Business Automation and Software Blog

Did you know that an ERP can help bring down workplace silos? You know the ones—the ones that are keeping your departments from communicating. The ones causing bottlenecks. If your departments are working in their own little bubbles, it’s making things way harder than they need to be.

Manufacturers today are navigating an incredibly challenging landscape. Supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, rising regulatory demands, and customer expectations for faster, more customized products have converged into a complex business environment. Systems that once kept operations running smoothly are starting to show cracks, and problems are popping up where they’re least expected. Generic ERP platforms, built to serve every industry, are increasingly becoming obstacles rather than enablers of growth. 

As Chicago-area ERP software consultants, we see a lot of manufacturers struggling with their business management software. Maybe what they have doesn’t have all the features they thought they were buying, and it’s not supporting business growth. Or, it has too many bells and whistles, and it’s confusing the heck out of everyone.

Distributors seeking to improve profitability should focus on five areas of business, supported by an ERP manufacturing system that enables tracking the numbers. When you combine the right systems with clear metrics, powerful results follow. CFOs and accounting leaders at manufacturing and distribution companies who use modern, flexible ERP manufacturing systems can help their companies profit and grow. Let’s take a look at five areas to focus on for profitability and the metrics that matter.

Running a distribution business means juggling a lot of moving parts. You need to keep inventory flowing, maintain strong supplier relationships, keep customers happy, and somehow stay profitable while doing it all.

That's where Sage 300 ERP software comes in. This powerful system helps distributors improve profitability by optimizing inventory management, automating purchasing processes, and streamlining sales operations. Let's dive into how Sage 300 transforms these critical areas and puts more money back into your business.

Want to transform your workforce? Use these warehouse training tips to add both fun and teambuilding to your workplace. 

If the words “teambuilding exercises” conjure up a 1990s-style vision of ropes courses and walking on hot coals, don’t worry—we aren’t going to ask you to do either. Instead, we’ve put together five tips that will help you build the teamwork that makes the dream work (thank you, John Maxwell).

As Chicago-area enterprise resource planning (ERP) consultants, we’re always on the lookout for innovations that can help our clients. Whether it’s the latest shortcuts, tips, or hacks, or updates to SYSPRO and Sage 300 ERP that help our clients do more faster, and better, we’re on it.

Picture this: A promising potential customer requests a quote, and your team scrambles to prepare it before they go with your competitor. Someone's hunting through old spreadsheets, another person is waiting for procurement to answer their emails, and meanwhile, you're cobbling together numbers from a quote you did six months ago. Sound familiar?

The so-called fourth Industrial Revolution and the Internet of Things have resulted in lots of data for manufacturers to track and manage. If that data is siloed or tucked away in multiple systems or places without any way to connect the dots, you could be missing out on the power of data to help you make informed decisions.

You've invested in state-of-the-art manufacturing business software and IoT sensors to monitor everything from equipment to forklifts. The sensors collect data on everything from machine vibrations to temperature fluctuations. Your operations team is excited about the possibilities. But three months later, you're drowning in data with little to show for it. Sound familiar?