Send us Fan Mail There are two types of chaos. You have a manageable chaos that can be planned easily. And then you have organized chaos that requires you to shift gears all the time as the planning variables change. If there is one function that can challenge any planning model, it would be logistics. There are so many variables, such as labor, traffic, third-party carriers, geopolitical conditions, and macroeconomic factors. As a logistics executive, you not only need to make sure that you hav...
Jul 10, 2023•46 min•Ep. 507
Send us Fan Mail The picking function is all about KPIs. The larger the facility, the more fine-tuned your picking process needs to be. More errors during picking mean inferior customer experience and slower operations. Picking proceses might also vary based on the product type and industry. The manufacturing may have different picking processes from retail or distribution. So which are the KPIs most relevant for picking operations and pickers? In today's episode, we invited a panel of cross-fun...
Jul 05, 2023•56 min•Ep. 506
Send us Fan Mail The warehouse has been the receiver of most automation technologies. Now so much hardware is available that you can automate your entire warehouse, including picking, packing, sorting, loading, or unloading. There are also various categories of software available, ranging from WMS, TMS, WCS, S&OP, and a lot more. The software is segmented depending on the complexity of warehouse operations. So where does Logiwa stand in its capabilities, and how does it compare with the othe...
Jul 04, 2023•57 min•Ep. 505
Send us Fan Mail Most people underestimate the importance of country-specific expertise when it comes to ERP systems. For them, what difference could it make as it’s just pure tech? France and Europe are especially unique when it comes to their localization requirements. But the culture plays a huge role as well. So what can companies do if they want to penetrate the French market? And why is culture such as huge issue when it comes to ERP implementation? In today's episode, our guest, Wassim Sa...
Jul 03, 2023•45 min•Ep. 504
Send us Fan Mail The warehouse should be renamed as the KPIhouse. That's where most KPIs live. Most warehouse operators have very slim margins, and they not only need to be efficient with the transactions to reduce the costs. But they also need to ensure timely delivery to maintain the customer experience metrics. So which are the KPIs warehouse managers should care for the most? In today's episode, we invited a panel of cross-functional experts for live interview on LinkedIn who brings signific...
Jun 28, 2023•59 min•Ep. 503
Send us Fan Mail Where do you draw the line with supply chain software? There are various flavors. Some are more transactional processing systems, while others excel at planning. Some integrate several layers, including TMS, WMS, OMS, and planning. While planning is super critical, integrating transactional systems is always harder than most people would think. One of the most critical components of the supply chain software would always be the POS layer, especially for retail organizations, whi...
Jun 27, 2023•59 min•Ep. 502
Send us Fan Mail Each industry has its own nuances. The chemicals industry is particularly very challenging because of its supply chain issues. The black swan events, such as winter storms or macroeconomic changes, can shake any model, regardless of how sophisticated it might be. But the more information you have about your operations, regardless of whether internal or external supply chain, the more prepared you are likely to be for such events. And even if you are not prepared, the data will h...
Jun 26, 2023•45 min•Ep. 501
Send us Fan Mail The innovation projects could be perceived as risky. It might also be harder for operational and financial executives to assess the ROI of such initiatives. But done right, companies can not only improve the customer experience while converting them into digitally native culture, they could also increase the enterprise value of such companies by 2x. In today's episode, our guest, Chris Stegner, discusses how to transform a company into a digital. He also discusses cultural issue...
Jun 19, 2023•46 min•Ep. 500
Send us Fan Mail The inventory manager's role is very interesting. Sometimes it might be clubbed with an operations manager. Other times it might be the responsibility of an S&OP or materials manager. But without a solid inventory manager, your customer experience is likely to be fragmented. Or they would be overstocking to eat up all your margins and cash. So what are the KPIs relevant for an inventory manager? In today's episode, we invited a panel of cross-functional experts for live inte...
Jun 14, 2023•56 min•Ep. 499
Send us Fan Mail Once positioned to reduce the overall software spend, SaaS has become one of the highest spend categories for companies. A company could use as many as 1600 apps across the software categories. The spend might even be more for software companies that are buying someone else’s software to manage their own infrastructure. Industrial companies might struggle to understand why building custom software might not be the smartest idea because of the amount of software required to manag...
Jun 12, 2023•41 min•Ep. 498
Send us Fan Mail Most companies may not have a dedicated role for a production manager, and sometimes that might be shared with the business or operations manager. The role might also differ in various industries, where most manufacturing companies are likely to have a dedicated production manager role. The production manager might also overlap with quality managers, with their primary responsibility being managing production, managing schedule, and getting the max out from the production floor....
Jun 07, 2023•58 min•Ep. 497
Send us Fan Mail Planning and forecasting software is not meant to be an ERP. Also, the software designed for the internal supply chain might not be the best fit for tracking the external supply chain. The scope of planning and forecasting and ERP might differ in various industries. Retail is especially a unique beast. Due to the transaction volume, the OMS, WMS, TMS, and S&OP layer does the major heavy lifting for retail. So where does Blue Youder fit, and how should it be used in enterpris...
Jun 06, 2023•57 min•Ep. 496
Send us Fan Mail Some entrepreneurs might not choose to hire help just because they might make less. Also, their ego might prevent building a business with the exit strategy in mind. But the others already have their game figured out. They know when to delegate and how to decouple the business from them to ensure that the business is completely decoupled from the founders. In today's episode, our guest, Roger Knecht, discusses the challenges entrepreneurs face with business growth. He also discu...
Jun 05, 2023•45 min•Ep. 495
Send us Fan Mail The KPIs for operations managers would differ based on their responsibilities, the size of the org, and the industry. The role of ops management could be as diverse as managing tactical roles such as logistics to strategic roles such as procurement. Weak operations management leads to weak sales and operations planning, which might, in turn, lead to operational disruptions and inferior customer experience. So which are the KPIs that are most relevant for the operations managers ...
May 31, 2023•59 min•Ep. 494
Send us Fan Mail While most people might want to put ERP into generic categories such as make-to-order vs. make-to-stock, you need a much deeper analysis to identify the right software packages. Even inside the engineer and make-to-order verticals, there could be nuances such as program management and contract compliance for the automotive verticals. Also, the companies that own the software might drive specific capabilities depending on their strategic alignment. So where does Glovia G2 stand t...
May 30, 2023•56 min•Ep. 493
Send us Fan Mail There will always be confusion about the role of MES vs. ERP because of so many different feature sets that are common in both systems. The role of MES is limited to the shop floor, while the ERP is responsible for the enterprise workflows. Also, the MES systems come in many different shapes and sizes, some with very deep capabilities for a specific industry, while others may be technically sound. So where does Epicor advanced MES fits? In today's episode, we invited a panel of ...
May 29, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 492
Send us Fan Mail Most people understand why unit economics is critical as that drives profit margins. They might use different names for it. Some might call it cost accounting. Depending on the industry, different terms may be used. But the intent is very similar. To understand the cost to produce a product. Cost accounting is also a unique profession, as it sits at the intersection of finance and operations. You need to understand the depth of both worlds to be effective as a cost accountant. S...
May 24, 2023•59 min•Ep. 491
Send us Fan Mail The add-ons come in various shapes and sizes. Some of them were so well done (and tightly embedded with some of the most popular packages) that they became gold standards. The process industry is particularly unique, with each micro-vertical having its nuanced needs. And there aren't a ton of solutions out there that are particularly suited for the process industries, especially with the native experience and robust functionality like BatchMaster. In today's episode, we invited ...
May 23, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 490
Send us Fan Mail B2B companies have very different needs for eCommerce than B2C. In some B2B verticals that might be slightly service-oriented, even the product model might not be defined. But to be successful with B2B eCommerce initiatives, having a refined product model is essential. By the way, that’s not the only challenge. The bigger challenge would be the integration of eCommerce with ERP. And while you might feel that it might be plug-and-play, it rarely is because of the ever-changing in...
May 22, 2023•53 min•Ep. 489
Send us Fan Mail There will always be a divide in opinions about who should lead the design of business software. ERP platforms designed by CPAs argue that CPAs design the best software. The manufacturing packages designed by shop floor owners tend to argue that they design the best manufacturing packages. The firms started by software engineers and architects might be perceived as disconnected from the needs of business users. Like it or not, software design fundamentals still matter, and most ...
May 16, 2023•56 min•Ep. 488
Send us Fan Mail How different could electrical and HVAC industries be? Shouldn’t their processes be as simple as distribution and field services? What is so complex about their eCommerce processes? Well, electrical and HVAC industries are unique as their products need to be aligned with the trade associations. If they don’t follow the same coding standards, there might be issues in integrating with the buying groups and other collaborators. They also have unique processes such as electronic sig...
May 15, 2023•40 min•Ep. 487
Send us Fan Mail The debate between what's an add-on vs. what's an ERP is not new. The add-ons will never have the traceability requirements that regulated industries such as Med Device and Pharma require. But unfortunately, due to the limited technical background of auditors, they can't distinguish whether a record is traceable inside the system. Or would it require manual steps to establish the linking? Also, because of the fragile integration between QuickBooks and Sage50, there are likely to...
May 09, 2023•58 min•Ep. 486
Send us Fan Mail While ERP systems have done a wonderful job in providing the traceability of transactions in the four walls of the factory, the traceability across the industry is limited. The limitation exists because of so many factors, such as technology limitations, disparate datasets, political control, and data-sharing agreements. Technical concepts such as digital material and blockchain technologies are powerful to help provide visibility for shippers, trade finance companies, or any ot...
May 08, 2023•44 min•Ep. 485
Send us Fan Mail If there are any departments that have seen the majority of automation, they are AR and AP. Most companies, even QuickBooks, would use some form of automation to manage their AR and AP. The automation could be auto-parsing and capturing the PDF documents to manage their entire workflow. The experience around AR and AP processes has changed as well because now, even the customers expect their invoices in one place. So which KPIs do AR and AP need to use to measure their efficienc...
May 03, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 484
Send us Fan Mail Buying software is hard, especially business software. There might be companies that might appear to be rated relatively well by the affiliate sites. But when you look under the hood, they might be completely different. Affiliate sites are not necessarily looking at the demo of the product or are experts at reviewing the ERPs. Software companies are also really smart at not posting their demos publicly, which could be even hard for customers to know if they have a real product. ...
May 02, 2023•57 min•Ep. 483
Send us Fan Mail AI is changing the world. You have an infusion of AI at every step in the process, whether you talk about the first mile or the last mile. Whether you talk about AI being used to intelligently and automatically capture paper-based invoices or to enrich, augment, and predict incomplete data. But you can’t get results from AI if you have data silos. In fact, AI initiatives might fire back if you trained your models with the wrong data. In today's episode, our guest, Claus Jepsen, ...
May 01, 2023•43 min•Ep. 482
Send us Fan Mail The hate of ERP systems is not new. Every time a new kid in the town challenges how they are making the ERP systems easier. There are some companies that have approached this in the right fashion, such as Odoo or Acumatica, by understanding how ERP systems work and why they need to have layered complexity. The others have simply eliminated the necessary details for them to have a scalable data model. These systems are great poor man's ERP solutions as you might not be able to af...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 481
Send us Fan Mail Which spend categories should procurement control would always be debatable. Most companies may have a budget threshold where they might dictate the involvement of procurement. But this approach might not be suitable for every category. Some categories may be so strategic, even if the budget threshold may not be as high, that the business might want to take over because of the cross-functional implications or risks. These categories might also have very unique workflows and proc...
Apr 24, 2023•45 min•Ep. 480
Send us Fan Mail While there are several process manufacturing solutions out there, they all differ in their capabilities. Some are designed for growers and processors, while others are friendlier for distributors and DTC companies. The process manufacturing verticals have unique nuances, such as the hierarchy of serial and lot numbers. The serial numbers need to be managed at the UoM, case, and license plate levels. The pharma distribution may also have requirements such as DSD and route accoun...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 479
Send us Fan Mail The needs of the services industry might differ substantially, especially when you think of subscription, revenue recognition, and ASC 606 compliance capabilities. The ERP systems designed for the service industry might be very deep with grant and fund accounting, having payment terms and multi-element allocation at the line item level on the contract, and HIPAA compliance capabilities. These industries also have very unique requirements, such as the integration with best-of-bre...
Apr 17, 2023•57 min•Ep. 478
