Distribution Industry Technology News

2009 National Industrial Fastener Show – West in Las Vegas, NV on November 16-18, 2009

2009-10-27T12:20:00.012-05:00

20 year ERP FACTS affiliate, Lowery Systems, Inc. (LSi) is attending the 2009 National Industrial Fastener Show – West in Las Vegas, NV on November 16-18, 2009.

Lowery Systems has over 20 years of distribution software experience and inventory control practices as it pertains to the Fastener / Power Tool Distributor. LSi has worked hand in hand with these specialized distributors to perfect a robust solution.

LSi’s In-Flight Enterprise is a highly specialized, yet flexible set of system-wide enhancements for Infor’s ERP FACTS distribution package. Stop by LSi’s Fastener Show booth (#659) and speak with an LSi consultant about this Fastener / Power Tool Distributor solution built to help you grow faster and be more profitable.

2009 Las Vegas Show Give Away:

Main Prize: Win a free licensing copy of LSi’s In-Flight Enterprise Module built for the Fastener / Power Tool Distribution Industry.

Offer Terms/Conditions: Drawing winner will receive a free In-Flight Enterprise license; must be accompanied with a new purchase and installation of ERP FACTS system. Free license accommodates 5-20 users = an $18,000 value. Winning company must sign off on the project by February 26, 2010. Offer non-transferable.

Alternate Prize: Win a free 8GB iPod Nano

Give Away note: Susan Hurley - National Industrial Fastener Show Manager has kindly agreed to participate by pulling the 2 winning business cards. Drawing will take place at LSi’s Booth # 659 on November 18th at 11:00AM.

(Winners are not required to be present at the time of the drawing.)

Visit: http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NIFS/pt/sp/westshow to Register, View Attendee Brochure, and read show overview.

Who: Lowery Systems, Inc (LSi)
1-800-435-9338 or www.Fastener-Software.com

What: 2009 National Industrial Fastener Show – West (Booth #659)

When: November 16-18, 2009

Where: Mandalay Bay South Convention Center
Level Two · Shoreline B
3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV

How Infor is using Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) to build software better

2009-10-20T10:55:00.002-05:00

For those of you who attended Infor's Virtual Inforum 2009 keynote session this morning, the term service-oriented architecture (SOA) was used. Use the link below to learn more about how Infor is using this software architecture to build better products for their customers.

The Infor Blog: Understanding the Concept of Architecture in the IT Jungle

Posted using ShareThis

"My legacy ERP system runs fine. Why should I think about replacing it?"

2009-10-08T11:17:00.005-05:00

A 2009 industry study found ERP spending is increasing year over year, mainly due to older system replacements and upgrades, with newer technology and added functionality as the major reasons for investment.

Research shows more than 75% of legacy ERP systems being replaced within 10 years and 28% being replaced at the 5 year mark. Total cost of ownership for adding a new system is a prime decision point, which is good for Lowery Systems - ERP FACTS with In-Flight Enterprise, as this system remains competitively priced – yet feature rich.

An effective ERP system improves the organization of a company's processes into standardized procedures. All business data needed to run the company effectively can easily be accessed from newer ERP systems. Because information is accessed in real-time, informed decision-making and confident executive direction are both able to happen at the speed of your business.

ERP FACTS affords system owners the ability to cut costs in other business areas. For instance: Accounts Receivable users now have the ability to send electronic invoices and statements directly to your clients’ Accounts Payable contacts - resulting in speedier payments. LSi clients using this In-Flight Enterprise feature have documented faster payments than before using this feature. Savings are also realized with the diminished need to print/stuff/add postage and mail monthly statements and invoices. Work-flows are improved as these processes are integration into your enterprise-wide operation. Documents are housed electronically within the system for high-speed search/retrieve/use capabilities. Increased spending on ERP in this recessionary climate emphasizes the wise saying: “You have to spend money to save money”.

Read the rest of this blog to learn more about ERP FACTS with In-Flight Enterprise from Lowery Systems.

If you have a similar story of success or questions, please post them.

Inventory End of Period message ‘Missing IC Warehouse/Vendor Review’ set up at another terminal to continue

2009-10-06T15:54:00.004-05:00

Question: Why the message and why is it required to set up a warehouse/vendor review cycle record?

ERP FACTS - Technical Answer: (Required Reason)

The rule for Inventory Month End requiring a Warehouse/Vendor Review Cycle Record: A warehouse/item record which has the Order Quantity calculation method set to EOQ.

FACTS Inventory Month end process involves logic that wants to recalculate the warehouse/item restocking quantities (Order Quantity, Min/Max, and Order Point/Line Point). The ‘Order Quantity’ is calculated using one of three methods (EOQ, Movement Class, or Manual). When the method is EOQ (economic order quantity), there are 3 possible answers and the highest calculated quantity becomes the EOQ result

Actual EOQ formula result.
½ Months Usage
*Review Cycle Usage (review cycle days times daily usage)

*The review cycle usage needs the review cycle days which is stored in the Warehouse/Vendor Review Cycle record. This is technical reason why the Warehouse Vendor Review Cycle record is required to be on file for Inventory month end.

Replenishment Answer: (Optional Reason)

The Inventory Replenishment programs utilize information from the Warehouse/Vendor Review Cycle record to calculate the Line Point or Maximum Quantity. If there is NO Warehouse/Vendor Review Cycle Record- then Line Point will be the same quantity as Order Point and Max Quantity will NOT include percent above minimum.

1. Line Point =

Order Point + Review Cycle Usage (review cycle days X daily usage)

Review cycle days stored in warehouse/vendor review cycle record

2. Max =

Min Qty + Order Quantity + Percent above minimum quantity

% Above Minimum stored in warehouse/vendor review cycle record

General Ledger End of Period message ‘Prior Period Update for period ‘xx’ must be run’ Must update prior to closing General Ledger

2009-10-06T15:50:00.001-05:00

Question: Why the message about prior period update and why is it required to run prior to GL End of Period Update.

Answer: FACTS General Ledger allows for ‘Prior Period’ journal entries. A journal entry can be entered into a prior period provided the prior period is not more than 10 periods prior to the current general ledger period. Example- the current general ledger period is June. Therefore a prior period journal entry can not be entered for August of last year. When a prior period journal entry is entered, there is also a prior period journal entry update that must be run in order for the entry to post to the general ledger. Sometimes the prior period journal entry update is a forgotten step. The general ledger end of period update will not remind the user that there is a prior period journal entry (that has not been updated) until that journal entry is going to be greater than 10 prior periods. In other words- the prior period journal entry can go un-updated for 9 months and then the end of period program will stop and force the entry to be updated or deleted by the user.

When this occurs it usually initiates confused wonder to the user. “What journal entry and do you mean the entry has not been reflected in the general ledger reports for that many months?”

The answer is ‘yes’ the entry has not been reflected in the general ledger reports for that many months.

Since there is no reminder regarding un-posted prior period journal entries during the GL end of period update, it can only be procedure to have this on your end of period check list (were there any prior period journal entries and has the prior period update been run for those entries?)

LSi attends New England Fastener Distributors Association Event (NEFDA)

2009-10-02T14:55:00.004-05:00

Due to Lowery Systems offering software solutions built for fastener distributors, we were invited to attend NEFDA's Table Top Show on September 24th in Sturbridge, MA.
LSi cosponsored the event's social hour and dinner.
Many thanks to NEFDA Executive Director, Joe Soja.

Fastener Distribution Software: In-Flight Enterprise

2009-09-29T12:07:00.021-05:00

This fastener distribution specific feature list describes the power in our software. Our In-Flight Enterprise product is used in conjunction with ERP FACTS, highly recognized as one of the most stable distribution software applications on the market today.

Structured Item Build / Item Naming Convention
Extended Lot Information and Alternate Item Lookup
Sales Order - Bill of Material (BOM) Production
In-Process and Secondary Processing
Aggregate/Group Quantity Break Pricing
Quote Pricing Update to Contract Pricing
EDI - Electronic Data Interchange
VMI - Vendor Managed Inventory

In-Flight Enterprise Feature Focus -

Wireless Warehouse: Utilizing hand-held barcode scanners, Wireless Warehouse is real-time movement of on-hand inventory for Sales Order shipments, Purchase Order Receipts, Warehouse Transfers, Physical Inventory counts, and miscellaneous adjustments. Wireless Warehouse improves the efficiency and accuracy of warehouse operations. Examples of other features: hand-held scanning to create item interchanges and prompts for Lot/Serial number where applicable.

Over the past 20 years of working with fastener distributors, LSi has gained a tremendous amount of industry specific knowledge that shows up in our Accounting and Inventory-control software.

For more information, call or write us: 800-435-9338 aalonso@lsichi.com

Welcome

2009-09-27T15:56:00.004-05:00

Created to serve distributors requiring new or upgrade products and services for their software and hardware solutions. Use our 20 years of knowledge in your industry to make informed and smart technology decisions to keep business growing and customers happy.

Posts to include information highlighting the requirements of the following industries:

Fastener and Power Tools
Equipment Rental
HVAC

'About Us' for more information.

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