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eBook Library

ERP Buying Advice eBooks

10 Pro Tips to Keep Your ERP Project On Budget

ERP implementation projects have a reputation for going over budget. But that does not mean your spending has to turn in a runaway train. In this guide, our experts share simple, no-nonsense advice to help you keep control of your ERP spending and your sanity intact. Follow it to get the ERP system you need at a price you can afford.

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7 Telltale Signs You’re Ready for a New Distribution ERP System

With the unprecedented supply chain challenges of the last couple of years, plus the speed at which technology changes, every distributor eventually reaches a point where they struggle to keep up. How do you know when you’ve reached that point? For many, the signs are hard to miss, but for others, the symptoms are less severe.

As a starting point, ask yourself, do disconnected systems and manual data entry result in untimely and inaccurate information? Do front-line employees lack the information they need to move forward, spot trends, or react to issues as they arise? Must executives access multiple systems cluttered with outdated or incomplete information just to manage their daily activities? Worse yet, does setting long-term company objectives feel more like guessing than making strategic decisions backed by sound data?

It’s time to rethink your distribution business’ back-office processes. Get started by grabbing our latest eBook, “7 Telltale Signs You’re Ready for a New Distribution ERP System.”

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12 Telltale Signs You’re Ready for a New Manufacturing ERP System

It can be hard to know when to break up with your entry level accounting system or outdated manufacturing ERP. Just like with any long-term relationship, it’s easy to fall into a comfortable familiarity. Could you be making the all-too-common mistake of justifying your decision to delay action based on incorrect assumptions? It’s not surprising many manufacturers believe they’re saving money by putting off their upgrade. But what if that’s a false sense of security? What if holding on to outdated or ill-fitting software is costing your business tens of thousands or more in lost opportunities?

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10 Things Every Successful ERP Implementation has in Common

Regardless of why you buy an ERP, the investment must pay off. So, you’re wise to learn from the experience of others. In the eBook, “10 Things Every Successful ERP Implementation has in Common,” we discuss why the best approach to successfully implementing an ERP system is careful planning. The advice we lay out here is not novel or new. It’s based on research and cumulative knowledge we’ve collected over 30 years in the industry.

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4 Warning Signs Your ERP Is Outdated

You’ve been using Microsoft Dynamics GP for years now and this workhorse of a solution feels like your best pair of comfy, worn in socks. And that feels great! But like socks, it’s easy to get so comfortable you cannot see your software is ready to be retired.

The e-guide “4 Warning Signs Your ERP is Outdated” can help you decide if it’s time to move on and figure out where to go from here.

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Acumatica Cloud ERP Licensing Explained

Selecting the right ERP system for your business is like sailing uncharted waters. The intricate web of pricing structures and industry terminology can leave you feeling adrift, uncertain about your choices.

That's the bad news…

Now for the good news.

We've created a compass to help you on your ERP voyage: "Acumatica Cloud ERP Licensing Explained." This comprehensive e-book is your indispensable companion, providing the insights you need to navigate this crucial decision like a pro.

Building a Successful ERP Implementation: How Teamwork Leads to Success.

ERP projects and the creation of a complex meal have more in common than meets the eye. Both have a key ingredient that can either elevate your dish to a gourmet triumph or leave it undercooked – your team.

Think of your ERP implementation team as the skilled chefs in your kitchen, where each ingredient and technique shape the final flavor. Just like developing a sophisticated recipe, an ERP implementation project calls for the right components, precise timing, and skilled hands. So, who should be part of your ERP kitchen brigade, and what roles should they assume?

These are two questions often simmering in the minds of SMB leaders as they prepare to create their ERP masterpiece. Fortunately, we’ve gathered the answers to these queries and many more in our comprehensive e-book,

Choosing the right ERP Implementation Partner for YOU

Contrary to what you may think, especially if you don’t have an extensive internal IT team, ERP implementation is not a DIY project. Squeezing every drop from your ERP investment is about more than getting the software up and running. It requires steadfast project management, expert software development skills, a readiness to handle change management issues and an ability to train and support users successfully.

Without all that, you doom your ERP implementation project to fail from the start. Don’t let yours be another statistic! Let us help you escape this disastrous mistake and show you the easy way to find the right ERP partner for you.

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Digital Transformation: Effortlessly Integrating Multiple Systems with Acumatica

Being an efficient, profitable, and scalable organization while relying on disconnected and aging technology is almost impossible. Undertaking a digital transformation by implementing a modern business management solution that integrates internal and external systems, applications, and processes is key to thriving in today’s digital economy.

 

This eBook highlights how Acumatica helps organizations:

  • Gain resiliency and optimize operations on a future-proof platform.
  • Take advantage of almost 300 native integrations within the Acumatica Marketplace.
  • Expand beyond native integrations with Acumatica’s open architecture.
  • Connect applications on a solid financial foundation.
  • Combine related workflows across the organization.
  • Centralize data through differing data transfer strategies for increased accuracy.
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ERP Buying Is Easy If You Do It Smart

With “ERP Buying is Easy if You Do it Smart”, a guide to ERP research you’ll go from “I don’t know where to begin” to “I found the ERP for me.”

You don’t shop for an ERP every day. And, with so many things to consider and countless options to choose from, it’s no surprise the task often overwhelms buyers and leaves them feeling lost. But if you’re looking for a guide to ERP research to demystify the ERP buying process, you’ve come to the right place!

Based on our over 28 years’ experience helping businesses of all shapes and sizes find their ERP match, this no-nonsense ERP buying guide tells you everything you need to know and walks you through the process step-by-step.

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ERP Conversion Guide Dynamics GP to Acumatica

Microsoft has made it clear its ERP solution of choice from now on, and where it will devote the lion’s share of its time and resources, is Dynamics 365, not GP. A harsh reality which leaves many loyal Dynamics GP users wondering, “what’s next?” While Dynamics 365 is an excellent fit for some, other Dynamics GP users find as a rather new product, it still lacks some features they need. Thus, leaving them with no choice but to search for other Microsoft Dynamics GP cloud alternatives. So, if you’re ready to replace GP and want to look outside the Dynamics box, where should you begin? For many of our clients seeking a modern tool to help them usher in life after GP, the obvious answer has been the fastest growing cloud ERP, Acumatica.

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Guidelines for Selecting an ERP Platform That Will Deliver Long-Term Value

Companies that allow opportunity after opportunity to slip through their fingers are companies that are relying on the wrong ERP platform. With Acumatica xRP Platform, they have a firm foundation as well as the tools and applications they need to build a strong infrastructure, which in turn supports their business-building initiatives. Lost opportunities? Not anymore.

 

In this Solution Brief about Acumatica’s award-winning ERP platform, companies will learn:

 

  • The 5 essential blocks for building a growth-oriented platform.
  • The 4 ways to improve profitability and capitalize on global markets.
  • The 8 features that define a flexible, scalable platform.
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How to Develop a Successful KPI Strategy that Promotes Long-Term Profitability

Every business measures success differently, but long-term profitability serves as the overarching goal. Achieving long-term profitability is directly tied to a business’s ability to accurately gauge the performance of its employees, systems, projects, and departments. With KPIs, they can “spot improvement opportunities, design future goals, and manage progress,” and with the right technology, they can leverage those KPIs to make business-building decisions.

 

In this eBook, businesses will learn how to:

  • Seize the power of KPIs in terms of profitability, productivity, competitiveness, and customer relationship management.
  • Understand 6 major types of KPIs.
  • Define their KPI approach.
  • Choose the most strategic KPIs (out of thousands of metrics).
  • Avoid 5 common KPI mistakes.
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How to Grow Your Business Faster with Cloud ERP

Just because you’re not an enterprise doesn’t mean you have to settle for legacy ERP or entry-level accounting software. Grow your business faster on a future-proof cloud ERP platform.

Acumatica General Business Edition gives growing companies the tools they need to increase revenue, reduce costs, and exceed customer expectations.

 

Find out more in this new eBook.

  • Gain a deeper understanding of your operations.
  • Make better decisions about growing your business.
  • Avoid rising costs and bad service from your ERP vendor.
  • Eliminate data silos and capture data faster.
  • Hear success stories from companies that are thriving with Acumatica.

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Maximize Your Business Growth by Using ERP with CRM

Why use ERP with CRM? Because your business lives or dies by revenue generation and customer service. Because sales enablement and customer service should be every employee’s responsibility. And because the market is changing too quickly for your staff to waste time toggling between applications.

 

In this eBook, you’ll find out how to:

  • Gain efficiency and hit your revenue goals.
  • Achieve complete transparency in your marketing and sales pipelines.
  • Support unlimited users by scaling up your business platform.
  • Drive growth and customer retention.
  • Use dashboard-based reports to inform decisions and set priorities.
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Methodology Matters: Mastering the ERP Maze

Every day, there are new hurdles to overcome. Supply chains strain, budgets tighten, and teams are stretched thin. Customers demand more and have endless options. These challenges are the norm in today's competitive world.

 

What's the Solution to These Complex Challenges?

Efficiency and streamlined operations.

And the key to achieving them? Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.

Yet, selecting an ERP system is just the start of a long list of uncertainties. Chief among them is finding the right implementation consultant. How can you ensure they have what it takes to guide you through a complex project that will take months and require significant investment? Interviews only scratch the surface.

 

You Don't Have Time for Doubts. You Deserve Confidence!

And we believe in transparency. That's why we unveiled our ERP implementation methodology in our eBook, "Methodology Matters: Mastering the ERP Maze." It's more than a peek behind the curtain. It's your roadmap to success from day one.

Modernize Your Month-End Close

The month-end close should be just another day of the week. Unfortunately, for most accountants, it’s a guaranteed headache. They spend hours tracking down information, reconciling numbers, and correcting errors. And even when they’re finished, they wonder if they got it all right.

Put an end to this time-consuming, frustrating process. Cloud ERP can automate many of the most labor-intensive tasks your accountants face each month—freeing them up to better serve the needs of your executives.

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The Future of Microsoft Dynamics SL, What You Need to Know

Considering the breakneck pace at which our world and technology is changing, it’s no surprise that some Dynamics SL users and potential buyers are wondering whether a software created over three decades ago can keep up. 

In "The Future of Microsoft Dynamics SL, What You Need to Know", you will learn:

 

  1. How the cloud is affecting the future of Dynamics SL.
  2. What the introduction of Microsoft’s cloud ERP (Dynamics 365) means for legacy solutions, like SL.
  3. Why you can’t afford to delay your digital transformation any longer.
  4. How the sudden shift to remote work is changing the way businesses look at ERP.
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The Many Reasons SMBs Are Replacing QuickBooks with Acumatica

Becoming a connected, future-proofed business is critical in today’s economy. Yet, many SMBs are relying on QuickBooks to manage their accounting and business management needs. The result? Disjointed processes, unintegrated third-party applications, siloed data sources, no real-time visibility, lack of growth, and more. Thankfully, these SMBs have another option: Acumatica.

 

In this guide, SMBs will see exactly how QuickBooks stifles success and how Acumatica unleashes it. They’ll learn:

  • Why QuickBooks’ architecture does not fit today’s digital economy.
  • How Acumatica’s cloud platform can be tailored to meet changing business needs.
  • How QuickBooks’ functional limitations creates barriers to growth.
  • How Acumatica unifies business processes.
  • What industry-specific features and benefits Acumatica users receive that QuickBooks users don’t.
  • Why QuickBooks users report dissatisfaction with customer support (and why Acumatica users enjoy a customer-first approach).
  • And what will happen if SMBs stay on QuickBooks longer than they should.
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Questions to Ask ERP Partners Before Signing on the Dotted Line

Don’t sabotage your ERP project with the wrong partner!

Make sure you know the right ERP implementation questions to ask

Choosing the right ERP partner is not a simple decision, like buying lunch or a shirt. Making the right selection depends on knowing the right questions to ask and paying careful attention to the responses you receive. But what if you’ve never interviewed ERP partners before, or haven’t done it for years? How do you know the right ERP implementation questions to ask?

Sure, you can start with the obvious questions, like:

  1. How much will the software and implementation cost?
  2. What’s your timeline for the project?
  3. How much experience does your team have implementing this software?
  4. What does the implementation process look like?
  5. What do you need from our staff?
  6. Who will we be working with?

To separate your “OK” ERP implementation matches from the standout ones; you need to dig deep and ask the tough questions. These make your potential ERP partners think and help you uncover far more about their business practices and commitment to client success than surface questions ever could. Remember, a top ERP partner will welcome these tough questions. They’ll be eager to share what makes them unique. And be ready to engage their services team to help them provide you with complete, honest responses.

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Questions to Ask Yourself Before Choosing an ERP

Are you skipping a key step in your ERP software selection process?

Your mind’s made up. Now is the time for choosing an ERP system to help your business grow, or for replacing one that’s long since seen better days. This is a big decision, one that will affect your organization for years to come and has enough moving parts to make your head spin. So, you know you need to take things slow and do your research. If you’ve already begun your research, you’ve probably come across countless pages of Google search results filled with experts telling you what questions you must ask ERP vendors and implementation partners before you sign on the dotted line. Sure, this is useful advice. But those questions aren’t the start of your ERP buying story, they’re the middle.

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Resources for Current Dynamics GP and Acumatica Users

8 Timesaving Tips and Tricks Every Dynamics GP User Should Know

Want to get more done in less time? These expert tips and tricks will have you navigating Dynamics GP like a pro, saving you valuable time and effort. 

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Basic Steps in a Dynamics GP Upgrade

What can we expect during our Dynamics GP upgrade?  It’s a question we get a lot when clients first start thinking about upgrading their Dynamics GP software.  This diagram lays out the basic steps our consultants will take you through during your Dynamics GP upgrade project.  As with any project, knowing what comes next will help you be better prepared and put your mind at ease. 

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Dynamics GP Modern Lifecycle Policy, Your Questions Answered

With the October 2019 release, Microsoft Dynamics GP moved to a new modern lifecycle. This is a big shift from the traditional lifecycle where you had mainstream support and extended support, each for a certain number of years after the release of a new Dynamics GP version. Learn what this move means for you and the support you receive from Microsoft.

Dynamics GP Modern Lifecycle Policy

Dynamics GP Tips and Tricks Setting up Your System for Success

Get step-by-step instructions and best practices for setting up GP for new users, tips for navigating GP with ease and retrieving important information from the system. 

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Dynamics GP Version Comparison Chart

Are you trying to decide whether it’s time to upgrade your GP software and not sure which features have been added since your last upgrade? This chart lets you quickly see what changes have been made since Dynamics GP 2013 all the way through Dynamics GP (October 2020). 

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Need Some One-on-One Help?

With over 30 years’ experience helping small and medium-sized businesses make sense of technology, Intelligent Technologies can help you explore your options, find the best fit, get your systems up and running, and make sure users have the skills they need to use technology to their advantage.