Get more out of existing ERP, with business intelligence

So says Chris Safhill, Lead CRM consultant at K3 Business Technology Group. And he adds: "Such technology is removing the use of error-prone spreadsheets and information that could seriously damage the health and wealth of a company." His argument: manufacturers that have already bought modern ERP and CRM systems should be using built-in analytical tools provided by their systems. "Syspro, for example, offers a wide range of pre-made dashboards designed specifically to meet the needs of manufacturing and distribution companies straight out of the box," says Safhill. "Using these dashboards, means that managers and other staff can gain instant access to important information residing within a system's database… Anyone thinking of upgrading to a new computer system should give serious thought to dashboards," he adds. Safhill makes the point that some still see spreadsheets as the way forward, but warns: "Spreadsheets can be dangerous. One wrong number could be disastrous – some errors may not see the light of day for weeks and, by that time, the damage is done. Creating a monthly spreadsheet report also adds further inertia to getting things done as each one can take days to produce even in the hands of experts." His recommendation is QlikView, which he describes as "a relatively cost effective BI solution that is suitable for any industry". His point is that it can be implemented in days, rather than weeks and a free copy is available for trial.