Geac to get whole new web-based extended ERP aurora and consulting services

An open, web-based extended enterprise (ERP) system taking in collaborative working, advanced planning and scheduling, CRM, business intelligence and document management – as well as extended ‘KPI’ consultancy services – are coming from Geac Enterprise Solutions. At Geac’s System 21 InForum user event at The Belfry, West Midlands yesterday, managing director for Northern Europe Steve Shine outlined the firm’s current development project, code named Aurora, and its enCompass user interface. He said that together they will deliver substantial new functionality and a total browser-based environment by the end of this year. General availability is likely to be early 2003. “We’ve embarked on a quest for our 1,600 System 21 customers to extend our ERP offering to meet today’s demands for collaborative supply chain execution based on efficient use of existing systems and resources,” he said. “This year’s development project brings together the various strands that have been evolving as Geac applications over the last couple of years” he added. And in fact Geac is devoting around 50% of its former JBA R&D resource to the project. It’s fair to say that much of the functional development is the result of customer requests, generated by the attention the company has been devoting, as it turns itself around, to its client base. But users seemed very pro the company, and very convinced of its ability to deliver in realistic time frames. In brief detail, Aurora will include a single seamless web browser-based user ‘workplace’ providing access to all application modules through an intuitive, customisable desktop. System 21 remains the core, but Aurora is also about pulling together rationalised third party applications (like the Eden Origin configurator) and bringing in a new generation of Geac’s commerce.connect e-business suite and infrastructure, resulting in one, open very extended ERP system. Alastair Middleton, Geac’s marketing director, said there’s to be new multi-plant, multi-company, multi-country planning for internal supply chain management and intelligent warehousing and distribution optimisation, based on its e-business suite. He also alluded to product lifecycle management extensions for change control and collapsing existing specific vertical industry functionality into the main enterprise system. enCompass meanwhile is the Java/web-based task launcher, introduced quietly at the end of last year and now released for general availability. This enables true thin client operation with remote browser access, with all the benefits in terms of central system and user profile management, plus roll out of thin client, and spreading System 21 to include mobile workers, home workers and so forth. With Aurora in a year’s time, users will get the full end to end browser-based experience. Other details include a move from RPG code to modular ILE which, with Geac’s existing investment in Java for its commerce.connect series, will put the company up with the leaders in terms of harnessing modern underpinning technologies. Signifiantly, Geac is also promulgating it KPI (key performance indicator) initiative. Geac’s Sharon Crawford said that it includes methodologies and templates covering best business and manufacturing practice aimed at managing down costs and up profitability and efficiency. Part of this is the firm’s new ServiceDirect offering. “It’s about Geac becoming more of a consulting partner than just an implementation partner and then walking away,” she said, making the point that Geac has a wealth of industry-specific consulting experience to offer. Middleton said it’s early days yet, but he expects Geac to be offering full lean manufacturing change support and consultancy, both in terms of business and manufacturing process improvement through its consultancy services, Process.Connect tool (remember @ctive Enterprise?) and core extended enterprise IT.