To give
you a ballpark figure, an Abaci solution
that uses the complete range of modules and
that serves 35 users can be fully
implemented in about 6 to 9 months. Because
of the modular nature of Abaci, we can also
plan your installation so your most critical
functions will be operational early in the
process, even as little as 30 days.
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2.
What are the
costs to implement an Abaci solution?
Again,
costs vary widely according to the scope of
work and the specific needs of your
organization. A cost quotation will refer to
software licenses and to implementation
costs, which will include specification,
configuration of the software, testing and
training of your staff. Your quote is likely
to include a shopping list of optional
features and capabilities, which can be
implemented along with the core system or
phased-in over time.
Software
licenses take two forms,
“concurrent” licenses and “seat”
licenses. Most implementations provide for a
combination of these. Concurrent licenses
set a fixed number of users who can use
Abaci at the same time; anyone who has
access to the network can use the software
anytime, up to the number of concurrent
licenses. A seat license designates a
specific computer to have access to Abaci
regardless of the number of current users
– it ensures that a key user or
workstation will always have immediate
access to Abaci. We usually recommend a
ratio of about 7 seat licenses for every 10
concurrent licenses. Pricing for Abaci
software licenses is on a sliding scale,
based on the number of users. We can easily
provide a preliminary estimate for your
business if you call for a quote.
Installation
and implementation (“I & I”) is
priced according to the number of users and
is scaled to the complexity of your
solution. If your needs are relatively
simple, implementation costs could equal
your software license fees. In extreme
cases, if your solution requires extensive
tailoring and special services, I&I
costs could be factored by up to 3 times the
software licenses. More typically, the ratio
of I&I fees to software licenses is
about 1.7 to 1.
3.
How will my business recover the cost of
Abaci?
ERP
systems pay for themselves by eliminating
repetitive functions, by supporting more
efficient planning and by building business
through better customer service. Abaci can
help you to reduce inventories and waste,
improve cash flow and “do more with
less” in terms of staff, materials and
capital.
An
estimate of the expected ROI or payback
period is part of every Abaci needs
analysis. The time to recover your
investment will depend on how much room for
improvement we find in your process. If you
are new to business management systems and
have identified significant problems in your
process, Abaci can probably pay for itself
in less than 12 months. If you have already
implemented an older management system and
operate fairly efficiently, the payback
period will be longer. The average payback
in our experience is between 12 and 24
months.
4.
How can I see a demonstration of Abaci in
action?
At your request, we can
arrange a demonstration of Abaci online,
which you can view through your Web browser.
The data and functions you would see are
adapted from the working data and operations
of an actual Abaci customer – there is
really no way to show a purely “generic”
demonstration. We can show the same sample
solution on a desktop computer in your
office. To see how Abaci could fit with your
specific business, we can discuss steps to
provide you with a 30-day trial
implementation. We would need your
cooperation in a preliminary analysis of
your business process, which would allow us
to configure selected functions for you to
work with and to experience the “look and
feel” of your critical operations.
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5.
What are the minimum system requirements for
running Abaci software?
Abaci is
comprised of an extremely powerful range of
applications that require primary control of
your desktop environment. Each workstation
using Abaci should be running
Win95/Win98/Window NT/Win2000/XP with at
least a Pentium 200Mhz processor and 64Mb
RAM.
Specifications
for the Abaci server will depend on the
number of users and devices it supports. To
get the best performance from Abaci in any
case, we recommend servers with multiple
CPUs and, for redundant drive support,
RAID-5 controllers. An adequate back-up
system is absolutely crucial for any ERP
server. Your data is the “gold” in your
business system – make sure you put it in
Fort Knox!
6.
Which development platform was used to write
the Abaci software?
Built with the
industry-leading Sybase "Powerbuilder"
toolkit on Windows NT, Abaci is rooted in a
mature, reliable foundation that is widely
supported internationally. Powerbuilder is
recognized as the de facto standard
for client/server development, licensed to
over 400,000 seats worldwide and relied upon
for mission-critical applications throughout
the software industry. With the most recent
releases of Powerbuilder, Sybase has
extended its Web-based capabilities and
continues to extend its leadership in the
field.
7.
Which database applications can I use with
Abaci?
Abaci is compatible with
all leading database platforms including
Sybase, Oracle and Microsoft SQL, including
e-commerce solutions. We recommend Sybase
platforms to achieve seamless interaction
with Abaci and for the industry’s fastest
performance (according to tests by Hewlett
Packard.) Most Abaci customers are best
served by the low cost and low
administrative requirements of Sybase SQL
Anywhere. Very large organizations would be
better served by Sybase Adaptive Server. Any
of these databases are within the core
competencies of Abaci’s technical support
team. With third-party support, Abaci can
work with other platforms such as Unix and
AS\400.
8.
What is SuperQuery?
The
whole point of ERP is access to
decision-support data. But how do you get
the data when you need it? With most
systems, data is delivered to you in canned
reports that are programmed according to
your expected needs. Limitations arise when
your canned reports don’t include the
specific data you need. With a
report-writing program, you can create
reports to provide the answers you’re
looking for, but you have to program the
operation yourself or task a programmer to
do it for you. Abaci is different, because
of SuperQuery.
SuperQuery
closes the gap between question and answer.
With SuperQuery, you can create ad hoc
views of any data in your system without
programming. SuperQuery is a data wizard
that gives your computer the ability to
create properly constructed database queries
for you, automatically. It was developed by
utilizing Powerbuilder functions in novel
ways to allow freeform searches of your
business database. Users can type in
keywords to locate and select the data
fields that contain the information they
want; then they can "drag &
drop" the data to arrange the view into
a meaningful display.
We have
seen novice SuperQuery users, with no
database experience, begin to explore their
business in entirely new and creative ways
within hours of its installation. As well as
providing results you can view on screen or
print out, SuperQuery provides direct links
to other popular programs such as Excel or
Lotus 1-2-3 that allow further analysis of
the data you are examining.
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9.
What is MRPIII?
Many
MRPII users experience a materials
management problem referred to as
“overplanning”. This occurs when
the system expedites a pending Purchase
Order by issuing a new Purchase Order. The
buyer now has two active orders for the same
goods, so a cancellation for the original
order must be entered manually.
Overplanning
is the result of a recognized flaw in MRPII
methodology – the complex steps it
recommends to deal with the order shortage
don’t reflect the decisions a manager
would normally make. The user can’t
release the orders generated by MRP, because
suppliers would be confused and burdened
with contradictory requests. MRP messages,
which are supposed to automate these steps,
have to be corrected manually before they
can be released..
MRPIII takes conventional MRPII to a new level with “intelligent
expediting”. With MRPIII, the system looks
ahead to see planned and pending orders that
can fill the expedited order requirement, so
it doesn’t generate unnecessary orders.
The problem of overplanning is eliminated,
along with the “nervousness” that
accompanies it in MRP message displays.
In Abaci, the MRP function is able to do its job in managing expedited
orders and automating order releases.
10.
What is "version lock "?
“Version
lock” is a common problem in software that
has been customized for a specific user or
purpose. Most ERP software is customized by “hard-coding” – portions of
the actual program are rewritten by the
programmers to satisfy the special
requirement of the customer. When the
original software is updated, it will not
reflect any of the custom changes in the
customer’s version. The customer is
“locked” into using the old customized
version of the software, or has to pay for
the new version of the software to be
customized all over again.
Abaci
avoids version lock by allowing the
implementation team to “customize” the
software outside of the core program. Abaci
was written with thousands of "flags
" that represent a wide range of
possible configurations and logic paths. Instead of rewriting the software code,
configuration files are created to tell the
system logic which flags and labels to use.
The various modules even have extra flags
available which, when needed, can be
configured to access external software and
processing routines. When Abaci is updated,
the new version uses the same configuration
files that the previous version used. All
the customized terminology, linkages and
processes defined in the original ERP
implementation remain intact.
11.
Can Abaci interact with other application
programs?
Abaci’s
various application modules can meet the ERP
requirements for most operations in typical
manufacturing, distribution and service
environments, without resorting to
third-party programs. However, for
specialized needs, Abaci can easily access
other ODBC-enabled programs and data
sources. This includes most popular desktop
applications such as Microsoft Excel, Access
and FoxPro.
The
configuration "flags" used to
tailor Abaci for each customer and user can
also be used to define interactions with
legacy systems, off-the-shelf applications
or custom-programmed software. In this way,
Abaci can work interactively with your
choice of task-centric applications
including CAD, Payroll, Freight, Supply
Chain Management, Cut Optimization and
Point-Of-Sale systems.
12.
Can Abaci communicate directly with shop
floor devices?
In the
same way that Abaci can interact with other
application software, it can also
communicate with other digital data sources
including handheld RF devices. Abaci modules
can receive data from bar-code scanners with
no configuration required. This capability
allows Abaci to accept data from the shop
floor to monitor workstation tasks and
times, or to track shipping room operations
such as picking, manifests and packing
slips. For devices that require feedback
from the system to display information or
instructions, Abaci’s ODBC drivers allow
simple configuration. Abaci is also able to
communcate with the PLCs on shop floor
equipment such as CNC machines, process
equipment and printing presses, so it automatically collects the data to
report on specific jobs, production rates,
downtime, quality performance or any other
production line metrics.
13.
Why is no cost quoted for a
"reporting" phase with Abaci,
while other ERP systems quote this as a
separate implementation phase?
In most
ERP systems, the functions that locate and
display specific data from the central
database require alterations or additions to
the program code. Programmers write the
report routines after the software is
implemented, or an external reporting
program is bolted on to the database to
create new reports. Abaci was specifically
designed to allow fluent access to any data
at any time, so there is no need to
"hardwire" reports into the
software. The implementation process uses
this free access to configure Abaci, so the
data views that your users need are set up
as the software modules are installed. Also
see "SuperQuery"
and "Abaci
Design Objectives."
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14.
Why do I hear so much about
"failed" ERP implementations?
You
don’t hear about it from our users, but
there have been instances where ERP systems
have turned into spectacular and expensive
failures. Sometimes, the fault is simply
having the wrong package for the industry.
In general, the problem has not been in the
ERP software, but in its planning and
implementation. When the plans fails to look
far enough ahead for a lengthy custom
implementation, it may no longer reflect the
needs of the organization when it finally
goes into operation. The software is not
flexible enough to adapt to changes in
goals, processes and priorities.
We
believe that the greatest threat to the
success of ERP is the gap between the
high-level management goals and the
day-to-day needs of the user (“what’s in
it for me?”) As the system is defined and
implemented, end-users must be shown how it
helps them achieve their own goals as wellas
the goals of the business. Passive
resistance, fear and frustration are more
likely to undermine your ERP program than
deliberate sabotage. This is why Abaci
business solutions are focused on effective
implementation: a rapid configuration cycle;
a highly visible effort to understand user
needs; steps to overcome fear of change; and
a managed “unveiling” to demonstrate how
the solution delivers what was promised. And
then, if you change your mind, Abaci is
flexible enough to change with you.
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