ERP and ERP systems-A rising need of enterprises

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a strategic tool helping an organization to gain and edge over its competitors by helping in successfully integrating its key business operations, synchronizing, planning and optimizing the resources available in the existing extremely competitive environment.. Its use has a much broader scope in today's world rather than of just planning the use of the enterprise resources.

Organizations (especially those which are borderless) face many difficulties in quickly making out the information required. The integration of the business processes improves coordination between bodies, streamlines workflows and processes and benefits them in terms of retaining and satisfying customers by delivering their orders "just-in-time" and keeping them well informed about their orders' current status rather than keeping them waiting for just a small piece of information. ERP has the effect of making an enterprise more time-sensitive. Another benefit is of better marketing opportunities. ERP penetrates one segment after the other and addresses solutions to many debacles existing in an enterprise.

Different ERP systems have been made to facilitate organizations in Enterprise Resource Planning. Leading ERP giants making ERP systems are Microsoft, Oracle, PeopleSoft and JD Edwards, SAP AG etc. These systems link the order, inventory, sales, purchase, manufacturing, supply chain and warehouse management modules in an enterprise for better, fast and accurate information availability to every single person which is its 'primary objective' because every single operation and action taken at any place by any person depends on consistent and updated information availability. Whatever a person needs can be immediately accessed by him subject to the delegated authority. ERP function has thus helped individuals.

They also enhance management decision making by making future projections about sales during a certain period of a certain product. Management would then be able to make decisions whether to increase/decrease production of that particular product which in turn would help save resources from being wasted which could be used for other purposes e.g for making other products. They also help managers make decisions about introducing some new value added features to an existing 'hot-demand' product to enhance sales further. This is how product quality is also enhanced. Inventory costs reduction must be given a great importance in every organization. ERP helps reduce inventory costs by better planning and forecasting of requirements. ERP system helps getting higher return on investments (ROI) in a fast manner.

While there are absolute benefits, an ERP system also poses significant challenges in the areas of information security and business continuity planning. Above mentioned things point to a very critical step, the right choice of an ERP for your enterprise! Off all the ERP systems exiting in the market, all seem to be performing the same function but the one best suiting your requirements needs to be picked up in order to achieve required results. The choice depends upon the structure and type of the organization e.g financial, manufacturing etc. This is why some organizations experience higher benefits as compared to others because they've made the right choice and are able to make the right use of their system.

To summarize, ERP has a great importance and ERP systems have become the biggest need of today's organizations to survive. They provide tremendous benefits provided the Critical Success Factors of ERP system implementation are kept in mind.

Author: S.Ali Ammar

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What Employers Seek In Oracle Candidates

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of high tech computer jobs open for those with Oracle expertise. The highly reputable and popular Oracle products are used by firms in every part of the globe. As a result, experts who can walk in the door ready to start work on Oracle and keep the applications running efficiently are in great demand.

Knowing what employers are looking for when they seek to hire for high tech Oracle computer jobs helps students or would-be students and job candidates prepare their skills. So, let's take a look at a few of these Oracle jobs available now.

In Phoenix Arizona, for example, we found 58 Oracle related high tech computer job openings. Positions included Windows Administrator II and III, business analyst and Oracle developer, database management senior specialist for Oracle 10g, Oracle DBA and senior Oracle DBA, business applications analyst, clinical applications support, Cerner PathNet support analyst, Oracle / Java developer, and database manager, among many others.

The high tech Windows administrator computer jobs were both senior level position in a OneNeck Windows administration group. Requirements were ability to administrate a medium to large environment of Windows server without supervision. The primary focus of these positions was work on projects directed by the firm's customer management team.

The employer seeking the business analyst and Oracle developer wants someone with high tech computer knowledge whose job skills include writing functional specifications, analysis of programming activities and excellent team and communication capabilities. The candidate for this Oracle job should have a strong technical background including business analysis. Development of Crystal reports experience is a plus as well. This employer specifies that the firm does not seek DBAs.

A senior level data base management position including 10g RAC specialization requires two years of Oracle 9g RAC experience and five years of Oracle DBA. This is not a full time permanent position, but rather a contract position for one month, with responsibility for decision making critical to the database architecture, as well as the control and deployment processes to implement and maintain 10G databases using RAC.

Oracle DBA jobs at the senior level are abundant, full time and contract. One, a six-month contract position that might be extended to as long as one year, is a three-day week job. The work will be at two locations fifty miles apart, working with data services of the firm's clients.

A more entry-level Oracle DBA computer job is as part of a high tech team environment that supports engineering and MIS groups within the firm. This employee will focus her or his efforts on product and service support both internal and external. The specific functions of this high tech Oracle computer jobs include maintaining the database as well as its applications. Requirements include technical expertise and user interface capabilities. User support will be a part of the job tasks too. Knowledge to qualify for this Oracle job include Oracle database in a Sun environment. At least two years experience with Oracle DBA is a must.

Additionally, this employer is looking for someone with excellent communication skills, autonomy, top-notch phone skills and vendor troubleshooting capability.

To land the advertised Oracle applications business analyst position, the candidate would need experience with Oracle applications and Order management.

For the highly specialized clinical applications support job in the medical field, the candidate would need to be an registered nurse who also has clinical application support training as well as Cerner clinical applications help desk proficiency.

A global provider of business solutions and information technology is seeking a Cerner PathNet support analyst to support the clinical departments' business needs for project execution and enhancement. Application support and maintenance is the primary job task. Problem resolution will include system functions, operations, reporting, input and output, and general operations. This analyst will install patches, install vendor fixes to problems, create ad hoc reports and extraction of data and on call troubleshooting and system support.

The person who lands this high tech Oracle computer job will have knowledge of service operations in an acute care environment, experience in clinical applications support, as well as Cerner Classic PathNet and hospital acute care experience.

Familiarity with Cerner Millennium Lab application, Oracle database tools and VMS or AIX operating systems are plusses. Strong problem solving and analytical skills as well as effective communication skills both written and verbal are required.

Author: Kevin Heath

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7 Ways To Fail In An Erp Selection

The best way to fail at an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation is to choose the wrong software up front. Choosing software without following some basic guidelines is a sure-fire method for disaster. Probably the worst thing that someone has done (that we know of), was to buy their ERP software at a tradeshow, thinking it would be the cheap and easy way to solve their problems. They ended up spending more than they expected in finding ways to force the software into their business.

Below are some ways that will set you on the path to fail at your choice. In other words, they are ways that you can insure that you will choose the wrong system for your company.

1. Choose ERP software without understanding your requirements. - First, you should ensure that you are getting the best fit for your company by documenting your requirements. The requirements should cover the strategic, reporting, functional, and technical aspects of what your company requires to run the business. Choosing software without these documented and without using them as a benchmark to compare the software against is a strategy for problems.

2. Select ERP software without paying attention to business processes. - There are certain ways that you run your business. Not all of them are rocket science, but there are certain things that make your company unique and successful. Choosing software without understanding how things flow in your company will create big problems in the implementation when the software processes information contrary to how you run your business.

3. Choose ERP software because your Friend/Neighbor/Relative is using it successfully at their firm. - Another nightmare scenario that has actually occurred is that decision makers have purchased software because their ____ (fill in the blank) has used it and it worked great at that company. That company is not your company. On the surface they may seem similar, but just because one company is running well on the ERP system does not mean that yours will. You may have a special process for getting your goods out the door. The software may not support that method. Perhaps there is some information that you must have because of financial, regulatory, or supply chain requirements. The other company may not have that issue. Perhaps you need to track lot numbers and the _____'s company does not. There are too many business issues that can create havoc in an information system, if the system is not carefully matched to the requirements (see #1).

4. Not having the ERP vendor prove that it will support your business processes. - ERP vendors have one goal. Sell you software. Do they care if it fits, can successfully operate your business, or even if it will be a huge burden on your staff? Not really. In fact, if you buy software that requires a lot of care and feeding because it is not a good fit, then the vendor is the one who supports it and makes a handsome flow of income off your company. Get the vendor to demonstrate that it meets your requirements and can transact information in a method that is aligned with your business processes.

5. Choosing ERP software because it looks cool. - You may laugh at this one, but the user interface is a sexy selling point of many systems. Is a plain old green-screen as nice to work in as a really colorful Windows ™ screen? Probably not, but does the Windows™-based system really address your issues? Your goal should be aligning a perspective system with your business needs. If it comes with a cool interface great, if not, can you live with it?

6. Let the ERP vendor tell you what you need to be doing. - Related to number 4 above, having the ERP vendor guide you in your selection is a roadmap to hell. You need to guide them. Tell them what you want and expect. Too many times has a single vendor gained the trust and confidence of a decision maker and guided them to a particular system, without any concern for how close a match is it to the business requirements and processes.

7. Take the ERP vendor's first offer without negotiating. - You can generally negotiate with a vendor several times and get a more than fair price. But the key is to follow good negotiation tactics. Don't forget that most everything is negotiable. The software, the services, the maintenance, the timing, etc. In the ERP industry, the best time to buy software is at the quarter or year end according to the vendor's financial calendar.

The key thing to understand is that there is a path that can lead you to success and many routes to failure. Know thyself first. Understand your business and document it. It is not enough to think you know it. Talk to all levels of users and managers. Ensure that everyone's needs are defined and a priority is placed upon those needs. If you are not sure of selecting a major investment such as an ERP, then get outside help from a consultant who is non-biased towards systems and can guide you. Be careful of assistance from a company that has an SAP practice, or an Oracle practice, etc. They have internal motivation to help you choose their flavor of software.

Most importantly, understand that you need to drive the process. It is your selection and you need to live with the results. As any good project manager will tell you, start with the end in mind. What do you want the system to do for your company now and in seven years from now? Understand this and go forward in selecting your system.

Author: Chris Shaul

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