Conventional wisdom is that some systems that require low latency and a high degree of system availability, such as warehouse management systems (WMS) or manufacturing execution systems (MES), are best deployed on-premises. Nevertheless, cloud systems are invading even this category of software. This post highlights one example.
One of the great challenges facing traditional ERP vendors is getting customers to keep up with the latest version. Cloud ERP systems are supposed to solve this problem, by making the vendor responsible for upgrades and keeping all customers on a single version. However, sometimes, even SaaS providers need to make changes that are so significant and potentially disruptive that customers resist the change. This post describes how one such cloud ERP provider is meeting this challenge.
Today, there is no manufacturing cloud ERP provider with the size or scale of Salesforce.com or Workday. Contrary to popular belief, this is not because the opportunity is small. Manufacturing still comprises a large percentage of US companies and is an enormous opportunity for cloud ERP. This post outlines the challenges that cloud ERP providers face and what it will take for them to dominate the market for manufacturing systems.
Small business doesn’t always mean simple business. Like larger companies, small and midsize businesses (SMBs) need to reach new markets, develop new products, satisfy customers, and control costs. The main difference is that SMBs need to do these things with fewer resources. In recent years, software vendors have announced new products to address the challenges facing small businesses. This post outlines two of them.
Traditional providers of ERP systems typically sought to expand their functional footprint to include complementary applications outside of core ERP. Now cloud ERP vendors are adopting a similar strategy, bringing significant benefits to buyers.
Plex Systems, a long time cloud ERP provider, primarily to automotive and industrial suppliers, has recently been expanding its focus to the food and beverage sector. This post outlines the capabilities of Plex for food and beverage manufacturers along with steps that it is taking to better serve this industry. Selective in Industry Focus Starting […]
With all the talk about smart devices as a new trend, there is one industry where smart devices are very old news: manufacturing. Production machinery has been computerized, not for months, not for years, but for decades. Yet, for the most part, today’s ERP systems do not leverage those smart devices on the factory floor. This post traces the history of connected factory machinery and how they offer a solution to untimely and incorrect transaction data entry in manufacturing systems.
Like the Oklahoma land rush of 1889, cloud vendors today are rushing into new territory to stake their claims. One provider that has joined the land rush is FinancialForce.com, which recently announced new branding to signal its claim in cloud ERP. This post provides an overview of the cloud ERP landscape and the latest vendor to stake a claim.
As the first cloud-only manufacturing ERP system, Plex Systems has a wide footprint of functionality. Nevertheless, after more than a decade of development, Plex has fewer than 1000 customers and its presence is limited mostly to smaller manufacturing companies in a few sub-sectors. So, what does Plex need to do to grow at a more substantial pace in the coming years? We see six mandates.
At its annual user conference in May, cloud ERP provider NetSuite promoted enhanced functionality for manufacturing companies. As manufacturing firms are increasingly open to cloud solutions, NetSuite is at the right place at the right time. Nevertheless, there are a number of decision points for NetSuite as it continues to build out its manufacturing footprint.