No more clerical drudgery.  Gone are the days of recording work hours and compiling reports by hand.  Gone, too, is the double entry accounting because the payroll system won’t talk to the accounting system.  These payroll pitfalls, among others, cost you thousands of dollars and man-hours in wasted productivity.

Enter the Payroll Interface for SYSPRO, a system which facilitates the payment of employees in an external payroll system based on labor hours processed in SYSPRO, with subsequent updates to the Cash Book and General Ledger to ensure accurate financial reporting.

The Payroll Interface is designed to work with either ABRA or the Optimum Solutions payroll packages. Employees in SYSPRO are cross-referenced to employees in the relevant payroll package, enabling actual labor hours captured in the SYSPRO Work in Progress module to be exported to the payroll software.

Check details can then be imported back into the SYSPRO Cash Book module allowing accurate bank reconciliations to occur. Summarized general ledger entries are imported into the SYSPRO General Ledger module facilitating accurate financial information.

The Benefits of Payroll Interface:

• Interfaces with ABRA Payroll and Optimum Solutions
• Eliminate duplication of effort
• Reduce data entry errors
• Export labor hours for import into Payroll system
• Import payroll checks into the SYSPRO Cash Book module or directly into the General Ledger

Payroll Interface Features:

• Cross reference SYSPRO employee codes to the payroll employee codes
• Cross-reference SYSPRO work centers with the payroll work centers to ensure accurate rates are applied
• Simple extract of labor reduces options for error
• Extract run-time as well as setup, startup and teardown times
• Payroll import allows summary, detailed or timesheet processing of transactions
• Validate information before importing

Integration with SYSPRO:

• Integrates with SYSPRO Work in Progress, Cash Book and General Ledger modules
• Requires ABRA or Optimum Solutions Payroll

Users of SYSPRO’s Payroll Interface report a significant reduction in time and costs, resulting in a very positive return on investment.  If you are looking for a payroll solution, or need more information, please email me.

Managing stock is a key concern for people in the manufacturing and distribution arena.  Providing an efficient method of controlling the return and exchange of items bought from suppliers, the SYSPRO Return to Vendor module (RTV) ensures visibility and tracking of the item until the transaction is concluded.

The defective stock is initially removed from general availability to a holding area in order to prevent it being sold or used in manufacturing. The defective item is then reviewed to determine whether it should be returned to the vendor for credit or replacement, or if it should be scrapped. A Return Document may be produced to accompany the item back to the vendor. At any point in time, the user can check the status of an RTV as well as view the actions taken to-date.

RTV Features:

• Ensures that items to be returned to the vendor are removed from the available stock and held in a review area while the terms for return are negotiated
• Handle stocked and non-stocked items
• Track variances between cost of item and credit received
• Manage items to return through the RTV review process
•  Issues items directly to the RTV review area, while processing a return from a customer (RMA)
• Add non-stocked items on the fly during the review process
• Create GRN which can be matched against supplier’s credit note
• Create Purchase Order for expected replacement items

The Benefits of Return to Vendor:

• Provide complete visibility of returned inventory
• Track returned items that are outstanding
• Allow for credit notes and replacement items from vendor
• Tracks costs of items not replaced by vendor
• Retain unlimited history of RTV transactions

Integration with SYSPRO:

• Integrates with Accounts Payable, General Ledger, Inventory, Purchase Orders and Return Merchandise
• E-mail reports with Office Automation
• RTV for SYSPRO requires the Accounts Payable, Inventory Control, and Purchase Orders modules, as well as the GRN suspense system

The ease-of-use of RTV has more than met the challenges of stock control.  If you are looking for a RTV solution, or need more information, please email me.

In today’s ever-changing marketplace and economy, food and beverage manufacturers need to streamline their systems.  The challenges of quality, perishability, safety issues, the demand for faster inventory  and deliveries mean that time-to-market is all-important.

SYSPRO enterprise resource planning (ERP) software enables manufacturers to achieve the agility needed in the dynamic food marketplace while also enhancing their competitive profiles by boosting their operational efficiencies.

With an impressive breadth of functionality, SYSPRO ERP software synchronizes, integrates and controls all aspects of the manufacturing process, all within one software system.  SYSPRO ERP is unique in its ability to manage the food or beverage life cycle from initial ingredients, through manufacture to finished goods, shipment and final store delivery.  Whatever the recipe, pricing or packaging options, SYSPRO ERP offers improved procurement efficiency, transaction speeds and responsiveness to customer demand.

In addition to providing enhanced visibility of key information, faster time to market and greater opportunities for profitable growth, SYSPRO ERP’s versatility makes it easier for you to:

• Control product design changes
• Ensure quality of raw materials and monitoring during the production process
• Manage complex production recipes
• Manage different units of measure for different levels in product bills of material
• Manage product and raw material traceability
• Manage product recalls
• Reduce costs and eliminate waste while remaining flexible and responsive
• Achieve finite planning that encompasses real-time control of the factory floor

Dataccount applies more than 15 years’ software expertise to provide implementation, support and consulting services to increase the return on investment that food manufacturers receive from their SYSPRO ERP software solutions.  Contact us today at 212-595-1044 to discuss how Dataccount and SYSPRO ERP software can level the manufacturing playing field in the short-term so your company can emerge as tier one suppliers in the long-term.

If you are a food manufacturer or distributor and would like more information on the SYSPRO solution, or would like to talk about more fully automating your business, please email me.

Most ERP systems come with standard reports which have been developed over the years from previous customer requirements.  While these standard reports may provide some level of useful information, since it wasn’t specifically designed to meet your requirements you won’t be able to access the wealth of relevant critical-decision making information your ERP system holds.

More than just customized reporting, SYSPRO Report Writer enables you to produce simple ad hoc reports in a format that the user requires. The easy menu-driven design provides instant access to all system data with no programming skills required.

The Report Writer system allows you to send reports to the printer, a screen preview or an ASCII file. Data can be read and written back to the database to facilitate mass updates. Data from third party sources can be used in reports. Data can also be exported to third party software such as spreadsheets, word processors, databases, etc.

The Benefits of Report Writer:

• Quickly and easily produce custom reports
• Intuitive interface enables design by non-programmers
• Built-in data dictionary
• Easy integration to third-party sources
• Export data in multiple formats for third party use
• Daisy-chain reports for management packs
• Multi-level security for sensitive reports and data
• Secured update function
• Zero programming skills required

Report Writer Features:

• Click-and-go reporting via the report wizard
• Custom report formatting to suit your company standards
• Bitmap backgrounds provide watermarks and company logos
• Report in default sequence or define up to 10 levels of custom sorting
• Flexible selection criteria based on run-time prompts
• Run-time selection of Summary or Detail reporting
• XML Output:
  • XML Output wizard guides you through publishing options
  • Customizable stylesheets for company themes or plain XML
  • Sophisticated layout control
  • Summary reports can drill down to detail
  • Automatic publishing to intranet and internet available

Security:

• Define Password and Operator/Group level security per report
• Protect report creation and execution
• Password protect specific tables
• Globally restrict access to Tables and Columns
• Standard linkages for easy reporting across multiple tables
• Export report definitions between locations
• Provide instruction with report narrations

Processing:

• Top X reporting allows reports such as top 20 selling items
• Grand totals and up to 5 levels of subtotals per report
• Up to 100 user-defined variables per report
• Run-time prompts and check boxes provide great flexibility
• Sophisticated conditional printing and positioning
• Simple to use click and edit interface with preview
• Arithmetic calculations including power and square roots
• Powerful include and exclude logic with multiple level and/or logic

Integration with SYSPRO:

• Integrates with all SYSPRO modules
• Reports across SYSPRO companies
• Non-SYSPRO data can be included in the overall framework for a complete view of your business

Because of its wealth of features and, most of all, its ability to be customized, I recommend SYSPRO’s Report Writer to my clients.

If you are looking for a report writer, or would like more information, please email me.

With over 123 million medical device units recalled in the second quarter of 2012 this eight-quarter high reaffirms the need for extensive traceability functionalities inherent in SYSPRO enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. These capabilities, as well as other functionalities, facilitate the ability of manufacturers to trace products from origin, through the manufacturing process, to their ultimate destination, fully maintaining assurance certification and tracking expiration dates.

SYSPRO lot traceability and serial tracking functionality afford extensive visibility up or down the supply chain, as well as providing specific components to parent tracking, thereby providing the means to expedite recalls, should the need arise. SYSPRO optionally allows specific traceable components to be reserved for specific work-orders, as well as providing the flexibility of specifying the parent traceable numbers at the beginning, during or the end of the manufacturing process.

The Associated Press article reporting the record number of recalls contains the following statement by Mike Rozembajgier, vice president of recalls at Stericycle ExpertRECALL, “The growing importance of this product category means that companies need to have a comprehensive recall plan in place that can be deployed within the blink of an eye and can effectively protect their customers.”

SYSPRO Lot Traceability enables you to maximize quality control through the tracking and replacement of any defective materials. It caters for the tracking of materials through their receipt, manufacture, assembly, inspection, stocking and final distribution, while maintaining quality assurance certification and tracking expiration dates. It also facilitates efficient and effective product recalls.

According to SYSPRO USA President Joey Benadretti, “The implementation of cost-effective SYSPRO software helps medical device manufacturers streamline their supply chains and also to employ extensive ‘backwards and forwards’ component and product traceability for speedy recalls.”

The Lot Traceability system is designed to provide full traceability at the transactional level for items that could cause loss of life or limb if quality standards are not adhered to.

Companies in highly-regulated industries for safety or health compliance (e.g. electronics, aeronautics, defense, food, pharmaceutical, medical devices and motor vehicles) would typically benefit from the Lot Traceability system. Integration with SYSPRO’s other modules permits full upward and downward traceability through all inventory transactions.

If your business is interested in Lot Traceability, or if you would like more information on the SYSPRO solution, please email me.

Just back yesterday from the annual SYSPRO conference, this year called Success in Motion. And was it ever! We had a terrific keynote address from Brian Sommer, one of the most recognized ERP software analysts in the world, and a renowned expert on technology ROI. Brian underscored something we have long-believed here at Dataccount, which is is that the best tech decisions are predicated on business strategy. Sommer and Dataccount are also aligned in the belief that companies that treat their customers well work best with other companies that treat their customers well.

SYSPRO also presented a series of tips for making implementation of their software more streamlined, and a long presentation on the improvements, enhancements and expansions to make their ERP software even better.

SYSPRO has also invested heavily on its infrastructure: broadening the bandwidth and reach of its Implementation Team, expanding its Channel Solutions Engineers and creating customized plan for each partner to maximize the value we deliver to our clients.

SYSPRO USA President Joey Benadretti said, “Success in Motion is the proactive approach to constant changing market conditions.” SYSPRO understands that the ERP environment is constantly changing – and their commitment to evolution and driving value make SYSPRO the right solution to run your business.

As a manufacturer, you know that constant innovation is the key factor to remaining competitive, and ongoing research, utilization of technology and laser cutting solutions, and development to design new and better products is integral to the industry. Your ability to design new products and modify existing designs, as well as improve time-to market, is critical to remaining competitive and profitable. Efficient management of the processes involved is essential to the success of new product launches and nowadays social media is the biggest promotion method, you can buy tiktok likes, views and more to boost your platform and make your new product or business known.

SYSPRO’s Engineering Change Control (ECC) enables you to apply strict control over your product design activities by providing an integrated rules-based electronic workflow system with full version control, security and auditable history. ECC gives you the tools to record and track new and modified product design and process changes, assess the impact of these changes on costs and associated data, and control the change routing and approval processes.

The Families and Groupings and Forecasting modules enable the entry of manual forecasts, as well as the automatic generation of forecasts via a variety of forecast algorithms – or via proxies: forecasts for new products based on a percentage of the sales history of a similar superseded product. Combinations of forecasts and other sources of demand, such as sales orders, can be configured as the demand drivers for new products in Requirements Planning.

The Contact Management system facilitates the marketing of new products to your customer base, while the Trade Promotion features help to streamline the processing and management of the trade promotions that are routinely offered on new products.

SYSPRO provides tools to streamline and track the introduction of new product designs and amendments to existing designs, along with relevant costings. A built-in workflow engine – SYSPRO Workflow Services (SWS) – enables you to streamline and manage the integration and execution of the entire design-to-market process, including the relevant activities that fall outside the SYSPRO system.

If you would like a white paper on how SYSPRO can help you introduce new products in your pipeline, please email me.

An unexpected path led Russell Frost to becoming known as Mr. ERP. While attending Columbia University as an English major, Frost was invited to be part of the university’s first ever ERP implementation. Learn more about Mr. ERP’s origin.

“Quantum Architecture,” as SYSPRO calls it, addresses every aspect of enterprise technology and architecture – everything from mobile to the cloud is fully covered, ensuring a 360-degree approach to managing all the critical business components. SYSPRO Quantum Architecture aligns Strategy with Business Activities, the SYSPRO ERP System and People (Internal and External) in a perfectly choreographed dance, which delivers improved efficiency, stimulated profitability and the effective management of Material, Costs and Cash. and Tracking. The SAINT concept addresses inventory in a holistic end-to-end manner across the procure-to-pay-process delivering SYSPRO customers with a definitive competitive advantage.

Read more…

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was a necessary piece of legislation to protect investors and increase investor confidence in American companies. It was established in the wake of corporate scandals such as Enron and WorldCom. The Act tries to instill in companies the concept of good corporate governance. Sarbanes-Oxley affects all American listed companies, their divisions, and wholly owned subsidiaries as well as non-US public multi-national companies doing business in the US.

And what, you may wonder, does Sarbanes-Oxley have to do with ERP?

While ERP software cannot be classed as Sarbanes-Oxley compliant per se, it can assist a company in its endeavors to become and remain compliant. The main areas where ERP software packages can be of use to companies in becoming Sarbanes-Oxley compliant are by assisting with Segregation of Duties, ensuring Integrity of Operations and Auditability.

In short, there are five common IT control weaknesses, re: Sarbanes-Oxley. They are:

• Improper account provisioning with segregation of duties
• Insufficient controls for change management
• A general lack of understanding around key system configurations
• Audit logs not being reviewed (or that review itself not being logged)
• Abnormal transactions not identified in a timely manner

SYSPRO has an excellent white paper detailing how it can help alleviate these five weaknesses. If you are having challenges remaining Sarbanes-Oxley compliant, email me for a copy of this document. Or, feel free to call me at 212.595.1044, ext. 106 and we can discuss your Sarbanes-Oxley challenges.