How to Find the Best Fit Cloud ERP Software for Handicraft and Furniture Industry

Does your Handicraft manufacturing firm suffer from mismanagement? Do you feel that the number of employees working in your company makes it difficult to run any management scheme? Is it getting difficult for you to manage finished products? Are you afraid that most of your assigned tasks are seldom completed? Do the accounting numbers haunt you? Does the fear of running out of inventory forces you to overstock?

If these challenges are looming in your mind, it is high time you take proactive measures to curb them and find an immediate solution to sustain your dream company from drowning. Our best cloud ERP software to help and provide real life solutions which will eliminate all managerial issues which are plaguing your business and make it more profitable. Once you identify the ERP Software that perfectly suits the unique needs of your organisation half your problems will be eliminated.

One of our patrons Mr. Jain of Indian Handicrafts is a futuristic entrepreneur and embraces change with time. He has adopted the transition to digitisation and automation of his manufacturing business long before as he realised that the future of doing business is to manage it online.

According to his testimonial:

“ Expand ERP Cloud software has become a saviour during the lockdown. It has helped my company to stay connected with all the team members as we could access our data and plan ahead how to restore the backlog. I strongly recommend all MSMEs to move to the cloud ERP software with immediate action.”

Common Challenges Faced by Handicraft Industries Which can be Solved by an ERP Software

• Sales- Managing contact numbers and databases of various partners often becomes a chaotic task. Handicraft industry deals with a lot of people, and thus chances are there that contacts of these people are messed up or lost. Since the handicraft industry thrives on the quantity of products produced, it becomes important that these are accurately accounted. Errors are often seen in maintaining a sales-list due to the size of the order. Pricing is another matter of concern. As so many varieties of goods are produced, keeping a tab on price trends is important to maintain consistency.

• Purchase – Maintaining the request for quotation is a huge problem. While sourcing products from different companies, keeping quotation history becomes important as it allows for better negotiation and comparison. Outsourcing from different sources also calls for shipment tracking, which is absent in most firms. A best fit cloud ERP software can solve the challenges with ease. It maintains a sales order list,records and compares trends in prices of different products and also generates an auto invoice based on data feed.It also maintains history of requested quotes and tracking of incoming shipments.

• Shift Management – Handicraft industries employ a lot of people. Most of these people work in rotational shifts. Inefficient management of these shifts leads to conflicts and derails the overall work culture. Handicraft industry misses the presence of a system which can manage any given number of employees. An ERP software manages a centralised information data centre relating to shifts updated in the software. It automates shift rotation of employees to eliminate biases resulting in optimisation of work schedule for every employee.

• Employee & Payroll – As mentioned earlier, the handicraft industry employs so many people that employee management often becomes its Achilles’ heel. The people are considered to be a company’s biggest asset and management of their attend Auto identity card generation to enforce corporate identity dance, leaves, payroll and expenses becomes a challenging task. Auto identity card generation to enforce corporate identity. With a best in class ERP software payroll is generated automatically along with tracking of leave, attendance, performance and recruitment of the workforce.

• Task Management – A lot of tasks are delegated to employees. Keeping a tab on these tasks is very challenging. There are tasks related to repair, maintenance, order, sales, attendance etc. Keeping the workplace maintained is also important. Tasks pertaining to machinery maintenance, office hygiene, electrical and civil maintenance require vigilance in order to be duly realized. An ERP creates a centralized task schedule and monitoring system. Also a vigilance software controls the workplace and machinery maintenance.

• Visitors – With a never ending line of people visiting the industry, keeping a checklist becomes highly demanding. Piles of manual registers often get destroyed and the owners seldom have information regarding the same. With an automated process a digital register is maintained for all visitors. Computerised segregation of visitors into suppliers, customers, guests, etc is done for reducing chaos and mismanagement.
  

• Inventory- Knowing the quantity of the inventory in the warehouse is important since it allows for streamlining the process of production. Keeping a checklist of incoming items such as raw materials, and outgoing items such as finished products can be a daunting task. Owners often struggle to get this information accurately. A centralised system of managing inventory can curb all these challenges easily. It provides a  real time tracking of supplies and inventories, live update of products going in and out of the warehouse and makes provision for stock forecasting based on trends.

• Accounting – A handicraft industry employs a number of processes the end product of which are  piles of paperwork relating to payroll, inventory management, sales, order, maintenance and balance sheets which  creates a huge financial challenge. With an ERP software, all finances can be managed from one place and validation of invoices done automatically along with automated follow-ups for payment.

• Quality Management – The products in the handicraft industry are handmade. If automation is not practiced, looking after the quality of the products becomes difficult especially after the products have reached the warehouse. It is not possible to employ several skilled managers who could oversee the production of all the products. Generation of checkpoints for product checking before it reaches the warehouse can be done with an ERP software. Management will receive notifications in case of faulty products and will also maintain a database of defective products.

• Information Dissipation – Owners and managers often have to give information to the workforce of the industry. Since there are a lot of employees working under a lot of division, information is seldom dissipated to all and at desired speed. Many of the employees have unheard about their company’s direction and are just concerned about working their shifts. Many of the welfare schemes initiated by the company also fail to reach the employees. The handicraft industry essentially needs the presence of a communication system which can transfer information both horizontally and vertically within the organization. An ERP can provide a Notice board for all employees for effective communication and also a grievance board for complaints of the workforce.

Cloud ERP software can be customised to suit the needs of an individual firm. Therefore all problems relating to the handicraft industry whether generic or specific, can be managed by the effective use of such a  software.

The ERP software can be laden with features to combat specific problems. In addition to all the benefits enlisted, the unique selling proposition of a best-fit cloud ERP software is that all information can be accessed by the user anytime and anywhere. Therefore the owners and the managers need not look at multiple places in order to get relevant information. Cloud based software also increases the speed of decision implementation, thereby further streamlining the process.

Expand smERP is India’s best-fit cloud ERP system for fast growing businesses like yours. It empowers the mid sized manufacturers in the export and retail industry with real-time visibility and complete control over their business for faster expansion by simplifying complex business processes.

With over 15 years of extensive R&D and market testing, we have developed software that seamlessly fits into Indian Business. We are the OEM of this solution. Further, specific fitment through customization and integration are made for the company’s unique needs. All measures are taken to fit seamlessly into the existing business processes to deliver the maximum benefit of our solution. 

Expand smERP cloud software drives maximum growth and ROI to your business.

To know more about Expand smERP and how it will transform your business operations please allow us to arrange for the best fitment test and product walkthrough by our BizTech Expert.

What to Expect in a Best Fit ERP Software for Steel Manufacturing Industry

 “If you define the problem correctly, you almost have the solution.” – Steve Jobs

The Steel and Fabrication Industry is also known as a basic industry or feeder industry as it provides the basis for operation of other industries. The products from this industry are used as raw materials by other industries.

The steel industry is a heavy industry because it uses bulky raw materials such as iron ore, coal, limestone, manganese, labour, capital as well as other infrastructure. Refining iron ore, smelting it in a blast furnace and manufacturing steel are the processes involved in this industry. After the iron is extracted from its ore, the molten iron is cooled and moulded to make pig iron. Impurities are then removed and pure iron is obtained. Some amount of carbon is mixed with this pure iron to obtain steel. The steel industry has largely developed in the region where iron ore and coal are easily available.

In India, steel industries are concentrated in the Chhota Nagpur and Deccan regions. The main centres are Durgapur, Jamshedpur, Bokaro, Bhilai, Rourkela, etc. Metal fabrication is the creation of metal (steel) structures by involving processes like assembling, cutting and bending.

ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP for Steel and fabrication is a wizard tool for the steel industry. In fact, the steel and fabrication industry has seen tremendous growth in the last few years with the advancement of technology. Many steel and fabrication industries turn up for ERP software to streamline and optimize their business. After successful implementation of an ERP software in an industry, it can reap much more than before. The fabrication industry is a large scale industry with extensive business processings on a daily basis. Without digital automation it is next to impossible to execute the processes seamlessly resulting in loss of ROI and business growth. The best ERP software on cloud is perfect for performing such activities with ease and driving business efficiency. 

Enterprise Resource Planning is a software available on cloud or over the internet that helps the company to manage and control all business activities streamlined into one single system.  The software can automate many tasks in a steel manufacturing industry in many ways such as, planning, processing of the different metals, fabricating to make different machines and tools, and also distributing the finished products to the end buyers by Virtual Distribution Channel.

Various Ways that an ERP Software can Benefit a Steel Manufacturing Industry:

. It can transform unstructured processes into routine transactions such as electronic approval of purchase orders based on predefined company policies.

. The software can replace or reduce the human labour involved in processes, like matching of supplier invoices based on accepted purchase receipts.

. ERP cloud software can transfer information rapidly and with ease over extensive distances. It is now possible for various offices and factories of an organization to perform transactions and analysis on the same server, reducing geographical distances and performing transactions remotely.

. The ERP software system can help manufacturing companies in carrying out analysis such as: Forecasting of market demand based on statistical models; Capturing of hidden market trends through multi-dimensional analysis; Identification of potential improvement areas.

. It can bring a vast amount of detailed information into the process. The software can enable changes in the sequence of tasks in the process, often allowing multile tasks to be performed concurrently.

. An ERP allows the capture and dissemination of knowledge and expertise to improve the process.

. A good ERP software system allows detailed tracking of task status, inputs and outputs.

A steel manufacturing industry has a number of protocols and procedures to follow right from the beginning of production. Thus the ERP software handles all the tedious administration tasks and processes efficiently. Such ERP softwares has traversed a long way upgrading and updating each day and have become easily affordable. Today a best-fit ERP software is an essential technical tool that should be used by large. Medium as well as SMEs to enhance efficiency and productivity resulting in optimal growth.

Expand smERP is India’s best-fit cloud ERP system for fast-growing businesses like yours. It empowers the mid-sized manufacturers in the export and retail industry with real-time visibility and complete control over their business for faster expansion by simplifying complex business processes.

With over 15 years of extensive R&D and market testing, we have developed a software that seamlessly fits into Indian Business. We are the OEM of this solution. Further, specific fitment through customization and integration are made for the company’s unique needs. All measures are taken to fit seamlessly into the existing business processes to deliver the maximum benefit of our solution.

Expand smERP cloud software drives maximum growth and ROI to your business.

At such an hour of national emergency, we are open for business and believe that with cutting edge technology even you can work remotely seamlessly with ease.

Please leave a comment below if this article was of any value to you or for any further queries. To know more about Expand ERP and how it will transform your business operations please allow us to arrange for the best fitment test and product walkthrough by our BizTech Expert.

5 Reasons to Implement Cloud ERP Software for Inventory Management

“The Future depends on what we do in the present.” – Mahatma Gandhi

In this dynamic digital era, the words ‘automated inventory management’ is a widely used and famous term for goal – oriented entrepreneurs.The future of your dream business is in your hands. 95% of Fortune 500 companies have moved to the cloud. Why should you stay behind in the cut throat competitive market?

It is high time the old school method of maintaining manual data and inventory be replaced by integrated business process automation with a best in class ERP software system. It is time to resurrect your business now that the lockdown is nearing the end. However the virus is not going anywhere soon so the precautionary protocols such as social distancing and working remotely need to be continued religiously. Managing your business with cutting edge technology is the only respite to recover from the economic slump.

If you are worried about the high investments, we have introduced a new pricing offer for businesses to cope with the downturn post covid situation (Pricing). Cloud-based inventory management systems are more affordable than most old-school methods. Also, the benefits far outweigh any other concerns that you may have – especially those regarding convenience, security, flexibility, among others.

Here’s a List of top 5 Reasons for you to move to a Cloud-Based ERP Software Inventory Management System for your Business

1. Data recovery: Imagine the nightmare if you were to lose your sales and transactions reports, customer-centric data, order statuses, or simply your inventory list, just because you risked putting everything in an excel spreadsheet that was conveniently saved on your computer’s desktop. Even if you are using software that saves your data locally, without any guarantee of a cloud back-up, you still face the threat of losing your data. And this predicament can be easily avoided with a cloud-based solution, wherein you assign your service provider with the responsibility of storing and securing your data.With Cloud ERP software based on  Microsoft Azure platform ,your data is completely secured and accessible 24 x 7.

2. Cost effective: Cloud-based ERP software system is a cost effective solution and is more beneficial over other local based systems and zero  upfront cost such as infrastructure and hardware. In addition, online inventory management systems have their own IT team, which typically means quicker implementation time, lesser investment and hassle free deployment.

3. Flexibility of access: When professional responsibilities are required to be fulfilled remotely, most business owners find it difficult to handle a singular, on-site inventory system with no online access.Therefore, a cloud-based ERP software’s inventory management system helps to take off the limitations empowering you with ease of doing business from anywhere, anytime around the world. Another advantage of possessing access to warehouse inventory from the off-site is employee accountability. A warehouse, typically, falls prey to a myriad of employee theft scandals which could cause huge losses to any business. A cloud-based inventory management system helps to monitor transaction and quality control reports from anywhere on the planet. It is an asset for your manufacturing business to keep track of inventory and accessibility in multiple locations.

4. Automatic updation of software: Manual software updation leads to wastage of time and money which results in delayed sales and/or wasted payroll. All cloud-based ERP software  is integrated with the feature of automation, thereby automatically fixing bugs, updating systems with the latest features or patching any IT related problems automatically.

5. Customization: Cloud-based inventory management can be tailored as per your business unique needs. Not only are your software updates automated, but a number of cloud-based warehouse management software could also consider your requests for features that are tailor-made for your business. And there are myriad options available in the market today; some may also be willing to go the extra mile for ensuring a 100% efficiency of your warehouse management. Choosing India’s best fit ERP cloud software for your business is the most essential step towards digitally automating your business process.

Whether you are a budding entrepreneur or a corporate honcho, chances are that you didn’t reach up to here without digitisation. So why not choose the best fit ERP software for your warehouse management, as well? A cloud-based inventory management system is easy to implement, secure, scalable, and cost effective. It provides you with hassle free process management; by freeing up your time provides you with better opportunities to shift your focus to areas which probably need more attention. The present and the future is in the cloud. Thus  if you want to operate hassle-free, it’s time to switch to a customized cloud-based online business management system.

At this juncture, I would like to add a client story to give you an insight of how your inventory can be well sorted and tracked with the best-fit ERP software solution.

Client Story:

Luxor Impex is a fabrication company which imports fabrics from Turkey and a few other countries. It imports only two or three types of stocks primarily flock fabrics and upholstery fabrics. These are then converted to various items and segregated according to its type, colour, design etc. Big names like Curl-on purchase fabrics from Luxor. They are also retailing in Jaipur from a sprawling showroom.

Mr. Parashar, looks after the management and deals with our biztech experts. Owing to its capacity, Luxor was having difficulty in tracking inventory and managing reports. It was required to make records of the inventory, roll wise and convert the flock or upholstery fabrics into various different names of products and record exact roll wise inventory. The raw stock comes in as rolls when imported, for example, 1000mts of Flock fabric segregated in 20 rolls of 50 mts each according to colour, type or design.

Solutions provided by Expand ERP were:

• To convert the stock of flock or upholstery fabric to various other categories, Luxor was provided stock routing. This transfers the stock to various products and also identifies the number of rolls imported for a single product. This helps them to attain accurate quantities and numbers. When done manually they were wasting time and there were chances of errors.
• For managing the Inventory, a scanning app was customised and curated for Luxor. QR codes were printed and labelled on each fabric roll. With the help of the QR code scanner every sale can be recorded accurately giving real time data of stock and inventory. It also identifies the bin or shelf the roll is placed in the warehouse.
• Attaining customer wise sales reports, fabric wise sale and pending roll of stock was a huge task for Luxor that was solved quite easily with filters. Reports are churned out seamlessly giving accurate real time visibility of inventory.

Luxor Impex is one of our satisfied patrons . We humbly received a testimonial from the Director, Mr. Raj.

“Expand smERP has given data and helped us to make decisions on accurate information than on hunches.” Mr.Raj Khunteta, Director Finance

Expand smERP is India’s best-fit cloud ERP system for fast growing businesses like yours. It empowers the mid sized manufacturers in the export and retail industry with real-time visibility and complete control over their business for faster expansion by simplifying complex business processes.

With over 15 years of extensive R&D and market testing, we have developed a software that seamlessly fits into Indian Business. We are the OEM of this solution. Further, specific fitment through customization and integration are made for the company’s unique needs. All measures are taken to fit seamlessly into the existing business processes to deliver the maximum benefit of our solution.

Expand smERP cloud software drives maximum growth and ROI to your business.

At such an hour of national emergency, we are open for business and believe that with cutting edge technology even you can work remotely seamlessly with ease.

 

To know more about Expand ERP and how it will transform your business operations please allow us to arrange for the best fitment test and product walkthrough by our BizTech Expert.

How business is performed with ease in a lockdown with a best fit ERP software

A business best ERP software can be an important saviour for your business in the post lockdown scenario. How our software solution supported our patrons to run their business with ease while remaining at home and maintaining social distancing.

“Don’t fear change. Embrace it!”

– Anthony Dangelo

It is easier said than done. We all wake up in the ‘new world created by the pandemic. Everything has changed its perspective overnight. The looming question in our mind is quite inevitably- ‘What will happen to my business?’ The global socio-economic crisis has changed the entire definition of industries, manufacturers and professionals world wide. Each one has and is going to suffer a crisis on its own level.  But, this is something which is not within our control. We can only control what is in our hands. For example, finding innovative and proactive measures to perform effectively with whatever resources we have and reach out to new methods of working.

Technology is the biggest respite. Schools and colleges have taken to online classes using apps like Zoom and educational apps like Extra Marks. Offices are establishing work from home policies and using video calls on Google hangout, Zoom, Duo etc for holding meetings and conferences. Webinars are being conducted by several professionals like talk shows and learning programmes. Cultural activities like dance and art are also being exchanged online. These are various new measures taken to continue the normalcy of life as the virus is here to stay unless and until a certified and proven vaccine is being innovated. And definitely that will take some time.

An ERP software on cloud is one of the greatest boons to organisations, large or MSMEs. Our patrons who have been using the system for a while have shared their first hand experiences with us, how the ERP software has supported them in business during the lockdown period.

“As of now we are using Expand smERP more for purchasing. Even during this lock down our purchase people were able to contact the farmers with whom contracts were made.. as the contact nos. were available in the ERP and we are in the middle of the harvest season. Also I was able to raise new purchase orders. Also during this lockdown it was a good opportunity to discuss customization and was able to navigate through the different modules to deeply study the possibilities.”

P.Kumar

Director, Pioneer Chicory

Entrepreneurs like Mr. Kumar are already at an edge compared to others who do not use ERP softwares in their organisation at such a crisis time and can plan ahead for the post-COVID 19 period, with real-time data and analysis of their business.

Here is a list of reasons how an ERP software helps you to work remotely.

• Saves costs – As mistaken that an ERP implementation is a costly speculation, from a long term perspective it is arguably unreasonable.
• Increased productivity – Working remotely with ERP software has proven to increase productivity as employees are dedicating more quality time to analyse and research in depth .
• Enhanced Communication – ERP system that integrates well with a smartphone or tablet makes it easier for deskless workers to carry out their jobs. It enabled deskless workers to access various information they needed from a single portal. Better correspondence will make collaboration between divisions smoother.
• Compliance with rules – The technology exists to make it easy for companies to adhere to various regulations set by the government.
• Streamlined processes – Complexities in businesses can cause bottlenecks, loss of productivity and even delays in accurate information. ERP solutions aid to navigate complex processes, stopping any data re-entry that is occurring, and benefitting production departments, delivery departments and facilitating order completion.

An ERP software is intuitive with a finger-friendly interface. It is highly recommended by industry insiders to implement ERP on cloud to succeed in the future market scenario.

During this period of crisis my team has been working closely with our patrons to help them understand their ERP software better and gain more insight of their own business with the data stored in the ERP system.

Expand smERP is India’s best-fit ERP software on cloud for midsize manufacturers in the Export and Retail industry. Our best-in-class software has supported several businesses during this lockdown period.

Benefits of implementing  Expand smERP:

1. Our customers have been able to do Financial Book closing, backlog update and a deep analysis of historical data. This will help them plan ahead and measure the pros and cons post lockdown. 

2. In the Agro Industry, products were able to manage procurement from farmers uninterrupted during lockdown.

3. All business organisations could enable work from home while maintaining social distancing due to the cloud platform which enables anytime anywhere facility. Their data could be accessed even during lockdown period through the software.

4. All reports and data related to inventory could be accessed resulting in real time stock count and updates. This helped the companies to know how much inventory they have in stock and what needs to be done ahead.

5. The accounts team could access outstandings and payables and accordingly send messages to clients for payments. An automatic email or SMS is sent by the ERP software as a reminder for payment. This reduced debtors and improved cash flow in the companies.

6. The Expand HR mobile app on Android enabled attendance of employees working remotely without the use of biometrics. An employee can feed in attendance and automatically the ERP fills in the time and location for HR purposes. 

7. The ERP also helps in staying connected with the team members with ease. The whatsapp integration facilitates easy messages exchange so that employees are well informed and included of what is happening in the organisation. This is very essential to keep the morale and spirits high of the team during crisis time. 

8. Online payments are made easier with integrations like Paytm, so no lockdown can stop any payments or financial transactions in the organisation.

9. With our Virtual Distribution Network integrated in the software, manufacturers can easily reach out to the end buyers through their personal marketplace, keeping the distributors in the loop. So distribution of products can be executed online maintaining social distancing.

10. Since all data and information is stored on the software which is on the internet there is very less use of stationery. This makes it environment friendly and reduces the use of paper. Post covid, our environment will need extra care to heal soon.

11. Shipping is made easy with Blue Dart integration. The products can be tracked and delivered to the customers by the shipping company without any hassles.

12. Businesses can revise credit limits centrally to control credit in the market soon after the lockdown reopens to stay relevant.

13. The ERP can immediately suggest alternate material for production based on history data on BOM.

14. The ERP can immediately highlight potential secondary suppliers from historic data if the primary supplier is affected due to supply disruption.

Your business is as unique as you are.

Give it a process automation software that is made to fit seamlessly into your business process.

• Made in India for India -With over 15 years of extensive R&D and market testing, we have developed a software that seamlessly fits into Indian Business.
• Ease of Biz -Quick implementation with no business process alteration, no Capex, low customization, less training time due to user-friendly interface.
• Complete Compatibility – Complete customisation to adapt to the specific business & continuous integration (with Whatsapp, Paytm, Flipkart, Amazon, Shopify etc) with growing needs.  

These are only some of the innumerous ways that Expand smERP cloud software can help your business stay relevant and future-ready to battle this new structure of business. This is the right time to make an instant decision for protecting your dream company from drowning. My experience of over 15 years in this industry has shown a spark in this crisis time, all the more. I truly hope this article will bring value to you and your company. For any queries and feedback please leave a comment below. We will be happy to help you. Please take the business fitment test attached herewith to find your perfect ERP software partner.