Solutions Spotlight

This month: Midsize

Movex Java v12, Intentia's enterprise management software suite, has ERP functionality to meet the extended supply chain and e-business requirements of collaborative businesses. Movex includes applications for customer relationship, supply chain, enterprise performance, human resources, and enterprise resources management; value chain collaboration; as well as the Intentia corporate exchange. Vertical solutions are offered for fashion/apparel; distribution; food & beverage; furniture; general manufacturing (discrete and process); maintenance repair operations; service & rental; and paper and steel industries.

NetSuite 9.5 adds advanced billing capabilities, customer mining and segmentation tools, and no-click e-mail integration for Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Yahoo! Mail, and America Online. Due to integrated order management and billing functionality, users no longer must exit the CRM system and switch to another application to enter an order or handle financials. Advanced billing capabilities automate schedules for companies with service contract terms or recurring subscriptions, while data mining tools provide access to customer purchase, case, opportunity, and transaction histories to create target groups for up-sell and cross-sell campaigns.

Made2Manage's Enterprise Business System version 5.5 has enhanced production, financial, and supply chain functionality, including stand-alone and vertical industry-specific features that streamline operations. Key features support management of shop-floor resources, inter-facility materials, inventory, and job orders via form editing and customization tools, automated shipment of high-quantity orders, bill of material reference designators, extended split commission options, yield management by operation, and enhanced multifacility capabilities. Users also can alternate resource and work center allocation, and add-and-carry shippers and receivers.

Friedman Corp. reports IBM WebSphere is the platform for Friedman's Frontier iProduct e-business solutions, which support customer service and order-entry management via the Internet, and deliver custom-built order information for individual products. iProduct solutions run on IBM eServer iSeries servers, as well as IBM eServer xSeries and pSeries, allowing full backup, recovery, and server consolidation; and support for DB2 and Java, in addition to WebSphere.

SYSPRO Version 6.0 ERP now includes upgrades in manufacturing, accounting, and distribution that facilitate inventory and order tracking, and increase controls and security. The foundation of SYSPRO 6.0 is e.net solutions, a component architecture based on Microsoft's .NET architecture and XML standard, delivered as a library of business objects that can be configured and used as required. The solutions integrate best-of-breed applications, maximize B2B trading, and leverage wireless connectivity. Objects are built as reusable components, making them suitable for deployment in a Web services environment.

Lilly Software Associates announces Visual Easy Lean, a scheduling method integrated into Visual Enterprise that supports principles of lean manufacturing. Unlike traditional scheduling, the system focuses on pulling materials through the shop using market demand as the trigger for releasing material and setting priorities on the shop floor. By incorporating shipping and inventory buffers into the schedule, the availability of raw materials, purchased parts, common subassemblies, replacement parts, and finished goods is protected. Users can connect production planning and execution processes to simplify order management.

MAPICS eProcurement release 2.0, built on Microsoft's .NET framework, improves collaboration and operational efficiencies by enabling real-time interaction between a manufacturer and suppliers via a secure browser that extends buyer/supplier collaboration capabilities and automates processes. The quick-view dashboard reduces the need for suppliers to follow up with buyers via phone or e-mail to check order and payment status, while viewing future demand and orders allows suppliers to plan more effectively.

An upgrade to EnterpriseIQ, an ERP system from IQMS that serves repetitive manufacturing environments, has new reporting options and alerts, as well as CRM and EDI additions. Additionally, a Quality module now includes deviation tracking for processes within the manufacturing environment, and working with engineering change orders and corrective-action report tracking. The workflow-enabled technology supports electronic signature-based approvals via the Web or an intranet, and can be linked to bills of material and inventory items within EnterpriseIQ. More than 30 reports have been added to payroll, accounts payable, and quality control.

SAP's Business One and mySAP All-in-One industry-specific solutions are delivered through SAP's partner network.

All-in-One includes FastTrack, a complex manufacturing solution with a prepackaged, fixed-price time line that speeds implementation to just 16 weeks. FastTrack manages make-to-order processes with product configurators, engineer-to-order, engineering change management, service management, and make-to-stock functionality. Some consultants have personalized All-in-One solutions with specific functionality for equipment and high-tech manufacturers.

Via integration with SoftBrands' Fourth Shift Manufacturing Edition, SAP Business One supports repetitive, batch, make-to-order, discrete, and mixed-mode manufacturers, as well as those on the path to lean or demand-driven operations.

Best Software's MAS 90 accounting and business management software streamlines accounting operations, makes management reporting more responsive, and reduces the learning curve for new users. Business Insights Reporter, a wizard-based reporting tool, allows users to identify the information they need from any part of MAS 90, and quickly get data into Excel spreadsheets or a printable form for more analysis. Version 4.0 also includes a limited edition of the Business Alerts module, which identifies problems and trends in real time.

ERP vendor Geac's participation in IBM's ISV Advantage Initiative will ensure users of Geac's new System21 Aurora suite—which is built on IBM middleware and operates on the IBM eServer iSeries—continue to leverage collaborative commerce solutions. System21 Aurora uses IBM WebSphere J2EE component model and WebSphere MQ Integrator Broker, which allow integration with existing software and hardware platforms.

CMS Manufacturing Systems offers CMS/400 5.1, an ERP solution with front-office and shop-floor functionality, and support for flexible order fulfillment and compliance with QS9000 and ISO9000 quality standards. The system suits companies in supply chain-intensive industries such as automotive and consumer packaged goods via EDI/release accounting, container serialization, and a whiteboard scheduler. The ability to track resources and materials in real time also enables manufacturers to reduce costs from receipt of raw materials to finished-goods shipping.