Enterprise-Wide Global Standards

Posted on: September 26, 2019 | By: Cliff Oman | QAD Practice News, Microsoft Dynamics AX/365, ERP Selection, QAD Manufacturing, QAD Business Process, QAD Distribution, Professional Services, Microsoft Dynamics Manufacturing, M&A, QAD Financials

Enterprise-Wide Standards – (Business Systems Solution and the ERP Core)

Most companies strive for a standardized Enterprise-Wide Business Solution, including a standardized ERP Enterprise software package as the core of the Enterprise-Wide Business Systems Solution. This can be accomplished by standards or through transformations. As part of the integration/migration; certain coding and configuration standards for a variety of configurations and/or fields should be established and followed globally. When establishing these standards some of the factors considered will be: 

• Global Statutory Reporting Requirements
• Flexibility for Company Growth and Change
• Data Entry, Maintenance and Transformation Ease
• Management Reporting Requirements
• Structure and Functionality 

A document should be created to highlight all potential standards or serve as the official definition of any/all of the configurations and/or fields to provide a single source for discussion of key configurations/standards.

Advantages of Standardization

• Consolidate separate worldwide systems
• Consolidation of databases solves a plethora of issues.

• • Information across all locations will roll up based on standardized data in real-time
  • Visibility of projects, manufacturing, distribution and financial information world-wide such as Available to Promise (ATP) and Project schedules
  • Additional or new functionality becomes available globally with one implementation
  • Facilitates Phasing of Projects for Wins
  • Facilitates faster accounting closes
  • Technical maintenance is simplified
  • Reduces cost of software and database licenses and maintenance
• Support systems more economically on a world-wide basis

Why Standardize?

Traditionally, operational/transactional systems (ERP and Bolt-On’s) provide:

• Canned reports
• Inquiries and browses allowing users a limited window through which to see their data

As the demand for cross-functional analysis increases, many organizations develop time-consuming, error-prone processes often involving extracts to MS Excel. This approach reduces efficiency and increase risk. Data Standardization liberates users from data collection, freeing them to focus on true analysis using centrally validated information.

Often, companies do not put enough urgency on the global standardization of data and processes or why it is such a critical topic. Logan Consulting stresses early focus on standardization activities and adds extra urgency to this critical topic as part of its implementations.

About Logan Consulting

Logan Consulting is a leading consulting firm with strengths in strategy, project management, business process design, ERP and CRM implementation, recruitment and training. Since 1992, our business process-based delivery techniques and tools have helped our clients build a solid business process and information technology foundation to support their business. Our clients count on us for objective, unbiased analysis, recommendations and project work. To learn more and hear what our customers are saying about us, please visit our website (www.logan-consulting.com).

Logan Consulting is headquartered in Chicago, IL with global services reach.

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