Technology in Practice

The pandemic revealed significant vulnerabilities in supply chains around the world. The challenge now is to build them back — better. The coronavirus pandemic disrupted supply chains around the world. Almost instantly, we saw lead times and prices jump while availability sunk. You likely felt the impacts in your business and your personal life as halted production lines and backlogged shipping routes made key components and life’s little necessities suddenly very hard to get. The impacts continue. Lumber prices have tripled in 2021, and a critical microchip shortage threatens to snarl computer and car production. As we emerge from what we hope is the worst of the crisis, no one predicts we’ll go back to business as usual. Manufacturers and distributors will need to adopt new strategies — or even make seismic shifts in their approaches — to keep their supply chains healthy and moving. What is the current state of global supply chains? What are the problems facing manufacturers and distributors right now and going forward?  How can CEOs, CFOs and their teams mitigate the challenges? And how can modern manufacturers and distributors best position themselves to grow and succeed amid uncertainty? We’ll try to answer these questions and more in this series, Supply Chain Challenges and Solutions, starting with an overview of where we are and the challenges we face. The supply chain shock heard ‘round the world A supply shock started in China in February of 2020, creating a worldwide demand shock. The Institute for Supply Management in a May 2020 survey found that 97% of respondents said the coronavirus impacted their supply chain and 36% dealt with disruptions. Other research seems to mirror or amplify the findings. In a McKinsey survey of supply chain leaders, the overwhelming majority of respondents said the crisis revealed weaknesses in their supply chains. For example, 73% encountered shortages or other problems with their supplier base, 75% faced issues in their production/distribution footprint, and a whopping 85% indicated they struggled with insufficient digital technologies. Not everyone agrees that coronavirus is entirely to blame, however. Some notable industry experts (like EY in this article) argue that the pandemic has not directly created any new challenges for supply chains, rather it accelerated and magnified existing problems. Regardless, the problems are significant for many companies. Severe disruptions affected 57% of companies surveyed by EY, with 72% reporting a negative effect. eBook Download: Inventory Management Fuels Supply Chain Optimization A Smart Approach to Better, Faster Decision-Making   Localizing is gaining traction Temporary trade and travel restrictions during the pandemic combined with an ongoing US-China trade war triggered a rise in economic nationalism. Consequently, manufacturers are under pressure to increase their domestic production, grow employment at home, and localize their supply chain. Whether localizing is an effective part of the solution remains to be seen. Gartner surveyed global supply chain leaders early in the pandemic and found that 33% had already moved sourcing and manufacturing activities out of China or planned to do so in the next two to three years — a further indication that the pandemic was not the sole factor for localizing production. What hasn’t changed in all of this is consumers’ demand for low prices. Manufacturers and distributors won’t necessarily be able to charge more because the goods are being made closer to home. The competition will continue to keep the pressure on pricing. The challenge for companies will be to make their supply chains more resilient without weakening their competitiveness. Resiliency and visibility are top priorities While resiliency has become something of a buzzword during the pandemic, in reality, it is a trait every manufacturer and distributor strives for. Supply chain resilience refers to a company’s ability to prepare for and adapt to unexpected events that negatively affect their supply chain performance, continue functioning during a disruption, and recover quickly as conditions moderate. 55% of supply chain leaders told Gartner they expect to have a highly resilient supply chain within two to three years, up from 21% that have such a supply chain today. An EY survey conducted in late 2020 found that supply chain resiliency is a top priority for companies over the next three years. The number one priority in the next 12 months, the survey found, is supply chain visibility. Resiliency and visibility go hand in hand, as visibility provides the metrics and insight needed for companies to grow their resiliency. Together, they could hold the keys to solving many pressing supply chain challenges and we’ll be speaking about ways to incorporate them into business operations in upcoming posts. Digital technologies hold the key The pandemic and its continuing aftermath pose unique challenges for manufacturers and distributors. But amid the challenges lie opportunities. The global economy is slated to grow 5.5% in 2021 and another 4.2% in 2022. In just the first three months of 2021, the US economy grew 1.6%. The companies that will be best able to take advantage of the economic expansion are those that invest in the digital technologies that grow their resiliency and increase their supply chain visibility. Digital technologies, including cloud-based ERP applications, analytic tools, and even CRM software, provide needed visibility into supply chain activities, help increase productivity, reduce costs and risk, automate processes, and increase speed to market. We invite you to stay tuned for part two of this series, where we’ll take a closer look at the challenges plaguing manufacturers and distributors as they look to capitalize on a seemingly healthy, but still largely uncertain, global and domestic economy. p:empty { display: none;}

Apply and leverage Fully Connected Shipping with Sage X3 to strengthen your business and receive real-time connectivity to carriers, accurate reporting data, and business systems. Pacejet’s platform is an adaptive solution that empowers shippers with rapid and innovative capabilities that foster growth. The Business Benefits of Pacejet’s Integrated Shipping Solution for Sage X3: Reduce shipping costs up to 30%: Rate shop, from order or Sage X3 shipment/delivery record, across 65+ carriers to find the best price for any shipment. Capture and improve accurate billing information while using Pacejet’s carrier options to reduce shipping costs. Faster fulfillment times: Pacejet provides full visibility into your data, which will help reduce errors, increase shipping time, and help fulfill shipping orders quickly and efficiently. Reduce shipping labor up to 80%: Automate your workflows and reduce manual steps through improved capabilities like pack and ship, which are accessible either through Pacejet or Sage X3. Native Sage X3 integration: Pacejet seamlessly integrates into Sage X3 and uses native integration to provide real-time connectivity and enhance your multi-carrier shipping strategy. Compatible with Sage X3 Version 12 and future releases. For more information on how Pacejet’s Fully Connected Shipping can help your business, check out our on-demand webinar or contact us.   Watch Recorded Webinar: All New Fully Connected Shipping Integrated with Sage X3 Explore Better Shipping Built-for-Sage X3. Watch Now

Welcome to the Net at Work Sage X3 video series. In this episode, we look at how to process customer returns or RMAs (also known as return merchandise authorizations) within Sage X3. We will explore three different functions: Generating RMA numbers to send to customers Receiving RMAs once customers deliver the returned merchandise Generating credit memos for customer accounts You will see how all of these transactions tie back to the original invoice that generated the shipment. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } For more information on process customer returns in Sage X3, please contact us.

Our devices house our entire lives. From finances to family photos they’re the keepers of our past, present and future. Even the thought of someone gaining unauthorized access is enough to set off alarm bells. When it comes to protecting your devices, sometimes the best offense is a good defense. Follow these seven steps to curb some of that device anxiety and provide a safe harbor for your hardware, even if it’s out of your hands. Password-protect your login and lock screens Passwords are the first lines of defense when securing access to your device. Logging into your computer should require a hard-to-guess password. Though it can still be personal, steer clear of anything too obvious like your wedding anniversary or a pet’s name. A combination of letters, numbers and symbols is always best. Some devices can also be programmed to use biometric identifiers like fingerprints or facial recognition. Whichever you choose, just make sure it’s unique to this machine and not replicated anywhere else. While you’re setting up your login screen, be sure a password is also required to unlock your screensaver. If you work in an environment where you have to step away from your machine frequently, get into the habit of locking your machine anytime you leave your laptop. Alternatively, you can also go into the settings and shorten the length of time it takes before your computer goes to sleep. Use an encrypted hard drive Passwords protect external access, but unless you encrypt your hard drive, your files are still vulnerable. Thieves who can’t get past your lock screen may opt for a more physical approach, removing your hard drive and copying the data directly. Hard drive encryption also lessens your risk of unscrupulous file modification, malicious script file insertion or hard drive cloning. The process renders your resting data and personal files unreadable without a prescribed authorization key. Hard drive encryption also lessens your risk of unscrupulous file modification, malicious script file insertion or hard drive cloning. Back up regularly The more frequently you back up your data the less you have to worry about losing what you love. If your machine gets infected with ransomware that holds your files hostage or a thief lifts your laptop, you’ll be happy you did. You have two primary backup options: a local backup (like an external hard drive) or cloud backup (which is held remotely). Either way, it’s a good idea to ensure that just like your hard drive, your backup is also encrypted. Auto-update your OS and apps Updating your system, its software and any apps you use is your strongest recourse against malware or breach attempts. Check to ensure the browsers you use default to automatically update anytime there’s a new version. You may need to manually check that the same happens for your operating system and apps. Doing so reinforces your device with critical security patches, which have been developed to address the latest cybersecurity events. Prevent shoulder surfing with a privacy screen Some cybercriminals are so adept they can siphon off sensitive information without ever even touching your machine. Commonly known as “shoulder surfing,” all these unscrupulous characters need is a screen within eyeshot to launch their attack. Sometimes all hackers need is a screen within eyeshot to launch their attack. Though they may not be as sophisticated as Distributed Denial of Service Attack (DDoS), a single glance at your screen in a public place can leave you severely compromised. That’s why experts recommend installing privacy screens that can restrict viewing angles, so that only the intended user can see the screen while operating it head-on. Set up “Find My Device” for remote locking Should your worst fears come true and your laptop fall into the wrong hands, don’t panic. So long as you’ve enabled “Find My Device” ahead of time, you’ll be able to locate and lock your device in minutes. Check your settings to ensure the feature is set up properly. If you ever need to use it, you can log in remotely using the web. Enable remote wiping Deleting your data from a stolen machine may be a last resort, but it’s an important one. Remote erase options can wipe data and delete personal or sensitive information using authorized mobile access. Deploying this type of endpoint management is similar to “Find My Device” in that the software solution or system capability needs to be implemented before there’s an issue. Enacting a full wipe restores a device back to its factory settings, so no files can be accessed. The fact is, bad things happen to good computers. However, proactively defending against the most offensive situations may just be enough to keep you protected, even if the unthinkable happens.

Recently, Net at Work held a virtual roundtable with Jonathan Goldin, CHRO of Net at Work and Harold Ford III SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Employer Solutions Consulting Manager. In the virtual session (watch here) Jonathan and Harold laid the groundwork for organizations looking to accelerate their adoption of digital technology in the human resources realm. However, listeners discovered that there are some misconceptions concerning digital enablement. A greater understanding of what the process is and how it allows companies to unleash their power will make for a more successful journey. What do we mean by digital enablement? The COVID-19 Pandemic drove many organizations to hasten their move toward greater use of digital technology in their organizations. Remote meeting tools were quickly adopted as a method of interviewing candidates. Employee Self Service efforts were brought online to get check stubs and other information out to employees. And remote access for employees working from home was put in place, especially for critical HR functions like processing payroll. So, using these new digital tools is digital enablement, right? As pointed out in the session, tactical use of technology tools is not digital enablement of the organization. Digital enablement needs to be part of a broader, long term strategy beyond the immediate needs of the current situation. In a related white paper authored by Harold Ford it states: “Being digitally enabled allows the entire enterprise to accomplish more with technology, as opposed to consuming technology to address one issue. HR digitally enablement means unleashing the efficiencies and effectiveness of all business processes. For HR, this means understanding and serving the company’s values while being agile and making data-driven decisions.” How do we start on the enablement journey? In the roundtable discussion, Jonathan and Harold discussed the prerequisites of the journey. Among them is having a long-term vision for the organization. HR needs to have a thorough understanding of the business, the future issues to be faced and how HR can address those issues. A second area of preparation for this journey is to have a thorough grounding in change management. Digital enablement will affect every employee, every supervisor, and every senior manager. Resistance to change is a normal human reaction to new requirements. However, as Jonathan and Harold pointed out, not properly managing how the changes are rolled out or recognizing and overcoming resistance can doom a project, even if it is in the best interests of the company. No One-and-Done There has been much talk about the 2020 pandemic and the economic effect as a ‘once in a generation’ event. Addressing the short-term needs of the business using technology was critical to many organizations’ survival. However, as Ford points out in his white paper, “utilizing technology in a bubble to solve a specific issue or produce a specific outcome is not digital enablement.” Digital enablement has a broader focus, understanding the needs of the organization and building people strategies that align with and allow the company to unleash its capabilities in the future. As such it is not a single event, but an ongoing process of discernment and action on the part of human resources. Quoting the white paper again, HR Digital Enablement is Not Optional – Most of the workforce knows what it means to be digitally connected and engaged in their personal lives. They demand it at work as well. HR Digital Enablement is a Journey – Enablement requires long-term strategies coupled with process reviews to fully understand how we can sustainably elevate and advance the workforce. HR Digital Enablement Never Ends – Businesses, HR roles, employees’ needs, and technology will always evolve. Your digital enablement must evolve too. To learn more about how Net at Work can guide you on the digital enablement journey and unleash the power of your organization, you can contact us here.

Sage X3 is designed to provide a robust business management solution that allows you to hand pick the exact complementary software you need to ensure your system more closely aligns to your specific business requirements. Over time, your definition of the ideal ERP system may change as your business grows. Your ERP may need to adapt to address: New business models, channels, or revenue streams Embracing emerging technologies, devices, and networks Launch of products/services into new industry verticals A pressing need to reduce costs or automate a process Expanding your team, number of warehouses, or divisions More intensive reporting, analytical or compliance needs Sage X3 gives you the opportunity to easily add on complementary solutions to enhance your capabilities as your needs change: Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Budgeting and CPM Business Intelligence Credit Card Authorization CRM eCommerce Integration Electronic Data Interchange Employer Solutions Enterprise iPaaS Expense Management Field Service Forecasting & Inventory Optimization Formulation and R&D Mobile Sales Product Lifecycle Management Sales Tax Automation Shipping & Transportation Management Warehouse Management To view all Sage X3 complementary solutions, click here. For more information about how complementary solutions can help tailor Sage X3 to your specific needs and extend the power of your ERP, please contact us.

Today’s leading medical device manufacturing companies are focused on running efficient discrete production activities, yet must meet the same FDA compliance guidelines as pharmaceutical and life sciences companies that have formula-driven production processes. In this recorded web event our experts discussed the impact of COVID-19 on the industry, how automotive and aerospace players are impacting traditional suppliers, compliance considerations such as FDA Validation and UDI, as well as IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) and the rise in AI (Artificial Intelligence). Also covered was how Sage X3 ERP software for medical device manufacturers can help with streamlining processes using workflow engine, automating business processes to ensure compliance, Data Analytics and Business Intelligence, Quality Control / CAPA, Lot/Serial traceability and so much more. A market-leading ERP software for the Medical Device industry, Sage X3 provides a fully integrated solution for addressing the challenging demands of your industry, including FDA compliance, strict quality assurance requirements, short product life cycles and multiple subcontractors. Watch the recorded session here or Visit here to learn more about Sage X3 ERP software for Medical device manufacturers.

We’ll take a closer look at Fast Four’s Scan & Capture – a native purchase-to-pay automation solution for NetSuite that allows you to automate the creation of Vendor Bills & Credits using OCR (optical character recognition) with no need to leave your NetSuite screen. Manual entry is reduced, and errors eliminated. What is Scan and Capture? The Native NetSuite OCR Tool for Purchase-to-Pay Automation Reduce manual processing for Accounts Payable (AP) by 83%, eliminate risk and enhance your existing NetSuite customisations, workflows, dashboards and reports without worrying about integrations or external software. Save costs and improve accuracy by eliminating manual data entry Native Deployment Ensures NetSuite Remains Your Single Data Source Bills & Credits Created, Stored and Visible within Corresponding NetSuite Records OCR, Auto-Learning & e-Invoice Capture PO Matching, Line Level Recognition & Supplier Auto Processing Capture Additional Fields and Extend Existing Workflows & Customisations Split Screen View and Transaction Dashboard Affordable, Easy to Install & Easy-to-Use (remote installation within 1 hour) How does it work? It’s easy – you’ll be given an email address where you can send all your PDF invoices to. The PDF invoices are processed by OCR (Optical Character Recognition) for scanning of the data on the invoice. The scanned data is then mapped directly into a NetSuite Vendor Bill. The best bit? As the app operates natively, it respects all of your existing custom fields, workflows and approval processes, or, along with your new functionality, we can help you introduce new processes. But, importantly, it’s all kept in NetSuite, no new databases or interfaces to learn. To see what the app looks like, watch a short demo video below: .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Visit our NetSuite Learning Center to take advantage of educational whitepapers, eBooks, webinars and to stay up to date on the latest in NetSuite best practices.

Physical inventory counts are never any fun for those involved. Physical counts, typically done annually, require every item of inventory to be manually counted and — particularly for those relying on paper and pencil, or even spreadsheets — this can be a very manual, time-consuming and error-prone process. While there are ways to ease the pain of the physical count process, most product companies will have all hands on deck for the physical inventory count. If resources are tied up in counting, they are not doing their usual jobs, which can ultimately result in lost sales or lost opportunities. It can be a significant burden. The Problems with Physical Counts In order to conduct that physical inventory count, businesses need to make sure the inventory is locked down and that there are no transactions in the system between the time the count is performed and the time it is approved, or the count results are posted. This disruption in operations is not only costly, it can also affect a company’s ability to provide the expected level of customer service. Also, counting inventory is a specific skill set that employees from other departments may not have. It requires an understanding of the layout of the warehouse or the shop floor, as well as the nature of the inventory itself. Consider how an item is packaged and palletized in addition to the different units of measure. Good counters know the product, know how to count, measure and maybe even weigh the inventory. It is difficult to take someone without regular inventory and counting responsibilities and expect the level of accuracy required, as they are unfamiliar with the nuances that need to be considered when counting inventory. And don’t forget the dreaded recount! Inevitably, during a physical inventory count, organizations find some type of large discrepancy which needs to be reconciled — it can take a lot of time and effort to go back and figure out what happened. Most likely, while all of this research and reconciling is going on, the entire team is sitting around waiting to see how much of the inventory they are going to need to go back and recount. The one thing we can be sure of with an annual physical inventory count is that it isn’t the most accurate, or effective, way to count inventory.  Unfortunately, they are a necessity for almost any product company and are critical to ensuring accurate inventory records and financial statements. So what can businesses do to make the physical count process more manageable? The best way to improve the physical count is implementing regular cycle counting. Cycle counting is the process of counting a few items each day, with the goal of counting all your inventory over a specified period. Cycle counting can be incorporated into staff’s daily tasks so that you’re not relying on overtime or temporary staff to do it. The Premise of Cycle Counting According to the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM), there are five major elements to ensure a successful cycle counting process: A Dedicated, Regular Team. The concept of cycle counting is that you have a dedicated team or individual who is trained as a cycle counter. These people should be familiar with the inventory and the transactions that cause the inventory to move. A Regular Schedule. A cycle counting program needs to be based on a regular schedule. If you want an auditor to excuse the need for an annual physical count, then you will want to have proof of regular cycle counting activity and document your process. Frequency-Based Methods. Items should be categorized using something like ABC Analysis and then establish a frequency for how often each category will be counted. Results-Oriented. Establish how you plan to measure success. There are many ways to track inventory accuracy, but you should agree on a metric that is easy to track and can be reported on regularly. This will be an important KPI when it comes to providing auditors with comfort that inventory is accurate. Variance Research. Lastly and most important, the intent of cycle counting is not to simply fix inventory errors. Although truing up the inventory is a by-product of the process, the dedicated team should be focused on eliminating the cause of any discrepancies. A good cycle counting program should drive continuous improvement throughout the operation, by identifying those root causes and working with the right co-workers to fix the process so that errors don’t persist.   This article was originally posted on NetSuite.com and written by Abby Jenkins, NetSuite Product Marketing Manager