What Is A Project Manager?

Very simply, a project manager is the person who takes responsibility for everything. This is not to say "the one who does everything". It is not too likely that a project manager even has the skill sets that would make her capable of doing everything that need to be done for a project. She's simply the place where the buck stops. Have you been watching The Apprentice? When a project fails, who is the person most likely to hear "You're fired!" Unless she is exceptionally good a deflecting blame, it is the Project manager!

So what skill set does a successful project manager really need? One skill or art is the ability to be a good team leader. Among other things, a project manager requires an inquiring mind. You must be able to gather information from the right people and to assimilate this information quickly in order to make projections and wise decisions. All this is needed in order to plan and develop a project. Plan, plan, review and plan. If you are not good at planning and scheduling in detail, you might want to reconsider being a project manager. Often a project manager must also present and sell the plan to her manager and /or customer. Thus good presentation skills are also needed.

Once decisions are made, she must maintain vision while also maintaining an impartial view of progress and making proper adjustments all while keeping the team motivated, updated, focused and within budget and time restraints. Decisiveness does not mean stubbornly proceeding in a direction deemed to be ineffectual. Constant quality assurance and quality control is essential. Quality is a team process and should be part of the project plan and schedule.

 Good pre-planning with the team should eliminate or nearly eliminate ineffectual actions. The project manager is in charge of maintaining scope of the project, writing the plan and maintaining change forms. Within the plan she must define project objectives and steps for reaching those objectives, describe the deliverables, manage the processes and avoid scope creep. She and the team must identify risks, have a contingency plan and be able to execute the contingency plan if needed. Changes in scope made in conjunction with the client must be agreed upon, priced and documented.

In order to be a good leader, a project manager needs to be able to evaluate a team's strengths...and weaknesses as well as the individual team member's and use this information to get the best results out of the team. Diplomacy mixed with well timed assertiveness (not aggressiveness) serves a project manager well. A project manager must develop a clear line of communication with and within the team. Developing and maintaining a schedule is something that, while the responsibility of the manager, should include team members in order to have bought in to maintaining it.

Project Management Institute (PMI) was developed in 1969. Their premise was that a certain set of skills and actions were needed in any industry in order to be a successful project manager. As a result in 1981 the PMI Board of Directors authorized the development of standards and guidelines for project management.

 This became know as A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). This is reviewed often and should be studied if one plans on pursuing project management as a career.

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The ABC's of Project Management For Project Managers

I recently watched a very interesting independent film (on DVD) that sparked a thought. The 1992 film "Glengarry Glen Ross" is a movie about some desperate salesmen in a desperate situation. Alec Baldwin, who plays Blake, engages in an extremely abusive diatribe with the sales team in which he exclaims "A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing, always be closing." Having been in a sales role in a previous life I had heard this before, but I reflected on this for a moment. Then I asked myself, "Are there ABC's for Project Management?"

Digging deep into my collective resources on project management I found the document that I intended use for the basis of this article. It was titled "The Competencies For Project Managers" and I thought for sure it was going to provide information that would benefit project managers in all industries.

 It turned out after reading this document again that it was an eye opening experience for me. Though I had seen this information before in a presentation, looking at it again I discovered why the PMO in the corporation failed.

 The competencies listed did not tie back to any project management competencies pertaining to PMBOK or any other project management methodology including the very own project management solution the corporation paid for. In fact, the competencies were so generalized they could be used for a typical managers role. But being an optimist, I have a solution so let's delve into that.

As project managers I feel we should follow the same ABC's that salesmen do but in a different perspective "Always Be Closing." Now let's break this into parameters that apply to Project Managers, this is an action oriented item. Think of all that a project manager is responsible for. First a quick review of the project management process groups, they consist of ...

Initiating, Planning, Executing, Controlling and Monitoring, and Closing.
"Always be closing" in each of the project process groups. In each of these groups, there are a number of items that need to be addressed. Get them on your list or get them into the project plan and work on closing the action items. Always Be Closing!

In addition to the process groups there are the nine knowledge areas of Project Management which consist of ...

Integration Management

Scope Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Quality Management

Human Resource Management

Communications Management

Risk Management

Procurement Management

For each of these groups there are items that may be determined necessary for the success of a project. Again, identify what needs to be done, get in the plan or on the task list and "Always Be Closing."

There are more ABC's of project management to keep in mind for the success of a project. The next ABC on the list is "Always Be Courteous." In respect to this, it is good to remember that as project managers we are also responsible interpersonal understanding and customer service. Interpersonal understanding involves the workings of individuals and knowing how to get the best out of the individuals on the team.

 I personally like the DiSC Personality Profile method of learning about your team resources. In regards to customer service, if you place yourself in the customer service role for a moment, as a project manager you are in a service role and the team members are customers. Kindness and understanding will get you farther than bitterness and intolerance.

Next on the list of ABC's is "Always be Considerate." This is not similar to the courteous guidance. This is directed towards the impact and influence of a project manager. Here is where a project manager should be considerate of the organization and understand the need for relationship building. If a project manager is aware of the organizational goals and its mission, the project manager can reinforce this when the going gets tough on projects.

When it comes to relationship building, as a project manager, we may need to influence these relationships in order to have an impact on the project success by incorporating the sound practices of project management. The advantages of sound process benefit the current projects and provide valuable information for future projects.

This next ABC is around the managerial side of project management and that is "Always Be Cultivating." The focus of this topic is around teamwork, developing others, team leadership and being assertive. As a project manager we are in a leadership role that is responsible for the team success as well as the project success. There are times when we may need to develop others either with mentoring or training in order to get the best results from the team resources.

 We need to realize that when new teams are created there is the typical forming, norming, storming and conforming. In this situation (and others) we need to provide the leadership, persuasive assertiveness and use of personal power to keep the focus on the goals of the project and strive for cooperation.

The next ABC for project managers is "Always Be Cognitive." This is the area where project managers must be up for analytical and conceptual thinking. In regards to analytical thinking, as project managers we will be dealing with various problems and complex situations. There is the need to be able to scrutinize the information and break it down into discernible facts that can deliver a solution to a situation.

This is not a task specific to the project manager, this may require the team to gather and discuss the situation and follow the process to break it down and resolve it. It should be the project manager who is able to recognize this and take the necessary action. Conceptual thinking on the other hand may involve experience or training to provide solutions. Its not based purely on fact but it also takes into consideration intuitive processes, creativity and inductive reasoning. I feel that this is where an organization may consider Agile Project Management, be advised that this requires a specific type of project management mindset in order to be successful.

There are two more ABC's to consider so let's keep going. "Always Be Competent." This has four areas for consideration, self-control, self-confidence, flexibility and organizational commitment. These are pretty self explanatory yet, let's take a moment for review. Self-control is huge for the project manager as we face the issues and risks that arise during the course of a project. If we maintain our composure in the face of challenge we reflect our ability to take charge and keep a project on course.

 Self-confidence is an area that ties in a project managers ability to be in control of his surroundings and be confident in the outcome. It is our ability to respond positively to a situation versus react with inability. The point here is to take the time you may need to think and respond accordingly. There will be times that you will be asked to find a solution, respond with what actions you may take to resolve the issue and give it a time frame.

 Flexibility, this is a broad topic that takes into account resources and the triple constraints of project management. be aware of this and determine how to manage it with consideration for the success of a project. How much flexibility exists is dependent on the type of project being managed. Organizational commitment is when you work to improve the organization not the financial condition of your wallet.

Last but not least, "Always Be Communicating." Put this hand in hand with "Always Be Closing." This topic was not even on the original list of competencies but it is certainly very important. As project managers we must be on top of project communications among the members of the team and we must communicate the proper project reporting that feeds up the chain. Though it is good to get things out to the team in an email, be sure to talk to team members on the phone or in person, especially if you have tasked them to do something. I'm not sure I like the word "tasked." why don't we just remove the "T" and follow-up on what you "asked" them to do.

Communications is so important, we should be persuasive in our communication methods in order to encourage the best response from those on the team. I'll say it here, that you won't find me peeling a lemon and passing it out as a team snack. But add some sweetener and water and you'll cool down even the most heated thirst. And really, that's what we want to do, we want to make the project work, we want the project to be successful.

You should display goodness and kindness in your communications if you want it to be effective. There is a time and place to handle difficult team members, communicate in a manner that elicits the best productivity from your resources and measure the results.

Let's take a moment to recap this information. What we have reviewed here are seven ABC's of project management for project managers. Here is a list of them ...

1) Always be Closing

2) Always be Courteous

3) Always be Considerate

4) Always be Cultivating

5) Always be Cognitive

6) Always be Competent

7) Always be Communicating

You may want to take the time to reread this article, take some notes compare this to your current actions and see if you can improve your results. If there is something you could do to improve the success of your project, or your project team or the organization, is there something that your have learned here that can assist you? I would certainly like to hear from you. Likewise, I would certainly enjoy hearing about your experiences.

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The Benefits of Project Management

There are many benefits to project management. One is the ability it provides for the utilization of such forecasting methods. Now organizations are able to look at situations through the use of number-driven computer applications. These numbers are presented in a wide variety of ways, i.e. on graphs, charts and other graphical depictions.

Also, through various formulas and other mathematical methods, teams are able to come up with solutions because of the projected future of the impact of certain processes. This has greatly assisted organizational leaders in resolving important issues quickly and easily.

Project management also enables better teamwork. Teamwork has become an important part of all aspects of organizational success and the more employees work together, the more improvements the company as a whole will achieve. It also promotes the process of goal setting.

 This is crucial in terms of increasing productivity and customer satisfaction. Projects can be viewed as the smaller goals established to work toward a larger goal. These individual processes also promote organizational growth.

Project management methods help organizational leaders by displaying the information in a way that is easy to see, understand and analyze. There are many ways of looking at the solutions for a problem and this process is instrumental in helping to find a formidable solution.

Project management uses the problem solving process whereby problems are identified, options are weighted and solutions are found. This makes it easier to find the areas where improvement is needed and address them one at a time.

Various projects mean different teams. When these teams work together, the future of the organization will remain more secure and the overall operation quite prosperous. This is, perhaps the biggest benefit.

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Why Should A Company Indulge In Web Based Project Management?

Project management entails all the processes that a company has to work on. Right from the initial discussions with the client laying out the ground rules to the completion of the entire project, the task as a whole would have to be managed at a micro and at a macro level. The different teams will obviously be responsible for the micromanagement and there will be a manager or the company should have a system for the macro-management of the entire project. This management system can be web based.

There are many reasons why a company should indulge in web based management. To talk about the basics, here are some advantages.

· The first reason why online project management makes sense is convenience. Imagine having everything associated with a project hosted online which can be accessed at any time, by anyone who has the authorization and from anywhere.

 Not only would the documents or every tool and detail of the project be available online for quick and easy access, the people working on the project would also share the same platform and thus be available in person. At least, they would be reachable if they are unavailable immediately. The convenience of web based management increases productivity, it makes life easier for everyone involved in the project and it also facilitates the project with the help of several tools that any management system should have.

The second reason why web based project management is necessary is the real time synchronization. If your company has ever used an enterprise resource planning software or you have seen one being used then you would know how conveniently and effectively the software allows every system to get updated with one amendment made on any system connected to the network or being synced with the central database.

Such software does not need individual notifications and countless changes or updates. One simple amend, update or clarification fed into the web based project management software will ensure that everyone having access to the software will be notified at the same time. This real time sync is an amazing advantage for all types of companies. There is no room for ambiguity or inconsistent dissipation of information.

Web based project management also ensures effective collaboration, among different teams and between the teams and clients. With real time synchronization, convenient access round the clock and a host of tools at everyone's disposal, web based project management is a quintessential need for your company.

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Project Management

Project management is actually a carefully planned and organized effort which is set to accomplish a particular project in a one-time deal. Building construction, establishing businesses or implementing new computer systems are some of the more basic projects that call for proper project management.

Project management includes the development of the intended project plan. This may seem simple yet it involves planning and organizing all the needed details for the successful implementation of the project.

The process of project management commonly includes defining the goals of the project, setting project objectives, specifying tasks in order for goals to be achieved, the needed resources and budget, timelines and completion dates. Furthermore, proper project management includes implementing the project plan to make sure that each step is being properly followed.

Highly organized would properly define a well-considered project management plan following carefully differentiated steps to complete the project. Feasibility studies would be the first step, followed by project planning then implementation, evaluation, and finally maintenance or support.

A lot of people have turned to project management due to its efficiency in meeting set objectives within the given budget without foregoing the importance of project completion within the given timeframe.

The Roots of Project Management

It is innate for humans to plan things. This may be one of the reasons why planning seems as natural as the more basic processes in life, especially when planning for the future.

More complex project management was apparent as early as the onset of the great civilizations. The Egyptians surely made use of proper project management when they built the pyramids evidenced by the artifacts found later on. This may well be the basis behind the more structured project

management that we now know. At present, every industry employs project managers for the successful execution of projects. The efficiency that includes maximizing all possible resources is optimized by the presence of a project management arm.

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Project Management - How To Manage All The Interested Parties To GetYour Project Completed

The precessional effect says that the actions you take will affect other people. Common sense says that the more people you impact on, the more likely it is that your actions will affect people who have some power and influence over your actions. These people could be useful supporters of your projects - alternatively they may block your projects.

We call people who are impacted by our projects/business activities, stakeholders. A key skill in project management is learning to win support from interested parties or stakeholders. Mastering this skill ensures that your projects are more likely to succeed.

Stakeholder Analysis is the methodology we use to identify who are the key people who have to be on our side and supporting us to ensure that our project succeeds.

The benefits of using a "stakeholder-based approach" are:

o Stakeholders tend to have opinions which may be sought earlier in the project cycle than later. Their knowledgeable input early in the project life, can improve the quality of the project, and give them a sense of ownership in ensuring the project actually happens successfully.

o In gaining support from the more powerful stakeholders we can gain access to more resources - financial, time based and people based.

o When we involve the stakeholders on a regular basis, even if is simply reporting on progress to them, we ensure that they understand what we are doing and are kept abreast of the project status and benefits. If and when we need their active support they are already "on side".

o We can predict what stakeholders' reactions to our project may be and ensure that we are actively marketing the project in a way that will win their support.

The first step is to identify who the key stakeholders for a particular project are. Brainstorm in a group if possible, who will be impacted upon by the project. Local government, regulators, unions, employees, customers, special interest groups, neighbouring sites, businesses, Trades people, contractors, investors, managers, suppliers, financiers/banks, the press, etc. Stakeholders may be either an organisation e.g. a trade union, or an individual e.g. the trade union delegate.

The next step is to work out their power and influence over and interest in the project. This activity ensures that we know who we should focus and prioritise our attention, marketing and communications. To create a power interest grid, on a page draw an X and Y axis. Label the y axis,
"power" and the x axis "interest":

Where the axes meet, mark both "low" and at the extremity of each axis mark "high"
Now from our list of interested parties, we mark on the grid, where each person/organisations level of power vs. interest is.

Those who we identify as having high power and low interest will need nurturing and attention.
However those who we identify as high power and high interest will need to be marketed to early and regularly in a way which allows them to continue to see the advantages of the project to them. To do this, we ensure that we develop a good understanding of the most important stakeholders so that we can predict how they may respond. This allows us to work out how to win their support.

To get an easy to use visual report on stakeholders and their impact on the project, we can colour code the Power interest grid. Potential project blockers or critics can be coded in red; Project supporters can be coded green, those who are perceived to be neutral can be coded orange.

When unsure about the consequences then it may actually be useful to talk to the stakeholders and ask them! Most people are open with opinions and this is a first step in building a successful relationship with them.

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Microsoft Project Manager - The Value of Organization

As one looks around during the day we are all confronted with varied degrees of organization. We wake up in the morning and choose from a selection of cloths that may be organized by clothing type like pants, shirts etc. After we finish getting dressed in the morning we may get something to eat from the pantry that is organized by canned foods, cereals or snacks. We open the refrigerator and choose from foods that are grouped by drinks, vegetables, meats, dairy and fruit.

After breakfast is finished the next phase of the day starts with going to work. At work we start a series of activities that are designed to complete some type of task, build something, manage a process or orchestrate some type of business flow. A business tool that can help us organize any number of issue and processes at the office is the Hosted MS Project. This software allows its user to succinctly manage, organize and plan a business project from start to finish.

Many project managers quickly realize that there can be numerous documents and contacts to track and archive. Without the proper organization system, important material can be lost, financial documents can be misplaced and team assignment information could disappear.

This could all lead to misappropriation of funds, delays in project completion and loss of production tracking for a projects sub tasks. There is a solution that assists with the organization and tracking of these types of things. It is called SharePoint MPP. This application helps track your business documentation, staffing and centralizes your internet and intranet links.

A final tool that can complete your business organizational needs is the MS CRM hosting system or the Microsoft Customer Relationship Management software. This tool allows your business to fully track their clients profiles, leverage real time client data and create dash boards that pull together all of your critical data into central points to use as needed during critical business making opportunities.

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CMM and Project Management - Scope Management

The PMBOK refers to the business of managing the requirements of a project as Scope Management while SEI refers to it as Requirements Management. This is partly because the SEI narrows its focus on the software requirements of the system or application being built while the PMBOK uses the term Scope to refer to all the work of the project.

This includes administrative activities such as producing and communicating the project progress reports and conducting status review meetings.

The CMMI refers to the group responsible for capturing and recording requirements as the "software engineering group".

This is an entity that the CMMI states should comprise a part of the organizational structure. This group will be responsible for managing software requirements outside of the project, but for the purposes of the project the person or group responsible for gathering the requirements can be someone outside the software engineering group. CMMI organizes its Key Process Areas (KPA, Requirements Management is one of these KPAs for Level 2) into Goals, Commitment to Perform, Ability to Perform, Activities Performed, Measurement and Analysis, and Verifying Implementation.

Requirements Management has 2 goals:

• Systems requirements allocated to software are controlled to establish a baseline for software engineering and management use.

• Software plans, products and activities are kept consistent with the system requirements allocated to software

Goal #1 should be satisfied by a Business Requirements Document (BRD), commercial specification, or other document which captures and identifies the requirements for the system or application being built.

 The PMBOK refers to this document by the generic name of Requirements Documentation (keep in mind that the PMBOK was not written specifically for software projects).

 The first process in the Scope Management knowledge area is Collect Requirements and this is the process that will deliver the Requirements Document.

The people who are responsible for identifying the customer or client's needs are identified in the Stakeholder Register and the requirements gathered using the various tools and techniques described will be captured in the BRD.

They should be uniquely identified as well, so as to establish traceability. Goal #2 is chiefly satisfied by the breakdown of the work required to produce the software which is described in the Create the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) process.

Your organization is required to govern requirements management with a "written organizational policy". 

Since this policy is outside the scope of any single project, it is not part of your responsibilities as project manager to create it. The PMBOK does make reference to such a document however; mention is made in the input section of many processes, including scope management processes, of "organizational assets".

 A policy that standardizes the activities that must be performed when a software system or application is built will influence the activities in your project plan and may even provide a template for the requirements management portion of your project plan.

Always keep in mind that your responsibility covers all the project work, including administrative work, not just the work of building the software system.

The policy should state that requirements are documented and reviewed by "software managers and other affected groups". These people are the project stakeholders referred to in the Stakeholder Register.

The policy also states that the plans, work products, and project activities must change to be consistent with changes in requirements. Your project should have a Change Management Plan that describes how any changes, including changes to requirements, will be handled by the project.

 This Change Management Plan is described in the Integration Management knowledge area and is what will ensure that appropriate plans, work products, and activities are updated when a change to requirements is approved.

The Verify Scope and Control Scope processes describe how activities called for by these processes might produce a change request.

The abilities that Requirements Management calls for are:

• Analyzing the system requirements and allocating them to hardware, software, and other system components. This ability is provided to the project by the Business Analysts, or Systems Analysts who translate the business requirements (allocated requirements) into system requirements. The PMBOK does not address this activity directly; remember that it is not focused on any specific industry, so your plan must speak to this ability. Simply identify the work to produce the functional specification from the business requirements in the WBS.

• Documentation of the requirements. The documents referred to will be the Business Requirements Document, the Functional Specification, and the Detail Design Document. The BRD should uniquely identify each requirement. Each function in the Functional Specification should support one or more requirements and each requirement should be supported by one or more functions. The same rule applies to the Detail Design Document. This supports tracing requirements through to the finished products. This ability also specifies that acceptance criteria for the products must be specified.

• Adequate resources and budget must be provided for managing the allocated requirements. This refers to your project funding for human resources such as business analysts, systems analysts, programmers, software librarians, etc. It also refers to funding for any tools required to manage requirements such as configuration management tools.

• Project team members are trained to perform their requirements management duties. This refers to the work of analyzing the requirements, managing the requirements, building the software, and managing the configuration.

The first activity called for by the CMMI is the review of requirements by the "software engineering group". Your Verify Scope process describes the various methods for doing this and they include audits, walk-throughs, and reviews by the appropriate stakeholders.

This activity also calls for resources to be allocated for the work of estimating costs, building the system, testing the system, configuration management, QA, contract management/Procurement Management, and documentation support. These activities will be identified by the Create WBS process.

Activity 2 calls for the engineering group to create the plan and build the deliverables. This is simply the execution of the project plans. Activity 3 calls for changes to the requirements to be reviewed and incorporated into the project.

 This activity is covered by the Control Scope process. Control Scope describes how the Integrated Change Control System manages changes and implements approved changes. CMMI describes the process in somewhat more depth and calls for changes to be identified, evaluated, assessed for risk, documented, planned, communicated to affected stakeholders, and tracked to completion. Your Change Management Plan should describe these activities.

CMMI calls for the work performed to be measured so that the measurements can be used to determine the status of the requirements. The Control Scope process describes how work performance information is analyzed (variance analysis) against the plan and any variances discovered are corrected.

CMMI calls for the verification of requirements management activities. The requirements management activities should be reviewed with senior management periodically. The Verify Scope process does not specifically refer to senior management in describing how this process is to be executed so the project manager will have to improvise here.

I advise holding gate meetings, phase exit reviews, or business decision point meetings to review project status with senior management who are represented by the project's business sponsor and/or the steering committee. CMMI also calls for progress reviews with the project manager. The project manager will attend the gate reviews and will run status review meetings with the team on a regular basis.

The CMMI also calls for the Quality Assurance group to review or audit the work. Your organization may or may not have a QA group. If it does, the group may be responsible for project audits which would cover this requirement. CMMI is specific as to who must undertake these reviews and audits so your organization either has this covered or it does not; there is no opportunity for you to cover it yourself. CMMI describes what should be audited at a minimum. This includes requirements reviews, problem resolution, updating of work products and plans when requirements change, and the proper process for deciding on change and implementing the changes.

CMMI Level 2 calls for requirements management to be repeatable. In order to meet this requirement, the plans for managing the project's scope, including its software requirements, must be documented. The schedule and WBS will be captured by your MS Project file. You should also include a written Requirements Management Plan which describes all the activities for capturing requirements, analyzing requirements, designing the system, building the system, and testing the system.

Changes should be managed by a separate Change Management plan. The creation of these two plans, as described above, will meet all the criteria for CMMI Level 2 that a project is capable of meeting.

The best project management practices referred to in this article are described in the PMBOK (4th edition) and are also supported by the PMI's PMP certification and PMP exam. The exam tests candidates on their grasp of these best practices and their ability to put them into practice to solve actual project management problems. Studying with one of the many available PMP exam preparation courses and passing the exam is a good first step towards reconciling CMM practices and project management practices.

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ERP Software Benefits - Advantages of Enterprise Resource Planning

In the present day economic environment, the use of ERP has been of prime importance to cater the on growing demands of a business organization. The success of any business rests on three important factors like strategic planning, organizational management and proper monitoring of the operations.

 Although, the function of ERP is based mainly on the operational system of the organization, still the planning and the management units also gain heavily from its implementation.

ERP integrates all the important functional units of an enterprise into a unified system of operation that produces multi-benefits in the business.

ERP Software Benefits

1. The installation of ERP software package involves huge costs and takes few years in implementing it successfully. But the multi benefits of this software outperform all the costs and the toil involved in its installation. This software always helps in maintaining its focus on the growth of the business.

2. ERP plays an important role in the "Strategic Planning" of a business organization that helps to set new goals, plan strategically to achieve new targets based on the assets and the requirements of the organization and evaluate the possible outcomes. This helps in better management of the organization leading to better profit margins.

3. The integrated system of the ERP provides the necessary information that enables faster decision making. Any important data can be easily accessed from any point, and the well coordinated information system enables better decision making.

4. The unification of the system helps in better visibility of the business and helps in proper monitoring of the operations.

5. The integrated feature also helps in reducing operational costs due to the advanced coordination system among the various functional units of the organization. It helps in lowering costs involving inventory, marketing, production and other supportive features.

6. The easy accessibility of the data from the data warehouses enables a better day-to-day management that helps in taking timely cost effective measures. It helps in easy tracking of the costs involved in operations and controls them as required.

7. The well coordinated communication system helps in a better team work that ultimately leads to the growth of the business.

8. It helps in building a healthy and long term relationship with the customers through the timely delivery of goods and attending to their problems on the first call.

9. ERP system leads to a drastic reduction of IT related costs thereby reducing the total cost of ownership.

10. Through the use of internet, it helps in better communication and collaboration within and out of the organization.

11. ERP helps in effective management of the assets through the optimal use of machinery, materials and manpower.

Looking for Singaepor SAP software application, contact Alenu Now! at (65) 6884 5030.

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Establishing A Business Intelligence Competency Center

Establishing a successful business intelligence competency center (BICC) depends on right planning and well-managed implementation. Build and empower your BICC as a business or analytical coaching center to support and manage projects from requirements, design and development stages onwards. Assessment of current use of information and how better the information can be used in future should be the BICC's roadmap. It is an ideal way to leverage your investment in a centralized infrastructure. This will also benefit global or regional players, with decentralized IT landscape, to gain from centralized BI support in training and documentation at new sites.

Implementation:

1. Strategy: Have a strong sponsor to support current and future BI projects. Include buy-in from the business as well as IT and lay out the functional areas of the BICC. How those functions will be staffed and where the BICC reports within the organization should be defined.

2. Setting-Up: Managing the center requires strong business management and communication skills. It operates as support and service center for multiple functional departments. The staff should have required skills profiles, service attitude and orientation towards center's internal customers. Prioritize the workload, keep transparency in work and continuously evaluate against identified objects.

3. Sustaining The BICC: Ensure that the business is able to benefit from the services delivered from the center. Have a visible communication and performance based incentive system. Share a common understanding of focus and charter of the center. BICC projects should show manageable and incremental benefits.

4. Operation: Criteria to review and evaluate success of BICC should be established in the planning stages itself. Once it proves its benefits and achievements, it becomes an integral part of the company. A highly visible project will ensure that people in the organization learn about its existence and successful working.

5. The Future: Balance the current tactical needs of the company with the strategy and vision for the future. Focus on managing assets, products, processes, performances and people. Understand long-term implications of business and technical decisions taken in present on the future of the company. Evolve and change continuously to stay with changing needs of the organization. New insights, innovative ventures and necessary adjustments will ensure that the company's meets its goals and objectives.

BICC Services:

Using a mix of practice aids, methodologies, tools and technology, Cognos Consulting guides you to analyze, design, build, deploy and operate a BICC tailored to your specific needs.

1. Readiness Assessment Service: Cognos helps in making a plan to charter and program design that matures with each step.

2. Establishing a culture of Best Practice Service: Build tactical and technical knowledge repository of best practice, and supplement skills and resources with experts' advice.

3. Operating BICC with Extended Services: Cognos Consulting helps make transition from departmental BI to an adaptive BICC based organization to meet your unique need. It ensures self-supported and self-managed operating and growth from an infrastructure and administrative perspective.

Operate your BICC successfully to become self sufficient through knowledge. Establish a culture of transparent and best practices.

Seeking for Singapore business intelligence and analytics, reach us Alenu IT Now! at (65) 6884 5030.A marketing article by Dougles Chan - Search Engine Guru - Best SEO companies in Singapore and globally. Contact Dougles Chan @ +(65) 9388 0851 or email to dc@dougleschan.com for more information on how to make your website to be the top in Google.

Types Of ERP Manufacturing Software - Choose the Best

ERP systems applications are mainly targeted at the manufacturing companies. Previously Material Resource Planning application was used to track the manufacturing product status and schedule manpower accordingly. Many new features were integrated into this application to form the Enterprise Resource Planning. The ERP has to be customized to fit the requirements of the company.
The best type of ERP Manufacturing Software should be selected with care. It should focus on the main functional areas of the manufacturing industry. After the evaluation of the business has been done, the software can be chosen accordingly. Each application has to be integrated with other application and has to be customized to provide a solution for the customer needs. The features of the manufacturing software should offer simple methods to generate RFP. The software should allow determining a checklist to obtain the capabilities of the vendors. The modules in manufacturing are Human Resource Management, CRM, Finance, Sales, Product Data Management, Supply Chain Management, Master Data, Service Management, etc. A number of ERP Manufacturing Software is available and some of the providers are Sage, Tally, SAP Manufacturing, Oracle JD Edwards, etc.

The best type of ERP manufacturing software has many features like being scalable and is able to adapt to the trends of the market. It should be able to offer an increase in the profits, sales and market share. The software should be able to decrease the manufacturing costs, reduce the wastage, reduce total work time and increase the production cycles. It should offer easier maintenance of the data at the different units which are located at different locations all over the world. The best type of ERP Manufacturing Software should allow for better market visibility and be able to predict the market demand to get an edge over its competitors. The application should aid in improving the quality of the products and provide for engineering of products according to the requirements of the customer. It should be have feature for keeping the maintenance cost low and make the communication with the partners easy. The automated system should ease the process of customer support.

Planning of resources is the core of process manufacturing software and it aids in planning of manufacturing activities which are based on machinery, material and labor. MRP software is normally integrated with MES systems and CRM software. The accounting software is also integrated now to aid in monitoring the general ledgers.

The best type of ERP manufacturing software should provide the company with an integrated inventory control, resource planning, material acquisition, serial number control and shop floor control. The software should efficiently process through a fully integrated MRP, it should eliminate the double entries, perform easy transition from a planned to released work and purchase orders, keep a history of the product and maintain the production scheduling. Along with all this the best type of ERP manufacturing software should ensure quality which is an important element of a manufacturing system. It should be able to perform quality tracking and take corrective action tracking to ensure that one problem does not lead to another.

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Benefits Of A Performance Management Course

Performance management means a conscious drive to develop an employees competence and growth. Effective project management combines a continuous series of on-going assessments, processes and activities with the aim of promoting employee's proficiency and measuring progress in attaining objectives.

Well defined goals and continuous assessments of individual performance can be helpful in defining the corporate competencies and the major skill gaps which may in turn serve as a useful input for designing the training and development plans for the employees. A good management system can serve two very important objectives:
Evaluation Objectives:

• By evaluating the readiness of the employees for taking up higher responsibilities.
• By providing a feedback to the employees on their current competencies and the need for improvement.
• By linking the performance with scope of promotions, incentives, rewards and career development.

Development Objectives:

The developmental objective is achieved by defining the training requirements of the employees based on the results of the reviews and assessment of the individual and organizational competencies. Coaching and counseling helps in winning the confidence of the employees and in improving their performance, besides strengthening the relationship between the superior and the subordinate.
In a nutshell, performance management serves as an important tool for realizing organizational goals by implementing competitive human resources management strategies. It helps in aligning and integrating the objectives with the key performance index of an organization both vertically and horizontally across all job categories and the levels and thus helps in driving all the activities right from the bottom level towards one single goal.
IMPORTANCE OF A PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT COURSE

For managers, properly managing employee performance and aligning their overall objectives help facilitates the effective delivery of the goals of the business. Researchers agree that there is a direct and positive relationship between using a good performance system and improved organizational results.

Business owners and managers who take a performance management course therefore stand to gain the following benefits:

1. Improved leadership
2. Improved organizational performance
3. Elimination of project overruns
4. A motivated workforce
5. Improved employee retention and loyalty
6. Very clear accountability
7. Conflict reduction
8. Efficiency and consistency in performance.
9. Overcoming communication barriers
10. Cost advantages

If you are a manager, taking a performance management course online will be at a great advantage to you. This is true because you will not be required to leave your managerial duties in order to learn how to properly manage your team.

 One online institution stands out in providing quality performance management education. The best part is that you get to earn incomes as you do. Feel free to click on the link on the resource box below to learn more.

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Microsoft Project Server Vs Microsoft Project

There are a number of project managers today that use Microsoft Project to create and track project plans to keep tasks on schedule. Project is a fine application for small endeavors with one person in charge. However as a project grows and more decision makers are involved, managers need an application that can provide enterprise-wide project management.

On-line Management with Project Server

When coordinating a large venture, basic management tools like Microsoft Project may not serve the manager's needs. It is a standalone application that can be used only on one computer. All project information is in one place and all decisions can be made only at that computer.

Once there is a large endeavor with a management team, this lack of access becomes a problem. What is needed is a project management tool that can be shared company-wide and allow all managers to track their respective tasks without needing to wait for printed reports.

Project Server was designed with exactly that capability in mind. All team members can access the application from anywhere on the company network or over the web.

Coordination and communication is easier when everyone is on the same page.

Each Team Member Has a Role

Just because everyone can access the software, that doesn't mean everyone has the same capabilities. Individuals are given permissions appropriate to their role in the plan and in the company.

Project managers use the basic Project Professional application just like they have in the past. However their updates and changes are transmitted to the server where they can be viewed by other managers and incorporated in their plans.

Team members who don't use Project directly can still access the server to see what their tasks are, what the status of the overall plan is, and can send status reports to be used by managers.

Even interested parties not directly involved in completion of the tasks, such as executives or investors, can be given access over the company network or the web so they can monitor the progress. Comprehensive security settings ensure that each person is given needed access without any excess privileges.

Project Server Training

Even experienced users of Microsoft Project will benefit from training on the unique capabilities of Project Server. The enterprise-level features of the software greatly increase the size of the projects that can be handled but may not be obvious to new users. Tasks such as team building, resource substitution, and information pooling can be used more effectively after taking instructor-led courses.

The transition from Project to Project Server is a major step for any business but with guidance and proper planning, it is a move that can be made with a minimum of complication. The added capabilities will be invaluable to any mid-size to large business.

Sourcing for project management tool in Singapore, call Alenu Group Now! at (65) 6884 5030.

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SAP Training Courses

SAP is a must training these days if anyone intends succeeding in the IT sector because the technology is growing at a fast pace and every technology somehow has its roots in the SAP training. Some of the very basic SAP training guidelines are:

• Introduction: It is very important for better comprehension of any topic and provides a path way to a sound SAP training.

• SAP Facts: Obviously one can only prosper in the field of IT if he is well conversant with the SAP facts and figures.

• SAP history: Without a proper knowledge of the subject history one is not expected to attain the desired results.

• SAP functioning: One must know the exact and proper functioning of the SAP techniques which are required to be then implemented in the practical field of IT.

• SAP report: Analysis of the report is a major step towards attaining a sound training and if you are not good at it then it would affect your performance in the SAP training itself.

Due to the ever increasing popularity of the SAP, the world's largest ERM software, many online SAP training courses have evolved over the last couple of years. Every aspiring person with an IT aptitude can avail the facility of online SAP courses. There are many SAP training courses available online to learn SAP. SAP has three proficiency certification levels which include the associate/basic, professional and master levels.

SAP consulting requirements is being covered in the associate certification program and also includes various examinations on SAP solutions, knowledge and proficiency skills. Whereas the professional efficiency level requires one to have ample project experience.

 This level also requires a thorough understanding of the SAP solutions and a broad knowledge in business processes. However, the toughest and the hardest level is yet to come; the master level which requires special expertise on specific SAP aspects and great experience with SAP live projects.

However, to take any of the SAP certification exam you need to first undertake a SAP training course. There are many methods by which you can get SAP training i.e. attending lectures, seminars or even reading the books/e-books but no such method could be an alternative to having SAP interactive simulation courses online thus increasing your chances of passing the SAP certification exams and upgrading your SAP proficiency level.

 Learning the SAP courses will make you the most preferred and favourite choice candidate in any well paying job interviews. Undertaking such SAP courses means you could easily make a SAP manager or a SAP consultant. Companies these days are always on the lookout to finding a SAP certified candidate and if you are a SAP certified candidate you will have a large number of career options available to you to choose from.

Seeking for SAP software application, call Alenu IT Today! at (65) 6884 5030.

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Competitive Intelligence Techniques

What are some competitive intelligence techniques? The competitive intelligence unit of any business can use these techniques to make the best strategic decisions when it comes to their business. This involves more than just looking at the various competitors around you. You need to look at market analysis, market intelligence, intelligence reports, intelligence analysis techniques, and even advanced research tool or techniques. If you use various techniques then you can gain a distinct advantage for your business in the marketplace.

The competitive intelligence unit of your company can use two main competitive intelligence techniques. Before you can do this you need to have a great deal of knowledge about the sector that you are in. the intelligence won't mean anything unless you have the knowledge to make sense of it. You need to understand your products that are helping your business do well and the various competitors around you.

Technique One the Non Competitive Approach
To use this technique you will use skills such as predicting, forecasting, looking at your current business assumptions, learning the environment, and seeing where your business has current weaknesses. You'll look to your business to find solutions to your current weaknesses. You'll learn about your company, the environment that you work in and you'll learn a bit about your competitors too. This works more to improve your own form and doesn't focus as much on your competitors.

Technique Two Competitive Approach
This technique looks at the competitors around you. In this approach you look at the market around you and the various competitors that are there. You want to analyze them so you have the advantage and can take the top market share for yourself. You want to use your own products, services, and an optimized strategy to do this. You can get there by analyzing your competitors.

To be successful in this approach you need:

• To know what products that your competitors currently offer
• Why customers buy form them and why they are currently successful
• What they deliver with their service
• How the use marketing
• The reliability of their customer service

These are the basics that your competitive intelligence unit needs to work on when it comes to analyzing your competitors and developing strategies for your company to get the competitive edge over them. For example you may develop new and exciting products or market your products in a different way than your competitors to grab more market share away from them. All of these practices must of course stay legal and by using competitive intelligence techniques you'll be able to do this.

Your techniques will evolve along with your business and you may use several techniques to achieve the goals of your company. You will evolve along with the industry you are in. As a company you must adapt to the changes that occur in your industry and keep that competitive edge. You do this by always working to improve your company and analyzing what you're competitors are doing at the same time.

Determining Your Intelligence Needs
You need to know information on current trends in your industry, information about your competitors, regulatory trends, developments in technology, economic conditions, political developments, international trends and other information. You need to apply this information to your business and to analyze your competitors by using the same factors.

The Competitive Intelligence unit
The competitive intelligence unit will use this information that has been gathered and analyze the data and evaluate what needs to be done in your business. Some data may be analyzed buy an outside contractor but most of it will be done by the unit itself in most cases.

Using the Data
Only through the collection of data and analyzing that data can a business work towards improving itself and staying ahead of the competition. This is an on-going process for any business that wants to be a leading edge business in an evolving marketplace where there's more competition and less market share.

Looking for business intelligence and analytics Singapore, contact Alenu Now! at (65) 6884 5030.

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Visual Project Management

Visual project management can boost company performance throughout your organization. Robotics, telecommunications and computer technology have changed the workplace. Visual cues are the way in which people work together via text messages, instant messenger and webinars.

 Some workplaces have not kept pace with the rapid changes in information-sharing technology and communication. The workplace today is a visual society that depends on modern technology.

Visual management is a system that helps companies create and sustain a competitive advantage in two important ways

. First, management systems ensure an organization's internal structure is aligned with company values and missions.

 Second, it focuses the employee's attention on performance goals that are critical to the organization's success.

Visual management addresses issues such as motivating employees and improving sales results.
The sales team is responsible for bringing in the business. Customer management software helps salespeople manage their sales while storing important customer information. Sales presentations can now be presented to clients by simply logging onto the laptop.

Infographics are an important tool that salespeople can use to present the company's products or services in a straightforward manner that gets the customer's attention.
It is important that companies realize that visual management is a system that is designed to improve performance across all departments in the organization.

 The purpose is to leave customers with a visual impression of their company's products or services. Performance improvement is another goal for visual management teams.

This process drives changes in the structure of the organization, the alignment of operating systems and the actions of the people. These changes are what drivers the performance improvements that are seen in visual management environments.

Part of what makes visual management so dramatically different is the aligned physical, structural and behavioral environment that it creates. The physical environment is coordinated with the mission to make the organization work better.

The investment in visual mechanisms to keep performance metrics visible connects employees to the mission. They share important information to an extent that is new to most companies.

Visual displays also focus on the employees while enhancing their sense of importance and belonging. Keeping employees happy and productive is the best way to achieve success.

A high turnover indicates you may have a problem in the company.

Consider hiring a human resource consulting to improve employee morale and encourage them to stay with the company. It is not cost-effective to continually hire and train new employees. Visual project management is the new way of doing business.

Seeking for project management system , call Alenu Today! at (65) 6884 5030.

A marketing article by Dougles Chan - Search Engine Guru - The best SEO company in Singapore and globally. Contact Dougles Chan @ +(65) 9388 0851 or email to dc@dougleschan.com for more information on how to make your website to be the top in Google.

Connecting to "The Cloud"

There was a time in the not too distant past when "cloud" meant only a visible mass of condensed water vapor floating in the upper atmosphere.

But now "the cloud" has become a hot term in the data services industry. The cloud is used as both a representation of the internet in computer diagrams and a metaphor used to describe technologies such as server processing, data storage, security and voice applications that are gaining momentum among companies. The widespread use of the internet has given birth to the idea of using the internet as a shared, off-site data infrastructure

Another term used in conjunction with the cloud is "Cloud Computing." This term refers to the real-time delivery of services and technologies over the internet that allows end-users to instantly access data and applications over the internet from any device. Cloud Computing allows companies to get more bang for their computing buck by accessing services on a pay-as-you-go basis that they may not otherwise be able to afford.

There are several advantages to Cloud Computing.

One advantage of Cloud Computing is it enables small to mid-sized businesses to leverage storage space and application solutions without having to make significant capital expenditures on hardware or software. As a company's needs increase the service can scale to meet the demand. The company pays according to use. And not only is this often more economical for users or companies, it also means that the amount of on-site computing infrastructure is greatly reduced. This becomes important as smartphones and tablets come to populate the computing landscape.

Mobility is another benefit of Cloud Computing. Since the application and data are stored in the cloud it's easy to access them anytime, anywhere. This gives companies with virtual employees extreme flexibility and increased productivity.

Cloud Computing can facilitate user collaboration. Multiple users can easy work together on the same project

Another benefit of cloud computing is disaster recovery. The data and application software are off-site. The information is protected by multiple, geographically-separated data centers with backup, archive, and failover capabilities.

Cloud Computing is has been slow to gain widespread acceptance, but the value proposition is quite clear. Though, there are security issues that still need to be worked out, the technology provides both a reliable and scalable solution that has the potential to greatly reduce an organization's computing expense and boost employee productivity.

As time passes, the trend is toward our online life being in the cloud.

Sourcing for SAP business one cloud, contact Alenu Group Now! at (65) 6884 5030

PM Tools Explained in Layman's Terms

If you are involved in project management then by now you most likely have already heard of PH tools and may be wondering if they are something that you can make use of. What exactly do they do and how can they benefit you?

More Information Managed More Simply

In short, the one thing that project management tools can do for you is to make things more complex, while at the same time making them far more simpler. Sound confusing? The read on.

Multi-Tasking Made Easier

For sure you have more than one person or entity that you have to deal with. It may be a client or the project owners, workers or some type of labor pool, suppliers and of course your boss or bosses. All of them have to be contended with, which can at times be difficult.

More Information Provided To More People the Easy Way

PM tools allow you to deal with all of these entities, even simultaneously in a far more comprehensive manner by allowing them complete access to all facets to your project over the Internet.

This means no juggling phone calls or complicated explanations or instructions when all is laid out for them to see by way of online PM tools. More complex information, yet far more easier for you.

Simple Charts and Graphs Eliminate Guesswork

Far more complex and accurate time and labor estimates are also possible with PM tools. This is because all of the information that you input is processed instantly and the results are laid out in easy to view and comprehend charts and graphs. This means that as your project becomes more complex, unwanted surprises are kept to a minimum.

Quicker Access To Production Related information

PM tools also allow you to track your projects progress on a real time basis. This means that you don't have to actually fall behind in order to know that you may be lacking in any certain area.

This is because PM tools allow you to identify and rectify weak areas before they manifest themselves as actual on site production issues.

Seeking for project management tool, contact Alenu Group Now! at (65) 6884 5030.

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Data Storage and Recovery Through Cloud Computing

For those that were already familiar with the advantages that cloud services and cloud computing in particular has to offer, it seems like these are a logical technological step. Doubtless they will cut costs by trimming IT overheads but there are many other advantages to the whole system from improved efficiency to greater security when it comes to the question of important data.

The main concern for any organisation is keeping data safe and for an IT manager, disaster recovery systems are vital to the smooth operation of business. The practice of cloud computing fits with this requirement perfectly as the risk of losing data is eradicated by using the 'cloud' or external server. Lengthy and complicated back up procedures become a thing of the past and data in turn becomes completely safe.

As an additional benefit, employees from within the company can access information more easily no matter where they are in the world. Irrespective of whether they are using a PC, laptop or mobile phone to access the internet, company information can be used provided that device is included in the network. With easy access, working becomes streamlined and much easier for the individual employee who doesn't have to pre load information onto their system.
Storing less data on a computer also makes that individual device more productive and reduces the risk of it slowing down or even crashing beyond repair. Heavy files and photographs can be stored on the external server making company equipment more efficient and less prone to issues further down the line.

Lost data is the biggest concern for any individual or organisation but cloud computing deals with all of these issues on a permanent basis. It reduces the need for members of the company to transport sensitive information around on a laptop or portable storage device and that in turn removes any risk of theft which has become more and more commonplace.

Overall, cloud computing provides an all round solution for businesses of all sizes and those that have begun to implement it are reporting advantages across their organisations with no down sides whatsoever.

The system is flexible and highly cost effective and the improved 'up time' alone makes a business run more efficiently. When you add in the additional benefit of security then this really is a revolutionary new form of outsourcing that has pluses for a business right across the board.

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What Can Cloud Computing Do for Your Business

Do you know what cloud computing is? Recent surveys find over half of businesses owners don't, which is a shame since most businesses are already using cloud-computing services -- without even realising it.

Importantly for businesses, cloud computing offers cost-effective ways to manage technology and grow, while preserving capital and improving productivity.

So, what exactly is cloud computing and how can we use it in our businesses?

What is cloud computing? Just like millions of water drops combine together to create a raincloud, cloud computing is a collection of low-powered PCs assembled to create a super powerful computer system.

When you do a search on Google, the fast results are due to the hundreds of thousands of computers in their eight data centres around the world. Those computers working together have more power than the world's bigger supercomputer -- at a fraction of the cost.

Because these "clouds" of computers make providing online services so cheap, it makes it easier for companies to offer software and data storage to customers at a low price over the Internet.
Cloud computing is driving almost every online service we've become used to in recent years. Google's searches to Facebook's status updates and Amazon's online stores are all run on the cloud.
How does the cloud help businesses? The big advantage for business is cloud services do away with the need to spend money up front on computer software since most online providers charge by the month, which frees up capital.

Another advantage is there are usually no fixed costs, so you can add or reduce licenses as work ebbs and flows, meaning there's no reason to have spare computers or expensive unused software sitting around between projects.

Cloud computing also extends the life of IT systems; most online services only require a web browser to work, rather than needing the latest and fastest computers like most desktop software.
For staff, cloud services give the opportunity to work away from the office, which improves productivity and makes a business more flexible.

What type of software can be run on the cloud? Any software that runs on a computer can go onto the cloud. Business applications include office suites like Microsoft's Office 365 and Google Apps, accounting services like Saasu and Xero and Customer Relationship Management tools like Salesforce and SugarCRM.

Many cloud applications are helping businesses do things they may not have had the time or resources to do before. Services like Mailchimp and Campaign Monitor are making newsletters easy and Survey Monkey and Formstack create quick customer surveys.

The downsides of the cloud Naturally, there are some downsides with cloud services, the obvious being that you need a reliable Internet connection to use them. If you're going to be on planes or at remote locations, the cloud may not work for you.

You also have to trust the provider with your data and that they will allow you to download your own information and take it elsewhere. There's also the risk that your account could be suspended if you breach their terms of service.

Overall though, the cloud offers great opportunities for business owners. It's worthwhile having a look at what services are available for your business and how they can save money, while at the same time improving your office's efficiency.

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Manufacturing Inventory Management Software

Manufacturing inventory management software is a specialized software package which monitors and manages the inventory required in all stages of the manufacturing process. This software manages processes such as purchase order placements, tracking the usage at each manufacturing stage, periodic checking of inventory levels, and reordering of depleted stock. Manufacturing inventory management software forms a key component in the automation of the manufacturing process. It helps in faster processing of the system with minimal human intervention. A company can rely on manufacturing inventory management software for greater productivity and better utilization of its resources.

Inventory control forms the core functionality of manufacturing inventory management software. Each stock item is tracked through the manufacturing process. The stock level is periodically matched with the reorder level to automatically generate purchase orders and requests for quotations in regard to fresh purchase orders. The software also performs other tasks such as serial number assignment, work order assignment, and report generation. A person operating the software is given a detailed history of the product manufacturing process. Advanced versions of the software can calculate labor costs and indirect costs involved in manufacturing. Personnel belonging to the production department can enter their hourly job status, which is utilized while preparing employee histories and job cost summaries. Manufacturing inventory management software has additional features such as customer order tracking, customer report generation, and tracing of the product order history of individual customers.

Increased productivity and faster processing promised by manufacturing inventory management software are often dependent on the user. Hence, a menu-driven interface is the mandatory requirement of manufacturing inventory management software. The software is feature-rich and can perform multiple tasks like storage bin label printing, database searching, and auxiliary report printing. It can also import and export production-related data into a variety of different file formats. Furthermore, the software supports a multi-user environment.

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Project Management: History and Evolution

Project management, as we know it at present began to stretch its branches only a few decades ago, yet it was mounting around civilization from the beginning of history.

With an objective of maximum productivity with minimum participation, and to breed imagination into realism, human need for an optimal management system that can trigger workforce efficiency to yield product, that is predetermined and objectified was outlining a management system within the growth of human perception though out its evolution.

This stream of development in its respective path also had marked its course from its source, and events in its voyages were observed and registered in the pages of history.

Turning these pages, today we witness a simple endeavor to illustrate and analyze tasks through simple bar charts cultivated seed yesterday, and within a short span of time, it had grown to a gigantic tree of the project management industry we witness at present.

"Henry Gantt" is considered to be the forefather of project management, as his planning and organizing methods with the use of the "bar charts" as a project management tool recognizes him as the foremost precursor for contemporary project management practices employed today.

However, civilization was practicing an anonymous management system for accomplishing tasks carried out by them since the beginning of civilization; as today we can witness Pyramids, Roman structures, etc as one of most exceptional achievements human workforces had ever delivered.

To consider these massive project missions without any proper management scheme would be an unjust platform to write about today for our ancestors. The conception of project management was there in the womb of our civilization from the beginning, but its name is coined and structure is fabricated by our modern world.

As a discipline, project management has evolved from numerous diverse fields, including engineering, construction, military projects, etc. If we have to mark the date of identification for this management system then we need to start not before the industrial revolution, as this revolution sprouted a complex need of organizational management and interaction.

 The need of budget management, workforce utilization, demand and supply scaling, compels to develop the management system that was methodological and goal oriented.

Frederick Taylor, who introduced a scientific approach for understanding productivity measurement through performance leveling, led him as the father of scientific approaches in organizational management systems.

Moreover, his associate Henry Gantt's use of the bar diagram as a gauging process for planning and controlling, acknowledged him as a father of project management tools.
But the 1950's was marked as a date for the beginning of modern project management; as before the 50's projects were managed only with the popular use of Gantt charts and informal tools and statistics.

Furthermore, the immediate launch of the Polaris submarine missile project to fulfill the need of the missile gap with Russia; the US Army systemized a "Program Evaluation and Review Technique" or PERT devised by Willard Fazar and the use of the "Critical Path Method" (CPM) a mathematical technique for management of complex projects, drives project management systems further with advances in scientific approaches.

In 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI) was formed to professionalize and modernize through formalizing project management tools and techniques.

In addition, today with rapid technological advancement, thriving IT industries, and globalization, project management solutions are in demand throughout the world as a fundamental force to complete projects within a defined scope, time, and within cost constraints.

Management tasks, where few individuals use to manage and memorize before; now require advance systems and methodological approaches for organization decision-making and planning implementation.

At present ultra modern project management systems deliver innovative solutions and its management process possesses the latest tools and techniques, systems and schemes with scientific evidences and statistical explanations.

Looking for project management system, reach us Alenu Group Now! at (65) 6884 5030. 

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