As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Simon Ritchie, the CEO and Founder of Blox, provides startup businesses with a quick guide to financial modeling.

If you have aspirations of establishing a startup, you’ll find yourself pondering the crucial question of how much funding you require. Or, maybe you have already taken the leap, engaged with potential investors, and are preparing for the next query—”Could you please provide your financial plan?” In either case, the processes involved can be challenging. To help, this article will explore a few key considerations to consider.

Determining the Level of Detail in Your Financial Model

Before delving into the realm of spreadsheets and combing through a mountain of data, you must pause and reflect on what you hope to accomplish with your financial model. There is a common inclination to dive straight in and list every possible element—anticipated revenue streams, personnel costs, contractor expenses, IT subscriptions, travel, etc. But do you truly need to delve that deep into the minutiae? Most likely not. Here’s an alternative approach to consider!

Begin with a high-level plan based on sensible assumptions.

How can you achieve this? In most cases, a high-level assumption-based model will serve you well. You can obtain a reasonably accurate estimate by inputting a few straightforward assumptions. This method often proves more accurate than a bottom-up approach (where you compile a list of every expenditure item and tally them up). The bottom-up approach tends to overlook certain expenses, sometimes significant ones, rendering our meticulously crafted plan outdated almost as soon as we complete it. So, what’s the next step?

This is precisely what accomplished Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) do. They possess a deep understanding of typical metrics and ratios and employ benchmarks to determine whether things are on the right track. However, as a startup, what if you lack a CFO? Fear not, for we have devised an excellent high-level plan tailored to your needs.

The Importance of Financial Modelling for Startups

Financial modeling serves as a vital component for ensuring the success of your business. But what exactly is it? A financial model encompasses past performance variables, such as expenses and profits, to aid in predicting your business’s future financial performance.

Typically, small businesses and early-stage startups lack the resources to employ a financial team for this purpose. Consequently, they resort to using spreadsheets, which can be convoluted, messy, and time-consuming when creating their models. Is there an alternative?

Fortunately, several financial modeling programs are designed to empower ambitious leaders like yourself. Some are big complex ‘Connected Planning’ tools built for and used by enterprise organizations, such as Anaplan and Planful, whereas others are made with startups, SMEs, and simplicity in mind. Financial planning platforms such as Blox eliminate the need for spreadsheets, providing a space for detailed yet straightforward financial planning and analysis. With these tools, you can confidently plan for the future, make informed decisions, and free yourself from stress.

Understanding the Need for a Financial Model

A financial model is not merely a tool; it is an essential tool that assists you in making intelligent, informed decisions, ensuring the viability of your business’s future. By developing a financial model, you can determine future revenue, profits, expenses, and other crucial variables. This knowledge enables you to make necessary adjustments as required.

When Should I Create a Financial Model?

A financial model is of utmost importance, not only for your benefit but also for your business’s economic prospects. Whether dealing with investors, banks, or loan companies, they will all request your financial model to assess whether they should invest in your venture.

Furthermore, your financial model allows for accurate forecasting and effective budgeting. It plays a pivotal role in valuing your business and can assist in raising capital. Therefore, a robust financial model is vital, and that’s where specialist software comes in.

Key Elements to Include in Your Financial Model

Let us explore the essential components to incorporate into your financial model, along with a brief explanation of their significance:

R&D Burn Rate

The Research & Development (R&D) burn rate reflects how quickly your business depletes its available capital. It provides insights into your cash flow and determines your business is self-sustaining. Including the burn rate in your financial model is vital for attracting investors, banks, and lenders. Additionally, it enables your business to manage cash flow effectively.

Customer/User Acquisition Assumptions

Customer acquisition encompasses the process of attracting new customers and fostering loyalty. Understanding this data is crucial for establishing and sustaining a successful business. Incorporating customer/user acquisition assumptions into your financial model helps identify trends and areas requiring improvement or further investment.

Revenue Forecast

A revenue forecast entails educated predictions of your business’s future income over a specific period. It draws upon historical and present sales data, providing insights into your business’s revenue potential. Investors take particular interest in this aspect of financial modeling as it demonstrates your business’s profit-making potential. Moreover, it helps you gauge the impact of present decisions on future revenue, creating a more secure and confident future for your business.

General Expenses

Understanding your business’s general expenditure is essential for effective financial management. Tracking where your money goes and evaluating its effectiveness can make a significant difference. Incorporating general expenses into your financial model facilitates effective budgeting, ensuring you do not overspend.

In conclusion, a financial model is an invaluable tool for any business. It enables informed decision-making regarding finances, revenue and expense forecasting, cash flow monitoring, and identifying areas for financial performance improvement. While the specific content of your financial model may vary based on your unique business requirements, some fundamental elements should be included. These encompass a revenue forecast, expense forecast, cash flow forecast, balance sheet, and profit and loss statement. Regularly reviewing and adjusting your financial model is crucial to ensure your business remains on track toward achieving its financial goals.

The post A Quick Guide to Financial Modeling for Startup Success appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

The editors at Solutions Review have compiled a list of common supply chain myths and misconceptions and provided explanations to debunk them.

Supply chain management (SCM) is the process of coordinating and managing activities involved in producing and delivering a product or service. It encompasses the entire process, from sourcing raw materials and components to providing the finished product to the customer. The goal of SCM is to ensure that products are produced and delivered to customers in a timely, cost-effective, and efficient manner. This requires coordinating various activities, including procurement, production planning, transportation, warehousing, and distribution.

However, as valuable as these solutions can be, there are myths and misconceptions about supply chains and technology that can lead to misunderstandings, missed opportunities, unnecessary disruptions, and lost revenue. With that in mind, the Solutions Review editors compiled some of the most common supply chain myths we’ve encountered and provided some explanations to “debunk” them.

Common Supply Chain Myths (And Why They’re Not True)

Myth 1: Supply chain management is only about moving goods from one place to another.

While transportation is critical to supply chain management, it’s far from the whole picture. Managing supply chains encompass everything from ensuring the flow of goods, information, and services to sourcing raw materials, delivering finished products, and more. Supply chain professionals can’t do this in a vacuum and must work with multiple departments and technologies to ensure their supply chains operate as intended.

Myth 2: Supply chains are solely the responsibility of the logistics department.

Logistics plays a central role in supply chain operations, undoubtedly. However, it’s paramount that companies recognize that effective supply chain management requires collaboration and coordination across various departments and stakeholders within an organization. A seamless supply chain can only happen when there’s reliable, active, and cross-functional integration between an organization’s procurement, sales, manufacturing, marketing, customer service, and financial departments.

Myth 3: Supply chains are all about cost-cutting and reducing expenses.

Cost reduction is valuable in any business process, but it’s never the sole focus, especially for supply chains. In today’s modern supply chain landscape, the emphasis is on value creation, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage. By optimizing processes, enhancing product quality, ensuring timely deliveries, and fostering innovation, supply chains can contribute to revenue growth, brand reputation, and customer loyalty. So, while cost savings are an ideal result of these efforts, they’re rarely (if ever) the primary objective of a supply chain strategy.

Myth 4: Supply chains operate independently of external factors and disruptions.

Supply chains are highly susceptible to external factors and disruptions that significantly impact their performance. Natural disasters, political instability, trade disputes, pandemics, and other unforeseen events can disrupt the flow of goods, interrupt production, and create supply shortages—look at the supply chain disruptions that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective supply chain management involves proactive risk assessment, contingency planning, and quickly adapting to changing circumstances.

Myth 5: Technology can fully automate and replace human involvement in supply chains.

Technology has revolutionized supply chain management, but it is unrealistic to believe that any technology can entirely replace human involvement, no matter how effective. Technology like advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and automation can streamline processes, improve efficiency, and enhance decision-making, which is certainly valuable. However, human expertise is still essential for strategic planning, relationship management, problem-solving, and adapting to unexpected situations. Successful supply chains find the right balance between technology and human capabilities.

Myth 6: Only large corporations can have effective supply chains.

While large corporations often have extensive resources and capabilities, effective supply chain management is not limited to them. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are just capable of optimizing their supply chains and can do so by focusing on fundamental principles such as collaboration, flexibility, and leveraging technology. By forging strategic partnerships, implementing efficient processes, and embracing innovation, SMEs can achieve competitive advantages and deliver exceptional customer experiences while maintaining a consistent, streamlined supply chain.

Final Thoughts

As effective as supply chain solutions can be, there are plenty of misconceptions that can prevent a company from utilizing them successfully. By debunking these common supply chain myths, companies can better understand the realities and challenges of managing modern supply chains, setting them up for short and long-term success.

NOW READ: Top-Rated University Supply Chain Certification Programs

The post Debunking Common Supply Chain Myths and Misconceptions appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

The editors at Solutions Review have curated this list of the most noteworthy WorkTech news from the week of June 30th. This round-up covers announcements and updates from companies like Jitterbit, IBM, Mendix, and more.

Keeping tabs on the most relevant ERP and BPM news can be time-consuming. As a result, our editorial team aims to summarize the week’s top headlines in the enterprise technology marketplace. The Solutions Review editors will compile a weekly round-up of vendor product news, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital funding, talent acquisition, and other noteworthy WorkTech information. With that in mind, here is some of the top WorkTech news for June 30th.

Top WorkTech News From the Week of June 30th, 2023

Apptio Announces a New Integration with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)

Apptio—a technology spend and value management company—has announced its latest integration with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). The new integration combines Apptio’s cloud cost management expertise with OCI’s service to help businesses understand, visualize, and optimize their cloud-based environments through direct access to Apptio’s Cloudability product suite. The integration is scheduled to be completed in late 2023.

Read on for more.

Boomi Releases its Platform on the AWS Marketplace

Boomi—an intelligent connectivity and automation solution provider—has announced that the Boomi platform is now available as an intelligent automation solution in the AWS Marketplace. Now that Boomi’s Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) platform is on the Marketplace, AWS customers can use Boomi’s low-code platform to accelerate automation initiatives by connecting and integrating data sources, systems, and applications across the enterprise.

Read on for more.

Fly.io Raises $70 Million in a Series C Funding Round

Fly.io, a tech startup offering a platform for running full-stack apps, has raised $70 million in a Series C funding round, bringing the company’s total valuation to $467 million. The funding was led by EQT Ventures with additional participation from existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, Dell Technologies Capital, and Intel Capital. Fly.io plans to use the new capital to continue to develop its platform, invest in advanced storage capabilities, expand security features, and more.

Read on for more.

IBM Reveals Plans to Acquire Apptio

IBM has entered into a definitive agreement with Vista Equity Partners to acquire Apptio—a financial and operational IT management and optimization (FinOps) software provider—for $4.6 billion. The acquisition will help IBM advance its IT automation capabilities, expand its hybrid cloud investment, and enable enterprise businesses to deliver deeper business value across their technology investments. The transaction is expected to close in the latter half of the year.

Read on for more.

Jitterbit Releases New Updates for its Low-Code Application Development Platform

Jitterbit, a low-code automation solution provider, has announced the latest version of Vinyl, its low-code application development platform. The updated version introduces new features to expedite enterprise application development and streamline developing and adding elements. New features include updates to the Live Designer editor tool, security improvements, “advanced intelligent wizards” to automate developer workflows faster, and infrastructure and hosting enhancements.

Read on for more.

Mendix Announces the General Availability of Mendix 10

Mendix—a Siemens business and global provider of enterprise application development solutions—has announced the general availability of Mendix 10, the latest release of its low-code platform. The new update introduces multiple features to help users meet the demand for software, prepare for composability, and more. Updates include expanded AI and machine learning capabilities; new tools for fostering business-IT collaboration; more cloud deployment options; a streamlined development experience; and a revamped approach to governance and control.

Read on for more.

The Project Management Institute and Oracle Detail a New Collaboration

The Project Management Institute and Oracle Construction and Engineering have announced a new collaboration that will enable them to support professionals in the construction and asset-intensive sectors. The partnership will integrate Oracle resources into The Project Management Institute’s existing Construction Professional in Built Environment Projects (PMI-CO) coursework and certification program. Additionally, the companies will participate in joint events, roundtables, programs, and webinars.

Read on for more.

Expert Insights Section

Watch this space each week as the Solutions Review editors will use it to share new articles from the Expert Insights Series, Contributed Shorts videos, Expert Roundtable videos, event replays, and other curated content to help you gain a forward-thinking analysis and remain on-trend with changing industry expectations. All to meet the demand for what its editors do best: bring industry experts together to publish the web’s leading insights for enterprise technology practitioners.

The Best AI Certification Programs for Business Managers

As Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology continues to become a juggernaut presence in nearly every industry, there’s never been a better or more critical time to outfit yourself with an up-to-date understanding of the technology. With that in mind, we’ve compiled this list of the best AI certification programs business professionals can take to improve their expertise, broaden their skills, stay on top of the newest emerging trends and tools in the AI landscape, and advance their careers.

Read on for more.

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series, Mike Bradford, the Strategic Business Development Director at DELMIA, gives an in-depth review of what a Manufacturing Execution System (MES) is, explains why it’s an essential tool for manufacturers to consider, and outlines some of the critical differences between Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) and MES solutions.

Read on for more.

Harnessing Industry-Specific AI Models to Improve AI Accuracy, by Assaf Melochna of Aquant

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series, Assaf Melochna, the President & Co-Founder of Aquant, explains how companies can use industry-specific AI models to improve the accuracy of their AI efforts. In the article, Melochna explores industry-specific AI models’ ability to learn over time, adapt to real-world feedback, leverage subject matter expertise, integrate multiple data sources, improve accuracy, and more.

Read on for more.

For consideration in future WorkTech news round-ups, send your announcements to wjepma@solutionsreview.com.

The post Top WorkTech News From the Week of June 30th: Updates from Jitterbit, IBM, Mendix, and More appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Mike Bradford, the Strategic Business Development Director at DELMIA, gives an in-depth review of what MES is, why it’s essential for manufacturers and the key differences between manufacturing operations management (MOM) and MES.  

A manufacturing execution system, often referred to as MES, has quickly become a staple within many businesses around the globe. MES offers manufacturers a dynamic software solution capable of monitoring, tracking, controlling, and documenting manufactured products throughout production. It provides key decision-makers with the information they require to implement efficiency-driven changes to their operations.  

While MES has established itself with some of the major manufacturers, many businesses could still benefit from the solution but don’t have enough understanding about the tangible benefits it can bring to their operations.  

What is the Difference Between MOM & MES? 

First, it’s essential to differentiate between MES and MOM, as many people within the industry use the terms interchangeably despite not being the same thing. In fact, MES is actually a component of a broader MOM system, and they work hand in hand to give manufacturers capabilities that cross their entire operation. 

MES primarily focuses on production, so it will integrate into your equipment and give you visibility into machine status, highlighting the operator work instructions and tracking production time. It also provides businesses with a complete production report. It can identify errors with the machine and workflow, giving your business all the information required to fix issues quickly. 

In terms of a wider MOM solution, this will look at the work instructions, link to machinery, and the top equipment on the shop floor production. But the main differentiator comes where a MOM solution will also provide capabilities and visibility in other key functionality like quality, maintenance, materials, and warehouse management. You can integrate quality control, material synchronization, and maintenance planning into your overall manufacturing process so that your line-side quality, material supply, and maintenance activities are part of your production process within your MOM solution. It doesn’t require separate systems, separate reporting, or separate tracking. 

Why Invest in MES? 

While there is plenty of awareness about the benefits of MOM for manufacturers, the same can’t be said of MES, as there are still many within the sector who aren’t sure what it brings to the table. When investing in MES, the most important thing to note is how much value it can bring to your business, especially when helping reduce lead times.

It also reduces the overall inventory required, as businesses won’t need any ‘just-in-case’ inventory, as an MES will ensure accurate inventory records are maintained. This will ensure manufacturers can stock as much as they require with no surplus. For example, DELMIA implemented an MES solution for Cummins, a farm equipment manufacturer, and the software helped reduce their inventories by $36 million by simply having an effective MES inventory solution to reduce waste. Alongside this, throughput was increased by 25 percent due to real-time reporting and the greater visibility afforded to the company by the provided MES. 

Many manufacturers will see quality and throughput improvements simultaneously when MES is in place, which can remove considerable bottlenecks in the production process. Most businesses will add quality gates during the manufacturing process to ensure the quality of each product is as high as possible; this inevitably slows overall throughput. With MES integrated as part of the process, the quality control aspects of production can be streamlined and, in some cases, removed, further enhancing the overall efficiency and profitability of the business.  

It’s also worth noting that you can improve reporting because, quite often, in environments still utilizing manual inputs, they add the production and scrap counts later. In the manufacturing industry, it is widely accepted—and proven in detailed studies—that when inputting data on production statistics, there is anywhere between 85-90 percent data accuracy. The 10-15 percent variable on this can throw overall production, inventory, and scrap figures out a long way, inevitably leading to more costs in the long run. Incorporating MES into production is a sure way to improve overall reporting and remove outdated and time-consuming manual data input, saving any manufacturing business money over time.  

In summary, there’s real value in rolling out an all-encompassing MOM solution at every step of that process. When pairing your MES solution with true MOM, you will likely see even more benefits and a vast reduction in inventory, waste, and overall inefficiencies. So, when it comes to the question, “Why invest?” The simple answer is that there’s real value in incorporating MES into an existing MOM solution or as a standalone product.  

There is a value found typically in improvement, improved productivity, improved quality, including getting it right the first time through robust MES solutions, and all manufacturing firms should seriously consider the improved efficiencies and cost savings they can bring. Over time, manufacturers can save huge sums by removing inefficiencies and ensuring no surplus products are made. MES doesn’t get as much attention as the far more established MOM solutions do, but in time professionals within the sector certainly will see the tangible benefits that MES brings.

The post What Is MES & Why Should Manufacturers Invest in It? appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

The editors at Solutions Review have curated this list of the most noteworthy WorkTech news from the week of June 23rd. This round-up covers announcements and updates from companies like OutSystems, IFS, Unanet, and more.

Keeping tabs on the most relevant ERP and BPM news can be time-consuming. As a result, our editorial team aims to summarize the week’s top headlines in the enterprise technology marketplace. The Solutions Review editors will compile a weekly round-up of vendor product news, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital funding, talent acquisition, and other noteworthy WorkTech information. With that in mind, here is some of the top WorkTech news for June 23rd.

Top WorkTech News From the Week of June 23rd, 2023

Fortis Acquires SmartPay, an Embedded Payment Solution Provider

Fortis, a commerce technology provider, has acquired SmartPay, an embedded payment solution provider with solid connections in the enterprise software and ERP ecosystems. The acquisition will provide Fortis with a team of integrated payments professionals and help the company strengthen its ability to serve scaling businesses in complex businesses. Mike Sheffey and Nate Schloss, the SmartPay founders and former managing partners, will join Fortis’ leadership team as part of the acquisition.

Read on for more.

IFS Expands its FSM Capabilities with Acquisition of Poka

IFS has announced its acquisition of Poka, a Quebec-based provider of a connected worker platform. Poka provides factory and field workers in the manufacturing industry with a hub of operational knowledge to help workers improve how they learn, share, and collaborate on the production floor. The acquisition will allow IFS to extend its capabilities, digitally connect workers across the end-to-end value chain in its core industries, and equip its factory and field worker users with the resources they need to work smarter and safer while boosting productivity and efficiency.

Read on for more.

Mendix Details the New AI Capabilities Coming in Mendix 10

Mendix, a modern enterprise application development solution, has announced details on the new AI and machine learning capabilities coming to its platform when Mendix 10 releases later this month. The new functionalities will expand the scope of Mendix’s AI-enabled application development, allow enterprises to seamlessly integrate AI use cases with low-code applications, streamline the deployment of AI-enhanced low-code applications, and more. These features will be available when Mendix 10 becomes available on June 27th.

Read on for more.

Cognizant Extends its Relationship with Orkla

Cognizant has announced that it has extended its relationship with Orkla, an industrial investment company. The two companies have partnered on several digital transformation projects across markets since 2013. As part of their extended partnership, Cognizant will help Orkla IT move toward a “future operating model” that represents a modern, agile way to deliver IT services to clients, enabling greater capacity and flexibility in managing projects and resources. The enhancements will also allow the companies to innovate on their SAP and infrastructure services.

Read on for more.

OutSystems Announces Its Roadmap for Generative AI Capabilities

OutSystems, a global application development solutions provider, has announced several new AI features, including the general availability of a new connector for Azure OpenAI and information on its roadmap for a suite of generative AI Capabilities. The Azure OpenAI connector, built jointly with Microsoft, will make it easier for users to build AI-powered applications with low-code. Meanwhile, OutSystems’ generative AI roadmap includes an AI-powered app editor that offers ongoing suggestions, instant app generation using conversational prompts, an extensive ecosystem of connectors, and real-time, full-stack visual representations of app changes.

Read on for more.

Unanet Introduces New Accounts Receivable Automation Functionalities

Unanet—a project-based ERP and CRM provider for architecture and engineering (AE) industries—has announced several new automated accounts receivable (AR) functionalities to help AE businesses streamline, accelerate, and error-proof manual processes. The new features are available on Unanet’s AR Automation platform, formerly Unanet Pay, and will help companies to reduce time-consuming processes (i.e., printing and mailing invoices), get deeper visibility into collections, accept digital payments, and improve the overall accuracy of collections activities, resulting in increased cash flow, faster invoice-to-cash cycles, and more.

Read on for more.

Expert Insights Section

Watch this space each week as the Solutions Review editors will use it to share new articles from the Expert Insights Series, Contributed Shorts videos, Expert Roundtable videos, event replays, and other curated content to help you gain a forward-thinking analysis and remain on-trend with changing industry expectations. All to meet the demand for what its editors do best: bring industry experts together to publish the web’s leading insights for enterprise technology practitioners.

Five Reasons to Embrace a Networked Supply Chain, by Jason Tham of Nulogy

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series, Jason Tham, the co-founder and CEO of Nulogy, outlines five reasons companies should embrace a networked supply chain. In the article, Tham says that networked supply chains can provide increased data visibility, more flexibility in responding to market trends, better resource utilization, stronger resilience to disruptions, and enhanced innovation.

Read on for more.

The Time is Now: Smart Manufacturers Make Moves to Invest in Cloud Technologies, by Stu Johnson of Rootstock Software

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series, Stu Johnson, the Vice President of Product Marketing at Rootstock Software, explains why smart manufacturers should invest in cloud technologies. In the article, Johnson says that cloud technologies can help manufacturers create comprehensive signal chains, improve access to valuable data, meet customer demand, and more.

Read on for more.

How Process Mining in Healthcare Can Improve the Employee and Patient Experience, by Grace Nam of Laserfiche

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series, Grace Nam, the Strategic Solutions Manager at Laserfiche, explains how process mining in healthcare can help organizations improve employee and patient experiences by extracting valuable insights from data, streamlining processes, optimizing data handling, and improving overall outcomes.

Read on for more.

How MSPs Can Responsibly Leverage AI Technology, by Ray Meiring of QorusDocs

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series, Ray Meiring, the CEO and co-founder of QorusDocs, explains how Managed Service Providers (MSPs) can responsibly implement and use AI technologies in their processes. In the article, Meiring talks about what AI can offer to MSPs and identifies some of the challenges involved with AI adoption.

Read on for more.

For consideration in future WorkTech news round-ups, send your announcements to wjepma@solutionsreview.com.

The post Top WorkTech News From the Week of June 23rd: Updates from OutSystems, IFS, Unanet, and More appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

The editors at Solutions Review have compiled this list to spotlight some of the best manufacturing training courses that manufacturing managers, strategists, and students should consider. Solutions Review participates in affiliate programs and may make a small commission from products purchased through this resource.

Whether knowing the whereabouts of a product in the production pipeline or ensuring that it has the resources it needs, manufacturers have to manage a great deal of data, toolsets, and processes. While there are plenty of technologies to help—like Manufacturing ERP or MRP systems—nothing can entirely replace the value of well-earned expertise. With the manufacturing training courses listed below, you can continue developing your skills or equip yourself with the qualifications manufacturing companies seek in their employees.

These Udemy training courses are geared toward active and aspiring professionals looking to expand, finetune, or kickstart their careers. Click the GO TO TRAINING link to learn more about each course and register. Each class is listed alphabetically.

The Best Manufacturing Training Courses on Udemy Worth Taking

Course Title: Essential Lean Manufacturing for Management Consultants

OUR TAKE: With 4.5 hours of on-demand video and 29 downloadable resources, this manufacturing training course will help you understand and optimize production and operational processes to save money and boost efficiency.

Description: Taught by Asen Gyczew, who has years of professional consulting and online teaching experience, this course will help students of various backgrounds and career paths improve their skills and optimize the production and operations of a company. The major topics covered include analyzing the production process, applying lean manufacturing techniques, identifying bottlenecks, managing projects with critical chain methods, using Excel to calculate the impact of proposed production changes, and more. The course was updated in March 2022 to reflect the current trends and best practices in the manufacturing market.

Course Title: Fundamentals of Manufacturing for an ERP like SAP

OUR TAKE: Geared toward aspirants, consultants, and students, this 6-hour course will equip its learners with the prerequisite skills and insights to break into the ERP, industrial engineering, manufacturing, and production management fields.

Description: Students who enroll in this online course can expect to become familiar with the fundamental principles and types of manufacturing. They will also learn about repetitive manufacturing, bill of materials, project manufacturing, just-in-time (JIT), process manufacturing, assemble-to-order management, discrete job shop, and more. Alongside the course’s 6 hours of video training, students will also have access to various downloadable resources and assignments that are updated at regular intervals.

Course Title: Introduction to Manufacturing

OUR TAKE: This compact training course requires no prerequisites and will help you learn the fundamentals of manufacturing and machining calculations and teach you to use them to solve real-world problems.

Description: While a slightly older course, the course can provide insights into fundamental manufacturing and machining concepts like turning, milling, punching, basic manufacturing, holding and drawing force, feasibility ratios, bending, drilling, centrifugal casting, and production cycle time. The program is designed for beginners with no prior experience. It is taught by Leon Petrou and reinforced with a teaching style that mixes theory with example problems and lectures to help students understand the material. Students can also ask Petrou for help in the Q&A section of the course.

GO TO TRAINING

Course Title: Lean Manufacturing A-Z: Lean Operations Management

OUR TAKE: Whether you’re a beginner or an active professional in the industry, this course will help improve your experience and take advantage of lean manufacturing techniques and philosophies.

Description: This course uses an MBA style to help managers, engineers, consultants, planners, and business analysts find their footing in the manufacturing markets. Consisting of 2.5 hours of video, two practice tests, and 20 downloadable resources, the training course covers the tools and methodology of Lean manufacturing. Students can learn about the tools and methods of Lean manufacturing, improve business operations (i.e., manufacturing, industrial operations, production), and understand the role that lean manufacturing can have on a business.

Course Title: Manufacturing Operations – Planning, Management, and Control

OUR TAKE: If you’re looking for a more thorough training course, this program includes 9 hours of material that will teach you to improve, regulate, and manage the various aspects of a successful manufacturing operations infrastructure.

Description: This course is ideal for manufacturing professionals and students of manufacturing operations and management systems looking for a deeper understanding of the planning, control, and execution systems involved in the manufacturing industry. Students will learn about production management, production system classification, strategic planning, productivity, and a glossary of relevant terminology.

Course Title: Process Capability Analysis

OUR TAKE: With over fifty lessons and nearly seven hours of video material, this top-rated program will give you the insights and know-how needed to understand your company’s manufacturing processes in a new way.

Description: Taught by Ray Harkins—a manufacturing expert and professional online educator—this popular course will provide active professionals in the manufacturing industry with the resources and insights they need to interpret manufacturing processes relative to customer expectations. Subjects covered in the nearly seven-hour program include building histograms, computing capability statistics in Microsoft Excel, calculating process capability indices, understanding the difference between Cpk and Ppk, applying Process Capability Analysis to manufacturing improvement projects, and more.

Course Title: Return on Investment (ROI) Analysis for Manufacturing

OUR TAKE: If you want to improve your ability to determine if a new piece of equipment, or an updated process, is worth the investment, this course from industry expert Ray Harkins is a good place to start.

Description: Manufacturing professionals that enroll in this course will learn about the tools, models, and concepts required to predict whether a significant business investment will pay off. The course is taught by Ray Harkins and is geared toward professionals with a fundamental knowledge of the manufacturing industry. Topics covered in the course’s video lectures include justifying capital investments, summarizing cash flows, tracking Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), using financial modeling, and more.

The post 7 of the Best Manufacturing Training Courses on Udemy Worth Taking appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Jason Tham, the co-founder and CEO of Nulogy, outlines five reasons companies should embrace a networked supply chain.

Today’s volatile and ever-changing consumer goods landscape has unearthed a critical need for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturers to adapt and transform their supply chains. In modern times, traditionally linear supply chains are evolving to supply chain networks powered by cloud-based, collaborative technology solutions.

To succeed today and in the future, FMCG organizations must invest in supply chain collaboration technology and embrace a truly networked supply chain approach. Here are the top five reasons why. 

1) Enhanced Visibility and Transparency

One key advantage of enabling a networked supply chain is its heightened data visibility and transparency. By adopting a networked approach promoted by real-time data flow, FMCG companies can break down information silos between customers and suppliers and gain real-time insights into the entire supply chain ecosystem. With this new level of visibility, businesses can proactively address bottlenecks, anticipate disruptions, and make data-driven decisions that improve planning efficiency and customer satisfaction. 

2) Increased Agility and Responsiveness

Today’s consumer goods landscape demands agility and responsiveness to meet rapidly changing market dynamics. Research from Deloitte indicates that 79 percent of companies with high-performing supply chains achieve above-average revenue growth. Networked supply chains empower organizations to collaborate seamlessly with suppliers, partners, and customers to respond more quickly to disruptions and sudden demand changes. By harnessing real-time data sharing and leveraging advanced analytics, companies can respond with agility to market shifts, optimize inventory levels, and accelerate product time-to-market—gaining a competitive edge. 

3) Optimal Resource Utilization 

Efficient resource utilization is a critical driver of profitability in the competitive consumer goods market. Networked supply chains facilitate better coordination among partners and suppliers, enabling FMCGs to minimize waste, reduce excess inventory, and maximize production and fulfillment capacity.

In addition, by gaining visibility into quantity and lot codes of raw materials and finished goods, these organizations can improve the movement and usage of materials throughout their supply chain to reduce potential shortages and write-offs, helping achieve waste reduction goals. Streamlining operations and eliminating inefficiencies allow companies to achieve significant cost savings while maximizing their resource utilization. 

4) Risk Mitigation and Resilience

In an era marked by global disruptions, risk mitigation and resilience have emerged as significant concerns for supply chain leaders. In a recent survey by McKinsey, the risk remains a priority for most respondents, with 83 percent saying they have experienced at least some raw materials shortages over the past year. Networked supply chains offer built-in resilience by diversifying supplier choice through interoperable supplier networks, enabling real-time risk monitoring, and fostering collaborative order planning.

By embracing a networked approach, businesses can mitigate the impact of disruptions, identify alternative sourcing options, and proactively manage risks to ensure continuity and customer satisfaction. 

5) Driving Innovation and Collaboration

Innovation and collaboration have become critical drivers of product success in today’s consumer-driven landscape. Networked supply chains promote closer cooperation between brands and their suppliers and partners, leading to innovative product delivery. In its 2020 Global Supply Chain Disruption and Future Strategies Survey Report, Foley & Lardner reported that 42 percent of manufacturing executives said they were implementing or planning to implement initiatives to strengthen supplier relationships and increase transparency with suppliers or buyers. Research also shows that companies that foster collaboration across their supply chain ecosystem achieve higher revenue growth and profitability.  

On a single, multi-party network, synchronization can be achieved, creating an open and collaborative environment that eliminates the Bullwhip Effect and allows businesses to tap into the collective expertise of their partners, drive innovation, and identify new opportunities to enhance customer value. 

The paradigm shift towards networked supply chains transforms how FMCG brands and their networks operate, collaborate, and compete. By embracing this approach, organizations can gain a competitive advantage by unlocking enhanced visibility, agility, resource utilization, risk mitigation, and innovation. Today’s businesses need to recognize the immense value of a networked supply chain. They can immediately reap the benefits from a networked supply chain, no matter how mature their supply management is—and those benefits are just too powerful for companies to ignore.

The post Five Reasons to Embrace a Networked Supply Chain appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

The editors at Solutions Review have compiled a list spotlighting some of the best ERP podcasts that industry professionals should be listening to.

There is no shortage of ERP resources and learning tools available online (including the buyer’s guides and best practice articles here on Solutions Review). But if you’re looking for an easy way to get in-depth insights into the ERP marketplace, podcasts might be one of the best options. To help you fill your feed with some of the best ERP podcasts out there, our editors have compiled a list to spotlight the ERP podcasts you and your team can (and should) start listening to.

The podcasts listed were selected based on their popularity, listener reviews, accessibility, and the experience of their hosts. They are listed in no particular order.

The ERP Podcasts You Should Be Listening To

Digital Stratosphere

Description: Hosted by Eric Kimberling, Sarah Dokowicz, and other consultants from Third Stage Consulting, this podcast has over 100 episodes and counting. The bite-sized episodes (which are usually under 20 minutes long) feature interviews with industry-leading experts, ERP best practices, and technology-agnostic insights around digital transformation, ERP, HCM, organizational change management, software selection, Customer Relationship Management CRM, digital strategy, and software implementation best practices. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts.

WBSRocks

Description: WBSRocks is a long-running podcast from the team at ElevatIQ, an independent consulting firm, featuring in-depth discussions around ERP, e-commerce, supply chain, and enterprise software. The show aims to provide reliable insights that CFOs, COOs, CEOs, and business owners can use to improve their company’s operations. It also covers new technology trends, software mergers, acquisitions, digital transformation, Industry 4.0, and other relevant updates. You can listen on their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Podcast Index, and Overcast Radio.

Transformation Ground Control

Description: This podcast is also hosted by Eric Kimberling (CEO and founder of Third Stage Consulting) and acts as a companion of sorts to the Digital Stratosphere podcast. Instead of the former show’s shorter episodes, Transformation Ground Control goes in-depth into various business, technology, strategy, and transformation topics, with episodes ranging from two to three hours long. It’s one of the most (and highest) reviewed shows on this list and has over 150 episodes for listeners to dive into. You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts.

The ERP Advisor

Description: The ERP Advisor is a podcast hosted by independent consultants from  ERP Advisors Group, a technology-agnostic software advisory service provider. The show covers everything from ERP software to artificial intelligence, blockchain, human capital management, e-commerce, CRM, and data migration technologies. Alongside its lengthier episodes—which present listeners with information drawn from the real-world experience of its hosts—the show also releases regular episodes of “The ERP Minute,” which provide brief overviews of the latest industry news. You can listen on the ERP Advisors Group website, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.

The ERP Organizational Change Journal

Description: The ERP Organizational Change Journal is a podcast from Nestell & Associates—a private equity IT and ERP consulting firm—that focuses on promoting, connecting, and fostering relationships in the ERP community. With various guests from across the industry, the show focuses on best practices, lessons learned, and insights into the people, processes, and technologies involved in ERP and organizational change. You can listen on their website, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, Stitcher, and other podcast platforms.

MakingChips

Description: Since its debut in 2014, the MakingChips podcast has released hundreds of episodes, been downloaded millions of times, and has helped provide manufacturing with in-depth industry insights, entertainment, and best practices. Hosted by Jason Zenger and Nick Goellner, two multi-generational manufacturing experts, the podcast features a rotating panel of guests who bring their unique expertise to discussions around leadership, operations, technology, workforce development, culture, and company growth. You can listen on their website, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts.

Enterprise Software Podcast

Description: Since it launched in 2014, the Enterprise Software Podcast has released over 150 episodes. Hosted by a team of industry experts, the monthly show provides listeners with news, reviews, and interviews with other industry professionals. The show’s goal is to help CEOs, CIOs, developers, end-users, and partners stay informed of the latest updates in the ERP, CRM, and enterprise technology markets. You can listen to the show’s episodes on its website and via Apple Podcasts.

The post The Top ERP Podcasts You Should Be Listening To appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

As part of Solutions Review’s Premium Content Series—a collection of contributed articles written by industry experts in enterprise software categories—Stu Johnson, the Vice President of Product Marketing at Rootstock Software, explains why smart manufacturers are investing in cloud technologies.

Are you a manufacturer waiting to see the success of tech solutions before you put your money on the table? Well, in today’s new normal—even with AI—you can’t successfully predict the future, but you can gain insights into the strategies other leaders are leveraging and the benefits they’re reaping.

Despite the media’s insistence that the economy is coming off the rails, according to a recent report, more than three-quarters (75.2 percent) of manufacturers plan to increase IT spending in the next 12 months. Manufacturers remain focused on the fundamentals, like cybersecurity, sustainability, and operational performance. Instead, their concerns have more to do with being able to access the data they currently have buried in disconnected systems and departmental silos. Manufacturers are sitting on a gold mine of information, but they haven’t yet been able to reap the rewards of this treasure.  

The Positive Outweighs the Negative 

This survey spanned various discrete manufacturing industries, and 508 respondents provided their perspectives on manufacturing technology. From their vantage point, these leaders—who were director level and above—leaned more toward an optimistic outlook in terms of where their industry is headed:  

• 23 percent believe demand will increase vs. 12.6 percent who feel demand will decline. 
• 20.9 percent think factories need to expand vs. 12.2 percent who worry factories will need to close. 

While the realities of high inflation and increased costs for many materials exist, manufacturers believe the pendulum is swinging—and, for the most part, in a helpful direction. If we take our cue from these leaders, we’ll also be inspired to close the book on doom and gloom and open to a new page of a new story—one in which we’re ready to invest for imminent expansion, business intelligence, and dynamic responsiveness.  

A Comprehensive Signal Chain   

One takeaway is that manufacturers are striving to create end-to-end connectivity via the cloud. With this type of infrastructure, they’ll receive early digital signals on large customer orders, supply shortages, or changes in production capacity. In the survey, manufacturers want to optimize supply chains and source suppliers for greater resiliency, with 47.5 percent saying these are top priorities. Another 27.6 percent said they want to improve production performance.  

Once all these digital dots are connected via a cloud platform—i.e., Salesforce, Azure, or AWS—manufacturers will be better equipped to connect to the signals that changes may be needed to meet customer demand, collaborate with suppliers to avert issues and align their production plans.  

Technology to the Rescue 

When asked about tech concerns, respondents anticipated enhanced value rather than risk. For example, while cybersecurity was considered a number one challenge, this very issue (information security) is cited as a top benefit of cloud technology. Many manufacturers said they were already on the cloud for this and other similar reasons. Building on this “more tech is better” theme, the list of technologies that manufacturers have their sights on for the future should come as no surprise: 

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML) — 33.9 percent  
• Big data / Analytics — 32.1 percent  
• Internet of Things (IoT) — 31.3 percent  
• Cloud applications — 28.3 percent 
• Mobility — 27.6 percent 
• Cloud ecosystems — 26.8 percent 

Data, Data Everywhere 

Another important insight is that data is recognized as both a problem and a solution. That’s because manufacturers understand the value of data—and its volume is increasing daily—but admit to needing better access to this information. Investments in the technologies above—AI, ML, and analytics—are intended to improve how they process, refine, and convert data into actionable insights and business intelligence that can provide clear guidance on future decisions.  

As we see, digital transformation (DX) efforts are still a key priority among manufacturers. They view DX technologies as the means to an end, laying the groundwork for growth, efficiency, well-planned production schedules, and resiliency to cope with continued disruptions. The common denominator for delivering these benefits is the cloud. 

With the Cloud, the Sky’s the Limit 

Manufacturers have heard what the media has said about economic uncertainty but are following the optimistic beat of their own drum. Their direction is driven by a focus on data over fearful sentiments to shelter their funds. They’re also considering the tech benefits touted by their peers—early adopters have said cloud platforms provide significant value. 

To leverage that same advantage, they’ve laid out a game plan for digital transformation, and they’re proceeding with ongoing determination, one step at a time. As such, they’ve made significant progress toward a cloud-driven enterprise that connects digital signals from demand to supply and production.  

As a critical component of this signal chain, almost two-thirds (62.6 percent) of respondents said they plan to switch ERP vendors in the next 12 to 24 months. You can probably guess that most are planning a move to a cloud-based solution. A cloud ERP can be the intelligent hub to help process data and digital signals across their enterprises. With the right ERP serving as the core system of record—and of control—smart manufacturers will know no limits. 

The post The Time is Now: Smart Manufacturers Make Moves to Invest in Cloud Technologies appeared first on Best ERP Software, Vendors, News and Reviews.

The editors at Solutions Review have compiled the following list of top-rated field service management solutions to help companies of all sizes find the best product for their needs.

Field Service Management (FSM) solutions are designed to streamline and optimize field service operations by supporting field service providers (FSPs) as they provide customers with installation, repair, maintenance, and other services for various equipment and systems. These solutions—sometimes included as part of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) suites—are usually used by businesses that offer on-site services or have a mobile workforce, including maintenance crews, field technicians, and delivery personnel.

However, as valuable as field service management solutions are, finding the best one for your business can be challenging. That’s why the Solutions Review editors have compiled the following list, which spotlights some of the leading tools, platforms, and solutions for field service providers to consider. The list is organized alphabetically.

ECI Software Solutions

Description: For more than 30 years, ECI Software Solutions has served companies in the manufacturing, wholesale/retail distribution, building, construction, and field service industries. It is a privately-held company providing on-premise and cloud-based technologies, alongside industry-specific software, for small to medium-sized companies. The company’s field service solution can help contractors across markets improve customer response times, reduce paperwork, streamline administrative tasks, and simplify their scheduling, dispatching, and invoicing processes.

FieldBin

Description: FieldBin is an easy-to-use field management software provider for trade business owners. Its industry-specific features can help users manage their back-office, increase profits, boost customer satisfaction, and more. Its primary solution offering provides businesses across industries with customer communication, inventory management, employee time tracking, estimates, quotes, payment processing, invoicing, scheduling, dispatch, and product management capabilities. FieldBin’s software can also seamlessly integrate with QuickBooks to help business owners maintain, manage, or optimize their accounting processes.

FieldPulse

Description: FieldPulse is an “all-in-one” application suite designed to help field service businesses cut down on administrative tasks, improve company productivity, manage customer information, and more. Its solution suite comes equipped with customer relationship management (CRM), contractor estimating, sales management, scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, payment, job management, GPS fleet tracking, omnichannel customer communication, inventory management, and additional capabilities to help field service companies streamline their business operations.

IFS

Description: IFS develops and delivers ERP software for customers worldwide who manufacture and distribute goods, maintain assets, and manage service-focused operations. It also offers field service management solutions to help workers improve business efficiency, ensure fast response times, and support real-time reactivity. Its FSM-specific capabilities include optimized planning, field service worker management, customer engagement, scheduling tools, reverse logistics, depot repair, intelligent asset monitoring, mobile access, IoT predictive services, and onboarding, training, and customer support services. 

Infor

Description: Infor is a global provider of cloud-based software solutions for the manufacturing, distribution, consumer products, public sectors, energy, healthcare, hospitality, and service industries. The business applications Infor offers are specialized by industry and are built to give users everything they need to run day-to-day operations and grow their businesses long-term. With its Service and Rental capabilities, companies can support their field technicians with rental management, schedule monitoring tools, dispatching, work order management, contact center functionalities, claims management, and more.

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Description: Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 suite goes beyond traditional ERP systems by bringing comprehensive enterprise resource planning functionality with the Office 365 apps you already know in a single, cloud-based service. With the Dynamics 365 Field Service solution, companies can personalize service experiences, increase worker productivity, optimize operations, empower frontline employees, and optimize scheduling. Its industry-specific features include smart route planning, Internet of Things (IoT) integration, real-time remote expert collaboration, AI-driven predictive tools, automated scheduling, and more.

Oracle

Description: Oracle is a leading cloud technology company providing organizations worldwide with various computing infrastructure and software products designed to help them innovate their business, unlock new efficiencies, and improve efficiency. As part of the Oracle Advertising and Customer Experience (CX) suite, field service businesses have access to an FSM solution outfitted with automated scheduling and routing tools, capacity planning, forecasting, field service mobility, technician enablement, mobile access, digital twin visualizations, field technician support, and other capabilities to help improve their business.

Praxedo

Description: Praxedo is a cloud-based field service management software designed to help service companies streamline business processes, increase productivity, and improve customer satisfaction. Its platform is a highly configurable open web platform and mobile capable of integrating seamlessly with third-party systems. Features include a real-time activity tracker, self-scheduling work orders, analytics, inventory management, payment collection tools, technician performance tracking, and a mobile app. Praxedo’s platform can integrate with leading technology solutions, including Salesforce, Sage, Intuit QuickBooks, Oracle NetSuite, and more.

QAD

Description: QAD Inc. provides “next-generation” manufacturing and supply chain management solutions for global companies in the life sciences, automotive, supply, consumer products, food and beverage, high-tech, and industrial industries. It also offers a field service management solution to help users optimize service inventory management, maximize product quality, drive customer satisfaction, reduce costs, and improve resource utilization. Specific features include data management, service scheduling, inventory management, quality control, performance tracking, and more.

Salesforce

Description: Salesforce offers one of the most expansive and complete CRM products, but its solution suite doesn’t stop there. As part of its Service Cloud portfolio, Salesforce provides an end-to-end field service platform designed to help businesses improve the productivity of their frontline workforce, lower operating costs, and optimize service experiences. Its field service capabilities include optimized scheduling and dispatching tools, and intelligent asset service management. Users can extend the platform with add-ons for real-time remote assistance, customer engagement, and service delivery optimization tools.

SAP

Description: SAP, the German software giant, provides businesses with its SAP S/4HANA next-generation ERP software, offering robust functionality across some industries, including manufacturing, services, retail, wholesale distribution, and more. SAP’s field service solution is included under its supply chain suite and can help businesses digitize their field service operations, optimize processes, and streamline service deliveries. The FSM platform includes real-time scheduling, advanced reporting, remote assistance, mobile workforce management, AI-powered schedule optimization, and other FSM-specific capabilities.

ServiceNow

Description: ServiceNow is a cloud-based platform and solution provider to help digitize and unify organizations. For example, its field service management software can help businesses automate workflows, streamline processes, reduce costs, break down silos, and deliver frictionless field service experiences to customers and employees with a single, integrated system. Its field service capabilities include schedule optimization, asset management, field service territory planning, predictive intelligence, virtual agents, cost management, a dispatcher workplace, continual improvement management, performance analytics, contractor management, and more.

ServicePower

Description: ServicePower is a field service management software provider that helps companies across North America and Europe provide better customer experiences, maximize operational efficiencies, and manage employed and contracted workforces. Its solution suite is divided into four segments: employed workforces, contracted workforces, blended workforces, and managed services. Capabilities include consumer self-service features, automated scheduling, mobile functionalities, workforce analytics, contractor management, dispatching, and streamlined payment features.

Simpro

Description: Simpro is a global business management software provider for trade and services companies. Its solution suite covers field mobility, IoT, business transparency, facility management, workflow automation, and project, service, and maintenance management. For field service management, users can access estimating, quoting, inventory management, service delivery, scheduling, dispatching, and business reporting capabilities. Additionally, businesses can expand the platform’s functionalities with add-ons for electronic forms, a maintenance planner, mobile access, and more.

Striven

Description: Striven provides companies with an “all-in-one” business management software that combines CRM, project management, accounting, HR, inventory management, and other capabilities into a single system. Its field service management software can connect the office to the field to help businesses be more responsive, organized, and competitive. Striven’s field service capabilities cover work order management, scheduling, dispatching, real-time reporting, service metrics, time tracking, e-signature functionalities, process automation, built-in accounting, and more.

Workiz

Description: Workiz is a field service platform that helps industry professionals worldwide increase revenue, streamline operations, schedule jobs, track performance, and more. The platform provides companies across industries with scheduling, invoicing, GPS tracking, estimating, inventory management, advanced reporting, automated notifications, commissions management, dispatching, mobile app access, automated workflows, online payments, and more. It can also integrate with other technology platforms, including Intuit QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Google Local Services, and other marketing tools.

Zuper

Description: Zuper is a field workforce management solution provider that works with companies across residential services, commercial services, franchises, and enterprise markets. It provides users with a comprehensive suite of capabilities for work order management, smart scheduling, intelligent dispatching, custom no-code workflows, timesheet management, digital payments, reporting, analytics, contract management, field service scheduling, inventory management, and more. Zuper can also integrate with over thirty technology platforms, including Zoho, Salesforce, Zendesk, HubSpot, SurveyMonkey, and QuickBooks.

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