All-Inclusive
ERP
Reviews Guide
Datix ERP Consulting
COPYRIGHT DATIX 2015, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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| Table of Contents |
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: ERP for Financials
Epicor 10 vs. Infor
Epicor Financials vs. QuickBooks
Chapter 3: ERP for Manufacturing
Dynamics AX vs. Epicor 10
Dynamics AX vs. Plex Systems
Chapter 4: ERP for Economies of Scale
Epicor 10 vs. Sage X3
Plex Systems vs. SAP
Plex Systems vs. Oracle JD Enterprise One
Chapter 5: ERP for Cloud
NetSuite vs. Epicor
NetSuite vs. Plex Systems
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How to use this E-book: Over the past 17 years, our experts have spent a considerable amount
of time with clients evaluating software to help them meet their
business needs. Throughout that process one thing has remained a
constant truth: fitting software to your business is about selecting
the right tool for the right job.
No one tool is a best fit for every type of industry or business
structure. As such, a significant amount of investigating is necessary
for an organization to properly select a system to support their
business functions and extract the maximum amount of ROI from an ERP
software project.
Organizations whom place an emphasis on software, yet fail to consider
the processes the software is intended to support, often end up over
budget, have poor user adoption and realize elongated time to recoup
project costs. The misconception can severely hinder an organization’s
vision, and is why considering processes on the front end of your ERP
selection process is especially important.
That’s why we’ve created this guide. It’s a way for businesses to
easily see the strengths and weaknesses of each system in comparison
to others in the ERP class. This will better allow the organization to
determine which ERP system may best support process models across
their enterprise.
Hopefully, with the help of this e-book, your business can start to
perform the necessary due diligence required to ensure that your next
ERP software system:
1. Generates ROI
2. Is Adopted By Users
3. Supports Organizational Processes and Outcomes
About Datix: Datix has been implementing and designing enterprise software
solutions for the last 17 years. Datix consults with manufacturing and
distribution businesses in the mid-market to assist in building out
their enterprise software systems. That’s our M.O. We’ve built
partnerships with some of the most popular software used inside of
these businesses, and have created a powerful reputation as an expert
who understands how all these systems should work together.
At Datix, we get it. We know enterprise software, and can visualize
how it can work to support a wide range of different business
objectives. We are innovative thought leaders that are constantly
developing proprietary applications and solutions based on the
challenges we see clients face the most. Businesses work with us when
they want to mitigate risk, solve problems and improve the way their
business operates.
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| ERP for Financials | Whether you’re a small manufacturer with fifteen employees, a
financial services organization, or a multinational distributor with
vast networks, accurate and timely financial management must be a
central function of the business outcomes to ensure long-term success.
We’ve noticed a shift recently, businesses are becoming more
interested in financial software solutions that help them transform
and optimize their business; rather than just offering new
functionality. No matter the organization, there are countless
analyze, and understand the key metrics and trends that drive new
business objectives forward.
| Epicor 10 vs. Infor |
The company as the product – ERP product lines for Epicor and Infor
Our recommendation is always to find the right tool for the right job
— and with these systems —there are many things to consider. In our
comparison of Epicor vs Infor, we’ll brief you on the more elementary
facets of software selection relating to these systems, common issues
that have been experienced, and what ultimately plays the biggest role
in cost payback for different companies interested in implementing
these systems.
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Thoughts on best of breed vs. industry specific software Recently, Infor hired 600 new engineers to integrate those 30 systems
into dozens of software lines. The company broke product offerings out
by featured solution per industry, per size. A recent user review
detailed an RFP nightmare with Infor; due to this process. The vendor
had offered so many lines of product, the company couldn’t decide
which one was a good fit for their business processes. In the end,
they walked away from Infor and chose to work with another ERP vendor
instead. This is not common for everyone, but if selection is pain
point, Infor will not make your choices easier; as there is rarely a
100% perfect match.
Infor offers some great options, but is currently running the risk of
actually offering too much. When those systems become too diverse,
customizing valuable processes can be a nightmare and inevitably be
very costly for businesses that they serve. As we mentioned, most
companies find it difficult to use any software perfectly out of the
box
Epicor’s offering is easier to understand. They offer a very succinct
selection of software; which include there current ERP versions (9 and
10) and Prophet 21 (their wholesale distribution line). This doesn’t
inherently make it better (in fact, it actually offers less vertical
specialization); however being able to make decisions about which
systems should be implemented, and the best way to implement them, are
critical to the success of an implementation process. As mentioned
above, finding a good system fit and integrating models on top if it
can often prove to be more effective than implementing a niche
vertical software that is outdated and difficult to use.
Ultimately, Infor is currently unable to pull IT teams from massive
internal projects to build out all of these new systems for their
clients. This is why they promote other brand solutions that they have
recently acquired as plug and play. It’s a vicious cycle and can be an
expensive game to play if you’re an organization looking to implement
a new system. We see clients that have fallen into a similar trap, and
it’s why we strongly recommend using an expert partner in software
selection and business process modeling.
expressed the ease of use of Epicor 10, and its ability to generate
powerful dashboards, as the primary reason for selecting the software.
That’s important for busy users who need to carry out operations
without becoming hung up on wonky tech jargon from a remote IT person.
Usability is one the big keys in user adoption.
Often criticisms of Epicor include issues implementing the software as
desired; something that most businesses can mitigate by working with
a certified partner. It’s also fair to mention that Epicor doesn’t
offer the same niche vertical software that Infor does. However, these
niche vertical offerings from Infor are rarely kept up with; as most
are acquisitions. User acceptance and satisfaction with these products
lines is very poor. Ultimately, the best solution may be finding a
strong ERP system and integrating vertical software modules on top of
the desired system.
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UX/UI design The modern look and feel of a system encourages users to adopt the
system that increases ROI in the short term. Epicor (an upgrade over
previous 9, and Vantage systems which were slightly more cumbersome)
is one of the easier-to-use ERPs on the market among user groups. It
provides touch enabled dashboards that are adaptable to each specific
user’s needs; which is extremely beneficial for manufacturing and
distribution verticals who easily need to modify a system and remain
agile. Epicor users have taken to the new version very well. The
simple dashboards are easily customizable and need little help from IT
departments to setup. It’s rare that software upgrades like this are
so universally liked by users.
In recent months, Infor has made some attempts to redesign the look of
their system, but nothing significant compared to previous versions.
Reviews reveal the UI/UX
elements of Infor’s
applications are a
challenge for users to
consume, and the user
experience in particular
needs a serious lift.
From a UI perspective,
there are too many out
of the box fields, which
may confuse users in
different silos. A busy
front facing machine is
generally a turn off for
users. Too many add-in
fields have presented
a challenge to uncover
which channel will trigger the intended business process.
In addition, there’s not a sync design template used inside all of
Infor’s product line; making systems integration cloudy. If you
accidentally purchase one of their many new software solutions that
has yet to be upgraded, you’re really purchasing a dated product at
new product price.
Critics argue an ERP’s UX design should be one of the top three
competitive differentiators sought for ERP software. In your RFP
process, we suggest allowing employees with no technical background—
like sales or accounting personnel— to demo the system. This allocates
greater insight as to how the everyday person will engage with the
system. The color, layout, and configuration are also important design
elements to consider.
Mobility, access to data, and usability
Access to data, mobility, and system usability is more critical for
your business than ever before. In a recent study, the better half of
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2500 companies running ERP said their system was “adequate” or
“basic.” The study further reported users want more flexible and
accessible ERP applications that enable employees to access
information from mobile devices.
Mobile solutions are meant to empower people, processes, and
infrastructure while sustaining business growth. Companies should be
keeping mobile solutions in their minds from the start. Rarely do
businesses perform all their profit driving operations in-house. As
such, users need instant access to a number of intelligent data to
make profitable business decisions remotely. During the development
process of your implementation, you should consider help accelerating
the deployment of mobile solutions. Epicor has optimal visualizations
that are engaging for mobile users in any silo.
In addition, Epicor has proved to be a leader in user accessibility.
User reviews say Epicor 10 illustrates a quick turnaround of
information from production events to users. They further admire the
intelligent analytics on simple, easy to use, dashboards. It is
critical to consider user engagement, since these individuals are
making the profitable business decisions beyond company walls.
Infor also delivers mobile access, however the design of their system
is considered busy for the modest layout of mobile. In March, 2015
Infor did release their latest Infor Xi platform providing a
responsive design with machine-learning and big data capabilities, but
no mention of when one of its dozen ERP systems will feature such a
robust application.
Think about the ROI
Throughout your RFP process you will come across companies that want
to “provide the perfect solution for the type of business you’re in”,
but many users say the approach isn’t working. In order to see a solid
return on your software investment, its imperative project teams
realize obvious goals at the onset, like vendor management, risk
management, and continuous improvement. Vertical niche modules can be
added to any system. None of these objectives can be properly
addressed when organizations are paralyzed by software selection and
don’t think about the most important element of the project
implementation.
Deciding between a best of breed system and an industry specific one
is no easy task. Business must look hard at their processes. What we
often find is that few businesses operate 100% like any other inside
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| Epicor FM vs. QuickBooks |
Really? We’re going to compare a software system like Epicor’s
Financial Management to QuickBooks? The truth is many businesses are
on the fence about this exact decision. They don’t know if they will
receive proper ROI movement from a spreadsheets and QuickBooks style
of system to a formal ERP software ecosystem.
In today’s highly regulated market place, financial reporting is no
cakewalk. In fact, it can get downright ugly when financial management
initiatives aren’t the foundation of many business operations. For
some business this means making the choice between running finances
on QuickBooks or an ERP financial management tool; like Epicor
Financial Management solutions. This means enforcing transaction
visibility, automating posting processes, and tightening security
around data. For a young business this may sound painful, but in world
where business development depends on organic growth, mergers and
acquisitions, investing in an agile financial management solution is
non-negotiable.
A Quick Look If your bottom line is under $4 million, QuickBooks is capable of
handling financial operations for a lot of companies. The software
provides templates based on characteristics of transactions —
otherwise known as categories. This schema is then broken down further
by assigning classes to each transaction. In an example, a small
business model may display both AP/AR and procurement as separate
classes of the company.
The downside is that QuickBooks is limited to its depth of drill down
capabilities in order to manage transactions at a granular level for
either division. This can be a challenge to any company that has any
component of remote work. For managers out of the office, this can be
problematic if oversight involves the review of a department’s overall
expense report, rather than controlling corresponding hidden costs
that eat away at the top and bottom line over time.
Epicor Financial Management is a highly
flexible reporting system; allocating all
financial information based on a hierarchy
existing inside a singular system. Every
transaction inside the organization is managed
in this single suite. One of the best features
of Epicor Financial Management is the ability
for businesses to track inventory. Inventory
management can make a significant impact the
bottom line. Inventory costing can become
tricky with the volatile demands of today’s
of an industry. This often means custom processes and customer system
modifications are necessary to make your software really work. This
leads investors to often choose a best of breed model over an industry
specific one.
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market. Financial oversight in this process is critical to deciding on
budgets and capacity investments.
Another key feature out of the box, “Multiple Books”, provides the
company with unlimited financial books to support a wide range of
financial requirements; such as budgeting and forecasting and US GAAP
compliance, versus managerial accounting or comprehensive
consolidations in QuickBooks. Overall, this suite takes the complexity
out of reporting and streamlines data from the transaction to
financial reports in real time.
Ultimately, if your business has a degree to complexity in its setup,
scale, or is in need of a more flexible solution, Epicor Financial
Management software provides a lot more tools and perform the work
more efficiently. If your business has a simply setup and doesn’t
require a lot specific designations — and your revenue is under $4
million — you can likely perform most functions using QuickBooks.
System Security This is where QuickBooks really
fails … miserably. And we don’t
mean to beat up on QuickBooks,
but its’ lax build alleviates
any measure of internal control.
The primary concern is the level
of accessibility
QuickBooks allocates to an
organization, specifically
posted transactions. Transaction
information can be edited at a
later date. This is bad for
budgeting, management control,
visibility, and anything else
that results in noncompliance.
Plus, QuickBooks allows sales
orders to be changed at any
time. The resulting complication is poor quality and account care;
which leads to inefficiencies further upstream. Given the pressures of
today’s business environment, even the slightest breach in quality
will cause an enterprise to be swallowed up by competitors.
Does your business need an internally controlled environment? Epicor
Financial Management software is simply better at securing quality
financial data at every juncture from quote to cash. Epicor provides
users the ability to configure validation rules to control what gets
posted to the General Ledger, from sub-ledgers. It does this based on
key compliance metrics or policy requirements (these rules control how
transaction events are cleared to post, will not post, or will issue
warnings before posting).
Epicor Financial Planning provides a security manager; which allocates
access to key data to specific employees defined by power users. It is
here that business leaders can define and submit budgets and forecasts
in their area of responsibility. This agile feature of ERP enables
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Enterprise Integration A major dilemma that growing businesses can expect using QuickBooks
is making data compatible for integration with other systems or
software. In other words, QuickBooks doesn’t play nicely with other
systems. This can be a major challenge in the event of a buyout,
implementation of other software, or CRM integration; where data must
be in pristine condition in order to migrate it to new systems. In the
event a company fails to employ a BPM expert, this type of work can
lead to trouble.
It’s possible this data will need to be entered into the new system
manually. This causes projects to become extremely complex, time
consuming, and over budget. What’s worse, we often see general misuse
of QuickBooks. Users create new data over and over again, fail to
eliminate irrelevant worksheets, and cause duplicate entries to
clutter the server. In our experience with clients, unclean data has
almost always cost them an extra arm and a leg. However, growing
companies don’t know what they don’t know and for that reason moved
forward with this method.
Those are primary reasons why having a robust financial database in a
single suite makes more sense than book keeping software. For a
growing company, Epicor Financial Management can be integrated with
CRM or BI software for improved demand forecasting, supply chain
scenario comparisons, and be certain taxes are filed based on
comprehensive requirements in countries in which they do business.
Integrating Epicor Financial Management with CRM is one of the most
common projects we are seeing organizations pursuing this year. When
regulatory initiatives change — as they often do — modifications in
Epicor are instantly modified in CRM to ensure both systems relay the
same information to stakeholders. Databases are also mirrored in both
systems to ensure no duplicate entries occur and data remains in the
system, not in an alternative source like QuickBooks.
The bottom line is that it’s easy to outgrow QuickBooks. If a business
is currently using QuickBooks or exploring what financial software to
use, just be aware of the challenges that the data in QuickBooks will
have if it needs to go anywhere else.
Synopsis: Epicor Financial Management or QuickBooks?
silos to have more control over their data, operate efficiently, and
comply with fiscal regulations.
This is where the two solutions really cannot compare. If security and
precise financial reporting are critical to your business, ERP
financial management software, like Epicor FM, is pretty much a
necessity.
In the totality of this review, we’ve compared two of the most
commonly used financial and accounting management solutions.
QuickBooks is a viable foundation tool for personal or small business
users, but for a growing enterprise to adopt a healthy growth model,
Epicor Financial Management software is the clear better choice.
Whether a firm seeks to restore internal control, improve security of
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| ERP for Manufacturing |
| Epicor 10 vs. Dynamics AX | We are often asked to compare Epicor vs Dynamics AX ERP systems. Our
recommendation is always to find the right tool for the right job —
and with these systems —there are many things to consider. Remember,
not even the most powerful software in the world is a “best fit” for
every organization. In our comparison of Epicor vs Dynamics AX, we’ll
brief you on the more elementary facets of software selection, common
issues that have been experienced, and what ultimately plays the
biggest role in cost payback. A priority attribute of an ERP solution
to that of an investor, is its ability to serve as the foundation for
a scale-able business model. Additionally, the buyer must ensure the
vendor’s latest version is configurable to maximize a process, not
match the current one.
data, or streamline regulatory initiatives, investing in Epicor
Financial Management software will provide the best value.
The foundation for improving the bottom line starts with knowing how
even the most finite transactions of the business can offset both
quality and productivity later on. For this to happen, modern
enterprises will need to explore a rapidly deployable ERP software
agile enough to track these everyday occurrences. Only then will
companies have the ability to optimize efficiency and remain within
regulatory spec. This is a critical enterprise decision, and should
not be taken lightly.
There are manufacturing enterprises all over the planet. Each is
uniquely different from the others, but there are several constants
these businesses generally have in common. Just about every
manufacturer must order something, sell something and ship something.
Determining which ERP software system is best for these functions
appears relatively easy right? You should already know by now that it
is not.
The unique processes running through the veins of every production
line is a game changer for how manufacturers buy, sell and ship. So
now, which ERP system is fitted for your manufacturing model?
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Business Process Modeling We’ve been trained to look for the “ease of
use” phrase in vendor material, yet many times
uncover no instance of how this occurs in the
back end. (In general, investors aren’t seeking
the latter). The truth? The majority of ERP
systems — particularly category leaders like
Epicor and Dynamics AX — are not easy to use,
easy to configure or manage. So just how does
Epicor 10 and Dynamics AX stack up in this
instance? Well, it truly depends on complexity
of business process models and the
sophistication of solutions you provide your
customers.
You’ll be hard-pressed to find a user that does
not exploit the power of Epicor 10’s agile drill down components. The
profound capabilities of Epicor 10, which can be seen in an expert
implementation, truly back the premise of their development schema.
For example, if properly mapped, Epicor can alter a sales role into
that of an engineer.
One thing Epicor does better than anyone else is fusing functions of a
system together most other ERP vendors view as separate entities. This
allows processes to be carried out faster, with greater transparency,
for client facing business users. But with efficient mapping comes
complexity. Business process modeling in Epicor requires defined work
process flows and expert analysis. Because the system is so flexible,
conditions at each task within those BPMs must be expertly set up to
make sure the system reflects the process in the right area of the
system. It is often why Epicor can be attributed as complex and
requires considerable time and focus during an implementation.
Dynamics AX is often lauded for being easy to use; yet is more than
likely a general statement when we’re talking in terms of a household
name like Microsoft. The truth is Microsoft is familiar to a lot of
people, so the learning curve is lessened when using their products.
This is a major benefit to their technology in AX.
AX is one of four ERP systems Microsoft deploys. However, AX is often
criticized for a lack of diversity in its functionality for economies
of scale whom need it. These complex business archetypes are
increasingly under consideration for a mergers or acquisitions in
order to provide an end-to-end service offering in a volatile market.
We open with this caveat because businesses in the midsection today
are immensely complex; delving into platforms that enable themselves
to provide an end to end solution so client matters are managed from a
360 degree view. Plus, internal users find the added investment a much
more reliable resource when it comes down to altering a job or case
internally. It is this on-demand trend that has transformed
today’s business process management initiative, thus differentiating
the model and/or versions between vendors like Epicor and Microsoft.
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Cost Accounting Both Epicor and AX are industry leaders when it comes to financial
reporting. However, largely differ in accessibility to custom reports.
Epicor enables users to view all costing schemes, resource allocation,
complex journal vouchers and discounts all from a single quote – which
many companies are finding most purposeful. As for Dynamics AX, while
it does capture some advanced time expense management posted directly
to the G/L — among other general accounting features — it does not
enable users to query potential costs for RFQs... However, for a
privately owned or standalone service provider, manufacturer or
distributor, Dynamics AX can be an essential tool for simple work
flows and standard account entity creation.
Looking at cost accounting through the Epicor vs Dynamics AX lens is
not cut and dry, and greatly depends on your business.
Implementation Partner Network
This means the presence of a midsection business is larger than ever
in the past, and as such, captures a much more robust business model.
Dynamics AX lacks proficiency when it comes to advanced BPM framing.
Suites are fairly standard and are not based on per industry dynamics.
General reviews suggests it takes many add-on components outside of AX
to exploit the same dimensions of each suite’s utilities as Epicor
does out of the box.
It should also be noted, users often criticize Dynamics AX for being a
rather laggard ERP system. This is more than likely the pitfall of its
simplistic development requiring many alterations to bring a process
to an optimum state. Moreover, since the version is from 2012, the
system may not have the capacity to perform with the advanced features
of modern applications the majority of businesses need to provide an
end to end solution. However, Dynamics has announced details of its
newest version Dynamics ‘AX7’ — a cloud based ERP — set to release
sometime later this year. Epicor too, has since announced a cloud-
first approach to their latest developments.
Those whom opt to take on an ERP implementation project are encouraged
to partner with a business solutions expert to see the project to its
completion and thereafter. The partner network is an excellent way to
invest in the software of an investor’s choice – either AX or Epicor –
and receive additional services or value that large vendors do not
necessarily provide.
Yet, the majority of VARs work outside the partner network of the
vendor which can result in poor practices throughout the
implementation. Microsoft has the largest and most mature VAR and ISV
channels in the enterprise software industry. According to industry
insiders, even with thousands of ERP channel partners, less than 50
are certified with an industry badge; and an even smaller number
service a methodology based on best practice approach or have the
ability to move a business to the cloud.
Epicor has a smaller partner network, but has placed a heavy emphasis
on training and development. The truth is, Epicor’s partner network
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The Bottom Line
| Microsoft Dynamics vs. Plex Systems |
Overview - Microsoft Dynamics AX vs. Plex Systems
Epicor vs Dynamics AX is a very formidable battle; as Dynamics AX does
possess some strong capabilities for business that strictly
manufacture products with little industry deviation. However Epicor
provides more detail in the areas of cost accounting, reporting, and
business process modeling. ERP selection always comes down to
selecting the right tool for the right job. The information above
should properly help you lay out which best fits your organization.
Microsoft Dynamics AX and Plex Systems are considered leading
providers of ERP for batch and process manufacturing in respective
segments of industrial markets. There are several reasons why
manufacturing business may consider both systems. However in most
cases, one is generally a better fit than the other. We’ll help you
navigate through the differences in the following comparison.
A major difference between Microsoft Dynamics AX and Plex Systems
comes down to the segments of the industrial space in which they
service. The Plex Systems ERP software is built specifically for
process manufacturers and has an avid following in this industrial
class. Dynamics AX is primarily known for powerful functionality
tailored to human resources, retail and operations management needs;
however it does contain some nice features that could make it a
fit for small and mid-sized manufacturing companies.
Plex’s rich, deep rooted manufacturing background – coupled with its
availability on a cloud platform – has increased efficiency for
manufacturers in need of a true manufacturing ERP system. By
comparison, Dynamics AX has found a niche among small & medium-sized
manufacturing companies who require simple configurations with less of
a need for agile process modeling.
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Scalability – Dynamics AX vs Plex Microsoft Dynamics AX largely services the small and medium sized
midsection of manufacturing and distribution. Yet, some businesses
moving from small scale processing to larger-scale strategies find it
challenging to scale the functionality of Dynamics AX on demand. A
lack of flexibility in the build out of AX has made some customers
reluctant to change processes and practices due to the somewhat rigid
nature of some of the configuration.
Dynamics AX is a great fit for businesses that have very little
complexity in their manufacturing practice and may not plan to grow
significantly within the next ten years. However, Dynamics AX often
becomes laggard, or slow to move through processes, when scaled up for
sophisticated business modeling – as many companies have become
dictated to do to compete in their respective markets. This can be
discouraging for a business who purchases an ERP system for efficiency
and agile throughput of data.
Conglomerate economies of scale generally require the handling of
large capacities, sophisticated materials acquisition, batch and lot
traceability and scheduling measured in real time. For example, as a
manufacturer or distributor increases capacity for private label
assembly, or do not process a standardized set of materials,
transactions could bottleneck the Microsoft Dynamics AX system; while
Plex is perfectly built for an occasion such as that. It all depends
on the complexity of the business.
Plex Systems is best suited for medium and large businesses that
require sophisticated quality management schemes post growth. These
enterprises generally acquire specialty materials and process large
amounts of inventories for a list of commodities of volatile markets
(food, automotive). Processes often involve assemblies for seasonal
variations that are both complex and require extensive auditing for
regulatory bodies. Scaling the system for an enterprise with end to
end production occurring at multi-site environment, where products
experience several points of contact, is a hallmark of Plex Systems.
Plex Systems ERP is a reactive,
agile application for complex
process manufacturing; however it
can be overkill for smaller
manufacturers with standardized
assemblers. Yet it may be worth
mentioning, because Plex Systems
operates in the cloud, it does
collect and configure continuous
data in real time which is an
important attribute for any
business, no matter their
structure.
Plex is a valuable resource for businesses who seek to become more
data-driven and require flexibility in the build out of reports and
dashboards of the more hands-off operations. Plex Cloud contains a
built-in BI feature that is specifically configured for manufacturing
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Ease of use – Dynamics AX vs Plex Not even the most powerful ERP on the planet is a fit for
all businesses. Generally it requires expert customization
and integration with other business software to generate proper ROI.
Yet, not all users within a company own the degree of technical
understanding to allow this to happen. For that reason, many ERP
vendors focus on ways to repurpose complexity into something most of
us can actually drive conclusions from. Microsoft Dynamics
AX understands this very well.
Since Microsoft Dynamics AX
belongs to the Microsoft
family, most modern work
forces are experienced with
its interface and navigation.
This can help mitigate
discomfort throughout a
changeover process.
The system can be easily
synced with other Microsoft
products such as Outlook and
Microsoft Office, rendering
it available inside a suite
users are familiar with.
Dynamics AX is a powerful, yet straightforward, system driven by the
ease of use methodology. And while many positioning ease of use at the
top of their buying criteria docket, it isn’t always what they’ll
find. Sometimes these subjective goals of the business push the
Dynamics ERP to execute functions beyond the scope of its development
and inadvertently cause the system to perform poorly.
We find some IT groups are often times open to implementing new
applications (less any architectural integrity) to push the Dynamics
system to perform to non-technical user requests. But this isn’t
always the fault of IT, as Microsoft and its partners offer products
that can achieve particular objectives; it simply comes down to
ensuring there is an ideal plan behind the integration so all mapping
works in tandem as a unit. Likewise, because a majority of users own a
skill set linked to a longevity of experience with Microsoft products,
their requests seem harmless as they believe certain functions are
only a button away.
What we generally find are IT groups then fixed on integrating an
outstanding number of bolt on applications provided by other Microsoft
suites outside the AX product. Configuring them to do what needs to be
done suddenly becomes a complex, time consuming process. What’s worse,
is now someone has accidentally choked critical areas of the original
Dynamics configuration. Not to mention, if those integrations
manipulate the Dynamics AX architecture, the vendor may void service
businesses. Dynamics AX can easily integrate with Power BI, but an
organization will still have to align the BI tool to their business to
draw something meaningful.
Copyright Datix 2015, All rights reserved
Migrating to Cloud – Dynamics AX vs Plex
contracts and leave the organization managing their own service
support tickets.
If processes call for specialized custom features – pivotal to process
models – procuring a more dynamic, all-encompassing system is
certainly worthy of hard earned investment dollars.
The ERP offering from Plex Systems provides an all-in-one
manufacturing ERP solution that built to include all facets of a shop
floor to the accounting suite from a single platform. Plex Systems
recognizes many will need to inevitably integrate separate systems –
some happening to be instances of Microsoft. So, not only does Plex
provide agile features and an array of deep functionality for
integration, it plays well with external applications and web-based
tools (Not that many will need these, as Plex is one of the few
software developers providing manufacturers a large breadth of product
features most vendors delve as add-ons). Plex exposes REST API to
users so that these integrations can happen easily.
Microsoft Dynamics AX UX/UI configuration is simple and easily adopted
by modern users of digital systems. However, when the time comes to
delve new functionality to the system, it may force the ERP system to
tackle tasks in areas which it was not configured to handle. This
where Plex is often the better fit. It comes down to weighing the
familiarity of Microsoft vs the powerful functions of Plex.
One thing many may not know is the latest release of Dynamics AX
system is the first of the Dynamics family to be built upon SaaS
architecture. That’s right, the new Dynamics AX is offered in the
cloud; but this is new territory. While this certainly broadens the
functionality Microsoft offers businesses, it may take time before
everything is fully ironed out. This means businesses looking to make
the jump to the cloud (for all of the reasons mentioned here),
Dynamics AX may not be the most logical first choice.
Copyright Datix 2015, All rights reserved
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Copyright Datix 2015, All rights reserved
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| ERP for Economies of Scale | The best ERP for your business will largely be determined by the
vision of the business and how the software will scale this vision
systematically. As mentioned in previous chapters, nearly every
manufacturing business largely does many of the same things. Some
ERPs are better equipped for traditional manufacturing processes than
others; but economies of scale require a highly reactive
infrastructure to incorporate their vision with new logistics.
Some systems are very rigid and require companies to use them as
outlined by the publisher, while others can be turned inside and out
to allow for flexibility to your business. Which ERP is best to scale
your business largely depends on how uncommon or complex some of your
business processes are.
| Epicor 10 vs. Sage X3 | In this Epicor vs Sage ERP showdown, we present a comparison between
two of today’s leading ERP software solutions. In our tailored
discussion, we’ll brief you on the elementary facets of software
selection, common issues that have been experienced by those seeking
these solutions, and ultimately what plays the biggest role in cost
payback.
Compliance vs. Business Intel Given the volatile nature of the market in which many manufacturers
and distributers operate, regulatory commission oversight and business
process will largely influence how you select the right tool for the
right job. If your business is heavily burdened by compliance and
quality control mandates, Epicor ERP 10 may ultimately be a
better fit. The reason Epicor 10 leads a class of ERP instances is the
depth, breadth, and precision of its build out. It has a robust
offering that is highly flexible and can be configured to drill down
to even the minutest transactions made by machine or man. Effectively,
it pinpoints finite contingencies that otherwise may go unnoticed and
snowball into something worse. This is
also important as mandates often change
and those smaller transactions can often
lead to noncompliance or nonconformance
issues.
However, if you operate in an industry
where revenue is heavily dependent upon
seasonality and requires long term
always will be) a purveyor of innovation, but ironically late to the
cloud-led ERP unlike Plex Systems.
If a cloud-led system is a requirement of your team, Plex Systems is
by far the most advanced and serviceable ERP system for modern
manufacturing and distribution businesses available. Businesses
seeking to move their data to the cloud will likely benefit more from
the Plex experience.
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planning for economic oddities such as; petrochemical, Sage ERP X3 may
be a more viable enterprise solution.
Unlike the compliance heavy Epicor 10, Sage ERP X3 has been integrated
with a formidable BI tool inside their financial management suite. BI
tools are especially useful for inventory management, capacity
configurations, and demand planning. In a volatile, globalized market
where ecommerce supports individualized orders a robust BI application
is a critical resource.
However, there is a downfall to having a BI tool exclusively built
into an ERP system, particularly the
Sage line, for two reasons:
1. First, BI tools are most useful when implemented as an added
layer across the entire digital ecosystem, including the CRM,
ecommerce and transportation management applications. This way
the scope of the BI reports includes changes in departments, like
sales expenditures, machine costs, and inventory carry. Each of
those silos contribute to the bottom line, and as such, should be
benchmarked and planned for when changes in capacity occur. The
more finite transactions that go unnoticed, the more risk there
is for contingencies and errors in the future.
2. Second, Sage ERP X3 offers several solutions absent of drill down
capabilities — something Epicor ERP 10 does very well. The depth
of Sage’s inventory management and production management is
scarce. It offers straight forward functionality, with minimalist
customizations. For that reason alone, a BI tool is
unnecessary as it does not detail the most crippling areas of the
business. Additionally, basing a purchasing decision on the
Sage BI application alone can lead to poor decision making since
the ERP doesn’t provide the functionality you’ll need to actually
address those contingencies once discovered. However, if your
company is smaller with minimal complexity in the processes and
business model, Sage X3 may suit end users well.
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Integration and IoT Epicor 10 is largely known for its ability to integrate with other
systems and is best in class for multi-site deployment. It is built on
service-oriented architecture (SOA) which can ease the integration of
diverse environments found in many organizations. Today, we find SOA
supports collaboration and information sharing throughout the
organization and with external partners. SOA also allows the business
to configure custom business processes without modifying the source
code. This is critical when abrupt changes occur in the business
environment; i.e. commissioned by a regulatory body. When business
process models are documented effectively and thoroughly, integrating
separate systems can be less complex as admins and implementation
experts can draft logic between those systems without altering key
tasks that may disrupt work flows.
Sage ERP X3 does boast effective integration capabilities, and is
built on SOA. However, because Sage does not provide as agile and
robust customization build outs as its competitor, an investor will be
stuck dishing out more capital to get it to support their business
processes effectively. This can also be problematic internally and to
external partners because integrating a volume of applications slows
the system down significantly. Plus, pushing applications to perform
may override other essential parts of Sage, faulting the work flow
indefinitely. Another pitfall of Sage’s integration ability is
straight forward functionality in its build out. Newer, sophisticated
applications will not be supported by Sage; meaning the finite data
throughput needed for those applications to be purposeful, Sage does
not compute. This can threaten a business significantly if they cannot
pinpoint nonconforming issues – which often occurs for the likes
of food and automotive industries.
However, probably the biggest disparity with Epicor vs Sage X3 is the
integration of IoT data. A business today will either live or die by
their ability to harness the internet of everything in the next 5-10
years. This includes integrated sensors on equipment, products, and
consumer insight to the nth degree. Sage X3 simply is not built to
take in and republish that amount of data successfully. Sage does not
provide the depth, breadth and precision, as
Epicor does, to capture key instances of data,
distribute them effectively (which many times dip
below the ERP’s surface for the data to truly
mean something), and evolve inefficiencies in a
highly competitive business environment.
Mobility and Security A major discrepancy among investors of software
is the idea all mobile solutions provide the same
level of functionality and system access for
remote users. This is not the case Depending on
the level of sophistication of business
processes, and the effectiveness of logic between
integrated pieces, mobile offerings generally
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need to automate a range of resource data from business systems
outside the company network, thus expanding a secured perimeter.
Because Epicor 10 supports an end to end compliance initiative it also
leads its class in cloud security. This is important for mobile users
whom access customer information, nonconformance lists, financial and
contractual information, or any other proprietary information when and
where business happens.
Sage ERP X3 offers straightforward mobile solutions for business
users. It’s a feasible option for a smaller company with a set
supplier or distributor and do not engage in a complex selling
process. Those users can then check standard information and create
orders. But Sage X3 does not offer a supply chain management suite
which is increasingly more important for mobile users. This function
of the system enhances service levels, provides real-time access to
supplier contracts for rapid response to nonconformance and enables
sales teams to personalize a sale. Without having the ability to
implement those uses of the ERP for mobile users – monitored by a
secured connection – a company risks missing out on opportunities, and
fails to provide an audible process route of products, ingredients,
packaging materials, calibration of machines or account for economic
adulteration quickly to regulatory bodies and big box retailers.
Epicor vs Sage X3 Conclusion Epicor has succeeded, spending much of their development hours on
compliance, mobility and application integration—the three most
pressing needs of today’s modern workforce. Epicor vs Sage x3 is a
very formidable battle; however Epicor is a better fit for the
majority of manufacturing and distribution businesses with any form of
compliance or integration concerns. Sage X3 could be a better fit for
smaller businesses with strict focus on just finances (and financial
BI). ERP selection always comes down to selecting the right tool for
the right job. The information above should properly help you lay out
which best fits your organization.
| SAP vs. Plex Systems |
SAP vs Plex Systems is becoming a more common comparison for many
businesses. The design of these two systems fit well for similar
industries and business types, which make them natural competitors for
mid-sized and large manufacturing businesses.
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Overview – SAP vs. Plex Systems SAP services a rather large portfolio
compared to most of its competition.
We attribute this to the longevity of
the SAP brand. The company launched
its first system in 1972, and is a
seasoned veteran of the on premises
ERP movement.
SAP’s latest ERP version was released
in 2006, and was built upon an
underlying layer of Java and ABAP
code. SAP would eventually did infuse
new features and functionality with
its enhancement package (EHP7) in 2013
for more than 83,000 total customers worldwide.
SAP touches an array of business industries and is not necessarily
tailored to perform best for one enterprise type over another.
However, SAP is generally utilized by the largest, most global-
reaching corporations -- whose processes generally involve asset
management, human capital management and operations management -- but
not necessarily capacity and production oversight of factory floors.
SAP is a proven formula for global parent or holding companies that
require rigorous snapshots of subsidiaries in which they manage.
The majority of these SAP users operate back office systems such as
finance, controlling, materials management and asset accounting.
SAP owes its success to the functionality compounded inside these
modules over the last two decades. Yet, maintenance costs of these
legacy ERP components is more expensive which has some users
questioning whether the system fits the M.O. of what they’re trying to
accomplish – that is, use the software to increase efficiency and
decrease costs.
Plex Systems includes these services in its all-inclusive solution
that is quicker and easier to perform in the cloud. It’s a limitless
software for manufacturing and capacity-driven communities (only). The
ERP vendor is often revered for its seamless upgrades, customer
satisfaction and shop-floor focused road mapping at no extra cost to
the customer. Its customers primarily include manufacturing bodies in
automotive, aerospace, defense and food and beverage. Because Plex is
built solely on cloud-technology, its applications house capabilities
that service manufacturing quote to cash, and everything in between at
a significantly lower cost (great for mid-sized companies). This
enables those with stake in the investment to turn profits into
returns in a shorter amount of time.
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Industry Coverage Plex Systems is very transparent when it comes to the industry types
they service. They offer cloud-technology for manufacturing – not
banks, governments or hotels. Plex was built from the ground up by
process manufacturing engineers themselves. The ERP is designed to
connect supplier, material, machine, accounting, human resource and BI
needs for both discrete and process manufacturing businesses of all
sizes.
In its earliest stages, Plex Systems was built as a MRP tool –
configured as a communication device to provide factory floor
information to management on a real time basis. Plex has since evolved
that system into a scalable, efficient, all-encompassing ERP for mid-
sized, large and global industrial groups—including automotive,
aerospace, the DOD and food producers. Every aspect of Plex has been
configured to support those specified attributes of modern industrial
processing; including BOM tracking, accounting compliance and advanced
quality management.
Comparatively, SAP does not offer a native ERP through the
manufacturing lens. Instead, SAP offers a manufacturing execution
system – a segmented solution, compatible with the SAP Enterprise
Suite. The MES tool of SAP does an excellent job capturing production
data in real-time when mapped according to defined business process
models. Since the MES tool is typically a separate solution from the
primary ERP system, companies inadvertently purchase both to retrieve
the same functionality they’d find in an ERP built upon an MRP
foundation. Programming ERPs atop a materials resource planning
solution alleviates complexity the implementation, as much of the
system would readily support the majority of shop floor production
requirements from a single system.
Unfortunately, user reviews mistaken SAP to perform all the functions
from SAPs Enterprise Suite. Yet, after all the bolt on configuration,
the software could seem rather dilatory to users post go live. A
likely reason is there may have been a critical mistake in uniting
separate systems during the implementation; and no consideration of
the risks appraised on the implementation road map.
From a customer’s perspective, this inevitably is hard to dismiss
after funding an SAP project – first to implement it, then to
This game-changing model is a leading reason why industrial
communities are gearing up to implement Plex Software in the coming
year. Since the inception of Plex Systems in 2006, they have managed
to deploy their services across 20 countries, powering over 1,100
plants with a 95 percent renewal rate. Instead of costly software
upgrades, Plex earmarks rolling updates. This is simply the advantage
of having Plex, and the vendor’s continued action to align their
revenue with customer satisfaction. This model enables the customer
to realize ROI on their infrastructure sooner. Likewise, IT groups are
less likely to deviate from critical responsibilities to move systems
to latest versions.
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Implementation Time Manufacturing-led ERPs in the cloud, like Plex Systems, are extremely
flexible and can be completely customized around
business processes. However, those businesses
with twenty plus years on their current legacy
system may mistake flexibility with volatility
and be apprehensive to move to a system requiring
such attentiveness to detail.
The uniqueness of Plex Systems architecture
stands to balance its volatile configuration with
an array of identified industrial needs readily
hard wired in the application. It requires no
additional investments in database licenses,
middleware or IT operations. Also, implementation
time is much less with Plex than other vendors as
the language of the system is derived from a
production floor which is easy for those using
the system to adopt. An added benefit to that is
it smooths over any discomfort users may
experience during an implementation process.
Plex is browser-based, meaning businesses avoid
having IT teams install or maintain hard and soft
“wares.” One of the best elements of procuring an instance of Plex is
not having to open up real estate on-premises for hardware –
allocating capital that can be better utilized for other
opportunities. Also, Plex Systems manages a comprehensive data center
to take complete control of enterprise operations. This enables
customers to focus on continuously improving processes, address user
inquires and train power users rather than testing software
environments daily.
SAP is acquired as an on-premises solution for the most part. SAP
requirements generally include desktops, servers and other meaningful
hardware; as this has been the demand that companies have generated.
Nonetheless, SAP deployment time has been somewhat shortened over the
last five years. This is most likely due to a large work force
experienced with SAP software over the last 40 plus years of
existence.
A reduced implementation time should reduce costs, but not necessarily
always the case. Since SAP is beneficial for large oversight
management, configuring a system to house the company’s requirements
will inevitably elongate implementation time. Generally large
integrate it, and inadvertently having to troubleshoot many issues
after go live.
Process and discrete manufacturers will quickly find that Plex simply
offers greater value for their business (if they’re interested in a
deployment model for industrial groups of scale); while other types of
businesses will likely enjoy the phased-in solution SAP offers. It’s
about finding the right tool for the right job; and Plex is the right
tool for process, high volume and regulatory guiding economies of
scale.
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Subscription Based Model One of the unique features of Plex is its subscription-based delivery
model. Plex uses this as incentive to continuously win customer
business by creating advocacy for its brand. And rather than having
the customer amass charges for every new user license, Plex encourages
system usage by offering logins for both employees and partners at no
additional charge.
Instead of incurring hefty costs every time a business goes to
upgrade, Plex has eliminated versioning and instead rolls out upgrades
on a continual basis. Essentially, this solution continuously moves
customers to a whole new state without disruption.
Plex’s historical up time is in excess of 99.99% historically –
equaling less than an hour of downtime per year. This is great because
cost of ownership is much less. Moreover, companies have the ability
to retain business customizations whilst live on the latest system,
encouraging user adoption and lessening disruption from updates.
SAP software rose in popularity from its solutions as a global
integration tool and bridging economic barriers like currency,
exchange rates, language and culture automatically. Today, most ERP
vendors can provide this functionality at much lesser cost model than
SAP with agility and data transparency tied in at no extra charge.
SAP has built very powerful software, but to
aggregate all the functionality needed to meet
those expectations, buyers of SAP generally
procure separate solutions to get there. This can
amount incremental costs further down the road.
As we mentioned previously, SAP functionality is
architected in combination with solutions outside
the SAP Enterprise Suite, rendering the system
rigid and financially unstable.
Regardless of all the computing power of SAP,
businesses fail to move to latest versions
because it’s such an enormous amount of work on
premises. This could be a benefit, however, since
the IT department remains consistent in their job
of managing the same legacy hardware with faithful values.
SAP’s contractual agreements with customers offer little to no
flexibility – making it extremely important to choose the right tool
for the right job. The contract required to sign with SAP holds a
company with the vendor until expiry; unlike the SaaS model that
requires customers be locked in for only a year.
corporations need to integrate financials with subsidiaries, which can
be a complex process if the child company runs on a secondary
instance. And because most parent companies allow child enterprises to
utilize their own ERP systems, it can take years (if not decades) for
a project to be completed on time. It also largely depends on how keen
a parent company is to align its subsidiaries with a corporate model.
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Wrap Up
| JD Edwards Enterprise One vs. Plex Systems |
Overview – JD Enterprise One vs. Plex
SAP vs Plex is an arduous battle. Both systems provide a strong
offering to different kinds of process manufacturing and financial
oversight businesses. What you’ll probably find is that most growing
manufacturing businesses, with some level of complexity, will be
happier with a Plex solution (if they are directly interested in
moving to the cloud); while those in the largest financial, banking
and human resources organizations - with multiple subsidiaries across
multiple industries and hiring scope for those with business acumen -
will likely be happier with something like SAP (although these are not
definitive statements).
There are always other factors at play when choosing software, but
it’s important that businesses perform proper selection and
implementation practices in the beginning to mitigate project risks.
To this point we’ve distinguished the features, capacities and markets
of today’s leading ERP providers in comparison to a first moving Plex
Systems. We’ve compared the young vendor to its primary competitor in
the categories of cloud, manufacturing and scalability. We’ve now
reached our comparison of Plex Systems to its most audacious
competitor yet –JD Edwards Enterprise One ERP and its Oracle driven
database manager.
We might first start off by saying these two systems service some
industries much better than others. Most buyers of software today have
grown favorable of best of breed solutions, or systems tailored
specifically to the type of jobs and tasks that make up their business
processes.
As we’ve mentioned in our previous comparisons, Plex Systems makes no
bones about the segment best suited for their ERP solution. Plex
Systems is largely installed in a manufacturing environment, with
unique configurations suitable in an automotive, food and beverage and
process production capacity.
Oracle’s JD Edwards EnterpriseOne ERP suite is a well-established
solution for these types of businesses as well, having performed
installations for over 150 medium to large supply chain enterprises;
yet, have come up with a very different means for using its solution
as a platform for a supplier-customer environment.
Plex Systems boasts strong MRP functionality beneficial for tracking
data on the shop floor, such as batch and lot numbers, serial numbers
and input materials. In fact, Plex Systems was established to sharpen
the visibility of processes at the detail level of production process
to mitigate the risk of process variation and nonconforming products.
It is this type of advanced data management that is so effective for
even the largest of manufacturing supply chains. Highly regulated
industrial businesses (food, automotive, aerospace) are becoming more
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Employee Turnover Before contacting either vendor, a buyer should research these
companies to understand their products, organizational culture and
sales approach. They should familiarize themselves with the type of
leadership they follow, who’s in charge and what their values are.
This should give the buyer a better idea of what to expect in the
selling processes, the integrity of the sales people and the
experience they’ll have during an implementation – or lack thereof.
You may already be familiar with Oracle’s legendary sales force, led
by former CEO and respected leader Larry Ellison. During his reign,
Oracle successfully completed nearly 100 acquisitions of tech
companies increasing capacities and viability of its products. And
with that, product prices rose as Oracle become the dominate provider
of legacy and modern business applications.
Nearly every technology, code or database we’ve come to know today is
pegged to Oracle. And while increasing the breadth of the portfolio
benefited Oracle, it has decreased the choices for consumers. This is
especially true for those organizations whom may be looking to migrate
to a solution outside the Oracle ecosystem.
And what was once viewed as a brilliant model has recently come under
fire by of the new administration. The company has chosen to enter the
technology hardware space, as well as develop solutions built upon
SaaS architecture. While this has given Oracle the opportunity to be a
primary source for all the components of IT infrastructure – either on
prem or in the cloud – it has caused issues internally Oracle can’t
seem to nix.
This could be the result of Oracles new approach to provide both forms
of enterprise architecture and a change in their go-to market
strategy. Over the last several years, the predecessor of Larry
Ellison has reorganized Oracle’s sales department to run leaner;
prone to acquire a system with this type of functionality as
regulatory bodies tighten the gap for production variation.
JD Edwards Enterprise One provides a well-rounded sales-order
management module, complete with a configurator – an automated
selection and configuration tool to connect front-end sales and quote
entry with back-end fulfillment ops and manufacturing systems. This
type of functionality is exceptional for a business operating in a
highly specialized selling capacity dealing with a massive amounts of
new data transactions happening daily on a global scale (retail,
distribution, travel and transportation) but may not be a choice
solution for a medium or large industrial manufacturer.
There is limited capabilities in the JD Edwards Enterprise One supply
chain and production management modules, and even less its financial-
oriented sister ERP. JD Edwards Enterprise One is remarkable at
tracking quotes, but not a bill of materials forwards and backwards in
production. In a case of tracking materials from quote to cash – and
thereafter—the product configuration enrichment (a staple of Oracle)
of JD Edwards Enterprise One may not be beneficial for a business
seeking to harbor a solution instigating functionalities for quality
over quantity.
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phasing out hundreds of the once legendary sales force. He has placed
lofty quotas on the sale of hardware and have amped up requirements to
sell a top to bottom infrastructure. Only a handful of large companies
can afford to obtain infrastructure top to bottom without looking
around for competitive pricing of separate components (I.e. hardware
vs. software). The majority of sales territories have become smaller
and many analysts are questioning if that has contributed to the high
attrition rate at Oracle and noticeable employee turnover with
hundreds leaving each quarter (some leaving for competitor Plex
Systems).
Those that stay remain urgent to close deals; therefore focus efforts
on convincing a buyer to purchase not only software, but hardware as
well. And because Oracle has heavily invested in the hardware
provision space, we can expect this to be an ongoing issue that will
inadvertently leave clients owning JD Edwards Enterprise One
campaigning for new project resources, shorter implementation time and
more financing.
By comparison, Plex Systems was named one of 2014’s Best Places to
Work by the Detroit Free Press, which can only mean one thing - low
employee turnover. This is especially important to consider when
considering an ERP project with your finance dollars on the line. Plex
employees are being compensated for work they already enjoy doing. It
just happens they develop an intelligent machine for the market in
which they have hands on experience - manufacturing.
Plex Systems hires seasoned manufacturing experts whom understand the
ins and outs of a shop floor framework to match Plex applications to
specific manufacturing needs. From a sales perspective, Plex’s single
cloud platform makes the sales team focus on business process models
and drive value from understanding customer requirements; compared to
Oracle with its many products, services and legacy hardware that may
convolute the client message.
From a project management standpoint, Plex employees find value in
seeing a client’s project through, reducing the chance of project
change over and derailment.
Cost Organizations deserve a solution that will optimize process and
capture new value to drive ROI on the purchase. So between JD Edwards
Enterprise One and Plex Systems, which one is making that happen for
the industrial market?
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JD Edwards Enterprise One is an open
platform priced between $15 – $400K
(plus hardware, implementation and
continuous improvement) depending on
the size and scope of your business
model. We compare that to Plex’s
Manufacturing Cloud ERP with a yearly
subscription based model costing
businesses $5K per month on average.
Plex uses a subscription-based
delivery model. Plex uses this as
incentive to continuously win customer
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business by creating advocacy for its brand. The continual renewals
are paid year after year. And rather than have the customer amass
charges for every new user license, Plex encourages system usage by
offering logins for both employees and partners at no additional
charge.
Instead of incurring hefty costs every time a business goes to
upgrade, Plex has eliminated versioning and instead rolls out upgrades
on a continual basis. Essentially, this solution continuously moves
customers to a whole new state without disruption. Likewise, companies
have the ability to retain business customizations whilst live on the
latest system; encouraging user adoption and lessening disruption of
upgrading.
Recently, Oracle decided to offer its JD Edwards Enterprise One
solution on a cloud platform as a subscription model. This is great
way for Oracle to sustain their position in the business technology
space, and provide the same functionality many depend on through a
less expensive model. However, we are concerned the company will
leverage the Oracle brand and keep their SaaS model price high whilst
deploying limited capabilities for the industrial segment.
Nonetheless, included in the high cost is the well-established Oracle
Database that can be hosted on a variety of operating systems as long
as the company keeps the ERP on premises – Microsoft Windows, HP-UX,
Linux x86-64, OpenVMS and more. A JD Edwards Enterprise One solution
that plays well with established internal platform can make
installation costs lower and less change of the procuring latest
hardware.
Wrap-Up JD Edwards Enterprise One and Plex Systems is an arduous battle. Both
systems provide a strong offering to a diverse group of businesses
differentiated by their ERP buying criteria and data oversight for
their global enterprise.
Ultimately, it always comes down to selecting the right tool for the
right job. What you’ll probably find is that most growing
manufacturing businesses, with some level of complexity, will be
happier with a Plex solution (if they are directly interested in
moving to the cloud); while those in transportation and travel,
communications, or professional service organizations with business
acumen and sales-oriented backgrounds will likely be happier with
something like JD Edwards Enterprise One (although these are not
definitive statements).
| ERP in the Cloud |
As a top ERP consulting firm, we speak to a wide variety of different
businesses on a daily basis. If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s
that all organizations are different. Even businesses that operate in
the exact same space have different practices and processes. That’s
why when we’re asked by companies if they should start moving to
a cloud ERP system right now, we don’t have an all-encompassing
answer. As it turns out, there is usually a subjective answer for each
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We discuss the possibility of a cloud
ERP with many manufacturing and supply
chain verticals. And the truth is, the
future of software technology is
quickly moving in this direction.
However, it makes a lot more sense for
some organizations than others. Some businesses could financially
benefit from moving to cloud infrastructure as soon as possible, while
others can choose to possibly transition in the future if an aggregate
market dictates them to do so.
NetSuite versus Plex Systems is an inevitable comparison
many businesses are bound to encounter if they are in the process
of considering a move to the cloud architecture — or are currently
migrating to a cloud platform. Our recommendation is always to find
the right tool for the right job, and between these two systems, there
are many things to consider.
In our comparison of NetSuite vs. Plex Systems, we explore the more
elementary facets of software selection relating to these systems;
common issues that have been experienced; and what ultimately plays
the biggest role in cost payback for different companies interested in
implementing these systems.
Overview - NetSuite vs. Plex Systems
Business Size — NetSuite vs Plex
company. The secret is discovering
which business factors make certain
organizations better candidates for an
ERP system than others.
NetSuite has positioned themselves as the largest cloud ERP in the
world and is currently experiencing unbridled growth in a number of
verticals. By comparison, Plex has become the cloud ERP of choice for
many in the manufacturing and distribution market and is considered by
business technology researchers to be the innovative leader in the
manufacturing space. So, in the battle of NetSuite versus Plex, which
cloud ERP best fits which kinds of businesses? Let’s take a look at
some of the factors at play. . .
While NetSuite and Plex ERP systems are often pitted against one
another — likely because they are two of the most evolved and
established cloud ERP’s — they do serve slightly different
demographics. We’ll get in to which industries each fits best — and
why — later on. However it’s important for businesses to understand
the physical limitations of their enterprise software.
Between the two, both fit small and medium-sized enterprises very
well. Both software systems can accommodate all the needs businesses
of this size require. Each possess the ability to scale up or down on
demand to adequately meet the needs of small businesses with large
business needs. The biggest differentiation between the two
physically, is Plex ERP can also accommodate large businesses with
global enterprise needs. Likewise, there are some cases of NetSuite
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Industry Fit — NetSuite vs Plex This is where the comparison really becomes an exercise in selecting
the right tool for the right job. There is a pretty clear line that
can be drawn between which cloud ERP fits best for different types of
businesses. The split directly correlates to how the software itself
is structured and what modules and features are included in the
packages.
NetSuite largely puts financials upfront in their software. This means
businesses in the e-commerce, retail and hospitality industries will
be drawn naturally to some of its robust accounting and e-
commerce features. When comparing NetSuite and Plex Systems in the
financials department, NetSuite offers a tailored overall business fit
for many; whilst most manufacturing businesses will find Plex Systems
the clear winner in this area of business for what they need
accomplished.
NetSuite’s financials are very flexible. That’s why the financials
inside of NetSuite are such a great fit for the retail industry and e-
commerce businesses. These organizations rely on this functionality
more than others and are usually accustom to more complex
financials. NetSuite also has some rather helpful business
intelligence attributes embedded in their offering that supplement
these financials well. Furthermore, the software makes it easy for
multi-channel distributors to configure automated processes (possibly
those that may need to integrate with something like Amazon.com).
Our biggest concern with NetSuite is it is often marketed as an all-
encompassing cloud ERP for a wide range of businesses; while the
software itself is not really constructed in a way that supports every
type of business. The aggressive salesforce employed by NetSuite has a
bit of reputation for fitting round software into square-sized
businesses. This may be what has contributed to some of the more
negative reviews about NetSuite from users. However, when aligned
correctly, NetSuite fits certain businesses better than others;
specifically those in the retail, e-commerce, financial, B2C and
service industries.
Plex makes no bones about who their software is designed for. Up front
they position their solution as the cloud manufacturing ERP system.
Plex offers a wide range of features and modules for manufacturers
that are missing from NetSuite’s offering. Plex offers dynamic
capabilities that can support supply chain, inventory, maintenance,
manufacturing and HR management that are must-have for manufacturing
businesses making a move to the cloud. Plex is also the only ERP
fitting into larger businesses; however users of these organizations
claimed they experienced serious difficulty scaling the ERP software
to accommodate elaborate process models.
Plex is likely the better fit for many large businesses that may be
considering both. However, investors will want to cross-reference with
their industry to ensure the software truly fits. There are some large
businesses Plex is not equipped for, as we see in later chapters.
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Mobility/ UX / Remote Access — NetSuite vs Plex Since both NetSuite and Plex are both cloud-based ERP solutions,
accessibility and mobility are largely better than most other ERP’s on
the market (as others typically offer cloud and on-prem solutions).
Both offer very nice interfaces for users. Both Plex and NetSuite
recently launched brand new modern user interfaces that have been said
to improve UX for both systems. Users whom have navigated both systems
typically come away feeling that Plex UX is slightly more intuitive
than NetSuite; however there is a learning curve with both.
When it comes to mobility, Plex takes a slight edge over NetSuite.
When comparing NetSuite and Plex in terms of mobility, it really comes
down to the greater number of options offered by Plex. While NetSuite
has a well-built mobile website, Plex offers a mobile ready web
presence, android app and iOS app, as well. This gives Plex users new
ways to access the software, making it more comfortable for mobile
users that may be more accustomed to application-based utilization.
Both systems offer dynamic and speedy web portal access -- a major
advantage of cloud-based software in general. A strong internet
connection will permit both systems to run very quickly and offer
remote users a better experience than just about any other ERP
software on the market.
system with an embedded MES system. This allows businesses to connect
all smart machines and data on the shop floor with their Plex ERP
system. This functionality offered by Plex is much more comprehensive
and accommodating to those in the manufacturing space than NetSuite.
In fact, it’s almost not event fair to compare them on this
functionality alone.
Plex’s manufacturing module contains tools that give businesses better
change control, quality management and sampling abilities. These
features (and more) make Plex the choice solution (cloud aside) for
businesses with high production volume or process manufacturing needs.
NetSuite simply cannot compete with businesses that have these kinds
of manufacturing, supply chain or highly volatile distribution
needs. Plex also has embedded business intelligence; which has
received great reviews from users whom require seasonality, compliance
and quality management.
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Company Reputation — NetSuite vs Plex NetSuite was founded in 1998, and is positioned as the largest cloud
ERP provider in the world. The vendor built a model that exploded
among retail and growing e-commerce businesses, and used that as a
launch pad to help them become an innovative driver in the cloud ERP
movement.
Plex was founded in 2006, and is the fastest growing manufacturing
cloud ERP in the world. Plex built their entire model on shop floor
production oversight and materials tracking. They were adopted very
early by an extremely high percentage of the auto manufacturing
industry and have since found large adoption among those with high
volume process manufacturing components in their business model.
One clear area of differentiation when comparing NetSuite and Plex
Systems is consumer satisfaction reports and the experience they
provide users of their product. Both have tremendous success stories
across many different industries; however Plex really stands out when
it comes to customer service and customer reviews. NetSuite suffers a
bit from being slightly less customer-oriented during peaking stages
of their growth. Their software is often implemented inside
organizations whom do not fit their business model well – that is,
organizations seemed rushed to implement the software as NetSuite
installations largely focused on go-live, rather than road mapping the
project with unique processes of the business in mind. This has led to
the normal complaints and rumblings that software vendors generally
deal with, but they’ve also had to deal with several major lawsuits
because of this as well.
Plex Systems may be the most positively reviewed ERP software in the
world by customers. This can largely be attributed to two main
factors:
1. Plex does not envelop where they best fit, and is typically only
implemented inside of businesses where they can be relatively well
aligned.
2. Their attention to customer service is positioned up front
internally. This seems like a marketing message from the company,
but the truth is that reviews have revealed that customers are
generally very happy with the support and help they receive from
Plex. Or quite possibly because Plex Systems has been noticed as
one of the Best Places to Work – happy people make happy employees.
Happy employees provide customers enjoyable experiences.
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Another factor to consider are the partner networks of NetSuite and
Plex Systems. This likely plays a role in many of the reviews as there
are not many partners of any vendor certified to deploy ERP
infrastructure in the cloud. NetSuite has a very large partner network
that is extremely competitive. This leads to a lot of deals, and some
subpar implementations (not necessarily the software’s fault). This
risk can be mitigated by certified business process modeling
experts on the front end. Yet in stages of looming customer expansion,
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Wrap Up
| Epicor 10 vs. NetSuite |
NetSuite may have neglected their capacity to provide clients with
enough viable resources to make that happen.
Plex’s partner network is very small and has been built largely around
implementation and business process expertise. This is probably
another reason why their software is receives high marks on consumer
reports. We often talk about how important the implementation
process is, and working inside a partner network that supports that
same message shows Plex understands it too. This leads to more
successful implementations across the board and is likely the reason
customers endure a pleasurable ERP project experience.
NetSuite versus Plex is formidable battle. Both systems are innovators
in the marketplace and are both growing at an extremely rapid pace.
Their dual-popularity can directly be attributed to their visions of a
cloud ERP system for their target markets.
This is a little bit different from when we compare Epicor 10 to Infor
10X, Sage X3, and Dynamics AX; as NetSuite and Epicor are more of an
apples to oranges comparison. Companies evaluating both systems will
likely find one to be a better fit for their business needs than the
other. Our goal in this piece is to help you understand what those
decision-making considerations might be. As we always say, the right
tool for the right job.
In the totality of our head to head series, we have pinned the
capabilities and user reviews of leading ERP providers and solutions
on the market today. However, no two ERP systems are quite as
divergent as Epicor 10 and NetSuite’s current version. This week we
analyze vendor credibility, how post-implementation care is disrupted
for current customers when organizational changes occur at the vendor
level, and why a vendor’s robust customer network should never be a
considered in a buying decision.
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The Right Fit, and Credibility It should come as no surprise to the thousands of NetSuite customers
that attended the recent Suite World 2015 user conference that the
vendor’s cloud-led ERP instance and omnichannel commerce
suites continue to grow inside of the world’s largest global
companies. NetSuite has poured their resources into stock piling
revenue with an aggressive sales and expansion approach. This is a
testament to the popularity and utility of the software, but it does
not come without its downside. Back to back lawsuits against the ERP
vendor have detailed fallacies in NetSuite’s implementation processes
and initially proposed solutions to customers. Based on court
documents and user groups, the company is known for an overly
aggressive, over-promising sales force and poor user adoption support;
however when these risks are properly mitigated the software delivers
precisely as advertised.
If you look to our articles on ERP and CRM selection best practices,
you’ll notice we echo the same message over and over again — it takes
the right tool for the right job. It may sound cliché’ but could not
ring more true in our comparison here. NetSuite opened its doors
nearly two decades ago with only a few capabilities, and has since
grown to fully involve an end to end solution for small and medium
businesses (SMB). Yet, as more industries entered the market (i.e. the
service sector, distribution and retail) NetSuite found their solution
could remedy the pain points in each of these spaces. NetSuite
has become an industry leader in the ERP space, but the vendor also
imposes a high price tag upon these businesses for a solution that is
not a fit for all businesses or industries despite a marketing
approach that may state otherwise.
Comparing Epicor vs NetSuite, and their stories, is actually very
interesting. As both have experienced struggle and success. Epicor has
driven its brand to the top of the leader boards by simply
understanding the market in which its solution’s capabilities have the
greatest potential fit — manufacturing, distribution, batch and
discrete processing. Epicor designed a flexible, agile resource
planning software capable of being configured around each of these
value adding programs. Epicor’s primary struggles have come at their
releases which have often required multiple updates to fix bug and
glitches; however most of these are easily mitigated. It’s most recent
release Epicor 10, has really excelled; bringing the flexibility of
its hierarchy-based configuration for sophisticated industry-specific
enterprises to the forefront of its messaging. Additionally, the
vendor remained focused on core industry-specific methodologies
despite organizational changes that occurred in Q2 of 2015 that were
aimed at improving in areas where the company had been criticized.
Organizational Change at the Vendor Level Change, in many ways, is a great thing; however when industries and
software change at the same time, the results can be dramatic. This is
the primary reason the majority of manufacturing and distribution
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Post Go-Live Support Another primary disparity comparing Epicor vs NetSuite is their
partner network, whom should work as a certified extension of the
business. Out of the box, NetSuite’s software is so complex and unique
to their development, locating an external source knowing the ins and
outs is robust, but can be hard to find someone specific to your
business that fully-understands the business processes that the ERP
can support. It is also why NetSuite charges higher prices for
continuous improvement and 24 hour support; because their own internal
team of experts is limited. Epicor runs on Microsoft and SQL reporting
making it easy to train non-technical users and in-house developers
that may already understand elements of the software.
Additionally, partner networks are
sources the vendor can turn to extend
the value for the investor lost in the
change at the vendor level. For the
majority of small and midsized
businesses whom employ a limited IT
division, post go live support, or any
change management, is non-negotiable.
They simply have to have it. After an
implementation partner validates the
system, and walks users through use
cases inside the system, the system
will be live and the company will
procure full ownership of it.
What then? If you’re a NetSuite user you will need to do a lot of due
diligence to properly equip your organization to mitigate future risk.
groups are looking to latest version ERP systems to support these new
changes and capabilities.
Those investing in ERP often choose to remain divested in their legacy
system, but then chooses to upgrade to meet industry demand. What
happens when the vendor restructures their business model after
implementation? These business that had waited a long period of time
to upgrade, and likely thoughtfully considered their options, are now
left with system (and price) different from the one they selected.
For small and midsection businesses whom heavily rely on a vendor
(their software and services), the main risk is losing their full
attention for post go live support. And like NetSuite, Epicor too has
undergone an organizational restructuring as of late. Likewise we’ve
touched on changes ERP vendor giant, Infor, has undergone and how it
affected their customer base. The conclusion? The manufacturing and
distribution space is undergoing rapid changes. This is a priority
reason why industry experts recommend sourcing a third
party consultant on an implementation.
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Ease of Use
Wrap-Up
This means locating specific partners, and employees that are experts
in BPMs.
Investors of Epicor are fortunate. Epicor requires its partner network
undergo rigorous training and best practice configuration
certifications to render the system properly, and since the software
is specific to the manufacturing, distribution, and made-to-order/
batch-based processing industries it’s not as difficult to source or
acquire experts in industry BPM’s that can work with the software.
An important element of all software is its ease of use. In a nut
shell, ease of use reflects how users experience / understand the
software (UX), and what the interface looks like and acts like (UI).
Both NetSuite and Epicor are developed with modern flair, they are
more appealing to everyday users than most other comparable ERP’s.
Users of both systems will likely have few complaints.
All of these factors are important to user adoption. Epicor’s
interface resembles latest versions of Microsoft, with flat, large
icons and a beautifully developed external facing screen (like Windows
8 or 10). Additionally, Epicor has moved from Crystal Reporting to SQL
(SSRS) reporting in their latest 10 version. While SQL reporting can
be complex to build, more developers and administrators are becoming
trained on this type of reporting sequence. NetSuite’s cloud led ERP
is integrated with NetSuite reporting schemes; which can be more
difficult to adopt. For companies employing one or two in the IT
division, it could take months for personnel to learn how to create
these reports. In all, it is more expensive to adopt an ERP system
where specialists, developers and consultants are far and few between.
The information above should properly help you lay out which best fits
your organization. Investing in infrastructure is an emotional
decision that should be considered by many in an organization. One of
the best ways to mitigate these risks is to invest in having an expert
assist you during selection and implementation.