Quantum Architecture Quantum Architecture

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1 Version 6.1 Quantum Architecture Quantum Architecture

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3 Introducing SYSPRO SYSPRO is an internationally-recognized, leading provider of enterprise business solutions. Formed in 1978, SYSPRO was one of the first software vendors to develop an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution. Today, SYSPRO is a global business solutions vendor, represented on six continents and by more than 1500 channel and support partners. Over 14,500 licensed companies across a broad spectrum of industries in more than 60 countries trust SYSPRO as the platform on which to manage their business processes. Customer focus is a core component of SYSPRO s corporate culture and is one of the key reasons why SYSPRO maintains a strong leadership position in the enterprise application market. By focusing on people and building lasting relationships with customers and partners, SYSPRO consistently excels at guiding customers through all aspects of their implementation and ongoing utilization. The aim is to deliver world-class software that gives customers the control, insight and agility they need for a competitive advantage in a global economy. As such, SYSPRO provides a unique combination of robust, scalable technologies that ensure minimal risk and a high return on investment. SYSPRO is continually developing innovative software that simplifies operational effectiveness and keeps customers in control of their businesses. Our vision is focused on meeting customer needs today and in the future. The most integrated, uncomplicated and effortless business software solution for small and medium enterprises 1

4 What is Enterprise Architecture (EA)? Enterprise Architecture is a comprehensive conceptual framework that assists organizations to understand their own structures and processes and how they work. To put it simply, EA ensures that all the company s enterprise assets business processes, IT (hardware and software), networks, people, information databases and operations are aligned to support the overall business strategy. Four critical pillars We can break EA down into four supporting pillars, each contributing an essential element to the overall model: 1. The Business Architecture describes how a business works, including its overall strategy to achieve objectives, vision and future states. It will elaborate on the structure, its functional business units and processes and how these relate to one another. 2. The Information Architecture describes what the organization needs to know to run its business processes and operations. It should include valid data models; data management policies and standards; databases that serve all users and a description of the patterns of information production and consumption in the organization. This will include informal data stores, such as flowcharts, spreadsheets, documents and presentations that exist throughout the organization. There cannot be room for separate silos of data and knowledge within the enterprise. It is the very purpose of the EA to develop one common, shared, valid, reliable and consistent data resource. 3. The Application Architecture defines the enterprise s application portfolio linking the information and business architectures to selected applications that best serve users and their individual skills in their different job functions. It must always support the required activities and processes of the business and automate procedures as far as is practically possible. This architecture should also provide for information storage and retrieval. Finally, provision must be made for the development of new applications based on the enterprise s needs, policies and technology platforms. 4. The Technology Architecture defines the hardware and software supporting the organization. It provides the technology platforms that link the application, business and data architectures to offer user-friendly solutions to the various users in their respective work stations. These can include desktop and mobile hardware, printers, modems, server hardware, operating systems and network components. 2

5 Each of the four architectures requires an in-depth analysis across the enterprise, the outcomes of which will be reflected in models, flowcharts, diagrams, standards and specifications. These will range from broad contextual and conceptual perspectives on the policy-making level to process models on the conceptual level and diagrams and detailed specifications of physical assets on solution and implementation levels. An architectural approach will consistently provide management with valid and reliable information on which to make business decisions. It also ensures data of much higher integrity that will correlate to statistics drawn from various functions and departments across time and space. The productivity and efficiency of enterprise information systems will greatly be enhanced due to of its dedicated design and applications. If developed in sufficient depth and detail, the architecture will assist management in identifying the best possible components to match a company s specific needs. It should identify best practices by industry or vertical and assist in building these into its systems and processes to the best advantage of the enterprise. Because EA is based on the divulgence of an enterprise s full architecture on all levels, its diagnostic capability is vested in the fact that the framework becomes a powerful single source of truth. It looks at a complete and comprehensive picture and then guides management in its attempts to realign the business and its systems and resources to achieve optimal efficiencies. Moving towards Quantum Architecture In order to be competitive in the current markets, a business must adopt a strategy of technology enablement. Companies today can no longer ignore advances in technology and how technology breaks the traditional boundaries of our work environments. The challenge lies in choosing a technology that enables both current business processes and future technology requirements. 3

6 Quantum Architecture with SYSPRO This documents shows how SYSPRO s Solution Architecture enables success, from a business technology perspective. SYSPRO s architects have concentrated on four different dimensions to enhance their understanding of the business environment. In order to better understand business, the architects at SYSPRO have delineated four different dimensions: Business Process Information Technology Thereafter, based on industry standards and combined with leading technologies, the SYSPRO architects have created the SYSPRO Solution Architecture. It is this solution architecture that both enables and supports the various dimensions and needs of your business. In creating an architected solution for business, SYSPRO selects the components that best match business needs and architected a solution, that encompasses both current and future needs. 4

7 Business Challenge the need to re-engineer business processes For this example, we are using a simple procurement process. Requisitioning Purchasing Supplier process Goods receiving The business need: Continuous process improvement Applying current industry standards to business Collaborating more with customers, suppliers and internal business divisions Automation of business processes Meeting the business needs using SYSPRO Process Modeling (SPM) To demonstrate how this works, we can apply and map the best practices from SYSPRO Process Models over existing processes using the sample business process above. The benefits of this are: The SYSPRO Process Models are a reflection of industry best practices Access to tried and tested process patterns An upfront understanding of what the system can and cannot do from a business process perspective A process-driven solution 5

8 The result of applying an Architected SYSPRO component a new enhanced business process We started with a basic business process that was not system enabled and did not reflect best practices And end up with... Setup & Authorize a Supplier Setup & Authorize an Item Your base business process has been enhanced by adding the following process components: Requisition authorization (work flowed to the right authorization levels) Item and Supplier management (work flowed for when an item does not exist) A work flowed quoting process An integration of supplier processes with business processes, including supplier performance management 6

9 Business Challenge defining the users of a newly architected solution Architecting for people When architecting solutions, it is important to know who the users of the solution will be and to design the architecture for their respective purposes. These can include employees who require their processes to be enabled by technology, employees who are geographically dispersed, suppliers who are required to integrate with the business and customers to whom the business wants to give easier access to its products, services and information. The desired solutions can be offered in whatever format or medium the enterprise requires. It should make its resources and information available when and where the respective users need them; anytime, anywhere and in any possible manner. Access to systems and information can be made available, with full consideration of the required security controls, from the desktop or remotely through mobile devices or the Cloud. This information will enable the architect to accommodate various role requirements in the system and to provide for better interaction with customers, suppliers and other systems. The result is that the technology solution aligns the business much more effectively with people and their processes. Users will quickly recognize the familiar look and feel of the enterprise that will permeate all its activities and documentation generated by the architecturally designed systems. This familiarity, in turn, leads to faster learning of upgraded systems and processes. Through a large number of implementations, SYSPRO has created patterns to describe the system users as well as the functions which they traditionally perform. Some examples: When matching SYSPRO to this business need, we ask: Which of your employees will require their processes to be enabled by technology? Where are all your employees located, and will this impact how they use the system? Do you require a Business2Business(B2B) strategy that also allows suppliers to integrate with your system, thereby making your processes more efficient? Do you want to make it easier for your customers to work with you, in which case how do you expose more products, services and information to them? What other systems need to be integrated with to the SYSPRO solution ensure that your business operates in an efficient Enterprise-to-Enterprise(E2E) manner? The benefits of this are that you can consolidate your role requirements in your business, while better understanding how your customers, suppliers and other systems interact with you. The result is that your technology solution matches the business to people and their processes. 7

10 Business Challenge defining the means by which customers, partners and employees can access your business The business need: to understand the channels when conducting business with customers, employees, suppliers and other systems. A channel is a medium through which to convey business information, as demonstrated in the examples below: Channel of Choice Mobile Other Applications WWW WEB ipad SOA business objects Desktop p Client iphone Android Symbian MS Office Components Now that you know your business process, we match which parts of that process are going to be exposed through which channels to which users. Looking at the diagram below, you might have a Manager (Employee) use an ipad to authorize a requisition. SYSPRO Users Employees Suppliers Customers Other Systems Channel of Choice Mobile Other Applications WWW WEB ipad SOA business objects Desktop p Client iphone Android Symbian MS Office Components SPM & Workflow Channel enhanced of Choice Process Create a Requisition Requisition Purchasing Goods Receiving Create Purchase Order Record Purchase Receipt Authorize Purchase Order Review Requisition Approve Requisition Generate Request For Quote Create a Requisition Quoting Review Quotes Select Quote & Generate PO Supplier & Item Setup Supplier Processes Setup & Authorize a Supplier Std Process flow Setup & Authorize an Item Receive & Submit Quotes Review Purchase Order Review Supplier Quotes Review PO Status Work flow Review Supplier Performance Your Infrastructure OR SaaS - SYSPRO BusinessLive 8

11 The process of architecting the touch points presents the ability to expose the business in the most efficient manner whether via the business infrastructure or SYSPRO s SaaS offering (Software as a Service) BusinessLive, a hosted SYSPRO solution with flexible licensing options. Some more examples of how you can expose more touch points to your business are: SYSPRO Enable Processes Review Requisitions Authorize Purchase Order Manager Receive & Submit Quotes Process a Sales Order Components (eg. Telephony) Review Delivery Dates Your Infrastructure OR SaaS - SYSPRO BusinessLive Process a Purchase Order Update Financials 9

12 The result of architecting your business touch points via the process below is a highly collaborated business process with information that is no longer bound by technology. SOA business objects Setup & Authorize a Supplier Setup & Authorize an Item In this process: The customers use the iphone & ipad to review stock levels. The manager can use the iphone to authorize a Purchase Order or a Microsoft application like Excel to review requisitions and perhaps add graphs in Excel on the fly. The supplier can receive and submit quotes to you via your access controlled website. The employees can use the desktop client to do high-speed requisition processes. Other systems that are critical to your business operations can integrate via SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) business objects to your SYSPRO system. An important note to make is that SYSPRO licensing focuses on concurrent users of the system and not on those who view information. This means that exposing your information to more suppliers and partners does not have to drive up your license costs. 10

13 Business Challenge mastering the flow of documents in your business Because documentation will always be part of a process, the business will always need to manage and track important documents. SYSPRO Document Flow Manager allows you to link documents to steps in the process and to flow through your process, and be accessed when required. Doc s in process Setup & Authorize a Supplier SOA business objects Setup & Authorize an Item Document Flow Manager Managed in The benefits include the ability to control the flow of documents within your organization as well as to automate the flow of documents between your organization and trading partners. An example is the processing of incoming and outgoing documents, such as sales orders and purchase orders. 11

14 Business Challenge ensuring a seamless flow of the business processes Workflow and business modeling The results of EA all contribute to continuous improvement as any good business improvement process should. Workflow design and business process modeling are at the heart of EA. Workflow allows for the collaboration between people, documents, software and systems. Each workflow diagram shows a beginning and an end, and outlines a set of tasks in the order in which they are performed, leading to an intended outcome. In the workflow, provision is then made for monitoring through control points, report generation, and time management of the process. By the same token, information and documentation flow has to be charted. However well automated, management must at all times be able to track and monitor the flow of information and documents through the system, linking them to particular steps in the process flow. Finally, provision must be made for historical and current data to be extracted and viewed in formats that will facilitate more reliable and valid forecasting to enable effective strategic, tactical and operational insights and decision-making. This level of transparency requires the technology to drive methods and processes that can transform raw data into meaningful information. To be truly effective for this purpose, data must have high credibility, and data capturing must be done to strict and clear audit trails. The ability to access performance metrics and to do the benchmarking that enables effective management of business processes is dependent on full disclosure and complete transparency of data. Analytical capability must also be provided for. This architecture will require components for data mining, statistical analysis, predictive analytics and predictive modeling, as well as for data visualization and an executive information system to serve reporting needs. 12

15 Setup & Authorize a Supplier SOA business objects Setup & Authorize an Item SYSPRO Workflow Services (SWS) Realise in SWS Implementing a workflow solution satisfies the following needs: Control over what is happening in your business Instituting levels of authority for authorizations and decision making Measuring the performance of business processes SYSPRO Workflow Services is the collaboration between people, documents, software and systems. Each workflow has a beginning and an end and contains a process flow (set of tasks) which produces a result. The Workflow tools allow you to orchestrate workflows and create custom activities that can execute with business objects or external applications. You will also be able to monitor workflows and generate reports to see how long it takes to complete each process. The result: greater clarity, transparency and integration throughout the organization s business processes. 13

16 Business Challenge integrating disparate systems in your business For your business to run seamlessly, you need to have systems that readily share and integrate information and that can collaborate in the context of the business processes. There are two ways in which SYSPRO can match this need: Business objects (SOA).NET components Below is an example of integrating a call center requirement with SYSPRO using a traditional integration method. Below is the same example of integrating, but using a.net telephony component with SYSPRO. 14

17 Instead of the Call Center agent manually finding all the customer information and feeding it back to the customer, the.net component identifies the caller ID and passes it to SYSPRO. Your SYSPRO solution then uses the caller ID to find the customer, information and the corresponding orders. By the time the Call Centre agent picks up the phone, ALL the information is already at his\her fingertips! The result: Two systems collaborating in one business process, all within SYSPRO. SYSPRO e.net Solutions exposes business objects that access the database based on defined business rules. Standard business functions can now be exposed without having to develop costly interfaces to other technologies. SYSPRO s e.net Solutions focuses on: Open Connectivity Portability Accessibility Advanced Security Open Interoperability Reliability Flexibility Reducing Costs The result: Systems within and around your business can integrate both information and business functions. BUT sometimes you still need to use an existing application and for it to be part of your business processes. This is where SYSPRO s use of.net components is best suited. 15

18 Business Challenge optimizing the use of Microsoft Office technology in your business In which application do you work every day - Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, SYSPRO? You can use SOI (SYSPRO Office Integration) to tightly integrate business information from SYSPRO into your Microsoft Office products. SYSPRO Integrating into Office? Where do you work?? Add SYSPRO Office Integration Equal s Many users today work within their chosen Microsoft Office applications on a daily basis, and it makes sense to allow them to access and query information held within SYSPRO without requiring SYSPRO to be installed on their computer. The benefit of SYSPRO Office Integration (SOI) is that it enables anyone in your business to access information directly and securely from the SYSPRO database using a Microsoft Office product such as Word or Excel, regardless of whether SYSPRO is installed on their machine. Furthermore, once the information has been displayed, it can be inserted directly into the current document as simple text or tables. SYSPRO Office Integration works with: Microsoft Word Outlook s to-do list Microsoft Excel Microsoft Outlook The result is an integration of relevant information into widely-used office products. SYSPRO Office Integration 16

19 Business Challenge an effective way of providing historical, current and predictive views of your business operations Your business needs a set of methodologies, processes, architectures and technologies that transform raw data into meaningful and useful information to enable more effective strategic, tactical and operational insights and decision-making. SYSPRO s solution architecture meets this need through: Measurement Performance metrics and benchmarking that inform business leaders about progress towards business goals (Also known as Business Process Management). SYSPRO Analytics A program that builds quantitative processes for a business to arrive at optimal decisions and to perform Business Knowledge Discovery. This architecture component allows for: data mining, statistical analysis, predictive analytics and predictive modeling. SYSPRO Reporting Services This component builds an infrastructure for strategic reporting to serve the strategic management of a business. It allows for data visualization and an executive information system. Collaboration Business objects that enable different areas (both inside and outside the business) to work together (integrate) through data sharing and Electronic Data Interchange. The benefits of this are: Quicker fact-based decision making based on real-time information Simplified graphical presentation of KPIs and metrics Reliable presentation of information (sources of information are managed through SYSPRO) Integration of multiple disparate data sources (Integration of all your transactional systems into SYSPRO) Faster collection and dissemination of information for decision making 17

20 Business Challenge your systems are not optimized to the personal working requirements of your employees Not all your employees need to use the system in the same way even though users require the same screens, the information needed and the functions each employee must perform on the screen can vary greatly. Your employees need to have the ability to personalize the screens based on the information they require and the functions they perform. Add SYSPRO Power Tailoring Functions (Samples) Your Personalized SYSPRO Workspace Standard SYSPRO Screen Or Add Additional Display Data Link a note pad against a field Use Add Streamline/ Add List Equals Control Views Data Entry SYSPRO Template Or Remove Fields Display Web Pages Add Link & Display Graphs View PDF Documents Customized Pane SYSPRO s Power Tailoring enables you to personalize, tailor and configure the system to better suit your individual user requirements, streamline your business processes and enrich your experience. The benefits of Power Tailoring are: Add and remove functionality from display and entry forms without the need for specialist development tools or skills Find information quickly and streamline data entry by rearranging the screen layout Increase productivity using Quick Link and hyperlinks to access/view additional information Control the appearance and behavior of display and entry forms, making it easier to enter information Modify the look of fields by changing fonts, colors or built-in themes for better presentation of information Use associated panes to provide links to relevant information from any application The result of using SYSPRO s Power Tailoring is that the more you allow the users to tailor the system to their functional needs, the closer SYSPRO comes to being the perfect match for your business. 18

21 Business Challenge maintaining an expensive IT infrastructure is not core to your business Taking IT to the cloud? When enterprises already question the need for the further existence of their IT departments, the principles of EA may seem twice as daunting. Management may already feel that the cost of its IT infrastructure and continuously growing security risks exceed the value it adds to the business. The good news is that Enterprise Architecture and outsourcing the IT infrastructure are not mutually exclusive. Software as a Service (SaaS) can deliver software as cloud computing services to the business. The hosting service provides the daily technical operation, maintenance, and support for the solutions in a hosted environment. This removes the ongoing need for expensive servers and large numbers of IT staff to maintain infrastructure. Solutions are now available that provide not only a comprehensive Enterprise Resource Planning system in the cloud, but one that includes the capability, through process modeling and workflow modules, to capture the principles of sound EA in the solution. Are you as a business asking your IT department: Why do we have large up front IT instrastructure costs? Do we have sufficient levels of security? How do I save on IT costs? How do I change IT infrastructure from a CAPEX cost to an operating cost? If these are some of the questions that you are asking your IT department, then it is possibly time to outsource your IT infrastructure. SYSPRO s Software as a Service (SaaS) model called BusinessLive provides maintenance, daily technical operation, and support for an ERP solution in a hosted environment. This means that you do not need expensive servers and large numbers of IT staff to maintain your infrastructure. SYSPRO BusinessLive provides you with SYSPRO Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, on-demand via the internet, for the cost of a monthly subscription. The software is hosted for you, removing the hassle of maintaining IT infrastructure, and freeing you up to focus on managing your business. 19

22 all you business challenges with SYSPRO meets Quantum Architecture Solutions In order to realize your business need with technology, you need a comprehensive architecture that can cater to your current and future technology needs. A BASIC snapshot of the SYSPRO Architecture would be: 20

23 This is why SYSPRO beats its competition SYSPRO is built based on industry standards SYSPRO is an architected solution with over 30 years of experience behind it It can be exposed through multiple channels (SYSPRO Anywhere): Web Business Objects (SOA) MS Office Desktop Client Mobile Devices SYSPRO integrates with existing supplier applications and solutions SYSPRO provides world-class support for your implementation and operational requirements It s fast and easy to implement SYSPRO is a business process-driven solution SYSPRO s Workflow Services allows you to automate and control processes within your business The Cost of Ownership is low SYSPRO provides your employees with the ability to personalize their screens based on the information they require and the functions that they perform With SYSPRO Power Tailoring, SYSPRO can be personalized to your look and feel SYSPRO Business Intelligence enables effective decision making SYSPRO allows for quicker, fact-based decision making based on real-time information SYSPRO embraces new technology trends SYSPRO licensing focuses on concurrent users rather than on those who view information SYSPRO grows with your business 21

24 Africa and the Middle East SYSPRO (Pty) Limited Block A Sunninghill Place 9 Simba Road Sunninghill Johannesburg 2191 South Africa Tel: +27 (0) Fax: +27 (0) info@za.syspro.com Canada SYSPRO Software Limited 4400 Dominion Street Suite 215 Burnaby (Vancouver) British Columbia Canada V5G 4G3 Tel: +1 (604) Fax: +1 (604) info@ca.syspro.com USA & Americas SYSPRO Impact Software, Inc. 959 South Coast Drive, Suite 100 Costa Mesa, (Los Angeles region) California USA Tel: +1 (714) Fax: +1 (714) Toll free: info@us.syspro.com Asia Pacific SYSPRO Software Pty Ltd Suite 1102, Level Miller Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Australia Tel: +61 (2) Fax: +61 (2) info@syspro.com.au SYSPRO Software Pte Ltd #26-08A International Plaza 10 Anson Road Singapore Tel: (65) Fax: (65) info@sg.syspro.com All enquiries: Australia: (Local call) Singapore toll free: Malaysia toll free: Indonesia toll free: UK & Europe K3 Business Technology Group Baltimore House 50 Kansas Avenue Salford Quays Manchester United Kingdom M50 2GL Tel: Fax: info@k3syspro.com Copyright 2011 SYSPRO. All rights reserved. All brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. No part of this material may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording,or by any information storage or retrievel system, without prior written permission from the publisher.