Mobility and consumerization are creating complexity in the enterprise, but embracing the change can lead to more productive mobile workers as well as better communications with employees, partners, customers, and consumers. The trends in the enterprise mobility landscape, such as the consumerization of IT, the mobile application explosion, and cloud computing, are driving the need for new technology solutions to emerge. This white paper discusses some of the key trends taking place in the enterprise mobility landscape today and gives essential guidance to help end users and partners develop a strategic plan for building an enterprise mobility strategy.
Read More
|
With three primary “Green” benefits to implementing cutting-edge field service technology solutions, every company—across any industry—can justify the effort based on the specific priorities that speak to it. In this analysis, we will review each of these benefits, outlining the range of advantages and concrete ROI. Regardless of a company’s priorities, this multi-layer list of benefits makes the decision a clear one.
Read More
|
Every company offering field service management and automation solutions will impress you with a long checklist of features: schedule boards, dispatching and routing, work order management, automatic billing, and more. How do you compare products and find the differences that should determine your choice? Download this white paper and read up on some of the key issues to explore as you compare products and providers.
Read More
|
If you spend your day wrestling with the complex logistical challenges of field service management, then you are aware that most companies—small, medium, and especially enterprises—are implementing technologies to relieve the stress, errors, and wasted expenses that had been an accepted aspect of manual scheduling. The core solution is automated routing. Download this paper and get the full story on automated scheduling.
Read More
|
Focusing on a successful ERP selection at the start of an ERP implementation project will help drive a company's ERP project success and, more importantly, the achievement of long-term business objectives. This white paper highlights five tips for making an ERP selection process a success, including performing internal and external due diligence, dealing with legal terminology, and making organizational change management initiatives part of your ERP selection process.
Read More
|
As the pressure grows to justify information technology (IT) expenditure and tightly manage risk in sophisticated, integrated software implementation projects, those tasked with project management often feel exposed and vulnerable. No one wants to put his or her organization or career at risk over a technology rollout. This paper explores how to deliver software solutions that bring significant business benefits.
Read More
|
K-Tron is a leading global supplier of feeders, pneumatic conveying components and bulk material handling systems. K-Tron needed help with deciding upon a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to replace its outdated legacy system after representatives from the company’s five sites proved unable to agree on a single set of requirements for the new system. TEC helped K-Tron through this and other roadblocks, with the end result being that K-Tron was able to select a new ERP system in under a year.
Read More
|
ERP projects are very complex affairs and go beyond technical issues into both cultural and business process domains. The success of your ERP project is determined by the amount of preparation that is undertaken before the software is even shortlisted. Read this white paper and know the procedures and precautions that you can follow to help you avoid most of the pitfalls associated with implementing your ERP system.
Read More
|
Is your business running as well as it should be? Your ERP system may be the dynamo it was intended to be, but if it has become outdated or outrageously expensive to operate—a dinosaur or a devil in the making—chances are it is doing more harm than good in today’s increasingly global world. Regardless of your business or industry, the time has come to examine your ERP system dispassionately. Know what needs to be considered.
Read More
|
A good business analytics strategy can pay off. Learn how to grow and transform your organization with analytics and business intelligence (BI) in this newsletter, featuring new research from Gartner.
Read More
|
The common agile processes such as Scrum require some customization to function in a service business, where real-time estimates, hard due dates, and hourly billing are the norm. This case study examines how Vanteon customized its agile process to fit its business model while maintaining the flexibility and transparency normally associated with agile development.
Read More
|
Asset-intensive industries have a major challenge in adapting to changing business paradigms, while keeping pace with new industry requirements and simultaneously ensuring sustainable operations. See how new technologies such as mobility can help these organizations develop a collaborative partnership with their customers to improve the efficiency of their services, benefiting the customer, the company, and the community at large.
Read More
|
A common misperception is that implementing and maintaining an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is expensive, time consuming, and too complex for a family business. In reality, dramatic advances in technology in recent years have altered the makeup of ERP systems, with many of the systems easy to implement, to use, and to maintain long-term. This white paper offers a checklist of technology questions family businesses need to consider, as well as tips for selecting an ERP vendor.
Read More
|
Many benefits accrue from deploying an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Many of these are tangible or quantifiable in nature; you can calculate the savings immediately. However, other benefits may not be quantified so easily, but they are also important. This whitepaper looks at both tangible and intangible benefits of deploying an ERP solution and attempts to give you good justification for the costs involved.
Read More
|
Global competition, rising regulatory burdens, increasingly demanding customers, and profitability pressures all characterize an impatient business environment with little tolerance for the status quo. In an ongoing race to meet these challenges, manufacturers tie their fates to ERP systems. But selecting an ERP system is no easy feat. Read this white paper and get 10 best practices to consider when selecting an ERP system.
Read More
|
The successful and timely implementation of a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution is not a process to be taken lightly. A highly-skilled team of application specialists has gathered together in this whitepaper key advice and best practices for your implementation process. Learn how to keep your implementation on time and on budget from specialists who triumph every day on the implementation front lines.
Read More
|
San Carlos is one of the largest sugar cane plantations and sugar mills in Ecuador and has a number of sister companies, including a distillery, a paper mill, and a recycling plant. San Carlos needed an enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform that could support all of these organizations. San Carlos turned to Technology Evaluation Centers (TEC) for expert help with its ERP selection and with mapping its varied business processes.
Read More
|
A growing number of organizations are moving toward having more pervasive business intelligence (BI) by turning to evidence-based decision making supported by a range of BI and analytics technology and processes that enable decision makers to have the best possible intelligence about customers, finances, operations, suppliers, and the market. This white paper addresses several questions that BI customers are facing.
Read More
|
Regardless of the size of the organization, embedding governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) management into all business process is imperative. But most organizations are reactive rather than proactive when it comes to undertaking a risk management initiative. Leading companies identify building a risk-aware culture as a key strategy. Read on to find out more about ways to enable effective access risk management.
Read More
|
This buyer guide is for business owners, managers, decision makers, and anyone interested in learning about the deployment of business intelligence (BI) systems across large enterprises as well as small to medium businesses (SMBs). It presents a comprehensive view of the wide spectrum of BI software solutions currently available and investigates how they match different types of organizations according to size and need.
Read More
|
Selecting an enterprise software solution takes time, energy, and resources. During the selection process, vendors present their products and services in the best possible light, leaving you to separate real functionality from marketing hype. In this guide, you’ll discover a three-phase methodology for objectively researching, evaluating, and selecting the best software solutions for your company.
Read More
|
Download this report for an overview of ERP technologies and innovations, the three components of an ERP selection business justification, and the three critical success factors for keeping your business on the right path to ERP selection success.
Read More
|
A disciplined and comprehensive acquisition process is essential for utilities to get the most out of their Smart Grid investments. Know the practical and flexible methodology proven in industries such as telecommunications, high tech, and financial services that can assist utilities in the selection and acquisition of solutions that address current and future operating states to deliver immediate and long-term benefits.
Read More
|
Selecting and implementing new enterprise software changes your company, and the business processes that drive it. How you handle these changes can make the difference between implementation failure and success. Download this report to learn the steps to take--and the mistakes to avoid--to ensure a successful project outcome. You'll also learn why it's essential to deal with risk before the implementation phase--when it may be too late.
Read More
|
This article from Harvard Business Review describes the design and implementation of a system for strategic planning, operational execution, and feedback and learning. It also presents a range of tools that managers can apply at the different stages, and options for integrating them in a system that links the management of strategy and operations.
Read More
|
Most organisations are sitting on IT equipment that is not supporting the business optimally, yet the received wisdom is to sweat the assets to gain as much perceived lifetime value from them as possible. However, IT assets have inherent value which can change significantly through each asset’s lifecycle—whether this is through its hard resale value or just through its scrap value. By applying a full IT lifecycle management (ITLM) approach to the complete IT platform, a business-optimised platform can be created—one where business value overrides the embedded concept of sweating assets.
Read More
|
This paper highlights the environmental impact of printing and discusses how a managed print service can support an organization's sustainability goals, while also lowering costs and driving business efficiency.
Read More
|
Businesses have a variety of strategies to select from when implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems across their global organizations. The choice of configuration can have a profound impact on visibility across the organization, as well the cost and complexity of implementing and supporting the solution. This white paper describes the three principal choices.
Read More
|
Now that phone systems can be delivered over a network, even smaller companies can have access to enterprise-grade calling features. Like any business-critical system, a telephony system is a major deployment that should be undertaken only after a thorough discovery of both your existing infrastructure and users’ needs. This checklist offers 10 rules to help you choose a new telephony system for your organization.
Read More
|
When it’s time to expand your business network, you must consider the current and future needs of your organization and assess the technologies that will provide the best performance for mission-critical applications. This checklist offers 10 rules for building a network that will reliably support your business as it grows.
Read More
|
With mobile device use fast growing, 2012 seems to be the ‘year of the mobile.’ As companies embrace mobility, a key issue is the mobile versus app debate, and whether there is an argument for producing a mobile application over a mobile site. This white paper looks at the pros and cons of both native apps and mobile Web, and dives into the things that companies should consider before making a choice between mobile app and Web.
Read More
|
In late 2011, SNK Canada was engaged to help a sports management client select operations, accounting, and IT management software to replace a legacy system. The client was suffering productivity losses, and the cost of the legacy software was a growing concern. Learn how Technology Evaluation Centers (TEC) helped SNK Manage the complexities of the project, so SNK could quickly identify the right system for the client.
Read More
|
Information technology (IT) departments are under increased pressure to improve productivity across a broadening mobile workforce and to support the proliferation of smartphones and tablets in the workplace. The process for IT to manage mobility within the enterprise is not a single, all-encompassing capability but a series of successive competencies that define the full mobility life cycle. This paper discusses what’s important when evaluating mobility solutions.
Read More
|
Top organizations are turning to human resource information systems (HRIS) for all of their human resources (HR) needs. With an HRIS, companies can align HR strategy with business objectives to get the most out of their workforces and adapt quickly to market changes. Today’s best-in-class HRIS automate everything related to HR in a single Web-based software system This white paper was developed to help you select an HRIS.
Read More
|
Selecting the right software provider for your business can be a daunting. The last thing any person or company wants is to invest in the wrong technology and choose the wrong partnership. This white paper identifies five common mistakes distributors make when embarking on the software selection process and provides tips for keeping your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system replacement on track.
Read More
|
With the complexity of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software selection increasing in proportion to the rising number of options in an ever-changing ERP solutions market, how do you select an ERP solution that is the right fit for your business? Reduce your risk and alleviate the complexity with these 10 crucial ERP software selection tips.
Read More
|
Forecasting is changing from a top-down process to a bottom-up one. High-level targets may be useful starting points, but they must be combined with input from line management and department heads before being rolled up into enterprise-wide financial goals. Some companies find it effective to “embed” members of the finance function within other business units. Read this white paper to find out more.
Read More
|
To realize a competitive advantage, small-business leaders must address five common obstacles: inefficient operations, inability to support rapid growth or new markets, disjointed business processes, lack of visibility into daily operations, and limited resources. Read this white paper to learn how to overcoming these challenges and gain valuable insights into your business.
Read More
|
The database is an essential component of enterprise applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and enterprise asset management (EAM). This white paper outlines the advantages and disadvantages of the Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server database platforms. How do the two compare when it comes to reliability, scalability, and total cost of ownership (TCO) when integrated with enterprise software?
Read More
|
While new technology trends are invading the business intelligence (BI) space, technology shifts and hype do not necessarily equate to the ability to exploit the best tools for enhancing business performance. To select a best-fit BI solution, an organization needs to be able to realistically assess the maturity of its BI infrastructure. This allows them to discover where they are, what their BI requirements are, and how to determine the best BI solution or strategy. Download the full report now.
Read More
|
Outsourcing of developmental activities is not new. However, the outsourcing of research activities remains relatively unexplored. Recent trends indicate greater research and development (R&D) outsourcing, with customers open to handing over complete product lifecycle responsibilities to vendors. The chief reason for this change is that companies are realizing that the benefits of R&D outsourcing extend beyond cost arbitration. Rather, it facilitates the creation of global collaborative development skills of both the provider’s and buyer’s employees through exposure to new research tools, methodologies and best practices. Learn more now.
Read More
|
If you're looking for your first enterprise resource planning (ERP) system or looking to upgrade from an existing system, the evaluation, selection, and implementation process is a long-term strategic decision for your organization that requires careful consideration and analysis. To help you through this process, read this white paper from Solarsoft and know eight simple steps for a successful ERP system selection.
Read More
|
Organizations usually rely on historical data and transactions to determine their pricing strategy. However, this data is typically insufficient to arrive at a competitive price. Moreover, customers these days are well informed about the value of products they want to purchase. That's why organizations need to arrive at their pricing strategy only after taking into consideration external intelligence and competitive data. E-procurement systems and price comparison websites have put customers in the bargaining position with the availability of real-time information. This is the type and speed of data organizations need to obtain. Leveraging such information can help an organization counter the threats of new entrants, competitive rivalry, and substitutes with a strong pricing strategy.
Read More
|
The Toyota production system has been on one of the most important schools of thought in operations, and has spawned several spin-offs. All these approaches are based on similar principles that are collectively referred to as “lean” ideas. While a lean approach to manufacturing and services is straightforward, applying lean to knowledge work can be challenging. Find out why, and what you can do about it.
Read More
|
The scope of business process outsourcing (BPO) has moved beyond back-office functions. Outsourcing is increasingly being seen as a partnering tool for the generation of revenue and not just cost savings. In this white paper, Manish Dugar, Senior Vice President, Wipro BPO, talks to Outsourcing Center about how BPOs can transform themselves into revenue enablers and help organizations do business better.
Read More
|
As a company in the financial sector, you place extremely high demands on your call center. The complicated and sensitive nature of the calls requires an agent who is highly trained and experienced. This leads to a high cost per call. At the same time, sacrificing caller satisfaction is not an option. This creates a tough challenge: How do you decrease the cost per call, while improving the customer experience? Download this white paper to find out.
Read More
|
There are many reasons beyond purchase price that influence an enterprise application investment decision. In an exploration of JD Edwards EnterpriseOne customers that also considered Microsoft Dynamics, Nucleus found that functionality, reporting capabilities, staff skill availability, and partner and vendor support capabilities were key factors driving a decision to invest in EnterpriseOne. Download the complete results of this analysis now.
Read More
|
Grain Hill Corporation is Central America's leading rice producer and trader. It needed to replace the five platforms it had running across three countries of operations with a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Find out how Technology Evaluation Centers' (TEC's) impartial approach and best-practice software evaluation and selection methodology helped Grain Hill find the best ERP system for its needs.
Read More
|
The underlying challenge facing financial institutions is serving today’s mobile, security-conscious, and loyalty-reluctant customers. However, many financial institutions are trapped by legacy systems and islands of in-house development. How can they customize their payment platforms quickly, easily, and cost-effectively to unlock the opportunities that new market dynamics offer? Download this report to find out.
Read More
|
The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, is the first hotel in the US to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the platinum level from the U.S. Green Building Council. Combining luxury with energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, the hotel places the highest priority on guest comfort. The owner's goal is a sustainable, energy-efficient hotel that never compromises guest comfort. Learn more now.
Read More
|
Most manufacturing businesses have invested in technology to combat some of their challenges, but primarily to increase efficiency and productivity. However, many have not yet discovered the value of a Web presence—or they use the Web in a very limited way. More than simply serving a marketing role, a Web presence can boost internal efficiency, enhance customer service, and increase sales. Download this white paper to learn more.
Read More
|
As SAP and Oracle step up their efforts to attract midmarket customers, more and more of those customers are including top-tier vendors in their enterprise application evaluation process. Nucleus Research's analysts conducted in-depth interviews with a number of companies that recently went through the ERP decision process and selected EnterpriseOne instead of SAP. This research note focuses on the decision process and factors of those companies. Download the results of this analysis now.
Read More
|
When you know that a new content management system (CMS) is needed for your organization, how do you decide which one to implement? Do you decide based on size, price, ease of use, or something else? Finding the best CMS for your needs can be a challenging task. In this white paper, you'll get an inside look into the CMS selection process, including an overview of the CMS landscape, the proper approach to selecting a CMS, how to narrow and define your selection process, and additional CMS features to consider.
Read More
|
Over the past decade, the art of doing business has changed. Companies are re-shaping strategies to innovate and compete globally. “Growth Strategies for 2012 and Beyond”, a survey research by Forbes Insights, in association with Wipro Technologies, analyzes changing growth strategies through an exclusive survey of more than 300 CEOs and other C-level executives at global enterprises. Download now to see the results.
Read More
|
Mining corporations and their operating units are under constant pressure to improve financial performance. Efforts to become financially healthy are hampered by the operational profitability killers embedded in traditional processes. Find out how technology-supported collaborative decision making drives key efficiencies at all stages of the asset lifecycle, from planning and construction through production and into decommissioning.
Read More
|
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions are large, and complex by nature, making them very difficult to evaluate and compare. So how do you select the ERP solution that’s best-suited to your firm? In this guide, Focus Experts Dana Craig, Jonathan Gross, Tim Hourigan, Michael Krigsman, Tom Rogers, Bob Swedroe, and Chintan Tyagi share their top 6 best practices for selecting ERP software.
Read More
|
Business intelligence (BI) applications analyze a company’s raw data to provide business process insights that can be leveraged for competitive advantage. Are such lofty goals realistic for small and midsized businesses (SMBs) that lack the IT talent found in a large enterprise? What capabilities should SMBs expect to find in a BI solution? And what are the “gotchas” to avoid? Find out in this report from Focus Research.
Read More
|
Business intelligence (BI) software allows businesses to gather, store, and analyze data so they can make better business decisions. But what considerations you should make before shopping for BI software? This document leverages the expertise of Focus Experts and other Focus Community members to help you identify key factors to consider when searching for a BI solution, and give you insight into the BI vendor landscape.
Read More
|
Oil and gas companies have numerous information systems, each churning through vast amounts of data to support business decisions. Successful management of these information systems is not simply a case of keeping the systems running and providing suitable backup mechanisms. It also includes the adoption of professional data management practices. Download this report to learn about effective practices for addressing data management challenges.
Read More
|
The growing adoption of laptops and other portable devices is changing the foundation of traveling and telecommuting. Laptops have overtaken desktops as the computer of choice for business users. While endpoint protection has been traditionally associated with solutions like antivirus and firewalls, these technologies don’t adequately protect data against theft, loss or unauthorized access. Learn more. Download this white paper now.
Read More
|
Enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) systems have become more accessible to midsize and smaller companies. Standard features have matured, and systems have become easier to deploy and use. But some companies are struggling to support legacy ERP solutions that haven’t kept pace with new technologies. If you’re looking to make the case for an upgrade, use this checklist to sell your management on a new ERP system.
Read More
|
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a mature segment of the software market. Most features are standard across solutions, and you can expect vendors to offer software for managing financials, supply chain and inventory, human resources (HR), and business intelligence (BI). Some vendors also offer specialized modules for vertical industries. Use this checklist to find the ERP modules that are right for your organization.
Read More
|
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are intended to provide data to help employees make better decisions, to make your core business processes more efficient, and to help reduce costs across your organization. But implementing an ERP system for the first time is expensive, time-consuming, and requires a lot of planning. Following these 10 golden rules can help you choose the right ERP system for your organization.
Read More
|
The enterprise resource planning (ERP) market has grown to include new solutions and delivery models, adding software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings to on-premise ERP solutions. This has prompted some companies to switch to more suitable solutions. But jumping into a “rip and replace” scenario can be trickier than installing ERP for the first time. These five steps for switching ERP vendors help ease the transition.
Read More
|
Depending on the size and type of your business, your enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution may touch every department from accounting to warehouse management (WM). That can make it difficult to select the right solution for your company. But there are three critical modules an ERP system must have in order to deliver basic ERP benefits to any company, regardless of size or industry. Find out what they are.
Read More
|
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is notoriously complex. Horror stories abound about failed installations, unresponsive vendors, and wasted investments. But as daunting as ERP can be, many organizations can’t operate without it. Working closely with your vendor to configure a solution, choosing the right delivery model, and following this list of 10 tips can help you optimize your ERP initiative. Find out more.
Read More
|
There is an increasing trend among employees toward using their personal mobile device for fulfilment of their work commitments. While this appears to bring many benefits for the employee while, on the face of it, reducing upfront costs for employers, it does introduce significant on-going costs and risks for the organisation. However, with many appealing mobile consumer devices being offered, the trend is likely to increase. Organizations need to work out suitable strategies and policies to manage this complex and hybrid situation in the best interests of both themselves and their employees.
Read More
|
In this white paper, you’ll learn the ten most important things to consider before you embark on organizational alignment project, how to position HR in the process and what role HR professionals should play and best practices for avoiding common pitfalls, such as planning a multi-tiered rollout to help goals work their way down an organization.
Read More
|
The perception of most small to midsized business (SMB) executives is that most of the data they need to make decisions is available “in the computer system,” or at least locked away until the moment is right for it to be accessed and used. But what if your enterprise system has not been structured to track and report this information? What if this information or metric is not even defined? Download this TEC report to find out about the three keys to better data-driven decisions—and discover how an integrated enterprise system can help you jump-start a plan for accessing the right information at the right time.
Read More
|
Freight costs can represent a significant component of your supply chain—often around 5-7 percent of sales for manufacturing, retail, and wholesale/distribution companies. For many firms, this responsibility is not managed as well as it could be. This white paper shares 10 best practices in transportation management, with valuable insights from industry professionals.
Read More
|
The business models used to develop forecasts at the planning level can be relatively simple. Over time some of your products will exceed expectations, others will fail altogether. By assembling a portfolio of projects you can optimize the overall expected value of your product development process by balancing risk/reward. This white paper reviews some of the business models and analytic processes for better forecasting.
Read More
|
The right implementation partner can get your enterprise resource planning (ERP) system up and running quickly and smoothly, whereas the wrong partner can result in higher costs and considerable disruption to your business, with lasting and cumulative effects. This white paper addresses five key steps in the ERP selection and implementation process that contribute to ERP success.
Read More
|
Today’s small and midsize companies are destined to make uninformed decisions on an alarmingly regular basis. Executives simply do not have the relevant information to make the best decisions in a timely manner. Read this paper to know how gaining real-time visibility of the enterprise helps small and midsize companies leverage consistency, accuracy, and timeliness via a single data source to make better, faster decisions.
Read More
|
How can management communicate the organization’s strategy effectively and assure that the entire organization has bought into it and is aligned with it? Business performance optimization systems are an important tool for success. By using business performance optimization systems, employees are empowered to confidently make timely, strategically-aligned decisions based upon facts, not intuition or corporate politics. See how.
Read More
|
One of the biggest challenges of business software implementations is their unpredictability. Total costs and deployment time can vary wildly. Read about a new category of solutions that combines preconfigured software, predefined services, and other user-focused enablement content to provide predictable solution deployments in less than 12 weeks and at a fixed price.
Read More
|
Information technology (IT) projects tend to run late, over-budget, or do not meet planned goals. Implementation risk is a critical factor. Packaged solutions modularize the implementation process into smaller, well-defined units that are easier to manage and less expensive to deploy than traditional methods. This white paper discusses why enterprise software customers should consider packaged solutions.
Read More
|
This paper from independent analyst SMB Group considers the financial and operational challenges that global medium-sized businesses face, examines the value of achieving real-time financial consolidation, discusses the criteria they can use to evaluate solutions, and provides real-world case studies and research showing how cloud-based systems can provide global visibility and streamline consolidation and reporting needs.
Read More
|
If you have acquired businesses, added subsidiaries, and entered international markets, you probably have error-prone and time-consuming consolidation processes and poor visibility into performance at the corporate or divisional level. This kit offers strategies for multi-subsidiary and global businesses to run their organizations more efficiently, including case studies, analyst research, and best-practice insights.
Read More
|
When buying a new business phone system you are faced with a wide variety of phone features to choose from. Before you buy, make sure you don’t overlook these commonly forgotten features. This guide details such features as conferencing, auto attendant, mobile extensions, and many other valuable features.
Read More
|
Promoting band image, improving overall business performance, and keeping customers happy is a main concern of many businesses. This paper demonstrates how the Extended Enterprise platform can help specific verticals to promote and sell their products to external audiences. Know the value of the Extended Enterprise solution in financial services, insurance, government, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, and associations.
Read More
|
The administration and management of printing can be time-consuming, often relying on manual processes. Many businesses are rethinking their approach to managing the print environment, by either adopting a managed service or implementing centralized print management tools. This can ensure the high availability, reliability and manageability of printing resources, while leaving IT staff free to focus on core activities.
Read More
|
Computing infrastructure today though versatile must be used wisely. Intelligent workload management (IWM) allows for efficient consumption of computing resources while ensuring business tasks are supported by all needed resources—and that this is all done securely. IWM tools support the building, management, monitoring, and securing of workloads. See how to run your cloud computing system with leading-edge technology.
Read More
|
Whether starting a business, setting up new office locations, or supporting employees while on the road, hosted voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) can help each situation by setting up “virtual offices.” This white paper will show examples of how a business can lower costs and increase flexibility with a new hosted VoIP solution by creating a virtual office environment.
Read More
|
To effectively transform succession planning from a manual, paper-based process to one that is systematic and technology-enabled, CEOs must focus on laying a solid foundation supported by strong executive leadership. Read this CEO guide to get five key tips to jump-start your succession planning efforts to better manage risk and ensure business continuity and to know how a strong succession strategy can impact your company.
Read More
|
This report focuses on how cloud infrastructures are being used by sales and marketing, finance, and operations in professional service organizations (PSOs). It outlines the benefits of using a cloud infrastructure to manage enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other enterprise systems. With the right solutions in place, globally dispersed project teams have unlimited accessibility to secure and reliable information.
Read More
|
Successful enterprise resource planning (ERP) deployment demands a focused examination of the professional services provided by your organization, and the most efficient infrastructure required to support them. You must provide your most important asset—your people—with effective tools that can be accessed remotely, securely, and immediately. Professional service organizations that understand this will be in a strong position to determine the best cloud-based solution for their needs.
Read More
|
Manufacturers have been slow to embrace the cloud. But the proven success of cloud-based solutions, along with the promise of a less expensive and more responsive business solution infrastructure, is prompting many manufacturers to take a closer look. This report explores how manufacturers can use cloud-based solutions to transform how they manage their supply chain and internally improve operations, leveraging the cloud to gain real-time visibility into all information across their company.
Read More
|
With acceptance of cloud-based strategies growing among manufacturers of all types and sizes, it’s easier than ever to make the business case for transitioning to the cloud. But beyond the cost savings and responsiveness of cloud solutions, this transition also provides new opportunities for the IT department to grow into a key role as strategic business advisor. This report includes advice on how IT can help manufacturers realize the full benefits of cloud-based solutions.
Read More
|
Investing in a human resource management system (HRMS) can help you tap into the wide range of business intelligence that already resides within your HR department. Read further to find out implementing an HRMS can help you streamline your administrative activities, become more efficient and productive, and find new ways to move your business forward, giving your company a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace.
Read More
|
As your company grows and faces new challenges, you must continually evaluate whether your work processes and information technology (IT) solutions can address these issues and help grow your business. Read here on how to perform a preliminary gap analysis to determine whether you need to upgrade your IT solutions and business processes to meet your current business requirements as well as adapt to future requirements.
Read More
|
Total cost of ownership (TCO) remains a significant factor influencing enterprise resource planning (ERP) strategies and decisions. But focusing exclusively on TCO runs the risk of delaying necessary ERP projects. Companies should also consider return on investment (ROI) of such projects. Find out what the average company should expect to pay for ERP and how the business can benefit from a successful implementation.
Read More
|
In the coming year, many companies will shift focus to business growth. However, continued economic volatility means that they will also need to keep costs in check to maintain healthy margins. Many small to medium businesses (SMBs) are investing in business intelligence (BI) solutions to assist with this effort. Find out what tools are necessary to provide BI and how a suite of BI tools can help SMBs improve efficiency.
Read More
|
Universities and other higher education establishments have to address the need for savings across the board. One area is expenses from faculty members and other associated with faculty. The complex mix of expense types needs a flexible yet solid means of managing spend as close as possible to the point of expense that encourages the individual to participate in the process without it being seen as an imposition. Know how.
Read More
|
Balancing employee requests for keeping mobile channels open, while getting the right level of work and commitment from them, should not be left to chance. All organizations need to fully understand their employees’ mobile usage and behaviors to be able to put appropriate policies in place to ensure business requirements are met while acceptable personal use is still enabled. Read this white paper to know how to do this.
Read More
|
The case company is rolling out new professional service concepts, addressing the customer need for services fitting the information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) framework. A centrally located team needed ITIL service knowledge and certification before training service development, consulting, and sales. Implement applied the Foundation Fasttrack concept—fast-paced, flexible learning in a familiar environment.
Read More
|
To establish optimal service and support conditions, the case company, Naviair, chose to adapt and implement information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) service support processes. During the process, Implement Consulting Group assisted with facilitation, ITIL input, and lean competences and tools. The existing procedures and instructions were combined with ITIL’s different service support areas.
Read More
|
The case company decided to carry out an information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) implementation, and in so doing hoped to make production in IT more visible, increase customer satisfaction, and maintain or increase employee satisfaction in IT. Implement Consulting Group facilitated the process selection and design and managed the requirement collection, selection, and implementation phases of the project.
Read More
|
The case company implemented an information technology services management (ITSM) system to support information technology infrastructure library (ITIL)–inspired processes. Implement Consulting Group had the project management responsibility during the entire process—from the preliminary requirement collection to selection and implementation to testing and go-live.
Read More
|
This article focuses on the development of strategic agility as a capability that is built into the design of an architecture. The capabilities, the article argues, are matured through six stages that offer different levels of strategic agility. Strategic agility, once capitalized through modular architectures, enables a company to achieve greater speed and flexibility in information technology (IT) deliveries.
Read More
|
The managed print services (MPS) market continues to evolve as vendors expand their service offerings beyond the office print environment. Today the business agenda is broader, and MPS must provide a route to business transformation as well as cost efficiency. Businesses thus must place their transformational goals on the agenda at the start of an MPS engagement. See what major MPS providers have to offer to your business.
Read More
|
Leveraging integrated human capital processes to optimize organizational success. Having a complete view of the entire employee lifecycle—enabled with a centralized, integrated HCM platform—provides executives the information and the tools they need to ensure that they have the most efficient teams in place to achieve success.
Read More
|
Operations executives are closest to the processes along the value chain, and as a result are best positioned to drive operational excellence initiatives. Collaboration with other functions is essential, but ultimately, it is the operations function that needs to be responsible for implementation. Find out what senior executives from around the world think about how to achieve operational excellence.
Read More
|
Spurred on by the increased availability of high-speed data services and wide array of smartphones, many organizations see mobile applications as a way to improve organizational efficiency, increase collaboration, and raise the speed at which business gets done. To get the most out of mobility, organizations need to rethink the technologies, the people, and the processes involved in creating a truly mobile enterprise.
Read More
|
IT is feeling the pressure to allow users to access sensitive corporate data via their personal mobile phones. Employees want the flexibility to use applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), e-mail and instant messaging not only from within the workplace, but at any time from any device. Yet, with network security and customer privacy at stake, IT has been slow to bow.
Read More
|
According to The Nielsen Company, some 150 million people in the US will be using smartphones by mid-2011 to view twitter feeds, conduct searches, consult maps and more. People are increasingly using smartphones to get work done too. As long as it’s governed appropriately, workplace use of consumer-oriented smartphones can lower spending, heighten morale and help employees get more done.
Read More
|
Not too long ago, business support of mobile workers centered on managing the use of a limited number of Windows-based laptops and BlackBerry smartphones. Today mobile phones are ubiquitous for most employees, and IT departments are being asked to provide broad access to networks, databases and critical enterprise applications while they manage, support and figure out how to protect data from theft and security breaches.
Read More
|
Today’s leading-edge companies are making extensive use of workforce data to drive human capital management (HCM) decisions the way most companies use financial and marketing data to make strategic business decisions. Learn how these companies are making fact-based workforce planning decisions that will help them survive the current recession and position them to quickly ramp up workforce additions when the downturn ends.
Read More
|
TEC's online software comparison system, TEC Advisor, is designed to help you make sense of the massive amount of information you'll gather during your selection project. One leading enterprise software consulting firm decided to put TEC’s technology to the test, to help a client replace its legacy financials system. The result? An objectively chosen best-fit financials solution—a mere two and a half months after project kick-off.
Read More
|
Though most companies know about the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP), many lack awareness about how to evaluate products or when the time is right to upgrade change solutions. Moreover, they may not be up to date with the latest ERP features, market trends, and other essential information. Focus’s ERP System Market Primer offers necessary background knowledge on ERP to potential buyers and sales executives.
Read More
|
After 20-plus years in service, and with few changes to its original design, Reid and Wright’s legacy accounting system had become slow, unreliable, and expensive—requiring a variety of manual processes and custom software just to keep it running—and keep the company competitive. Find out how TEC helped Reid & Wright find a best-fit solution to support the unique requirements of the lumber industry.
Read More
|
Mature sales and operations planning (S&OP) is more than a sales forecasting or tactical planning tool. S&OP is a decision-making mechanism for aligning strategic plans with sales, operational, and financial plans. Download this TEC executive brief for pointers on selecting an S&OP system, information about how mature S&OP processes can help tackle critical business issues, and key S&OP system capabilities to look for.
Read More
|
With more repetitive manufacturing moving offshore, North American manufacturers have had to develop their roles as complex manufacturers supporting both local and global markets with sophisticated products and manufacturing processes to meet the unique needs of their clients. Learn how this kind of engineer-to-order (ETO) manufacturing requires specialized enterprise resource planning (ERP) functionality.
Read More
|
In Q2 2010, Forrester evaluated 18 customer relationship management (CRM) solutions—CDC Software, Chordiant Software, FrontRange Solutions, Maximizer Software, Microsoft, NetSuite, Oracle, Pegasystems, RightNow Technologies, SageCRM, Sage SalesLogix, salesforce.com, SAP CRM, SugarCRM, and Sword Ciboodle—against 516 criteria reflecting the requirements of large organizations. Learn what they discovered.
Read More
|
Every year, companies face the challenge of selecting new business software solutions. Whatever the reasons for the selection, there are basic criteria and cost considerations that companies must take into account. The goal is to compare several enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendors against each other in terms of long-term cost and software quality. Learn more in this selection guide from Abas software.
Read More
|
After realizing that the enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution it had used until 2005 could no longer keep up with its rapid growth, HOFA GmbH started looking for a new ERP and e-business solution. Learn how the company’s new system has increased transparency across the company, reduced data capture and support times by up to 50 percent, improved productivity in order entry, and reduced the error rate to zero.
Read More
|
After remarkable growth, ADA Cosmetics’ business software had reached its limits, and the company needed a replacement. Due to ADA’s broad product range, the new system had to manage batch and process manufacturing, as well as custom and small-scale production. And because ADA distributes products nationally and internationally, the system had to have multi-user features. Find out how ADA went about choosing the right replacement.
Read More
|
This systems’ monitoring and management vendor evaluation checklist from Uptime Software is designed to help IT managers and administrators as they search for the right solution. It is intended to be a generic list that can be updated, expanded, and customized depending on your exact requirements. You are welcome to edit and modify each of the items as you see fit.
Read More
|
Arias Motors is the Dominican Republic’s leading distributor of spare parts for auto wholesalers, retailers, and repair shops. It needed a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system covering all functional areas, from back-end processes to supply chain management. Learn how Arias Motors applied a best-practice approach to software selection, reduced licensing costs by 50 percent, and set a record implementation time.
Read More
|
A decade ago, about 70 percent of major software initiatives failed, and nearly a quarter were cancelled. Today, with better data management, more flexible applications, and easier launches, there are fewer failed enterprise resource planning (ERP) programs. But some companies still manage to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Discover seven ERP selection rules to follow before you even start looking for a vendor.
Read More
|
As your company grows, you must continually evaluate whether your work processes and IT solutions can solve your problems and help grow your business. By performing a gap analysis, you can look at where your business is headed and whether you have the right tools to get there. This white paper can help you perform a preliminary gap analysis to determine whether you need to upgrade your IT solutions and business processes.
Read More
|
This white paper features insight from the UNIT4 group about issues facing companies that need an adaptable financial system but not necessarily a full-blown enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. Also included are TEC’s suggestions for identifying financial system functionality that supports your organization’s changing processes, and a checklist for soliciting such information about enterprise software solutions.
Read More
|
It doesn’t make sense to buy software based on price alone. Selecting a specific preferred vendor or spending as little as possible is the wrong choice if people will not use the purchased product and it winds up as “shelfware,” or if it hampers productivity and is an ongoing drain on resources. Learn the five questions financial professionals should ask before choosing a financial performance management (FPM) solution.
Read More
|
Consolidation in the enterprise performance management (EPM) market has led to a glut of misleading, and sometimes overstated, vendor claims. This has served to confuse end users evaluating solutions, just at the time when an EPM strategy is so important—particularly for organizations looking to broaden their EPM strategies. Find out what you need to know before you start evaluating EPM solutions for your organization.
Read More
|
Do executives prefer to deploy business applications on premise? Hosted? In a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model? Do deployment preferences vary by software category, region, or company size? How have these preferences changed over time? What are the implications for buyers, users, and providers of business applications? Get the answers to these and other questions in this Strategic Perspective from Saugatuck Technology.
Read More
|
Do executives prefer to purchase business applications as part of an integrated suite or as part of a best-of-breed approach? Are there differences by software category? By region? By company size? How have these preferences changed over time? What are the implications for users and vendors of business applications? Get the answers to these and other questions in this Strategic Perspective from Saugatuck Technology.
Read More
|
Today, companies are facing tougher competition and increasing service level requirements, all while balancing growth with shorter phase-in/phase-out cycles for new products. To succeed, they must harness information technology to support change, secure data and process quality, and improve productivity. Discover how a warehouse management system (WMS) can help you achieve those goals, and learn what to look for in a WMS.
Read More
|
Many process manufacturers are realizing that their production, inventory control, planning, scheduling, and costing systems are no longer adequate to support their business objectives. But replacing those systems with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system can be difficult when so many ERP systems were designed for discrete, not process manufacturing. Learn how you can avoid the seven fatal flaws of ERP selection.
Read More
|
Whether you’re in the process of re-evaluating your existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) application or planning to install your first packaged system, your success depends on identifying ERP applications that have a strong process manufacturing foundation and can support your unique requirements with minimum customization. This guide links the unique operations of process manufacturing with ERP capabilities.
Read More
|
This paper from Saugatuck Technology discusses relevant criteria for evaluating SaaS solutions targeting small and midsize firms, and raises key questions that should be asked. It is important to ensure that a SaaS solution is well aligned with business requirements, and can accommodate change and growth. The paper also provides an evaluation template for executives to use in conducting evaluations of SaaS solutions.
Read More
|
Software as a service (SaaS) is known for its relative speed to implementation and low upfront costs for acquisition and deployment. As a result, SaaS is widely adopted for a variety of business and IT functions. Discover the advantages of moving to a SaaS model for improving business operations, and to better meet the challenges of growth, competition, and regulatory compliance faced by smaller and midsized businesses.
Read More
|
Evaluating software solutions usually starts out as an assessment of architecture, features and functionality, business processes and IT fit. This makes perfect sense—until business stakeholders begin assessing the vendor as a potential business partner. Learn about the risks of entering into an agreement with a vendor, and how to find out if that vendor can deliver solution that will deliver the expected results.
Read More
|
Because optimized resource planning helps to maximize business agility and revenues, the functions and applications referred to collectively as enterprise resource planning (ERP) are some of the most business-critical. Once you’ve surveyed the ERP market and prioritized your business needs, this comparison guide from Focus Research can help you craft your best possible shortlist of candidate offerings and vendors.
Read More
|
Better decision making is critical during a recession—when resources are restricted—which makes business intelligence (BI) and analytics appealing to management. But justifying large capital outlays for software is challenging unless short-term benefits can be correlated with the investment. The key is to execute each project within the long-term strategic plan of organization-wide decision management. Find out how.
Read More
|
Digital Britain is the UK government’s strategic plan for the UK’s digital economy. While social inclusion and rights protection are major themes, the plan will also have a significant impact on businesses—encouraging the distribution and virtualization of business functions, and interconnectivity between companies, customers, suppliers, and employees. Learn how to minimize any harmful impact on your business.
Read More
|
Manufacturing enterprise resource planning (ERP) software vendors range from global giants offering legacy systems to smaller companies offering only point solutions. With so many solution providers to choose from, how can an organization make an intelligent decision on who to trust with this mission-critical system? Learn 10 critical questions to ask when choosing a manufacturing ERP solution for your company.
Read More
|
Looking for the right ERP package for your small to medium business (SMB) can be a daunting task. Although a fair amount of information is available on the Internet about the actual software packages themselves, there is little advice on how to develop a good, simple strategy to evaluate and choose the right package for your company. This white paper is intended to provide some of that much-needed guidance.
Read More
|
For an increasing number of companies, the costs of owning and operating on-premise software are a burden they are no longer willing to bear. Fortunately, cloud computing is transforming the way companies use computing services by simplifying IT infrastructure, and shifting costs and risks from clients to vendors. Discover how global companies are using cloud computing to manage their financials faster and more easily.
Read More
|
Business intelligence (BI) tools are now affordable for midsize companies, and accessible to non-technical business users. Managers can use BI to analyze complex information and support their decision-making processes—combining data from many sources into an integrated, up-to-date view. Find out what midsize companies need to know to select the right BI product, the right BI vendor, and the right approach to BI.
Read More
|
When the economy slows, many businesses react by retrenching and cutting costs. While cost reduction is important, companies often overlook equally critical strategic decisions—opportunities to use business information to strengthen product and service offerings and emerge ahead of the competition. Find out how you can use business intelligence (BI) to avoid the most common mistakes companies make in a down economy.
Read More
|
For managed services providers (MSPs) aiming to serve small and medium-sized businesses, the ability to capture and retain lasting customer relationships is a determining factor for long-term profitability. Only by clearly and consistently communicating your value to your customer can you hope to attain the role of trusted advisor—a position that will help protect you from losing business to lower-priced competitors. Learn how an integrated, offline reporting solution can help ensure that your customers perceive your value in the ways that matter most to all managers within the customer organization.
Read More
|
A business' success delivering managed services depends on its ability to improve the delivery of effective and efficient services to its customer base. Learn about ways that managed services providers (MSPs) can develop a higher-value business by improving their ability to attract and retain high-quality customers and provide IT services in an effective manner.
Read More
|
Service companies that want to thrive need to find a better way to deliver services and run their business. Automating IT services is the answer, and it should be the immediate goal of any company that aims to stay in business as market pressures increase. Looking beyond basic automation, becoming a managed services provider (MSP) should be the long-term goal. Discover ways to ensure your service company's survival in today’s competitive IT services market.
Read More
|
To improve efficiency and reduce overall workload on financials personnel, California (US)-based utilities company South Coast Water District (SCWD) needed a new financials system with integrated human resources (HR) functionality. Find out how Technology Evaluation Centers (TEC) helped SCWD define its financial and HR requirements, evaluate its short list of solutions, and shorten the software selection process.
Read More
|
For IT departments drowning in complex and expensive software maintenance chores, the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model can ease the burden. SaaS reduces complexity by outsourcing most of the infrastructure needed to run software applications, and reduces costs by charging only for what is consumed. But you can also adopt a hybrid SaaS model, in which some systems are outsourced and others are kept in-house. Learn more.
Read More
|
As you begin a customer relationship management (CRM) initiative, software selection is only one facet of a successful project. You may consider implementing your new CRM system with internal resources. But even in providing a simple CRM solution in your company, a number of steps need to take place, including requirements gathering, configuration, and more. Discover the benefits of selecting a CRM implementation partner.
Read More
|
High Concrete encountered several challenges in trying to understand its customer relationship management (CRM) data. Its CRM reporting involved lengthy and error-prone processes. After seeing a demonstration of a business intelligence (BI) application specifically designed for its Dynamics CRM system, the company knew integrating the two systems would be easy—and provide flexible reports, quickly and accurately.
Read More
|
Most companies want to use customer relationship management (CRM) applications to “supercharge” their sales forces. They want to gain some advantage with customer retention and acquisition, to manage the sales pipeline, and to have better market insight. But few companies realize these goals, often because of the way CRM is implemented. Find out where a CRM implementation can get off track—and how to ensure CRM success.
Read More
|
Sales at F.J. Westcott began to grow, placing a greater demand on its legacy enterprise resource planning (ERP) system’s inventory capabilities. Unrelieved inventory and other challenges led Westcott to seek a new ERP system—and a software evaluation and comparison methodology within the company’s budget. See how Technology Evaluation Centers’ Software Selection Services provided the resources for a confident decision.
Read More
|
For a midsized company, finding the right enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is a tall order—but that’s not always a bad thing. Now, big-name vendors are aiming their solutions at small and midsized companies. With a little savvy, you can make this new market dynamic work to your advantage. Leverage the new realities of mid-market ERP by bearing in mind 10 strategies when shopping for an ERP solution. Learn more.
Read More
|
If you’re considering upgrading your traditional phone system to a premise-based private branch exchange (PBX) system, there are a few things you need to know before you start talking to vendors. Find out whether your company needs just the basic features, or if you need more advanced functions such as programmable routing and scheduling. No matter the features, a premise PBX system can help you save money—learn how.
Read More
|
No matter how effective your sales staff is, there’s always room to boost efficiency and increase sales. But how you go about doing so may be a point of contention. Sales force automation (SFA) solutions come in many flavors, but they don’t all offer the comprehensive SFA functionality you need. Find out how to avoid the pitfalls of choosing SFA software, and get help matching your needs with the right solution for you.
Read More
|
The implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to automate business processes is a strategic investment. Buying the right system and choosing the best vendor for you are critical to a successful ERP implementation. As a decision maker, you need to quickly identify your ERP requirements, effectively communicate these needs to vendors, and successfully compare various product alternatives. Learn how.
Read More
|
When times get tough, some decision makers reduce costs, and cut corners. In some situations, that doesn’t work. An economic downturn may actually be the perfect time to invest in a significant IT expansion—especially in areas where a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness. Just make sure you choose the right ERP vendor and consultant. Learn more.
Read More
|
Users implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) software for the first time are often intimidated by the time and cost, and want to accelerate the go-live date. Acceleration, when done with the right implementation strategy and tools, can be of tremendous benefit, including reduced costs and increased return on investment (ROI). But for some, |