The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration Partners with Infor

The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration of New York has chosen to implement key Infor Hospitality applications, Infor HMS, Infor EzRMS, and Infor Sales & Catering to meet and exceed modern guest expectations. Per the press release, Infor HMS is a hotel property management system (PMS) built in the cloud that provides hospitality organizations with a reliable hub for operations, tools to create clarity around business data, and the ability to establish a solid foundation to consistently deliver a superior guest experience. Additionally, Infor EzRMS is a cloud-based hotel revenue management software solution that automatically calculates demand and revenue forecasts, while recommending appropriate selling strategies. Further, Infor Sales & Catering automates the entire event booking process—from initial inquiry to the final invoice.

 

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How to get a list of specific program codes and screen descriptions in Lawson

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There are two common ways to get a list of program forms and their description from Lawson. One is through LID and another is through a database application like SQL Management Studio.

 

Method 1: The database application method requires your user to have at least database read access to the PROD or TEST Lawson database.

  1. Login to the PROD or TEST database through your database app (using SQL Management Studio for this example).
  2. Expand the PROD or TEST GEN database and expand the Tables folder:
  3. Scroll to the dbo.SCREEN table >> Right-click >> Select Top 1000 Rows
  4. For those not familiar with SQL, simply remove the TOP 1000 portion from the code to return all records in this table.

Change from this:

To this:

  1. Now click the Execute button:
  2. Select all returned records at the bottom by clicking the top left box:
  3. Right-click same box >> Copy with Headers
  4. Paste into Excel and filter as needed:

 

Method 2: The LID method is simpler if you have access to Lawson Interface Desktop

  1. Login into LID, your user will need access to rngdbdump
  2. Change directory to a safe directory to dump a file into.
  3. Type this command: rngdbdump -ct gen SCREEN > SCREEN.csv
    1. This command will dump out the SCREEN database table into a csv file in your current directory
  4. Go to that directory and open the csv file in Excel, filter down on the forms you want to view.

Good luck!

 

Infor Continues to Invest in Cloud-Based Event Management for Hospitality Industry

Infor recently released a significant update to Infor Sales & Catering with two new guest self-service portals (SSPs) for online booking and ordering. Part of the Infor CloudSuite Hospitality suite of solutions, Infor Sales & Catering is one of the industry’s only platforms designed around the beginning-to-end stages of an event with its unique, process-driven lifecycle technology and customizable to streamline processes for added productivity, building consistent business practices to improve data integrity, and eliminating errors to help reduce costs. There are two new portals:

  • Infor SCS Online Booking SSP –  allows guests to check availability for new events in real time. If event space is available on a desired date, guests can reserve that location, make selections for food, beverage and other services, receive a summary of charges and pay with a credit card — all online without having to engage with a salesperson. The benefits to guests and meeting planners are convenience, flexibility and enhanced productivity.
  • Infor SCS Online Ordering SSP – delivers tools for guests to go online to order catering services for delivery. Whether ordering food and beverage services for a trade show booth at a convention, catering for a meeting on campus at a university, or catering services for a wedding in a backyard, everything can be ordered and paid for online. The benefits to guests are convenience, flexibility and enhanced productivity, with no more waiting for a reply to an inquiry or working within the venue’s business hours.

 

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Program Error “netexpress not found”

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In a new install of Lawson, we recently had an issue running forms (inquire, previous, add, etc).  The program would hang and eventually show an IOS error message.  The job log said that lacobrts failed due to a timeout, but latm.log presented a more detailed error.

Thu Jun 17 18:55:55 2021: latm (jeeStartComponent): netexpress not found

Thu Jun 17 18:59:21 2021: latm: Monitoring turned on

Thu Jun 17 19:01:16 2021: Timeout on opening application, removing application

Thu Jun 17 19:01:16 2021: Pid=-1, Program Code=CU01  DataArea/DataID PROD       

Thu Jun 17 19:01:16 2021: Possible causes: Insufficient NetExpress licenses or

Thu Jun 17 19:01:16 2021:      not enough database users configured in ladb.cfg.

Thu Jun 17 19:01:16 2021: latm (PrcTPCrash): Received death notification of lacobrts, Uid=-1, Pid=-1

Thu Jun 17 19:01:16 2021:                  Program Code = CU01 , DataArea/DataID = PROD         

Thu Jun 17 19:01:16 2021: ERROR:    Exited with error code 0

 

The Microfocus COBOL licenses were definitely not an issue, so we started trying to track down the “netexpress not found” error.  Running “echo %COBDIR%” in LID revealed that the COBDIR environment variable was not pointing to the correct location.

This variable is set by the system, and is not something you can override in the Windows system environment variables.  After some troubleshooting, we discovered that the Lawson system value “LAUNCHER” was not correct.  We ran the command LaMgmtCmd -r <envname>, which showed the LAUNCHER value as “NetExpress”.  We compared this to another (healthy) environment that showed the LAUNCHER value as “run.exe”.

Some of these values can be modified using laconfig, but this specific value had to be updated using the update option on the LaMgmtCmd command.  First, we created an XML file with all the values (including the correct launcher), then ran LaMgmtCmd -u <envname> <filename>.

After the update, we rebooted the system, and ran lamgmtcmd -r <envname> to validate.

The value was correct, and we were able to start using the forms again.

5 Best Practices for Maximizing Your CRM Capabilities

Having the right tools is essential for any job. What if you have all the right tools, but don’t know how to use them? Or worse, you didn’t even know you had the tools to use. This is what happens to businesses who do not see the full potential and resources that customer relationship management (CRM) systems provide. Being able to fully analyze your CRM data will help your business immensely. Thanks to the cloud, data can be updated and reported in real time, so people expect information to be accurate at all times. Your CRM needs to do this well. That starts with knowing your CRM’s capabilities.

Mark sales expert and president of Sales Xceleration, shares an article on Destination CRM highlighting five best practices to to optimize your CRM’s capabilities.

  1. Include a Salesperson in the CRM Selection Process. “By involving your sales team, you ensure that your CRM elevates their current operations rather than impedes them. Plus, you’ll automatically get more buy-in when the most relevant people—those who will work most directly with the CRM—are involved in the process. They’ll feel a sense of ownership and know that their input is valued.”
  2. Balance Sales Reps’ Time With Getting the Data You Want. “Considering leadership has invested resources in the CRM, they will want to see key data from the technology. That said, you need to strike a balance when asking sales reps to gather and enter that data; you don’t want your sales team entering information at the expense of business development.”
  3. Set Clear Expectations Surrounding Data Entry. “Optimizing your CRM starts with timely data. If your sales team is responsible for maintaining prospect and customer records, they need to use only the most up-to-date and relevant data. Data can’t be accurate if it isn’t updated regularly, and leaders can’t rely on any data that doesn’t reflect the most current reality.”
  4. Customize Your CRM to Fit Your Company. “An off-the-shelf CRM is easy to set up, but it’s not truly effective until you’ve updated it to match your company’s processes. Without CRM optimization to fit your company’s precise terminology and process, your sales team will view the CRM as obsolete and default to their own systems that are consistent with the proper terminology and tracking methods.”
  5. Build Custom CRM Dashboards That Reflect How You Do Business. “Create reports and dashboards that match the way you do business and deliver the style of reporting your leadership team expects. The CRM contains information, but you need to harness that information correctly for it to be actionable. The right dashboards will provide critical business insights, allowing your sales and management teams to understand where they are on forecasting and goals. Once the right data is in the tool and represented the right way, it becomes a valuable resource to understand pipeline status while seeing whether your team is on track to meet goals, overcome roadblocks, and solve sales challenges.”

 

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Condition not found errors in blddbdict

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When running the blddbdict command after a patch or after using metaloadtable, the blddbdict command may fail with “condition not found” messages.  If this is the case, run the following commands to resolve the issue:

setsfl

setnotused <prodline>

blddbdict <prodline>

 

Infor Launches Next Generation of Hospitality Management Solution

Infor recently announced the availability of Infor Hospitality Management Solution (HMS) version 3.8.4 – the latest release of the fully cloud-enabled hotel management software in the Infor Hospitality suite of solutions. Version 3.8.4 is focused on providing new options for optimizing and delivering personalized services. Per the press release, guests in this version are empowered to manage their check-in and check-out experiences according to preference—often en route and on their phones, requiring minimal contact with hotel staff. This property management system (PMS) functionality helps start and end a hotel stay with convenience, clarity, and care. Further, the focal feature of this release is the newest module, Upsell, which presents enhanced experiences and/or upgraded rooms at check-in. The parameters can be set such that the offers differ by guest type, allowing hoteliers to choose which of their guests will receive upgrade offers. Upselling can drive revenue for the hotel by providing higher average daily rate (ADR)/revenue, higher experience spends for special offerings, and boost guest satisfaction. Version 3.8.4 is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Arabic, and Japanese, allowing Infor’s global customers to immediately benefit from the new features and interfaces.

 

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How To Choose A Managed Service Provider For Public Sector

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Maintenance Service Plans (MSP)s provide managed services to deploy the basic infrastructure and application services. Subscription terms for managed services vary from month to month and can be paid upfront or monthly. Sources: 4

 

Depending on the size of your business and its needs, you can outsource a single service to a third party (MSP) or opt for an integrated and comprehensive range of services. An MSP is a third-party partner that companies, executives and business leaders provide for certain parts of their business, such as the cloud, IT, projects and support. Using an MSP to manage certain parts of the business can be a cost-effective alternative. Sources: 4, 5

 

You need MSPs who have the flexibility to take on additional projects and services as needed, and the ability to guide you in looking at new technologies. When selecting the MSP, you should assess your company’s compatibility with the MSP in matters such as compliance, service level agreements and data protection. Sources: 2, 9

 

Your MSP should be able to explain security practices of your data center and tell you how data is stored and which external providers use it. The right MSP will want to find out if you need certain features and specifications to manage your workload. You will also want to know if you need certain resources from your cloud provider. Sources: 3, 9

 

Managed services are now one of the fastest growing sectors of the enterprise technology landscape. Many companies are beginning to turn to MSPs for help. Accountancy firms, law firms, professional service organizations and small and medium-sized enterprises of all shapes, areas and markets are increasingly turning to MSPs for IT security, data management, 24 / 7 system monitoring and a variety of IT services for businesses. Sources: 3, 9

 

MSPs give your company flexibility and access to a dedicated, qualified IT team and their internal resources. MSPs have economies of scale on their side, which allows them to charge less for basic IT services and offer a wider range of expertise. Sources: 6, 9

 

Choosing the right MSP can give your internal IT team the most valuable time and reduce stress for business owners by establishing a clear SLA on how to handle and escalate issues. An MSP can manage your cloud on demand and ensure that your other critical IT infrastructure works smoothly. Sources: 6

 

If your company chooses the wrong MSP, you will be left with inexplicable downtime, reputation damage and dissatisfied customers. Cloud Managed Service Providers you select do not have the skills and experience required for this task, and the time and money you invest in them is a waste of time. Sources: 6, 7

 

For a tech-savvy company, assessing a managed service can be a complicated and challenging undertaking. There are many factors to consider when deciding to hire an MSP to meet your MSP needs, from vendor prices to contract terms. The expertise of your MSP can affect the efficiency, availability and outcome of your business and help you stay ahead of your competitors. Sources: 4, 7

To make the right decision about an MSP you must ask dozens of questions. Before entrusting your data to an MSP, ask about the challenges they have overcome in the past. Sources: 10

You want a provider who has demonstrated competence and interest in managing standards and workload in emergencies, complex problems and mission-critical systems. A managed service provider should be able to provide support in situations where it is not possible to use it. Sources: 2, 10

 

This means that MSPs should support a variety of virtual machine deployments, a variety of network connections and understand the specifics of working with different cloud service providers. Managed cloud service providers can serve a combination of MSPs and cloud service providers and should be equipped to manage hybrid cloud deployments. Sources: 2

 

An MSP is an outsourcing company that is responsible for defining and establishing day-to-day management of services for its customers. The central principle of the MSP model is that the provider-customer relationship is based on a contract that is secured by a Service Level Agreement (SLA). Applied to MSPs, the definition varies and changes depending on the service offered. Sources: 2, 4, 8

It is a strategic method of improving business operations that is common among large corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises, non-profit organizations and governments. An MSP can handle a myriad of operational tasks that are crucial to the success of a company, both for non-customers and for customers. This allows a company to leverage the skills and experience of an MSP while avoiding the direct costs of managing the program itself. Sources: 8

 

Deciding who to trust with the entire scope of your business can be daunting. In the modern age, companies live and die from the quality of technology and thus from the IT team that supports them. Sources: 0

 

This makes it all the more important to select the right MSP for your needs, qualifications and experience in order to take your company to a new level. In the information age, here are some tips and advice to help IT executives select a managed service provider and how to make the most of it. These tips will help boost your confidence and ensure that when you are looking for an MSP consultant for your business or IT, you get the best value for your money. Sources: 0, 1

 

It feels as if the term “managed service provider” (MSP) has existed since the dawn of computer technology. In short, a managed service provider is a company that outsources or manages parts of an organization through its platform. According to the 2017 IDC Application Services Survey, 30% of leaders outsource the management of their organizations’ infrastructure and application portfolios, which is expected to increase to 41% in the next five years. Sources: 1

Cited Sources

 

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Why A ‘Low Code’ CRM Could Be A Game Changer For Smaller Companies

Often times, small companies use a number of off-the-shelf, cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) applications right out of the box that needs no immediate customizations. While the features contained in this CRM system offer pretty much everything you need for your business, some of these applications aren’t made with growth in mind. While you still may not consider yourself a big business as your service grow, your CRM application does grow and will have bigger, more complex requirements to manage your data. Does this mean you have to find another CRM to replace your old one? Possibly, but not necessarily – especially if you do not want to throw down a lot of money. Gene Marks, CRM expert and former senior manager at KPMG shares an article on Forbes introducing the concept of low-code CRM. Put in simple terms, Marks defines low-code as a methodology for building software applications (almost always cloud-based) that use mostly pre-built tools, components and connectors. This reduces the need for a full time developer for the short term, though it is still important to have a reliable developer for the long term. Low-code platforms create apps of varying complexity to meet critical business demands such as development, process automation, and accelerated digital transformation. Companies such as Creatio have established themselves in the low-code CRM application market, offering their products and services to take away much of CRM’s complexity in small (and big) companies as a way to reduce costs. According to Gartner, the popularity of low code applications will result in 70 percent of new applications developed by enterprises will use low-code or no-code technologies, up from less than 25 percent in 2020. Marks concludes if you’re running a smaller business and need a customized CRM application, it’s important to consider the low-code offerings that your vendor may already have or look to other applications that offer these tools.

 

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How To Choose A Vendor Management System

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A vendor management system (VMS) is a suite of software that helps companies take over the entire vendor management process, from the first contact to the final conclusion of a deal or the establishment of a business relationship. Vendor management is a process that enables organizations to take appropriate measures to control costs, reduce potential risks associated with suppliers, ensure excellent service and derive long-term value from suppliers. Vendor management involves researching the best and most appropriate supplier sources, acquiring pricing information, assessing work quality, managing relationships (in some cases with multiple suppliers ), evaluating performance, establishing organizational standards and ensuring that payments are made on time. A supplier management system is an online or web-based tool that acts as a single node for all vendor-related activities within an organization or organization to ensure and improve efficiency and long-term growth in a cost-effective manner. Sources: 2, 6

 

With a modular approach, vendor management systems (VMS) have special modules or apps that handle processes such as vendor onboarding and vendor payments. Supplier management plays an important role in the operation of a supply chain, so there is a lot to consider when researching this type of software. It is the key to the success of procurement teams and the use of a good supplier management system offers advantages in this context. Sources: 2, 7

 

In this Buyers Guide, we explain the basics of vendor management software and what you need to know as a small business to make your software choices. Sources: 7

You should remember that the main objective of supplier management software is supplier engagement and maintenance as well as project management. However, many vendor management software systems offer much more, so you should carefully set your priorities when selecting a vendor management solution for your business. Sources: 0

 

When a company is looking for a new Vendor Management System (VMS), there are a variety of software solutions to choose from that appear to have similar functionality on the surface. Vendor management professionals would be well advised to devote more time to differentiating features such as native business intelligence (BI) and advanced workflow tools, with so much in common that leads to vendor sourcing to make the best buying decisions. It is curious that many vendor management software systems contain functions that could replace existing software solutions for your company. Sources: 0, 4

 

Next-generation VMS include BI capabilities such as the ability to analyze past performance, respond to business events in real time, and execute scenarios to identify future opportunities. The right vendor management software adapts to the existing legacy systems and increases the value of the operation. It streamlines your AP processes, creates self-service opportunities for vendors and facilitates communication. Sources: 4, 9

 

Choosing the right supplier management system is crucial to meet these growing requirements. By introducing appropriate supplier management, your organization benefits from a wider choice of suppliers, resulting in more choice and better costs. Let us examine some of the ways we need to look for when evaluating third-party providers and risk management solutions to make the implementation of your initiatives more cost-effective. Sources: 3, 6

 

The organization and management of vendor information such as financial contracts, insurance and certificates is crucial for effective third-party supervision. An efficient supplier management system ensures that the team works with suppliers in all functions and that there is complete transparency on important supplier details. Sources: 3, 10

 

A good supplier management system enables effective interactions between suppliers and their team leaders.  Supplier management systems are software that helps companies manage their workers, suppliers, contractors and consultants. A good supplier management system is a great way to keep suppliers in your corporate culture and work environment. Supplier management software can help companies find subcontractors, contingent workers, and human resources agencies that are able to help with sales orders, consolidate billing, and reporting. Sources: 5, 9

 

Vendor management is a term that describes the process by which companies manage their suppliers, also known as vendors. Vendor management solutions are a kind of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) that enables companies to communicate and assign tasks to paid independent contractors and freelancers. Sellers are involved through communication channels that facilitate real-time communication between sellers and strengthen relationships between sellers. Sources: 5, 9

 

Centralized and simplified communication tools that provide a secure and reliable way to approve and take suppliers on board, maintain useful performance monitoring and deliver the right analytics and insights to make critical business decisions. From an enterprise perspective, an efficient supplier management process can help save time and money, ensure that your organization works with reliable suppliers, and ensure contract compliance when drafting contracts, invoicing, making payments, and much more. Sources: 10

 

The supplier management system you choose should be compatible with your company’s existing tech stack without compromising your company’s data. Contact your IT compliance team to ensure that the solutions you evaluate work with the technology you already use, and that you trust the provider to protect your information. Sources: 11

 

Let your IT team know that you are considering some software solutions, and ask if there is anything special you can require from the vendor, such as an API (Application Programming Interface) that allows two different applications to communicate and work together. Now that we have set out why you need a supplier management system, let us discuss how it works. The first rule of thumb is that there should never be more than one vendor management system. Sources: 11, 12

 

Today, marketplace organizations depend on vendors and other third parties for essential business functions, making the maintenance of an effective supplier management program both important and complex. However, efficient supplier management results in both time and money savings, as it provides a way of keeping track of all of the important dates that need attention – expiring insurance certificates, for example. Sources: 3, 8

 

In the past, multiple supplier schedules and subsequent payments had to be managed on paper but today many companies opt for the supply chain management software that automates labor-intensive tasks. Many of the tasks above were previously done on paper and tracked manually, but more and more companies are now looking for vendor management software solutions such as web applications and cloud-based solutions that can handle most tasks. Depending on how companies scale, their supplier management software should be scalable and can be integrated into existing software. Sources: 1, 8

Cited Sources

 

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