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Tech for Food Producers and Related Organizations: How ERP Helps in Manufacturing

As a manufacturer in the food and beverage space, your organization has to work hard to stay competitive. Amid all the challenges facing modern manufacturers, including quality control, logistics management, and fast and accurate order fulfillment, you must deal with safety and compliance requirements aimed specifically at your sector.

Dealing with all of these pressures is difficult, but there are ways to stay competitive. Perhaps the most direct way to help your business thrive is to choose the right technology platform for your needs.

With a strong enterprise resource planning (ERP) acting as the beating heart of your food manufacturing company, you’re ready to cope with the many management challenges inherent to the food and beverage industry. Learning more about this technology will help you choose the perfect ERP for your needs, without wasting any time.

What’s the Purpose of ERP in Manufacturing for Food Providers?

As a manufacturing business, you need a centralized system to provide end-to-end visibility into your manufacturing processes, and to connect all functions, departments, and partners. This is naturally challenging, as there are countless moving parts and priorities to consider in the food space, from managing recipes to preventing waste of ingredients.

ERP is this central hub, connecting everything from procurement, inventory management, and production planning to compliance, quality control, and customer relationship management. When you have a strong ERP in place, your employees don’t have to juggle a variety of disconnected software tools. They simply log in and get their work done.

Not just any generic ERP will suffice for this role, however. Standard ERP solutions that haven’t been built with the food manufacturing industry in mind may be lacking key features or require modifications to get the job done. That’s why your job isn’t just to implement an ERP, but to implement the right ERP.

What Everyday Challenges Can Food Manufacturers Address With ERP?

The value of a new software tool can be measured by its ability to resolve common issues for its users. In the food and beverage space, the problems and challenges are well-known and demand a tech-driven response. These include:

  • A need for quality assurance and compliance: Your brand must carefully manage and measure the quality of its products. This is true in terms of compliance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules as well as the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Of course, these regulations are just the beginning — QA should use them as a starting point rather than an end goal. The visibility and traceability provided by a comprehensive food industry ERP are crucial factors.
  • Supply chain oversight and recall capability: Visibility and traceability are also essential in case a recall is issued for your products. While it’s clearly ideal to never incur a recall in the first place, when one does occur, you need to be ready. Having clear traceability and reporting regarding your supply chain and partners means you can run a fast and efficient recall, affecting only the products that are truly impacted.

A capable ERP system is also helpful in terms of universal manufacturing challenges like the need for inventory optimization, efficient logistics operations, and continuous improvement. The powerful connectivity of a modernized ERP system delivers value throughout your organization.

Amid escalating recalls, see how the right ERP helps with FDA compliance and FSMA compliance.

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12 Benefits of ERP in Food Manufacturing

The value of a high-quality ERP system touches every corner of your food manufacturing operations. Some of these benefits are about managing the specific issues that come with the sector, while others are more general. Taken together, they represent a significant return on investment.

With an effective food manufacturing ERP system, you can:

1. Maintain consistent recipes and formulas and manage changes.

You need to keep a close watch on the consistency of the formulas and recipes you use in food and beverage production. Keeping the recipes accurate is essential for the quality of the finished products and, ultimately, your customers’ satisfaction. An ERP system that keeps recipes for the whole company is the key.

Especially when you produce goods across multiple sites, you must have a centralized way to keep track of your formulas and to make sure any changes are applied consistently. Furthermore, if there’s ever a recall, you need exact traceability of which recipe was followed. That knowledge leads to efficient, quick recall management.

2. Trace supply chain movements.

The food manufacturing supply chain consists of many levels of suppliers and producers, often dealing with perishable items that need careful oversight. Using ERP to provide centralized visibility enables effective tracking and timely delivery of either raw materials or finished goods.

This improved level of supply chain oversight provides increased customer satisfaction and prevents waste. Effective supply chain management that begins at the raw materials level can prevent disruptions that could result in losses for your company and its partners.

3. Track expirations and manage shelf life.

Managing the shelf life of both ingredients and products is an important money-saving practice for food manufacturers and distributors alike. Using a purpose-built food manufacturing ERP system allows you to track quality and freshness testing and keep your items at peak quality.

By using testing protocols like pH, viscosity, temperature, and weight measurement, you can keep watch over each ingredient. Then, once those ingredients have become finished products, you can apply shelf life rules and alert criteria to ensure items never stay too long at warehouses or distribution centers.

4. Comply with FSMA and other FDA regulations.

Staying on top of regulations like FSMA calls for clear, effective visibility traceability at every step of manufacturing and production. Purpose-built ERP technology provides these traits, allowing your business to stay compliant during day-to-day operations and provide proof when inspected.

The element of automation is also important in compliance. Relying on fewer manual processes reduces the risk of mistakes, both in production and in record-keeping. A smooth, automated, and highly visible manufacturing process is ideally positioned for compliance.

5. Control product quality.

As a supplement to recipe and formula management, your organization can use an ERP system to record quality specifications for recipes and ingredients. This ability to keep a centralized and visible database of standards and specifications ensures it’s easy to maintain high standards.

Quality control matters for both compliance and customer service. Items made to carefully managed quality standards are well-positioned to comply with regulations and please your consumers.

6. Achieve better trade promotion management.

Marketing your products to wholesalers or retailers is a complex process separate from the actual manufacturing of the items. ERP integration with trade promotion management (TPM) technology allows these two functions to sit side by side.

With data from your ERP software fueling a TPM system, you can engage in:

  • Volume forecasting.
  • Financial forecasting.
  • Trade budget management.
  • Deduction.
  • Settlement.

7. Enable continuous improvement

Continuous improvement in the manufacturing industry depends on reliable, up-to-date data. With this information, you can ensure your operations are on track to steadily improve and target areas for attention, down to a highly granular level.

Identifying non-conformance and acting on it is a way to enable continuous improvement. By detecting when quality doesn’t meet either industry or internal standards immediately, you can follow up quickly, make adjustments, and track the results.

8. Lower excess inventory and free up working capital.

Inventory management is another area where up-to-date data can make all the difference. As long as your organization is aware of current levels, production capacity, and projected demand, you can minimize excess inventory.

Improving inventory through high visibility and proactive management is a good way to run a more efficient and less wasteful organization. This can free up working capital, allowing you to apply that cash to other operations where it can have a greater impact.

9. Reduce forecasting time.

The accuracy and speed of forecasts depend on the quality and availability of data from throughout your organization. Centralizing this data in an ERP can drastically reduce the time needed to create forecasts. Those projections in turn help you optimize other parts of your manufacturing process.

Introducing a dose of automation into parts of the forecasting process such as data collection and management, a purpose-built ERP helps you become adept at understanding what’s coming next for your organization.

10. Improve fill rates.

Managing inventory is about more than just keeping items on hand as long as possible. You want to ensure your items are at a sweet spot, where you don’t incur stockouts, meaning you run out of needed products.

An ERP system with effective inventory management capabilities helps you precisely hit your targets, fulfilling orders and not encountering stockouts, while also avoiding the costs of excess inventory.

11. Manage active ingredient concentration.

Carefully overseeing the potency of your food batches — the percentage presence of the active ingredient — has major implications for your business. Higher potencies generally equate to higher raw material costs, and recipes call for specific levels of potency.

Calculating the perfect potency via manual processes is challenging and potentially imprecise, which makes this process a perfect candidate for automation via ERP. A food manufacturing ERP platform with the right tools for concentration management is key to ensuring quality while cutting costs and reducing waste.

12. Link to eCommerce systems.

Whether you’re making business-to-business sales to retailers or selling directly to customers, eCommerce management is a complex area of your business. Linking your food manufacturing ERP to your eCommerce system is a way to provide a valuable source of data for your order management marketing and sales.

With this type of ERP integration, your ERP software can still act as the single source of data truth for your business while you work to improve the performance of your B2B or B2C eCommerce efforts.  

These advantages are yours when you use Sage X3, the purpose-built food manufacturing ERP available from Net@Work. Get deeper into the advantages of food manufacturing ERP with Sage X3 resources.

How Do You Choose and Implement ERP in Manufacturing?

Unlocking all the benefits of manufacturing ERP is only possible when you choose an effective solution for your specific needs. Rather than just settling for any system and provider, you should make sure you select technology that can serve as a key piece of your tech ecosystem for years to come.

Here’s what you should ask during the selection process:

What Defines a Good ERP System in Manufacturing?

There are a few marks of a suitable technology tool for your needs. The first is suitability for your industry. A generic ERP solution that would require excessive modification to suit your day-to-day needs as a food manufacturing company can’t compete with one that is effective from day one.

Furthermore, you should make sure your technology provider offers a helpful and supportive experience both during implementation and on an ongoing basis. This level of partnership can help you make the most of the technology.

What Does the ERP Implementation Process Look Like?

ERP implementation requires integration with your other applicable systems — this ensures that the platform can live up to its potential as a central hub for data. You should also ensure every user is trained on the new system — low uptake rates or a failure to understand the system’s features can limit effectiveness.

What Are Some Potential ERP Implementation Challenges?

Potential issues with ERP implementation include:

  • Choosing a system that can’t grow alongside your business and will require replacement within a few years.
  • Picking a solution that requires expensive or time-consuming alterations to suit your industry’s needs.
  • Failing to train your team on the new system and achieve high usage rates.
  • Neglecting to integrate the ERP with your other enterprise software.
  • Working with an ERP provider that won’t support you or offer effective customer service.

Now that you’re aware of what you’re looking for in an ERP solution, you can learn more about Sage X3, a next-generation ERP for the food manufacturing space.

Ready To Get Started With a New Manufacturing ERP?

Unifying your food and beverage manufacturing processes around the right ERP system is a leading way to digitize your everyday operations, boost operational efficiency, and stay competitive. From compliance to inventory to eCommerce, every element of your business runs through this type of system.

Sage X3, designed for the food and beverage industry and overseen by the supportive, experienced Net at Work team, is your ideal choice. Contact an expert and learn more about ERP for food and beverage manufacturing.

Beyond Compliance: Why Distribution Leaders Are Using ERP to Drive Green Logistics Innovation

Are distribution companies prepared for a future where sustainability isn’t just an option, but a competitive necessity?  

According to research from McKinsey & Co., logistics emissions from freight and warehousing account for at least 7 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while Grand View Research reports that the global green logistics market size was estimated at more than $1.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to register a CAGR of 8.1% from 2025 to 2030. The convergence of environmental regulations, customer expectations, and economic opportunities is reshaping how distribution companies approach their operations—and modern distribution ERP systems are emerging as critical enablers in this transformation.

The Sustainability Imperative for Distribution

The urgency surrounding sustainable logistics practices has never been more pronounced. As reported by DHL, the European Environment Agency predicts that logistics will account for up to 40% of global carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 unless effective measures are taken. For distribution companies, this represents both a significant challenge and a transformational opportunity.

“Modern ERP systems serve as the technological backbone for sustainable logistics initiatives, providing the data visibility, process integration, and analytical capabilities necessary to implement and monitor green practices effectively.”

The business case for sustainable logistics extends beyond compliance. A recent study found evidence that High Sustainability companies significantly outperform their counterparts over the long term, both in terms of stock market as well as accounting performance. Moreover, a survey by McKinsey found that 66% of respondents say that they consider sustainability when they make a purchase, indicating that sustainability initiatives can directly impact customer acquisition and retention.

How ERP Systems Enable Green Logistics Transformation

Modern enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems can serve as the technological backbone for sustainable logistics initiatives, providing the data visibility, process integration, and analytical capabilities necessary to implement and monitor green practices effectively. 

Real-Time Visibility and Carbon Tracking 

Distribution ERP systems improve supply chain management efficiency in multiple ways. They enable companies to streamline supply chain functions through automation. They improve visibility across the supply chain, so stakeholders can quickly make informed decisions about how to reduce costs in manufacturing, logistics and procurement. This visibility extends to environmental metrics, enabling companies to track carbon emissions across their operations.

“The companies that move first to integrate sustainability into their core operations through modern ERP systems will not only reduce their environmental impact but also position themselves for long-term competitive advantage in an increasingly sustainability-conscious marketplace.” 

For example, NetSuite allows businesses to monitor all business processes, including capturing and measuring carbon dioxide emissions, implementing carbon reduction programs, and tracking carbon capture activities. This feature enables businesses to make informed decisions about their carbon sequestration activities. The ability to measure and monitor environmental impact in real-time represents a fundamental shift from reactive to proactive sustainability management. 

Recognizing that need, established ERP publishers and recent start-ups are now offering carbon accounting platforms. Some allow for targeted emission calculation using utility bills, travel, and logistics patterns; others link footprint insights immediately to offsetting marketplaces. 

Optimizing Transportation and Route Planning 

Transportation represents one of the largest opportunities for emissions reduction in distribution operations. ERP systems contribute to transportation optimization through several mechanisms:

  • Advanced Route Optimization: Some modern ERPs provide real-time visibility into the supply chain, allowing organizations to monitor their supply chain performance and make informed decisions about future operations. This visibility enables sophisticated route planning that minimizes fuel consumption and reduces emissions. 
  • Load Consolidation: One of the biggest hurdles to sustainable, profitable shipping is figuring out how to pack cargo. Predictive packaging algorithms integrated with ERP data help optimize shipment sizes and reduce waste. 
  • Multi-Modal Transportation Management: ERP systems can evaluate different transportation modes and automatically select the most environmentally efficient options while balancing cost and service requirements. 

Inventory Optimization and Waste Reduction 

Excess inventory represents both financial waste and environmental burden through increased warehousing needs, obsolescence, and disposal. ERP systems address this through:

  • Demand Planning and Forecasting: NetSuite procurement capabilities communicate with suppliers and ensure accuracy throughout the purchasing process. Then, integrated demand planning, inventory management and AI powered predictive analytics optimize production strategies. Better demand forecasting reduces overstock situations and minimizes waste.
  • Just-in-Time Inventory Management: By using an ERP solution to automate manual, repetitive, time-consuming tasks, you’ll release your teams from the limitations those tasks impose on their roles and foster individual creativity, enabling more responsive inventory management that reduces carrying costs and environmental impact. 

Supplier Engagement and Sustainable Sourcing 

Sustainable procurement is about more than protecting the environment, workers and customers. It’s also about protecting businesses by increasing supply chain resiliency, reducing costs over time and ensuring that organizations maintain compliance with global regulatory mandates.  ERP systems facilitate sustainable sourcing through:

  • Supplier Scorecarding: Leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, ERP and other platforms enables real-time data tracking and sharing, while AI helps make sense of the data to provide supply chain visibility. This visibility enables comprehensive supplier evaluation based on sustainability criteria.
  • Supply Chain Transparency: Until consumer companies identify the sustainability problems in their supply chains, they cannot begin to collaborate with their suppliers on solving those problems. ERP systems provide the data foundation necessary for this identification and ongoing monitoring.

Reverse Logistics and Circular Economy 

The circular economy represents a significant opportunity for distribution companies to reduce environmental impact while creating new revenue streams. Reverse logistics is a crucial part of supply chain management, focusing on the movement of goods after they reach the end user.  ERP systems support circular economy initiatives through:

  • Returns Management: When integrated with supply chain solutions, ERP systems improve visibility across all reverse logistics processes, enabling more efficient processing of returns, refurbishment, and recycling. 
  • Product Lifecycle Tracking: Comprehensive tracking capabilities allow companies to monitor products throughout their lifecycle, identifying opportunities for reuse, remanufacturing, or recycling. 

Industry Applications and Best Practices 

Different distribution sectors can leverage ERP systems for sustainability in unique ways:

  • Chemical Distribution: To help you meet these challenges, Net at Work created Chem at Work, a comprehensive ERP solution for the chemical industry built upon Sage X3 and our industry expertise. Chemical distributors can use ERP systems to track hazardous materials, optimize transportation routes for safety and efficiency, and ensure regulatory compliance.
  • Food and Beverage Distribution: ERP systems help food distributors optimize cold chain logistics, reduce food waste through better inventory rotation, and track sustainability metrics across temperature-controlled supply chains.
  • Electrical Distribution: As private investment and government funding of over $1 trillion begins to flow for a broad array of electrification projects over the next several years, NAED distributors will have the services, materials, and solutions needed for these efforts. Electrical distributors can use ERP systems to support the growing renewable energy infrastructure market while optimizing their own company’s operations.

Implementation Considerations and Challenges

While ERP systems provide powerful capabilities for supporting green logistics, successful implementation requires careful consideration of several factors:

  • Total Cost of Ownership: Transitioning to green logistics often involves substantial upfront investments in new technologies, infrastructure, and training. Organizations must develop comprehensive business cases that account for both short-term costs and long-term benefits.
  • Change Management: To authentically fulfill your commitments, embed sustainability in your corporate goals, measurement, and decision-making. Technology alone doesn’t drive sustainability outcomes; organizational commitment and process changes are equally important.
  • Data Quality and Integration: The gaps may have been acceptable when carbon footprint data were used only to inform the annual sustainability report. Today, accurate, timely environmental data requires robust integration across systems and partners.

Emerging Trends and Future Opportunities

The intersection of ERP systems and sustainable logistics continues to evolve rapidly. Artificial intelligence plays a big part in helping businesses transform the sustainability of their logistics, with applications including:

  • Predictive Analytics for Emissions Reduction: AI-powered demand forecasting and route optimization that considers environmental impact alongside traditional metrics 
  • Automated Sustainability Reporting: Integration with carbon accounting platforms for real-time ESG reporting 
  • Supply Chain Risk Management: Predictive modeling to identify sustainability-related supply chain risks before they impact operations 

The Path Forward 

The transformation toward sustainable logistics represents both a competitive imperative and a significant opportunity for distribution companies. ERP systems provide the technological foundation necessary to measure, manage, and optimize environmental impact while maintaining operational efficiency. 

However, success requires more than technology implementation. Supply chain trends and expectations for sustainability will only continue to increase, and so will the type and number of use cases where many-to-many ecosystems are required. Companies must develop comprehensive sustainability strategies that integrate technology, process optimization, supplier engagement, and organizational change management. 

The companies that move first to integrate sustainability into their core operations through modern ERP systems will not only reduce their environmental impact but also position themselves for long-term competitive advantage in an increasingly sustainability-conscious marketplace.

Ready to explore how ERP systems can support your organization’s sustainability goals?

Contact us today for a complimentary Business Health Assessment to discover how the right ERP solution can help your distribution company reduce environmental impact while improving operational efficiency.

Five Signs Your Legacy System Is Quietly Sabotaging Your Growth (And What To Do About It)

Is your legacy ERP quietly holding your process manufacturing business back? Learn the five critical signs managers can’t afford to ignore—and how upgrading to a modern ERP fuels sustainable growth.

In today’s process manufacturing environment, marked by increasing regulatory pressures, rising consumer expectations around sustainability, and economic uncertainty, precision, speed, and adaptability are not just desirable—they’re critical. Yet many companies unknowingly allow their outdated ERP systems to quietly sabotage their competitive advantage and impede growth.

Industry managers often assume that an ERP system is simply a tool—one that’s either functional or not. But in today’s challenging environment, especially in the chemical and food/beverage manufacturing sectors, an outdated legacy system can quietly undermine growth and slowly erode a company’s competitive edge. The reality is that your ERP system isn’t neutral: it can either empower your growth or silently sabotage it.

Here are five critical yet subtle signs that your legacy system is holding you back, why this matters more now than ever, and, most importantly, what you can do to propel your operations forward.

  1. Your team is trapped in a loop of manual tasks
    Manual tasks such as batch management or shelf-life tracking are a hidden drain on productivity and morale. They cause operational bottlenecks, higher error rates, and frustrated teams—conditions you can’t afford in industries characterized by thin margins and stringent regulations. Much of this work happens in Excel—an all-too-common workaround when legacy systems fall short. But spreadsheets require constant manual effort, offer no version control, and are notoriously error prone. They’re a short-term fix that becomes a long-term liability.
  2. Your team is making educated guesses instead of strategic decisions
    Real-time data is now an industry essential. Managers in process manufacturing need up-to-the-minute visibility across operations. Without it, critical decisions become educated guesses rather than informed strategies, costing you time, money, and competitive advantage. When you don’t have immediate access to accurate, unified data, your response to market fluctuations, quality issues, regulatory demands, and customer expectations is slow and ineffective.
  3. Growth is outpacing your ERP system
    Your business is expanding—but your ERP isn’t keeping pace. Whether you’re opening new facilities, launching additional product lines, or acquiring new companies, your legacy system may struggle to manage this growth effectively. The complexity of integrating new processes or handling increased transaction volumes can expose critical weaknesses in legacy systems, creating operational inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and, ultimately, dissatisfied customers.
  4. Integration with new technology is a constant struggle
    To stay competitive, today’s process manufacturers must quickly leverage new technologies—from advanced analytics to IoT and beyond. Yet legacy ERP systems typically struggle to integrate smoothly with new tools, leaving critical data stranded and inaccessible. If your team wastes time working around integration barriers, you lose valuable opportunities to innovate and streamline operations.
  5. Maintenance costs and downtime are draining resources
    Legacy systems may seem inexpensive to maintain—especially if the initial investment is long paid off—but the hidden costs tell a different story. Maintenance still requires time and resources, and when downtime or troubleshooting becomes a recurring issue, it pulls attention away from more strategic initiatives. With resources consumed by upkeep, you limit how much you can invest in new product development, employee training, or market expansion initiatives.

The hidden dangers of ignoring the signs

If these issues sound familiar, it’s time to recognize that the risks of sticking with an outdated ERP system go beyond immediate frustrations. If you aren’t evolving, you’re effectively moving backward. Your competitors aren’t standing still—they’re actively investing in digital infrastructure, enhancing agility, reducing operational costs, and accelerating innovation cycles. Companies sticking with legacy systems risk losing market share, missing out on new market opportunities, and becoming less attractive to potential customers and partners.

The current economic uncertainty intensifies the need to operate efficiently and strategically—exactly what legacy systems are ill-equipped to provide. Further, maintaining outdated systems hampers your ability to attract top talent. Today’s skilled workers prefer modern, user-friendly systems that enhance productivity and innovation—not cumbersome, outdated platforms that complicate their daily tasks. Ignoring these issues could cost you operational efficiency and your competitive edge in attracting and retaining the best talent in your industry.

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How a modern ERP solution solves these problems

Here’s the good news: A modern ERP solution specifically designed for process manufacturing directly addresses each of these critical pain points:

1. Automates manual tasks

Modern ERPs like Sage X3 automate data entry, reconciliation, and routine workflows, significantly reducing errors and freeing your teams to focus on value-added activities.

Sage X3 is already incorporating AI strategies to automate repetitive functions like accounts payable and receivable. These tools reduce human input and accelerate processing—making everyday workflows faster, more accurate, and far less manual

2. Provides real-time, actionable insights

A modern ERP delivers real-time visibility across all your operations, giving you the precise data you need to make rapid, informed decisions. Integrated dashboards and analytics tools enable proactive responses to shifts in demand, regulatory changes, and emerging market opportunities, strengthening your competitive positioning.

3. Scales effortlessly with your growth

Solutions like Sage X3 are built with scalability, allowing you to expand operations quickly without costly and disruptive system upgrades. Modern ERP systems also support operational growth without necessarily increasing headcount. As you expand into new markets or product lines, the system can be configured to handle added complexity—without overloading your team.

4. Simplifies integration with advanced technologies

New ERP systems are designed for seamless integration with a wide variety of third-party applications and emerging technologies. By connecting your existing and future systems, you’ll reduce integration costs, improve data quality, and foster innovation—making your company agile, adaptive, and ready to embrace future advancements effortlessly.

5. Reduces ongoing maintenance and infrastructure costs

Cloud-based ERP solutions significantly reduce maintenance demands and costs associated with traditional legacy systems. By transitioning to the cloud, your IT team can redirect their efforts from basic system upkeep to strategic initiatives that drive business value, innovation, and market competitiveness.

Ready to move forward?

The choice is stark: Modernize or risk falling behind. Upgrading your ERP solution will equip your process manufacturing operation to meet the challenges of this dynamic, uncertain market head-on. With a modern ERP, your teams can thrive, your decisions will be sharper, and your business will be positioned for sustained long-term success.

Take the first step today—explore how transitioning to a modern ERP solution like Sage X3 can streamline your operations, enhance your competitive positioning, and unlock new opportunities for growth. We invite you to check out how our client, Polycoat Products, scaled operations nationally with Sage X3. Or how we helped Uniwell Laboratories boost revenues by 14% by optimizing their ERP application. Or how Baked by Melissa makes life sweeter for more of America by using Sage X3. Then, reach out to our team of process manufacturing experts to see how we may be able to help you.

Cloud vs. On-Premise ERP: How to Choose the Right Deployment Model

Choose the ERP system and implementation partner that fit your operations first, then let those requirements determine whether cloud, on-premise, or hybrid makes sense. For most mid-market businesses, that process points to cloud, but only after business fit, compliance, connectivity, and customization needs are clear.

Key Takeaways

  • The cloud-vs-on-premise question is the wrong place to start. An important deployment decision should follow your system selection and your business requirements, rather than the other way around.
  • There are three options: cloud (vendor-hosted, subscription), on-premise (you own the servers and the software), and hybrid (a mix, such as cloud financials with on-premise operations).
  • On-premise still makes sense for some businesses such as heavily regulated industries, strict data-residency rules, limited site connectivity, or deep, business-specific customization.
  • Cloud is the stronger fit for most mid-market companies: lean IT teams, predictable operating costs, multi-site and mobile users, and security and updates handled by the vendor.
  • The single biggest predictor of success isn’t where the software runs. Pick the partner before you pick the platform.

The real risk in choosing where your ERP is hosted is choosing how to deploy before you’ve figured out which system fits how your business runs, and who’s going to stand it up. With the right technology partner, cloud versus on-premise deployment becomes a straightforward technical call.

Why “cloud vs. on-premise” is the wrong first question

Deployment model is a “how.” Fit is a “what.” Start with the “what” and the “how” tends to answer itself. For example, a mid-market distributor with three warehouses, a four-person IT team, and a board asking for real-time margin reporting has, in effect, already chosen cloud; they just haven’t named it yet. A defense subcontractor bound by data-residency requirements has been pointed toward on-premise or a private environment before anyone opens a deployment brochure.

 

The three ERP deployment models

Cloud ERP runs on the vendor’s infrastructure and reaches you over the internet. You subscribe rather than buy, the vendor handles hosting, updates, and most security, and your team logs in from anywhere. Costs are predictable and operational rather than a large upfront purchase.

On-premise ERP is the traditional model: you license the software, run it on servers you own and maintain, and take responsibility for backups, patches, and security. It’s a bigger capital commitment and a heavier internal IT load in exchange for total control over the environment.

Sitting between them is hybrid, where some functions live in the cloud and others stay on-premise. It isn’t a compromise so much as a deliberate design choice for businesses whose requirements genuinely differ across departments.

When on-premise still makes sense

Cloud doesn’t win every time. On-premise is the right answer when regulation or data residency requires it. Some defense, government, and healthcare-adjacent contracts mandate that data stay within specific physical or jurisdictional boundaries that a public cloud can’t always satisfy.

It’s also the right call when connectivity is unreliable: a plant or remote site with spotty internet can’t depend on a system that lives entirely online, and local infrastructure keeps operations running when the connection doesn’t. And when customization runs deep, businesses with heavily tailored, business-specific processes sometimes find that control over the full stack matters more than the convenience of a managed platform.

When cloud is the stronger fit

For most SMBs, the requirements lean cloud.

  • The fit is strong when you have a lean IT.
  • Cloud ERP is usually best when you want predictable cost, because subscription pricing turns a large capital purchase into a steady operating expense you can plan around.
  • It fits multi-site or mobile teams, where distributed warehouses, field service techs, and remote staff all work from one live system.
  • Cloud ERP is preferable when you need better security, since vendor-managed environments bring encryption, identity management, threat monitoring, and automatic updates.
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When hybrid ERP makes sense

Many SMBs don’t land cleanly on either side. A common pattern is financials and reporting in the cloud, where real-time visibility and remote access pay off most, and with manufacturing or inventory functions kept on-premise to preserve speed and control on the shop floor.

Hybrid systems also support a phased migration, where organizations move the business to cloud one workstream at a time instead of betting everything on a single cutover.

The decision that matters most is your technology partner

Where your ERP runs is a technical detail. Your technology implementation partner makes the difference between a system that pays for itself and an expensive disappointment. A capable implementer doesn’t just install software; they map your processes, manage the change, and steer the project away from common pitfalls.

If your last ERP project went over budget, past deadline, or never fully adopted, that experience is the reason to bring in a partner with a formal recovery practice, not the reason to give up on modernizing. A failed first attempt isn’t the end of the road; it’s a problem with a named solution.

How Midway Industrial Supply chose the right fit

Midway Industrial Supply, the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest independent distributor of power transmission products and industrial supplies, was dealing with an on-premise ERP system that was nearly 30 years old and had performance issues that drained productivity. The company began its search for a modern ERP with what the business needed: better insight across the organization and a system that was easy to roll out to newly acquired entities.

Working with its long-time technology partner Net at Work, with hosting delivered through the Cloud at Work private cloud, Midway replaced its aging system with Acumatica Cloud ERP. The result was:

  • 25% efficiency gains across teams and departments
  • Automated workflows that cut staff touchpoints and sped up time to payment
  • Despite three acquisitions and three new locations, the company needed to add only one new finance employee

Cloud was the right deployment because it served Midway’s business requirements.

Map your requirements first

Before you weigh cloud against on-premise, define what your business needs the system to do and find the partner who can deliver it.

Schedule a consultation and we’ll start where the decision really begins: with your organization’s requirements.

Unlocking Operational Efficiency in Healthcare with ERP Migration

Healthcare organizations face complicated challenges such as managing complex financial systems and ensuring regulatory compliance while maintaining high standards of patient care. Many of these organizations are surmounting these challenges with the help of a modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, which can centralize operations and enhance efficiency across departments.

What Do Modern Healthcare Organizations Need?

Supporting modern healthcare practices requires expert knowledge of intricate processes. Often, these processes operate in silos, leading to inefficiencies and higher costs. Today’s ERPs are designed to streamline these operations and enable real-time decision-making, improve data security, and enhance collaboration across departments. However, implementing an ERP system for healthcare means considering common issues such as data cleanliness, lengthy implementations, and interoperability with legacy systems.

Overcoming Common Challenges in Healthcare: A Path to Efficiency

When healthcare organizations begin considering migrating to a new ERP, they’re typically motivated by multiple issues such as:

  • Financial Planning and Analysis: Many healthcare organizations struggle with integrating financial planning and analysis with their accounting systems. This leads to inefficient budgeting and forecasting processes.
  • Payroll and Financial Management Integration: Manual imports and journal entries are often used to connect payroll data with financial systems, resulting in time-consuming and error-prone processes.
  • Supply Chain Management: Managing a complex supply chain without reliable tracking mechanisms can lead to financial risks and inefficiencies.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensuring HIPAA compliance is crucial, yet many legacy systems lack the necessary security measures.

“We definitely have some unique aspects to our operation. They showed us how Sage Intacct is agile and configurable enough to support us.”  Cara Numasaki, Controller, Hawaii Dental Service

Key Benefits of Modern ERPs for Healthcare Practices

Migrating to a modern healthcare ERP offers several key benefits:

  • Integration and Interoperability: Modern ERPs integrate all aspects of healthcare operations, from supply chain management and human resources to patient care and billing, resulting in seamless data flow and eliminating duplication. This integration facilitates better collaboration across departments and enhances patient care by providing a unified view of patient data.
  • Advanced Reporting and Analytics: Modern ERP systems provide real-time data analytics, enabling healthcare organizations to make informed decisions based on current operational and financial data. This capability helps in optimizing resource allocation, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing financial management.
  • Improved Compliance and Security: Modern ERPs are designed with compliance in mind, offering features like audit trails, role-based access control, and encryption to meet strict regulations such as HIPAA. They also provide robust security measures to protect sensitive patient data, reducing the risk of breaches and maintaining patient trust.
  • Enhanced Patient Care: By providing a comprehensive view of patient data and streamlining administrative tasks, modern ERPs enable healthcare providers to focus more on patient care. This leads to better patient outcomes and improved satisfaction.
  • Innovation and Future-Proofing: Modern cloud-based ERP systems are more agile and adaptable to future challenges, allowing healthcare organizations to leverage advancements in AI and machine learning to improve operations and patient care. This future-proofing ensures that healthcare providers remain competitive and innovative in their operations.

Sage Intacct and HIPAA Compliance: Ensuring Secure Healthcare Operations

Sage Intacct, a true cloud ERP, supports compliance with HIPAA regulations through several key features and certifications. This ensures that healthcare organizations can securely manage protected health information (PHI) and electronic protected health information (ePHI).

  1. Advanced Audit Trail: Sage Intacct provides an advanced, automated audit trail that tracks every access and modification of records containing PHI. This feature logs all interactions, including who accessed the data, when, and through what means, supporting HIPAA’s requirement to monitor PHI access.
  2. Secure Data Storage: Sage Intacct securely stores PHI, ensuring that sensitive information is protected.
  3. Business Associate Agreement (BAA): Sage Intacct is willing to enter into a BAA with eligible healthcare organizations, outlining specific measures for data protection, breach notification procedures, and requirements for returning or destroying PHI after the agreement ends.
  4. Certifications and Compliance: Sage Intacct’s security safeguards have been certified as HIPAA- and HITECH-compliant by Avertium (formerly Sword & Shield), providing assurance that the system meets strict regulatory requirements.

By leveraging these features and certifications, Sage Intacct provides a robust solution for healthcare organizations seeking to ensure HIPAA compliance while managing their financial operations effectively.

Real-Life Success Stories: How Net at Work Transformed Healthcare Operations

Net at Work has helped several healthcare organizations overcome these challenges by implementing a cloud-based ERP solution designed to meet the specific needs of the healthcare industry.

Personal Healthcare: Streamlining Financial Management for Growth

Personal Healthcare, a provider of senior care services, faced significant challenges as it expanded from one to eight nursing homes in just five years. Their legacy software failed to support paperless financial processes or provide transparency into revenues and expenses across different facilities. By migrating to an ERP with features specific to their needs, Personal Healthcare was able to streamline financial management, shorten its monthly close process from a week to just a day or two, and consolidate financials across entities instantaneously. Their new ERP also enabled the company to customize reports using key operational metrics, such as cost per patient per day, which is crucial for senior care facilities.

Hawaii Dental Service: Achieving Efficiency with Cloud-Based ERP

Hawaii Dental Service (HDS), a nonprofit dental benefits provider, had relied on a server-based ERP for its financial management. However, as the organization moved towards cloud-based solutions, HDS partnered with Net at Work to migrate to a customizable ERP. This transition was driven by the need for greater efficiency, improved budgeting processes, and simplified multi-company accounting tasks. With their new ERP, HDS achieved significant time savings in accounts payable processing and financial reporting, reducing manual workflows and enhancing real-time visibility into financial data.

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Unlocking the Full Potential of Sage Intacct for Healthcare

In addition to supporting HIPAA compliance, Sage Intacct offers several benefits that make it an ideal choice for healthcare organizations:

  • Multi-Entity Management: Healthcare organizations with multiple locations or entities can use Sage Intacct to consolidate financials, automate intercompany accounting, and enhance visibility into profitability by location or treatment.
  • Real-Time Reporting: Sage Intacct provides real-time dashboards and reports, which can help healthcare organizations monitor performance metrics and make data-driven decisions.

“Net at Work is fabulous, and they completed the conversion remotely, on time and on budget.” – Cara Numasaki, Controller, Hawaii Dental Service

Whether your organization is facing challenges with financial planning, payroll integration, or supply chain management, migrating to a customizable, scalable ERP system can be transformative.   To explore how we can help address your organization’s specific needs, contact us to connect with a healthcare ERP expert and receive a complimentary Business Health Assessment. This assessment will help identify areas for improvement and provide a roadmap for implementing a tailored ERP solution that supports your growth and operational efficiency.  Further Reading

  1. Net at Work – Sage Intacct for Healthcare Accounting
  2. Net at Work – Streamlining Healthcare Accounting With Sage Intacct
  3. Sage Intacct Cloud Accounting and Financial Management Software
  4. Net at Work – Next Gen Cloud Financial Management for Healthcare ERP
  5. Net at Work – Healthcare Accounting Software
  6. Net at Work – Sage Intacct Cloud Accounting Software for Surgical Centers

How Modern Construction ERP Finally Addresses the Industry’s Communication Problem

Did you know that 95% of construction firms report significant operational advantages after implementing ERP systems, with improved collaboration and centralized data access being the top benefits?

Yet despite widespread technology adoption, construction productivity has improved by only 0.4% annually over the past two decades, which is far below the 2% average across all industries. This paradox reveals a critical truth: technology alone doesn’t transform construction operations, but the right ERP implementation, properly executed, can be the catalyst that unlocks your company’s collaborative potential.

The Collaboration Crisis in Construction

Construction projects are inherently complex, involving multiple stakeholders, tight deadlines, and constantly shifting variables. For small and medium-sized construction businesses, effective collaboration is about survival in an increasingly competitive market. McKinsey research indicates that the construction industry has an opportunity to boost value-added productivity by $1.6 trillion globally, with improved collaboration being a key driver of this potential.

“Modern construction ERP systems eliminate the lag time between field activities and office awareness…this real-time visibility enables proactive decision-making rather than reactive problem-solving.”

Construction projects typically involve dozens of stakeholders across multiple locations, from field crews and project managers to subcontractors, suppliers, and clients. Traditional communication methods such as email chains, phone calls, and paper-based documentation create information silos that lead to costly delays, rework, and disputes.

How Modern ERP Transforms Construction Collaboration

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems designed for construction address these collaboration challenges by creating a single source of truth for all project information. Unlike generic business software, construction-specific ERP solutions understand the unique workflows, compliance requirements, and real-time data needs of the industry.

1. Real-Time Information Sharing
Modern construction ERP systems eliminate the lag time between field activities and office awareness. When a crew completes a task, updates material usage, or encounters an issue, this information immediately becomes available to project managers, estimators, and other stakeholders. This real-time visibility enables proactive decision-making rather than reactive problem-solving.

Cloud-based deployment, which accounts for 62% of the construction ERP market as of 2024, ensures that team members can access critical project information from any location, whether they’re in the office, on-site, or meeting with clients. This accessibility is particularly valuable for SMBs that may not have dedicated IT resources to maintain on-premises systems.

2. Integrated Communication Workflows
Construction ERP systems integrate communication directly into project workflows. Instead of relying on separate email systems or messaging apps, team members can communicate within the context of specific projects, tasks, or documents. This contextual communication reduces misunderstandings and ensures that important decisions are documented and traceable.

For example, when a change order is submitted, the ERP system can automatically notify relevant stakeholders, track approval workflows, and update project budgets and schedules simultaneously. This integrated approach eliminates the communication gaps that often occur when using disparate systems.

3. Document Management and Version Control
Construction projects generate enormous amounts of documentation such as plans, specifications, contracts, permits, and compliance records. Modern construction ERP systems provide centralized document management with version control, ensuring that everyone works from the most current information. This capability is particularly crucial for SMBs that may lack the administrative resources to manually track document versions across multiple projects.

The system maintains a complete audit trail of document changes, showing who made modifications and when. This transparency not only improves collaboration but also provides legal protection in case of disputes.

4. Workflow Optimization Through ERP
Beyond communication improvements, construction ERP systems optimize workflows by automating routine processes and providing intelligent routing of information and approvals.

5. Automated Approval Processes
Construction projects require numerous approvals, from change orders and purchase requisitions to timesheets and expense reports. ERP systems can automate these approval workflows based on predefined rules, ensuring that requests reach the right people in the correct sequence. This automation reduces delays and eliminates the bottlenecks that occur when approvals get stuck on someone’s desk.

6. Resource Coordination

Effective construction requires precise coordination of labor, equipment, and materials. ERP systems provide visibility into resource availability and utilization across all projects, enabling better scheduling and reducing conflicts. Project managers can see when equipment will be available, which crews have the necessary skills for specific tasks, and how material deliveries align with project schedules.

7. Mobile-First Design
Today’s construction ERP solutions prioritize mobile functionality, recognizing that much of the work happens away from desks. Field personnel can use tablets and smartphones to update project status, capture photos, record time, and access project documents without returning to the office. This mobile capability keeps information flowing and reduces the administrative burden on field teams.

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Measuring the Impact

The benefits of improved collaboration through ERP implementation are measurable and significant for construction SMBs:

  • Financial Performance: Companies report improved project margins through better cost control and reduced rework. The centralized visibility into project finances enables more accurate forecasting and proactive intervention when projects drift off budget.
  • Timeline Management: Real-time collaboration tools help construction companies complete projects on schedule more consistently. When issues arise, the faster information flow enables quicker resolution and reduces the cascade effects of delays.
  • Quality Improvement: Better communication and documentation lead to fewer errors and omissions. When everyone has access to the same information, the likelihood of working from outdated plans or specifications decreases significantly.
  • Client Satisfaction: Improved project visibility enables construction companies to provide clients with better updates and more accurate timelines. This transparency builds trust and often leads to repeat business and referrals.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges

Despite the clear benefits, construction SMBs often hesitate to implement ERP systems due to concerns about complexity, cost, and disruption. However, modern cloud-based ERP solutions are designed to address these concerns:

  • Rapid Deployment: Cloud-based systems can often be implemented in weeks rather than months, minimizing disruption to ongoing projects.
  • Scalable Pricing: Many ERP vendors offer pricing models that align with company size and growth, making the systems accessible to smaller companies.
  • Industry-Specific Functionality: Construction-focused ERP systems come pre-configured with industry-standard workflows, reducing the need for extensive customization.
  • Training and Support: Leading ERP providers offer comprehensive training programs and ongoing support to ensure successful adoption.
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The Future of Construction Collaboration

The construction ERP market is projected to reach $28 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 14%. This growth is driven by increasing recognition that effective collaboration is essential for competitive advantage. Artificial intelligence integration is emerging as the next frontier, with 40% of businesses considering AI capabilities as important factors in their ERP investment decisions.

For construction SMBs, the question isn’t whether to adopt collaborative ERP technology, but how quickly they can implement it effectively. Companies that embrace these tools now will be better positioned to compete for larger projects, attract and retain skilled workers, and deliver consistent profitability.

Taking the Next Step

The construction industry’s productivity challenge is real, but it’s not insurmountable. Modern ERP systems provide the collaboration foundation that enables construction SMBs to break through traditional constraints and achieve new levels of efficiency and profitability.

The key is choosing the right system and implementation partner—one that understands both the technology and the unique demands of construction work. With proper planning and execution, ERP implementation can transform how your company collaborates, ultimately driving better project outcomes and stronger financial performance.

Ready to explore how modern ERP can enhance collaboration in your construction business?

Contact Net at Work today for a complimentary Business Health Assessment. Our construction industry specialists will evaluate your current processes, identify collaboration opportunities, and provide a roadmap for ERP success tailored to your company’s specific needs.

Transforming Construction Operations with the Right ERP

The construction industry is experiencing significant growth, as construction spending in the U.S. exceeded $2 trillion in 2024. As the industry continues to evolve in the face of ongoing challenges such as labor shortages and inflation, adopting a flexible, scalable Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is crucial for managing complex construction projects efficiently. The right construction ERP can help streamline your operations, enhance collaboration, and provide real-time insights, which are essential for staying competitive.

The Primary Benefits of Modern Construction ERP Systems

Modern ERP systems offer several benefits for construction companies:

  • Improved Project Management: Real-time visibility into project costs and timelines helps keep projects on track and within budget.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: A single platform ensures that all stakeholders have access to the same information, reducing misunderstandings and improving project outcomes.
  • Increased Efficiency: Automation of routine tasks and streamlined workflows lead to significant time savings and increased productivity.
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Key Considerations for Choosing an ERP for Construction

When evaluating construction ERP solutions, construction company leaders should focus on several critical areas:

  1. Productivity and Functionality: The right ERP should enhance productivity by automating processes and providing intuitive interfaces. It must also offer comprehensive functionality to manage construction-specific tasks such as project management, job costing, and compliance management.
  2. Technology and Integration: The system should leverage modern technology for ease of use and customization. Integration with existing software tools is essential to avoid data silos and ensure seamless workflows.
  3. Value and Cost: The ERP should offer a low total cost of ownership and scalable pricing models that align with business growth. It should also provide predictable monthly costs and flexible deployment options.
  4. Risk Management: The system must ensure robust security measures to protect financial and operational data, minimizing risks associated with data breaches and system downtime.

Role-Based ERP Solutions

Role-based ERP solutions, such as Acumatica Construction Edition, are designed to empower different departments within a construction company by providing tailored dashboards and real-time data. This approach helps executives, project managers, and field staff make informed decisions and improve collaboration across the organization.   For example, construction executives can access business intelligence and analytics to set financial goals and analyze budgets, while project managers can track job costs, change orders, and budgets through role-based dashboards. Additionally, role-based security ensures that access is controlled, allowing each user to view only the information necessary for their role, enhancing data security and efficiency.  Acumatica provides a holistic view of the entire business from a single, connected platform. It supports various construction roles, including CFOs, COOs, CEOs, project managers, equipment managers, and more, each with unique responsibilities that can significantly impact the company’s success. By personalizing workflows and removing clutter from screens, employees can focus on critical tasks that drive growth, reduce costs, improve quality, and increase profits. This flexibility and customization allow construction businesses to adapt the system to their specific needs, ensuring that every team member has the tools required to excel in their role.

Overcoming Barriers to ERP Adoption

Implementing a new ERP system in the construction industry can face barriers such as resistance to change, inadequate training, and data migration complexities. To overcome these challenges, construction companies must adopt a strategic approach. Effective change management involves clear communication about the benefits of the new system and comprehensive training programs to ensure a smooth transition. It is also crucial to engage key stakeholders early in the process and prioritize integration with existing systems to avoid operational silos.  A thorough needs assessment and realistic implementation timeline are essential to address potential issues proactively. Partnering with experienced vendors who understand construction-specific workflows can help align customization with industry needs, reducing the risk of inefficiencies. Additionally, focusing on data quality and establishing robust governance practices ensures accurate migration and ongoing system performance. By addressing these challenges proactively, construction companies can successfully adopt ERP systems and achieve operational excellence.

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Net at Work Customer Story: HOJ Innovations

HOJ Innovations, a wholesale materials handling company with seven facilities in Utah and Idaho, specializes in optimizing warehouse design and equipment handling for major retailers and startups alike. Founded in 1964, HOJ Innovations has grown significantly, generating annual revenues exceeding $75 million. However, they faced challenges with their outdated, heavily customized ERP system, which was no longer meeting their complex operational needs.  Chuck Archer, COO at HOJ Innovations, noted, “We’re a large, multifaceted organization, and what we wanted to accomplish is complex and requires an advanced skillset.”

When looking to replace their previous ERP, they chose Acumatica for its robust, cloud-based platform and extensive core functionality, which allowed them to bring their diverse operations under one digital roof.   They chose Net at Work as their implementation partner after learning about them from another company because, as Archer stated,  “They have a reputation for being the best of the best. Once we met with them, we immediately recognized that Net at Work has the skillset, level of experience, and responsiveness we needed. They know what they’re doing.”

Working with Net at Work, HOJ Innovations successfully implemented Acumatica, achieving a 50% reduction in monthly close time and a significant increase in their order-to-cash cycle. Addison Webster, CFO at HOJ Innovations, highlighted the benefits of working with Net at Work, stating, “The goal is to collect and use our business data to improve accountability, visibility, and efficiency. Net at Work operates with those same goals in mind.”

Choosing the right ERP system is a critical decision for construction companies seeking to enhance operational efficiency and drive growth. By focusing on productivity, functionality, technology, value, and risk management, construction leaders can select an ERP that meets their unique needs.   Contact Net at Work today to receive a complimentary Business Health Assessment for your construction company.

Further Reading:

How to Create a Tariff Miscellaneous Charge in Sage 100

If you need a simple way to handle occasional tariff surcharges in Sage 100, consider using a miscellaneous charge. This is an easy approach to test or implement initially, especially if you’re not yet ready for more comprehensive methods like landed costs and pricing adjustments.

Steps to Create the Tariff Misc. Charge:

  1. Navigate to:
    • Common Information > Main> Miscellaneous Item Maintenance
  2. Main Tab Settings:
    • Item Type: Set to Charge (❗This step is crucial. ❗)
      • Accidentally selecting “Miscellaneous,” which is the default, will cause Sage 100 to post to an Inventory Account with an offset to COGS (in addition to a credit to sales).
      • Charge ensures you credit only one account, offsetting the debit to Accounts Receivable.  Read on for more information.
    • Enter a Description, e.g., “Tariff.”
  3. Account Tab Settings:
    • Sales Account:
      • Enter the General Ledger account to be credited upon Sales Order Invoice posting. (Offsetting Accounts Receivable)
        (This does not have to be an actual sales account; it could be a clearing account.)
    • Purchases Account:
      • Enter the account to be debited upon Receipt of Invoice posting. (Offsetting A/P)

Example Setup:

    • Sales Account: 505-00-00 (Tariffs Clearing – Credit)
    • Purchases Account: 505-00-00 (Tariffs Clearing – Debit)

Note: The above example uses a single clearing account under expenses. Your company may prefer separate accounts for debits and credits. ❗ Be sure to consult with your accountant for advice. ❗

  1. Optional Settings on the Main Tab:
    • Calculate Commission on Sales: Uncheck to exclude tariff charges in commission calculations.
    • Allow Returns: Select this option based on your preference.

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S100 Q225 Tariff 2

A Note Regarding Landed Costs:
If your business requires more accuracy or detail in tracking tariffs, consider using Landed Costs, which provide a more robust and precise solution within Sage 100.  Please contact us for more information.

A Note Regarding Automation:
If you find entering the tariff miscellaneous charges cumbersome and would like to automate this process, get in touch with us to discuss options to streamline.

Using the Tariff Miscellaneous Charge on a Sales Order:

After creating your tariff miscellaneous charge, it can be easily added to Sales Orders and Purchase Orders:

In Order Entry:

  • Go to the Lines Tab
  • Enter the miscellaneous charge item code preceded by a forward slash (“/”). For example:
    • /TARIFF
  • Enter the tariff charge amount in the Extension field.

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Tip: If you don’t remember the exact name of your miscellaneous charge code, simply type a forward slash (/) and then press the F2 key on your keyboard to open the lookup window. You can also type partial codes like /T and press F2 to quickly find all miscellaneous charge codes beginning with the letter T.

Mission Over Management: How a Flexible, Scalable ERP Can Transform Nonprofit Operations

As nonprofit organizations navigate the complexities of an increasingly digital world, they face numerous challenges that can hinder their ability to fulfill their missions. The Sage 2024 Nonprofit Technology Trends Survey highlights several key findings that underscore the importance of leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency and mission impact:

  • Economic uncertainty is the top external challenge facing nonprofits, followed by inflation and competition for funding.
  • Nonprofits are increasingly adopting technology solutions like financial management software and donor management systems to streamline operations.
  • The ability to track outcome metrics is crucial for demonstrating accountability and attracting donors.

These findings emphasize the need for flexible and scalable technology solutions that can help nonprofits adapt to changing conditions while maximizing their impact.

The Role of ERP in Nonprofit Operations

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can be transformative for nonprofit organizations as well. Today’s ERP provides a centralized platform that integrates all critical functions, from finance to fundraising and volunteer management, allowing nonprofits to streamline operations and improve financial transparency.

By automating key processes and reducing manual data entry, ERP systems free up valuable time and resources that can be redirected towards core mission activities. This is particularly important for nonprofits, which often rely on limited resources and must maximize their impact.

“Net at Work is our single point of contact for all things technology. We use them exclusively for questions and support.”

– Kathy Breyfogle, CFO, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

The W.E. Upjohn Institute: From Scanning, Storing and Routing Documents to Paperless Workflows

The W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research is a prime example of how a modern ERP can transform nonprofit operations. The Institute, which conducts extensive research on employment and unemployment, faced challenges with its legacy accounting software. It was unable to access financial data remotely during the pandemic, highlighting the need for a cloud-based solution.

The Upjohn Institute partnered with Net at Work for their ERP migration to Sage Intacct, a cloud-based financial management solution. Kathy Breyfogle, CFO at the Upjohn Institute, noted, “Net at Work is our single point of contact for all things technology. We use them exclusively for questions and support.” This partnership was crucial in optimizing workflows and ensuring a smooth transition.

With the ongoing support of Net at Work and the adoption of Sage Intacct, the Institute achieved significant improvements in operational efficiency and data analysis. They utilized the dimensions functionality of Intacct to revamp their chart of accounts, simplifying their account structure and providing more granular reporting on projects and funding. Additionally, the Institute set up smart rules to automate compliance checks, reducing manual errors and enhancing confidence in financial data.

The successful ERP migration also led to the elimination of paper files and streamlined audits. By associating electronic attachments with transactions, the Institute improved access to supporting documents, which is expected to save costs during audits. Furthermore, the Institute’s accounting team reported a perfect score in employee engagement and satisfaction surveys, attributing much of this success to Sage Intacct’s capabilities.

Overall, the partnership with Net at Work and the implementation of Sage Intacct have elevated the Institute’s financial operations, allowing them to focus more on their mission and less on administrative tasks.

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Benefits of ERP for Nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations can benefit significantly from implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Here are some of the biggest advantages of using ERP for nonprofits:

  1. Operational Efficiency

ERP systems streamline and automate core processes such as financial management, grant management, and donor tracking. This automation reduces manual data entry, minimizes errors, and accelerates processing times, allowing staff to focus on higher-value tasks. By integrating various functions into a single system, nonprofits can eliminate redundant tasks and improve overall productivity.

  1. Financial Transparency and Reporting

ERP solutions provide robust reporting and analysis capabilities, enabling nonprofits to generate detailed financial statements and reports. This helps in demonstrating financial accountability to stakeholders, including donors and regulatory agencies. Enhanced reporting also aids in compliance with regulatory requirements and supports better budgeting and forecasting.

  1. Real-Time Data Insights

ERP systems offer real-time visibility into financial data, allowing nonprofits to monitor their financial health and make informed decisions. This capability supports better resource allocation and strategic planning. With all data centralized, nonprofits can easily access and analyze information across different departments, improving decision-making.

  1. Scalability and Flexibility

ERP systems are scalable, meaning they can grow with the nonprofit as it expands its operations. This scalability ensures that nonprofits can manage more projects and meet increasing demands without needing to overhaul their systems. Additionally, ERP solutions can be customized to meet specific nonprofit needs, such as fund accounting and grant management.

  1. Improved Donor Management and Fundraising

An ERP can integrate donor management capabilities, allowing nonprofits to track donations, manage donor relationships, and cultivate future support. This integration simplifies fundraising efforts and enhances donor engagement.

  1. Risk Management and Compliance

By centralizing data and automating backups, ERPs help mitigate risks associated with data breaches and loss of critical information. This ensures compliance with legal standards and maintains donor trust. ERP solutions also provide robust security measures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements like GDPR.

  1. Enhanced Collaboration

ERP systems provide a centralized database, ensuring that all stakeholders have access to the same information. This reduces miscommunication and errors, improving collaboration among employees and volunteers. Features like centralized document management and real-time communication tools further enhance teamwork.

Modern Technology Powers the Future for Genesee Country Village & Museum

The Genesee Country Village & Museum struggled with outdated financial systems that relied heavily on manual processes. This inefficiency not only consumed valuable staff time but also limited the museum’s ability to provide timely and accurate financial reports. Recognizing the need for change, the museum decided to migrate to Sage Intacct, a cloud-based ERP solution designed to automate financial processes and improve data visibility.The implementation of Sage Intacct at the Genesee Country Village & Museum resulted in significant operational improvements. The museum was able to automate many of its financial tasks, freeing up staff to focus on core activities such as curating exhibits and developing educational programs.

Additionally, Sage Intacct provided real-time data insights, enabling better decision-making and ensuring compliance with financial reporting requirements. This transformation allowed the museum to allocate more resources towards its mission, enhancing its overall impact on the community.

GVC Gold Bl Sm

Challenge:
The Genesee Country Village & Museum faced challenges with manual processes and outdated financial systems, which hindered operational efficiency and financial reporting.

Solution:
The museum implemented Sage Intacct, a modern cloud-based ERP solution, to automate financial processes and improve data visibility.

Results:

  • Enhanced financial reporting and compliance
  • Improved operational efficiency through automation
  • Better decision-making with real-time data insights

Read the full case study.

Nonprofit organizations face unique challenges in managing their operations efficiently while maximizing their mission impact. A flexible and scalable ERP system can be a game-changer, providing the tools needed to streamline operations, improve financial transparency, and enhance decision-making capabilities.

If your nonprofit is looking to focus more on its mission, you can reach out to Net at Work for a complimentary Business Health Assessment. Contact us today to take the first step towards transforming your nonprofit’s operations.

How Modern ERP Systems Transform Field Service Companies into Customer Experience Leaders

Did you know that McKinsey research reveals improving the customer experience has increased sales revenues by 2 to 7 percent and profitability by 1 to 2 percent?

For field service companies serving the HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other trades, this statistic represents both an enormous opportunity and a critical challenge. In an industry where 74% of mobile workers say that customer expectations are higher than they used to be, and 73% say customers now expect a personal touch, the pressure to deliver exceptional service experiences will likely continue to grow.

The stakes are particularly high for small and medium-sized (SMBs) field service businesses. While large enterprises have teams of customer experience specialists and larger technology budgets, SMBs must find ways to compete on service quality with limited resources. This is where modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems specifically designed for field services are helping smaller companies to deliver enterprise-level customer experiences through intelligent automation and integrated operations.

The Customer Experience Challenge in Field Services

Today’s field service customers expect a seamless, personalized experience from first contact to final invoice. But field service appointments frequently don’t go as planned due to customer miscommunication, unaccounted-for parts, insufficient appointment lengths, and travel time miscalculations. These operational failures directly translate into poor customer experiences and lost business opportunities.

The challenge is compounded by the fact that 94% of consumers said a positive customer service experience increased the likelihood that they would buy from a company again, according to Statista research, while retention improvements further magnify financial returns as reported by Forrester. Field service companies that fail to invest in customer experience capabilities may be actively losing market share to competitors who understand that exceptional service delivery is now a competitive necessity.  The complexity of modern field service operations makes delivering consistent customer experiences particularly challenging:

  • Technicians need real-time access to customer history, equipment information, parts availability, and scheduling data.
  • Office staff require visibility into field operations to provide accurate updates to customers.
  • Managers need comprehensive dashboards to identify service delivery issues before they impact customer satisfaction.

Without integrated systems connecting these touchpoints, field service companies struggle to deliver the seamless experiences customers now expect.

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How Modern ERP Systems Enable Personalized Service Delivery

Modern field service ERP platforms create comprehensive customer visibility that enables personalized service delivery. These systems maintain complete customer profiles that include service history, equipment details, preferred technicians, special instructions, and communication preferences. This information travels with every service request, ensuring that technicians arrive on-site fully prepared to address not just the immediate issue, but the customer’s broader needs and preferences.

“The key to successful implementation lies in choosing a solution that aligns with field service industry requirements and working with implementation partners who understand the unique challenges of trades businesses.”

Intelligent scheduling and dispatching capabilities represent another crucial advantage. Rather than simply assigning the next available technician, modern field service ERP systems consider factors such as technician skill sets, customer preferences, geographic efficiency, and parts availability. Advanced scheduling modules enable efficient appointment creation and resource assignment, utilizing calendar boards to manage appointments by technician and resource for maximum productivity and customer satisfaction.

Real-time communication capabilities eliminate the information gaps that frequently frustrate customers. When unexpected delays occur or additional parts are needed, integrated ERP systems automatically notify customers with accurate updates rather than leaving them wondering about appointment status. This proactive communication significantly improves customer satisfaction even when service delivery doesn’t go exactly as planned.

The Integration Advantage: Connected Operations Drive Superior Experiences

The real power of modern ERP systems for field service companies lies in the integration of all operational aspects into a single, coherent system. Leading field service ERP platforms can connect customer service, inventory management, dispatching, routing, accounting, and billing in one seamless workflow.

This integration creates several customer experience advantages that would be impossible to achieve with disconnected systems. When a customer calls with a service request, representatives can immediately see equipment warranty status, service history, parts availability, and technician schedules. Rather than asking customers to repeat information or putting them on hold while gathering details from multiple systems, service representatives can provide immediate, informed responses.

For technicians in the field, integration means arriving at job sites with complete customer context and the right parts in their vehicles. The ERP system can analyze historical service patterns to predict likely parts needs, ensuring that first-time fix rates improve dramatically. When additional parts or specialized expertise are required, the integrated system can immediately identify alternatives and communicate realistic timelines to customers.  The billing and payment experience also benefits significantly from integration. Rather than customers receiving separate invoices weeks after service completion, modern ERP systems enable immediate invoice generation with detailed service descriptions, digital signatures, and multiple payment options. This creates a professional, efficient conclusion to the service experience that reinforces the company’s competence and attention to detail.

Measuring the Impact: Data-Driven Customer Experience Improvement

Modern field service ERP systems provide unprecedented visibility into customer experience metrics. Beyond traditional measures like response times and completion rates, integrated systems can track first-time fix rates, customer communication preferences, service profitability, and satisfaction scores across multiple touchpoints.

This data visibility enables continuous improvement in service delivery. Companies can identify which technicians consistently receive the highest customer satisfaction scores and analyze their approaches to replicate best practices across the team. They can spot patterns in service failures and adjust training, inventory, or scheduling processes to prevent future issues.

Leading field service companies achieve first-time fix rates above 80%, which is considered excellent according to industry benchmarks. ERP systems help companies meet these productivity expectations while simultaneously improving customer experiences through better resource allocation, reduced travel time, and improved first-time fix rates.

The predictive capabilities of modern field service ERP systems also enable companies to shift from reactive to proactive service models. By analyzing equipment performance data, service history, and failure patterns, companies can contact customers before problems occur, offering preventive maintenance services that reduce emergency service calls and improve customer satisfaction. Aberdeen research found that 57% of customers want better first-time fix rates, with their largest complaint being that technicians can’t find a resolution to their problem in one visit.

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Overcoming Implementation Challenges for SMB Field Service Companies

While the benefits of modern ERP systems for customer experience improvement are clear, many SMB field service companies hesitate to invest due to concerns about implementation complexity and cost. These concerns are understandable but increasingly outdated given the evolution of cloud-based ERP solutions designed specifically for field service operations.

Modern field service ERP solutions are designed with SMB needs in mind, offering rapid deployment, intuitive interfaces, and scalable pricing models. These operational excellence toolkits empower service-based companies to run smoother, smarter, and more efficiently, from managing complex projects to tracking every billable hour while keeping operations running seamlessly and customers satisfied.

The key to successful implementation lies in choosing a solution that aligns with field service industry requirements and working with implementation partners who understand the unique challenges of trades businesses. Companies should look for ERP platforms that offer pre-configured field service workflows, mobile capabilities for technicians, and integration with commonly used tools like GPS navigation and digital signature capture.

Training and change management represent critical success factors for ERP implementations in field service companies. The most sophisticated system won’t improve customer experiences if technicians and office staff don’t use it effectively. Successful implementations include comprehensive training programs, ongoing support, and clear metrics for measuring adoption and impact.

The Competitive Advantage of Superior Customer Experience

Approximately 41 percent of customer-obsessed companies achieved at least 10 percent revenue growth in their last fiscal year, compared to just 10 percent of less mature companies, according to Forrester research. For field service companies, this performance gap represents both a warning and an opportunity. Companies that continue to operate with disconnected systems and manual processes will find it increasingly difficult to compete against companies leveraging modern ERP capabilities.

The competitive advantages extend beyond individual customer interactions. Companies with superior customer experiences generate more referrals, receive higher online review scores, and command premium pricing for their services. They also experience lower customer acquisition costs since satisfied customers become active promoters of the business.

Field service companies that prioritize customer retention benefit significantly from improved profitability and sustainable growth. Customer retention improvements are particularly valuable for field service companies operating on tight margins, as the cost of acquiring new customers far exceeds the cost of retaining existing ones.

Modern ERP systems also position field service companies for future growth opportunities. As the field service industry is expected to hit $5.7 billion in 2026, companies with scalable, integrated systems will be better positioned to capture market share and expand their service offerings.

Looking Forward: The Future of Field Service Customer Experience

The field service industry continues to evolve rapidly, with approximately 50% of field service management deployments expected to involve IoT-connected products by the mid 2020s, and increasing integration of artificial intelligence capabilities. Companies that establish strong ERP foundations today will be better positioned to adopt these emerging technologies and maintain their customer experience leadership.

The companies that will thrive in this evolving landscape are those that recognize customer experience as a strategic differentiator and invest in the operational capabilities necessary to deliver exceptional service consistently. Modern ERP systems represent the foundation for these capabilities, enabling field service companies to compete effectively regardless of their size or resources.

For SMB field service companies, the question is not whether to invest in customer experience capabilities, but how quickly they can implement the systems and processes necessary to compete in an increasingly demanding market. The companies that act decisively will establish competitive advantages that compound over time, while those that delay will find themselves struggling to catch up to more operationally sophisticated competitors.

Ready to transform your field service operations and elevate your customer experience?

Contact Net at Work today for a complimentary Business Health Assessment to discover how integrated field service management can drive growth, improve efficiency, and create the exceptional customer experiences that set market leaders apart from the competition.