Microsoft Dynamics for Operations Professionals

(Streamline processes, control costs, and accelerate delivery to market)

From engineering and production to quality assurance and customer service—the role of Operations is to increase profit by getting quality product ready for market on time and to provide the best possible customer service.

Operations can encompass many different departments, including research and development, engineering, materials, production, plant management, purchasing, warehousing, and shipping and receiving.  The Operations team needs a business management solution that provides a single source of data and platform for shared processes to facilitate collaboration among departments.

Different departments using a single system helps to ensure that all orders are completed and filled in a timely and accurate manner. An integrated system allows your company to smoothly manage order exceptions.  Managers and operations personnel have access to the same source of information, keeping everyone up to date on customer demand, materials shipments, and production schedules.

The Operations Manager

The Operations Manager’s job is to bring people together to execute business strategy. Operations managers are problem solvers, making sure all departments under their supervision have what they need, when they need it. Operations managers coordinate with warehouse, production, purchasing, materials, and shipping and receiving managers to review sales order reports and address any concerns, discover potential issues—such as exceptions and unusually large orders—and coordinate a cohesive response through discussion, prioritization, and planning.

It’s extremely important that people in every department have the information they need to do their job. The Microsoft Dynamics business management solution simplifies the information distribution process. It works like familiar Microsoft software so people can quickly drill down for contextual information or take action on the spot.

The Order Processor

Processing orders is an Order Processors first priority. It is imperative to ensure that workers in the shop have adequate time to prepare and ship the orders. An order processor helps to expedite “rush” orders, as well as address issues with problem orders.

An efficient order processor also assists other departments with purchase orders and invoicing.  Microsoft Dynamics can be utilized to check inventory levels to see what needs to be ordered, and to coordinate with accounting to verify that orders are not automatically shipped to clients who are behind in their bills.

The Shipping Manager

The Shipping Manager is responsible for contributing to the company’s profit level by ensuring that orders are shipped on time, are accurate, and arrive intact.  Shipping Managers work to ensure your company can meet demand as much as possible, while watching for opportunities to send out shipments in the most cost effective manner.  Microsoft Dynamics makes it easy to track both incoming and outgoing shipments, reducing stock miscalculations and shipping delays.

At the end of the day, the Shipping Manager likes to know that as much has been shipped as possible, as accurately as possible, and the warehouse is in order to do it again tomorrow.

Processes

Microsoft Dynamics serves as a shared source of data and processes for engineering, materials, production, and shipping and receiving.   This  helps all departments work together to achieve business success. Some of the challenges faced by Operations teams include:

• Efficient order entry and distribution. To effectively meet customer needs, Operations groups must maintain tight control over order processing, transmit orders quickly to the appropriate departments, and keep sufficient stock on hand to complete the orders. Many variables may complicate these tasks. Microsoft Dynamics provides order processors with the tools needed to effectively communicate with customer service, sales, purchasing, and warehouse departments in a well-designed order-entry system that looks and feels like familiar Microsoft Office system software.
• Integrated demand planning.  Demand planning determines whether production is efficient and whether delivery is comfortably and economically on-time for manufacturing and distribution. Microsoft Dynamics helps Operations managers use historical sales and customer data to create accurate demand forecasts. Reports and access to ongoing key performance indicators help provide insight into emerging trends. Materials, production, and logistics departments use this information as a foundation for their own planning.  Microsoft Dynamics integrates with Microsoft Excel to simplify demand planning.
• Capably manage exceptions. The key to customer satisfaction for manufacturing operations is the ability to produce and deliver what customers want, when they want it. Therefore, manufacturers must be effective in managing orders that call for customized products and that require special materials or process adjustments. Microsoft Dynamics supports exceptions management throughout your operations by utilizing  flexible planning and production options and the ability to account for non-inventory parts or add items to the inventory. Because Microsoft Dynamics sales and manufacturing functionality is integrated with financial management, employees can easily make required accounting adjustments.

For more information on Microsoft Dynamics solutions for operations professionals please contact JourneyTEAM.