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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

What is preventing you from upgrading your Infor LN or Baan ERP System?

Kathy Barthelt 0 70392 Article rating: 5.0

Your answer to this question is likely customizations… customizations that were once the best thing since sliced bread but now have become the bane of your existence.

There is something you can do about it! 

Crossroads RMC has many options for dealing with customizations:

The Importance of an Integrated System

Crossroads RMC 0 42587 Article rating: 5.0

I recently came across an article from CIO Magazine that talked about the various ways that your ERP system could be hurting your business. The single most important item on that list referenced ERP systems that weren’t integrated with other systems that housed mission-critical business data.

Having data in two (or more) systems that don’t talk to one another is like baking a pizza crust in one oven and the toppings in another. Once baked, you may have some good food to snack on, but it sure isn’t pizza! Pizza requires the cheese and sauce and spices to bake with the crust. One takes on the flavor of the other and when you take a bite, you get a complete representation of the flavors.   

That’s the value of an integrated ERP system. When you take a bite, you get a complete representation of the flavors…meaning, you get one version of the truth. Everything comes together to allow you to analyze critical business data in an efficient way with no disconnects.

Crossroads consultants have spent years developing integration expertise to tie countless different systems to Infor ERPs.

Here are some examples…

The largest independent bottling company in the United States announced a successful Go Live

George Moroses 0 34908 Article rating: No rating

Polar Beverages, Inc. of Worcester MA has just announced a successful ‘Go Live' that brings their Adirondack Beverages division, in Scotia NY into a corporate environment running on the Infor LX platform. All business functions will be handled through the Infor LX platform, including Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Financials. 

In early 2017, 2 divisions of Polar in Worcester MA and Fitzgerald, GA began utilizing Infor LX. Crossroads RMC partnered with Polar by providing technical and application support throughout the duration of the project.

Is it time to reinvigorate your ERP system?

Crossroads RMC 0 36569 Article rating: 5.0

Did you implement your ERP system 5 years ago… or maybe 20 years ago? At the time, it was like a brand new car… sleek, fast, top-of-the-line, and fuel-efficient. And although it may have needed a few minor “adjustments”, overall you were very pleased. Fast forward to today. Does it still have that new car smell? Does it run as efficiently as it used to? Do you know how to fix a problem when it occurs?

While ERP systems are certainly designed to last, over time, your business changes, your customers’ needs change, employees change and you are left with a system that may run “fine”, but you certainly don’t feel the same way about it as you did when it was brand new.

So the good news is that you CAN restore that “new car smell” with a utilization review. What is a utilization review? It's an opportunity for someone, outside of your organization, to evaluate the “what”, “how”, “who” and “why” related to the software that you use to run your business. Our consultant reviews current usage and related business processes of your entire ERP system, or a particular area like Finance, Manufacturing, Materials Management, or Technology to make recommendations that will reinvigorate your ERP system and those that use it.

Stop avoiding the warning light that indicates a serious problem and get started with a FREE 1-hour phone assessment to determine if your business can benefit from a utilization review!

Request Free Assessment>

A utilization review can be performed 100% remotely via phone or web meeting, or in person, following safety guidelines. 

4 Tips to Enhancing Productivity in Manufacturing

by Robotics & Automation News

Crossroads RMC 0 44205 Article rating: 5.0

Regardless of the size of your business, continuous improvement in productivity is essential to enhancing gross profits and maintaining competitiveness.

Here are a few of the best tips to help you improve the productivity of your manufacturing facility as presented by Robotics and Automation News >

Infor M3 Webinar: Consumer Use Tax 101: What's all the fuss about for manufacturers and distributors?

Frank Petrasio 0 36689 Article rating: 5.0

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.

Date/Time: Wednesday, October 14th 10:00 a.m. CDT / 11:00 a.m. EDT
Topic: Consumer Use Tax 101: What's all the fuss about for manufacturers and distributors?

Your business makes a purchase and you notice the seller doesn’t collect sales tax. So it must be tax free, right? Wrong. Consumer use tax may still apply, and if you’re not actively tracking use tax obligations, you could be making a costly mistake.

Put simply, use tax is owed on a purchase when the seller does not collect sales tax, or when the use of the product/service (or the location of consumption) results in more tax being owed. Sound complicated? It is, and that’s what makes use tax one of the most mismanaged compliance issues for businesses.

We brought in our partners at Avalara to dive in. For this session, learn more about consumer use tax, what it is, and when your business may be on the hook to pay it.

  • The events that can trigger consumer use tax requirements
  • The most common consumer use tax management challenges
  • The impact of economic nexus laws on consumer use tax
  • How your business can step up compliance to avoid being audited


This will be one ‘use-ful’ webinar that you won’t want to miss!

Register Today>

Infor M3 & Movex Tip of the Week: What inbound and outbound BODs are available for M3?

Frank Petrasio 0 31792 Article rating: 5.0

Outbound BODs from M3 to integrated applications
This table shows the BODs that are available with Infor M3. Where the product column is blank, the BOD is not currently used by interfacing products, but the BOD is generated by M3 and is available to be processed through ION and any application that is set up to receive it.

Read the full list of outbound and inbound BODs from M3 to integrated applications>

Infor LN & Baan Tip of the Week: What is Included with Infor Operating Service (Infor OS)?

Kathy Barthelt 0 77093 Article rating: 5.0

Infor Operating Service (OS) is a technology platform that supports fully integrated, industry-specific solution suites with mobile-first design, a consumer-inspired user experience, and science-driven analytics. It leverages the convergence of information, analytics, cloud computing, mobility, and social business.

This platform includes these products:

•    Infor Ming.le
•    Infor ION CE
•    ION Messaging Service (IMS)
•    Infor Data Lake
•    Infor Document Management
•    Infor Localization Services Platform (LSP)
•    Infor Localization Services

Read OS overview>

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

New IDF Inquiries 

Infor LX has a long history of providing IDF inquiries over most critical business areas, but there are still some areas that lack this capability.
The following IDF inquiries are now available in 8.4.2:

  • Customer Quote
  • Customer Quote Line
  • RMA (Return Material Authorization)
  • RMA Line

Benefits

  • Ability to sort, subset, filter, and view information in a modern and intuitive way
  • Point and click navigation to related information – 360 views
    • Exceptional personalization and extensibility capabilities

New IDF Inquiries 

Infor LX has a long history of providing IDF inquiries over most critical business areas, but there are still some areas that lack this capability.
The following IDF inquiries are now available in 8.4.2:

  • Customer Quote
  • Customer Quote Line
  • RMA (Return Material Authorization)
  • RMA Line

Benefits

  • Ability to sort, subset, filter, and view information in a modern and intuitive way
  • Point and click navigation to related information – 360 views
    • Exceptional personalization and extensibility capabilities
Last

Tips: LN | Baan

Infor LX & BPCS: Why You Need MES

You know your plant better than anyone, and most likely you'd admit that there is room for improvement. Perhaps too many defects are causing costly issues down the road, or maybe your production is behind and orders are shipping late? Do you know what needs to be improved? Do you know about the root causes of the problems that you’re experiencing? Is it fair to say, you don’t know what you don’t know … yet?

MES helps you dig into the problem and better yet, SOLVES the problem!

What Is MES and How Does It Work?

Many companies still enter data manually or share work instructions on paper. Most of them, however, know there’s a better way to organize the mass of activity happening on the plant floor. MES provides visibility to that activity as well as the underlying data and uses that data to improve how that activity is done and makes it repeatable. MES connects multiple sites, integrates with equipment, and raises the effectiveness of business applications all to better optimize operations.

The 3 Pillars of MES:

  1. Establishing a plan and staying on schedule. The system takes your input — production shifts/times, production goals, etc. — and calculates the rate at which you need to complete production in order to meet customer demand. Operators see real-time progress on dashboard graphics, knowing the progress at every moment.
  2. Enforcing a repeatable process. Knowing your process is being followed exactly as defined provides the ultimate peace of mind. Every target, from fastening to product routing, is achieved just as you defined it time after time.
  3. Creating a rich data set. Capturing data is one thing; being able to act on that data is really the key to driving improvement initiatives. Use your analytics, explore your data set, and identify and solve your hidden inefficiencies.

All three of these MES pillars are used to help you reach productivity and quality goals by:

  • Solving production scheduling challenges
  • Discovering and sharing your best operators’ insights
  • Uncovering inefficiencies in your process and fixing them
  • Reducing the exhausting task of putting out fires
  • Establishing a continuous improvement philosophy
  • Increasing operator engagement and dedication

And if you need another reason... according to Forbes.com, MES ranks in the Top 5 Key Areas to Affect How Goods Are Made in 2023 - Five Predictions For Manufacturing And Logistics In 2023.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/02/13/five-predictions-for-manufacturing-and-logistics-in-2023/?sh=1155863f1f76

So, what's next? Work with Crossroads RMC, an experienced MES partner who has seen situations just like yours and who has guided companies in your position. And best of all, Crossroads RMC doesn’t just know MES, we have a team of experts who are knowledgeable about manufacturing best practices, your Infor ERP, and MES and can bring all of that knowledge together to help you formulate the right plan for your company’s success.

Contact Anthony Etzel at Crossroads RMC today. He can provide you with a free MES ROI calculator to give you some concrete numbers to help you see what MES can do for your business. 800.762.2077

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