Suggestion on informatization of steel circulation industry

Engaged in the steel industry informatization has been a lot of time, contact with a variety of customers, but also contact with a variety of software. Think there are a lot of common things can be summed up, to avoid the subsequent people make the same mistake.

The stage of informatization

I think the first steel circulation industry information needs of several stages. Enterprise Informatization and other things, are in accordance with a certain process, gradually evolve, gradually improve. I will probably divide the information process of the steel circulation industry into such several stages:

First, the computer print the bill of lading. This is the most elementary stage, the understanding of information still stay in the most basic understanding, because the computer to make a bill of lading more modern, help to enhance the company's image, so also want to modern, buy software, on the system.

Second, invoicing stage. This stage is often due to material inventory physical account can not be reflected in a timely manner (such as a salesman opened, B salesman do not know, resulting in the opening of empty orders, etc.). In addition, manual operation of the daily statistical work is too large and inefficient. Want to use the software tube invoicing, improve work efficiency.

Third, the management of capital account. At this time the inventory is accurate, but the capital account is still not allowed. Business finance is not linked. At this time, we want to synchronize logistics and capital flow, business and financial synchronization management, that is, financial business integration.

Iv. use of computer to implement management system. Through the first 3 stages, the inventory is approved, the account is also accurate, but still only a post-mortem management, afterwards a statistic, can not achieve the management of the matter. Therefore, the inevitable need to use the software to implement the management system, from the system can prevent all kinds of risks, so that the whole business process in accordance with a certain flow orderly and efficient.

V. Comprehensive management. At this time the company has already experienced the use of software management, but also around the software has developed a series of new workflow and system. But there are still some links outside the software. At this point, all these links need to be integrated into the software system, to create a whole company integrated software system, such as human resources management, customer relationship in-depth management, business financial integration, document approval and so on.

Six, decision-making support. At this time, the system often has more than half a year of data, are accurate and credible. Although a number of reports have been made, they do not affect the data and produce decisions. At this time the company would like to set up a special information department to summarize the various information, refining the useful data to guide their decision-making process, let the data speak, data-based analysis of various decisions. Changing the "Pat forehead" decision is a rational decision based on facts and figures.

Seven, the digital nervous system. This is the highest level, digital has been integrated into the company's every nerve, the company is a digital-based nervous system. Responsive, decision-making, use of information technology to continuously improve their various processes, create a variety of business opportunities, information is not only reflected in the internal process, but also reflected in the entire production chain, customers and suppliers are integrated in a unified information platform. Compared to other companies have incomparable competitive advantage. Competing with other companies is just as easy as a cheetah running with a turtle.

The phases are not strictly differentiated, as this is a continuous process, and the fifth and sixth phases may be simultaneous. And often a lot of customers because of the choice of a good partner, the beginning has a high starting point. But I want to emphasize here, although the software can be one step, but the staff's thinking and business processes can not be done overnight, this is often a long-term process, need to work hard to make software really play a role. Even at first it feels uncomfortable here. Just like a person who is not exercising for a long time, he always has a sour leg when he starts exercising. But as long as there is determination, under the leadership of a good partner can quickly reach a relatively high stage.

The mistake of choosing software

The seven stages of informatization of circulating enterprises are discussed in the front. At this point you may have made up your mind to make a decision to go to the software system. How to choose the software? What kind of software is best for me? Basically each family has the method, has the business-oriented, has to finance mainly, has to the boss mainly. There are tenders, but also to listen to friends introduced. I think to solve this problem first of all need to consider why software is needed? Why need information management? (I don't think it's necessary to repeat it here.) We hope that information management to optimize the company's management process, improve the company's efficiency, reduce business risk, the establishment of the company with the customer's bridge, the ultimate realization of multiplying enterprise benefits. Based on this, we should realize that good, industry-friendly software and successful implementation can achieve these goals, and low-cost, rough, immature software not only can not achieve these goals, but weaken the company management, reduce work efficiency, increase business risk, will cause various losses to the enterprise, So there are countless examples of failure for class reasons. Here I list some common mistakes in the process of software selection.

1. This software is cheap, the function looks like also can realize, bought it.

There are many users in the selection of software, often holding the first to buy cheap, no time to change the attitude. It seems to be quite shrewd. But it's not worth the money to take a close account. Buying software is not like buying a mobile phone, the cost of replacement is nothing more than buying a cell phone money, perhaps the old mobile phone can also be depreciated to sell. And the software to replace, calculate the staff training time, the system initialization time, the system trial time. And the system trial is often computer accounts and manual accounting parallel 1-2 months, without a single increase in staff workload. If the final system on the line, but also feel like wearing a pair of shoes do not fit the same, at this time to the staff caused by psychological pressure and frustration. This cost can be very much, more valuable than the software.

So the choice of software needs to be careful, a price of goods, even if the appearance of similar software, good software stability is much better than bad. System stability is not a marketing staff can be stable oral speaking, it requires software personnel and testers to spend a lot of time and effort to stabilize it. Some software, although talk is very cheap, but the software is no more than the other, implementation and service is the big head, software vendors may be the software is reduced, but the service is equally plunges, which you can not outweigh the cost.

2. Let the finance person or the general Staff decide what software to buy.

Many users in this area also have lessons. Because the financial information is often relatively early, such as the earlier use of some financial software, in the company often also feel that the financial understanding software, so there are users directly to the financial to decide what software to buy.

I am here not to say that finance can not participate in the process of selection, but I hope you understand two points: 1, the company earned money is ultimately business generated, if not help the company to make money, buy software again beautiful, is also furnishings, and the business process is the most familiar with the business is definitely done. 2, each person's view will have the egoism tendency, can imagine, financial choice software when of course first of all focus on could not meet my financial needs. And there are few financial and synthetic things that are familiar to the business. And the business process is diverse, business software also needs to deal with a variety of situations, rather than as the financial software as standard and normative, and once the purchase of software can not handle a certain business situation, alas. Buy software is not handy, of course, only the actual daily work of the people with the most voice. And finance is behind the business, if the business data are not into the system, the financial data is in the castle. Specifically, I can refer to the above information phase of the description.

Therefore, the purchase of software must be business-oriented, or business first. At the same time, the best business bosses to finally check. Because the boss to the entire enterprise's full picture has the most comprehensive understanding, the enterprise how to do, in the end how to Tube, Mister Heart also most have number. and management software as the name implies, if not to help enterprises to manage, but also called management software?

The idea that you don't want to take part in the fear that you don't understand the software can be completely discarded. You just according to your various business situation, see whether the software can be very smooth processing, can realize your management ideas on it, and not let you personally go to the operation. Do not be confused by the various concepts of software vendors, but actually operate the operation, which is called the Mule is a horse, pull out for a walk.

3. Buy generic Software

Also some enterprises will choose to buy UF, Kingdee and other general-purpose software. Think one is famous, the second is the function also have, some general function also do relatively strong. This point, in fact, as long as I really follow the 2nd to operate, basically does not exist. Because generic software doesn't work. In this article, however, I still feel the need to explain some of the issues clearly why these generic software does not apply to steel distribution enterprises.

There are two reasons for this: on the one hand these generic software is often developed from the financial software, so the overall idea is the financial framework. Are you going to let a financial leader do the business work? Business needs to be flexible and financially rigorous. This is in itself a conflict. Two is because the steel circulation enterprise's individuality is too strong, cannot use the universal software, even if reluctantly uses, finally often also helps the finance province workload. I'll give you a few places:

The nature of steel goods is particularly many, such as name, specification, material, color, origin. And often to be classified by the thickness of the query. Generic software often has only the name and specification model.

Steel as a bulk material, its actual volume and order quantity often have a difference, need two times settlement.

and steel mills order the various policies and other types of manufacturers are also mostly different.

Various sales models coexist such as direct marketing, futures, moving bricks, consignment.

The price fluctuates fast. And sometimes even pricing for specific goods.

Weight calculation, multiple metering methods (weight and number of pieces)

There is the management of bundles, the unpacking of bundles.

Generally do not have their own warehouses.

There are various processing management and conversion.

Often there are many market points and branches, on the remote management, group management requirements high. Group management mode is diverse.

The management mode of each variety is different, the operation of profile, plate, pipe and wire are different.

And so on, in fact, as long as the general software and professional software on both sides have seen, the basic is clear. and general software common part is solved, but did not solve the special part, look like good, really use, will be miserable.

4. Some of our enterprises need to customize the function, you first realized we buy

Such users are often not yet clear about their critical needs. No software is perfect, for professional software, your key needs must have been satisfied, otherwise it will not be successful in such a number of similar enterprise applications. At the same time in a mature professional software, has already integrated a lot of excellent circulation enterprise best management practice, in which combines all the best management ideas, and the software industry itself is the world's most tight industry, which is also a combination of foreign advanced management software management ideas. This is not the software to adapt to your backward management, instead, you should adapt and learn the good management ideas in the software.

But are there any peculiarities that are not satisfied? There may be. But these have not affected the overall situation. At this time you drag, dragged the patience, dragged away the determination. And according to my experience, there are many needs, in the actual use will change, because you mention the requirements, the software itself is not aware of, it is not likely and the software vendor specific developers to carry out in-depth communication, so the demand is often one-sided. And after the software manufacturers market personnel so a turn, may be stale, the results will often be different from what you actually think. There have even been many times this situation, before implementation felt is a problem, after implementation is not a problem, because the software to manage and manual to manage the process is not the same.

Therefore, I suggest to be good at grasping the principal contradiction, for not affecting the overall situation of some needs, should be in practice when the actual implementation of the time to further exchange, then more relevant to your actual needs. And for the real professional manufacturers, really want to play the world in this industry manufacturers, it is impossible to disregard some reasonable suggestions.

5. We want to one step

As I pointed out earlier, although the software can be one step, but the staff's thinking and business processes can not be overnight, this is often a long-term process, need to work hard to make software really play a role. And there are users like one step, not on the have, an amazing. Employees have never even touched a computer before, but want to eat a fat one at a time. This is often a waste of haste. Protracted, we have no confidence, the result is often some basic function is not good, on the hasty end.

Therefore, it is suggested that information should be based on their own situation, first of all to choose a number of modules suitable for their own use up, according to stage by step on the ground, so that the software really play a role.

If not suitable, a piece of money to buy is also a waste, as long as you can help you thousands of million is also worth.

Suggestion on informatization of steel circulation industry