B. Greenfield & Associates helps clients make the best use of their ERP system to run the company and support employees as they do their jobs.
Major activities can include:
- Identifying/clarifying user needs and recommending systems and procedural solutions
- Working with IT and functional area staff to test and implement these solutions
- Investigating, testing, and implementing new system capabilities and applications
- User system training (introductory, advanced, query language and report writing)
- User functional training (system functionality applied to specific jobs and departments)
- Designing and developing custom screens and reports
- Using system tools for mass data entry and updating, including electronic uploads
- Developing procedures and documentation
- Maintaining systems codes, tables, and forms
- Investigating and resolving problems
These situations are examples of when these clients called on Bruce for consulting support:
| The Company’s Need | Bruce’s Contribution |
|
To determine if the application system would continue to support their planned future business expansion |
Conducted an independent analysis to understand the company’s operational needs, then evaluate systems strengths and shortcomings within this context |
|
For more accurate project costing, the CEO wanted to implement a job costing system |
Worked with client personnel and software vendor representatives to identify the best package, then took the lead in implementing the system and training users |
|
Company executives and project managers were frustrated by the lack of timely data |
Helped the company to move toward more real-time data capture, and used the report generator to develop management reports |
|
Shop floor supervisors had come up through the ranks, were not well versed in operations planning and management concepts |
Developed and presented training programs on subjects such as materials planning, process improvement, and just-in-time/lean production |
|
Acquisition of 3 other firms, whose operations had to be merged into the application system |
Devised the integrated part numbering, product structure, and chart of accounts schemes; revised system codes and tables; developed procedures; trained users; supported transfer of data |
|
Introduction of a new product line |
Assisted company engineers in creating product structure (bills of material and routings) in the system; involved in setting up and debugging the assembly line in the factory |
|
A new Controller wanted to make sweeping changes in accounting data flow and reporting |
Identified and tested alternative approaches; recommended the actions required to accomplish the desired changes; assisted in implementing the solutions (changing codes and tables, writing procedures, training users, etc.) |
|
The CEO wanted a systematic way to monitor customer service (order shipping) performance |
Designed the data capture and reporting system; managed the programming effort required; developed the detailed and summary reports |
|
Customized order entry programs were not keeping up with the needs of the business, and requiring an undue amount of IT attention |
Demonstrated how the company could use the standard system instead of custom code; worked with users to develop and execute the transition plan |
|
Customers were requiring computer readable barcode labels on products packed in bundles, pallets, and cartons |
Led the effort to define the need; designed the programs to print the labels from both an initial stand-alone system and directly from the application system; managed the programming effort; developed user procedures |
|
A new Purchasing Director wanted certain data from the system in specific formats |
Conducted the needs assessment; wrote reports using system tools |
|
The Vice-President of Operations was concerned about order shipping accuracy at the distribution center |
Devised and executed an order audit procedure; identified and investigated root causes of errors; recommended corrective action steps; wrote system-generated reports for routine ongoing analysis of customer shipment problems, tracing the problem back to the source |
|
The IT Department did not have enough experienced staff to handle user needs |
Served as an on-site support resource on a retainer basis; investigated user problems and complaints; responded to user system enhancement requests; provided training; participated on the MIS Steering Committee |