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Infor LX Tips, Infor LN Tips, BPCS Tips, Baan Tips, Infor M3 Tips & Infor ERP News

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Infor ERP Tips & News from the Experts

Infor LX | Infor LN | BPCS | Baan | Infor M3

It’s Mid-January, and IT’S GO TIME!

Infor LX | BPCS | Infor LN | Baan

Crossroads RMC 0 6391 Article rating: 5.0

The calendar is fresh, the resolutions are set, and the opportunities are endless!

But before you dive headfirst into tackling your to-do list, take a moment.

Pause.

Now is the perfect time to reflect and plan your ERP strategy.

What’s an ERP Strategy?

An ERP strategy is a roadmap for the steps you should take before, during, and after implementing an ERP system. It’s designed to ensure your ERP delivers on its promise of functionality and success—the backbone of running your business effectively.

Think of it like planning a road trip:

  • Which cities will you visit?
  • Where will you stay?
  • What landmarks do you want to explore?

Without a plan, you’re winging it. While spontaneity might work for a vacation, it’s risky when it comes to your ERP system.

A poorly executed road trip might waste time or cause frustration, but a poorly executed ERP strategy? That can hinder your business growth, create inefficiencies, and lead to costly mistakes.

What if:

Infor LN & Baan Tips & Tricks for Finance: Problem Invoices

Kathy Barthelt 0 47053 Article rating: 5.0

You can use a problem code to indicate that a problem exists for a sales invoice. If the invoice-to business partner notifies you about a problem with the invoice and does not pay it, you can link a problem code to the invoice.

In the direct debits procedure, problem invoices are automatically discarded. For each problem code, you can set an option to prevent linked invoices from being selected on reminder letters.

Infor LN & Baan Tips & Tricks for Technology: Using audit files in the Exchange module

Kathy Barthelt 0 47095 Article rating: 5.0

The audit server logs all database actions that change the contents of a table in so-called audit files. The Exchange module can use these audit files, which are useful in a multisite environment because the databases on all sites must have identical data. These audit files can also be used in data conversions.

Only the updates in a specific period are exchanged, which leads to an improvement in performance. Specify this period in the Export Data (Non-Regular) (daxch0233m000) and Export Data (on a Regular Basis) (daxch0234m000) sessions. Changes such as insert, update, and delete are processed and written into the ASCII files. Actions such as drop, clear, and create tables are ignored.

Audit control data is added to the resulting ASCII file. This data consists of a batchline ID, transaction ID, sequence ID, and an indicator. The control data is added at the beginning of each line and is formatted like other data fields such as the enclosing and separator characters.

An update writes two lines to the ASCII file. One line contains the key fields and old values of the updated fields. The other line contains the new values of the key fields and updated fields, even if a key field does not change.

The batchline ID is used for recognition when processing the ASCII files. The transaction and sequence IDs are used to ensure that the transactions are replayed in the same order as on the exporting site. The indicator defines the type of action that is executed on the table. Use the letter I to insert; use the letter D to delete; use the letter U to update with old values; and use the letter N to update with new values.

Infor LN & Baan Tips & Tricks for Operations: Copying EBOMs - Which copying method should I use?

Kathy Barthelt 0 51065 Article rating: 5.0

To determine which copying method you must use, answer question 1 and follow the instructions.

Question 1: Is the source component a project item (that is, is a project defined in the first segment of the item code)?

  • If the answer is yes, proceed with question 3.
  • If the answer is no, proceed with question 2.


Question 2: Is the target component a project item?

  • If the answer is yes, select copy method NonProj Item to Proj Item.
  • If the answer is no, proceed with question 4.

Question 3: Is there a relationship with the same project?

  • If the answer is yes, select copy method EBOM to Production BOM Only.
  • If the answer is no, proceed with question 4.


Question 4: Is there a relationship with the target item?

  • If the answer is yes, proceed with question 5.
  • If the answer is no, select copy method No Copy Action.


Question 5: Does the item exist already?

  • If the answer is yes, select copy method EBOM to Production BOM Only.
  • If the answer is no, select copy method Copy E-Item to Item.

Infor LX / BPCS Tips & Tricks for Finance: Inventory Period Balance Freeze

George Moroses 0 18637 Article rating: 5.0

Users can now freeze period-end balances at the end of a fiscal period. You can now store the opening/ending on hand balance for each Inventory period at the Item (IIM), Warehouse/Item (IWI) and Lot/Location (ILI) levels. This information can then be used for inventory tracking and valuation purposes, as well as other ad hoc financial and audit reporting requirements. Infor LX clients can backdate inventory transactions into the immediate previously closed period, and thus update what was saved as the opening/ending balance throughout the current open period.

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

Tips: LN | Baan

Is Your Infor ERP System the Elephant in the Room?

The Infor ERP Elephant in the Room That Must Be Addressed

In a recent survey of Infor ERP customers, we discovered that 50% of respondents said that they did not know whether or not their ERP system had the features and functionality required for their business.  50%....1 out of every 2……not good.

Why is this the case? Well, the causes can be traced back to one of the following reasons:

  • A key-person has retired or left the company and their knowledge left with them.
  • Systems were implemented based on how the previous system worked.
  • Upgrades and implementations were viewed as a “technical upgrade”, meaning that the upgrade was done to get off an old or outdated platform. All the new features and functionality weren't researched so they are unknown and no one could be trained on them.


You may say “So what? Who cares if our team doesn’t know what else is available, or how the rest of the ERP system functions? Does it really matter?” It matters more than you think.

If you rely on an Infor ERP system to get your job done, you need to not only know what sessions to run, what fields are required, and what reports provide results, you also need to understand how the transactions impact the rest of the system. Without that understanding, you are inadvertently creating a departmental silo which can have a negative impact on the performance of the ERP for the rest of the company. 

Not knowing the functionality of the ERP results in limited use of the system as a whole. In my 25 years working with ERP systems, I have seen many cases where a company becomes frustrated with the limitations of the system only to discover that they were only utilizing 10-20% of the ERP system's capabilities. The system didn’t impose the limitation…it was the use of the system, or shall I say the lack of it, that was the culprit.

To be competitive in today’s economy, an ERP system should be able to move in lockstep with a business as its needs change. In order for this to happen, the entire company needs to be willing to change too. Part of this change involves taking advantage of the best practices that are built into the Infor ERP system. If you're not sure how to do that - you are not alone! Fully understanding your Infor ERP requires a team of capable users in each key department of your organization to marry the capabilities of the ERP system with your business objectives. Sounds complicated? Well, it doesn't stop there. Your team of capable users needs to communicate between the key departments to make sure one department's procedures don't handicap any other department. Once this level of understanding and communication is established, decisions can be made to take advantage of the most effective way to minimize costs, increase efficiency, improve quality and deliver the highest level of customer service possible…everything you invested in the Infor ERP system for in the first place, is now unleashed.

Not sure where to start? Crossroads RMC's consultants have this exact expertise and the skills to get you through tough times. Our expertise comes from years of experience, and best practices to evaluate your business processes and identify areas where improvement is needed. Whether you need to increase the return on your ERP investment or have no idea what to do next, our comprehensive ROI business case, cost estimates, benefits, and a plan of action will supply you with the information you need to add value to your business.

Request a free phone consultation>  or contact us to learn how to get started> solutions@crossroadsrmc.com  |  800.762.2077

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