inventory, and GL.  This is a very handy tool to have available should you ever need it.

Reconcile: Similarly, the Reconcile utility is also very handy in these bad situations.  The reconcile feature does not check Master records (as that is what Check Links is for), but instead checks balances and totals.  Again, going back to our power outage example above; instead of losing a Master Record, the power outage could have caused the calculations on a batch of invoices to be out of balance.  Or it could have caused a customer’s total outstanding balance to be inaccurate.  With the Reconcile utility you can instruct Microsoft Dynamics GP to go back through the detail transactions and verify that the totals match the details.  In the above example, we could run Reconcile against a customer to have the system recalculate the balances for a customer.  Again, this is extremely valuable in situations where there is partial data loss because of “acts of God.”  Reconcile, just like Check Links, is available in all modules, so summary GL balances can be recalculated based on the transactional details for each account and vendor outstanding balances can be recalculated as well.

As you can see both of these utilities are helpful in the worst case scenario.  As always you should be certain that your backup procedure is fool proof; but should you experience problems when using Microsoft Dynamics GP you will at least have some built in utilities that will assist in getting you back up and running.  If you have any questions about your current backup processes or would just like more information about the utilities that Microsoft Dynamics GP provides to assist in these situations, feel free to contact us at Intelligent Technologies, Inc.

-By Grady Burris – Sr. Consultant – Intelligent Technologies, Inc.

Microsoft Dynamics GP Utilities and Data Correction Situations is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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• Superior security, availability, and control of your data
• Lower Hardware Cost
• Reduced Maintenance cost and improved ROI
• Built – in disaster recovery and repair
• Gain access to your data from anywhere

To learn more about Hosted Dynamics GP, visit http://www.websan.com/solutions/hosted-microsoft-dynamics-gp/.  We are a cloud Microsoft Dynamics Certified Partner and IT consulting and solutions provider. We have decade of experience in Enterprise Software solutions, business and financial accounting software, implementation, and design.

Natalie Williams, Marketing Coordinator, WebSan Solutions Inc., a Canadian Certified Microsoft Dynamics Partner

Five Reasons Why You Should Use Hosted Dynamics GP is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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To set up a test company in GP, a user must consider things like:

• how to set up the SQL server log in rights correctly
• how to correct for intercompany records
• how to adjust security accordingly
• how to avoid excessive logging file growth
• how to correct the next note time number, etc…. 

The list seems to go on forever!

Click here to read more about a tool developed and used by the Dynamics Consulting Team at Avastone Technologies to assist in creating a better test system!

By, Shane LaBarge, Dynamics GP Consultant, Avastone Technologies LLC, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner – Fox Cities and Milwaukee WI, (920) 687-4797, dynamicsinfo@avastonetech.com

A Better Test System for Microsoft Dynamics GP is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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As the saying goes, those who do not learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them in the future. To help you with this ever-so-important history lesson, ITworld.com has put together a list of 13 awful ERP mistakes based on a survey of numerous ERP experts, including vendors, customers, and consultants. If you can avoid these 13 mistakes, you might just have a shot at reaching your goals. 

1. Poor planning – When a business fails to adequately plan an ERP implementation, it may have failed before even getting started. Once the dust settles, your ERP system will have a profound effect on your business process. Therefore, you should study the process ahead of time and ensure that the ERP system you choose is compatible with it and will mesh well with your objectives. Just as a hopeful presidential candidate might set up an “exploratory committee” to consider the possibility of considering a run for office, you should be just as careful with ERP.
2. Not properly vetting ERP vendors – That one vendor – you know the one. They came riding in on what might as well have been a unicorn and poured a rainbow into your computer. OK, maybe it was not that impressive, but they made enough of an impression to make you forget about the rest and essentially make an impulse buy. Always remember, an ERP vendor is a business, and they are trying to sell you a product. You have to be a conscientious consumer. Do your homework. Contact other customers and find out about their experiences, successes, and failures.
3. Not understanding or using key features – Only 46 percent of ERP customers surveyed actually have a good understanding of the features in their ERP systems. That means most companies are blindly wading through ERP waters hoping to figure it out and be successful. This is a horrible strategy. In fact, it is probably not a strategy at all. It is entirely possible to have a bad experience with your ERP system solely because you fail to understand or even recognize the existence of key features. The foundation of a good ERP implementation is knowledge, and the root of most failures is ignorance.
4. Underestimating the time and resources required – You have probably heard the horror stories of companies that thought they were going to pay $100,000 to implement an ERP system and ended up spending millions. Some of these stories are largely the fault of the vendors, but there are situations where the ERP customer simply needs to be aware of the total cost of ownership before getting involved. The sticker price is only the beginning. Moreover, full implementation does not end with software installation. You need to be cognizant of how much time everything, including training and consultation, will take.

The above four mistakes are mainly about problems that come from not being prepared. The next five will dive into some of the problems with actual implementation.

By MIBAR.net, Long Island, New York Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

The Top 13 ERP Mistakes You Should Avoid: Part 1 is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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It’s not that traditional ERP Inventory systems don’t work.  They just aren’t designed to fit the processes that are at the heart of fabless semiconductor production. Fabless companies have tried for years to make these traditional systems fit their needs, but this is much like trying to force your left foot into your right shoe. You may be able to jam it in, but it won’t be comfortable or highly functional . . . and you won’t be able to walk very straight once the shoe’s on the wrong foot.

Luckily, the things that are missing in traditional ERP inventory systems are the core strengths of the Tensoft Fabless Semiconductor Manufacturing (FSM) product. Let’s take a closer look.

Take genealogy or process history tracking, for instance. Traditional ERP Inventory functionality simply does not provide genealogy tracking. Fabless operations typically need to track their entire process history, mapping every step the product has been through, including re-work. For each production step, you need to know the process completed, the vendor used, the procurement and production information — plus all of the key attributes collected. Once you have this genealogy attached to a product, fabless operations typically need complete forward and backward tracking by genealogy from the production process to the customer and back (returns).

Tensoft FSM tracks and saves a complete, auditable process history of every vendor and production step, including detailed product and production information by individual step. Every part has full genealogy associated with it at all times.

Specific product identification by lot number or date code offers yet another challenge. Most traditional ERP systems only offer lot tracking or serialization – with only one tracking number associated with the part.  Fabless companies mark their product with more than one key tracking attribute – often using a fab lot number and date code. Lot splits and lot merges add more complexity, which makes it even more important to accurately collect the individual tracking attributes for your product.

Tensoft FSM tracks wafer lot, vendor lots, and internal lots at every step of the production process. In fact, our customers can maintain and track complete lot histories, with product identification and process genealogy for both forward and backward tracking. Lot splits and merges are also fully supported.

Fabless companies need to track detailed product attributes during the production process. Examples include: the test program used, the test board, the mask set, an internal lot number, and the assembly lot number. This is well beyond the capabilities of more traditional manufacturing systems. With Tensoft FSM, an unlimited number of production attributes can be tracked and used for detailed analysis.

Traditional ERP Inventory systems offer no solution for maintaining a process cost history, and they fail to support semiconductor product costing and inventory earned value requirements.  With costing complexities and unique requirements that are unlike any other type of product, fabless operations typically need to maintain a complete cost history by production process step. They also need to understand standard and actual cost, yield and detailed cost variances – all by production process step.

Tensoft FSM supports standard cost variable support. Cost per production step can include input materials, consumed materials, overheads and vendor costs. Each cost is stated appropriately for variance analysis and cost history.

Traditional ERP Inventory systems cannot do reclamation handling, which allows previously discarded materials to be brought back into the system.  Fabless operations often need a system for reclamation of previous yield loss, or bonus. They need the ability to bring back previously discarded materials — including the full product genealogy – and allow them to be put back into inventory with appropriate costs.

Tensoft FSM allows for re-working, re-screening and re-testing. It supports test analysis and production enhancement, reclamation and bonus processes, as well as re-test and re-screen production processes — capturing detailed scrap and yield information, as well as quarantine material and variances.

Traditional ERP Inventory systems do not do location tracking. Fabless operations typically need to track locations by vendor. Ideally, they should also be able to track unlimited locations for each vendor. For example, if your fabs, test houses and packaging house have multiple locations, you should be able to track materials at each location. Tensoft FSM tracks wafer lot, internal lot, and vendor lot for every step in the manufacturing process. Unlimited production attributes can be tracked and used for detailed analysis.

Traditional ERP Inventory systems are not designed to integrate with operations management.  For fabless companies, ERP inventory integration with WIP tracking and WIP costing is a bare minimum for an effective business system. Tensoft FSM offers complete WIP and inventory management support for semiconductor operations, including yield and cycle time history, consolidated WIP status, complete forward and backward product genealogy, complete lot and product attribute tracking, all fully integrated with planning, customer service and ERP.

Tensoft FSM delivers an affordable, flexible alternative to traditional ERP Inventory systems. It provides a sophisticated, web-based solution to all of problem areas described above, as well as extensive semiconductor accounting, sales, production, supply chain, and manufacturing execution functionality. Tensoft FSM can also integrate with your manufacturing subcontractors.

If you’re involved in ERP software selection in the semiconductor industry, talk to us before you begin a lengthy and expensive ERP implementation, or before you resign yourself to another year of inefficient, error-prone systems. For a reasonable cost today, you can make a long-term investment in Tensoft FSM that will scale as you grow.

by Tensoft, Semiconductor ERP and Supply Chain Solutions

What’s Missing in Traditional ERP Inventory Systems for Semiconductor Manufacturers? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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As I’ve shared in previous posts, Paperless ERP has a multitude of benefits for organizations, including integrated data, streamlined processing and increased visibility and efficiency. In a recent article in Forbes, one measurement that is used to determine the efficiency of a company’s cash management is the Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC), which measures the amount of time in which a business can turn over cash on hand.

For those that aren’t familiar with this measurement, the CCC follows cash through an organization, beginning as inventory, transitioning to accounts payable, moving through sales and accounts receivable, and then back into additional cash for the company. Further, the CCC measures how long a business will be deprived of cash if it increases its investment in resources in order to expand customer sales.

Investors use the CCC, in conjunction with other measurements like Days in Inventory, to determine the overall health of a company, and how efficiently the company manages inventory, accounts receivable and the accounts payable process. A low or gradually decreasing CCC rate should be the goal for companies aiming to stay ahead of competitors and ensure efficiency in management.

So what steps can organizations take to decrease the CCC? Solutions like MetaViewer provide a way for businesses in every industry to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their AP/AR departments, decreasing the amount of time necessary to process incoming and outgoing invoices.

If you think about how a traditional paper-based accounting process functions, inevitably, a pile of invoices will be left in a stack on someone’s desk with no way of knowing how much capital is tied up in the process. With a Paperless ERP solution, an organization can better capture, manage and access data through the lifecycle of an invoice, saving the company time and money by eliminating the need for paper processing and mailing, as well as simplifying the overall business process.

Overall, a well-organized and effective AP/AR process plays a vital role in a company’s ability to turn cash into more cash, especially when seamlessly integrated into an organization’s ERP solution. To explore how you can reduce your CCC and get a leg up on the competition, explore Paperless ERP and how it can benefit your organization’s bottom line.

~ Nick Sprau, VP of Marketing, Metafile Information Systems, Inc.

Making, Moving, and Managing Money – Steps You Can Take to Decrease the Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC) is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Empower your employees with the right tool that enables them to get more done faster so they can have more time to spend with customers and on other important business needs.  Microsoft Dynamics® GP is a comprehensive business management software that can streamline operations throughout your company.  This robust software solution can be used to manage financials, supply chain, manufacturing, project and services management, and other critical business operations.  Like other commonly used Microsoft software, Microsoft Dynamics GP is easy to learn and even easier to use.  Your people can spend less time entering and searching for important business data and more time using it to drive business.

Microsoft Dynamics GP adds automation that will speed up approval routings, streamline daily accounting procedures, and add checks and balances so that you know tasks are being completed on time and within budget. Your team can optimize cash flow with improved inventory management.  Identify trends between sales and procurement to maintain optimal inventory levels and reduce waste in expired or outdated inventory.  The business analyzer and powerful reporting features in Microsoft Dynamics GP will also provide real-time data that can be used to make quick decisions when new opportunities arise.

Empower your team to work smarter and not harder with the right tools for the job.  Microsoft Dynamics GP will improve productivity and profitability throughout your organization.  Working as a team, you can provide unsurpassed customer service and drive business growth, even in this challenging economy.  Contact Socius for more information on how you can stake your corner of the marketplace with Microsoft Dynamics GP.

By Socius, Ohio Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partner

How to Combine the Right People with the Right Tools and Achieve Success! is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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In my 15 years of consulting experience, I have encountered many companies that had long-since outgrown QuickBooks, but many were hesitant to make the move to a more robust ERP system due to price and fear of the unknown.   It is very rewarding to work with these companies and be part of their evolution to a more mature accounting and ERP system.

Here are some of the key advantages I have personally seen with companies moving from QuickBooks to Microsoft Dynamics GP:

• Security and GAAP compliance – Microsoft Dynamics GP is at its core an excellent accounting system that allows for the definition of true segregation of duties and provides auditability and data integrity that is so important in today’s business environment.
• Reporting and Business Intelligence – The capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics GP to provide critical business information to managers and executives is virtually unlimited.  There are literally hundreds of standard reports available, but that only scratches the surface of the reporting and analytical power of Microsoft Dynamics GP.  You also have at your disposal tools such as Excel Reports, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), and Analysis Cubes.  All of these tools come with a large set of built-in reports and key performance indicators (KPIs) and, of course, allow you to create unlimited reports on your own.
• Complexity – As companies grow they typically add divisions or possibly acquire other companies and they need to produce consolidated financial statements and other analytical reports for these entities.  Microsoft Dynamics GP provides the functionality to handle these scenarios with ease, offering a very flexible general ledger account structure and strong expense allocation functionality, as well as unlimited databases.  Using a financial reporting tool such as Management Reporter, these divisions and separate companies can be analyzed individually and on a consolidated basis with great flexibility.
• Customization and Integration – One of the most valuable and satisfying services that The Resource Group provides is the ability to customize Microsoft Dynamics GP and to integrate Microsoft Dynamics GP with other systems to better meet specific needs of a company.  We truly leverage the power of technology to create an ERP system that is tailored to your company.

In addition, Microsoft Dynamics GP supports a much larger user count and transaction volume than QuickBooks without sacrificing performance.  For some companies the move becomes academic when they physically outgrow the performance limits of QuickBooks.  But there are so many other exciting advantages and opportunities involved with a decision to make the move from Quickbooks to a full ERP system like Microsoft Dynamics GP!

By Tim Tobias, The Resource Group – Seattle, Washington Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

QuickBooks to Microsoft Dynamics GP, Why the Leap is Essential for a Growing Business is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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The 7 Secrets e-book divulges keys to mitigate project risks, maximize profit margins, exploit software and technology tools, and avoid the irritating scenarios typically found within project-centric companies.

Learn and apply the 7 Secrets to your organization: 7 Secrets the Healthiest Project-driven Organizations Know That You May Not

After learning the 7 Secrets, you can implement practical measures to streamline your project accounting. In the Stop the Pain e-book, you’ll hear the story of a typical CEO and how he transformed his procedures and technology tools from painful obstacles to valuable assets.

Learn and apply the 7 Smart Procedures to your organization: 7 Smart Project Management and Accounting Procedures That Work

Also see project accounting software solutions.

By Synergy Business Solutions, a West Coast Microsoft Dynamics SL partner.

7 Secrets of Healthy Project-driven Companies is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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