Transitioning away from customizations can indeed pose challenges, but it's not insurmountable with the right approach. Here’s a look at the real issues and solutions that can pave the way for a streamlined, up-to-date ERP.

Common Challenges:

1. Dependency on Custom Processes
   Custom processes become ingrained, and removing them disrupts established workflows. However, business processes often evolve over time, as do best practices incorporated into modern ERP systems.

2. Cost and Time Constraints
   Testing, retraining, and hiring consultants for an upgrade are valid concerns. Yet, consider the efficiency gains and reduced maintenance costs over time by utilizing standard ERP features.

3. User Resistance
   Change management is critical, as employees can be skeptical of losing tools they’re familiar with. Effective communication about the benefits of standardized, future-ready tools can help ease the transition.

The Reality Check: Has Your Organization Changed?

Evaluate how much your business needs have shifted, how user expectations have evolved, and if any workarounds or interim solutions are now adding unnecessary complexity. Many companies discover that industry-standard ERP features can replace outdated customizations.

Did You Know?

Bring New Life to Your ERP System

Did you implement your ERP system 5 or 20 years ago? Back then, it was like a brand-new car—sleek, fast, and efficient. It may have needed minor adjustments, but you were very pleased. Fast forward to today, does it still have that new car smell? Does it run as efficiently as it used to?

While ERP systems are designed to last, your business evolves. Customer needs change, employees come and go, and you are left with a system that may run “fine” but lacks its original spark.

GOOD NEWS: You can restore that “new car smell” with a utilization, or business process review.

What is a Utilization or Business Process Review?

Our consultants review your Infor ERP system's current usage and related business processes to make recommendations that reinvigorate your system and its users.

Does My Organization Need One?

While every company could benefit, it's especially worthwhile if you have a specific problem to solve or a goal to achieve.

Financial Benefits Include:
Technology Benefits Include:

Gartner forecasts that by 2026, 75% of organizations will anchor their digital transformation strategies in cloud computing.

Public cloud investment is expected to hit $724 billion by 2024, highlighting the sector's rapid expansion. Yet, selecting the appropriate infrastructure is critical, necessitating carefully evaluating various factors.

A detailed TechTarget article examines the advantages and disadvantages of on-premise and cloud solutions...

Disconnected data – What is it?

​ The spreadsheet that your warehouse manager has off to the side to track his inventory levels and expected shipments from your key suppliers.

 The email orders from your dealer portal waiting to be manually keyed into your ERP. 

Disconnected data is a set of information stored separately from the main system that is used to run your business (your ERP system). The data is valuable and lack of visibility to that data creates problems throughout the organization. Far more than you realize.

A 2023 study by enterprise automation provider Snaplogic and Vanson Bourne researchers showed the following:

Avoid Being a Quitter

As the calendar flips to January 1st, it marks the beginning of a new year filled with fresh opportunities and resolutions. It's that time when many of us set ambitious goals for ourselves, both personally and professionally. But, how often do these aspirations fizzle out before we even hit the second Friday of the year? It's so common that they even call it "Quitter's Day." However, it's not too late to stay on track and realize your ambitions. In this article, we'll focus on the professional side of goal-setting and how Crossroads RMC can be your ally in achieving manufacturing excellence.

Step 1: Make Your Goals Bite-Sized

It's hard to believe, but we're nearing the end of 2023, and it's a good time to reflect on your goals and plan for the coming year. If your plans for 2024 include upgrading your Infor ERP system, then Crossroads RMC is here to help. With over 35 years of industry experience, we can ensure a successful upgrade that meets your expectations in terms of results, timeline, and budget.

Our expert consultants can offer the following services:

1. Custom Component Review: We'll assess your custom components to identify and eliminate any that are no longer necessary.

2. Benefits Analysis: We'll provide a detailed analysis of the specific benefits your company can achieve by upgrading to the latest version.

3. User Training: Our team will train your users on the latest functionality to maximize the benefits of the upgrade.

4. Ongoing Support: While the project team focuses on the upgrade, we'll provide support to your users on the old version to minimize disruptions.

5. Project Management: We'll handle the entire upgrade project from start to finish, ensuring a smooth transition.

6. Resource Augmentation: We can supplement your existing project team with 1-2 key resources to enhance expertise.

7. Integration Development: We can develop integrations with third-party systems that are essential for your business when upgrading.

We all remember our school days and the nervousness that we felt when it came time to get our grades. Even if we were doing well, we were still nervous. Sometimes we experienced that same nervousness when it came time for a performance review in our job. Nervousness…sometimes dread…knowing that our performance maybe was not what we wanted it to be, or others expected it to be. 

Somehow I think the feelings that we felt in our past often find ways to creep into our present. I have seen this recently when I suggested an ERP system review to one of our customers. They immediately became flustered and thought about every possible problem that they knew existed within the software and how they were currently using it.

An ERP system review or more specifically a Utilization Review is NOT a personal report card, or performance review showing how well a particular individual does his/hers/their job, nor is it an attack on the team that implemented the software. 

An ERP Utilization Review will:

Transformation: (definition)  A thorough and dramatic change.

We all dream about it….how can we transform ourselves into something better…something more desirable? Maybe it is our appearance that we want to improve, maybe it is our physical strength and stamina, or maybe it is our mental toughness.

Have we thought about transformation when it comes to our businesses? More specifically, our ERP systems that are the lifeblood of our businesses?

When it comes to this type of transformation, we’re talking about a digital transformation. This means taking...