ERP systems enable businesses to manage day-to-day activities through centralized and secure data. Think of it as bringing all users of the software under one roof so that everyone from the CFO to the human resources team are is unified through common processes, connectivity and insight into centralized information. We broke it out into a … Read more
Category: ERP
How do I Budget for an ERP Implementation?
When researching any business purchase, price is an important factor. But some investments are difficult to quantify with an exact dollar amount. More importantly, in the business world, cost is not directly related to value. Think of some high-priced executive salaries or inflated costs of luxury cars. Are they worth it? Maybe, maybe not. When … Read more
Qualities to Look for When Hiring an ERP Consultant
Congratulations! Your business has made the choice to implement an ERP system. Now comes the most important element of that massive undertaking: selecting the right ERP consultants to help you bring the system to life. ERP consultants are critical for your business, especially when the goal is to scale your organization to the next level. … Read more
Three ERP Success Stories
Sometimes when starting the journey of planning an ERP implementation, it helps to read about how other companies found success working with consultants to execute the project. How do we measure success? Each project will have specific KPIs of course, but overall, a successful ERP implementation demonstrates that we’ve gone ‘live’ on time, on budget … Read more
Futureproof your ERP system with eCommerce integration
If you do not have an existing eCommerce platform, or you have an eCommerce platform that does not interact with products, operational or accounting systems, you might be stuck in a time loop circa the 1990s. But not in the good, grunge rock Nirvana way. No, if your B2B company does not have eCommerce systems … Read more
When ERP Implementation Fails
You’re in the middle of a failed ERP Implementation. Now What? Staying ahead of the competition is critical for your success. With growth at the heart of your strategy, it’s likely you will undertake or have already taken on, an ERP implementation to improve and automate your business. With this endeavor and expense comes great … Read more
How Long Does it Take to Implement an ERP System?
The words ‘ERP implementation’ can give even the most experienced IT leaders, CEOs and CFOs a headache, as they consider the variables to balance: budget, training, testing, leaving old ways behind and, above all, time. This is a major undertaking and often involves a degree of change management. Many people in your business will be … Read more
Wholesale Distribution ERP: Five Essential Applications
In a competitive and unpredictable market, wholesale distributors must ensure their ERP systems can handle complex demands. B2B products and services are expected to meet shrinking delivery timeframes thanks to automated supply chains. It should come as no surprise that changes in distribution and supply chain models are happening industry-wide. Customer expectations are influenced by … Read more
Demand Forecasting is Changing. Can Your ERP System Keep Up?
Demand forecasting is the process of making future estimations in relation to customer demand over a specific period. Generally, demand forecasting will consider historical data and other analytical information generated through machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) to produce accurate predictions. The right ERP system gathers data through these applications and generates precise demand … Read more
Our ERP System’s Superhero: Business Intelligence
We know the power of ERP systems is multifaceted, providing your business with greater efficiency because your people are seamlessly connected and automation of essential functions. Business Intelligence (BI) propels this a step further when integrated with your ERP, providing real-time data analysis and insights. As your ERP works hard to tie together business processes … Read more
Your Customers Are Telling You Exactly What They Want. Are You Listening?
Technological advances in ERP and CRM systems have nearly eliminated guesswork and provided unprecedented muscle to operations. But one thing technology can’t do is read customers’ minds. The good news, though, is that if you know where to look, there’s no magic needed. You can use voice of the customer (VoC) analytics within the right … Read more
3 Product Distribution Processes You Should Be Automating
Since 2020, product distribution companies have faced rolling waves of worker shortages and supply chain disruptions, all amid a global economy that can best be described in one word: unpredictable. It should come as no surprise, then, that product distribution companies would increasingly look to ERP capabilities such as process automation to bridge gaps and … Read more
Stop Running Financial Reports. Let Your ERP System Show You Data.
Financial management software provides businesses with a full array of accounting functions to record daily financial operations and generate quarterly and annual financial statements. It also provides tools for reporting, analysis, budgeting and planning. But do you really want reams of reports? No. What you really want is data. The right ERP system pulls everything … Read more
Why ERP Implementations Fail: How to Avoid the 7 Pitfalls
Gartner estimates that 55% to 75% of all ERP implementation projects fail to meet their goals and objectives. Considering these projects are at least several months long or, more typically, take years, the fiscal and cultural health of the entire company is at risk if they go wrong. To minimize disruption, you must have the … Read more
A Business Central RE-Implementation (Why Choosing the Right Partner is Important)
Often our success stories highlight a customer’s journey through choosing a new ERP system (Acumatica or Dynamics 365 Business Central) and the ins and outs of their implementation with our team here at Crestwood Associates. This one will be a little different; this is a story of a company who had gone through the process … Read more
Accounting Today Recognizes Crestwood Associates as a Top VAR for 2021
Crestwood Associates ranks in yet another top ERP reseller list. ORLANDO, Fla. (PRWEB) July 16, 2021 — Crestwood Associates has again been named to Accounting Today’s list of Top 100 VARs for 2021. The top 100 resellers are chosen from organizations that sell and implement Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and accounting software, and are ranked … Read more
Choosing the Best ERP Solution for eCommerce: What to Look For
There are two questions eCommerce firms operating in a digital economy must be able to answer: What is an ERP solution and what are the best ERP solutions for eCommerce? The first question is easy, but the second one is more subjective. Let’s start with what an ERP solution is… Simply put, a cloud-based ERP … Read more
White Paper: 19 Brilliant Ways to Promote ERP & CRM User Adoption
Getting your entire team on board when introducing new software is always a challenge. User adoption can make or break a new system, no matter how good it is. Like ERP or CRM, no two systems are alike, so finding the best solution that will fit your business needs plus the needs of your team … Read more
Getting to a Remote Workforce
We realize you might be tired of hearing about COVID-19, but if you need assistance getting your employees safe, secure, and reliable remote access so you can keep your business moving forward, we have a special offer for you. Crestwood, along with Microsoft, bring to you: Free Microsoft Office licenses for six months (including web … Read more
Managing Expectations in Your Move to ERP
Change is hard. Shocking, right? Say you’re trying to get healthy. You go out and buy workout gear, get excited about your future self, and you make it to the gym for a day. You wake up the next morning sore—barely able to make it up the stairs—but are still willing to push through. A … Read more
Are You Sure that You’re Really in the Cloud? A Gray Market Cloud Horror Story
You are a savvy business owner; your business processes and ERP are backed up in the cloud. You’ve seen the statistics, heard the horror stories, and you’ve made the necessary steps to feel secure. But what does “in the cloud” really mean? How secure is your data really? Gray Market Cloud Spells Doom for One … Read more
Can You Really Integrate Salesforce CRM and Acumatica ERP? Yes!
Salesforce and Acumatica have spent the better part of their history in opposition to each other. Salesforce, touted by many as the first SaaS cloud product on the market, has delivered customer relationship management solutions via the internet for the last two decades. Acumatica, on the other hand, launched in 2008 to deliver a suite … Read more
What’s the Cost of Doing Nothing? Why You Can’t Afford to Wait on Your ERP Software Decision
If not making a decision to implement or upgrade to a modern-day, cloud ERP is the decision you choose to make, your business isn’t going to grow. Learn about the financial effects of your non-decision in the new Aberdeen Group whitepaper “The Cost of Doing Nothing: Why You Can’t Afford to Sit on an ERP … Read more
3 Things that will Kill Your Manufacturing Business and How to Avoid Them
Manufacturing and distribution businesses drive most of their profits from their inventory. That means inventory management and replenishment should be key areas of concern to maintain a healthy, thriving business. Using inadequate tools like spreadsheets, don’t give you the ability to control your inventory correctly. Here are the three key issues that businesses like yours … Read more