Aug 29, 2017
Five Factors to Consider When Choosing an SME ERP Solution for Your Business
Traditionally, ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning) was the domain of large companies and for a while, it was not really considered viable for small or medium enterprises to invest in a comprehensive ERP system. Over the last decade, ERP solutions have evolved and can now be applied to just about any business environment, with great results for small and medium businesses as well. Often, companies start out small, with software that manages to deal with the business information but, over time, and as these businesses grow, they outgrow small business software and need a more effective way to manage business information. While the company may still be small, there is a bigger need to manage the business better, and therefore time to invest in the right SME ERP solution for your business.
The question is what to look for. Which system will be best? Which factors should influence your decision? The answer to this is to consult a professional consultant. But, if you would like to educate yourself about SME ERP, we provide some useful information here:
- Flexibility: As a company grows, it may have to manage business assets of a more diverse nature. It may have to exercise tighter control and do better analysis of information. Often, new divisions are formed and information becomes separated into different parts, which means that a more effective system is needed to manage a diverse array of information types and formats. Flexibility is key here, and the SME ERP solution has to be able to keep up with changes over time and provide you with the answers you need.
- System Storage: Business owners used to be suspicious of cloud-based systems, but over the last few years, cloud solutions have proven to be very secure and easy to manage. The type of storage you choose will depend on the features you need in your SME ERP solution. Local installations will generally cost more for implementation, but overall maintenance costs may be lower. Cloud-based systems are cheaper initially, but maintenance costs may be higher. There are other factors involved as well when it comes to this choice, and a good ERP professional will be able to factor all of these considerations into your choice.
- Customisation: Competition is rife and technology evolves, forcing everybody to move and adapt at breakneck speed to keep up. Sometimes, new or small companies fall into niche categories with specialist needs, and an off-the-shelf solution may not be able to fulfil the needs of the business. The specific needs have to be taken into consideration and the SME ERP solution should be able to be customised to meet the needs of that particular environment, as well as being able to deal with future business requirements. Sometimes, keeping up with a particular business environment can be like trying to hit a moving target, and your ERP has to be able to adapt with your business. This usually means that the system you choose has to be built specifically for your business and allow for in-house customisation.
- Reports: One of the best and most useful features of any ERP solution is accurate reporting. However, this depends on how the system is queried. If you do not ask the right questions, you simply cannot get the right answers. The reporting needs of the business have to be evaluated carefully and you have to be sure about the specific analytics and information required before you will be able to draw the right reports. Also keep future trends in mind, and opt for a system that can generate customised reports if you need it.
- Integration: When it comes to your SME ERP solution, it is vital that you consider the future of the business. Are you planning to grow the business significantly? Remember that an ERP solution is only effective if it helps to ease the process, and not when it complicates it. This means that you have to factor in current software you use for crucial processes in the business and ensure that your ERP solution is able to integrate with these existing systems and software.
If you are keen to learn more about the right SME ERP solution for your business, and how choosing the right solution can help you to manage your business better, give our team at Lupus Consulting a call. We have all the expertise you need.
Aug 28, 2017
Boost the Efficiency of Your Business with a Warehouse Management System
In most operations where lots of different types of stock and products are warehoused and dispensed, it is vital to have an effective means to manage the storage, customer orders, incoming stock, and shipping. These processes can be very time-consuming and labour-intensive when done manually. With recent technological developments, warehousing has become a lot easier to manage. Barcoding has been introduced, software has improved, and database technology has grown to the extent that all these processes can be managed with a good warehouse management system. This helps the business to optimise the storage and distribution of stock, and record transactions like intakes and shipping with much greater accuracy. A good warehouse management system also reduces the need for manual labour and makes the business more competitive in the marketplace.
Traditionally, employees were needed in the warehouse to record everything coming in and going out during certain times of day. Often, these processes required a full-time employee (or several) who would monitor these movements during the entire day. Their responsibilities also included ensuring that the goods are stored in the right areas and can be easily located, that product is stored under the correct conditions, that stock is distributed before it becomes obsolete or expired, and that customers receive the correct stock allocations for their orders. These were very labour-intense operations and due to the repetitive nature of these jobs, occasional human error was inevitable, reducing efficiency and accuracy.
What is a warehouse management system?
Modern warehouse management systems provide software solutions that automate many of the processes that would otherwise be done manually. It manages and supports the operational processes required in a warehouse, and accurately manages information and stock. Certain tasks are centralised by the warehouse management system and this makes the management of the whole operation a lot more efficient and error-free.
A warehouse management system introduces a method whereby employees can employ a barcode scanner to record the movement of the stock and move the stock to wherever it needs to go. Usually, the barcodes are read automatically and the compiled shipping lists can be picked and distributed with a conveyor system. The scanned data is then sent to a central computerised system, which monitors the movement of the stock. This way, it is possible to keep tabs on everything going in and out of the warehouse, and the locations the stock is going to, via an automated system. Factors that influence storage, such as expiry dates, storages conditions, and arrival of incoming new stock are also recorded and dealt with accordingly. This means that stock about to expire will be picked first for use or distribution and in this way, loss due to expired stock is avoided.
Today’s warehouse management systems are based on very advanced technologies that can fulfil a number of additional tasks. A warehouse management system can be implemented as an independent or isolated system, or it can form part of a comprehensive software solution that support a whole range of additional functionalities spread across other departments of the business. This makes the warehouse management solution scalable across the business, and the system can grow alongside the business to meet its evolving needs.
There are other hardware and software systems that make the work of a warehouse management system even easier, such as an electronic shelf labelling system that can detect and manage things that would normally be difficult to manage manually, such as price changes. This is particularly effective in large warehouses where products and prices tend to change on a regular basis when specials or promotional offers are introduced as part of a marketing strategy or to boost sales. All the information gathered by the warehouse management system also enables the company to get a clearer picture of the overall management and performance of the business when used as part of an ERP solution.
If you need to boost your productivity, minimise waste, and increase the earning potential of your warehouse, it is well worth it to invest in a good warehouse management system. Lupus Consulting can help with this! We have a team of experts that specialises in helping businesses compile and implement the best warehouse management solutions for their particular business needs. No matter how great or small, we can find the right system for you to boost your warehouse’s effectiveness.
