O2 Mobile Warehouse .NET Inventory Management Software for Sage 500 ERP Is Set to Officially Launch

Throughout this past year, I've told you about the new 500R2 ERP software that will be an entirely new .NET framework and rewrite of Sage 500 ERP software.  The 500R2 project encompasses a great deal more than just Sage 500.  In fact, it also includes O2 Mobile Warehouse (a warehouse distribution software suite), O2 Process Manufacturing (a process manufacturing ERP software suite) and Sage 500 ERP Cloud Hosting and Cloud Disaster Recovery solutions.

As you can probably guess, this project was a huge undertaking, but the time is almost here for the first official public release of O2 Mobile Warehouse in .NET, compatible with Sage 500 version 7.4 and above.  The conversion to the .NET framework will give the inventory management software better usability with an improved and modernized look and feel.  Users will now have the ability to personalize the warehouse management software to meet their of unique needs.

Along with the general release, EVS will be offering installation and overview training packages to customers.  Further details on the install and training will be made available shortly, so I encourage you to check back.  For more information on O2 Mobile Warehouse or the other ERP software products mentioned here, head over to the EVS website at www.evs-sw.com.

FDA's First Suspension of Food Manufacturer In Violation: A New Trend?

For the first time, the FDA has used a food safety law to suspend the operations of a food manufacturer (Sunland Inc.), due to salmonella found in multiple areas of the food processing plant. (Full article here.) This is a large step for the FDA, who before the food safety law was in place was forced to go to court to prove that the company in question was in violation.  Today, the shoe is on the other foot as they have the power to suspend a company's registration and make them prove their operations are safe.

How do you as food and beverage manufacturers feel about this shift?  For those facing violations of their own, it may be a little nerve-racking.  However, it's not only those in direct violation that need to worry.  As anyone in the food and beverage industry knows, contamination can occur at nearly every point of the supply chain.  While your plant may operate under strict conditions, the raw materials received from outside sources may not have followed the same regulations.

The only way to help this situation is to be as prepared for the unexpected as possible.  Having strict sanitation processes are obvious, but food and beverage manufacturers should also be prepared with documentation and alerts.  O2 Food ERP software provides tools for documentation, alerts and notification to partners in your supply chain.  Full lot tracking, HACCP management and one-click recalls are just a few of the tools available in this food manufacturing ERP software system.

For more information on this food and beverage ERP software and to learn how it can help your food manufacturing operations, visit www.evs-sw.com.

Reports of Food and Beverage Recalls Increasing Significantly - O2 Food ERP Software Can Help You During a Recall?

In a recent Food Business News article, it's been reported by the Food and Drug Administration that a 57% increase in recalls took place in the third quarter.  That's nearly 8.5 million units of food and beverage coming back off of the shelves and consumers hands.

As a consumer, this number doesn't really seem all that surprising since it seems as though every other day a public notice was going out to recall another product.  Do you as food and beverage manufacturers find this statistic to be surprising?

While food recalls can ultimately occur at any point in the supply chain, food manufacturers need to have the business tools, such as the appropriate ERP software to help them manage the processes during a recall.  For example, O2 Food ERP software provides users with important tools, such as cradle-to-grave lot tracking and one-click lot recall with mail merge.  Having a food manufacturing software program to aid the recall process can help you move quickly during a critical time.  Food manufacturing ERP software can also help you find important information quickly as everything is stored in a central location.

With recalls flooding the news and shining a spotlight on the food and beverage industry, it's important to give your company as many ways as possible to be prepared in the event that a recall involves your business.  For more information on food and beverage ERP software for Sage 500 ERP, visit www.evs-sw.com.

Finding The Right Food Manufacturing ERP Software for Small to Medium Sized Manufacturers

The search for ERP software can be a bit overwhelming at first given all of the options out on the market today.  It's important to narrow your search down based on some characteristics of your business.  For example, as a food and beverage manufacturer, you'd want to focus on process manufacturing ERP software solutions.  Drilling down even further, finding an ERP software system that is made for a small-medium sized businesses will also help to make sure you have the tools you need.

EVS is an experienced process manufacturing software developer and reseller of O2 Process Manufacturing for Sage 500 ERP.  Their process manufacturing solutions are broken down even further into specific industries, so as a food and beverage manufacturer you know you are getting a solution that was designed with your specific industry in mind.

So for those food manufacturers starting the search for food manufacturing ERP software, be sure to check out O2 Food ERP software.  For more information on the features of O2, visit www.evs-sw.com.

The End of Year End Physical Inventory Counts?

As we inch closer to the end of another year, many have visions of turkey, Christmas trees and ringing in the new year with friends and family.  Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite times of the year.

Some folks, however, aren't looking at the end of the year with such excitement and enthusiasm.  Why?  Five words - year end physical inventory count.  I can hear the collective groans as this time of year is sure to be on the bottom of the list of favorite things to do.

While keeping accurate inventory is critical to Materials Requirement Planning (MRP), production scheduling and order fulfillment, it doesn't need to be painful.  The O2 Inventory Cycle Count module for O2 Mobile Warehouse and Sage 500 ERP software is an example of how easy your inventory control can be.  The cycle counting module uses the O2 Statistical Calculator to calculate a daily list of items to count based on confidence levels.  Results are automatically documented in the system.

O2 Inventory Cycle Count is a great way to increase inventory accuracy, save on costs and with consistent use may negate the need for year-end physical inventory counts.  Now that is something a business can put on their list to be thankful for this time of year.

For more information on inventory management software for Sage 500 or the Inventory Cycle Count module, visit www.evs-sw.com.

Improving User Experience in ERP Software Systems with 500R2

User experience.  It's a term often talked about when discussing software.  However, this term can seem elusive when discussing the typical ERP software system. That's where EVS comes into play.  They are the developers of O2 Process Manufacturing ERP software and O2 Mobile Warehouse, both for Sage 500 ERP software.

As developers and also resellers who have been involved in many years of ERP software implementations, they've heard many comments about user experience.  One great analogy that I heard was that often times, using certain features can be "like a rock in your shoe."  In theory, a feature may be beneficial to the business and provide important data.  However, in order to generate this data the user has to perform so many clicks or steps that the user finds themselves wasting even more time.

Taking all of the comments from end users into consideration, EVS began work on a major project to re-write O2 and Sage 500 ERP software using .Net.  On top of the re-write, they also designed the new product, called 500R2, to be an amazing user experience.  Using the concept of current smart-phones, 500R2 allows users to customized their ERP software by downloading features as apps.

So, you may be thinking that customizations in ERP software systems have been around for years, and that is true.  However, using the app format not only allows a very personal customization, it also avoids the high costs of upgrading the software to a newer version down the road.

Just as you can update your phone operating system and your apps will continue to work, your ERP software can now be updated without the high costs and issues that plague a typical ERP software system.

For more information on Sage 500 ERP or the new 500R2 system, visit www.evs-sw.com.

Process Manufacturing Visibility Is Improved Using ERP Software System

One of the reasons process manufacturers, or really any manufacturer for that matter, look for better process manufacturing ERP software is that they are looking for increased visibility throughout their organization.  Visibility leads to more efficient operations and processes as well as clearer and more timely information about the operations.

In process manufacturing industries manufacturers face a number of unique challenges that make visibility critical to business success.  For example, food and beverage manufacturers have to manage strict regulatory requirements, sensitive product expirations, food safety and lot recall concerns to name a few.  These concerns are on top of the strong competitive environment, highly variable raw material costs that can easily affect margins.

Food manufacturing software, such as O2 Food ERP software, provides accurate and real-time information from all areas of your organization.  The visibility is also strengthened by providing real-time cost data for tracking raw material costs, labor, packaging and finished goods.  This food and beverage ERP software has effective inventory management tools to help organizations manage product expirations and quality control while also forecasting product demand and inventory levels.

It's clear that visibility within the entire organization and operations are extremely important to survival.  For more information on process manufacturing software in general, or more specifically the food manufacturing ERP software, visit www.evs-sw.com.

EVS Welcomes Another O2 Mobile Warehouse Distribution Software Client

EVS is excited to announce a new partnership with Chesapeake Energy and it's affiliate, Bronco Drilling as the newest O2 Mobile Warehouse client.

O2 Mobile Warehouse is a warehouse distribution and inventory management software system, developed specifically for Sage 500 ERP.  This warehouse management system uses patented Smart-Barcodes and handheld scanners to track inventory and provide real-time views of inventory levels.

Chesapeake Energy Corporation is the second-largest producer of natural gas, a Top 15 producer of oil and natural gas liquids and the most active driller of new wells in the U.S.  Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company's operations are focused on discovering and developing unconventional natural gas and oil fields onshore in the U.S.

EVS is looking forward to working closely with Chesapeake Energy and growing a strong partnership in the years to come.  For more information on this warehouse distribution software, visit www.evs-sw.com.