David Van der Grient Research Assignment BUS 2302

1. Introduction to ERP 2. ERP components 3. Introduction to case study 4. Trico Group: prior to ERP 5. Trico Group: use of ERP 6. Analysis of case study 7. Trico Group: feedback 8. Conclusion

 Collect transaction data from various business processes  Store the data in a database  Share information amongst business processes  Are used by managers to support decision-making

 Supply chain management (SCM)  Improves efficiency of activities through the network of suppliers, manufacturers, and distributers  Inter-organizational information system (IOS) is created by businesses to facilitate communication with its suppliers, customers and other organizations  Electronic data interchange (EDI)  Business Alliances

Trico Group is a printing, contract packaging and distribution company, headquartered in Ottawa, with branches in Vancouver and Montreal Trico has implemented an ISO 9002 quality management system since 1995

 Trico lacked a real time analysis of all costs, which is required to ensure that resource expenditures support profitability on a job by job basis  Trico had difficulty:  scheduling efficiently  tracking labor resources,  Providing real time information to CSR’s

 ACCPAC allows for EDI exchange to  Simplify billing  Facilitate credit transactions  SAP is used to  Share suppliers’ schedules  Provide access to purchase order information  Support production planning  Manage and control inventory  Manage distribution  Provide detailed managerial reports

 Pros  Efficient machine scheduling  Labor tracking  Real-time analysis of costs  Simplified billing  Facilitates credit transactions via point-of- sale terminals  Reduce costs and time (human resources)  ROI within 12 months  Cons  High cost of implementation/overhead  Complexity of implementation  Technical challenges  Impact of process changes on employees

 “A knowledgeable company is in a better position to react to client concerns, and requests. By creating a connection between efficiency and profitability, managers are able to better understand the impact of their actions on the bottom line.” – Perry Morin (IT specialist, Trico Group)  In order to remain competitive, companies like Trico must adopt electronic information systems to keep up with industry standards

 The use of SAP software allows Trico to operate on a network to distribute tasks more effectively  Tools like ACCPAC make it easier for Trico to share information at the management level and within business alliances  Automated inventory control systems allow for closer monitoring of inventory levels  The savings in efficiency drastically outweigh the costs of implementing this software

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