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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

RMClabel offers significant advantages over other third-party label printing software

Infor LN & Baan

Kathy Barthelt 0 92892 Article rating: 5.0

Since label information can be unique to a business, item, customer or functional area, RMClabel allows for an easy method to configure exactly what is needed on any type of label, including 1-D barcode, 2-D barcode and RFID labels. 

Built in label logic allows for automatic switching of label formats. RMClabel is built for Infor LN and Baan. It natively understands the table structures and easily integrates with any data collection application or Infor LN/Baan session

Why should I automate my processes?

LN & Baan

Kathy Barthelt 0 39228 Article rating: 5.0

The truth of the matter is that automation is a necessity in order to stay competitive in today’s marketplace. The demand to do more with less is ever present. Automating your processes can give you the competitive advantage you’ve been looking for.

Basic automation tools also help manufacturers track performance, such as cycle times, and order-to-delivery times, so that they can measure improvements. This tracking ability provides a historical record, as well as analytics that can be used to predict future needs. With this information, manufacturers can keep a close eye on trends in production orders, and use them to identify seasonal and customer buying trends and triggers. This insight can be helpful in planning for needed resources—from personnel to raw materials.

Read more > Manufacturing Industry Perspectives - Shop floor automation: A necessity for competitive manufacturing

Contact Kathy Barthelt today to discuss how Crossroads RMC can help you automate your processes and propel your business beyond the competition.

 

Infor LN & Baan Tip of the Week: Inventory aging analysis report

Kathy Barthelt 0 91205 Article rating: 5.0

A new standard Inventory Aging report can be printed in the Perform Inventory Aging Analysis (whina1440m000) session. This report is mainly based on the physical incoming and outgoing inventory movements and transactions. The date of inventory consumption or issue is compared to the date of receipt. If inventory is not yet issued, a reference date is used for aging calculation.

The report includes this information:

• Which inventory items are not frequently used or are obsolete.

• How long items have been stored in a warehouse.

• Inventory and transaction values. This facilitates the financial auditing process.

To use this new feature, an inventory aging analysis definition must be available in the Inventory Aging Analysis Definition (whina1140m000) session.

What do you get with IDF?

Infor Development Framework

George Moroses 0 37132 Article rating: 5.0

What do you get with IDF?

With Infor Development Framework (IDF), you can configure your view of the application data without modifying the core application and its supportability. Included with IDF are several interfaces including:

• PowerLink – A Windows-based client for end users

• Link Manager – A Windows-based environment administration client for importing environments, starting and stopping environment, and installing Fix Patches.

• Net-Link – A browser-based client (used by LX when running with SiW)

• System-Link – A XML-based interface for processing transactions from external sources.

The IDF ISO includes several components:

• All of the above interfaces

• Enterprise Integrator – for customizing IDF components and creating new business objects

• EGLi – Enterprise General Ledger 

• CRMi – Customer Relationship Management 

If you already have IDF installed for Infor LX 8.3.x, then it must be upgraded to a level that is compatible with LX 8.4. IDF PTFs and Fix Patches are required. See the Infor LX IDF 06.03.05 Installation and Upgrade Guide for details.

OTTO Q&A from the Director of Planning & Technology at Champion Industries

George Moroses 0 34760 Article rating: 5.0

1.  How difficult is it to initially install OTTO?

Dead easy is the straight answer. We relied on you to install, and you installed in the predicted 1 hour.  

2.  Would you install it on a test system or on the production system?

Production system is another easy answer. I use OTTO as the ideal prototype when talking to business contacts about “add-on” products. It is non-invasive; it only reads data from our ERP files. I know the implementation is 100% safe because no ERP files are ever updated (read corrupted) by OTTO.

3.  How difficult was it to implement OTTO? Was there a negative impact on daily operations?

There is a learning curve involved in using any new tool that has value to add. OTTO implementation is very low on the impact scale, but I would strongly recommend that a prospective client plan on investing in education and practice. OTTO implementation is low impact. No valuable tool is “no impact”.

Click here to learn more about OTTO

Is the Crossroads Analytics Dashboard Product Better than Spreadsheets?

Crossroads RMC 0 37787 Article rating: 5.0

You bet it is!

The Analytics Dashboard allows you to take your data and configure it any way you’d like, all without touching your ERP system! 

Any number of reports can be generated with just a few mouse clicks. In addition, full color graphs are automatically generated to illustrate the data being presented. Paper reports and Excel spreadsheets are dated. With Analytics Dashboard, data is refreshed at the touch of a button. 

Analytics Dashboard for Infor LN & Baan >
Analytics Dashboard for Infor LN, BPCS, & M3 >

MES News: Current trends indicate plants and factories are seeking to improve...

George Moroses 0 39599 Article rating: 5.0

Current trends indicate plants and factories are seeking to improve internal flexibility, implement a common information platform, and deliver real-time information. MES supports a variety of lean concepts on the plant floor, including kanban, waste reduction, load balancing, etc.  It maximizes your existing investment in your ERP system while embracing lean initiatives.  Visit our Crossroads MES page to learn more.

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Tips:  LX | BPCS | M3

Tips: LN | Baan

Is Your ERP Environment Ready for What's Next?

For many manufacturers, ERP has been the foundation of their business for years. It manages orders, inventory, production, purchasing, and financials. But as technology and business demands continue to evolve, many organizations are beginning to ask a different question:

Is our ERP environment ready for what's next?

For some, that conversation includes cloud migration. For others, it's about integration, visibility, analytics, or supporting future growth.

The good news is that modernization doesn't have to start with a major migration project.

Start with the Business, Not the Technology

One of the biggest misconceptions about modernization is that it begins with selecting a new platform.

In reality, the most successful projects begin by understanding the business challenges you're trying to solve.

Questions worth asking include:

  • Are systems connected and sharing information efficiently?

  • Where are manual processes creating delays?

  • Does reporting provide the visibility needed to make timely decisions?

  • Can the current environment support future growth?

The answers often reveal opportunities that can deliver value immediately, regardless of whether cloud migration is part of the long-term strategy.
 

Modernization Is a Journey

Many manufacturers take a phased approach to modernization.

Some begin by improving integrations between systems.

Others focus on reporting and analytics to improve visibility and decision-making.

Some explore cloud-based services while continuing to leverage their existing ERP investment.

The goal isn't simply to move applications to a new platform. It's to create a more connected, scalable environment that supports the business for years to come.
 

Planning Your Cloud Journey

As cloud adoption continues to grow, many organizations are evaluating what a migration path might look like.

Infor's Leap program was created to help customers take a structured approach to cloud modernization through readiness planning, industry best practices, and a defined migration framework.

Whether a move is months away or several years down the road, understanding the available options can help organizations make informed decisions and reduce risk.
 

Where Crossroads RMC Fits In

Every manufacturer's environment is different.

That's why the first step isn't choosing a cloud platform. It's understanding your business processes, integrations, reporting requirements, and long-term objectives.

At Crossroads RMC, we help manufacturers evaluate their current environment, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop a roadmap that aligns technology investments with business goals.

Sometimes that roadmap includes cloud migration.

Sometimes it starts with integration, analytics, or process improvements.

The important thing is having a plan.
 

Final Thoughts

Modernization looks different for every organization. For some, it's cloud migration. For others, it's improving integrations, analytics, or business processes.

The important thing is having a roadmap that aligns technology investments with business goals.

If you're evaluating what's next for your ERP environment, we'd be happy to share what we're seeing and help you explore your options.

Start the conversation

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