Feb 16

Written by: Hall
2/16/2010 3:49 PM 

The automation of bad processes will actually set back your organization. While there may be some financial improvements, typically they are short lived and same old way of doing business prevails. In both the short and long term, you will more than likely automate and speed up a poor business model. Fundamentally, sound and well designed business processes coupled with an effective software implementation will position your organization for long term success. The next steps – following, maintaining and updating these “well designed” business processes will contribute your organization’s success and improve results. Drifting away from the processes may have damaging results.

A QAD ERP software implementation, in particular a new implementation which evolves from antiquated and cumbersome legacy systems, offers companies the opportunity to take a fresh look at their business process and where possible – improve them significantly. It also puts the business process and its’ design in the forefront of management’s mind. It goes without saying that management must challenge the way you conduct business and constantly seek ways to improve. Easier said then done - but necessary in today’s globally competitive world.

As the processes and the accompanying operating procedures are “locked down” prior to and the subsequent to a new QAD ERP implementation, management must ensure the processes and procedures are followed by their staff in the “post go-live” environment. Too often we work with clients that go astray from their plans and dive back into their old habits. The investment in improved business processes will not pay off and frustration will ensue for organizations that deviate from their investment in redesigning business processes. While processes will change and evolve over time, in the end and quite simply, the rules must be followed and enforced. Discipline will have to prevail.

An effective means to assist and support in the enforcement of your procedures and processes and take the business processes down to the system level, is through the use of Favorites in QAD .NET UI. QAD’s Favorites functionality is a powerful, yet subtle “tool”. Favorites will assist users with organizing and structuring their daily, weekly and monthly job tasks and responsibilities. It can help prevent the drifting away from adherence to the redesigned processes and procedures critical to the organizations’ success. Favorites should be modeled and structured along side with the business processes designed to make your operations more efficient. With Favorites each user can easily create a personalized menu system in the Favorites area using options or drag-and-drop techniques. Users can take very specific business processes, e.g., Inventory Cycle Counting and Analysis, and put the associated QAD applications into folders and subfolders, rename menu applications to correspond with the business processes, rearrange the order of folders and items, remove menu items you no longer want and then simply access the programs as the job dictates. Job tasks and responsibilities and the specific QAD application to carry out the task are visible and organized – adding structure and discipline to employees’ jobs.