News

News

• March 06, 2014 06 Mar'14

  ERP report shows implementations stretch time and budgets thin

  Users say their ERP projects are straying far from schedules and budgets, according to a new ERP report.

• March 05, 2014 05 Mar'14

  Consumer devices expand mobile warehouse management

  Inexpensive consumer-grade devices are gradually opening the door to new use cases for mobile warehouse management.

• February 24, 2014 24 Feb'14

  PwC: M&A trends present software challenges, opportunities

  In this Q&A, learn about mergers and acquisitions trends in manufacturing.

• February 21, 2014 21 Feb'14

  News roundup: FinancialForce debuts complete ERP suite

  The vendor hopes the tagline "ERP at customer speed" will differentiate FinancialForce ERP from traditional ERP suites.

• February 14, 2014 14 Feb'14

  News roundup: Microsoft prepares for Oracle on Azure

  In this news roundup, read about Microsoft's plan for Oracle on Azure, industrial automation from GE, and Intel's 3-D printing investments.

• February 12, 2014 12 Feb'14

  Users sticking with their financial systems, survey says

  According to a late 2013 TechTarget survey, users aren't budging from their current financial systems this year.

• February 07, 2014 07 Feb'14

  End users taking big risks with SaaS management, study says

  In this Q&A, find out how users are falling behind on SaaS security management and what can be done about it.

• February 06, 2014 06 Feb'14

  Manufacturer closes door on damages with Laserfiche ECM

  One manufacturer used its Laserfiche ECM suite to develop a custom mobile app and cut its damaged shipments.

• February 05, 2014 05 Feb'14

  ERP deployments hinge on master data management, says reseller panel

  Users at Panorama Consulting Group ERP Boot Camp also seek answers on stemming customizations and choosing implementation partners.

• February 04, 2014 04 Feb'14

  Dell moves into 3-D printing market with MakerBot

  In the wake of a new partnership between Dell and MakerBot, Dell discusses the move and where it sees the 3-D printing market headed.

• January 31, 2014 31 Jan'14

  News roundup: 3-D printing ethics debates on horizon

  In this news roundup, read about 3-D printing ethics issues, WFT Cloud's new SAP HANA support and the U.K.'s latest supply chain initiative.

• January 27, 2014 27 Jan'14

  Predictive analytics, cloud 2014 standouts in finance technology

  Experts expect cloud finance technology to accelerate as more CFOs get comfortable with moving financials -- even ERP -- to the cloud.

• January 06, 2014 06 Jan'14

  Swedish bank shows how to run an enterprise on in-memory databases

  CIO says replacing Oracle system with the GigaSpaces in-memory database grid in the cloud enables real-time analytics and agile product development.

• December 20, 2013 20 Dec'13

  Cloud financial systems adoption in 2013: How'd we do?

  Last year, experts predicted that 2013 would be the year of SaaS financial management systems. So, was it? Find out in this follow up.

• December 20, 2013 20 Dec'13

  Experts predict top manufacturing trends of 2014

  From supply chain collaboration to 3-D printing, industry experts name the manufacturing trends that will make 2014.

• December 18, 2013 18 Dec'13

  Top five manufacturing IT questions of 2013

  There was a lot to question in manufacturing IT this past year, from the safety of open source 3-D printing to the impact of Microsoft Dynamics in the cloud.

• December 17, 2013 17 Dec'13

  Distribution customer service benefits from self-service, survey says

  Self-service portals best route to improving distribution customer service, a new study shows.

• December 06, 2013 06 Dec'13

  Top five manufacturing IT stories of 2013

  2013 saw manufacturing IT innovation, from mobile computing and 3-D printing and same-day shipping.

• December 03, 2013 03 Dec'13

  Infor SyteLine update means big changes for customers

  With the announcement of Infor SyteLine 9.00 users can expect more deployment and customization options.

• November 26, 2013 26 Nov'13

  Supply chain managers facing serious holiday hurdles, Capgemini said

  As the holiday shopping season heats up, the demands of supply chain managers and their customers are serious business.

• November 22, 2013 22 Nov'13

  Q&A: Understanding -- and surviving -- supply-chain security issues

  Steve Durbin of the Information Security Forum explains strategies for tackling today's toughest supply-chain security challenges.

• November 21, 2013 21 Nov'13

  Portrait of a green manufacturing partnership

  Security gateway manufacturer Stoke and its partner Creation Technologies focus on green manufacturing practices.

• October 31, 2013 31 Oct'13

  Glassbeam announces new machine data analytics platform

  Earlier this month, Glassbeam announced a new cloud-based platform designed for complex machine data analytics.

• October 31, 2013 31 Oct'13

  Tier 1 ERP implementations leave something to be desired, Panorama says

  Customers are still flocking to Tier 1 ERP vendors, but Panorama's latest research shows satisfaction isn't assured.

• October 21, 2013 21 Oct'13

  Manufacturing recruiting turns its eye to Gen Y

  Manufacturers are struggling to find younger workers to fill the shoes of seasoned employees, according to a ThomasNet report.

• October 14, 2013 14 Oct'13

  Tips for combatting M2M security risks

  M2M technology opens up a world of new corporate connectivity options -- and with it, some serious security risks.

• October 04, 2013 04 Oct'13

  Epicor weighs in on social, mobile, cloud and the future of ERP

  Malcolm Fox, vice president of product marketing at ERP giant Epicor, describes the impact that social, mobile and cloud technology is having on ERP.

• October 03, 2013 03 Oct'13

  Manufacturers see competitive power in service excellence, IDC says

  An IDC-Infor study reveals that more manufacturers are turning to service excellence as a revenue driver and customer strategy.

• September 25, 2013 25 Sep'13

  Cloud financials, enterprise social networks more attractive to CFOs

  Panel at this week's Oracle OpenWorld sees enterprise social networks as enabler of finance efficiency.

• September 24, 2013 24 Sep'13

  Three tips to involve operations in corporate financial planning

  Operations managers often feel participating in corporate financial planning pulls them away from their jobs. Learn how to combat that resistance.

• September 17, 2013 17 Sep'13

  'Factory of the future' will put innovation, customers first, IDC says

  The 'factory of the future' will be all about customer satisfaction and special-order fulfillment, according to an IDC study.

• September 13, 2013 13 Sep'13

  WMS technology changing to fit growing market demands, ARC study says

  ARC Advisory Group's latest WMS technology study shows that retail flexibility and system integration are areas of interest to consumers.

• August 29, 2013 29 Aug'13

  Corporate finance leaders should empower end users through technology

  At Proformative's CFO Dimensions, corporate finance leaders offered tips on how CFOs can juggle their expanding strategic and operational duties.

• August 26, 2013 26 Aug'13

  CFOs moving past data privacy objections to cloud-based software

  At the Proformative CFO Dimensions conference, attendees hijacked a session on cloud-based software with questions -- but not the ones you'd expect.

• August 23, 2013 23 Aug'13

  Oracle-NetSuite deal benefits users, strengthens vendors

  According to experts, the Oracle-NetSuite partnership fills an HR gap for NetSuite and gives Oracle a foothold in the midmarket.

• August 23, 2013 23 Aug'13

  Infor ERP roadmap focused on emerging tech, tailored products

  What does the current Infor ERP product strategy look like? Find out in this Q&A.

• August 23, 2013 23 Aug'13

  Top five dangers of using spreadsheets in finance

  Robert Kugel lists five major issues that can arise when finance departments use Microsoft Excel for processes it wasn't designed to handle.

• August 20, 2013 20 Aug'13

  The buzz: 3-D printing a new side to manufacturing

  Between firearms, shoes, bikinis and even pizzas, there’s a whole lot of buzz surrounding 3-D printing. Is it worth the hype?

• August 20, 2013 20 Aug'13

  Turnaround artist does data mining for dollars

  Steeped in finance and IT, Shyam Desigan, of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, taps big data analytics to return bottom lines to profitability.

• August 16, 2013 16 Aug'13

  Corporate app store use increasing with mobile-ready manufacturers

  A new IDC Manufacturing Insights report shows that corporate app store adoption rates are low, but are poised to take off.

• August 12, 2013 12 Aug'13

  Q&A: Change agents lead the charge for enterprise software initiatives

  In this Q&A, industry expert Steven Phillips explains the role of change agents in business technology initiatives.

• July 12, 2013 12 Jul'13

  BPO/ITO can help CIOs, businesses manage transformational forces

  Former CIO Steve Sheinheit, a speaker at the World BPO/ITO Forum, shares advice on how to deal with transformational forces pulling at business.

• June 24, 2013 24 Jun'13

  McKinsey declares mobile Internet the most disruptive technology

  On top of mobile Internet, consulting firm also cites cloud and genomics among 12 trends that can reconfigure economies, business and everyday life.

• June 24, 2013 24 Jun'13

  Oracle falls below IBM and SAP in CPM systems matrix

  While historically dominant leader Oracle has the latest CPM functionality in its portfolio, Nucleus Research says buyers aren't biting.

• June 05, 2013 05 Jun'13

  CFO survey finds interest in analytics and cloud on the rise

  According to a recent survey, CFOs expect to invest more in cloud, mobile and big data technology in coming years and spend less on IT infrastructure.

• June 03, 2013 03 Jun'13

  Smarter supply chain initiatives span Gartner's top 25 supply chains

  This year's annual top 25 supply chains showcase more industrial and high tech manufacturers that are excelling in their supply chain initiatives.

• May 22, 2013 22 May'13

  With HANA, SAP is disrupting business models -- including its own

  At Sapphire Now 2013, in-memory analytics and mobile app demos showed how companies can turn big data into profitable service lines.

• May 16, 2013 16 May'13

  Infor customers ponder where legacy ERP fits in new social, Web push

  Customers of Infor use its legacy ERP brands that go back decades, but now are being challenged to move to the company's new Web architecture.

• May 08, 2013 08 May'13

  Preparing IT for the coming revolution in advanced manufacturing

  The next stage in manufacturing's renaissance looks to be mainly computer-based. But it won't happen without widespread retraining in IT skills.

• May 07, 2013 07 May'13

  Strategic finance expands CFO's role beyond leader of 'bean counters'

  Speakers at the CFO Forum said transactional and strategic finance duties are diverging, and the CFO's role is shifting to that of a business partner.

• April 24, 2013 24 Apr'13

  Has Infor found the trick to ERP integration?

  Users and analysts at Inforum 2013 were impressed with its XML-based ION middleware, but wondered if Infor is pushing out apps fast enough.

• April 16, 2013 16 Apr'13

  Microsoft-Hubwoo deal reflects rising interest in business networks

  Business networks can increase efficiency and reduce errors in organizations' P2P processes, and ERP vendors are starting to take note.

• April 15, 2013 15 Apr'13

  What to expect from the upcoming Microsoft Dynamics cloud services

  Microsoft is set to launch a cloud version of its Dynamics ERP this summer. Industry analysts weigh in on how Dynamics cloud services could shape up.

• April 11, 2013 11 Apr'13

  Rolling forecast model can improve usefulness of financial data

  At the Boston IBM Finance Forum, one expert urged finance professionals to adopt a rolling forecast model to replace slow and broken processes.

• April 10, 2013 10 Apr'13

  For strategic CPM, finance must make itself relevant to operations

  Extending financial analytics beyond the CFO suite and linking financials with performance metrics are technical lynchpins.

• April 03, 2013 03 Apr'13

  Save money, go green with AP automation

  AP automation is on the rise and can help you save time, money and many, many trees.

• March 28, 2013 28 Mar'13

  Is IT really getting ready for a third platform?

  IDC's claim that a new social-mobile-big data infrastructure is replacing PCs might be more wish than reality.

• March 22, 2013 22 Mar'13

  Q&A: Overall equipment effectiveness metrics for real-time visibility

  Expert Matthew Littlefield explains how these long-used efficiency measures can support real-time visibility in manufacturing.

• March 14, 2013 14 Mar'13

  Third platform of IT goes mainstream at IDC Directions 2013

  Convergence of cloud computing, mobility, social media and big data were again the focus of annual IDC conference.

• March 05, 2013 05 Mar'13

  CFO Magazine conference explores CFO role as IT user, manager

  CFO Rising East 2013 highlights best practices for CFOs as technology users and -- increasingly -- as managers of IT organizations.

• February 20, 2013 20 Feb'13

  ERP deployment delays growing longer, survey finds

  A combination of economic and organizational factors is slowing down ERP deployment projects, according to a new report.

• February 15, 2013 15 Feb'13

  Mobile business applications are knocking at finance’s door

  Smartphones and tablets help organizations’ employees see the same version of the performance picture. Will finance embrace these mobile solutions?

• February 13, 2013 13 Feb'13

  Mobility, risk management on display at ARC World Industry Forum 2013

  A keynote at the ARC World Industry Forum emphasizes mobility, information-driven manufacturing and risk management trends to watch.

• January 30, 2013 30 Jan'13

  Financial management systems broken, but CFOs still not sold on SaaS

  In a webinar, Workday executives discussed CFOs' top concerns with current financial management systems and how they are approaching replacements.

• January 24, 2013 24 Jan'13

  Convenience of mobile accounts payable software brings security risk

  While one expert says wide adoption of mobile AP software like Kofax MarkView is a few years away, interest among users is picking up.

• January 22, 2013 22 Jan'13

  Rise of the machines: ProMat 2013 spotlights manufacturing robotics

  Opening keynoter sees intelligent machines and manufacturing robotics as a potential boon to U.S. manufacturing.

• January 17, 2013 17 Jan'13

  ProMat 2013 to showcase innovations in supply chain, logistics

  In this pre-conference report, learn what attendees of ProMat 2013 can expect from this year's trade show.

• January 16, 2013 16 Jan'13

  Eleven tips to help prepare your ERP systems for IFRS conversion

  The eventual conversion of U.S. GAAP to IFRS requires preparation for changes to your ERP systems. Here are 11 tips to get you started.

• January 15, 2013 15 Jan'13

  XBRL tagging: What is it really good for?

  In this Q&A, find out why one expert thinks XBRL has the potential to be more useful than finance executives give it credit for.

• January 10, 2013 10 Jan'13

  Is ERP ready for International Financial Reporting Standards?

  Despite ERP support, experts are no longer sure U.S. firms will ever be required to meet IFRS rules.

• December 05, 2012 05 Dec'12

  RedPrairie JDA acquisition shakes up supply chain software landscape

  RedPrairie recently announced its acquisition of rival vendor JDA. What does this mean for the future of the supply chain software market?

• December 04, 2012 04 Dec'12

  Where is Azure in the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 release?

  Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 launched in October without the promised Azure hosting. Will Azure be in Dynamics' future?

• November 29, 2012 29 Nov'12

  Demand sensing software part of Kellogg's well-balanced forecasting

  Cereal maker's S&OP head says parallel run of Terra Technology pattern recognition software showed 30% gain after data cleansing.

• September 11, 2012 11 Sep'12

  Manufacturing cloud computing implementation rates vary across industries

  Manufacturers are historically slow to adopt new business technologies, but some are embracing cloud computing implementation more than others.

• August 23, 2012 23 Aug'12

  Taking the leap from Excel to SaaS financial management software

  After a careful selection process, Parsons Electric chose Host Analytics, a cloud CPM vendor, for financial management.

• August 22, 2012 22 Aug'12

  Corporate performance management tools tackle 'last mile of finance'

  Gartner says CPM software vendors are adding specialized reconciliation and disclosure features to help optimize the financial close process.

• August 10, 2012 10 Aug'12

  Upcharges unavoidable but manageable with technology, experts say

  While upcharges may be impossible for manufacturers to avoid, the right visibility and reporting can make them more manageable.

• July 31, 2012 31 Jul'12

  Key to supply chain event management often lies in existing SCM, TMS

  Manufacturers looking for supply chain event management functionality may not need to look any further than their existing software systems.

• July 26, 2012 26 Jul'12

  IDC: Warranty transaction management tools mature but underused

  PTC and SAP are the top warranty transaction management software vendors, according to a new IDC Manufacturing Insights report.

• July 24, 2012 24 Jul'12

  WMS software market experiencing growth spurt, analyst says

  Post-recession demand, proliferating add-ons and adoption in emerging markets are driving growth in the warehouse management system market.

• July 20, 2012 20 Jul'12

  Most Oracle ERP users don't know what they already have, survey says

  Most Oracle ERP users seek new features from an ERP upgrade -- then struggle to keep track of them all, according to MorganFranklin.

• July 12, 2012 12 Jul'12

  Manufacturing BI software boils down to generic vs. specialized

  Companies can choose from among many manufacturing BI software vendors and flavors to meet their unique analytics needs.

• July 05, 2012 05 Jul'12

  Company size, complexity best filters for financial applications

  From core accounting applications to XBRL for financial reports, the financial applications market can be bewildering. Here’s a primer to get started.

• July 05, 2012 05 Jul'12

  Selecting software consultants

  A former ERP consultant explains how to choose the right consultant for an ERP deployment project.

• July 02, 2012 02 Jul'12

  SaaS ERP gains may ease fears of moving core financials to the cloud

  Three surveys show CFOs are comfortable with “edge” applications that benefit most from cloud deployments, such as T&E and SEC reporting.

• June 29, 2012 29 Jun'12

  Can't afford BI? Try the BI analytics tools in everyday software

  Experts say much of what is called analytics and BI can be done by using everyday software in an analytical way.

• June 28, 2012 28 Jun'12

  Operational risk management technology emerges as CFO priority

  Plentiful metrics, predictive analytics and GRC tools leave organizations few excuses for failing to measure the numerous risks to their bottom lines.

• June 28, 2012 28 Jun'12

  Electronic data interchange of little use without right workflow

  Long used for business-to-business data transfer and automation, EDI software finds new roles in supply chain visibility and demand planning.

• June 25, 2012 25 Jun'12

  Corporate performance management helps turn crisis into opportunity

  Driven to the forefront by the Great Recession, CPM tools are fast evolving to take advantage of 'big data,' social media and mobile.

• June 18, 2012 18 Jun'12

  Automated carbon monitoring works best with close industry fit, integration

  Integrated carbon monitoring software is becoming a higher priority in more organizations’ enterprise architectures. Two experts show how to find tools for specific regulatory and messaging strategies.

• June 15, 2012 15 Jun'12

  With BI options galore, it’s ERP vs. niche vendors

  A company’s ERP vendor likely offers business intelligence options, but niche BI analytics may be the best approach.

• June 13, 2012 13 Jun'12

  Enterprise search, text analytics keep production flowing at R&D company

  A Quebec optics design firm used Coveo text analytics and indexing to boost the productivity of its highly educated knowledge workers by 5%.

• June 13, 2012 13 Jun'12

  When considering SaaS ERP vendors, factor in upgrades

  Companies considering a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) ERP as a part of a two-tier landscape should take into a number of factors, including how often the vendor updates the cloud ERP, and whether or not it’s truly a multi-tenant application.

• June 12, 2012 12 Jun'12

  Cloud BI cost-effective, but real-time functionality still not robust

  Running BI in the cloud is attractive from a cost standpoint, but there are serious potential drawbacks, industry watchers say.

• June 08, 2012 08 Jun'12

  SaaS ERP: A guide to major vendors

  SaaS ERP is a developing market within technology that offers users lots of options. This guide sorts out the complicated landscape.

• June 07, 2012 07 Jun'12

  Midmarket options, SaaS making manufacturing BI on a budget possible

  Many manufacturers shy away from investing in business intelligence software because of the expense. But manufacturing BI doesn’t have to be expensive, and it can drive real bottom-line benefits.

• June 05, 2012 05 Jun'12

  Two-tier ERP, SaaS beckon companies embarking on ERP consolidation

  Manufacturers also face integration decisions once they decide to consolidate multiple ERP systems.

• May 31, 2012 31 May'12

  Epicor, Sage, SAP public cloud ERP moves raise pricing, technical concerns

  Analysts say Epicor, Sage and SAP's recent cloud ERP initiatives portend cloud computing benefits for on-premises ERP platforms but require close scrutiny before making a change.

• May 30, 2012 30 May'12

  Consolidate multiple ERP systems to address four key dimensions

  Two consultants explain how user needs, technologies, costs, and business processes factor into an ERP consolidation plan.

• May 25, 2012 25 May'12

  Collaboration technology driven by culture, communication gaps

  Industry experts explain how to match collaboration software such as chat, social media and conferencing with the needs of the organization.