SME ERP solutions

Mar 13, 2017

What are SME ERP Solutions and How can They Help your Business?

It is essential to find a system that can help with the analysis and management of your business. These systems typically provide the business with a means of analysis, predicting trends, and staying informed of the production process. The type of software and how it is applied make a huge difference to how effectively your business is run, and it inevitably affects the bottom line.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a type of software that manages your business processes. Many large companies have invested heavily in these types of expensive solutions but far more affordable ERP solutions have now become available for the effective management of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The structures, types, and pricing of ERP software have evolved and it is now possible for a business of any size to invest in an ERP solution to gain insights into their business and market, which would not have been possible just a relatively short while ago.

SME ERP solutions consist of software that integrates all the parts of the business. This will usually include development, product planning, human resources, production, marketing, and sales. All these elements are then included in one database and accessed through a single user interface, making it easier to access information that would otherwise consist of separate elements, departments, and formats. SME ERP solutions are designed to be lightweight and easy to manage and change as the business grows in order to keep fulfilling the business needs. The format of these solutions is usually designed to cater to the particular needs of the business and can be highly tailored depending on the requirements.

How do ERP Modules Work?

Generally speaking, ERP would be made up of different enterprise software modules that are purchased and installed individually based on the business requirements and the technical capabilities of the business. These modules all focus on their own specialised area or department, such as marketing or production planning. This means that there are a lot of ERP modules out there and the entire ERP solution can be customised to the organisational needs by only purchasing the separate modules, and continuing to expand the system as the business functions and processes increase. This makes it affordable for small and growing businesses to have access to valuable information that can help them grow and become more successful.

Different businesses will use different models. One business will start with only inventory control and product planning modules and add to them later; another will start with finance, marketing, and HR modules, and add modules as their needs change. This gives the business a highly organised way to manage itself, identify trends, reduce waste, increase production, and manage inventories better. The main aim of SME ERP solutions is to provide the business with one single space to store all the information that is shared by all the different modules in order to make the flow of data across the business more effective to manage and access.

ERP Trends

1. Mobile ERP: Because just about everyone nowadays have access to a smartphone and they are not always in the office, business managers or sales staff can now have access to information in real time and not depend on yesterday’s printed reports anymore. Being able to log in to the ERP system from anywhere to, for instance, check on inventory needs or current sales figures, empowers people to make better decisions when they are needed most. They can also generate reports that are based on their specific information needs, and don’t need to work through reams of irrelevant information before finding the actual figures or facts they need.

2. Cloud ERP: Cloud storage is a relatively new development and ERP is becoming increasingly cloud-bound. While it is true that business managers were once hesitant to store information in the cloud, it is becoming increasingly common use cloud ERP, as the benefits of this are so obvious. Similar to mobile ERP, these databases can also be accessed on the go and regardless of the user location, and can be very useful when data has to be shared between different branches and employees.

If you would like to find out more about SME ERP solutions and how they can help you to run your business more effectively, give our team at Lupus Consulting a call. We have all the expertise you need and will be able to provide sound advice and outstanding ERP solutions for your specific organisation.

Warehouse Management Systems

Mar 13, 2017

Six Top Benefits of Warehouse Management Systems

For any business that has a warehouse that needs to be managed, warehouse management systems (WMSs) are crucial. A warehouse management system consists of software that helps manage the daily operations that take place in a warehouse and enables different aspects of a warehouse, such as inventory control or the location of stock, to be tracked through one centralised database. Depending on the needs of the business, warehouse management systems can stand on their own, or form one module of an enterprise resource management system. At the end of the day, the main function of a warehouse management system is to provide managers with the information they need to control the movements of materials and stock in and out of the warehouse. Many advantages are associated with the implementation and use of warehouse management systems; these include:

1. Fewer human resources: Because the cost of labour can be substantial, it is essential to manage staff levels accurately. Warehouses typically have seasonal peaks and the needs of the business must be met during these times, without having to fork out on overstaffing during low-activity seasons. With the use of a good warehouse management system, you can reduce your staff compliment during normal operation peak time requirements can be better met. This means that you will be able to decrease your overall staff levels throughout the year. More staff also means more money spent on training and development.
2. Lower expense on equipment: Fewer staff needs less equipment, and money spent on the purchase and maintenance of equipment can be reduced.
3. Optimised Inventory management: A good warehouse management system ensures that stock levels are constantly monitored, so you can place orders for more stock when needed. This means that you can provide your clients or production line with the goods they need, when they need it. Stock levels can be much more accurately managed and that you will have a highly effective warehouse.
4. Reduction of waste: A huge challenge for some warehouse managers is the reduction of waste due to unsuitable storage conditions and stock that was over-ordered and has expired. Because warehouse management systems manage stock levels effectively, there is a much lower likelihood of sitting on a mountain of expired stock that results in financial losses.
5. Better use of facilities: Storage costs money, and if an item is over-ordered, you will have to store it. As a business grows, the use of facilities must be optimised, and the existing storage managed more effectively to accommodate growth and increased stock levels. A WMS can automate your stock rotation and picking, which translates into a much more efficient use of facilities.
6. Increased management control: Because a good warehouse management system works in real time, it can provide information that is up to date, to the second. This means that it can warn against impending low stock levels or expiry dates, and business managers or warehouse employees can have access to real-time information that is constantly updated. It also means that customer orders can be managed better, and that orders can be picked and delivered according to the specific needs of the customer. A good system will greatly increase the accuracy of stock levels due to a lower rate of human error, and as result, the warehouse runs much more effectively.

Integration of Warehouse Management Systems with ERP

As mentioned before, warehouse management systems can form part of an ERP solution. This could be tricky, because it is essential to find the warehouse management systems that best serve the needs of the organisation, while ensuring that the WMS they choose is compatible with existing ERP solutions. The needs of the business will dictate to which extent the WMS and the ERP software are integrated and implemented. Without integrating these two systems, there would be a requirement for manual processing, which is not nearly as effective as a fully integrated ERP with an optimised WMS.

In order to ensure that you get the best fit for your company, you need the experts on your side. At Lupus Consulting, we specialise in ERP and all the related systems and modules that can help you to run your warehouse (and your business) much more effectively. Give our team a call today to find out more.