abas ERP for Manufacturers Product Brochure abas ERP
Content is subject to modification. Table of Contents Overview 3 Benefits 4 Upgrades 6 Add-ons 8 Portal 10 Mobile Solutions 12 CRM 14 DMS 16 Business Intelligence 18 Functions 20 Software Architecture 30 ABAS Group 32 abas Business Software Effective software solutions for your company Selecting abas Business Software as your ERP solution means selecting software that is technologically advanced, yet simple to use. abas Business Software includes abas ERP, abas Distribution and abas ebusiness, which together offer a broad spectrum of functions ideal for small and midsize manufacturing, wholesale distribution and service companies. Some of the functions made easier with abas Business Software include purchasing, sales, materials management, production planning and control, as well as accounting and ebusiness. abas Business Software is constantly updated to assure you are at the forefront of technology. abas Business Software s long history of success and experience ensures complete customer satisfaction. Choose abas Business Software and opt for competence, continuity, and first class technology. 2
Overview Spectrum of Functions 3
Benefits Produkte: Spritzgussteile für Innenverkleidungen Efficient ERP Solutions for Mid-market Manufacturers Why use abas ERP? Short implementation times, excellent price/performance ratio, platform independence, reliability, user friendliness, adaptability, multi-nationality, and the most satisfied customers in the industry... all reasons for choosing abas ERP. Rapid Deployment When you choose to implement abas Business Software, you will immediately notice the flexibility of the software and efficient implementation strategies. abas ERP implementations are 25% shorter than industry standards, delivering a consistent ROI for abas customers. Years of experience have helped build a reliable, predictable and effective implementation methodology. 4
Top Reasons to choose abas Business Software Short implementation period Easy implementation Intuitive operation Industry expertise International & multi-lingual High flexibility through tier architecture Customizability Rapid return on investment Great price / performance ratio Easy integration of additional solutions Secure software investment Web applications with abas eb ERP PPC MRP ebusiness Excellent Price/Performance Ratio abas Business Software has been distinguished as having one of the best price/performance ratios in the industry. With its extensive functionality, flexibility, and ease of use, clients quickly realize many of the benefits of using abas Business Software. These benefits include increased productivity, improved transparency, greater competitive strength, superior service and much more. All of this and a very reasonable price make the abas price/performance ratio difficult to beat. Select your Platform abas ERP runs on Linux, or on Windows servers with virtualized Linux. ABAS has supported Linux since 1996 because of its low costs, great stability and excellent performance. On the client side, abas supports Windows 98 and newer, ASCII terminals, Linux clients, Mac clients, and distributed devices like smart phones, barcode readers, RFID, badge readers, and biometric devices. User Friendly The intuitive user interface, process based screen structures, easy online help and data visualization allow users to work securely, intuitively, and effectively with abas Business Software. Whether browser based or using the graphical user interface; you decide how you run abas ERP. International and Multi-lingual abas Business Software is multi-currency and offered in 30+ languages, with additional languages available upon request. Customers can work within the same database in different languages, enabling simplified workflow and communication between foreign subsidiaries. This is also a benefit for companies who deal with customers or vendors in foreign countries. Our network of international partners and localization expertise is ideal for any company looking to expand abroad and integrate their ERP system globally. 5
Upgrades Produkte: Spritzgussteile für Innenverkleidungen Evolutionary System Technology: Adaptable and Upgradeable Take advantage of new functions added every year into abas Business Software. By performing regular upgrades, you are guaranteed the most up-to-date technology for the continued success of your company. Always new Technology The entire abas system is continually being developed and improved. The system will never become outdated; every year the source code is upgraded, reviewed or enhanced. ABAS strives to stay on the forefront of the latest technology developments to enhance customer benefits. Please describe your experience when upgrading your version of abas Business Software. One word seamless Farid Anani, Computrol, Inc. 6
A Secure Investment for the Future abas Business Software s continual upgrade strategy guarantees your business software will be just as valuable in the future as it is today. A new version of abas Business Software is provided each year, adding new functions and adopting new technologies, ensuring abas users are always up-to-date with the latest technology. The abas upgrade strategy guarantees a 24 hour annual upgrade that is seamless and requires no re-implementation. Easy to Change, Always Up-to-Date abas Business Software is an excellent solution for your company because it can take your company s specific requirements, such as business processes, screens and database structures, and easily integrate them into the ERP software and change them to fit your organizational structure. When the upgrade is completed, individual modifications such as screen fields, custom reports, new functions and macros are not affected and you can continue using the same functions designed for your individual business. Satisfied abas Customers abas ERP was ranked number one in customer satisfaction in several consecutive ERP studies published by the Konradin Group. abas ERP ranked first in price/performance ratio, functional fit, stability, ease of use and upgrades. i2s ERP-Z 2011 is the first global ERP user satisfaction survey is the. 1,923 interviews in 17 countries were used in this survey. abas ERP was ranked #1 in satisfaction with software and partners and received the highest rating for software and partner recommendations. Furthermore, abas ERP has long-term users with the most up-to-date releases for providers operating globally. ABAS s strong customer focus has resulted in a 93% customer retention rate since its inception in 1980. The company still has retained most of the customers who implemented the software over the last 30 years. Global user satisfaction portfolio Below average Satisfaction with ERP partner Above average Below average abas ERP proalpha Comarch ERP Enterprise PSIpenta Microsoft NAV SAP ERP Microsoft AX Lawson M3 IFS Infor LN Satisfaction with ERP system i2s research 2011 Above average x-axis: Satisfaction with the software (The further to the right on the x-axis, the greater the satisfation of the users) y-axis: Satisfaction with the partner (The higher on the axis, the greater the satisfation of the users) 7
Add-Ons Produkte: Spritzgussteile für Innenverkleidungen Make your Software go even Further You can integrate a variety of add-on solutions to complete your abas Business Software. Through either our cooperation partners or abas APIs, we provide you with a broad spectrum of practical solutions which work efficiently and profitably when used in connection with abas ERP. Integration with MS Office / Open Office / Google Apps PDM Business Intelligence / Data Warehouse CAD / CAQ Document Management / Archiving EDI Export and shipping dispatch Advanced planning Firewall solutions Integration with E-mail and fax solutions Management Information Systems Barcode scanning Mobile order entry Human resources management Project management SCM Sales information system and many others 8
More flexibility due to an Open IT Environment You can use interfaces to connect abas Business Software to other applications or add-on solutions such as data warehousing, OLAP databases, CAD, CAQ, PDC, EDI systems, order time recording and personnel time recording, as well as archiving systems, word-processing programs, and spreadsheet programs. Easy and Secure Connections using: DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) ODBC (Open Database Connectivity) and JEBC (Java Database Connectivity), optional, requires a license MultiSite EDP (ERP Data Access Protocol) -ActiveX -Java API -Data export/import Object-oriented database interface for FOPs Web Services 9
Portal Produkte: Spritzgussteile für Innenverkleidungen Personalized views with the Portal Portals have become a popular means to offer diverse, customized information and transactional capabilities without significant rework of an organization s technical infrastructure. abas Business Software can push information out to users or groups desktops or remote devices, allowing them to manage their data, applications and information more easily through personalized views. The abas Portal solution provides intuitive and graphical visualization of any data or process and can include workflow management, collaboration between work groups, and policy-managed content publication. This real-time data means the days of running reports or queries are a thing of the past. 10
Examples: Portal application for production Portal application for service Function Overview abas portal solution Application integration Dashboards Configuration and personalization User and permission management CMS with lingual websites - Versioning - Editorial workflow - Time controlled publishing - Content repository Integrated social software standard applications such as: wikis, web forums, surveys, and the RSS Viewer have been integrated in the system and enable personalized forms of networking. Portal application for Sales Portal application for CRM 11
Mobile Solutions Produkte: Spritzgussteile für Innenverkleidungen Mobile Access to abas Business Software: Viewing and Editing ERP Data using Mobile Devices Mobile solutions with smartphones or tablet PC s have become significantly more important as mobility plays an even bigger role in our living and working environment. Apps for ipad, iphone, etc. have become more than just a trend they can be a decisive competitive edge for companies. Now you can also have mobile access to your company data using abas Business Software! abas ERP Applications for Mobile Devices abas Mobile Solutions can be operated independently from your mobile device. All mobile abas ERP applications can be run on all established browsers, ipad, tablets, iphone or Android. Commands and interactions are directly processed in your abas ERP system. 12
Mobile Sales With its new operating concept, the external sales force connection of abas Business Software makes it possible to view and edit customer-related data, such as sales processes, using mobile devices in any place at any time. Since the sales force receives up-to-date information, they have the opportunity to react to current situations irrespective of time and place. Your mobile device views customer-related information, such as address, contact data, telephone numbers, which can be edited at any time no matter where you are. Graphical evaluations such as a customer s revenue status or an overview of sales processes, outstanding items and revenue figures are also possible. The mobile abas ERP external sales force connection also manages the tasks of the field staff and provides information about critical sales processes. The new application enables short reaction times and improved service. Function Overview Mobile solutions Mobile Sales: - Full text search for customers, prospects or their contacts - Display of critical sales orders - Context dependent display of notes and tasks - Customer overview with revenue and contact information - Creating and editing customers, prospects, and contacts - Creating and editing sales processes (opportunity, quotation, sales order) - Creating and editing tasks and notes - Display of packing slips, invoices, and outstanding items Mobile Service:* - Assignment planning of a service engineer with calendar function - Assignment preparation through access to customer data, service products, incl. BOM and service history, service orders, and materials planning - Completion confirmation of the service assignments - Materials management Mobile Service* Mobile Service supports your field service employees efficiently in planning and processing service assignments. *available in abas eb Version 2011r4 13
CRM Customer Relationship Management and Customer Service With abas CRM Easily manage customers and prospects Create and manage tasks for yourself and others Enter notes and opportunities for customers and prospects Archive all business correspondences with an optional DMS (Document Management System). Outlook email and calendar integration Create and manage Note quotes, sales orders, and invoices from a Note Opportunity single screen Sales and distribution Telephone integration Forecast/manage and report on sales opportunities Outlook Integration Prospects abas Calendar* Task Opportunity CRM Opportunity Opportunity Quotation Sales order Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity Note Customers DMS* Outlook Integration Task Task Packing slip Manage mass email and mail campaigns Invoice Sales *optional 14
Sales pipeline Customer file portal application 15
abas Companion Allows messaging automatically generated from abas Business Software. Allows messaging from abas to abas user behind the firewall message capability without the vulnerability of a commercial messenger like AIM or Yahoo. Allows system messages to be broadcasted. Easy and fast searching for every field in abas ERP results displayed fast and per double click the appropriate screen will open. Allows calculated values (e.g. Order value shipped today: 20k ) to be pushed and updated in a predefined cycle (even every minute). Pushes tasks (e.g. CRM tasks) to the end user. abas Companion is easy to setup and is an alternative to a windows GUI. The Companion can be utilized by all users, whether you are performing one task or you are a super user. The companion is flexible enough to be a simple user interface for a warehouse or shop floor environment, or a complex user interface for management roles. The end user has the ability to define what functions from abas Business Software and other third party applications they have access to within the Companion. 16
In the title bar you can see how many records are visible and how many are currently loaded (in the database). After your information is loaded in tables, you can now move columns around with your mouse (drag and drop). New user-friendly graphics While using quick search fields, the system changes the field to orange while loading. They will then turn transparent when they are 100% loaded. 17
Business Intelligence Evaluation of data: BI Integration The integration of Business Intelligence (BI) powered by Palo enables the evaluation of valuable data resulting from daily work with abas ERP. These evaluations can identify new trends early and real decisions can be made on the basis of these evaluations. Business Intelligence The integration of Business Intelligence (BI) powered by Palo enables the evaluation of valuable data resulting from daily work with abas ERP. These evaulations can identify new trends early and real decisions can be made on the basis of these evaluations. The function ranges Sales, Purchasing and abas eb BI standard reports have been integrated into abas Business Software. In sales, the standard reports Quotation and sales order level (not stored), Revenue and Top 10 revenue are available. Analysis and visualization are the foundation for making good business decisions. Customization requires a license and is available from Palo as an add-on. 18
Function Overview BI integration Standard report Purchasing Business information can be analyzed and visualized simultaneously in all important dimensions. Data standards to determine critical company figures can be established. Fully integrated reporting, can be accessed in real-time by executives and managers. Accurate templates for decisions which contribute to your company s security and value are provided. Palo enables simulation and scenario calculations in realtime as well as budgeting and forecasting on all levels. Complete infrastructure, from data acquisition (ETL), data maintenance (OLAP) up to visualization is available. Standard report eb 19
Functions More Functionality means Greater Value abas ERP provides manufacturing companies with a wide range of out of the box functionality. Whether your firm operates in a make to order, assemble to order or job shop production environment, abas Business Software can optimize your production, improve customer service and enable your key business processes. Companies in both discrete production and in the processing industry, can rely on abas Business Software to enable their key business processes. More importantly, abas ERP can readily be adapted to meet industry or company-specific requirements without impacting the standard functions or limiting your upgrade path. 20
Purchasing The purchasing function in abas ERP works as a continuous transaction, from the initial request to suggested purchase orders, actual purchase orders, receipt of goods and invoice verification. In scheduling, suggested purchase orders are generated whenever demand exceeds supply. These suggested orders are then converted into requests and actual purchase orders. Blanket orders can also be maintained. For each purchase order item, purchase order management is linked to both financial and cost accounting through cost centers, cost objects and accounting assignments. Function Overview Purchasing Requests Suggested purchase order Purchase order Blanket orders Receipt of Goods (ROG) Invoice verification Subcontracting Materials provided Sales In abas ERP, the sales process can begin by creating opportunities, then is converted through sales order management, and lastly through outgoing goods and invoicing. Additional functions like quotation and revenue statistics, commission calculation, archiving and several others are also included. The sales function allows an up-to-date view of customer business relations and product sales trends. With abas ERP, you ll be able to deliver products using minimum inventory levels, resulting in optimized stock levels. CRM functions can also be developed using the CRM infosystem which is standard functionality. Function Overview Sales Quotations Sales order management Blanket orders Sales order production list Shipping processing/picking Deliveries Invoicing 21
Functions Function Overview Production / Production planning and Control (PPC) Suggested work orders Work orders Capacity planning Work order completion Editable sales order production list Manual production entries Extended workbench Combined production Service processing Production / Production Planning and Control (PPC) The abas ERP production function supports the manufacturing of your company s products, regardless of the kind of production employed (e.g. series, lot or single production). Function Overview Service processing Service product management Access to an archived BOM on the service product BOM processing for exchanging or adding parts Automatic update of the service product BOM Monitoring component exchange Service and maintenance for a service product Service requests, overview, and traceability Cost estimates which result in service reservations Service order (assignment at the customer s location) Cost estimate for repair order Repair order (in in-house production) Service product Creation of service reports Service technician assignments Service Processing The service processing in abas ERP manages the services for a sold product. For example, completed repairs, planned maintenance work etc. can be retrieved from the service processing. All activities relating to a service processing can be queried via a comprehensive number of infosystems. All completed activities are recorded and stored in the abas Business Software area. Function Overview Scheduling Requirements and inventory planning Scheduling Capacity calculation Sales, production and resource planning (MPS = Master Production Schedule) Batch size and minimum stock level calculation Scheduling To ensure that your orders are processed on time, abas ERP scheduling makes sure that sufficient production material and capacity is available for each order. Scheduling generates procurement suggestions for purchasing, as well as matching compliance with due dates to determine the earliest possible final delivery dates. SolidWorks Integration Integrating SolidWorks with abas ERP creates a direct link between your ERP database and your CAD system. Duplication of effort and the potential for entry errors are reduced because product BOMs are automatically imported to abas from SolidWorks. 22
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) With the EDI function you can automatically exchange structured business documents (VDA/ODETTE/EDIFACT/ANSI) between the application programs of your business partners. EDI implementation brings full control of the entire product, data and money flow. Companies are supported by the abas automotive solution to manage complex supply chain processes and coordinate all predetermined logistical processes between manufacturer and supplier. Function overview EDI EDI Center Delivery forecast JIT delivery schedules Packing slips Credit notes Invoices Sales orders Sales order confirmation Product pricing Purchase order amendment Shipping processing ESP / VLC (Vendor Logistics Center) processing / Consignment warehousing Packaging supplies management Costing abas ERP offers product and sales order related costing for the precise operating total value. abas ERP costing functions use exact date scheduling when specifying delivery times. Function Overview Costing Preliminary costing Simultaneous costing Final costing 23
Functions Function Overview Materials Management Warehouse management LIFO/FIFO management Lot creation Bundle and serial number management Inventory Material allocation Material valuation Lot management Materials Management / MRP Materials management optimizes your company s logistical processes. abas ERP allows you to coordinate warehouse management with your delivery schedule and enables your company to function efficiently yet maintain minimum inventory levels. Function Overview Material Valuation Valuation according to mixed price Warehouse group mixed price Planned price Invoice price Zero valuation Cost of goods manufactured Cost entry suggestion for changing raw/auxiliary material inventory levels, as well as for operating supply items, unfinished and finished goods Function Overview Cost Accounting Cost type accounting Cost center accounting with internal account activity allocation according to flexible standard costing Cost object accounting Valuation of production activity Planned consolidation Statistical journal entry Computation rule Material Valuation Material valuation assesses movements with the materials management cycle, recording these movements as financial entries whenever stock levels fluctuate. A preview of entries can easily be generated without affecting the financial accounting. You can also establish an inventory of unfinished products, as well as the valuation of manufacturing costs. If valuation prices are not available when a quantity is entered, then a revaluation is implemented through the material valuation once the price becomes available. Material costs determined by material valuation are then transferred to cost accounting. Cost Accounting abas ERP s cost accounting utilizes cost types, cost centers and cost objects to create multidimensional accounting. The cost center accounting includes the function IAAA(Internal Account Activity Allocation). In addition to IAAA, overheads can be posted to the cost objects. Cost center accounting can be structured according to the flexible standard costing principle. Cost accounting integrates data from diverse modules such as financial and fixed asset accounting. Using the Material valuation and the Valuation of production activity modules, data is integrated from material valuation and production areas. 24
Financial Accounting Financial accounting enables you to track finances for all transactions. It provides a thorough overview of all the financial transactions and access to data from prior fiscal years. By maintaining a history of transactions, it s easy to carry out monthly comparisons by working with both planned and actual figures. Target/actual comparisons can be userdefined over any given time frame. Function Overview Financial Accounting Accounts Payable Accounts Receivable Financial entries Account range form Outstanding items Cash management Reminders Evaluations Recurring entries Additional entry ranges 1099 Reporting Tax Management Fixed Asset Accounting Fixed asset accounting in abas ERP is used to manage fixed assets in inventory, regardless of the industry. It enables both qualitative and quantitative overview of the available assets. Included are all year-end closing evaluations, such as the asset history sheet. Function overview Fixed asset accounting Fixed assets Fixed asset category Imputed fixed asset accounting Depreciation Depreciation methods Suggested depreciation Assets impairment Daily depreciation Index series Replacement values Fixed asset transaction Asset history sheet External auditing evaluations 25
Functions Function Overview Group Accounting Representation of group relations Determination of intercompany sales Consolidation groups Time-related group structure Consolidated advance VAT return Group Accounting abas ERP is multi-company enabled. In one instance of abas ERP a client can either set up multiple companies or consolidated and related companies. Using the group accounting function, balance sheets for individual businesses can be combined to compile an annual statement that shows group reporting. For this function, group internal and group external processes are differentiated by accounts. Function overview Corridor Controlling P&L items and balance sheet Liquidity planning Risk management Corridor Controlling Business planning and control is now easy with Corridor Controlling. KPI s are graphed visually for the current fiscal year. This function lets you see these trends as they develop, which makes real-time decision making easier and more secure. 26
Infosystems Infosystems are unique tools abas provides to allow any user or user group to do their job from one screen. Any set of master data, transaction data, queries, reports, work flow, drill down, and process flow can be managed and maintained from a single interface. Over 400 Infosystems are delivered with the system and include workflow based on best practices. All infosystems can easily be changed to fit any requirement. The result is a Workbench with access to all information and programs to fulfill any business process, speeds adoption and training, and gives users all the information they need at their fingertips without leaving their active screen. Function Overview Infosystems Customer infosystem Turnover statistics Transaction figures Plan chart Debits and credits Procurement status Machine scheduling Capacity overview Cost accounting master files Expense distribution sheets (EDS) Function Overview e-business e-business for medium-sized businesses (optional)* abas eb provides you with highly flexible Internet solutions: On the basis of readymade Web Applications you can construct your solutions as you desire and incorporate your own ideas. The complete abas ERP system with database, full function range and powerful interfaces is available in the background to realize the application logic. Webshop Product catalog Spare parts catalog External sales force connection Mobile solutions for scanners and PDA Customer portals ERP operation * Please also refer to the abas eb product brochure. 27
Software Architecture ERP Software that Grows with your Business As your company evolves, business requirements are subject to change. The inherent flexibility found in abas Business Software matches your company s growth, letting you readily adapt to industry or company-specific requirements without impacting the standard functions or limiting your upgrade path. abas ERP multi-tier architecture abas ERP is so flexible that the ERP system will suit your business perfectly. Thanks to its tiered architecture, the business software can be optimally integrated into existing IT environments. abas ERP is always flexible enough to meet your changing and expanding business requirements so your software is always up-to-date with the most modern state of technology. The software s layered architecture structure makes it possible for us to guarantee users the most updated technology year-after-year. 28
Presentation tier: Flexible User Interface (FO) Individual user interface Company-specific functions, data, evaluations, and dialogs which are not in the standard version are arranged here. The customizations are integrated seamlessly into the complete system. Flexible standard user interface It contains numerous functions that are generally required: Lists, forms, screens, menus, data, and evaluations can be used instantly. You can choose what is necessary for your requirements. The language of the flexible user interface is Java Adjustments can be made using the interface language or in Java. Using Java, complex user requirements can be implemented even more efficiently based on the most up-to-date standards used worldwide. abas core abas Tools abas Tools are object-oriented and easy to use. The "Flexible Standard User Interface" and the "Individual User Interface" are created using tools such as the list generator, menu generator, and screen generator. You can also create links to other software applications using the abas Tools: You can link abas Business Software to external IT systems using interfaces. Application tier/abas core functions Core functions of the ERP software include, among others, the following: purchasing, sales, scheduling, materials management/mrp, and accounting. Database tier/abas system base The system base consists of a stable, object-oriented database. The abas log database increases speed and efficiency and requires virtually no maintenance. 29
The ABAS Group Midmarket Solutions from a Mid-size Company The core competence of ABAS Software AG is the development of flexible ERP and ebusiness software for the midmarket. Founded as a start-up company by a team of students, ABAS today is a worldwide group of companies. ABAS Software employs 120 people at its headquarter location in Karlsruhe, Germany. Together, with its over 50 sales partners worldwide, the ABAS group totals 600 employees. Mission: Since its inception in 1980, ABAS aspires to be a leader in business and technology solutions that provide true value to mid-size manufacturing, distribution and service enterprises. We encourage and empower our employees to use their knowledge and creativity to produce smart solutions that help our customers attain long-term success in an ever changing world. ABAS is financially and technologically independent and committed to product excellence, enhanced by a unified and ethical global network. 30
abas-usa abas-usa Software Management: Marko Becker, Alan Salton From one SMB...to another Small and medium businesses are the pillars of the economy. These companies need tried and true solutions, and an implementation partner who can meet their requirements in the quickest time possible using the best price/performance ratio. They demand expertise that includes years of experience supporting the SMB market, plus the guarantee of a secure investment for years to come. As SMBs become more integrated into the global market, they also require software that is both international and multi-lingual to optimize workflow and communication between foreign subsidiaries. As an internationally operating mid-size company, ABAS is well positioned to understand the demands our customers. Their feedback is used to help make abas Business Software the best possible product for our customer s business. Industry Expertise & Best Practices Automotive Building and Contracting Consumer goods Electrical engineering Food processing industry Mechanical engineering Medical engineering Metal working and finishing Packaging industry Plant engineering Plastics production Process industry Subcontractors and suppliers Vehicle manufacturing Wood and Furniture industry 31
www.abas-usa.com Find us on: 32 abas-usa Inc. 21240 Ridgetop Circle Sterling, VA 20166 Phone: 703-444-2500 Fax: 703-738-7706 Email: sales@abas-usa.com