The Smartspeed Performance Improvement Blog

It's always a trick when it comes to operating an ERP or MRP system... knowing what it is trying to do. I was in a situation today where there were at least three frustrated parties, all frustrated by the output of their MRP system. Changes had been made to their master BoMs (Bill of Materials), this had been done correctly. The Stores Team were frustrated by a lack of change to the information, they couldn't see the change. The Planning Team were annoyed too. They could see that the changes hadn't taken effect either. None of the three parties realised that they had to delete the kitting orders from their system and re-create them in order for the new information to appear. Now, you're probably thinking that this information would appear in time and you would be right. Unfortunately these guys would have had to wait about four months if they hadn't followed through with the right actions. My point here is not to try and explain a basic principle of MR...

Available now in paperback Another week and another update about my books! Making MRP Work , my guide to improving how your MRP / ERP system can work for your business is now available in paperback format.

Over the years I have worked with a fair number of businesses that had thought that implementing a MRP system would solve a lot of their problems. Instead, they found themselves: No further ahead with their on time delivery problems. No better off from an inventory management point of view. Still lacking teamwork across the business. Feeling frustrated with their system and creating spreadsheet workarounds. Stuck with higher levels of admin tasks, for no obvious gains...

I was talking to a business the other day that had a good MRP system in place within their very large business. But, they weren't truly using it! They had set up most of the parameters, and the system was certainly working as expected, but they still weren't using it the way they should. They didn't trust it!

I was engaged in a really interesting conversation this week about ERP systems and the need for training. We discussed the training gap that was evident and then got talking about the other things you need in a business in order for ERP to 'fly'...

MRP systems come in all shapes and sizes. Some are OK, some are great and some are astounding. Some have big price tags and some are modestly priced. They all need a human input however...

Planning is central to the success of any continuous improvement project. A good plan, however, is not always terribly visible to those struggling to implement that improvement! Just knowing how to get from A (problem needing solving) to B (implemented improvement), can make managing change a simpler and more effective endeavour.  But what can you do when you just don’t know where to start? When you are trying to coordinate the activities of numerous departments / individuals, to help get any given change made, a plan is absolutely essential. Sure, they can take time to create, but this is time well spent. “Every minute you spend in planning saves 10 minutes in execution; this gives you a 1,000 percent Return on Energy!” ― Brian Tracy (Canadian entrepreneur and author) I agree with this quote. I have heard many a client complaining about having to take time and put resources into creating a plan. And then wax lyrical when that plan delivers desired results! ...