[thelist] :::ERP Concepts:::[Off-topic]

Luther, Ron Ron.Luther at compaq.com
Wed Sep 5 07:30:43 CDT 2001


Hi Navin,

Good Luck!  (That's a pretty darn big project!)  Enterprise Resource
Planning is a pretty big all-encompassing kind of behemoth. (The links are
correct - it's big, it's hard, and it eats lots and lots of time and money
to implement!)

I try to think of it as an oversize MRP ... maybe a better view is to think
of it as an MRP with Financials.  {On bad days I think of it as Larry
Ellison's secret plan for world-wide full employment of Oracle consultants!}

[Hint: Having your search turn up links to SAP and JD Edwards should be a
clue as to the kinds of applications and size/cost involved!]

Try expanding your search from ERP and ERP II to MRP (Materials Resource
Planning), MRP II, Resource Rationalization (RR), Capacity Planning and
Supply Chain.  [Maybe also do a search on Oliver Wright - or go to the
library and check out several of his books on these topics.]

Also check out the APICS site - (This is the professional society for ERP
types.) - looks like they have a bunch of material you can download and read
through:  http://www.apics.org/downloads/default.asp

The basic concept is pretty simple -- help a manufacturing company match up
customer demand and internal/external supply over time. {e.g. If a customer
wants something you make delivered on December 10th and it takes you 2 days
to ship it, 5 days to build it, and 22 days to get the parts - when do you
have to place the order to buy the parts?}  [The tricks and techniques and
nomenclature to do this kind of thing get increasingly convoluted
complicated.]


RonL. - Custom Supply Chain Reporting and Analysis Guy for some big-butt
manufacturing company.

[PS - I worked with my last employer during the 3+ years and $40M+ (US) they
spent implementing ERP applications ... They were not that big a company.
Did I mention this was BIG?]

{I'd tip if I had one today -- but building Intranet ERP reports is what I
do - so this is "on topic" for me since I often have to explain ERP concepts
like superboms, connect rates, "nervousness", and safety stocks to our IM
folks.}

-----Original Message-----
From: Navin Dhanuka [mailto:navin_dhanuka at yahoo.com]
Subject: [thelist] :::ERP Concepts:::[Off-topic]

I got a project in college, where I have to submit a report on ERP Concepts
& Applications.





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