Our colleagues at ERPSoftwareBlog just published this great infographic to explain ERP in the Cloud. It’s a great visual to quickly comprehend the differences between Software as a Service (SaaS), Hybrid Cloud Services and On-Premise Solutions for ERP solutions.

Want to know more about ERP in the Cloud? Download the Whitepaper: “35 Questions Every CFO Needs to Ask About ERP Software in the Cloud.”

Need help navigating the cloud options or how to determine which solution is right for your organization? Our ERP solution experts can help.

As Microsoft Dynamics NAV Developers we are aware that NAV is a highly customizable solution. While this is certainly an attractive attribute, it does imply a certain level of responsibility at the partner level. When we customize objects and/or code we are creating a de facto system behavior or functionality; a situation whereby events will play out in the business logic accordingly and without human interaction, input, or control. In many cases this is necessary and desired but it is important to consider that there may be alternative approaches.

To add some context let’s first recognize that there are a few options when it comes to changing the behavior and user experience of NAV; Personalization, Configuration, and Customization. Listed in this order they represent the preferred approach or hierarchy when it comes to system change.

Read the full article…

Q: How do I move to the next field in NAV 2009?
A: The RIGHT ARROW key will move to the next field or character in NAV 2009.

Want more shortcuts? Check out all the NAV 2009 Keyboard shortcuts.

Q: Is there a shortcut to move between to the next frame or tab in NAV 2009?
A: Yes! CTRL + PAGE DOWN is the shortcut to move to the next frame or tab in NAV 2009.

Shortcuts make everything easier don’t they? Note: The same shortcut works in Ceres 2009.

Thanks to Janice at North Texas Food Bank for submitting this NAV 2009 tip request.

It’s that time of year again. Sales is pushing to close last minute deals, production is gearing up for the holiday runs. In accounting it’s all about crossing the “t”s and dotting the “i”s. Making sure everyone follows the processes and paperwork. The question is….

Are you prepared for your year end auditors? Take our quick poll and see how you stack up.

Here’s an interesting article with great perspective on project estimating from the Project Management Institute, PM Network Magazine.

The world of project management doesn’t seem like it would often overlap with theology (other than the occasional realization that only divine intervention could bring in certain projects on-time and on- budget).  However, the seven deadly sins are remarkably applicable to project estimating. Take a look!

#1. Greed

This sin normally applies to material wealth, but people can also hoard information and time. Greed and fear are often related. With estimating, the questions often asked are, “Why are you asking me for my data?” “Do you know how busy I am?”  Sometimes team members do not feel they have the time to spare to share data and past experiences, and when this happens, ultimately the estimates suffer. Charitable teamwork by everyone helps us come up with numbers based on our shared experience and internal tools, rather than guesswork.

#2. Gluttony

As project managers and development estimators, we’ve often seen others add contingency costs to project estimates in lieu of doing the real work upfront to produce an accurate estimate.  The problem with this is that when this is handed up to the overall project manager, chances are another few contingency cost points will be added.  The end result is a bloated estimate.  This sin just adds good hours on top of bad hours. The message is don’t pad your estimates; do the work up front.

#3. Sloth

Rather than using good tools, methods and models backed up by historical data, correct training and documentation, lazy estimates are too often the norm. Don’t just guess.   These estimates relate to project costs as well as timelines, when we actually need things to be completed. We have all heard the lazy client say “I need it ASAP!”  or heard a project manager say “We really need to have it by November 1^st. I don’t care what you have to do.” Arbitrary dates and guestimates for costs are too arbitrary, and impossible to manage to when everyone knows they are not accurate to begin with. The message is put in the time to maintain realistic dates from clients and put together realistic estimates on hours to deliver.

#4. Wrath

One of the benefits of a diligent estimating model is that it takes much of the emotional sound and fury out of conversations with clients and with management. Construction of accurate models is a journey, requiring patient, continuous improvement over time.  No one likes to call the client with budget and timeline misses, or similar calls with management, so up-front work pays dividends.

#5. Envy

If you have seen a better process someplace else, bring it up! Do not sit back and wish we did things that way. No one wants to work in a failing system if you’ve seen it work someplace else differently and with better results, then share!  We want your feedback and are open to process-improvement planning. We incorporated much of what we do from the direct experience from our team members.  Don’t envy the old ways, bring new ideas up and help us all to improve.

#6. Pride

When it becomes clear we cannot meet a goal we have committed to, sometimes we shift our commitment to a target we are able to reach. Rather than be up-front about our ineffectiveness and use our metrics as an opportunity to improve, we re-baseline to make ourselves look good. At the end of each year, we are able to say we had made 90 percent of our targets, but these are misleading measurements because we are only looking at things from our point of view and not our customers! If our estimates are off, don’t be too proud to talk with the customer  to push the timeline or re-visit the budget. Move over pride, make room for humility!

#7. Lust

You ever know a customer or project manager who wants what they want when they want it, no matter what? Inflexibility on delivery can come with its share of problems. Insisting a team meet every delivery deadline without exception and by exclusively tying success to meeting schedules  will lead to a team shipping a product on time – no matter how low its quality is.  What’s wrong with that? Industry data show that we can stamp out bugs for as little as US$60 each if caught early in the process. Once in the field, we have spent as much as US$15,000 to fix a single defect.

So gang, like most people, sometimes we are sinners. Sometimes we are saints. In both roles, we’ve learned that a good estimate leads to better success in everything we do.

In working with teammates and customers, our ability to communicate effectively is not only key; it is what our customers and team members expect from us. Here are a few things to keep in mind that can help increase your odds for effective, clear communication:

• Outline the issue or opportunity to be addressed
• Agree on a shared reality. Both parties must agree on the current reality as it relates to the given issue or opportunity
• Outline a realistic timeline
• Relay information about the environment in which the team will be working (if relevant)
• Identify what to expect from unfolding events (i.e. risk awareness)
• Create contingency plans (i.e. what to do should something go wrong)
• Agree on preferred communication paths
• If applicable, agree on and execute a relevant feedback loop to ensure the given issue or opportunity is properly addressed

By outlining this information, we enable teammates and customers to be more engaged. We also put them in a better position to react to changing circumstances and unexpected events. This structure also reduces the chances for error and allows subsequent communication to be concise and exception-based. Most importantly, if we follow the above ground rules for communication, we will create an engaged, connected and alert team that can share information in meaningful ways. We’ll also benefit from a team with members who can suggest improvements to each other because everyone is informed.

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

—George Bernard Shaw

A massive recall of ground beef aims to stop the tainted product from becoming kids’ school lunches. Palo Duro Meat of Amarillo, Texas is recalling 40,000 pounds of frozen ground beef because of fears of E. coli contamination. the frozen beef was produced on September 9, 2011, and was shipped in 40-lb. boxes to six Georgia school districts associated with the federally assisted National School Lunch Program, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced. To date, the agency is not aware of the beef having been served to students.

The contamination was discovered following a positive lab test for the E. coli P157:H7. Officials say the problem may have resulted from a “sample tracking error” which allowed for a batch-in-question to be inadvertently shipped. Find out more about this Palo Duro Meat of Amarillo, Texas ground beef recall.

Recall scares like this one remind us why recall tracking and tracing, and quality control systems are crucial for food & beverage companies to ensure safe handling and error-free operations. Our ERP solution for the food & beverage industry includes robust food tracking and traceability solutions as well as a quality control system designed specifically to meet the needs of food & beverage manufacturers and distributors.

Norm Brodsky at Inc.com discussed the price-war trap in a recent article. We’re wondering how your company is responding in this quick poll…

No matter what you do, how hard you work, or who you work with, things can still go wrong. The best team in the world, with the best leaders, workers, morale, and resources, may still find themselves in difficult and unexpected situations. The key to our success as individuals and as a company is how we react in those situations.

“All successful projects are simply a long series of adversities that must be overcome. Far from being unusual to face adversity, it is normal, and our business is to overcome it. The real test is not when we are successful when there is no adversary, but when there is and we triumph,” William A. Cohen.

Remember, if it was easy, everyone would do it. I want to thank our team for their dedication to quality and their ability to push through challenges. Our success together will continue to bring us recognition by our clients and partners as a experts and industry leaders.