by Nexlogica Team | Aug 11, 2022 | Uncategorized
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) refers to a type of software that organizations use to manage day-to-day business activities such as accounting, procurement, project management, risk management and compliance, and supply chain operations. A complete ERP suite also includes enterprise performance management, software that helps plan, budget, predict, and report on an organization’s financial results.
Choosing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system is one of the most important decisions a business can make. An ERP system will be a part of the business for years, so it’s not a decision to take lightly. Following are 10 key criteria to keep in mind as your company evaluates its options.
- Business requirements: What do you need your ERP system to do? The question may seem basic, but its answer requires a great deal of forethought. That’s where a designated internal team of stakeholders from the different areas of the business can be extremely helpful. Each member must first gather feedback from their own teams about how they want to use a new system, including desired features.
- ERP features: Different companies and their departments will require ERP features that support their specific processes. But they’ll all likely have a common need for an intuitive interface and dashboard that enhances cross-department management and collaboration with easy-to-read key performance indicators (KPIs) and report creation. Other common requirements include advanced business intelligence, data-mining capabilities and data security. An ERP system should also be able to integrate data from existing systems and be customizable (more on both follows).
- Total cost of ownership and ROI: This depends on the chosen deployment model. When ERP is installed on-premises, the business is responsible for all upfront hardware and software costs, as well as costs associated with implementation, customization, upgrades as the business grows, and security. Additional costs include employee training and ongoing maintenance and support. Some costs are one-time charges, others are ongoing; and the number of users may also have an impact. Total cost of ownership (TCO) is typically steep, so realizing the ROI of ERP generally takes longer than for less business-critical systems. Cloud-based ERP, which is set up, hosted and managed by a cloud vendor, reduces, eliminates, or amortizes many of those costs, potentially lowering TCO and almost certainly speeding up ROI — a main reason why cloud deployment models are popular among growing companies. The ERP system is accessed through the internet, with security managed by the cloud vendor and the software delivered as a service. The vendor also handles software updates, upgrades and maintenance.
- System integration: Not only should an ERP integrate disparate business processes, but leading solutions will also integrate with any existing systems and applications a company wants to continue using. And if they do, the new vendor should have connectors available that do exactly what the name implies, preferably enabling real-time synchronization so data among systems is always up to date.
- Support and training: The ERP system will require support for initial implementation, ongoing daily operations and employee training. Determine whether the vendor provides all those types of implementation support, its particular skill in your business segment, what escalating levels of support are available to match your business’s needs and what response time is guaranteed. Managed support may be an option for a monthly fee.
- Implementation: ERP implementation can take anywhere from one month to more than a year depending on whether the system is deployed on-premises, in the cloud or in a hybrid combination. Generally speaking, a business will be up and running the fastest with a cloud-based ERP system since the vendor handles implementation rather than tying up internal resources. A new ERP is typically implemented in phases and will involve the migration of data, which requires data cleansing to ensure data quality. Rigorous testing is essential before going live.
- Vendor industry expertise: Along with evaluating the ERP software, it’s a good idea to evaluate ERP vendors for their expertise in your industry. The ideal vendor will have a successful history of prior ERP installations for companies in your industry and at roughly the same company size. It also pays to get and check references of satisfied (and perhaps unsatisfied) customers. Financial viability is also important to ensure future support.
- Technology: Advanced technologies continue to emerge and elevate many of the benefits an ERP system can provide. The cloud, artificial intelligence (AI) and, more specifically, machine learning can all improve business processes; provide deeper, more predictive analysis and insights; and enable a personalized experience, among other benefits. Some systems may also support Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as sensors and cameras that feed information back to the ERP; blockchain, for conducting transactions and the transparent flow of data; and augmented reality.
- Vendor product road map: As a business grows, it’s likely to need more from the ERP system than what’s included in its initial requirements. As a result, it is important to find out how the vendor will improve, add to and support its product — new versions, features and functions — down the road, as well as how those features will be integrated into the existing software. Another item to consider is the frequency of updates and patches.
- Customization: The need to customize will depend on the complexities of your business processes — and even if you don’t need it at the time of ERP selection, it may become important as the business grows. It may also guide the type of cloud deployment selected: single tenant vs. multitenant. The former allows for more customization because the ERP is dedicated to just one company, rather than shared as in the latter model.
You can read more about Enterprise Resource Planning System here.
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by Nexlogica Team | Aug 1, 2022 | Uncategorized
Document management systems are basically electronic filing cabinets an organization can use as a foundation for organizing all digital and paper documents. Any hard copies of documents can simply be uploaded directly into the document management system with a scanner. Often, document management systems allow users to enter metadata and tags that can be used to organize all stored files.
Choosing the right document management system starts with accurately assessing your organization’s needs. The first choice you’ll make is whether you want an on-premises or cloud-based solution. Each type of system offers the same functionality, but there are several key differences in the way maintenance is performed and data is stored.
TYPES OF DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
When choosing a document management system, you will have the choice between on-premises and cloud-based software.
An on-premises document management solution requires you to use your own servers and storage, which means you need to perform your own maintenance. You’ll also be responsible for the security of all your data, so you’ll need to back everything up. This option typically makes sense for larger companies with dedicated IT resources because of its higher technical demands, but it also places you in direct control of the system. Technical support and software updates from the vendor are usually contingent on whether you continuously renew an annual subscription package.
Cloud-based document management software is hosted by your system’s provider and accessible to your organization online. Typically, cloud-based solutions have a monthly or annual fee, which includes all maintenance and software updates. Depending on the system you choose and the features you require, pricing for cloud-based platforms can range from a few dollars to more than $100 per user per month.
DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FEATURES.
- Document storage: The most basic and critical function of a document management system is the ability to store your company’s documents safely and in an easily searchable manner.
- Keyword search: A sound document management system has a broad keyword search option so you can easily access any document based on specific keywords.
- Permissioned access to certain documents: By creating tiered permissions, you can provide certain employees access to specific documents and bar everyone else from viewing or editing them.
- Document access monitoring tools: These tools allow you to monitor who in your company is accessing what documents.
- Document edit history and restoration: A document management system should have edit history and restoration options so you can see who has edited a given document.
- Auto-delete on outdated documents: Document management systems come with regulation controls for automatic saves and deletion to free up storage space.
- Mobile device access: You should be able to access your company documentation through your mobile device.
BENEFITS OF USING A DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
- Saved time: By using a document management system, you can devote the time you previously spent organizing and managing your documents to more critical parts of your business.
- Security: By backing up your documents in the encrypted cloud or a secure on-premises server, you can protect important and sensitive company information and protocols.
- Scaling: One of the major benefits of document management software is its ability to scale up and down to meet your company’s ever-changing needs.
- Easy document management: Keyword searches allow you to find your company’s important information quickly and easily.
- Collaboration: Document management software can improve workplace collaboration by allowing multiple people to work on the same file at once, tracking who makes what changes and retaining your access to older versions of documents.
You can read more about Document Management System here.
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by Nexlogica Team | Jul 12, 2022 | Uncategorized
Having a clean, user-friendly website is critical – you can turn your website from boring and unhelpful to dynamic and valuable in few easy way.
1. Build your site for first impressions
First impressions make the top of the list, because that’s what users interact with immediately after loading a site lays the groundwork for the entire experience. If the web design isn’t delivering the goods in those crucial opening seconds, you’re not only losing new visitors, but opportunities to create a powerful and positive brand memory that generates interest and sales down the road.
Having a web designer with an eye for details and their proper place in the visual hierarchy not only results in a more visually stunning website, but it can also help turn more chance visits into extended stays, providing users the eye-catching web pages and experience they need to stick around.
2. Optimize each page for mobile users
Nearly 80% of people say they’re more likely to return to website or share it with others if it’s mobile-friendly. If web designer isn’t focused on building a good and responsive website for mobile, business is missing an easy opportunity to generate repeat visits and spread the word about the brand.
More consumers are using mobile devices to search and research businesses on the web. If web pages aren’t loading correctly, potential customers are likely jumping ship fast, abandoning site and company for others. Prioritizing mobile navigability and layout in web design approach is extremely important. It’s essential to view each visual element, logo, block of text, social media icons, and call to action buttons through the lens of mobile, ensuring each feature and every aspect of your design process is mobile-friendly and designed to deliver a next-level experience.
3. Maximize your load times
A slow website can quickly become the worst enemy, often making it impossible to keep prospects on board and nudge them closer to the point of purchase. Today’s visitors expect websites to load fast, and if homepage or blogs aren’t popping up quickly, they’re likely going elsewhere to find what they need.
Website’s loading time is an important, if not essential, part of any practical and responsive design effort. It has an indelible impact on the visitor experience. Understanding how fast pages load and how to optimize those loading times isn’t just one of those website design tips someone can gloss over or ignore. It’s a critical part of the web designer’s job, and should always be a top priority when building a site design that shines.
4. Focus on the personalized user experience
Creating a web design that attracts the largest possible audience is important. But it’s the ability to deliver personalized shopping experiences that really sets good web design apart. Incorporating shopper personalization techniques into and across your own site design is how you go beyond the standard digital marketing approach to make a genuine connection, providing users the tailored, relevant content and experience that bolsters sentiment and compels action.
Working shopper personalization into your web design strategy might seem daunting at first, particularly with so many other design tips out there and so many elements to worry about across the visual hierarchy. Fortunately there are a few relatively simple ways to consider and fit personalization into your web design approach, from baking tailored, behavior-based product recommendations into your design infrastructure to working in dynamic, hyper-relevant CTAs into each new site visit.
5. Don’t forget the SEO
Online visibility is key not only to making your website easy to find but also to getting that site in front of customers when they need it most. By making SEO a central part of web design strategy, you can help provide the push it needs to shine in search engines and generate the user engagement rates that keep it at the top.
Understandably, there’s often a disconnect between the work of web design and the world of SEO, with many a web designer consigning SEO to the realm of digital marketing and content generation, and vice versa. Yet, there are many things designers can do to provide a powerful visibility lift right from the start.
You can read more about Web Design Tips here.
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by Nexlogica Team | Jul 11, 2022 | Uncategorized
ERP systems are designed to help businesses manage their core processes more effectively. By integrating all of your business data into a single system, you can get a real-time view of your operations and make informed decisions that drive growth.
Enterprise Resource Planning Benefits:
* Improve efficiency and productivity
One of the main benefits of implementing an ERP system is that it can help improve efficiency and productivity across your entire organization. By automating tedious and time-consuming tasks, you can free up your staff to focus on more important tasks. By having all of your business data in one place, you can quickly and easily access the information you need to make informed decisions.
* Increase sales and revenue
Any business wants to increase sales and revenue, and an ERP system can help you to do just that. By giving you a real-time view of your operations, you can identify areas where you can improve efficiency and productivity. In addition, by integrating your sales and marketing efforts, you can streamline your processes and close more deals. ERP systems provide you with the tools you need to optimize your operations and boost your bottom line.
* Improve customer service
Happy customers are essential for success. Not only do they provide repeat business, but they also act as valuable ambassadors, helping to spread the word about your products and services. ERP systems can help you to improve your customer service in a number of ways. By tracking your customer’s purchase history and preferences, you can provide them with tailored recommendations and offers. In addition, by automating your customer service processes, you can provide a faster and more efficient service.
* Reduce costs
Every company owner understands the importance of lowering expenses in order to be successful. One way to do this is to invest in an ERP system. ERP systems can automate tasks and processes, eliminating the need for manual labor. Additionally, by integrating your business data, you can avoid duplicate data entry and reduce the need for storage space. As a result, ERP systems can help you save money and improve efficiency.
You can read more about ERP benefits here.
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by Nexlogica Team | Jul 8, 2022 | Uncategorized
1. Strive for consistency
Consistency of terminology, style, and organization are hallmarks of all good communication. It should be a principal foundation of your entire API program and the documentation process. To establish proper consistency throughout your documentation, ensure that the writing style and approach are the same throughout your team of writers.
Following industry standards for your documentation, such as OpenAPI, can also help new users orient themselves quickly to a familiar pattern and establish further standardization. Clear navigation options and a consistent style improve discoverability for both features and your docs.
2. Use plain language and a friendly tone
When writing your docs, keep the language plain and approachable, recognizing that jargon, slang, inside jokes, complicated acronyms, and the like have no place in your documentation.
When the subject is complex, that’s when you should make your writing even simpler. It’s important to note that some users may be coming to your product with relatively little formal education. Your writing must be accessible to the full spectrum of possible users, from self-taught developers, non-native English speakers, and developers fresh out of college to experienced pros with little time to get the job done. Make their lives easier by providing documentation that is easy to understand.
Here are a few other things to look out for when striving for an inclusive tone and plain language in your documentation:
- Be alert to discriminatory language.
- Use clear variable names and function names in code samples.
- Never assume.
- Use gender-neutral terms.
- Add alternate text to images.
3. Provide essential information for the non-technical
Using easy-to-understand, real-world examples can help make technical information more easily understandable for non-technical readers. This is where “try it” or mocking capabilities can make your documentation more useful. They can even make your API more compelling to potential customers.
Just remember, the person consuming your documentation won’t necessarily come from a developer background.
4. Take a design-first approach
At Stoplight, we take a design-first approach to all that we do. This means focusing on building APIs for the humans behind them and considering all stakeholders who may interact with, create, or consume the API. This same approach can be applied to designing your documentation. Your API documentation needs to meet users where they are and speak to their needs. It needs to be more than a list of endpoints and methods. When writing your docs, write for every use case. As you draft your docs, the traditional developer, the non-traditional developer, the business counterpart, possible partners, and the end consumer perspectives should all be kept in mind.
5. Get creative with multimedia
If you aim to make your docs more engaging and inclusive, always try to find ways to showcase hands-on guides to implementation. Get creative, highlight use cases from diverse companies and developers, and provide sample apps and technical manuals based on real-world scenarios. Take advantage of multimedia like videos, graphics, or gifs to make your docs more enticing and cater to those who may absorb information more easily in a format other than strictly text.
Write how you would want someone to explain something to you, taking into account the variety of people and backgrounds that may come across your documentation. Empathy for the developer and user is the primary way to work towards a better end-to-end developer and user experience.
You can read more about writing API documentation here.
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by Nexlogica Team | Jul 7, 2022 | Uncategorized
Data in space is a new Power BI Mobile feature that uses augmented reality technology to create spatial anchors in the real world and attach Power BI data to them, so that data can be connected to the physical environment it is relevant to. You can put real-time data at the fingertips of employees where they need it, enabling them to make better, faster, and more informed decisions.
Data in space is powered by an integration of the Azure Spatial Anchors service and the Power BI Mobile app. This integration makes it possible to map real-world spaces in three dimensions, to create fixed, persistent spatial anchors in those spaces, and to attach digital content (Power BI reports) to these anchors. It also allows the app on any other device to search a space and look for anchors created in that space.
Data in space is set up in an organization by administrators. As part of setup, administrators assign users in the organization to one of two Data in space roles: writer and viewer:
– Writers can pin reports to locations as well as edit and delete pins;
– Viewers can scan to find and access pinned reports in a space.
A data in space writer goes to the location where it would be useful to have reports available in context on location. They open the report they want to pin in their mobile app, apply filters and slicers to configure the view they want the report to open to, and then they scan the space with their mobile app’s camera in order to map the space and pin the report to the desired location. When they pin the report, a spatial anchor is created and saved so that the report can later be found by others. They can do this multiple times in the same space, pinning different reports, or even different views of the same report. Later, a data in space viewer who needs to access the report on location can enter the space and find and access the pinned reports just by scanning the space with their mobile app’s camera.
You can read more about Data in space here.
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