Manufacturers have a tough job—even under ideal circumstances. There are so many complex steps required for a part to get into the hands of a customer. And when things go wrong, sometimes it can feel like you’re fighting a never-ending series of fires. If the everyday challenges aren’t enough, demanding customers, supply chain disruptions, and shutdowns have forced manufacturers to adapt to change more rapidly than ever before. Instead of pushing against the same challenges, how can you break through and prosper?
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Manufacturers have a tough job—even under ideal circumstances. There are so many complex steps required for a part to get into the hands of a customer. And when things go wrong, sometimes it can feel like you’re fighting a never-ending series of fires. If the everyday challenges aren’t enough, demanding customers, supply chain disruptions, and shutdowns have forced manufacturers to adapt to change more rapidly than ever before. Instead of pushing against the same challenges, how can you break through and prosper?
This eBook can help put things into perspective and offer solutions to manufacturing challenges you may be facing that are more common than you may think.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
The Automotive Supply Chain for manufacturing cars, trucks, and other vehicles is one of the most complex and demanding in the world. While COVID-19 has disrupted the automotive supply chain, it has created new opportunities to establish a stronger North American footprint, utilizing automation and other new technologies. Going forward, the automotive industry may have to focus on building flexible and resilient supply chains that allow manufacturers to rapidly reorient and respond to disruptions. Risk mitigation, cost, and quality will be key factors moving forward.
With the rise of electric vehicles, new technologies, and tougher fuel standards, the demand for plastics in the automotive space is booming. High-performance plastics will be critical as automobile Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) seek to reduce the overall weight of vehicles to reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency. In the Automotive Supply Chain, a rising preference for high-performance plastics as a substitute for conventional metals is expected to fuel market growth. Attention to improved ergonomics, interior finishes, convenience features, smart technology, driver assist, minimal vibration, and reduced cabin noise are all target areas for OEMs wanting to appeal to discerning consumers. Molded, high-performance plastic parts play a critical role in achieving these goals.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
The Automotive Supply Chain for manufacturing cars, trucks, and other vehicles is one of the most complex and demanding in the world. Automotive parts suppliers have consistently needed to adapt to changes in the automotive manufacturing landscape. While COVID-19 has disrupted the automotive supply chain, it has created new opportunities to establish a stronger North American footprint, utilizing automation and other new technologies. Going forward, the automotive industry may have to focus on building flexible and resilient supply chains that allow manufacturers to rapidly reorient and respond to disruptions. Risk mitigation, cost, and quality will be key factors moving forward. In the metals segment of the Automotive Supply Chain parts are becoming more complex, accuracy requirements are becoming stricter, and visibility and efficiency have never been more important.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
To run a successful operation, every manufacturing organization needs a modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to boost efficiencies and drive down costs. However, with so many options available, it can be difficult to make the right choice. If you’re wondering whether a generic or industry-specific solution is the best fit for your business—or if you’re wondering how to even start the ERP selection process—you’re not alone.
In this white paper, you’ll discover ways to simplify your ERP selection process, and you’ll learn the differences between industry-specific and generic ERP solutions.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Manufacturing is an old industry that is changing so fast you may not recognize it in 15 years. Just as retail, communication, and entertainment industries have changed radically, technology is fueling new business models for manufacturing all manner of products. Industry 4.0 is a common name for the strategy that allows manufacturing companies to keep pace with the expectations customers have today.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
If you have not read the writing on the wall, cloud-based technologies and digital transformation initiatives are quickly becoming the focus for enterprises around the world. Providing more security, reliability, and mobility, cloud technologies simply provide too many benefits to ignore. However, their adoption is not always easy. As with any significant change at the organizational level, cloud ERP implementation challenges can stack up quickly. Here are the top 5 challenges in cloud ERP implementation and how you can address them before they impact your success.
Cloud ERP Implementation Challenges
While there are far more than five challenges that cloud ERP implementation may present to an organization, these are what we have found to be the most common. Several of these challenges are compounded by the increased reliance on remote workforces and the inability to meet in person due to environmental factors.
1. Change Management
While the age-old adage is nothing is certain but death and taxes, in business the only constant changes. For most people who are comfortably entrenched in the predictability of a routine, change can be a “four-letter word”. In most cases, change will be unsurprisingly met with resistance.
Change management will be one of your biggest hurdles in moving towards a complete cloud ERP solution from a system that was either previously on-prem or a hybrid deployment model of on-prem and cloud-based.
The easiest way to address the inherent resistance to change is to illustrate where things will improve. This is done not just by saying things will be new and modern. Show where those improvements will take place, and the cost savings and gains in productivity that system users and the company can expect to reap.
2. Focus
The last several months have pretty much done away with the divide between work life and personal life for a significant portion of the global workforce. Transitioning to remote work from home has presented unique challenges for enterprises of every size.
The result has been a muddying of work hours, family obligations, self-care, and a host of other responsibilities in one venue, without end.
The ability to focus on implementation can be a challenge in the best conditions. In a completely remote environment, where distractions are abundant, maintaining focus will be a challenge that presents itself consistently.
To overcome distraction and maintain focus, set aside specific windows of time for core project components. Businesses need to be open to scheduling compromises with employees and their families when the lines blur between work and home. By compromising on specific project hours, there is a higher probability of remaining focused on the progress of your implementation project. The remaining work time can be more fluid as the separation of workday duties and household obligations continue to muddy.
3. Security
One of your project initiatives may be an effort to move towards heightened system security. This is a great feature of Cloud ERP. However, during the implementation phase, you may not have advanced security in place to maintain your sensitive data. This security becomes even more difficult to maintain between remote resources, like staff and their workstations.
Make it a point to understand the risks upfront. You can take on the challenge alone, hire a consultant, or work in tandem with your implementation partner to find the right protocol for your case. A simple step, like password-protecting Wi-Fi connections, not allowing users other than staff to utilize remote workstations is a necessary first layer of security.
Firewalls and network security software should follow. If you do not provide the hardware your staff will be working from while remote, you may want to consider doing so. A small investment in this area can result in big savings when you consider the alternative.
Lastly, have a plan in place, both documented and practiced, with your staff. Make sure they understand the risks and the results of a security breach and demonstrate the protocol they are going to follow moving forward.
4. Access, Permissions, and Productivity
Yeah, I know that’s three things but each build on the former to deliver a complete effort. So, in the interest of time and space, they’ve been combined.
Not everyone on your cloud ERP implementation project will need access to all components of your system. Working with IT to designate the proper permissions will be critical in ensuring that staff remain on task and don’t have an opportunity to ruin transitioning data, either by malice or mistake.
Provisioning web and mobile access may fit into this implementation scenario, too. If your staff has spotty connections based on their location, consider bolstering their coverage through their provider to ensure your project isn’t impeded by poor connectivity. This is usually as simple as flipping a switch on the provider’s end. This way, you won’t lose precious time in the event cloud cover conceals the satellite internet connection of your data analyst in rural Illinois.
5. Knowledge
When leaping on-prem and, in many cases, outdated data management systems, tribal knowledge, and training will be integral as you move forward.
By relying on your most knowledgeable IT professionals and department heads to deliver their expertise during the cloud ERP implementation process, you have your top minds tackling your biggest challenge yet. However, there will be scenarios for which even they are not prepared. This is where training can be one of your biggest assets. Whether training is provided by your vendor or consultant of choice, or you have chosen to produce your training plan, enabling your project staff with defined direction and knowledge will ensure their success.
Lack of familiarity with a new environment is sure to produce plenty of anxiety and opportunities for missteps. Proper planning can help to mitigate these pitfalls. Having an experienced and knowledgeable guide through the process can eliminate them. That is because every implementation is different, and every company is different. With the experience of an implementation professional, there is a wider breadth of experience to draw from in the event an obstacle presents itself.
There will inevitably be some unexpected challenges for even the most experienced vendors, VARs, and consultants to guide you through. However, doing your research and taking the time to get familiar with the nuances of a cloud ERP implementation will impart the confidence and understanding any business needs to go through the project on their own.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
