This blog was written by Michael Burns Although I have provided consulting services for a long time and should know how to prevent problems, there is always a risk that they will occur. In this article/blog, I am going to share with you a problem I recently encountered. A client needed a new ERP system and I helped them through the process. The client had a number of unique requirements and I did my best to be precise about them in the RFP. The vendor claimed that could handle the requirements without any customization. I basically told them I did […]
Deltek Interview
This blog was written by Michael Burns On October 4, 2012 I interviewed Patrick Smith, Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Communications to find out what was happening at Deltek partly because Deltek will be acquired by a private equity investment firm, Thoma Bravo, LLC, in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion. I wanted to know the reason for the acquisition and the impact on the management team and product roadmap. I was told that the company basically got a good offer and that it will be business as usual with a new owner. Prior to the acquisition, Deltek […]
The Simplicity and Agility of Zero-Upgrades in Cloud ERP
May 16, 2012 from The Enterprise System Spectator – “I am coming to the conclusion that a primary benefit of cloud ERP is the reduction or complete elimination of version upgrades. This observation was reinforced again this week in my one day attendance at the Plex Systems user conference in Indianapolis. Plex is a great example of what a cloud ERP vendor can accomplish by taking what I call a “zero upgrades” product strategy…” Read more 180 View – Another great article by Frank Scavo. […]
Maximizing enterprise resource planning ROI: A guide for mid size companies
April 2010 from IBM – “To determine the ROI, calculate the total costs of your solution by including components such as software, hardware, upgrades, support, maintenance, training, customization, implementation services and more. Compare those costs with the tangible benefits the investment will provide and you will have your ROI. Tangible benefits could be in the form of process improvements enforced by the ERP that have helped your company improve its efficiency, or a rise in revenues or profits because you were able to identify new opportunities.” Read more 180 View – We recently received a link to this article so […]
Review: Up close with NetSuite’s deep ERP
June 13, 2012 from InfoWorld and written by Michael Burns – We have started in-depth reviews of ERP systems for InfoWorld. InfoWorld requested we that we start with ERP systems available as (SaaS) Software as a Service, so it’s appropriate that NetSuite be our first review considering they are “One of the pioneers in cloud computing, NetSuite launched a cloud-based ERP system at a time when SaaS was widely considered risky to both the security and the availability of an organization’s data…” Read more […]
10 biggest ERP software failures of 2011
December 20, 2011 from Computerworld – “With the year drawing to a close, one thing seems abundantly clear: There are still an awful lot of ERP and other software projects running off the rails out there. Software project failures are no fun for anyone involved. They lead to piles of wasted money and effort, heaps of accusations and recriminations, and even to lawsuits. Here’s a look at some of the highest-profile problem projects to surface this year…” Read more 180 View – One of the 10 biggest failures is “the attempt to provide electronic health records for all of the […]
The complex art of estimating
December 2011 from CAmagazine and written by Michael Burns – “Few complex projects are undertaken without some estimating being done. Whether it’s a construction company that needs to do a custom project or an accounting firm that needs to prepare a proposal for a complex audit engagement, someone (often several people) will have to take a stab at calculating the effort and cost required to finish the job…” Read more […]
Epicor sued over alleged ERP project failure
August 11, 2011 from Computerworld – “Epicor is being sued by one of its customers over an ERP (enterprise resource planning) project that allegedly racked up five times its expected implementation costs, in the latest dispute of this type to become public… The implementation costs were supposed to be US$190,000 but have reached more than $1 million, the complaint says. Whaley is suing Epicor for fraud, breach of contract, unfair trade and negligent misrepresentation. It wants its money returned along with additional money for damages…” 180 View – Unfortunately there are still failed ERP implementations. We believe that the problem […]
Cloud-Based ERP May Be Approaching the Tipping Point
May 17, 2012 from SupplyChainBrain – “I spent some time last week at NetSuite’s first user conference in San Francisco. I’ve known NetSuite for much of its history, but I wanted the opportunity to mingle with hundreds of companies that have adopted ERP in the cloud. My immediate impression was that the enthusiasm level among customers and prospects was uncharacteristic of the rather staid enterprise application world. It isn’t easy to find people who are excited about their ERP systems, but this group certainly was…” 180 View – The article is partly based on a NetSuite user conference and discussion […]
Common Estimating Mistakes
May 16, 2011 from gannthead.com – “Here are some common estimating issues that can often negatively impact your project… Padding… Being overly optimistic… Bad requirements… Omission… Different levels… Being put on the spot… Forgetting the risk factor… Pressure from above… Failure to involve the “do-ers”…” 180 View – Estimating is tough and we ask for it all the time from the vendors when assisting our clients in a system selection project. The vendors don’t have enough information when responding to an RFP so they rely on past experience based on similar sized projects and what they think the market will […]