Human beings are strange creatures in many ways. One of the habits we all have is a tendency to avoid doing a difficult job today in favor of a quicker workaround, despite the fact we know in the long run we would be better off implementing the proper solution at the start. It frustrates me that even though I am hyper aware of this tendency, I still fall victim to it. My Microsoft Word template isn’t set up quite right so I have to change the theme each time I want to use it, my front door sticks and I know I need to replace it, but a quick shove of the shoulder will do.
I see people copying and pasting things into emails to send to colleagues to trigger the next part of the process. I question whether they have thought about implementing SYSPRO workflow. They mutter that it has been discussed, but the effort involved seems too great. Regardless of the fact the total effort is a fraction of the aggregated time sending unnecessary emails over a two year period!
On another site, I saw a customer running a huge extract to pull inventory data and history into a spreadsheet. When I asked them what they were doing it turned out they were running algorithms to try and improve their stock holding position. I asked why they weren’t using SYSPRO Inventory Optimization. Another slightly pink face. “Well, I knew how to use Excel and I’d have had to wait for a day of training on SYSPRO, it was just quicker…..to start with.”
SYSPRO customers run smart businesses. They don’t have extra resources sitting around waiting for a new project, but neither do they have time to not optimize their processes. My advice to SYSPRO customers is that they implement these three simple steps:
- Survey your users and ask them for the three most time-consuming, administrative, jobs they do on a regular basis. Compile the survey results, look for themes and decide on a couple of SYSPRO projects that will add the most value to the users.
- Engage with your local SYSPRO reseller about these projects and work out a plan whereby you can automate or simplify the process. Make sure you have a robust business case for your investment in SYSPRO.
- Go for it, implement the features and modules you have been “putting off” and start reaping the rewards!
