ITBM2
UNIT 2ERP/E-SCM/E-CRM Q1) Explain the Concepts of ERPA1) Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is an enterprise-wide information system designed to coordinate all the resources, information, and activities needed to complete business processes such as order fulfillment or billing.An ERP system supports most of the business system that maintains in a single database the data needed for a variety of business functions such as Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Financials, Projects, Human Resources and Customer Relationship Management.An ERP system is based on a common database and a modular software design. The common database can allow every department of a business to store and retrieve information in real-time. The information should be reliable, accessible, and easily shared. The modular software design should mean a business can select the modules they need, mix and match modules from different vendors, and add new modules of their own to improve business performance.Ideally, the data for the various business functions are integrated. In practice the ERP system may comprise a set of discrete applications, each maintaining a discrete data store within one physical database.The term ERP originally referred to how a large organization planned to use organizational wide resources. In the past, ERP systems were used in larger more industrial types of companies. However, the use of ERP has changed and is extremely comprehensive, today the term can refer to any type of company, no matter what industry it falls in. In fact, ERP systems are used in almost any type of organization – large or small.For a software system to be considered ERP, it must provide an organization with functionality for two or more systems. While some ERP packages exist that only cover two functions for an organization, most ERP systems cover several functions.An ideal ERP system is when a single database is utilized and contains all data for various software modules. Q2)How the Implementation of an ERP System takes place?A2) Implementing an ERP system is not an easy task to achieve, in fact it takes lots of planning, consulting and in most cases 3 months to 1 year +. ERP systems are extraordinary wide in scope and for many larger organizations can be extremely complex. Implementing an ERP system will ultimately require significant changes on staff and work practices. While it may seem reasonable for an in house IT staff to head the project, it is widely advised that ERP implementation consultants be used, due to the fact that consultants are usually more cost effective and are specifically trained in implementing these types of systems.One of the most important traits that an organization should have when implementing an ERP system is ownership of the project. Because so many changes take place and its broad effect on almost every individual in the organization, it is important to make sure that everyone is on board and will help make the project and using the new ERP system a success.Usually organizations use ERP vendors or consulting companies to implement their customized ERP system. There are three types of professional services that are provided when implementing an ERP system, they are Consulting, Customization and Support.Consulting Services – usually consulting services are responsible for the initial stages of ERP implementation, they help an organization go live with their new system, with product training, workflow, improve ERP’s use in the specific organization, etc.Customization Services – Customization services work by extending the use of the new ERP system or changing its use by creating customized interfaces and/or underlying application code. While ERP systems are made for many core routines, there are still some needs that need to be built or customized for an organization.Support Services- Support services include both support and maintenance of ERP systems. For instance, trouble shooting and assistance with ERP issues.Advantages of ERP SystemsThere are many advantages of implementing an EPR system; here are a few of them:A totally integrated system The ability to streamline different processes and workflows The ability to easily share data across various departments in an organization Improved efficiency and productivity levels Better tracking and forecasting Lower costs Improved customer service Disadvantages of ERP SystemsWhile advantages usually outweigh disadvantages for most organizations implementing an ERP system, here are some of the most common obstacles experienced:Usually many obstacles can be prevented if adequate investment is made and adequate training is involved, however, success does depend on skills and the experience of the workforce to quickly adapt to the new system.Customization in many situations is limited The need to reengineer business processes ERP systems can be cost prohibitive to install and run Technical support can be shoddy ERP’s may be too rigid for specific organizations that are either new or want to move in a new direction soon. Q3)Explain the Architecture of ERP.A3) When explaining ERP architecture, one must understand what ERP systems are comprised of in terms of their structure. The server may be centralized; however, many users are in multiple locations in order to utilize the ERP systems. This ERP architecture is thus on that server maintaining applications and databases at the same time.This is how ERP architecture can be understood. Enterprise Resource Planning systems are intended to utilize several applications, as well as any data contained within. The ERP systems can be understood in that, there are systems known as two-tiered and three-tiered. Two-tiered systems are working two ERP systems; corporate and division.The two-tiered system is separate, allowing for two different ERP systems operating separately. Three-tiered systems are where the client is also in utilization of ERP as well. Understanding this is not complicated when considered carefully.There are different levels of access between these ERP 'levels'. One level may have different access than another level, which creates the two and three-tiered systems within what would be considered as the entirety of the system.For example, a client will not have access to all companies’ information that does not pertain to them. As well, corporate will not have the same ERP system as division would. This dividing of levels between these users are known as what the ERP architecture is ultimately comprised of. Such division is necessary, for there has to be boundaries between levels for the system to operate effectively. Another example would be this; an employee is not going to have the same access to the system as a manager, just as the manger will not have the same access as a CEO would. This is how the levels are established. By considering examples such as these, ERP architecture can be better understood, and implemented. This is how ERP architecture would be defined.ERP Modules• The key role of an ERP system is to provide support for such business functions as accounting, sales, inventory control, and production.• ERP vendors, including SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft, etc. provide modules that support the major functional areas of a business.• The ERP software embeds best business practices that implement the organization’s policy and procedure via business rules.Production – Helps in the planning and optimizing of the manufacturing capacity, parts, components, and material resources using historical production data and sales forecasting. Purchasing – Streamlines the procurement process of required raw materials and other supplies. Inventory Management – Facilitates the processes of maintaining the appropriate level of stock in a warehouse. Sales and Marketing – Implements functions of order placement, order scheduling, shipping, and invoicing. Finance – Can gather financial data from various functional departments and generate valuable financial reports. Human Resource – Streamlines the management of human resources and human capitals. Miscellaneous Modules – Nontraditional modules such as business intelligence, self-service, project management, and e-commerce Benefits of Key ERP Modules • Self Services – Flexible support for employees’ business functions. – Simplified access to relevant information. • Performance Management – Delivery of real-time, personalized measurements and metrics. – Provides executives with access to such information as business statistics and key performance measurements. • Financial– Ensure compliance and predictability of business performance. – Gain deeper financial insight and control across the enterprise. – Automate accounting and financial SCM. – Rigorous support for financial reportingHR Management – Attract the right people, develop and leverage talents, align efforts with corporate objectives, and retain top performers. – Increase efficiency and help ensure compliance with changing global and local regulations by using standardized and automated workforce processes. – Enable creation of project teams based on skills and availability, monitor progress on projects, track time, and analyze results. – Manage human capital investments by analyzing business outcomes, workforce trends and demographics, and workforce planning.Procurement and Logistics Execution – Sustain cost savings for all spending categories by automating such routine tasks as converting requisitions into purchase orders and by allowing employees to use electronic catalogs to order products and services. – Reduce costs through process automation, integration of suppliers, and better collaboration. – Improve resource utilization with support for cross-docking processes and data collection technologies. (RFID and bar codes). – Enhance productivity of incoming and outgoing physical goods movements. – Reduce transportation costs through better consolidation and collaboration.Product Development and Production – Shorten time to market. – Deliver higher quality products and ensure timely delivery. – Real time visibility and transparency (availability check). • Sales and Service – Higher number of sales orders processed and reduction in administrative costs.– Easy access to accurate, timely customer information. – Cost-effective mobile access for field employees. – Reduce travel costs by using online functions. – Adhere to environmental, health, and safety reporting requirements. – Improve the management of incentives and commissions. – Realize more effective real estate management Q4) What are the Applications of ERP?A4) ERP software can be used in any industry to help a business become more efficient. It provides an effective communication tool that can manage information between internal and external departments, assist with daily activities to manage projects, track adherence to guidelines, and handle day-to-day intricacies that come with running a business. Due to ERP roots in manufacturing, there are robust Industry-specific ERP systems that cater to the various manufacturing industries. ERP software systems are very diverse and are key parts of many industries, including but not limited to:Manufacturing Industrial Machinery and Components Construction and Home Improvement Electronics and Technology Automotive Aerospace and Defense Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences Agribusiness, Farming and Agriculture Food and Beverage Healthcare and Hospitality Clothing, Consumer Goods and Retail Over time, ERP systems have grown to include support for other applications and “ERP modules" that support day-to-day business function. In many ERP systems, these common functional areas are grouped into ERP modules, including but not limited to:Financial Accounting Management Accounting Human Resources Manufacturing Order Processing Supply Chain Management Project Management Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Data Services Q5) Explain the concept of XRP.A5) Companies use enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to assist management with decision making as well as to automate common business processes to save the company time and money. While core ERP focuses on internal business operations like finance and human resources, extended ERP focuses on external operations to make it easier to manage relationships with customers, suppliers, transporters and other parties.Common extended ERP modules your business might use include those for supply chain management, business intelligence, and e-commerce and customer relationship management.ERP systems can feature both core ERP modules and extended ERP modules. In fact, many common ERP software vendors now include at least some of the extended ERP components as main parts of their software packages. Both types of components can access a central company database that allows for the sharing of information and linking of business processes like finance and sales.Basic ERP modules include those that assist with streamlining core internal business processes and make it easier to use company information for decision making. Some common core ERP modules you might encounter focus on finance and accounting, production, marketing, human resources, purchasing and project management. Some systems also have a security component that manages information access.Extended enterprise resource planning modules go beyond these basic business functions to include additional modules that support external operations. The most common extended ERP components focus on e-commerce, customer relationship management, business intelligence and supply chain management, although modules related to product management and data mining also exist. These modules may be available from the same software vendor or may come from a third party, so managers need to assess compatibility and cost when choosing to add these components.Business Intelligence ModulesWhile even core ERP components help with decision making, business intelligence modules extend this functionality so that managers can quickly obtain and analyze complex information.These extended ERP modules can run complex queries, sort data, obtain industry data from the internet and even suggest operational decisions. They help present the information through charts, dashboards and scorecards that can update with real-time data and allow managers to better monitor company performance.Customer Relationship Management ModulesThe customer relationship management module of extended ERP builds on the functionality of core ERP to facilitate marketing, sales and customer service. This module can help your business obtain and track leads, monitor customer feedback and activity, test marketing campaigns, handle issue cases and communicate with customers.Having a thorough customer database makes it possible for this module to help you segment your customers and send targeted offers that can increase sales and reduce customer attrition.Supply Chain Management ModulesWhile production planning is a core ERP feature, an extended ERP module for supply chain management goes beyond to help with product life cycle management, warehouse management and transportation management.Companies can use this tool to manage global supplier networks, monitor inventory, track orders throughout the supply chain, perform full-scale manufacturing planning and even optimize logistics. This kind of extended ERP module also integrates with the finance and accounting ERP component to handle and track the financing of receivables and payables. Q6) Write the advantages of SAP in organizations.A6) Advantages of SAP CRM Module in OrganizationsSAP Customer Relationship Management as the term suggests helps in better management of customer needs and help towards long term and profitable customer relationships. SAP CRM provides an organization the flexibility to create various unique solutions for better customer experiences. It helps in building consistent and relevant interactions across all branches that handles customers. This module helps organizations in driving customer value, loyalty and profitability across the entire value chain of an organization. Customer satisfaction is one of the common aims for every business and this SAP module helps to achieve the same.Advantages of SAP SD Module in OrganizationsSAP Sales and Distribution is the ideal software for every organization that helps in managing master data, system configuration, order and cash process related transactions and more. Using this module, organizations can better manage their Customer Master and Material Master Data, Sales Orders, Deliveries, Pricing, Billing and Credit processes and so on. There are various sub-modules of SAP SD for different processes such as Master Data, Sales Support, Pendulum List Indirect Sales, Sales, Shipping and Transportation, Billing, Empties Management, Credit Management, Foreign Trade and Sales Information System. Each SAP SD module provides easy and swift management of task lists within the broader process of Sales and Distribution.Advantages of SAP BI Module in OrganizationsSAP Business Intelligence, earlier known as SAP Business Information Warehouse is popularly known as SAP BI at an end user level. SAP BI helps in various processes of an organization. It is responsible for extracting data from different sources, applying rules on it and loading it to Data Warehouse area. SAP BI improves management of Data Storage within an organization. SAP BI enables one to represent data analysis in different formats such as grids, graphs, maps etc. SAP BI uses BEx tools in order to present these data and report presentation for organizations.
Thus, SAP provides various modules that enhance work processes within organizations. SAP training allows professionals to work out better with SAP modules. Training allows professionals to handle software presented by SAP towards better work process and data management in organizations. Owing to the various advantages mentioned, more and more organizations are moving towards adopting SAP by the day. Q7) What do you mean by Oracle Apps?A7) Oracle Applications means software that helps you run your enterprise businesses such as Accounting, Humans Resource, or Financials. However, Oracle Applications Server is the technology that, mostly installs on the server, integrates with others software’s to work together. It can be called Middleware.Every business enterprise has their own requirements and needs. A high-tech consulting company is not going to have the same procurement needs as that of a high-tech manufacturing firm. That is why EBS has a lot of features which are both manual and automated.Customer Relationship ManagementThe Oracle CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a set of applications that gives you information-driven sales, service, and marketing. Oracle CRM is built on an open, standards-based architecture that streamlines business processes, improves data quality, and allows all your key divisions to draw from the same source of data. With Oracle CRM, your company owns the single best tool for customer success—accurate information.ServicesOracle’s E-Business Suite family of Service Applications provides true information-driven customer service. It enables an organization to meet and exceed customer expectations by empowering them with information that is consistent, accurate, and actionable.FinancialThe Oracle Financials application includes General Ledger, Cash Management, Payables, Receivables, Fixed Assets, Treasury, Property Management, Financial Analyzer and a self-service expenses function.Oracle Human Resource ManagementThe Oracle Human Resource Management System (HMRS) module helps companies manage the entire recruitment process and provides a real-time view of all HR activities such as recruitment, training, benefits, and payroll. The HRMS suite fully integrates with all E-Business Suite applications and offers users an analytics package that allows for easy extraction of HR data. Q8) Write a note: MS Dynamics NAV.A8) Navision is the original ERP system for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. More specifically, Microsoft “Navision” was the name of a Danish accounting package that was founded in 1983 in which Microsoft acquired in 2002. Microsoft has 4 business management systems that are part of a category of “Enterprise Resource Planning” systems or ERP that are designed to connect many different business units under one system. Microsoft “Navision” has had several name changes over time including “Navision Financials”, “Navision Solutions”, “Navision Attain”, and “Microsoft Business Solutions”. In 2005, Microsoft re-branded this ERP product and called it “Microsoft Dynamics NAV”. People call this system “NAV” as it one word, however, the correct terminology is spelling out the words “N, A, V”. Frequently, users today, still call it “Navision”, though.Enterprise Software, like Microsoft Dynamics NAV, are designed to handle the complex inner workings of a company’s financials, inventory, warehousing, sales, purchases, manufacturing, etc. Under one system to streamline supply chain operations and get a much better idea of trends and business data through advanced detailed reporting.Through its history, Dynamics NAV, has been released with many editions to help gain access to this vital business intelligence and to make it both easy-to-use and customizable to adapt to an organizations unique business needs.Improvements have been made to NAV along the following areas just discussed:Business Intelligence: By utilizing a robust data base, such as Microsoft SQL reporting service, business data can be generated and shared for analysis across the enterprise. The latest version include a connection as part of the ERP solution to Power BI (Business Intelligence), which is a Microsoft business analytics service. More specifically, Power BI is a collection or suite of business information and analytics tools to both share insight within the organization and analyze data. There are different options to access this information such as PowerBI Desktop and the Power BI Mobile App. As part of this information analysis includes data retrieved from SQL and data collected from other sources.User Interface: A “RoleTailored” User interface was introduced in 2008 to increase productivity by having employees log onto their user interface screens that corresponds with their work title to access task that are most relevant to their position. There are 21 "out-of-the" box roles such as Accounting Manager, Bookkeeper, IT Manager, Machine Operator, President, Purchasing Manager and Sales Manager to give some examples. All of these RoleTailored Client or RTC roles are customizable and new roles can be added in addition.Customization: Also in 2008, part of the RoleTailored Client user interface design was part of a new ERP architecture called the Three-Tier Graphical User Interface or “GUI”. In this configuration, the data resides in the SQL data base (called the Data Tier), and the top tier accounts for the RTC User Interface called the Client Tier. The middle tier, is called just that or sometimes the Server Tier. This Middle Tier is a multi-tiered environment that is designed to host and execute all the business logic and makes a significant departure from the previous 2-tier ERP architecture. Having this additional layer makes NAV more scalable and customizable with the addition of NAV’s Web Services which makes it easy for other authorized programs and systems to Integrate and tailor the ERP solution to meet the unique requirements of each business.Collaboration: Latest improvements with Dynamics NAV "Navision" increasing include the ability to share vital information across the enterprise for better decision making. And knowledge sharing. This is accomplished through better business intelligence such as PowerBI that was discussed earlier, and other Microsoft connected applications such as Microsoft CRM (now called Dynamics 365 for Sales) Office 365 and PowerApps which are individual, unique business functionality used to connection information without the need of custom software development. This tight integration with other useful business applications enhances Dynamics NAV's ability to easily allow the accessibly of relevant and actionable information.New Versions: Microsoft Dynamics NAV continues to be updated and released on a more frequently basic. The current version is called Dynamics NAV 2018 and has improvements in financial management, document management, enhanced business insights, expanded cloud connectivity with other cloud-based services, plus deeper integration with other Microsoft applications. This solutions can be deployed either On Premise or In-The-Cloud.The latest ERP release is now taking the Microsoft Dynamics NAV information, along with enhancements, to a new Cloud ERP deployment and is called Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Business Central is a cloud solution built on the rich functionality within Microsoft Dynamics NAV and adaptable to extend business applications to other Microsoft Cloud Services such as Office 365, Microsoft Flow, Power BI and PowerApps. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Solution can grow as your business requirements change while taking advantage of the latest technology-a modern digital business management solution. Q9) What are the Advantages of an E-CRM system? A9) The Advantages of an E-CRM system:i. Service level improvements:Using an integrated database to deliver consistent and improved customer responsesii. Revenue growth:Decreasing costs by focusing on retaining customers and using interactive service tools to sell additional productsiii. Productivity:Consistent sales and service procedures to create efficient work processesiv. Customer satisfaction:Automatic customer tracking and detection will ensure enquiries are met and issues are managed. This will improve the customer’s overall experience in dealing with the organisation.v. Automation:E-CRM software helps automate campaigns including:(i) Telemarketing (ii) Telesales(iii) Direct mail(iv) Lead tracking and response(v) Opportunity management(vi) Quotes and order configurationAcross every sector and industry, effective CRM is a strategic imperative for corporate growth and survival:a. Sales organizations can shorten the sales cycle and increase key sales-performance metrics such as revenue per sales representative, average order size and revenue per customer.b. Marketing organizations can increase campaign response rates and marketing driven revenue while simultaneously decreasing lead generation and customer acquisition costs.c. Customer service organizations can increase service agent productivity and customer retention while decreasing service costs, response times and request-resolution times. Q10) What are the Major Trends in e-SCM? A10) Trend 1 — Demand Planning Begins at the End of the CycleAs sources and capacities for manufacturing have increased, more companies have moved away from focusing efforts on plant-level production planning and are adopting more of a demand-driven focus of trying to influence and manage demand more efficiently. Rationalizing what your company is best at selling, making and delivering, and aligning the sales force with that mindset, is critical to adopting a demand-driven model. The demand driven approach can help a company create a more customer-focused mindset, without sacrificing operational efficiency. Ultimately, a demand-focused approach to planning can significantly improve demand planning and management efforts and help overall costs and customer service efforts. Advanced demand planning systems and proper strategies can also help uncover data and identify trends buried in a company's information systems. Companies should conduct an enterprise-wide internal Demand Review to gather information from all aspects of the organization. Goals are then set to gain consensus on what will be sold each month for each product line or category and the resulting revenue. Of course, the driver of the Demand Review process is continuous improvement of forecast accuracy. Critical to the success of any Demand Plan is having all stakeholders, including sales, marketing, finance, product development and supply chain agree upon a consensus Demand Plan. It's important for all participants to discuss factors affecting customer demand patterns (such as new or deleted products, competitors or market conditions), the aggregate demand plans and associated revenue plans. Once all demand for products and services has been recognized, the information is consolidated into one Demand Plan. Demand planning is a key input to the larger sales and operations planning (S&OP) process and can have a significant positive impact on new product introductions, inventory planning and management, customer service, supply planning efficiency and sourcing strategies. Demand planning success is often tied to organizational structure. Companies with dedicated resources focused around demand planning and forecasting yield stronger results and drive more value to their company. Organizations that focus part-time on demand planning and forecasting efforts, however, often yield sub-standard results. With the strategic importance of demand planning, companies need to be committed to this from both a resource and technology perspective. Trend 2 — GlobalizationThe business landscape is rapidly becoming more global. Largely due to improvements in communications, globalization is dramatically impacting the way business is managed and transacted, even on the most local levels. No area of a business is more affected by the trend to a global business environment than the supply chain. Manufacturing, distribution, sourcing of materials, invoicing and returns have all been significantly impacted by the increased integration of a global customer and supplier base, and many companies find that existing processes and technology are not flexible enough for this new business environment. For example, historically, many companies have brought in container shipments from Asia Pacific through the ports in southern California. As the volume of container shipments has increased, all of these ports have experienced capacity issues relating to customs clearance and transshipping. As a result some companies are contemplating rerouting these inbound shipments to alternate ports. This change may seem subtle, but a shift in logistics of this magnitude has far-reaching effects on the overall cost and efficiency of the supply chain network. Dynamically repositioning the point of entry for inbound container shipments can have a positive impact on customs clearance times and access to increased transportation capacity, however, there can be a negative impact as well. Better understanding the total landed cost and service implications of alternate ports of entry can help improve supply chain costs and performance.The right supply chain design is critical to managing the changes brought about by rapid globalization. A well thought-out supply chain network design can optimize the supply chain network and the flow of materials through the network. In doing so, network design captures the costs of the supply chain with a "total landed cost" perspective and applies advanced mathematical technology to determine optimal answers to both strategic and tactical questions.
Thus, SAP provides various modules that enhance work processes within organizations. SAP training allows professionals to work out better with SAP modules. Training allows professionals to handle software presented by SAP towards better work process and data management in organizations. Owing to the various advantages mentioned, more and more organizations are moving towards adopting SAP by the day. Q7) What do you mean by Oracle Apps?A7) Oracle Applications means software that helps you run your enterprise businesses such as Accounting, Humans Resource, or Financials. However, Oracle Applications Server is the technology that, mostly installs on the server, integrates with others software’s to work together. It can be called Middleware.Every business enterprise has their own requirements and needs. A high-tech consulting company is not going to have the same procurement needs as that of a high-tech manufacturing firm. That is why EBS has a lot of features which are both manual and automated.Customer Relationship ManagementThe Oracle CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a set of applications that gives you information-driven sales, service, and marketing. Oracle CRM is built on an open, standards-based architecture that streamlines business processes, improves data quality, and allows all your key divisions to draw from the same source of data. With Oracle CRM, your company owns the single best tool for customer success—accurate information.ServicesOracle’s E-Business Suite family of Service Applications provides true information-driven customer service. It enables an organization to meet and exceed customer expectations by empowering them with information that is consistent, accurate, and actionable.FinancialThe Oracle Financials application includes General Ledger, Cash Management, Payables, Receivables, Fixed Assets, Treasury, Property Management, Financial Analyzer and a self-service expenses function.Oracle Human Resource ManagementThe Oracle Human Resource Management System (HMRS) module helps companies manage the entire recruitment process and provides a real-time view of all HR activities such as recruitment, training, benefits, and payroll. The HRMS suite fully integrates with all E-Business Suite applications and offers users an analytics package that allows for easy extraction of HR data. Q8) Write a note: MS Dynamics NAV.A8) Navision is the original ERP system for Microsoft Dynamics NAV. More specifically, Microsoft “Navision” was the name of a Danish accounting package that was founded in 1983 in which Microsoft acquired in 2002. Microsoft has 4 business management systems that are part of a category of “Enterprise Resource Planning” systems or ERP that are designed to connect many different business units under one system. Microsoft “Navision” has had several name changes over time including “Navision Financials”, “Navision Solutions”, “Navision Attain”, and “Microsoft Business Solutions”. In 2005, Microsoft re-branded this ERP product and called it “Microsoft Dynamics NAV”. People call this system “NAV” as it one word, however, the correct terminology is spelling out the words “N, A, V”. Frequently, users today, still call it “Navision”, though.Enterprise Software, like Microsoft Dynamics NAV, are designed to handle the complex inner workings of a company’s financials, inventory, warehousing, sales, purchases, manufacturing, etc. Under one system to streamline supply chain operations and get a much better idea of trends and business data through advanced detailed reporting.Through its history, Dynamics NAV, has been released with many editions to help gain access to this vital business intelligence and to make it both easy-to-use and customizable to adapt to an organizations unique business needs.Improvements have been made to NAV along the following areas just discussed:Business Intelligence: By utilizing a robust data base, such as Microsoft SQL reporting service, business data can be generated and shared for analysis across the enterprise. The latest version include a connection as part of the ERP solution to Power BI (Business Intelligence), which is a Microsoft business analytics service. More specifically, Power BI is a collection or suite of business information and analytics tools to both share insight within the organization and analyze data. There are different options to access this information such as PowerBI Desktop and the Power BI Mobile App. As part of this information analysis includes data retrieved from SQL and data collected from other sources.User Interface: A “RoleTailored” User interface was introduced in 2008 to increase productivity by having employees log onto their user interface screens that corresponds with their work title to access task that are most relevant to their position. There are 21 "out-of-the" box roles such as Accounting Manager, Bookkeeper, IT Manager, Machine Operator, President, Purchasing Manager and Sales Manager to give some examples. All of these RoleTailored Client or RTC roles are customizable and new roles can be added in addition.Customization: Also in 2008, part of the RoleTailored Client user interface design was part of a new ERP architecture called the Three-Tier Graphical User Interface or “GUI”. In this configuration, the data resides in the SQL data base (called the Data Tier), and the top tier accounts for the RTC User Interface called the Client Tier. The middle tier, is called just that or sometimes the Server Tier. This Middle Tier is a multi-tiered environment that is designed to host and execute all the business logic and makes a significant departure from the previous 2-tier ERP architecture. Having this additional layer makes NAV more scalable and customizable with the addition of NAV’s Web Services which makes it easy for other authorized programs and systems to Integrate and tailor the ERP solution to meet the unique requirements of each business.Collaboration: Latest improvements with Dynamics NAV "Navision" increasing include the ability to share vital information across the enterprise for better decision making. And knowledge sharing. This is accomplished through better business intelligence such as PowerBI that was discussed earlier, and other Microsoft connected applications such as Microsoft CRM (now called Dynamics 365 for Sales) Office 365 and PowerApps which are individual, unique business functionality used to connection information without the need of custom software development. This tight integration with other useful business applications enhances Dynamics NAV's ability to easily allow the accessibly of relevant and actionable information.New Versions: Microsoft Dynamics NAV continues to be updated and released on a more frequently basic. The current version is called Dynamics NAV 2018 and has improvements in financial management, document management, enhanced business insights, expanded cloud connectivity with other cloud-based services, plus deeper integration with other Microsoft applications. This solutions can be deployed either On Premise or In-The-Cloud.The latest ERP release is now taking the Microsoft Dynamics NAV information, along with enhancements, to a new Cloud ERP deployment and is called Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Business Central is a cloud solution built on the rich functionality within Microsoft Dynamics NAV and adaptable to extend business applications to other Microsoft Cloud Services such as Office 365, Microsoft Flow, Power BI and PowerApps. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central Solution can grow as your business requirements change while taking advantage of the latest technology-a modern digital business management solution. Q9) What are the Advantages of an E-CRM system? A9) The Advantages of an E-CRM system:i. Service level improvements:Using an integrated database to deliver consistent and improved customer responsesii. Revenue growth:Decreasing costs by focusing on retaining customers and using interactive service tools to sell additional productsiii. Productivity:Consistent sales and service procedures to create efficient work processesiv. Customer satisfaction:Automatic customer tracking and detection will ensure enquiries are met and issues are managed. This will improve the customer’s overall experience in dealing with the organisation.v. Automation:E-CRM software helps automate campaigns including:(i) Telemarketing (ii) Telesales(iii) Direct mail(iv) Lead tracking and response(v) Opportunity management(vi) Quotes and order configurationAcross every sector and industry, effective CRM is a strategic imperative for corporate growth and survival:a. Sales organizations can shorten the sales cycle and increase key sales-performance metrics such as revenue per sales representative, average order size and revenue per customer.b. Marketing organizations can increase campaign response rates and marketing driven revenue while simultaneously decreasing lead generation and customer acquisition costs.c. Customer service organizations can increase service agent productivity and customer retention while decreasing service costs, response times and request-resolution times. Q10) What are the Major Trends in e-SCM? A10) Trend 1 — Demand Planning Begins at the End of the CycleAs sources and capacities for manufacturing have increased, more companies have moved away from focusing efforts on plant-level production planning and are adopting more of a demand-driven focus of trying to influence and manage demand more efficiently. Rationalizing what your company is best at selling, making and delivering, and aligning the sales force with that mindset, is critical to adopting a demand-driven model. The demand driven approach can help a company create a more customer-focused mindset, without sacrificing operational efficiency. Ultimately, a demand-focused approach to planning can significantly improve demand planning and management efforts and help overall costs and customer service efforts. Advanced demand planning systems and proper strategies can also help uncover data and identify trends buried in a company's information systems. Companies should conduct an enterprise-wide internal Demand Review to gather information from all aspects of the organization. Goals are then set to gain consensus on what will be sold each month for each product line or category and the resulting revenue. Of course, the driver of the Demand Review process is continuous improvement of forecast accuracy. Critical to the success of any Demand Plan is having all stakeholders, including sales, marketing, finance, product development and supply chain agree upon a consensus Demand Plan. It's important for all participants to discuss factors affecting customer demand patterns (such as new or deleted products, competitors or market conditions), the aggregate demand plans and associated revenue plans. Once all demand for products and services has been recognized, the information is consolidated into one Demand Plan. Demand planning is a key input to the larger sales and operations planning (S&OP) process and can have a significant positive impact on new product introductions, inventory planning and management, customer service, supply planning efficiency and sourcing strategies. Demand planning success is often tied to organizational structure. Companies with dedicated resources focused around demand planning and forecasting yield stronger results and drive more value to their company. Organizations that focus part-time on demand planning and forecasting efforts, however, often yield sub-standard results. With the strategic importance of demand planning, companies need to be committed to this from both a resource and technology perspective. Trend 2 — GlobalizationThe business landscape is rapidly becoming more global. Largely due to improvements in communications, globalization is dramatically impacting the way business is managed and transacted, even on the most local levels. No area of a business is more affected by the trend to a global business environment than the supply chain. Manufacturing, distribution, sourcing of materials, invoicing and returns have all been significantly impacted by the increased integration of a global customer and supplier base, and many companies find that existing processes and technology are not flexible enough for this new business environment. For example, historically, many companies have brought in container shipments from Asia Pacific through the ports in southern California. As the volume of container shipments has increased, all of these ports have experienced capacity issues relating to customs clearance and transshipping. As a result some companies are contemplating rerouting these inbound shipments to alternate ports. This change may seem subtle, but a shift in logistics of this magnitude has far-reaching effects on the overall cost and efficiency of the supply chain network. Dynamically repositioning the point of entry for inbound container shipments can have a positive impact on customs clearance times and access to increased transportation capacity, however, there can be a negative impact as well. Better understanding the total landed cost and service implications of alternate ports of entry can help improve supply chain costs and performance.The right supply chain design is critical to managing the changes brought about by rapid globalization. A well thought-out supply chain network design can optimize the supply chain network and the flow of materials through the network. In doing so, network design captures the costs of the supply chain with a "total landed cost" perspective and applies advanced mathematical technology to determine optimal answers to both strategic and tactical questions.
0 matching results found