Category: QAD Business Process

In today’s global economy, corporations must find ways to balance supply and demand not only across sites, but across the entire supply chain. QAD’s Enterprise Operations Planning has the functionality to do just this. QAD’s EOP uses actual Forecast, Sales, Production, and Inventory data to calculate a plan to support pre-defined target inventory levels and centralize the production planning and purchasing activities into a global Master Scheduling function. The Enterprise...

One of the most frustrating issues facing manufacturing companies is inventory inaccuracy. Inventory accuracy is a critical input to executing a successful supply planning process. A simple yet effect method for improving inventory accuracy is to implement the point of use (POU) inventory concept. POU creates a clear distinction in ownership between the storage warehouse and the production floor. Operations that do not have this separation in place often find...

We are working with a real estate services firm that has implemented an ERP backbone in Europe. They have done a thorough job of standardizing and documenting their processes and procedures, knowing that they will be acquiring and absorbing other similar companies in the future to foster growth. As we prepare to help them roll out a U.S. division onto the same ERP backbone and process model, the foresight in...

We recently worked with a company that has grown through acquisitions over the years and now has three distinct companies under one corporate umbrella. It runs each company on a separate QAD database. This company thinks it will continue to use its existing QAD ERP backbone for most core functions. However, one of its divisions is not using QAD financials and therefore struggling to get itself to a position where...

In today’s competitive and high pace work force there is much pressure to cut cost and increase productivity across all industries. We find ourselves struggling however with a constant feeling of stress and work overload. Because of this we tend to focus our aggression towards excuses of lack of resources and increased workload. Is it really though? In the IT world we also feel a similar downward spiral of pressure...

During the CAUG and QAD Teamwork meetings this past week, I came away quite excited about the new Master Scheduling and Production Scheduling workbenches that will be released later this year for both SE and EE running the .NET interface. These workbenches will offer intuitive, visual drag and drop features that I believe planners will find very impressive. Additionally, the workbench will incorporate component availability checks, ensuring that the schedule...

EDI is an ever changing means of B2B communication. Staying on top of it can often be a challenging task in itself let alone implementing it from scratch. Customers and Suppliers are constantly changing their specifications as their business practices or needs change. With a history of maintaining EDI solutions in the Automotive Industry I can contest to the demand of the time sensitivity to these changes as well. QAD’s...

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...

While it is generally recommended to utilize as much as possible the “best practices” employed in the QAD Enterprise ERP package, more often than not this is not possible. Most companies have proven and successful business processes or key reports that just are not addressed with standard QAD but can be incorporated into the overall package in a cost effective manner. This opens the door for customization and report modifications...

When presented with a project that reaches outside the borders of the US, there are many factors to consider beyond the obvious language differences. There are local regulations, requirements, standards and customs that should be taken into consideration before you begin. It is also important to consider the impact that cultural differences will play. Typical methods of documentation and training that work in some countries might not work as effectively...