Archive for the ‘Lean Concepts’ category

« Older Entries

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Supply Chain – ask Synergy Software Systems

November 5th, 2023

Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Supply Chain (FSCM) is Microsoft’s flagship and most capable ERP solution. With advanced functionality, superior architecture and single source application, D365 FO is the natural choice for larger enterprises who often demand multi-site, multi-country, multi-lingual capabilities.

We have had a rich history of success with large international organisations implementing its predecessor Microsoft Dynamics AX, and D365 FSCM takes the power of AX to a different level!

It provides accessibility – anywhere, anytime via a browser-based user experience that enables users to access the system from any location and on any device.

Functionality includes: Finance (GL, AR, AP, Cash and Bank, FA, Budgets, Costing,) Sales, Purchasing, Planning, Advanced Warehouse Management, Discrete, Process and Lean Manufacturing, Master planning ATP and CATP, Retail, Project Management and Accounting, Asset Management, and Public Sector. modules. This is supported by numerous reports and dashboards and an in built Financial Reporter tool, and in built tools for case management, and workflow management.

As a Microsoft solution there is already integration with Azure technologies such as Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft 365 office productivity tools, Power apps and Power Bi, SharePoint and much more, all wrapped around with Microsoft security and platform management .

In addition, there are also numerous Apps available which extend the standard functionality and provide additional ISV and vertical solutions for example Synergy offers its own:

  • GCC localised HR and Payroll further enhanced with BI Dashboards, and automated PRO and employee self service processes.
  • A comprehensive Real Estate solution.

If you are looking for an enterprise multi county ERP system, or seeking to move upwards and onwards from Dynamics Ax, Dynamics GP or NAV, or other ERP systems the you will appreciate all that FSCM has to offer. However, you might just be a little nervous of how go forward with a multi company system, how long will take, how much will it cost and million other questions.

Synergy Software Systems is the oldest partner in the region and was the first Gold Partner for Dynamics Ax. We have a large mature team of consultants, professionally certified by Microsoft, who have helped guide other enterprises faced with the same challenges. Consultants are based here in Dubai, and we have a manned helpdesk through our working hours – one reason we received the Highest Customer Satisfaction Award from Microsoft.

Put your worries behind you and seize the future and call us on 0097143365589 for impartial, informed advice.

Comments Off on Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Finance and Supply Chain – ask Synergy Software Systems »

Posted in Dynamics 365, Finance, HR and Payroll, Lean Concepts, Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, SCM, Security and Compliance, Technology

Forrester sees SnapLogic as a strategic for Enterprise integration – hybrid- cloud and on premise

December 14th, 2019

SnapLogic iPaaS provides integration in continuously evolving data environments,

According to Forrester, “The strategic iPaaS/HIP market is growing because more EA professionals see strategic iPaaS/HIP as a key element of their digital transformation agility.” Forrester adds that “vendors that can make integration easier as well as provide a broad set of integration scenarios position themselves to successfully deliver in any public, private, hybrid, and/or multicloud environment.”

In the report, SnapLogic has received the highest score possible in the “market approach” criterion.

SnapLogic’s intelligent integration platform uses AI-powered workflows to automate all stages of IT integration projects – design, development, deployment, and maintenance – whether on-premises, in the cloud, or in hybrid environments.

The platform’s easy-to-use, self-service interface enables both expert and citizen integrators to manage all application integration, data integration, and data engineering projects on a single, scalable platform.

With SnapLogic, you can connect all of your enterprise systems quickly and easily to automate business processes, accelerate analytics, and drive transformation.

For more details of why ask SnapLogic Partner Synergy Software Systems 009714 3365589

Comments Off on Forrester sees SnapLogic as a strategic for Enterprise integration – hybrid- cloud and on premise »

Posted in Corporate Perfomance Management, e procurement, Lean Concepts, RPA and DMS, Security and Compliance, Technology

Dynamics Summit 22 Mar 2016 – great success

March 22nd, 2016

Despite Heavy rain and a drive to the end of the Dubai Palm outer frond to get to the Waldorf Astoria venue, the summit had a packed attendance. It seemed that thunder and lighting had followed the attendees into the ballroom when a sound and laser show started the event.

The day started with presentations that highlighted the disruptive potential of technology, and how that can be leveraged through the scalable azure platform to brig together social listening, predictive analytics, Big data, Internet of Things, Cloud based multi platform any time anywhere Dynamics Ax Enterprise erp and CRM systems.

Key note speakers included:
Christian Pedersen, General Manger, Enterprise ERP, Microsoft
Siegfried Leiner Principal Program Manager, Dynamics CRM, Microsoft
Karim Talhouk Microsoft Business Solutions Director, Microsoft Gulf

Several videos featured other Microsoft speakers including Sathya Nadell as well as case studies of local implementations. This was followed by a panel discussion and a packed day of presentations.

Synergy Software Systems, a gold sponsor of the events, had a constant stream of visitors to their stand. Our rolling presentations showed Dynamics Ax and Dynamics CRM, and complementary solutions such as our incredible ACE construction BIM suite, Dox42 to enable end users to create richly formatted reports themselves in Microsoft Office rather than in their business systems for enhanced presentation without need for development cost, the BI4Dynamics pre-built report packs , and the Prophix produitised CPM solution.

At the end of a busy day Synergy Software Systems Director, Stephen Jones showed that despite the emphasis on the new html 5 user interface and technical architecture there are also quite a few functional tweaks to welcome in almost every module. To illustrate the general use of workspaces and the new UI he presented an end to end run through of Employee Lifecycle management in the HR module in the new release. He then showed some screens shots of Synergy’s localised Ax GCC Payroll and HR enhancements upgraded to the new release. He rounded off the packed 30 minutes with a look at the extensive capabilities of Power BI to analyse HR and Payroll data.

Comments Off on Dynamics Summit 22 Mar 2016 – great success »

Posted in Construction Software, Corporate Perfomance Management, Dubai and regional news, Events, General Synergy News, HR and Payroll, Lean Concepts, Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, SQL, Technology

C Executive collaboration in erp selection

December 13th, 2015

A Gartner survey last year , “Survey Analysis: Critical CFO Technology Needs: 2014 Gartner FEI Study,” June 23, 2014, http://bit. ly/1Ga5I50 highlighted the importance of C level Executive collaboration when selecting an erp system.

A critical component of any successful technology integration project is teamwork—especially among those with decision-making power and departmental oversight. In the case of ERP, the CIO and CFO should work hand-in-hand to determine which solution is best positioned to support the business and technology requirements of teams across the enterprise. They also need to jointly provide the highest value for the technology dollar—affordable to purchase and implement, economical to operate (low total cost of ownership), and capable of facilitating long-term financial stability and growth.

While an organization’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) may have differing perspectives on a host of issues, common ground can must be found between them to select and implement an appropriate ERP solution. Because both CIO and CFO are driven by role-specific ambitions and targets, reaching a mutual decision can prove challenging. To mitigate against differing points of view leading to a project delay or cancellation, the following recommendations are hints for CFOs and CIOs on how to reach a common ERP selection and implementation strategy:

1. Determine how each ERP option supports overall organizational strategy. According to the 2014 Gartner Financial Executives International CFO Technology Study, out of a survey sample of 210 executives, the CFO authorized 29 percent of IT investments. This surpassed even the CEO for decision-making in this space. CFOs are clearly interested in ERP costs in both the near and long term. The issues around how well each solution supports the company’s comprehensive goals for current and future operations are just as critical,. Analysis requires input from, and partnership with, the CIO ad other C Executives.

The CIO has to worry about wider issues such as compatibility, support, upgrade path, security, connectivity, reporting features and the day to operational costs, such as a/c/ energy support contracts, IT training and so on. There is also a strategic role to play to keep abreast of, and to leverage new technology to better leverage the deployment and use of the erp functionality e.g. mobility, predictive analytics, IoT Executives should eb able to articulate clearly how each proposed solution /functionality /feature either does or does not supports strategic growth.

To crystallise thoughts identify a realistic solution ROI.
That will help to set a budget early and help in priosiritising requirements, and must have vs nice to have features. It also helps to understand what is a sensible level of investment to drive the system in top gear rather than in 1st gear.

As CFOs take a more hands-on approach to technology decision-making, they are strategically prioritizing their options, and placing ERP software high on their list of potentially transformative tools. In the Gartner study, 47 percent cited enterprise business applications in the top three most important technology investments, with 23 percent putting them at the very top of the list. Forty-two percent of CFOs cited these applications as their most important technology investment over the next three years. Similar results are seen in surveys of CPM software, and the bottom line results also show that leaders in bottom line performance measures are those with the right systems.

CIOs and CFOs should both be looking for the same thing—ERP software that delivers the highest possible return on investment (ROI) with minimum risk, maximum agility, and scaleablity. A system that not only helps to compete today but that can adapt and grow with the business. Determining the required ROI for the business as well as the likely ROI of competing solutions goes a long way toward clarifying the value of available options. Similarly, a budget helps to narrow the software choices to those most likely to drive and sustain long-term growth and profitability or to ensure that additional investment in more features enhance rather than undermines the strategy. Budgets are not tablets of stone -they are acceptable benchamarks- that does not mean they cannot be changed if you have good reason. The key is to how will you decide and ROI is a good test.

3. Consider a solution with built-in Business Intelligence (BI) capability: When executives in the Gartner study were asked to identify the business priority they believed most required technology support, 62 percent indicated “facilitating analysis and decision making.” To this end, executives are increasingly looking to BI tools to capture insights across the enterprise, and realizing that ERP solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics AX provide this critical capability as a built-in feature. For both the CIO and CFO then, it will be paramount both to understand which software options include this functionality (and how deep that functionality goes) and to require vertically-focused expertise from potential vendor partners to determine which tool best supports the organization’s use case.

4. Schedule your ERP rollout to maximize the functionality that will provide the foundation to grow and to control costs: Given the potential disruption as major systems are implemented and adopted, CIOs and CFOs should bring together relevant information from their respective areas of expertise and influence to carefully plan a timeline for project planning, implementation, and support that protects against financial risks, system downtime, and process changeover lag. Gartner suggests a “pace-layered strategy” to minimize these types of integration risks, reduce costs, and maximize security. Under such an approach, companies can categorize each business application (including ERP) as a system of record, differentiation, or innovation, then apply differentiated management processes for each, driving more thoughtful, collaborative, and high-value integrations.

The Value of Executive Partnership in Driving Technology Investment

It comes as no surprise that a successful ERP deployment hinges on partnership—and that synergy among department leaders is essential to securing the executive approval, team unity, and partner relationships required to implement a successful and even transformative long-term software solution. By working together to identify common goals and arbitrate diverging viewpoints, CIOs and CFOs can ensure the final selected system is one that not only meets their individual needs, but is also optimally positioned to meet business requirements and operational objectives enterprise-wide, securing sustainable growth and profitability.

Comments Off on C Executive collaboration in erp selection »

Posted in HR and Payroll, Infor Financial solutions, Lean Concepts, Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Project Management, Sunsystems and Vision, Technology

Software selection – human considerations

October 3rd, 2015

To Organise and to manage a software selection project is not so easy. If you cannot get a critical mass of people deeply involved in the accounting software selection project, then think twice before starting. Change management is often given only superficial consideration. A new tool is of little use if no one uses it. It does little good for a company to spend $500,000 on anew accounting software, or ERP software when the people who will be using the accounting software systems cannot, or will not operate it effectively.

Is your company organized for success (culture, leadership style, business processes and finally business management . If not then you need to consider more carefully the role of the implementation partner and not blame the software.

In addition to the usual questions of :
• Can the software systems do what you the businesses needs?
• What operating and hardware configuration do I require?
Also ask
Do your employees have the ability to utilize these software or ERP solutions effectively?
Hoc an I change that?
Does my implementation partner offer industry and business knowledge and track record of enabling that change process in a company like mine?

Businesses try to work to policies- which are based on predetermined assumptions, conditions, processes, statutory and other constraints, and if effect embody pre-defined decisions. decisions.

The real world is full of exceptions. Companies use information to control day to day operations relating to the production of goods and services. This information is used to control budgets and cash flows and the best utiisation of assets. . Managers combine the latest information with their managerial experience to make sound business decisions within the policy guidelines..

The negative side is that this information is of little use when the data is not updated correctly on time, and or is not integrated. Thus all functions need to participate and collaborate- if one drops out and relies on manual or Excel systems alone then the integration loop is broken and “system” does not operate effectively. The key to the effective utilization of accounting software systems is the effective production of and access to timely a, accurate meaningful information to ensure timely informed decision making at all levels of the organisation. “Knowledge is power.”

Managers can make faster and better or worse decisions based on the available information ,but they may not even be aware they need to take a decision without information whether in an inquiry screen or a report, a bI dashboard, an alert or a kpi.

Advanced software can be sued to auto decide some decisions, or to make recommendations e.g mrp. or forecasting tools. genrall software systems do not make decisions. People do. When people are not provided with the tools they require to make these critical decisions, it’s very likely mistakes will be made. Some of these decision taking responsibilities are imposed upon by the market in which the company competes. Some are imposed by the owners or managers interpretation of how the business should be operated. However, the methods by which these decisions are made can only be formulated by each individual person, and that is why the software/human relationship is so importsnt.

Each person in any company is unique. So when defining just what software systems consider the unique needs of each person with whom the accounting software systems will “integrate” or how you will select those unique people who will be comfortable with the system

Each person who will be processing transactions (e.g. customer orders) must be given the opportunity to express their personal needs, for it is these people who will be required to operate the system. Further, each manager who will be making decisions based in part upon the information produced by the accounting software systems must express their reporting needs as well (e.g. Business Intelligence, Performance Metrics, and Exception Management ). It is only after these needs are identified and understood recognized that the broader corporate strategic needs should be defined.

At the core of these considerations is a clearly understood definition of what the company is to do strategic objectives , and it must do well in order to succeed- tactical excellence. The way a company organizes itself and controls the flow of information into and out of the accounting software systems, determines to a large degree how successful the accounting software systems will become.

As individual people define their needs, do not limit their responses to factors relating only to the software systems. Let them express their needs with respect to how they fit into the overall business, what information they require when, in what format, from other people, where potential bottlenecks may occur, and in general how the manual side of the business management processes should be controlled.

Selection of a new software systems does not eliminate the need for business process control procedures, and it is those procedures impact on the effectiveness of the new accounting software systems. Some people swear will champion software systems or ERP solutions, while others will believe those are seriously flawed and will cling to old, manual systems. Some will be reluctant to share knowledge- the basis of their experience and seniority. Some may fear new technology. others may worry more about social change – reporting to a new boss, working in a different office. Most people adopt new technology is every day life a new phone, car, tv etc, but don’t so easily change their personal relationships.-

One person sees the software systems as a friend, while the other as a threat. You cannot compare your new wife to your old girlfriend fi you want a long and happy marriage. All people, whether they have had computer experience or not, have developed some personal definition of what they consider to be “good” software systems. If the software systems you purchase meets these pre conceived notions, the task of learning and operating the system will be relatively easy. If the system does not make sense to people, then they will resist entering data, and undergoing training and errors will be made. Evaluate the degree of fit between your employees and the accounting software systems you are examining during your software selection project. The cultural fit with the consultants is equally important.

Tyr not to impose a new software systems on people. Consider whether they feel their opinion is as important as others, and that that the accounting software systems will assist them personally. WIFIM “What’s in it for me?”

While you might argue that first impressions can be changed over time, andc omputer system can seem quite a daunting challenge to . The operator, whether it is accountant, bookkeeper, or clerk can be suffering silence. This suffering might reach the point where the person is willing to consider another job.

No amount of patience, encouragement, or training will reduce this suffering. Mistakes will begin to occur more frequently as well. If the person does not leave, you may have to face the grim decision that their mistakes can be corrected only by removing them from the job. Has this achieved anything positive? Certainly not! If too many critical people in the organization resist the software systems, you can consider the selection project a complete failure. That’s why this evaluation of personal needs is so very important.

Any multi-user accounting system or ERP solutions will be operated by a number of different people with different job functions and different skill levels. The larger the system becomes, the more diverse these individual abilities become, and the more critical an evaluation of their relationship to the accounting system becomes.

Perhaps the least skilled person who might be called upon to operate the accounting software systems is a warehouse manager or even a shipping or receiving clerk.
Does the system meet their needs?
Does the menu structure segregate their input screens into one logical area?
Does the language used, particularly Help Screens, talk to them on their skill level?
Will the processing methodology make sense to someone with their relative skills and educational background?
Do they have to work in multiple systems?

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of training. If you want to remove fear, then you have to build confidence.
You need to reduce errors, not only for the business to avoid fear of personal embarrassment. These result from a lack of experience I.e training and practise with the new software systems.
Invest the time in practical training – understanding a demo does not make you fluent in transaction entry or in report analysis. Reading the highway code is not enough for you to drive – you also need 40 hours on the road experience. You also need an instructor by your side for sometime and to be formally tested and certified. If the investment in training appears formidable, then beware. The major lesson that those who implement cite is that they unde-rbudgetted time for training. Don’t be fooled by those who calm they can configure and get you live in a month or so with an accelerator, or a blueprint . Configuration is a relatively simple, job. Defining the right configuration need user interaction and the testing, To make that work needs their training and practice time. Transforming a an install into a working implementation is another matter. It is not enough to buy a tool you have to understand the many different ways to use it and build up skill.

Depending upon the vendor or product reseller you have selected to provide your accounting software systems, you will probably have several options open to you. If your system is a large multi-user installation, you might want to consider sending several people to a regional or national training seminar lasting several days. While expensive on the surface, this intensive class room oriented environment will enable these people to develop a detailed knowledge which can be passed on to others. Train the trainer really works.

Demonstration accounting software systems are excellent training tools. An even better one is a training company with your own Chart of Accounts, vendors, customers, and employees. This provides people the opportunity to experience a “real” data processing environment without running the risk that errors will lead to catastrophes.

One last point should be discussed with respect to training. Some people will find it difficult, if not impossible, to make the transition to new accounting software systems, or from one accounting software system to another, perhaps more powerful ERP solution.

While you might wish the accounting system or ERP solution could be installed with minimum problems, this may be your most significant hurdle. If the installation of integrated accounting software systems is the best alternative for your company, what is to be done with those people who cannot, or will not make the adjustment?

You must face the very real possibility some people may have to be replaced. It’s not a very pleasant thought, but do not delude yourself into thinking all people will be as excited about new accounting software systems as you are. Business is not easy sometimes, and this is one of those times. I do not like the idea any more than you do, but changes may be necessary for the good of the company and its employees.

Ask yourself if you know how to organize and control an accounting systems selection project. One of the greatest dangers is people assuming they know when in fact that are ignorant. They do it rarely in their business life. Can IT or choose a finance system, do they really know how to select a vendor or a solution? Manger’s need to have confidence in their decision making but often they do not know how to evaluate facts outside their core functional area, nor even what facts are needed to evaluate a solution. Its too easy rush into a demo and to benchmark everything against the first software seen .

In practice its better to spend sometime discussing your business needs, your change management challenges, and the business case and to focus on the implementation partner understanding and expertise. the right partner will guide you through the process and will not waste your time with inappropriate solutions, and then the demo will have some relevance to your needs. and you will have a better idea how to evaluate it.

Comments Off on Software selection – human considerations »

Posted in Construction Software, Corporate Perfomance Management, Hospitality, HR and Payroll, Infor Financial solutions, Lean Concepts, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Project Management, RFID biometric mobile, Security and Compliance, SharePoint and EPM, Sunsystems and Vision

Bitlog WMS seminar 15 June 2015- fully booked

June 14th, 2015

We look forward to meeting all registrants tomorrow at Microsoft Gulf. The seminar is fully booked.

If you are unable to attend or were too late to register then please contact us.

2015 WMS Trends
Pharma
• New regulations -FDA Drug Quality Security Act (DQSA) – manufacturers to serialize all pharmaceutical inventory for human consumption – to counteract counterfeit pharmaceuticals
How BITLOG WMS helps:
• Serialization allows for more accurate ingredient traceability throughout the supply chain.
• End-to-end audit trail by serial number helps manufacturers to recall more efficiently and effectively.
Decreased profit margins and competition
– Patents Expiring losing major revenue streams, seeking cost savings.
– Generic Drugs Patents expiry more generic products – , reduces the profit margins for all manufacturers.

Pharmaceutical companies search for SCM cost savings to maintain profit margins.
How BITLOG WMS helps:
– Real-time data capture and inquiry – accurately track inventory and raw materials, reduce excess on-hand inventory
– Improved WMS = higher order fulfillment = higher sales less admin, = higher brand loyalty
– Bitlog WMS efficiently handles fast moving complex distribution strategies such as direct to consumer

Aviation
Now 37% of the U.A.E. economy
Aerospace MRO and spare manufacture is now a major industry in the UAE
Airlines only make money when flying. Service providers must offer exceptional service levels. When outsourcing, the main concern of air carriers is not how much it costs, but how the service provider will do what needs to be done.
Risk is compounded by the reduction in the number of suppliers from hundreds to dozens. The same is true of logistics providers: aerospace providers want to work with only one or two that understand the industry’s specialized needs and have the WMS systems to handle the scope and the SLA’s.
Aerospace supply chain managers must meet increasingly tight delivery time windows.
Aerospace companies are frequently requesting that 3PLs manage vendor relationships and inbound logistics.
SWAT—Space Warehousing Accelerated Transformation. To reduce inventory – without raising risk airlines may collaborate to centralise spares to reduce inventory while maintaining service levels.

Airline parts are high-value and have a limited lifecycle.
Each is monitored and replaced on a specific schedule.
Governments impose strict rules about tracing the location and history of airline parts, down to the serial number.
Reverse logistics is a part of the job —not only moving the parts, but monitoring those through repair, and return for service, and providing visibility to the carriers.
Tracking expectations are increasingly sophisticated and granular, with more data collection points and greater detail.
Air carriers want to search databases by reference, project, or purchase order number.
Parts are more specialized, with less ability to share these across airlines, thus complicating inventory management.
RFID and GPS are emerging to increase visibility and tracking of aircraft components.
Modern WMs systems are essential.

Comments Off on Bitlog WMS seminar 15 June 2015- fully booked »

Posted in Dubai and regional news, Events, Infor Financial solutions, Lean Concepts, Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Project Management, Sunsystems and Vision, Technology

Erp? What’s it all about – ask Synergy Software Systems. Dubai

February 18th, 2015

Although the term mrp was coined by Joe Orlicky back in the 1940s and ERP came along in the late 80s there are still many organizations that don’t truly understand the value of ERP.

While streamlining and automating your financial processes is a huge benefit, that is only one piece to a much larger puzzle.

Successful ERP solutions enable businesses to capture, manage and translate data into business insight from a wide range of activities.

An erp system is not just a typewriter- it makes the right data available in the right context for informed contextual decision making at all levels of the operation.

Both for key business tactical operational decisions, the Sales and Operation plan, the budgets, forecasts and strategies, the short and the long term, erp is the glue that aligns your business processes, plans delegates work, monitors and reports and notifies progress and helps to evaluate changes, threats and opportunities and to manage constraints and priorities

Erp can help create new levels of efficiency and reduce manual tasks through streamlining, and directed process automation, a and exception reporting and dashboards.. It can reduce errors with profiles, policies and templates, and provide more control with workflow processes, and analysis tools.

ERP provides a platform to re-engineer your business processes to fit with best practices, and adapt to changing technology and market demands and opportunities. Understand your real across and how you make profits-which customers and products. What if different scenarios.

Ultimately, ERP is a platform on which to design a better business. Organizations who don’t share this vision for ERP will struggle to reach a solid ROI.

ERP used to be reserved for large organizations, who could afford to take on such an expensive transformation. However, thanks to advances both in technology and infrastructure, and changes in licensing modules, and the emergence of cloud technology ERP solutions are accessible and affordable to businesses of any size through the cloud.

Organizations no longer have to invest half their earnings into hardware and IT staff, and can get up and running much quicker than ever before.

Be open to change

ERP is not about fitting your existing practices to a technology system. While that may apply in some aspects, the goal is really to improve your processes with a system that can enhance their accuracy, automate them, and integrate with your partners and suppliers.

While a budget usually can put a cap on ERP projects, don’t settle for less than what’s possible. There are many ways to utilize ERP when you understand what others have done and what is possible. Don’t buy a Ferrari and drive it in first gear and skimp on servicing and driver training. Don’t spend money on endless reports and customisations to suit every employee’s whim. Be prepared withy our report design, business processes and data – use self elearning resources, get involved early so you can do your own testing, and use consultants for where they can most add value without wasting their time.

Key factors

An ERP implementation can literally transform your business, but also carries a certain level of risk. Projects can fail to reach positive ROI if the following factors aren’t met:
◾Support from senior management
◾Planning: time, roles, scope, budget and process analysis
◾Consultation and support, both functional and technical
◾Go-live process: phased vs. big bang
◾Training, available resources, and user willingness to adopt. ◾Test! Test every aspect of the system with each of your users as much as possible before going live.

Find out why every Synergy project goes live on time to budget- in 23+ years no Synergy project has ever failed to go live and none has ever needed reimplementation.

Ask our customers. Find out why we were awarded highest customer satisfaction by Microsoft.

Comments Off on Erp? What’s it all about – ask Synergy Software Systems. Dubai »

Posted in e procurement, HR and Payroll, Infor Financial solutions, Lean Concepts, Microsoft, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Project Management, schools, SharePoint and EPM, Sunsystems and Vision, Technology

Business Process Review- Synergy Software Systems, Dubai

April 12th, 2014

Synergy Consultants recently completed a 10 day system and process review for a large organisation in Kuwait.

ERP Projects have to deliver an initial return on investment (ROI) to justify the cost and be considered successful. Business drivers for ERP projects may be:
statutory and compliance reasons
customer imposed e.g, for new services or to integrate with their systems,
to meet new competition,
to offer new services,
to enhance customer service, brand advocacy and loyalty
to extend erp into crm for pipeline management and social media engagement
to leverage new technology to streamline and to automate professes to get cost reduction and improvements in efficiency
to provide enhanced business analytics for better informed and more timely decision making
to increase agility and responsiveness
to support enterprise wide processes across multiple platforms rather than by function within the office network

This should lead organizations to focus on Business Process Management (BPM) as part of their ERP project, focusing on improving business processes to become more modern and efficient as well as providing an ability to execute and continuously improve.

Don’t forget the end users of the solution – the desired business value will only be achieved with successful execution of the ERP Project.
– Low end user adoption is a greater driver of value leakage than both flawed IT project execution and technology to business misalignment.
– Change management is a critical component of a successful project. Without effective change management, including business process documentation and process-driven training, the desired business benefits will not be fully realised.

Today’s businesses are increasingly complex, composed of a growing number of employees, locations, business processes and business systems. With this complexity, there is an even greater need to ensure that the appropriate due diligence is completed when assessing an ERP project to ensure ongoing stakeholder value is delivered.

Comments Off on Business Process Review- Synergy Software Systems, Dubai »

Posted in Corporate Perfomance Management, General Synergy News, Infor Financial solutions, Lean Concepts, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, RFID biometric mobile

Is there more to choosing an erp system than keeping the CFO happy??

December 12th, 2012

We are used to to the idea that erp systems will handle financials and inventory but new technology creates new business processes, new opportuntities and new competition. These are some of the features you might also want to check on before selecting a solution a modern ERP solution:

Mobility. In our personal lives we are more mobile and connected. Sales of tablets, netbooks, mobiles etc continue to exceed projections as does the use and prolfieration of social media. We expect the same tools at work. Organizations large and small are becoming ever more mobile, to drive down costs,and  improve service.  Mobile alerts, mobile reports,  and mobile BI are now expected.   By 2013, 1.2 billion workers will be mobile—that’s 1/3 of the overall workforce. By 2014, 50% of devices used to access business solutions are expected to be smartphones. Will the solution you’re considering accommodate mobile workers?

 IT Costs. Some people claim 84% of organizations have a remote workforce – Typically true of the sales team, installation and service engieers, meter readers, delivery men, consultants trainers, etc.  But on average 85% of datacenter capacity is idle, and 70% of IT budgets are spent maintaining datacenter operations. What are inefficiencies like these costing your company?  It’s not just the software it’s the server room rental, the energy, the A/c , the hardware depreciation and obsolesence, inusrance, cleaning etc.

3. Access. Think about how people can interact with their solutions. Employees struggle when they can’t collaborate with people who don’t have full access to important data. Can people outside the solution or organization be given web and mobile access to specific reports, charts, graphs, and KPIs? Is the data real-time? Marketing these days is frequently a  self service activity, as in many case are business processes like booking on-line or checking in for a flight via  kiosk with a bar code on your mobile for a boarding pass, or searching a knowledgebase for help. Project teams are geographically remote but need to uodate each other and to share plans.

4. Simplicity. Workers at home use laptops, phones, tablets—all their preferred devices—with a common experience, to make those all easier to use. What do your staff really need?

I might throw in;

  •  Cross platform, cross company workflows – for both centralised and decentralised services, faster responses and automation
  •  Seamless integration with other applications, e.g. messaging and social media, or SharePoint or office
  • Scalable architecture- businesses and technology both change fast and your systeme should enable not constrain your growth
  • Compliance and collaboration tools – why have expensive offices, why waste staff time on travel,  mobility, internet presentation tools, collaboration portal workspaces, and cross supply chain collaboration are all factors but you also have to think about security and compliance – what support do you have for these?
  • Competitive edge – you will not outstrip your competition just with new back office systems – can your solution provide vertical specific features, can you adapt it to streamline your specific processes
  • Can you easily handle data imports? new budgets, forecasts costs
  • Can you easily handle new reporting requirements?
  • Can you easily handle new subsidiaries and acquisitions – language, currency, vertical requirements, localised statutory compliance?

Does it matter? Watch your competitors and see what they are doing but don’t wait too long!

Year end is a good time to rethink your strategies and your systems. if there are aspects of your business or systems that are not delivering or you are not sure what is possible then why not undertake a mini business review and let us help you understand how technology can help you to cut cost or add value or reduce risk and to evaluate whether there is a business case.

Comments Off on Is there more to choosing an erp system than keeping the CFO happy?? »

Posted in Corporate Perfomance Management, HR and Payroll, Infor Financial solutions, Lean Concepts, Microsoft Dynamics Ax, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Project Management, Security and Compliance, SharePoint and EPM, Sunsystems and Vision

Infor SunSystems (V6.1.5) – Synergy Software Systems

November 10th, 2012

The ‘Office of the CFO’  focuses on strategy and the latest technological innovations. President Stephan Scholl in a recent Infor dinnr in Paris announced that Infor is the 3rd largest global ERP provider and the fastest growing business software company last year with: 

  • 2,300 new customers 
  • 3,000 new employees.

 Infor’s branding overhaul – visit www.infor.com and  results in a much cleaner design. The new look will shortly be incorporated across SunSystems and all of the Infor solutions.  It is also good to see a return to the simpler ‘Infor SunSystems’ naming convention.

Infor 10x ships in November. Here is a selection of eInfor SunSystems (V6.1.5) enhancements that are available or that can be added to the core SunSystems solution:

  • Windows 8 and SQL Server 2012 certified.
  • WorkSpace – Delivers a unified user experience that supports single sign-on, common navigation. The user interface combines deep industry processes, analytics, and collaboration that helps you make better and faster decisions.
  • SocialSpace – A social business platform that: shares objectives, captures the conversation and keeps data in context. The Activity Feed connects: staff, applications, machines and data in real-time so they work better together. There is an in context application called ‘Paparazzi’ which allows users to ‘follow’ crucial business processes.
  • Mobile innovation – You can access key features in an intuitive tablet/mobile experience. Simply provide your web connection details to connect to your organisation’s SunSystems server.
  • Alerts, notifications and exceptions –  Set up notifications for the events that are of relevance to you, for example the creation of projects, customers and orders received over a certain amount. These are then delivered to you via email or within the Activity Feed, allowing you to proactively monitor your system.

Why does Infor Susnstems have such dedicated users? Product’s users delight  their ability to easily  get the information they need when they need it, and to adapt to changes without really changing the system (time and again).

Two key enabling design features are the Unified Ledger and Smart Transactions. The, Unified Ledger enables there is an immediate availability for combined (unified) reporting across AP, AR, and GL.
real-time posting across payables, receivables, and ledger, with no reconciliation required. 
 Smart Transactions refers to the ability of SunSystems to adapt the transactional data captured to meet business and reporting needs. This is a feature built into the fundamental architecture of the ledger, and it does not rely on any other external technology.

The SunSystems ledger has a sophisticated coding approach that does not rely on traditional segmented account codes with a fixed structure. Instead, it uses simple chart of accounts (COA) plus a range of user definable analysis dimensions that have independent coding structures—much like an OLAP cube.

The result is a flexible coding structure that can be configured to meet the needs of every business unit, and even refined to capture different additional data, depending on the account or the type of transaction. Configure the ledger to define the dimensions of data you want, and also easily adapt (modify) the account’s structure as business needs change. The system does not rely on generating all the permutations of account and segments (which can result in a massive combinatorial explosion).

New dimensions can be added as required to adapt evolving data needs. The dimensional structure of the ledger is well suited to analysis, and this is exploited to the full extent by the advanced Query & Analysis tool. This simple tool provides a reporting environment for end users and accountants to design their own reports with no dependence on information technology (IT) .  Data is aggregated on an as-required basis, without being bound by predetermined rollup and balances, enabling Smart Transactions to deliver the results from any desired perspective.

SunSystems holds the Smart Transactions dimnesionally which is  ideal for a slice-and-dice reporting tool such as Query & Analysis. The reporting tool understands the metadata describing the Smart Transaction structure. Sunsysems Query @ Analysis tool aplty knwon as  “Vision”, understands the transactions and provides a simple interface for users to inquire without knowledge of the underlying database, tables and views to get OLAP-style analytics from the source ledger system. The Unified Ledger is similar to Smart Transactions—it is fundamental to the application design and architecture, and does not rely on any special additional technology.

The Infor technology platform now oes much furher with the underpinning ION technology which is transforming concepts of both “what?” and “how?” enterprise systems should deliver. 

 See these You Tube videos, and contact us for more information:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxL1HtV_ebo&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2xGwbNQgZM&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_5eLNWHHJ0&feature=relmfu

Comments Off on Infor SunSystems (V6.1.5) – Synergy Software Systems »

Posted in Infor Financial solutions, Lean Concepts, Sunsystems and Vision, Technology