7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Implementing an ERP System

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are the heart of the modem business, and implementing one can prove to be a monumental task for any business. While it promises to streamline operations and boost efficiency, this all depends on a successful implementation. One tiny mistake could ruin your entire process. Sophia Jennifer, Social Media Marketing and tech expert, shares an article on The Digital Weekly pointing out some common – and important – mistakes to avoid when implementing an ERP system.

  1. Lack of Clear Objectives and Planning. “It’s crucial to define what you want to achieve with the ERP system – be it improving efficiency, reducing costs, or enhancing customer service. Without clear goals, it’s easy to get off track.”
  2. Underestimating the Complexity and Scope. “It’s important to understand the full extent of the implementation, including the need for customizations, integrations, and data migration. Additionally, involve stakeholders from different departments early in the process to gain a comprehensive understanding of diverse business needs and challenges.”
  3. Neglecting User Training and Change Management. “Invest in comprehensive training programs and involve users from the start to ensure they are comfortable and proficient with the new system. Effective change management strategies can help ease the transition and foster a positive attitude toward the new system.”
  4. Inadequate Testing. “Skipping thorough testing is a recipe for disaster. Before going live, it’s crucial to test the ERP system extensively in a controlled environment. This includes testing for functionality, compatibility with existing systems, and user experience. Any issues discovered during testing should be resolved before full implementation. Thorough testing reduces the risk of system failures and ensures the ERP system meets your business needs.”
  5. Not Seeking Expert Advice. “Consulting services can be a valuable asset in navigating the challenges of ERP implementation. They can also provide support in training your staff and ensuring a seamless transition to the new system.”
  6. Overlooking Data Quality and Migration. “Developing a comprehensive data migration strategy, including data cleaning and validation processes, is critical to the success of your ERP implementation. Additionally, consider involving data specialists to oversee this critical process to ensure accuracy and minimize data-related disruptions.”
  7. Ignoring Post-Implementation Support. “The work doesn’t end once the ERP system goes live. Post-implementation support is crucial to address any emerging issues and make necessary adjustments.”

Jennifer concludes that while ERP implementation can be challenging, being prepared and actively working to avoid these common common pitfalls of ERP implementation can significantly increase your chances of success.

 

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Lawson Security Administrator Reports Stuck

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If your Lawson Security Administrator (LSA) reports are getting stuck in the “processing” status, then there is a quick and simple solution for this.

All you need to do is open the path: LAWDIR/gen/java/comman/lsserver.properties.  Next, on the ljx.ext.dirs line, you will need to manually add the following command: “${GENDIR}/java/impl”.

Then you just have to bounce Lawson services, or simply reboot the server. Once booted up again you will see that the “processing” status should be gone and the status should change to “completed”. You can refer to the screenshots below for a visual guide. That’s all there is to it!

 

Infor Takes Systemair to the Cloud

Europe’s largest ventilation company, Systemair, recently announced the migration of its core business system to Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing, aiming at smoother integration of newly acquired companies and developing new types of products and services. Per the press release, the market has been expanding and is expected to continue to do so, driven by various factors including increasingly strict legal requirements for a faster energy transition. Systemair meets this growth potential through acquisitions and new business models, such as increasing service offerings around its product range. Juergen Hernadi, group IT director at Systemair AB, comments, “Systemair and Infor have had a reliable ERP partnership for over 20 years. The signing of the Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing contract is the next step in this partnership. Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing gives us the opportunity to harmonize the Systemair IT-environment further.” Furthermore, with Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing, Systemair gains an industry-specific, multi-tenant cloud solution, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), allowing it to quickly implement a system that makes the integration of newly acquired companies easier and faster. Systemair can now centralize the entire system administration in the ever-growing company structure, significantly reducing its costs.

 

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Lawson Batch Job Error message “Dictionary/program timestamp mismatch (43)”

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When a dictionary is generated using the “blddbdict” command, it includes a timestamp within it. This timestamp serves as a marker for the state of the dictionary at the time of its creation. Similarly, when a program is compiled, this timestamp is embedded within the compiled object code. This synchronization between dictionary and program timestamps ensures consistency.

However, situations may arise where changes are made to a database table, such as the addition of an index. When such changes occur, running the “blddbdict” command again is necessary to update the dictionary with the new structure. However, until the program is recompiled, the timestamp in the newly generated dictionary will differ from the one in the compiled program. This disparity can trigger the error message you’ve encountered.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Recompile the Product Line: To align the program with the updated dictionary, you should recompile the entire product line. This can be accomplished by running either the “qcompile” or “lawcmp” command.
  2. Check for User Exit Programs: If recompiling the program and its invoked programs does not resolve the issue, it’s possible that the program relies on a User Exit program. In this case, you must also compile the User Exit program using the “qcompile” command.
  3. Locate User Exit Program Code: User Exit program code is typically stored in the “LAWDIR/productline/XXsrc” directory, where “XX” represents the system code of the program. The program names often include “B” for beginning, “M” for middle, and “E” for end. For example, “CU01BPD” and “CU01BWS” could be the names of beginning User Exit programs for “CU01.”
  4. Check for Compiled User Exit Objects: You can also verify the existence of compiled User Exit objects in the “LAWDIR/productline/usrobj” directory. For example, you might find “CU01B.gnt” as a compiled User Exit object.
  5. Verify OS File and Directory Permissions: Lastly, ensure that the file and directory permissions on “LABDIR/dict” are set correctly. Both the directory and all files within it should be readable by the “lawson” user group.

 

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the timestamp mismatch error and ensure that your program functions correctly with the updated database structure.

 

2024 Predictions: The Trends That Will Shape The Industry In The Coming Year

In 2023 we saw generative AI (artificial intelligence) take over the tech space. AI threatens to make jobs obsolete, according to Elon Musk, ResumeBuilder, and the United Nations Department of Economic Affairs. In addition, according to a report by Bloomberg Intelligence Analysts (paywall), ChatGPT and Google’s Bard will grow the market for generative AI to an estimated $1.3 trillion in revenue by 2032. David Joosten, Forbes council member and president and CEO of Vodafone US Inc., shares an article on Forbes predicting this year’s tech trends that will shape the business tech environment.

  • The convergence of 5G and IoT will benefit society more than AI. “I believe the convergence of 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) will create more opportunities than AI in 2024. By 2025, 5G networks could cover one-third of the world’s population, enabling 1.2 billion connections. This will power IoT, and by 2024, it’s predicted that there will be approximately 17.08 billion connected devices driven by smart homes and cloud computing.”
  • Cloud partnerships will continue to dominate telecom headlines. “As edge investments accelerate across industries, telecoms will deepen cloud partnerships for a more significant market share in digital services. According to a report by Fortune Business Insights, the telecom cloud market size is projected to reach $97.07 billion in 2030. This will be driven by remote and hybrid working and the rising demand for better communications and network functionality.”
  • Physical infrastructure investments will rebound. “While cloud deployments make up nearly half of enterprise workloads and have received the bulk of IT leader investments over the past decade, in 2024, IT leaders will prioritize their physical infrastructure needs alongside comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. This will form part of an ongoing activity to improve aging IT infrastructures.”

 

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Why Is Data Management Important? 8 Key Benefits

Data management is the practice of organizing, storing, securing, and analyzing data throughout its lifecycle, which is essential to making business decisions for your organization. It also keeps you in compliance with regulations and laws regarding consumer privacy. Liz Ticong, tech specialist and staff writer for Datamation, explains how data encompasses the efficient handling of information through all stages of an organization’s relationship with data, from its creation through its destruction, and data management is abroad field with a number of components that offer benefits to enterprises of all sizes. Understanding the value, applications, and benefits of data management is a critical part of modern business practice, she points out. Understanding and managing your data well presents many business opportunities. Ticong list 8 key benefits on how data management can boost business performance and give you an edge over the competition.

  1. Streamlined Processes And Increased Efficiency
  2. Better Data Consistency
  3. Improved Data Integrity
  4. Elimination Of Redundancy
  5. Easier Data Sharing
  6. Privacy And Compliance
  7. Backup And Recovery
  8. Better Security

While data management can do wonders for your business, Ticong notes, failing to make it a priority can have serious consequences too. Neglecting data management can lead to the following drawbacks:

  • Inaccurate and Unreliable Data
  • Poor Decision-Making
  • Inefficient Operations
  • Data Breaches and Other Security Risks
  • Compliance Issues
  • Lack of Customer Trust
  • Operational Downtime

Ticong concludes that effective data management supports decision-making, refines business operations, guarantees data integrity, and strengthens security. These benefits collectively contribute to increased customer satisfaction and competitiveness, so long as you prioritize data management before suffering any major consequences.

 

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How to restrict certain users’ ability to delete queued jobs in Lawson job scheduler

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Follow the steps below to learn how to restrict certain users’ ability to delete queued jobs in Lawson job scheduler.

  1. Create a new role named ‘BatchRestrictedRole’ using the Lawson RM Administrator tool.
  2. Next, in the Lawson Security Administrator (LSA), generate a new Security Class for the GEN profile and name it ‘BatchRestricted.’
  3. Within LSA, associate the ‘BatchRestricted’ Security Class with the ‘BatchRestrictedRole.’
  1. Now, let’s establish the rules for the Batch Restricted security class:
    1. Online: CAT UN
      • Grant All Access
    2. Data sources: GEN
      • Grant All Access
    3. Files: JOB, JOBSTEP
      • Grant All Access
    4. Elements: UserName
      • Grant All Access
    5. Files: QUEUEDJOB
      • Unconditional Access for Action Add (A) and Action Inquiry (I)
    6. More Security context:
      • Action Add (A) enables ability to add batch jobs
      • Action Inquiry (I) enables ability to view and run queued jobs
      • Action Delete (D) enables ability to kill running jobs
      • Action Update (M) enables ability to remove completed jobs
  1. Assign the newly created ‘BatchRestrictedRole’ to users. Ensure that these users do not possess any existing roles that grant full access to QUEUEDJOB. You can verify this by running a user security report for the GEN profile and searching for QUEUEDJOB.
  1. Please take note that, depending on your specific security requirements, you may opt to impose further restrictions on other objects within the security class.
  1. Keep in mind that while users will still see the option to delete a job, they will receive messages such as ‘User does not have access to queued job’ or ‘User Does Not Have Security Access To Delete This Job Log’ when attempting to delete jobs.

Smaken av Grimstad Moves ERP to the Infor Cloud in Eight Weeks

Infor recently announced that Smaken av Grimstad AS, Norway’s leading provider of canned and preserved fresh produce, has gone live with Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage in just eight weeks. Infor’s powerful, cloud-native, industry-focused enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution will deliver insights from across the supply chain, underpinning future business growth. The project was managed by Infor alliance partner Columbus. Per the press release, Smaken av Grimstad had last upgraded its on-premises ERP system in 2018 and was using the incumbent solution across the business to manage everything from purchasing raw materials, inventory and production planning to sales, invoicing and accounting. The business felt it was being held back by its ERP system and wanted to have a more agile evergreen ERP and ability to consume new technology as a cloud service. Thus, they decided to implement Infor CloudSuite Food & Beverage, powered by AWS (Amazon Web Services). Smaken av Grimstad was keen to make the move to the cloud, but it needed to be ready before the harvest. The team at Columbus worked hard and after just eight weeks, acheived their goals in completing moving the company to the cloud. Marcel Koks, Infor food industry strategy leader, comments on the project, “With Infor CloudSuite Food and Beverage, Smaken av Grimstad has invested in a solution for the long term. Our industry-specific functionality helps manufacturers increase visibility right across the supply chain, delivering the valuable insight needed to help reduce costs and increase efficiency, all while boosting business agility. It’s a testament to the hard work of the teams involved that we were able to achieve a successful implementation in just eight weeks.”

 

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LBI CRAS Error – The system cannot find the path specified

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If you are getting the following CRAS error message “The system cannot find the path specified” on every single LBI report that you try to run, then it is likely that the issue is with the CRAS configuration. To validate the configuration, first open the CRAS configuration manager. Next, double-click on each of the CRAS servers. You will need to validate that the “Report Directory” under the “Parameters” tab is set to an asterisk (*).  If the parameter needs to be updated, you must first stop the CRAS server you are working with, make the change, and then restart it. (Refer to the screenshots below for reference).

ERP in the cloud

By 2026, according to the IDC, the public ERP (enterprise resource planning) market will reach $73 billion. It’s no surprise that the upward trend of ERP is going to be a hot topic for years to come, as cloud migration and cloud ERP is fast becoming the new normal for business operations. ITWeb content writer and strategist Joanne Carew shares an article of the potential of having your ERP in the cloud. A shift to the cloud, says Carew, means businesses gain more valuable insights from the information they have and seek the flexibility needed to scale as and when they need to. Emma Murray, VP for indirect markets at IFS, adds that cloud ERP combines all the strengths and benefits of a world-class ERP solution with the innovations that the cloud has to offer, which helps to streamline operations, enhance scalability, reduce costs and provide real-time data access. Carew points out that cloud ERP unlocks many potentials for your business operations and your business strategy. “Vendors are now offering fully service-enabled solutions, and updates and upgrades no longer affect business operations. This means businesses have more time to focus on their core operations, according to Murray, and this also creates space for digital transformation,” says Carew.

 

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