ERP Technology Helps Distributors Increase Profits: Part I

Make Money by Processing Orders Faster: ERP Technology Review Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Enterprise Resource Planning solutions or ERP technology helps distributors increase profits by making the jobs each employee has to do easier and more productive. One ERP system that we support is Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP and it has a great approach to a user interface easy to perform critical tasks more efficiently. It is called the Role Tailored Client interface. What is a Role Tailored Client (RTC) interface? It is an interface designed to display only the information and access points for a user in a specific role in your company needs. It also has all the tools readily available that they need to perform their job most efficiently each and every day.

In Microsoft Dynamics NAV there are 21 predefined role centers, for the specific users (purchase manager, sales manager etc.). Also a user can have more than one role center. With role center each you have quick access to help with fast results and high productivity.

Each employee only sees what’s relevant to his or her job. Their Role Center pushes the tasks they needs to focus on to fulfill their role in the company. Not only does it help them focus on their activities, but it also lets them:

• Get an overview of the work ahead so they can prioritize tasks
• Receive notifications from colleagues about urgent issues
• Monitor their performance over time to see how their work affects each order as it moves through the company
• Feel connected to her colleagues and to their company. All this helps them feel comfortable and confident at work – a recipe for high productivity. They really can say, “This looks as if it’s been designed for me.”

The great news is that you can easily personalize Role Centers, lists and task pages very quickly to reflect changes in staff, shifts in employee responsibilities or an expansion in your company’s activities – without having to use a member of your IT department, or pay for an external programmer.

This of course allows each employee to do their work faster and more efficiently. This can add to your bottom line.

Web Services:

Microsoft Dynamics NAV provides Web services, which makes it easy for other systems to integrate with Microsoft Dynamics NAV. This means that it is easier than ever to get orders into NAV.

Say you have one or more high volume customers that would prefer to send you orders electronically instead of calling you or having one of their employees enter the orders on your web site (hopefully you have an integrated web site).
This is a pretty simple one. You would simply create a web service in NAV for creating sales orders and publish this web service. Now it is available for use.

By File:

If your customer can provide a file for you that is an xml or “flat file” you can accept that file and import it into NAV. For example have them send a file to a location that you give only them permission to. This can be at your office on an ftp server or an externally hosted server.
You can simply have NAV look for this file and import it as a sales order via the above created web service. This process would then use the business logic in NAV to create the sales order(s).

By Hyperlink (URL):

You can also create a web service as above within NAV and publish this as a link or URL to be used by your customer to send orders simply by a unique URL. You of course need to make sure that you have proper security in place both on your network as well as proper authentication set up for the URL used.
You can also create queries that sends inventory information back to your customer(s). This would of course allow them to order from you much more efficiently and quickly.
There are many areas that can be “opened” with web services. For example you can create Purchase Orders, validate or enter customer data, or leverage almost any business logic that exists in NAV.

Next Steps:  Click here to view Microsoft Dynamics NAV ERP Videos:

If you have additional questions about how ERP technology can help increase your businesses profts or any other questions about this blog, please contact us here or you can call 717.704.1000 ext.3010. You can also email us at info@icepts.com. Since 1980, iCepts Technology Group has been offering the “Best-of-Class” technology solutions to help companies streamline their Specialized business departments and become more efficient and therefore profitable. Our ERP consultants and WMS have implemented hundreds of systems throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region spanning from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Virginia. We can help your company determine the appropriate technology fit. Discover why customers have been with iCepts for so long; our vast industry knowledge, friendly personnel and superior customer service!

As experienced SCM, WMS and ERP consultants and value added resellers (VARs), we provide start to finish services for the solutions we represent Microsoft Dynamics NAV for Distribution and Manufacturing, Accellos Warehouse Management System (WMS), Server virtualization, open source VOIP phone systems and infrastructure and security. We provide services that cover process analysis, implementation, training, security and networking. Naturally, we also provide full ongoing support for years after implementation to help our clients succeed. We are your one stop shop for your business technology needs.

A version of this blog was posted here from iCepts website:  http://www.icepts.com/5-ways-erp-technology-can-help-distributors-make-money-part-1/

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