VAI Delivers Integrated S2K CRM Solution for Mid-Market ERP Customers

VAI, a leading provider of ERP software, recently announced the release of a new joint solution with Riva CRM Integration, an advanced CRM integration platform for Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, IBM Domino, and Novell GroupWise. Users can now seamlessly synchronize their CRM and email systems and access CRM data on all leading mobile devices, including IOS, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone smartphones and tablets.

VAI believes this joint solution will immediately boost productivity and accountability for mid-market organizations. By synchronizing all relevant customer service and sales information and making it visible across multiple devices and platforms, high-performance organizations will be better informed with reliable CRM data required to make important business decisions, close sales and serve customers regardless of their location.

The joint solution can be configured to drive one-way or two-way integration with VAI S2K ERP, and S2K CRM to email systems. Riva also allows users to track emails against organizations, contacts, and other CRM objects. The new solution is available immediately.

To learn more, visit the VAI website.

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2013 Distribution Software

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What Businesses Want From Cloud ERP

Most enterprise software runs on servers at a business’ premises. However, a growing percentage of solutions like customer relationship management (CRM) or even enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications are delivered from the cloud. Sometimes they are even sold not through a perpetual license, but as a cloud subscription service.

Earlier this year, IFS asked 200 North American business executives involved with ERP and other enterprise software what they thought of the various methods of software provisioning, including on-premise, software-as-a-service (SaaS) and private cloud.

The answers to their survey reveal interesting opinions on SaaS versus on-premise and other cloud-based delivery models for ERP, which offer insights into what businesses see as the advantages and disadvantages of each.

In the case of SaaS, three clear views emerged from the survey:
1.Cost is seen as both a plus and a minus. Survey respondents think initial costs would be lower, but as the software is being rented, they believe costs would likely be higher in the longer term.

2.Automated upgrades are both an advantage and a drawback. As with hosting services, the service provider takes care of software maintenance and upgrades: you concentrate on running your business. Of course this means you yield some control to the vendor, who may change versions at a time you are ill-equipped to make the adjustment.

3.Security and control were jointly the most frequently-cited disadvantages. Lack of ownership of the software contributes directly to cost, so these issues may be seen as interdependent.

To read more about the results of the survey, visit the IFS website.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Join Us for SPA's Strategy Seminar

Equal parts strategy and practical tactics, the the SPA Strategy Seminar addresses key topics that are particularly relevant in a recovering economy. This year’s conference, held Friday, June 28 from 8am – 5pm at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, brings together an outstanding group of industry experts to offer strategies on driving shareholder value.

This big-picture seminar is focused on strategic topics of importance to the owners, CEOs, CFOs and general managers of distribution and manufacturing companies. Experts will address the topics essential to accelerating the customer value proposition, competitive positioning and market value of any distribution or manufacturing business. The seminar addresses the strategic, analytical, process and cultural issues that are fundamental to maximizing shareholder value. The seminar will focus on the high-level, strategic and structural issues that are easily neglected in the hustle and bustle of daily business demands. It will help you to refocus your organization on the drivers of economic value.

Register now at http://strategicpricing.com/events/seminars/LasVegas.php

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Warehouse Distribution Software And Picking Errors

Warehouse picking can be the biggest expense for a business' warehouse and much of the cost is due to common operational picking mistakes that ultimately delay shipping deadlines. Automating the picking process through warehouse distribution software will eliminate some of these problems. Good warehouse distribution software can provide information on where to relocate items based on their pick frequency, can assign work to employees in a priority order to ensure deadlines are met, and it can update your supply chain in real time, moving products in or out of the system as they are stocked or shipped. For distribution decisions and effectiveness, warehouse distribution software can be one of the most important investments a business can make.

To read more on this topic, visit the Advanced Distribution Today blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Supply Chain Strategy And Optimization

Optimization is a term that is frequently used to mean that you are improving something - it is a loose term that can mean almost anything. Optimization technology allows the development of a business model using the language of mathematics that can then assist with the determination of the best set of decisions. In the supply chain, optimization technology it is most often associated with linear or integer programming that has established and proven methods for coming up the best possible solution.

Optimization technology can also help manufacturers and distributors establish better production line schedules (especially when a sequence of dependent set-ups is required), help schedule the workforce, and help determine which warehouse items should be placed closest to the dock doors. By applying optimization technology to these areas, and others, a significant monetary savings can be realized.

To read more about the applications and benefits of optimization technology, visit the Supply Chain Digest website.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Distribution Software And Accurate Sales Forecasting

According to the USA Manufacturers blog, the biggest mistake most manufacturers make is not realizing the importance of demand or sales forecasts. Many use inaccurate techniques and therefore their demand forecasts are wrong. These demand forecasts result in the production of wrong amounts and manufacturers are left with no other option than to bear extra storage cost of inventory in case of over production and losing sales in case of underproduction.

Three of the main causes of inventory forecasting inaccuracies are: unknown vendor lead time, poor communication with customers, and changing inventory needs. While distributors aren’t able to predict usage for completely accurate forecasts; safety stock and flexible supply chains will be a required factor — they can help provide a buffer. However, sophisticated distribution software in the way of an ERP system can provide more accurate forecasts and serve as the missing link in the communication chain among the customer, distributor and supplier.

Additional information on this topic can also be found on the Advanced Distribution Today blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Epicor Named Finalist at 2013 American Business Awards

Epicor, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, recently announced that they been named as a Stevie® finalist in the 2013 American Business Awards in two categories: New Product of the Year–Supply Chain Management, and Executive of the Year–Computer Software CEO. Gold, Silver, or Bronze Stevie Award winners will be announced during the new product and tech awards banquet on September 16, 2013 in San Francisco.

The American Business Awards are the nation’s premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S.A. are eligible to submit nominations -- public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. More than 3,200 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Most Innovative Company of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others.

To read more visit the Epicor Pressroom.

To learn more about the ways ERP Distribution Software can improve your business, visit the Advanced Distribution Today blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Distribution Software Streamlines the Returns Process

Product returns are a necessary evil.

The process is known for being problematic — data entry is error prone, there’s no link between product collection and credit processing, and it’s difficult to find the root of the weak spot in a returns cycle.

How can you improve the way you handle returns in the warehouse? Distribution software certainly can help streamline the process. The distribution business is transaction intensive, so there are going to be a certain number of returns. But by following key best practices and using distribution software, distributors can reduce errors and maximize their return on investment.

To learn abou the four best practices distributors should master for improving the returns process, visit the Advanced Distribution Today blog.

To learn more about the ways ERP Distribution Software can improve your business, visit the Advanced Distribution Today blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Going Mobile Unlocks Business Benefits for Industrial Users

How do you access enterprise software from mobile devices while doing maintenance work and other asset management activities?

It’s a question that was recently asked executives at industrial companies with more than $50 million in annual revenue and have some involvement with enterprise software selection.

Some of the answers were surprising. No business leader would argue against the importance and benefits of well-maintained equipment, prolonged asset life and reductions in downtime and operating costs. In mission critical environments like aerospace and defense or oil and gas, real time visibility into asset condition is highly desirable, and only is possible when technicians can enter activity and condition information real time, on a mobile device.

Yet while being able to access data on those assets, from an appropriate mobile device, is a highly-desired function for all the business executives we spoke to, the reality just doesn’t match their expectations.

Learn more about the executive viewpoint and their mobile reality on the IFS blog.

To learn more about the ways ERP Distribution Software can improve your business, visit the Advanced Distribution Today blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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ERP Distribution Software Can Improve Accounts Receivable

Using ERP distribution software to get better visibility into your accounts receivable can skyrocket your cash flow beyond the traditional accounting process. Automated ERP accounts receivable process boosts your operational advantage. Plus, it’s often the lower cost method to improve productivity and enhance the financial process.

When your accounts receivable process is done manually, visibility and productivity are low, financial planning is ineffective and, worst of all, mistakes are plentiful. Look at cash application tasks, for example. If you receive a check from a customer with a rounded amount, the tendency for your finance staff is to apply that amount to the oldest invoice first. However, what you may be doing is applying that cash to an invoice the customer never received or an invoice they’re disputing. Manually doing this is completely blowing the older invoice off the system and leaving the current invoices unpaid. This process is handled different in an ERP distribution software system, though, where notes can be inputted on customer files and individual invoices.

To learn more about the ways ERP Distribution Software can improve your business, visit the Advanced Distribution Today blog.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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Pronto Xi 710 Provides Better Insights for Faster Decision Making

Pronto Software has recently announced that in its latest release of Pronto Xi 710, Pronto has made significant updates to its core business management software, now providing growing companies - particularly those in the mining and services sectors, and others seeking international or US expansion - with easier access to multiple currency reporting, including Functional Currency. For businesses reliant on distribution and supply chain driven operations, Pronto’s statistical forecasting and wave picking features deliver the tools to enable much more strategic planning to supply and support the changing demands of this sector. Pronto is the system of choice for many mid-market and enterprise businesses including Funtastic, The Co-op, Wallace Bishop, Officemax, Parragon Publishing, Nike (via Retail Prodigy Group) and Hirotec. To learn more about the new features of Pronto Xi 710, visit the Pronto website.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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New IFS White Paper: ERP for Drilling Contractors

The drilling industry is affected by operational, financial and regulatory changes that are far more complex than in many other industries. IFS is now offering a new whitepaper addressing what needs to considered when making important ERP choices. Structural, regulatory and commercial changes combined with new requirements for operational performance and alterations of customer demands are commonplace to every drilling contractor. Today, international drilling contractors face a situation in which strong growth requires new ways of handling increased pressure on human resources, equipment utilization, and assets performance.

Learn more about IFS's ERP options for those in the drilling indistry by visiting the IFS website.

The Brown Smith Wallace Distribution and Manufacturing Software Guides for 2013 are currently available.

You can download each one directly, or visit our main website to request a copy. Please follow the links below.

2013 Distribution Software

2013 Manufacturing Software

You can also request these guides, as well as all other materials, via our website: http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_index.aspx

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