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MI0038 -Enterprises Resource Planning -ERP

Assignment Set 2
Q1.What is web ERP? What are its benefits? List out the different modules under ERP Inventory management. Ans:Web ERP Web ERP has become a necessity for businessmen to be aware of their stock and inventory from anywhere, at anytime. Web ERP is an absolute web-based ERP system that requires only a web browser and PDF reader. It has now become an open source application and is offered as a free download. Web ERP systems are gaining popularity than ever. It allows businessmen to update their systems in large organisations without the need of installing updates at any remote locations, almost immediately. It provides real time information about finance, inventory, employee management, etc by providing advanced levels of service to consumers and suppliers Benefits of Web ERP Web ERP Inventory system has many benefits. Some of them include: It processes data on the server side. Therefore, no installation is required on the client machines. It provides Multilanguage support; users can view the interface in their preferred language. It provides Multi-theme support; users can view the interface in their preferred graphical theme. It runs on any web server and suitable for both high speed and low speed internet connections. It can be installed on any device that has internet access. Web ERP is developed using PHP as a web development language. These scripts are developed with stability and ease so that the application becomes readable with a minimum knowledge of scripting in PHP and the structure of ERP. The logic is made as clear and simple as possible in order to remove any generalisation from the code, and to make it readable for all kinds of employees. It can also be configured easily on any operating system and the processing constraints required are also economical. Web ERP has many features that make it suitable for maintaining organisations of different sizes. It provides an easy structure of processing by supporting features such as multiple inventory locations and multiple currencies. .Web ERP maintains all records that provide

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information like, amount of inventory stock available, amount of inventory ordered, amount of inventory sold, and amount of inventory that is defective. Sub Modules of ERP Inventory Management ERP Inventory management module takes care of transactional workflow in an organisation in sequential order. ERP Inventory module is subdivided into different modules such as: Inventory requisition: The function of inventory requisition is to take the inventory constraints from various departments of an organisation. This is achieved when various departments fill the inventory requisition form. On filling the form, the head of the department fills up the quantity/quality of the inventory required, considering the minimum inventory required, maximum inventory required, and the current inventory available. Inventory order assessment: Once the form is filled, inputs are taken from the form and processed. The inventory wanted by the various departments is compared with the minimum inventory required. Once the comparison is done, the final requirement for various departments is fixed and a list of suppliers for the inventory is then formulated. Inventory placing: Once the supplier is chosen, an order is placed by filling the order form. The order form has the following information: ? Order date ? Quality wanted ? Transportation mode ? Mode of payment ? Supplier ID ? Department ID ? Price per item On filling up this information, an order is placed to the supplier. Supplier Performa: In this sub module, the supplier provides quotation for further transactions, by filling up the proposal form in which the supplier needs to fill-up the following information such as: ? Quantity and quality of goods they can provide ? Time required to supply the order ? Price they charge for each item ? Modes of payment. With this information provided by the supplier, further transactions can be carried on.

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Order received: In this sub module, a comparison between order placed and order received is recorded i.e. a comparison is done between Date of placing order with Date of receiving order, and Quality with Quantity of order placed. Once the comparison is done, the amount to be paid to the supplier and the mode of payment is decided. Quality checks: It is necessary to check if the deliverables have met the expected outcome. Therefore, quality check becomes an important phase where Research and Development(R &D) department performs a check and the department head acknowledges it by filling up a quality assessment form. Inventory bills and challans: In order to ensure safe payment, bills and challans are chosen to represent the amount paid, payment mode along with the ID of supplier and Receipt ID. Minimum inventory assessment: Minimum inventory assessment aims at assessing minimum inventory inputs or requirements from various departments of an organisation. The assessment is done by preparing a Performa which is circulated to various departments and they are expected to fill up their minimum inventory requirements. This assessment is done, considering various factors such as costumers order received, inventory in hand and scrap. Minimum inventory requirement: Minimum inventory requirement is the amount of inventory less than which employees cannot work i.e. it is that minimum amount of inventory required to perform any task. Maximum inventory assessment: In this sub module an assessment is done for maximum amount of requirements. This information is gathered from various departments to guarantee that no wastage happens. The assessment is done by considering factors such as customers order received, inventory in hand, etc. Maximum inventory requirement: It is the amount of inventory which is sufficient to perform any task. ERP Inventory Software Module Managing inventory is essential for an organisation to regulate the planned production and avoid problems such as running short of inventory or stock. The primary objective of managing inventories is to maintain a balance between the need for product required and product available. ERP Inventory software module maintains reports of warehouse supplies and keeps track of the transactions that happen to/from the warehouse. It maintains the warehouse taking into account various constraints such as: Material request management: An request for materials is made from various departments Material Issue: Materials are issued as asked for Material Receipt: A receipt is issued from the seller Inter warehouse/Location transfers: The materials are moved from the warehouse or within the warehouse

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Stock Valuation: Stock is verified mechanically Q2.Briefly explain the functionalities of CRM sub modules. List out the benefits of CRM Systems. Sub Modules in CRM We already know that CRM is the process of managing relationships with customers by capturing, analyzing, and storing customer information. The functionality of a CRM system can be studied under three sub modules. They are Marketing, Service and Sales. All these modules are Operational, Collaborative and Analytical. 1.Marketing module The functionalities of marketing module of CRM comprises short term execution of marketing related activities and long term planning within a company. It also helps in activities like campaign management, lead management, and planning. Marketing module enables your company to run marketing campaigns using different communication channels. This targets potential buyers using a product or a group of products as a message. It generates sales related opportunities which then can be converted into sales. 2.Service Module The service module of CRM focuses on managing planned and unplanned customer service. This module helps in activities such as Service Order Management, Service Contract Management, Planned Services management, Warranty Management, Installed Base (Equipment) Management, Service-Level Agreement Management, Resource Planning and Scheduling and Knowledge Management 3.Sales Module The sales module of CRM focuses on managing and executing the pre-sales process of the company by making it more organised. The sales teams in most companies are responsible for capturing opportunities and customer interaction. The CRM helps the sales team in processing this data and following-up it in the future. The CRM also helps in organising all relevant data received and captured for a deal, into one place. Some of the captured data can include expected budget, total spending, prospective customers, key players, products interested in, important dates and expected closing dates of a deal. Each of these modules can be stand alone applications depending on organisational need. It is important that the right software is selected and implemented correctly. Then only any CRM can be effective. Benefits of CRM An excellent CRM is the heart of every business success. With CRM, you can easily understand customer requirements, meet those needs effectively, predict market trends and enhance your business bottom line. A properly implemented CRM system can bring significant benefits to your organisations. System means, the complete consortium of 3 P's, People (employees, culture), Procedures (way of doing business), and Programs (supporting applications and not just an application running on a computer).

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The advantages that a CRM can bring are: Shared or distributed data: Customer relationships are happening at many levels and not just through customer service or a web presence. They start to understand the need for sharing all available data throughout the organisation. A CRM system is an enabler for making decisions and follow-up at levels. Better customer service: All data concerning interactions with customers is centralised. The customer service department can greatly benefit from this because they have all the information they need. And through the use of push-technology, customer service representatives can lead the customer towards the information they need. The customer experience is greatly enhanced. Increased customer satisfaction: The customer feels that he is more "part of the team" instead of just a subject for sales and marketing. Customer service is better and the needs of the customer are anticipated and addressed. Many companies believe that more satisfied customers means a good predictor for repeat business. Better customer retention: If a CRM system can help to fascinate customers, it increases customer loyalty. Customers keep coming back to buy again and again. Hence, higher customer retention is assured More business: If you are delivering the ultimate customer experience, this seeds the wordof-mouth buzz, which brings in more new business. More profit: More business at lower cost equals more profit. Customer relationship management tools have also been of great help to companies in attaining their business objectives. The CRM systems help in collecting data that help in enhanced customer satisfaction. The types of data CRM systems can collect are: Responses to campaigns Shipping and fulfilment dates Sales and purchase data Account information Web registration data Service and support records Demographic data Web sales data Business Benefits of CRM

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Implementing a CRM solution might involve considerable time and expense. However, there are many potential benefits. A major benefit can be the development of better relations with your existing customers. This can result in: Increased sales through better timing by anticipating needs based on historic trends Identifying needs more effectively by understanding specific customer requirements Cross-selling of other products by highlighting and suggesting alternatives or enhancements Identifying profitable customer companies This in turn can lead to better marketing of your products or services by focusing on: Effective targeted marketing communications aimed specifically at customer needs A more personal approach and the development of new or improved products and services in order to win more business in the future Ultimately this could lead to: Enhanced customer satisfaction and retention, ensuring that your good reputation in the marketplace continues to grow Increased value from your existing customers and reduced costs associated with supporting and servicing them. This increases your overall efficiency and reduces total cost of sales Improved profitability by focusing on the most profitable customers and Dealing with the unprofitable in more cost effective ways Once your business starts to look after its existing customers effectively, efforts can be concentrated on finding new customers and expanding your market. The more you know about your customers, the easier it is to identify new prospects and expand your customer base. Customer needs change over time, and technology can make it easier to find out more about customers and ensure that everyone in an organisation can exploit this information. Q3.Illustrate the role of ERP systems in Human Resources. List out the benefits of Human Resource management systems. Ans:Role of ERP in Human Resources Human Resource maintains huge volumes of information of employees and becomes complicated and difficult for management. Therefore, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) that maintains a centralised database is a powerful tool that can be deployed to maintain an efficient processing.

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ERP[3] maintains a database which includes employee details such as contact information, salary details, attendance, promotion details, and performance details of all employees. Deploying ERP in Human Resources department reduces processing time and cost issues. ERP system also helps in decision making and controlling reports. Communication within the departments of an organisation is very necessary. ERP systems also maintain policies and standards, suggestion box, opinion surveys, business calendar, recruitment letters, news, forum and other related features of the organisation. Advantages of Deploying ERP in Human Resources The various advantages that the Human Resources derive from deploying ERP system are listed below: Automates the processes which requires minimum customisation Allows the user to access computing support for different departments of an organisation Provides security of information as database is made centralised Facilitates users to authorise accommodating processes between various departments of an organisation and external agents Allows instant updates of information in the database Provides access to every employee to browse information such as personnel development, and personal costs. Benefits of HRM System The HRM system has many benefits[2]. This system has many portals that help the HR department to work faster and efficiently. Some of them include: HR employee portal: This portal maintains information such as attendance, leave records and other employee related activities. Employee self service portal: This portal helps employees to avail or claim for travel expenses and other benefits of an organisation. Security portal: This portal maintains security of an organisation by keeping track of the visitors visiting the organisation. Candidate portal: This portal maintains information of candidates applying for jobs advertised by the HR department. Q4.Describe how you would go about the different phases implementation lifecycle, if it were being done in your company. ANS:Steps in ERP Implementation of the ERP

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PeopleSoft country head Mr Thiru Vengadam says[1] Phased implementation is the right way as the risks are controllable. It is a good management practice to build a roadmap for the overall project, but break them into logical phases. Take one logical phase at a time, give it the right focus and ensure the success of that phase before taking up on the next. It is also critical to have a high level of design of the overall system is done upfront, such that even when the project is driven in phases, there is a frame of reference ensuring an integrated system at the end of the overall project,. The different phases of the ERP implementation are given below: Pre-evaluation Screening Package Evaluation Project Planning Phase Gap Analysis Reengineering Configuration Implementation Team Training Testing Going Live End-user Training Post-implementation As shown in Figure these phases seem very linear and distinct from each other. But in reality, throughout an actual implementation process, the phases are in fact quite flexible. In many cases, companies go through many implementations in different modules, business units, or manufacturing locations. So at any given time, more than one of the phases may be operational. Some companies choose for the one and only 'Big Bang' i.e. implement in one stretch and change the entire system, while other companies favour sequential rollouts i.e. implement in phased approach module after module. This is because each company has different needs of its own. But whether it is the 'Big Bang' method or sequential rollout, the lifecycle phases are the same

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ERP Implementation Life Cycle Different Phases A phased approach focuses on a key or critical area, stabilisation of the system usage and quicker visible benefits in an organisation. Of course, the investment outflow for implementation is also phased. The Big Bang implementation approach on the other hand demands for realignment of processes. It also requires greater commitment from the developers and the management in terms of resources and time. However, the benefit will be a full solution encompassing all processes, which is anyway the benefit of a fully integrated ERP system affecting all areas and processes. Pre-Evaluation Screening Once the company has decided to go in for the ERP system; the search for the perfect package starts. But there are hundreds of ERP vendors of all shapes and sizes, all claiming to have the solution that is ideal. Analysing all the packages before reaching a decision is not a viable solution. It is also a very time consuming process. So it is a better practise to limit the number of packages that are evaluated to less than five. It is always better to do a thorough and detailed evaluation of a small number of packages, than doing a superficial analysis of dozens of packages. Hence, the company must do a preevaluation screening to limit the number of packages that are to be evaluated by the committee. Not all packages can deliver 100% what the company requires or demands. Each one of them has its own strengths and weaknesses. The pre-evaluation process must eliminate those packages that are not at all suitable for the company's business processes.

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One can zero in on the few best packages, by looking at the product literature of the vendors, getting help from external consultants. The most important action to be performed is to find out what package is used by companies which are similar to your organisation. It is always better to find out how the different packages are performing in environments similar to yours. You can conduct a study on the history of the ERP packages and try to find out how each package evolved. It soon becomes evident that every package of ERP grew out of the experience or opportunity a group of people saw. This group of people who where working in a specific business, created systems that could deal with certain business segments. Generally it is accepted worldwide that most ERP packages are stronger in certain areas than in others, and each one is intensely trying hard to add functionality in areas where they have been lacking. For example, PeopleSoft is strong in HR and less in manufacturing. Baan, on the other hand, is historically stronger in manufacturing than in finance and so on. As the companies grew over time the ERP packages evolved. The experience gained from previous implementation, the feedback by the users, the need to enter into new markets and the pressure from competitors has forced most ERP vendors to redefine their strategies. They are also trying hard on expanding the scope of the activities and functionality of their products. To achieve this, design concepts of the software is expanded. Along with this new functions are introduced, and good ideas were copied from others to meet the new challenges in todays market environment. But still, each package has a history (or origin) that determines in which type of business it is best suited for. While making the analysis it would be a good idea to investigate the origins of the different packages. Now, most packages cater to almost all business and service sectors. It would be incorrect to say that a system that was developed initially for manufacturing is now not capable of catering to the needs of another business sector, for example, software development. The system would have been thoroughly revamped and redesigned to cater to the needs of the diverse business sectors that it is catering to. But it must be kept in mind that many ERP packages are still very good in some areas, even though they are capable of catering to the needs of other sectors. After the screening process you select a few packages and then you can start the detailed evaluation process. Package Evaluation The evaluation/selection process is one of the most important phases of the ERP implementation. Since, the package that you select will decide the success or failure of the project. ERP systems involve huge investments, once a package is purchased, it is not an easy task to switch to another one. So it is a 'do it right the first time' proposition. There is little room or no room for error. The most important factor that must be kept in mind when analysing the different packages is that none of them are perfect. The idea that there is no package that is available in the market that is perfect. This has to be realised by everyone in the decision-making team. The selection process objective is not to identify a package that covers each and every requirement (a perfect fit). The objective of the evaluation process is to find a package that is flexible enough to meet the company's needs, or in other words, software that could be customised to obtain a 'good fit'.

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Once the packages to be examined are identified, the company needs to develop a selection criterion. This criterion has to permit the evaluation of all the available packages on the same scale. To choose the best system, the company must identify the system that meets the business needs, that matches the business profile and that which identifies with the business practices of the company. It is impossible to get a system that will perform, exactly similar to the business the company does. However, the aim must be to get the system that has the least number of differences. According to S Shankarnarayana[2], Senior Consultant with Baan Infosystems India Pvt Ltd, some important points to be kept in mind while evaluating ERP software are, Functional fit with the company's business processes. Amount of integration between the various components of the ERP system. Flexibility and scalability. Complexity. User friendliness. Quick implementation. Ability to support multi-site planning and control. Technologydatabase independence, security, and client/server capabilities. Availability of regular upgrades. Amount of customisation required. Local support infrastructure. Availability of reference sites. Total costs, including cost of license, training, implementation, main tenancy, customisation and hardware requirements. It is always better to form a selection or evaluation committee that will do the evaluation process. This committee must comprise of people from the various departments (the functional experts), the top management (preferably the CIO or COO) and consultants (package experts). The selection committee must be entrusted with the task of choosing a package for the company. Since all business functions are represented, and the management is involved, the package that is selected will have company-wide acceptance. The package experts or the consultants can act as mediators, or play the role of explaining the pros and cons of each package. Project Planning Phase

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This is the phase that designs the process of ERP implementation. In this phase the particulars of how to go about the implementation process are decided. The time schedules, deadlines, and so on for the project are formulated. The project plan is developed. Roles are identified and responsibilities are assigned. The organisational resources that will be used for the implementation effort are decided. At the same time the people who are supposed to head the implementation are also identified. The implementation team members are selected and task allocation is done. This phase will decide when to begin the project, how to do it and when the project is supposed to be completed. This is the phase which will plan the what to do' in case of contingencies. It includes how to monitor the progress of the implementation, what control measures must be installed and what corrective actions must be taken when things get out of control. The project planning is usually done by a committee constituted by the team leaders of each implementation group. The committee will be headed by the ERP in-charge (For example, the CIO or COO). The committee will meet periodically (during the entire implementation lifecycle) to review the progress and chart the future course of actions. Gap Analysis This is the most crucial phase for the success of the ERP implementation. This is the process through which organisations create a complete model of where they are now, and in which direction they want to head in the future. The trick is to design a model which both anticipates and covers any functional gaps. It has been estimated that even the best ERP package, custom tailored to a company's needs, meets only 80% of the company's functional requirements. The remaining 20% of these requirements present a problematic issue for the company's BPR (business process re-engineering). One of the most affordable, albeit painful, solutions entails altering the business to fit the ERP package. Of course, a company can simply agree to live without a particular function (the cheap but annoying solution). Other solutions include: Pinning your hopes on an upgrade (low cost but risky). Identifying a third-party product that might fill the gap (hopefully it also partners with the ERP packages, keeping interfacing to a minimum). Designing a custom program. Altering the ERP source code, (the most expensive alternative; usually reserved for missioncritical installations). Reengineering It is in this phase that the human factors are taken into account. In ERP implementation settings, reengineering has two different connotations. The first connotation is the controversial one, involving the use of ERP to aid in downsizing efforts. There have been occasions where high-level executives have invoked the

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reengineering slogan, and purchased an ERP package with the aim of reducing significant numbers of employees. Every implementation is going to involve some change in job responsibilities. As processes become more automated and efficient, it is best to treat ERP as an investment as well as a cost-cutting measure. Rather than considering it as a downsizing tool for an organisation. 'Downsizing' is a business practice that may have its place, but it must not be cloaked within the glossier slogan of 'reengineering', or justified by the purchase of an ERP package. ERP must stimulate business change, but must not endanger the jobs of thousands of employees. The second use of the word reengineering in the ERP field [or business process reengineering (BPR) as it is usually called], refers to an ERP implementation model. Initially it was designed and used with much success by the 'Big Six' consulting firms. The BPR approach to an ERP implementation implies that they are really two separate processes. However, they closely linked implementations carried out on an ERP site, for example, a technical implementation and a business process implementation. The BPR approach emphasises the human element of necessary change within organisations. This approach is generally more time consuming, and has received its share of criticism for creating bloated budgets and extended projects. But adherents of the BPR approach to ERP would argue that there is no way that you can ignore the human element in an implementation that involves significant changes in responsibilities. As the ERP market shifts to a mid-market focus, and as all implementations are becoming more cost-sensitive, the BPR approach has come under some real scrutiny. Configuration This is the main functional area of the ERP implementation. There is a bit of mystique around the configuration process. For good reason, the unwritten rule of ERP implementation is synchronising existing company practices with the ERP package. Instead of, changing the source code and customising it to suit the companys demand. In order to do so, you have to analyse and map the business processes. This has to be done in such a way that the arrived solutions must match up with the overall goals of the company. But, companies can't just shut down their operations while the mapping processes takes place. Hence the prototype, for example a simulation of the actual business processes of the company must be used. The prototype allows for thorough testing of the "to be" model in a controlled environment. As the consultants of ERP configure and test the prototype, they attempt to solve any logistical problems inherent in the BPR before the actual go-live implementation. Configuring a company's system reveals not only the strengths of a company's business process and most importantly its weaknesses. It is vital to the health of the company and to the success of the ERP implementation that those configuring the system are able to explain what will not fit into the package. They must also explain where the gaps in functionality occur and possible solution. For example, a company might have an accounting practice that cannot be configured into the system or some shipping process that won't conform to the package. The company obviously needs to know which processes have to change in the process of implementation. Finding out what will work and what won't, requires knowledge of the business process

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itself, and an ability to work with people throughout the company. So, people with such skills must be assigned to these tasks. As a rule, in most large implementations, the functional configurations are split between the different areas within the company, so some will attend to HR; some will be involved in financials and so forth. ERP vendors are constantly striving to lower configuration costs. Strategies currently being pursued include automation and pre-configuration. Baan for instance, has developed Orgware, an automated configuration tool, while SAP has pre-configured industry-specific templates that can be tweaked for each individual company (Accelerated SAP Solutions). The current ERP industry push towards developing the mid-range market in turn creates an added incentive to reduce costs. This encourages the much sought-after mid-range companies to feel they can afford to implement a top-of the line ERP package. By creating a custom pre-configured ERP module for a particular industry, for example, a shoe softwaremanufacturing prototype created for a shoe manufacturer, the need for hands-on custom configuration is reduced, thereby keeping the costs down. It is hoped that a kind of "question and answer" format can be used to find out the kinds of business process information. It can be addressed through the hands-on configuration process. In theory, these pre-configured tools must save time and money, but every business is unique and at least some configuration is unique to each project. Implementation Team Training Around the same time that the configuration is taking place, the implementation team is being trained, not so much how to use the system, but how to implement it. This is the phase where the company trains its workforce to implement and later, run the system. The ERP vendors and the hired consultants will leave after the implementation is over. But for the company to be self-contained in running the ERP system, it must have a good in-house team that can handle the various situations. Thus, it is very vital that the company recognises the importance of this phase. The company has to selects those employees who have the right attitude people who are willing to change, learn new things, and are not afraid of technology and good functional knowledge. Testing This is the phase where you try to break the system. You have reached a point where you are testing real case scenarios. Once the system is configured, you must come up with extreme-case scenarios for example, system overloads, multiple users logging on at the same time with the same query, users entering invalid data, hackers trying to access restricted areas and so on. The test cases must be designed specifically to detect the weak links in the system and these bugs must be fixed before going live. Going Live On the technical side, the work is almost complete. The process of data conversion is done, databases are up and running. The prototypes functional side is fully configured and tested, and ready to go operational. The system is officially proclaimed operational. Even though the team for implementation must have been testing it and running it successfully for some time. But once the system goes 'live', the old system is removed, and the new system is used for doing business.

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End-User Training This is the phase where the actual users of the system will be given training on how to use the system. This phase starts much before the system goes live. The employees who are going to use the new system are identified. Their current skills are noted and based on the current skill levels, they are divided into groups. Then each group is given training on the new system. This training is very important as the success of the ERP system is in the hands of the end-users. So these training sessions must give the participants an overall view of the system and how individual actions would affect the entire system. In addition to these general topics, each employee is trained on the job or task that he/she is supposed to perform once the system goes live. It is human nature to resist change. Also many people are afraid of computers and other new technologies. So there will be resistance to change. Another factor is that not all people will be successful in making the changeover. The company management must address these concerns and take necessary actions to avoid failure. The end-user training is much more important and much more difficult (since most end-users are not thrilled at having to change) than the implementation team training. Companies are beginning to take this phase seriously, as there is statistical evidence now. This evidence shows that most implementations fail because of a lack of end-user training. Post-Implementation (Maintenance Mode) One important factor that must be realised is that the post-implementation phase is very critical. Once the implementation is over, the vendors and the hired consultants will go. To reap the full benefits of the ERP system, it is very important that the system must get enterprise-wide acceptance. There must be enough employees who are trained to handle the problems that might crop-up. There must be people, within the company, who have the technical prowess to make the necessary enhancements to the system as and when required. The system must be upgraded as and when new versions or new technologies are introduced. Here the organisation must think in terms of the incremental benefits of the new enhancements. Since with any up gradation or enhancements, there will be a lot of other aspects like user training that have to be considered. So instead of going in for up gradation when vendor announces a new version, the organisation must first analyse the costs and benefits of the new version. After finishing the entire phases of the ERP implementation the organisation will need a different set of roles and skills than those with less integrated kinds of systems. It must be made sure that every individual who uses these systems needs to be trained on how they work, how they relate to the business process and how a transaction ripples through the entire company whenever they press a key. The training will never end. It is an ongoing process. New people will always be coming in, and new functionality will always be entering the organisation. We need to know that, the conditions and measures that have to be adopted during the implementation process are unique. The same cannot be applied by the management of the company after the implementation. Different set of guidelines and measures have to be adopted for successful functioning of the system after the implementation. Projects on the ERP system implementation get a lot of resources and attention. However, an organisation

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can only get the maximum value of these inputs if it successfully adopts and effectively uses the system.

Q5.Discuss briefly about JD Edwards and PeopleSofts applications and their various modules. People Soft PeopleSoft Inc. was established in the year 1987 to provide innovative software solutions that meet the changing business demands of enterprises worldwide. It employs more than 7,000 people worldwide. The annual revenue for the year 1998 was $ 1.3 billion. PeopleSoft's objective is to provide innovative software solutions that meet the changing business demands of organisations worldwide. PeopleSoft develops software that supports enterprise wide solutions to handle core business functions. This includes human resources management, accounting and control, project management, treasury 'management, performance measurement, and supply chain management. It provides enterprise solutions which is industry-specific to customers in select markets. Like healthcare, manufacturing, communications, financial services, higher education, public sector, services, retail, transportation, US federal government, and utilities. PeopleSoft Select offered by the company is a complete packaged solution including software, hardware, and services to address the needs of medium sized organisations. Solutions of PeopleSoft run on a variety of leading hardware and database platforms. Like IBM, Sun Microsystems, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Informix, Microsoft SQL Server, Sybase, DB2, and others. PeopleSoft delivers Web-enabled applications, workflow, OnLine Analytical Processing (OLAP), and so on. Business Management Solutions PeopleSoft solutions extend across the globe. The applications help in managing a broad set of business processes, from human resources and finance to supply chain management. One can implement a single application, or a complete enterprise wide solution. The flexible design lets you modify the applications to your specific needs. The PeopleSoft's business management solutions are in the areas given below: 1 Human Resources Management 2 Accounting and Control 3Treasury Management 4 Performance Measurement 5 Project Management 6 Sales and Logistics 7 Materials Management 8 Supply Chain Planning 9 Service Revenue Management 10 Procurement Commercial Solutions Supply Chain Management: PeopleSoft has the industry's only complete enterprise resource planning solution that is built around supply chain optimisation. A Demand Planning module enables sophisticated forecasting, using both real-time and historical information.

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PeopleSoft's complete suite of Supply Chain Management products provides comprehensive support for any organisation that produces or markets a physical product. Service Industry Solutions: PeopleSoft also provides a complete commercial support solution for service industries. The Service Revenue Management suite features modules supporting the tracking of time and labour, payroll processing, project management, billing, and expense and receivables processing. A suite of Procurement modules is also available supporting purchasing, inventory management, payables and expense processing, and asset management Industry Solutions PeopleSoft supports industry-specific market initiatives in many business sectors. The initiatives include industry specific products, customisation of existing applications, and sales and marketing support through direct channels and business alliances. PeopleSoft has 11 distinct business units, which provide software solutions specific to a broad range of public and private sector industries. These Industry partners help in making the solutions widespread and spanning the enterprise from the back office to the front lines. From service and manufacturing to education and government, PeopleSoft solutions are global, enterprise-wide, and modified to unique industry requirements. The different business units are: Communications Federal Government Financial Services Healthcare Higher Education Manufacturing Public Sector Retail Service Industries Transportation Utilities Applications PeopleTools is an integrated set of client/server business application development and customisation tools from PeopleSoft. These tools enable customers to implement, modify, and maintain PeopleSoft applications as well as to extract, analyse and manipulate data. PeopleTools includes several tools for reporting, customisation and workflow. PeopleSoft continually adds and refines technology to optimise their customers information systems. They help customers take advantage of new and emerging technologies, giving them more choices and freedom to develop their own innovative business processes. Some of them are given below: Self-Service Applications: Helps to improve productivity throughout the organisation. PeopleSoft focuses on providing the occasional user with easy access to information and functionality specific to their role. They have developed a set of self-service applications to help companies quickly and costeffectively distribute functionality throughout the enterprise over the Internet, and intranets. Built with a spontaneous interface based on a standard Web browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer. These Java-based, cross-platform applications enable employees, customers, suppliers, and other occasional users to perform self-service

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administrative tasks easily. Self-service applications are linked to PeopleSoft core product lines. Such as PeopleSoft Accounting and Control, Human Resources Management, and Materials Management. Web Client: Self-service applications use the PeopleSoft Web Client. The Web Client is downloadable on demand and runs on a Web browser across multiple platforms. Its affordability, open architecture and simplicity provide an ideal framework for delivering enterprise solutions to a large number of people. Applications don't need to be installed at every desktop; they are accessed easily through a browser. In addition to supporting self-service applications, the PeopleSoft Web Client has a Work list and Query interface. This improves the flow of the company's business processes and improves access to information for occasional users. Furthermore, all data transmitted between the Web Client and the application server is coded for added security. Because the Web Client takes advantage of PeopleTools, selfservice applications can be deployed across the Internet or existing corporate intranets with common business rules workflow logic and security features. Multi-layer Transaction Processing: The ability to support large numbers of parallel users, while maintaining reliable, and superior performance, is critical to enterprise-wide data processing. PeopleSoft works in a variety of settings over Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Network (WANs), throughout organisations. In the latter, the application logic runs on an application server instead of the client. The application server is designed to relieve the client from processing intense SQL transactions, thereby reducing LAN traffic and improving performance across WANs. Three layered architecture also provides increased scalability to accommodate high volumes of parallel users while maintaining a consistent and reliable performance level. PeopleSoft continues to support its traditional two layered architecture as well. OnLine Analytical Processing (OLAP): Companies must be able to quickly extract and analyse the information they require for effective decision-making. OLAP, or online analytical processing, is a powerful method for interactively analysing data online. PeopleSoft integratespopular OLAP tools including Cognos PowerPlay and Arbor Essbase that enable users to easily share multidimensional data stored in various locations. With the Cube Manager application, users can define the data they want to extract into an OLAP cube. It enables them to quickly view information from all different angles to test conclusions, conduct what-if scenarios and compare alternative strategies. With multidimensional information presented in quick-read formats, managers can make better decisions, react faster to competitive threats and identify inefficiencies. Workflow: An essential part of the solution, PeopleSoft workflow capabilities help communications companies achieve enterprise-wide integration of information, applications, and people. Workflow enables a company to automate many time-consuming clerical tasks, while putting useful data into the hands of users. With workflow, the company's PeopleSoft applications do more of the work. For example, if managerial approval is needed for a work order, the system automatically forwards the request. Workflow can also help the company track projects, by initiating a workflow message to the appropriate person when a project exceeds a predetermined cost. The company can even bring non-PeopleSoft users into the workflow process, using e-mail systems and the Internet for collecting, and distributing data.

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JD Edwards World Solutions Company 1977 Denver, Colorado, three men left the accounting world to form a software company that would specialise in midrange computing solutions. Each of the three founders Jack Thompson, Dan Gregory and Ed McVaney lent a small portion of his name for the company name. On March 17, JD Edwards was formed. In the early years, JD Edwards designed software for several small and medium-sized computers. They eventually started focusing on the IBM System/38 in the early 1980s. It was in this effort that JD Edwards pioneered the Computer-Aided Systems Engineering (CASE) software development and design tool. This lend for consistency across the broad range of JD Edwards' integrated applications. As JD Edwards' business continued to grow, it became obvious that servicing a large number of customers was creating challenges. The company could either remain small or serve customers on an individual basis or, with a breakthrough in technology; it could become an industry leader in enterprise software. When McVaney and Thompson began to design and implement Worldsoftware, they provided the pathway to success. By the mid1980s, JD Edwards was being recognised as an industry-leading supplier of applications software for the highly successful IBM AS/400 computer, a direct successor of the System/38. With the June 1996 introduction of OneWorld, the company once again achieved a technological breakthrough. Building on the CASE technology pioneered in the 1980s, OneWorld combines a full range of platform independent applications with an integrated toolset. OneWorld gives organisations the power to configure their systems and applications as their needs change. Today, JD Edwards is a publicly traded company that has more than 4,700 customers with sites in over 100 countries and more than 4,200 employees. The company attributes much of its success to a corporate culture thatemphasises quality at all levels. JD Edwards' commitment to its product quality, its corporate culture and a customer centric approach enable the company to deliver and support leading enterprise software solutions that solve business problems. Product and Technology JD Edwards offers its solutions primarily for the AS/400 platform. JD Edwards's has two application suites, OneWorld and WorldSoftware. WorldVision, provide comprehensive supply chain management functionality across the wide range of technology. Both can run parallel on the same the AS/400 platform, share data and interact with each other as a unified solution. OneWorld JD Edwards OneWorld is flexible enough to support an extended solution by integrating with existing, best-of-breed and other company products. This can be achieved without sacrificing the security, integrity, or consistency of the existing systems or data. OneWorld's own Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) , as well as such industry standards as CORBA, ODBC and other packaged integration solutions ensure that you won't be locked into limited functionality, and any of the future opportunities. OneWorld embraces change with its modular architectural foundation. The information processing is segmented into five functional elements. They are database, data warehouse,

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business objects, reporting, and GUI. The users can link these elements in a variety of configurations from one level, with every element running on a stand-alone PC, to five levels or more. One can also distribute the elements geographically, departmentally, or administratively. You also can configure and reconfigure in the field, as requirements change. There are provisions to add new servers, even Web servers, without having to rewrite applications for the new machine. OneWorld has the tools and technologies that will quickly bring archived data to light. And you can extend and supplement those technologies with solutions offered by leading industry data warehousing and decision support specialists. The customer has the option to choose the data warehousingsolution that he wants. OneWorld provides alternatives, so that you can choose the most appropriate solution based upon your own requirements. With OneWorld, you can distribute your enterprise applications to employees, business partners, and customers using web-based technology, without rewriting your applications. OneWorld software version supports client/server and Internet modes. This results in an extended enterprise that works together to support the same business tasks. No matter how well your applications fit, they probably need a little modification to fit precisely to the needs of your organisation. With OneWorld, you get a powerful set of tools to make those alterations. OneWorld's toolset uses business logic, not symbols and syntax, to drive the modification process. Change your business specifications, and the toolset automatically regenerates the appropriate object code. You can modify applications, balance processing loads run reports, and build graphical user interfaces without writing codes. Add hardware and databases without bringing your business to a halt. Since modifications are made with the same toolset used to build OneWorld, it's all integrated. When a new release arrives, your changes will automatically be incorporated you won't have to make them again. The interface is consistent whether you are partitioning applications or replicating data. This will save a lot of time and effort in reprogramming and retraining. OneWorld allows you to build highly flexible workflow solutions and execute, predefined, and unplanned processes in your organisation. With OneWorld, your ability to learn, implement, and maintain workflow at all levels of your organisation is simplified. WorldSoftware and WorldVision In the age of technology change, the popularity of many enterprise software solutions is fleeting. The resulting obsolescence is frustrating and costly. It is better to have a system that has the necessary functionality with built-in longevity. More than 4,000 customers have found this staying power in JD Edwards WorldSoftware. On its strength and the reliability of its host-centric. IBM AS/400 foundation, WorldSoftware's globalInherently flexible and easy to use, WorldSoftware readily adapts to your situation, letting you: Selectively mix, match and integrate software applications from among its diverse industry product suites. Easily modify it to ongoing business, local and organisation-specific requirements. Add WorldVision, its advanced graphical user interface, to gain client/server benefits. Optionally run it alongside OneWorld, JD Edwards' network-centric solution, to gradually incorporate other computing platforms into your network. JD Edwards WorldVision provides the Graphical User Interface (GUI) with a look and feel common to the PC. At the same time it protects your investment in WorldSoftware and the AS/400. WorldVision also allows you to: Maximise productivity by shrinking the amount of training users need. Make a safe move to client/server by leveraging your existing host-centric WorldSoftware applications.

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And like WorldSoftware, another bread of software WorldVision is developed and continually enhanced for the future. For example, you can have WorldVision as a Windows 95/NT style GUI for a PC and as a Java-based interface for use across the Internet, or intranets. Modules The different product modules available from JD Edwards are: Foundation Suite: Consists of Back Office, CASE Foundation, Environment/ Toolkit, Financial Analysis Spreadsheet Tool and Report Writer, WorldVision GUI, Electronic Burst & Bind. Financial Suite: Consists of General Accounting, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Fixed Assets, Financial Modelling and Budgeting, Multi-Currency Processing, Cash Basis Accounting, Time Accounting) Logistics/Distribution Suite: Consists of Forecasting, Requirements Planning, Enterprise Facilities Planning, Sales Order Management, Advanced Pricing, Procurement, Work Order Management, InventoryManagement, Bulk Stock Management, Quality Management, and Advanced Warehouse. Management: Consists of Equipment Management, Transportation Management, Job Cost and Service Billing Services Suite: Contract Billing, Subcontract Management, Change Management, and Property Management. Manufacturing Suite: Consists of Configuration Management, Cost Management, Product Data Management, Capacity Planning, Shop Floor Management, and Advanced Maintenance Management) Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Mining and Real Estate Suite: Consists of Procurement, Inventory Management, Equipment Management, Job Cost, Work Order Management, Subcontract Management, Change Management, Contract Management, Contract Billing, Service Billing, Homebuilder Management, and Property Management. Energy and Chemical Suite: Consists of Agreement Management, Advanced Stock Valuation, Sales Order Management, Bulk Stock Management, and Load and Delivery Management. Government, Education, and Not-for-Profit Solutions: Consist of Financial Administration and Reporting, Budget Administration, Fund and Encumbrance Accounting, Grant and Endowment Management, Purchasing and Material Management, Warehousing and Central Stores Management, Human Resources Management, Service and Work Order Management, Capital Project and Construction Management, Contract Management, Plant, Equipment, and Fleet Maintenance. Utility and Energy Solutions: Consists of Customer Information System, Human Resources Management, Work Management, Regulatory Reporting, Supply Chain Management, Project Management, Enterprise Maintenance Management. JD Edwards offers customers the means of achieving greater ongoing control of their businesses. It is enabled by their ability to define and redefine the way they do business as markets, customers and competitive conditions change. Behind this customer commitment is a twenty-two yearhistory of listening to customers, understanding what they ask of business technology. At the same time learning the problems and requirements of their industry and developing solutions accordingly. By emphasising solutions, relationships, and value, JD Edwards maintains its focus on what truly matters to its customers. Q6.What is BAPI? Why BIAP is considered as commanding tool in the SAP consultants toolkit?

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Business Models and BAPIs A company's business model is usually referred as revenue architecture that consists of major value creation principles. This business model describes revenue sources and the way the company organises its activities to profitably exploit these sources. With the current business model, companies can achieve the better business results which includes lower the amount of waste, reduce errors, increase delivery speeds and so on. The change in current business model provides new ways to fulfil orders, create products and service customers. ERP Business Modelling is a well-defined approach to arrive at full and specified descriptions of the business processes that are supported with the new ERP package. ERP Business Modelling emphasise on managing the group decision-making process for developing the required process descriptions. This process also highlights on employing a systems and modelling-oriented perspective to look at different functions as one integrated whole. ERP Business Modelling can be called as process facilitation approach rather than an expert approach. Here, the client plays a leading role in the whole business modelling process. Although clients have an in-depth knowledge of their business processes, they lack in identifying the overall view and the relationships between the business processes. External expertise will only be used if explicitly desired by the client. The major role of consultants is to assist the clients project team in gathering that information to construct a wellunderstood model of the business processes which are to be supported by the new ERP package. This can be achieved with the help of workshop and group facilitation techniques For example, with the help of Intellicorp Inc.'s LiveModel, implementation teams are able to review and simulate changes to the SAP R/3 application Reference Model that provides views of R/3 processes, data models and functions. Any changes made to the Reference Model are stored in the LiveModel repository which can further be audited and changed on demand. Furthermore, because LiveModel is OLE compliant, the R/3 models can be manipulated and documented through desktop OLE applications such as Microsoft Word. The Open ERP business model is developing popularity in enterprise management. A Global Business Process Model is also developed, which comprises the whole ERP software product. This model is imposed in three levels. They are: System Configuration Level: This level scopes on high-level optionality on the entire system and is static. The high-level option of the ERP system is chosen for the organisation, which cannot be made undone at any stage. Object Level: This level scopes on single data objects and is more dynamic. Occurrence level: This level analyses single process occurrences and is very dynamic. This level elaborates on object parameters. Further, the optional levels of ERP modelling are used to reverse engineer the ERP system and the organisational structure. The right way to align both ERP and organisational models is as follows: Convert the ERP system database to an object model. Construct a global business process model.

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Identify the system configuration-level business process alternatives. Identify the object-level variants of the business processes. Expose the occurrence-level business process options. Business Application Programming Interface (BAPI) BAPI (Business Application Programming Interface) is a set of interfaces to object-oriented programming methods that enable a programmer to integrate third-party software into the proprietary R/3 product from SAP. For specific business tasks such as uploading transactional data, BAPIs are implemented and stored in the R/3 system as remote function call (RFC) modules.[2] BAPI is the most dominant tool in the SAP consultants toolkit. It is one of a set of tools for interfacing with an SAP R/3 system. The priority of BAPI is calling data in and out of SAP. For the SAP consultant, BAPIs are the small, powerful ships that keep these barges of data moving. SAP's R/3 system is now open by releasing the specifications for some 170 business application programming interfaces (BAPIs). This helped third-party applications interact with R/3 directly. BAPIs can be called as sets of methods that allow external applications to collaborate with specific R/3 business objects such as customers, accounts, or employees. As R/3 data is addressable through callable methods, BAPIs gives flexibility to the third party application vendors to build supporting applications for the R/3 system. In similar way, Baan offers OrgWare which is based on integrated business-modelling tool, combined with business-specific templates that automate the configuration of the software to suit specific operational needs. Baan is in the process of advancing this tool with new setup wizards to accelerate software implementation on the Windows NT platform.

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