Australasia's TAE Implements IFS Applications 9 To Integrate ERP

IFS, a global enterprise applications company, recently announced that TAE, Australasia's leading provider of turbine engine maintenance, repair and overhaul services, is implementing IFS Applications™ 9 to integrate the TAE group of companies under a single enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.

TAE had previously purchased IFS Applications as an engineering management solution to comply with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). However, the company had different ERP systems at its Brisbane and Adelaide facilities. Replacing these two systems with IFS Applications will enhance business visibility with real-time reporting to support growth and reduce costs.

“The functionality was key—IFS is in our market and knew what we needed at a maintenance level,” said Andrew Sanderson, CEO of TAE. “We spoke with other users—some of them are our customers—and IFS had the reliability and the credibility we were looking for.”

Complete visibility across its operations will quickly benefit TAE with the IFS Lobby, a configurable and role-based dashboard environment facilitating real-time business reporting. IFS Applications will also lower TAE’s financial reporting costs and reduce the effort and delays involved in manually combining information sources using Excel spreadsheets. IFS Applications will also support TAE’s growth as it looks to develop its business in South East Asia and the U.S. with better customer communication and coordination of activities across different locations.

TAE will initially implement IFS Applications for financials, human resources, maintenance, manufacturing, supply chain, and sales and service. Later, it will deploy IFS project management capabilities within the integrated ERP solution. TAE also plans to use IFS Applications to underpin new mobile apps to streamline customer operations and interactions.

To read more about the TAE implementation, visit the IFS News blog.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2015 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

  

Retail Ready Foods Gains Flexibility with Blue Link

Founded in 1996, Retail Ready Foods Inc. distributes meat products to independent retailers throughout Ontario, consolidating the distribution of products from manufacturers and meat packers throughout North America. Inventory is over 3000 items, including fresh beef, pork, poultry, processed meat and deli products, with approximately 500 items in use at any one time.

RRF had an in-house system that was cumbersome for report generation, inefficient for inventory tracking, and was generally out of date for the company’s growing business needs.

RRF needed a flexible new system to track inventory (including at one 3rd party warehouse), invoicing, and reporting processes. It had to be flexible enough to administer the multiple units of measurement used by RRF, including shipping by the case, and invoicing by weight; promotional pricing; and occasional incentive offers.

The company wanted a system to replace the one it had, to speed-up reporting and inventory management, but also to reduce the risks associated with having an outdated system. The company wanted the flexibility to allow for temporary special pricing to assess sales changes, and volume discounts to increase sales as well as a system that would manage and control inventory, allowing accurate invoicing in one system.

After much consideration, the Blue Link solution was determined as the best fit for the business as it was a system customizable to suit the flexibility and inventory tracking needs. Blue Link worked with Retail Ready Foods Inc. to customize and integrate all their out-dated systems into one efficient application. As RRF went live on their new business management software, Blue Link helped RRF to set up the network, easing implementation.

According to Marc Jones, IT Manager, the implementation was extremely successful in achieving Retail Ready Foods Inc.’s objectives of streamlining time-consuming business processes, providing accurate and timely information to management and staff, and ensuring secure, timely updates and troubleshooting processes for the entire system. “Blue Link is very client-focused, and has always been concerned about our unique needs. Blue Link will seek out viable solutions for any ERP issue or need that arises… and provides timely and effective support by people who know the system inside out.”

To read more about Blue Link solutions, visit their customer case studies.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2015 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Pret A Manger Selects NetSuite For International Financial Management

NetSuite, a provider of cloud-based financials / ERP and omnichannel commerce software suites, recently announced that international food and coffee brand, Pret A Manger has selected NetSuite OneWorld for finance management. Pret A Manger will utilize OneWorld to manage mission-critical business processes across the UK, US, France, Hong Kong and China, including procure-to-pay, credit-to-cash, global financial consolidation, multicurrency management for five different currencies, including the Euro, US dollar, and British pound, and multi-language capabilities for English, French, Cantonese and more.

Founded in 1986, Pret A Manger has 390 shops in five markets, serving over 450,000 customers a day. The company needed a financial management system that could support growth and expansion into new markets.

With support for 190 currencies, 19 languages and automated tax compliance in more than 100 countries, NetSuite OneWorld delivers the following key features and benefits to Pret A Manger including:

•Agility to adapt to market changes.
•Real-time global financial consolidation with NetSuite OneWorld will provide real-time visibility across all of Pret A Manger’s operations with one single unified financial system of record and consolidates financial reporting across the entire enterprise.
•Multi-currency transactions and reporting in 10 currencies including the British pound, the Euro and more.

“As we continue to grow both in the UK and internationally, we need a system that can scale with us while ensuring that we have the currency, language and tax compliance features we need,” said Andy Chalklin, Group Director of IT at Pret A Manger. “NetSuite will give us what we need, without the investment in IT that an on-premise system would require.”

To read more of the Pret A Manger implementation and learn about NetSuite OneWorld, visit the NetSuite Newsroom.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2015 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

Wholesaler ICCONS Accesses Big Data with Phocas

ICCONS is an Australasian wholesaler providing a range of construction supplies including fastening systems, power tools and accessories.

According to ICCONS Managing Director Phil Rose, ICCONS selected Phocas to give the business a quick and simple way to manage sales and inventory data. “We use Phocas to measure our sales activity, our margin performance and our product group performance. These metrics are what’s really important to us. We want to get our stock moving and Phocas gives us a clear view into our business."

ICCONS National Sales Support Manager, Theo Hatzis, needed to access business data quickly and easily. Using Phocas allows him to get the data he needs efficiently, particularly through mobile. “We brought in Phocas and reporting has been instant. The ability to use Phocas on your mobile phone has been great. It makes things much easier to track.”

Both agree it’s the simplicity of using Phocas that makes it useful to many in the ICCONS organization. This simplicity also extended to the implementation process. Said Rose, “Phocas is low cost, very fast, very effective and has a painless integration. We haven’t had to spend more on capital equipment. Often when you introduce reporting systems, you need additional support and HR to drive it. That’s not the case with Phocas.”

To learn more about Phocas, watch their demo videos by visiting their Customer Case Studies page.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2015 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

J.R. Watkins Strengthens Optimization With Infor CloudSuite

Infor, a provider of industry specific business applications built for the cloud, recently announced that J.R. Watkins has successfully implemented Infor CloudSuite™ Food & Beverage to enhance operations. J.R. Watkins is a natural product company that provides home care, personal care and gourmet products and needed to modernize its IT portfolio to optimize customer delivery, while maintaining quality management. By implementing Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage, the company was able to achieve a noticeable improvement in functionality and performance value. By upgrading from the existing on-premise enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to a cloud-based model, J.R. Watkins was able to enhance daily operation without sacrificing business continuity.

Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage created a direct path for enhancing the way customers are serviced and as a result, J.R. Watkins was able to deploy one month ahead of schedule, improve process performance, deliver greater functionality and reduce long-term expenses. The company is also lowering capital IT investments by utilizing Infor's strategic relationship with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to achieve a high quality, secure hosting environment that promotes a competitive total cost of ownership. Cloud-based hosting has also been advantageous for J.R.Watkins by allowing them to better allocate IT staff. Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage allows the company to resolve modification or patch based issues while foregoing server maintenance. As a result, the IT staff is able to refocus attention toward providing customer service and business continuity.  

Said Mike Edgett, industry & solution strategy director, Process Manufacturing at Infor, "Before upgrading to Infor CloudSuite, J.R. Watkins relied upon a heavily patched and modified ERP, which while capable, had become difficult to manage with age. By upgrading to a cloud-based solution, they are better able to improve certain processes while reducing the ongoing costs of an on-premise deployment."

To learn more about Infor CloudSuite and the J.R. Watkins case study, visit the Infor Newsroom.

New Software Research Guides Available Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2015 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

   

Sunroc Building Materials Mines Epicor BisTrack For Profits

Sunroc Building Materials serves contractors, commercial builders, and retail clientele from nine locations in eastern Idaho and Utah. When Jeremy Hafen took the reigns as president and CEO in 2010, his priority was to garner the business intelligence that would allow the company to operate profitably in the new economic reality.

Says Hafen, “We put Epicor BisTrack in place to display our key metrics on dashboards that help us fine-tune operations,” says Hafen. “Having those dashboards has been very valuable.”

“Our margins went up three points within the first month after implementing Epicor BisTrack,” recalls Hafen. “We used Epicor BisTrack to introduce commissions and pricing programs that require complex computation. We never would have been able to do that with our previous system.”

With continued fine tuning, margins have risen almost four points from previous levels. However, equally impressive is the increase in sales revenue and market share. Sales have risen almost 20% over the prior year, and gross margin dollars are up over 30%.

Hafen credits a new commissions program enabled by Epicor BisTrack for helping increase sales and margins: “The sales reps have dashboards that show them up-to-the-minute calculations of committed sales in the month, by product group, and their estimated commission,” says Hafen. “They can see in real time exactly where they need to be to get those next hurdles. It has made a huge difference to the top and bottom lines.”

One of the other benefits of upgrading to Epicor BisTrack was being able to integrate more business software into a single platform. Epicor BisTrack integrated the functionality of 10 separate software packages the company had used previously, including reporting, dispatch, document imaging, CRM, and a customer portal. “We were able to fully eliminate and save licensing fees on some of them by consolidating it all into Epicor BisTrack,” elaborates Hafen.

To learn more about Epicor BisTrack and the Sunroc Building Materials case study, visit the Epicor Newsroom.

Epicor Software Corporation provides business software solutions to the manufacturing, distribution, retail, and service industries. With more than 40 years of experience, Epicor has more than 20,000 customers in over 150 countries.

New Software Research Guides Available
Finding that you cannot keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2015 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.

  

Mayflex Makes Connections With IBS

British-based distributor Mayflex is a successful, privately-owned distributor with a respected name and a proven track record in partnering installers and integrators. Mayflex needed to find supply chain software for its complex distribution network and systems. The business had grown at such a rapid rate that it became necessary to consolidate all the old software into one new integrated solution.

The company also found it very difficult to trace financial transactions that originated from sales orders. Other problems included the lack of an integrated warehouse management system with links to radio-frequency bar code readers and the ability to cope with the company’s complex pricing and discount structures. The old software was unable to handle customer queries and supplier claims.

Mayflex evaluated six different software solutions before selecting the integrated supply chain software solution, IBS Enterprise. Since the initial implementation, state-of-the-art automated storage devices have been installed with interfaces to IBS Enterprise, providing a 100 percent automated pick and pack process. Sales orders are picked quickly, correctly and efficiently. Consignment stock warehouses are easier to maintain, and reconciliation of customer returns is streamlined. Credit control information such as customer status, transactions and payment details make the process of resolving customer debt more visible and easier to control. Financial postings derived from transactions within distribution can be traced back through to the original transaction, resulting in ease of reconciliation and/or investigation.

To read more and watch a video interview with Mayflex decision-makers, visit the IBS Case Studies webpage.


New Software Research Guides Available

Can not keep up with all the changes in the latest software? Want to know how the software's features and functions can assist you? Please contact snelson@bswllc.com for more information about these latest editions.

Read our 2015 Mid-Year Supplements. 

Developed through a partnership with Industrial Distribution, Industrial Supply, Contractor Supply Magazine and the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group, these 12 page Supplement Guides provide valuable, independently researched information. Each Guide details software company information, identifies vertical markets, highlights functions and technology features, new developments to the software package, shows graphs of the user range, basic entry price point, sales channel (how and where the software is sold), along with company contact information. The Supplement Guides provide everything you need to know when beginning your software selection and evaluation process.

Visit our website to learn more about the Brown Smith Wallace Consulting Group and to use our Software Features Comparison Wizard.