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Four questions to answer before considering a cloud ERP

The Cloud offers a transformational journey for enterprise applications, offering “as-a-Service” capabilities and much more. An enterprise resource planning (ERP) application can greatly benefit from the cloud, keeping systems “current”. Cloverleaf Infotech director Shrikant Navelkar published an article on expresscomputer.in explaining how cloud security for an ERP system can be taken care of by Cloud vendors, though there are many questions to consider before jumping into a Cloud ERP solution. Here are 4 questions that Navelkar wants you to consider:

What is the compelling need to move On-Premises ERP such as Oracle EBS to the Cloud?
“A Cloud ERP could be a good choice as it could ensure that it is the last migration, it can also ensure seamless integration with other modules or enterprise applications on-premises or on the cloud through secure and out-of-the-box integration. The decision to move to the cloud should be taken after gauging if the business is being impacted due to the on-premises ERP and if the bandwidth consumption of technology resources is such that it hinders innovation.”

Should I just “Lift and Shift” to the Cloud or is there another way?
“A “Lift and Shift” is a good option if you want to take a measured approach to cloud adoption by stabilizing the existing ERP on the Cloud for a year or two before considering a complete SaaS ERP implementation. “Lift and Shift” is best adopted by consulting a service provider with significant expertise and experience in having implemented this strategy for other organizations. This will enable your organization to avoid mistakes and enhance the probability of success of such a strategy.”

If I migrate my ERP to the Cloud, what do I do with my existing licenses?
“It is critical to understand if the Cloud Providers can optimize cost and provide value basis the already procured existing licenses with BYOL option. This cost optimization is crucial in empowering the organization to take the plunge towards adopting a Cloud ERP.”

Should I migrate the entire On-Premises ERP to the Cloud or can I retain it On-Premises and integrate the desired modules from the Cloud?
“A Cloud vendor must ensure that select and relevant modules can be procured on the Cloud. The vendor must also provide tools and the technology (PaaS) to seamlessly integrate with the on-premises ERP to ensure that the organizations can enjoy the best of both worlds. This hybrid deployment model can also enable organizations to make the ERP more robust by integrating the ERP with powerful Data Analytics systems, new-age technologies such as IoT, Blockchain etc. This will enable the deluge of data is channeled towards the ERP and the ERP can deliver cutting-edge business insights that empower the strategic and tactical management teams to take well-informed decisions.”

 

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Jersey Electricity Energized by Infor and Progressive TSL

Infor recently announced that Jersey Electricity (JE) has commenced a roll-out of a cloud-based Infor EAM solution across its generation and distribution teams. This will be done in conjunction with Infor UK channel partner Progressive TSL. As a long-standing user of Infor’s enterprise asset management (EAM) system, JE recognizes the value of moving its existing Infor solution to the cloud and introducing Infor EAM Mobile to other areas of its business. Jersey Electricity is a vertically integrated power utility dealing in the importation, generation, transmission, and distribution of sustainable, low-carbon energy. Per the press release, Infor implementation partner Progressive TSL worked with Infor and the JE team to develop a business case highlighting the benefits to Jersey Electricity of extending and enhancing its existing Infor solution. Over the coming months, Progressive TSL will be rolling out Infor EAM 11.6, Infor EAM Mobile and Infor OS operating service across JE’s energy generation and distribution teams. JE can expect this new solution to be fully integrated with their existing systems.

 

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401 – Unauthorized error in ESS

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If you receive a 401 or 404 error when accessing ESS pages, you need to make sure that the server users have read/write access on the ESS directories. The directories that need this access are WEBDIR/lawson/xbnnet, WEBDIR/lawson/xhrnet, and WEBDIR/lawson/webappjs.

It is important to note that the permsmaint command does not set this security, and it must be set manually by a server administrator.

4 Ways Blockchain is Reinventing ERP Systems

Merging systems together is an ongoing trend in the business technology world. Artificial Intelligence (AI) would enhance customer relationship management (CRM), and using both CRM and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems simultaneously would vastly improve the business operations. Another union to consider is Blockchain and ERP. Studies have been done and some have reason to believe that this decentralized, distributed ledger technology can significantly improve ERP systems by reducing security risks, and providing greater visibility and control to stakeholders. An article on BBN Times, written by Naveen Joshi, shares 4 ways Blockchain is reinventing ERP systems. They are:

  1. Lower Expenses – An ERP system automates business processes, which means the hassle of maintaining paperwork and spending on more than one system goes out of the picture.
  2. Complete Customization – One of the most incredible benefits of an ERP system is its ability to customize applications as per the requirements and demands of organizations.
  3. Compelling Customer Service – With all the data available on a single platform, companies can better serve every customer who gets in touch with the sales team, whether for doubt clarification or information acquisition.
  4. Streamlined Task Completion – Blockchain can provide greater visibility and control, allowing organizations to meet efficiency and accuracy goals.

Joshi points out though the initial application of blockchain was for cryptocurrencies, this sophisticated technology is capable of offering plenty of other capabilities that are worth notifying. One such feature, cryptographic validation function, holds enough power to curb the security issues. Thus, blockchain can be the right choice to fight hacking. This would be beneficial to protect a cloud-based service that stores, manages, and controls the data flow centrally in the ERP system is one of the most accessible paths from where hackers can make their way to carry out their nefarious activities. Security is one of many advantages Blockchain can add to an ERP system.

 

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25 Education Technology Predictions for 2021

One of the biggest lifestyle changes many people faced last year as the pandemic hit was in the education sector. Online schooling became the norm for the majority of the year and continues to be the mode of teaching at the start of 2021 for many institutions. An article on capustechnology.com showcases what business minds and academics believe are the 25 education technology trends we might see this year.

  1. We Will Build on What We’ve Learned
  2. HyFlex (Hybrid Flexible) Will Provide Flexibility Day-by-Day
  3. Online Learning Will Get More Effective, More Robust
  4. Extended Reality (XR) Will Provide New Ways for Students to Explore and Experience
  5. The Gap Between Haves and Have-Nots Will Grow Wider
  6. Small Private Institutions Will Gain Traction as Well Suited for Post-COVID College Life
  7. More Students Will Stick Close to Home
  8. Students as Consumers Will Have More Options
  9. Schools Will Do More Collaboration and Sharing
  10. Blended Will Help Scale Programs, Expand Accessibility
  11. Higher Ed Will More Easily Pivot in the Future
  12. Attendance Will Drop, Engagement Will Grow
  13. Web Conferencing Will Blend Classroom/At-Home Learning
  14. Chatbots Will Become Critical to Student Engagement
  15. Predictive Learning Analytics Will Evolve
  16. Data Analytics Will Continue Promoting Retention
  17. 5G Will Spawn the Next Tech Revolution
  18. As-a-Service Solutions Will Meet Operational Needs
  19. Higher Ed Will Embrace the Cloud
  20. Hybrid Cloud Will Support Remote Work and Study
  21. Schools Will Partner with Business to Close the Gap
  22. College Experience Will Give Way to Greater Career Focus
  23. First Responders Will Get AI Help
  24. Automation Will Drive a Wave of Spear Phishing
  25. Colleges Will Face More Scrutiny on Value Returned

The pandemic took 2020 on an unexpected ride. It doesn’t seem like 2021 will be the end of the pandemic just yet. Expect many of these and other technology predictions to be the main focus in education technology this year.

 

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Back up WAS Profiles

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Before doing any work on your WebSphere Application Server, it is a good idea to back up the profiles. To do this, navigate to <WAS_HOME>/bin.  Run the command “manageprofiles.bat -listProfiles” to get a list of all the profiles that need to be backed up.  Then run the command:

-manageprofiles.bat -backupProfile -profileName <profile name> -backupFile <full path to back up the file>

Make sure the full file path already exists.

Troubleshooting:

One common issue is if you already have a backup file in the backup directory with the same name.  You also might get an error message if one or more of your servers is running.  To see which servers are running, run the serverStatus.bat -all command.  The deployment manager status can be reviewed from WAS_HOME/bin.  Other servers can be viewed by navigating to the WAS_HOME/profiles/<profile you are checking>/bin.  Sometimes you might also need to stop the web server(s) in IIS.

ERP software: Pros and cons

The best way to stand out from competition could be as simple as implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Though “simple” may not be the best way to describe the nature of ERP. While an ERP solution can provide plenty of functionalities, including traceability, quality control capabilities, and management of formulas, there are difficult things to consider such as high cost, confusing selection process, risks of failure, and careful implementation. An article on azbigmedia.com weighs the pros and cons of implementing an ERP software for your business. Here is a bulleted version of the list, with a full description of each option in the original article (link below):

 

Pros

  • It Allows Businesses to Focus IT Costs on a Single System
  • Every Data is Easy to Access
  • Effective Reporting and Planning 
  • Flexible Modularity 
  • Achieve a Good Level of Efficiency 

 

Cons 

  • It’s Costly
  • Implementation of Maintenance Requires Extra Expenses 
  • The Customization Process is Complex
  • It May not be Beginner-Friendly 
  • Data Migration is Not Simple 

 

While the decision may not be easy, any business who has successfully implemented an ERP system has seen vast improvements to their organization.

 

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10 Best Practices in Recruitment CRM

An integral part of ensuring business success these days is making sure your company has a recruitment customer relationship management (CRM) in place. Customer satisfaction more than ever is the key competitive advantage. Happy customers establish brand loyalty and retention, bringing more profit and brand awareness. CRM expert Paige Reeve shares an article on Business 2 Community explaining with recruitment CRM, you can provide value to your target market by always keeping them engaged and informed throughout the whole sales funnel. This builds trust and credibility which leads to more projects and more clients. Reeve says using CRM may be simple, but it’s important to keep in mind these 10 best practices to fully maximize your software.

  1. Set your goals and objectives
  2. Get all the customer details right and complete
  3. Make sure everything is cloud-based
  4. Update and monitor progress daily
  5. Automate tasks as much as possible
  6. Keep communication transparent and consistent
  7. Learn from analytics
  8. Watch out for trends
  9. Train staff
  10. Invest in a scalable recruitment CRM

Reeve concludes that you have to consider the growth of your business and the direction you want to take it. Your recruitment CRM must have the necessary features and capacity to adjust accordingly and propel company growth in the foreseeable future.

 

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