Technology in Practice

We’re excited to announce that Net at Work will be attending the California Food Processing Expo, which takes place February 5-6 in Sacramento. This is one of the nation’s largest industry events for food processors, growers, suppliers, and more. As a member of the California League of Food Producers and an Educational Pavilion sponsor at this year’s event, we’re looking forward to two days of discovery, education, and connection with industry leaders. Event Highlights Expo 2025 will offer a range of informative sessions and networking opportunities. Here are some key events we recommend: “What’s on the Regulatory Compliance Horizon? FDA and GFSI Updates to Food Manufacturers.” February 5 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am Food Safety Initiative Founder Zahra Karim will provide insights on new industry updates, including the PCQI2.0 Curriculum and recent changes to various food safety standards. Artificial Intelligence Panel February 6 from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm This discussion will focus on artificial intelligence in the food production and processing industry. Experts will explore topics such as regulatory developments, labor impacts, and funding opportunities. Happy Hour on the Trade Show Floor Join us on February 5 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm in Halls A-B for happy hour on the trade show floor. Stop by the Net at Work Lounge and say hello. Connect with Us at Booth 333 With over 25 years of experience, Net at Work has long been a trusted partner for manufacturing and distribution businesses in the food and beverage industries. Our deep technology expertise and exceptional customer care have helped countless businesses thrive in this dynamic sector. We’re looking forward to the many learning and connection opportunities at this important industry event. Connect with us at Booth 333 or contact us to set up a time to meet. We’d love to discuss how we can help your food processing business leverage technology for long-term growth and success.

Challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace Advanced technologies have helped raise the requirements of today’s customers, who now expect to be able to shop, schedule service appointments, and receive quick support around the clock. In the face of these heightened expectations, today’s HVAC/R business deals with increasingly complex services such as equipment installation, inspections, and maintenance at customer facilities or other off-site locations. Specific challenges that HVAC/R businesses face include: Lack of real-time visibility into the location of their technicians and the current status of appointments Inefficient routing and scheduling Cumbersome and ineffective inventory management Disconnected administrative functions, which can lead to delays in billing and inaccurate or missing customer data Lack of expense controls Manual data entry, which can hamper data-driven decision-making How emerging technologies can solve challenges With a carefully chosen, configurable Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, your company can take advantage of emerging technologies that can help future-proof your business and keep you ahead of the competition. Most modern ERPs are cloud-based, can run on mobile devices in the field as well as on an office or call center computer, include robust data sharing and analysis capabilities, and can provide real-time updates and documentation. With capabilities like these, HVAC/R businesses can: Improve communications, visibility, and scheduling through better data and location-sharing between team members in the field and the office staff Gain greater visibility into inventory levels and movement, which can help minimize carrying costs and increase the rate of on-time deliveries Automate financial processes, leading to greatest efficiency, accuracy, and productivity Optimize the supply chain and have more control over the flow of goods from suppliers to customers Improve order management and procurement, including reducing errors Increase warehouse efficiency by optimizing the put away process and reducing picking errors Key features of a modern ERP created specifically for HVAC/R businesses and other field service companies NetSuite Field Service Manager addresses the need for these capabilities and more, with features such as: Visibility dashboard with real-time mapping of field tech locations as well as traffic layering to automatically update ETAs and appointment status Optimal route planner that generates daily job sequences and schedules based on employee locations, skills, and availability Inventory integration that ties into the supply chain and updates item stock counts as usage is logged at point of service Unified platform giving field techs mobile access to customer records, assets, products, warranties, and full work history onsite Skills matching engine allocating work orders to technicians based on competencies, proficiencies and availability Real-time reporting providing detailed visibility into payroll hours, work order costs, parts utilization rates, asset lifecycles and more KPI scorecards feature out-of-the-box metrics on workload distribution, first-time fix, mean time to repair, customer satisfaction, and SLAs Contact us to learn more about NetSuite Field Service Manager and receive a complimentary Business Health Assessment to help our experienced team evaluate your needs.

According to a frequently quoted study, about 70% of all significant business transformations will fail. But despite this grim statistic, there are clear guidelines to success for small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) who realize their organizations need to significantly upgrade their technology systems.  “Technology investments can and should make improvements to the business, its processes, its people and its customer experience – and are rarely successful unless they do,” says Eric Sluss, Fractional CIO & Advisory Services with Net at Work. “Rather than viewing these as technology projects, view them as business, process and people projects.”  Simply stated, the four pillars of digital transformation are:   Streamlining processes   Digitizing paperwork   Enabling employees  Enhancing customer experience  In a recent podcast hosted by BetterTech, Sluss goes into detail about these four pillars, explaining how SMBs can create successful digital transformation plans by keeping the pillars at the heart of the process. The podcast also delves into timely topics such as how AI integration can—and should—address genuine business problems instead of being merely a technology adoption.  “The main thing with digital transformations is that these are difficult journeys for any organization to embark on,” says Eric Sluss, Fractional CIO & Advisory Services with Net at Work. “If I were going to climb Mount Everest, I would need to get the right training, the right gear, and the right mindset. With digital transformations, there’s planning, strategies that are specific to your company, and then a tailored roadmap that outlines the different initiatives that will get you to the future.” You can watch the podcast: “Digital Transformation from Vison to Execution” below, or listen to it here. .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%; } Contact us to learn more about our Fractional CIO & Advisory Services for strategic technology and business guidance.

Creatio, global vendor of a leading sales, customer service and marketing CRM, recently announced the release of Creatio 8.2 Energy. Combining the capabilities of next-generation AI tools with a powerful no-code platform, Creatio stated in a recent event that this release can help organizations realize productivity savings of up to 80% for key knowledge worker roles. The primary capabilities of this release include: Copilot and AI: This tool is a comprehensive AI Command Center through which businesses can manage, modify and create AI scenarios. Copilot includes more than 20 new out-of-the-box AI use cases for CRM and assisted development. In keeping with the existing no-code platform, all teaching is done using natural language. CRM Excellence: Creatio 8.2 includes new features and updates for advanced order and proposal management, lead generation, and marketing campaign automation, along with marketplace extensions. No-code: Expanded Freedom UI capabilities, new drag-and-drop components, and simplified tools for designing no-code integrations. Howden’s, the premiere trade kitchen supplier in the United Kingdom, was an early adopter of Creatio 8.2 Energy. When the company needed to replace legacy CRM systems, they chose Creatio for its no-code platform as well as its emphasis on an efficient, speedy user experience. Since their implementation, Howden’s teams at multiple locations are seeing value in having one shared system, starting with improved communication through a shared dashboard used throughout the company. And now that employees can share data seamlessly, their strike rates (ratio of the number of prospects or inquiries to the number of sales) have improved due to better lead tracking. Howden’s can also keep a closer eye on contacts with their customer contacts, and they have been able to improve targeting of different audiences. All Creatio customers can begin using the AI Command Center today and begin applying AI capabilities to their own specific use cases while taking advantage of a wealth of enhanced features. Interested in learning more about how a next-generation CRM can help unleash the power of your organization? Contact us to learn more about how you can scale up your sales, customer experience, and marketing.

Sustainability, community, and a trusted payroll system power Jasper Lumber’s growth and success. Located in Northwest Alabama, Jasper Lumber Company is a trusted name in southern pine lumber manufacturing. Known for producing high-quality lumber, the company is also deeply committed to sustainability, holding certification from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Jasper Lumber takes pride in preserving forests for future generations while serving as a key employer and contributor to the local community. As one of the area’s largest employers, Jasper prides itself on its employees’ dedication to quality and safety. From offering safety bonuses to ensuring employees can work remotely when needed, Jasper places a high value on its workforce. Behind the scenes, Jasper relies on Sage HRMS and Net at Work to ensure these mission-critical processes run smoothly. “The peace of mind this gives me makes me want to come to work,” says Spring McGraw, Payroll Clerk. “I know I can rely on the system and the team behind it.” Managing complex payroll with a trusted partner Running payroll weekly for 150+ employees across five entities is no small task —especially with the added complexities of shift differentials, garnishments, and ACA reporting. For Spring McGraw, Payroll Clerk at Jasper, ensuring payroll runs flawlessly is a top priority. “Payroll isn’t something you can afford to get wrong,” McGraw explains. Before partnering with Net at Work, McGraw struggled with delayed support from their previous provider. “I’d get the ‘I’ll check into it’ response, and then I wouldn’t hear back,” she recalls. “I’m running payroll weekly, and I need answers immediately.” With Net at Work’s Total Care program, Jasper has access to on-demand support, a video library of how-tos, training courses, and regular check-ins with a dedicated consultant. This comprehensive support plan ensures McGraw can resolve issues quickly and focus on her other responsibilities. “Net at Work goes above and beyond,” McGraw says. “I know my consultant has other clients, but they always make me feel like a priority. It’s a level of support I’ve never had before.” A seamless system that works as hard as they do Sage HRMS is the backbone of Jasper’s payroll and HR operations, providing reliable tools for time and attendance, ACA reporting, garnishments, and workflow management. The system’s flexibility allows Jasper to scale its operations as it grows. Currently, the system manages time and attendance for office staff, and plans are underway to roll it out to field workers once construction and expansions are complete. The power of a great partnership The partnership between Jasper and Net at Work is about trust and collaboration. McGraw values the depth of resources available at Net at Work, ensuring that even the most complex issues are resolved promptly. “If my consultant doesn’t have the answer, there’s always someone else at Net at Work who does,” she explains. For McGraw, this support translates directly into job satisfaction. “The peace of mind this gives me makes me want to come to work,” she says. “I know I can rely on the system and the team behind it.” Supporting growth with reliability As Jasper continues to expand its operations, the relationship with Net at Work is a key component of its success. “Net at Work provides the tools and support we need to succeed,” McGraw concludes. “They allow us to focus on what we do best—delivering quality products while supporting our employees and protecting our environment.” Download the full Net at Work success story to read more about Jasper Lumber’s pathway to operational excellence.

The business landscape today is as complex, competitive, and fast-paced as it’s ever been.  Companies must stay on top of trends in the economy and adapt to them quickly if they want to grow. As these and other business challenges evolve alongside an increasingly unpredictable marketplace, so too must the tools designed to support them. Extended Financial Planning and Analysis (xFP&A) solutions—programs that enable organizations to go beyond basic budgeting, forecasting, and planning—have become especially crucial resources. Enter Solver, a cloud-based xFP&A solution built specifically for mid-market companies aspiring to thrive in today’s economy. Catering to a wide range of industries, Solver offers a suite of easy-to-use features that automate reporting and planning processes. As a result, valuable time formerly allocated to prep work is now available, while robust, up-to-date information businesses rely on to make important financial decisions quickly and soundly is now possible. Using this powerful tool in tandem with a mid-market enterprise resource planning (ERP) system such as Acumatica can help businesses streamline workflows; pull, consolidate, and analyze accurate financial data from a single source of truth; and implement revenue-driving strategies that set their organizations up for long-term success. How do Solver and Acumatica Work Together? Similar to most ERP systems, Acumatica offers financial reporting and basic budgeting functionality. Companies in construction, senior living, nonprofit, and many others will adopt an xFP&A solution such as Solver—an Acumatica Certified application—when they outgrow Acumatica’s built-in functionality or when they want to upgrade from manual spreadsheet-based models for budgeting or forecasting. When Acumatica and the xFP&A solution integrate, Acumatica users reap the benefits of Solver’s time-saving automation, while also enjoying greater financial reporting, analysis, and planning power.   Solver enhances the capabilities of the popular cloud-based ERP in five ways. When businesses use both solutions, they can do the following 1.Get Started Right Away As an Acumatica user, it’s easy and fast to set up Solver. The xFP&A solution’s QuickStart integration feature enables Acumatica-powered businesses to begin using Solver tools right away, minimizing disruption to normal company operations. Solver also offers unlimited on-demand training, ensuring subscribers always have access to helpful, self-paced resources, including hands-on labs, downloadable content, video courses and more, no matter where they are working or what time it is. 2. Create Workflows and Boost Productivity When it comes to xFP&A, organization is key. Solver’s workflow features are designed to increase assignment visibility, enhance planning, and help teams stay on track with routine, yet crucial financial duties. Users can create and name workflows for essential jobs like report generation; select primary assignees, reviewers, and approvers; attach report templates; set deadlines; and easily monitor each contributor’s progress. The system also generates handy assignment notifications for all designated participants, who can view the tasks they’ve been allotted in a dedicated assignments tab. 3. Access Data From a Single Source of Truth Funneling data into one central place can make it easier to manage and understand. Based on the Microsoft SQL Azure platform, the Solver Data Warehouse is a pre-configured, yet customizable xFP&A data warehouse that stores and organizes financial and operational information from sources such as Acumatica for consolidated reporting, analysis, and dashboards. With information on finances and operations in the same data warehouse, companies can find trends and exceptions in performance for smarter business decisions. 4. Customize Templates for Seamless Report Generation Forget tinkering with spreadsheets! Solver empowers businesses to eliminate error-prone manual exports and formatting, and move to a modern, automated reporting process fueled by the solution’s Data Warehouse. Once Acumatica users complete Solver’s QuickStart integration process, they can immediately begin browsing Solver’s extensive library of out-of-the-box report templates: vital tools for companies looking to accurately consolidate and analyze real-time operational and financial data. Accessible via Solver’s regularly updated template marketplace,  which also boasts turn-key models for planning forms and business-intelligence dashboards,  all of the templates can be customized for an organization’s specific needs. The solution’s ready-to-use templates include monthly cash flow, profit-and-loss, and driver-based sales forecast models, to budgeting and accounts receivable aging reports designed to help accountants identify past-due customer balances. Users can also take advantage of Solver’s versatile cloud-connected report designer to build and categorize completely bespoke templates from the ground up, or tap the solution’s ad-hoc reporting feature to analyze intel from the Data Warehouse quickly without creating a full report. 5. Automate Data Sharing The only thing more important than the ability to crunch the numbers businesses need to make critical financial decisions? Getting that data in front of the right people. Solver’s Publisher feature eases the process by allowing subscribers the option to schedule the distribution of hourly, daily, and/or monthly reports on a recurring, automatic basis. Users can select report templates and parameters, designate recipients, and choose whether to send reports to recipients’ email accounts or archive them as excel sheets or PDFs. Get the one-two punch of Acumatica and Solver Bam! Slam! While the Dynamic Duo need to fight the city’s villains, you neither need a superhero costume nor an alter ego to make better, more-informed business decisions. The combination of Acumatica and Solver do just that: Make your life easier, less complicated, and enable you to beat the competition. For more information on how Solver’s integration with Acumatica drives business success, please visit Solver’s website.

Are you part of the food distribution industry? We’d love to meet you at IFDA 2024, which takes place September 22-25 in Kansas City, Missouri. This annual conference is held by the International Foodservice Distributors Association, which was created in 1906 to help members of the industry thrive.  This year’s event will include:  Industry-specific learning tracks in transportation, warehouse, supply chain, and more  Information on the latest and most relevant advances in technology such as warehouse automation, supply chain planning, the best use of driver scorecards, and autonomous mobile robots  A facility tour for a hands-on look at warehouse and distribution in action  If you’re going to attend IFDA 2024, visit us at Booth 933 (Prime Food Service powered by Net at Work) or contact us to set up a time to meet with our team.

GreyStone Power Corporation, a vital part of its Georgia community for nearly 90 years, has a clear mission: “Making Life Better.” This philosophy guides every aspect of their work, from serving over 132,000 customers to fostering a workplace culture prioritizing employee well-being. Known for its exceptional employee retention—nearly half the national average turnover rate—GreyStone Power’s commitment to its workforce is unparalleled. Competitive benefits, including 100% employer-paid medical and dental premiums, reflect their dedication to supporting their employees as much as their community. “Having one company that hosts our system and supports all the companion products is invaluable. Net at Work ensures everything works seamlessly together, and there’s never any finger-pointing —just solutions.” But behind this success is a commitment to modern HR practices and technology. With more than 300 employees and plans for continued growth, GreyStone Power turned to Net at Work to build a robust HR technology stack that could keep pace with their needs while streamlining operations. Energizing Success When Rita Wilson joined GreyStone Power as HR Manager, she saw an opportunity to transform the HR department into a proactive, strategic force. She partnered with Net at Work to implement Sage HRMS, hosted on the Cloud at Work platform, along with companion tools like Sage Alerts & Workflows, training and recruiting solutions, and HR Analytics. “These tools have allowed us to stay ahead of our responsibilities and focus on what matters most—our people,” Wilson explains. “Net at Work introduced solutions that eliminated manual touchpoints and kept tasks moving.” Using Sage Alerts & Workflows, GreyStone Power has automated notifications for key compliance tasks, like I-9 recertifications, DOT physicals, and employee milestones like birthdays and work anniversaries. This automation frees up valuable time for the HR team and ensures nothing slips through the cracks. Real-Time Insights Drive Informed Decisions HR Analytics has become an essential tool for GreyStone Power’s leadership, providing real-time reports on workforce diversity, retirement eligibility, and succession planning. These insights empower managers and executives to make informed decisions, ensuring the organization is prepared for the future. “Our analytics tools allow us to see the big picture while staying on top of the details,” says Wilson. “It’s a proactive approach that keeps us aligned with our goals.” This integration of technology and strategy has made a significant impact, allowing GreyStone Power to maintain a lean HR team of just five full-time employees while managing hundreds of staff members and planning for growth. A Partnership that Delivers Hosting Sage HRMS on the Cloud at Work platform has further enhanced GreyStone Power’s efficiency by reducing IT workload and ensuring secure, reliable access to their systems. “Having one company that hosts our system and supports all the companion products is invaluable,” Wilson notes. “Net at Work ensures everything works seamlessly together, and there’s never any finger-pointing—just solutions.” Together, Net at Work and GreyStone Power form a true power couple, seamlessly blending technology and service to empower employees and drive operational excellence. Wilson praises Net at Work’s responsiveness and deep expertise. “Their team constantly asks how they can make things easier for us. They’re more than a vendor; they’re a partner we can trust to support our goals.” Empowering People, Driving Growth With Net at Work’s support, GreyStone Power’s HR team has built a foundation that aligns with the company’s mission of “Making Life Better.” From automating workflows to providing real-time data insights, the solutions they’ve implemented ensure GreyStone Power is prepared to adapt and grow without compromising its commitment to employees. “Our employees are the face of the company,” Wilson concludes. “When we take care of them, they’re empowered to care for our customers. With Net at Work, we have the tools and support to keep delivering on our mission.” Download the full Net at Work success story to read more about GreyStone Power Company’s pathway to operational excellence.

Your organization may be trying to balance a desire for growth with the realities of your current budget. In situations like this, it’s understandable that you might put investing in a next-generation Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system on the back burner. Unfortunately, by failing to invest in systems capable of filling your organization’s needs, you may be hindering your ability to adapt to changing environments while also creating cost inefficiencies. And technology’s longevity isn’t the only issue. As outdated technology becomes obsolete, so do the data formats that it supports, which makes exchanging information difficult. “It essentially passes some of your operational burden on to [your business partners],” says Daniel Edwards, NetSuite Practice Director at Net at Work. “It makes you less attractive as a business partner.” But modern ERP solutions can revolutionize your operations, especially solutions with AI capabilities. In our recent white paper, “Change is the new constant. An AI-enabled ERP can help you keep up,” we outline: The benefits and capabilities of a next-generation ERP The costs of a next-generation ERP versus a legacy ERP, and which of these costs are quantifiable How to upgrade your ERP with the least amount of friction How AI functionality can lead to productivity gains, reduce supply chain risks, and much more Check out this complimentary resource today and learn more about how an AI-enabled ERP can help your company get more work done with less stress.