Lack of visibility across global operations

Challenges faced by global organisations

Managing global operations, and even those with disconnected sites in one country, has become increasingly complex with the lack of visibility requiring valuable resource time to manage, increasing the margin for error and can be a barrier to growth. Here we look at some of the challenges faced by global organisations. Our webinar on 24^th September will show how the Sage X3 ERP system can address these challenges.

No single version of the truth

As businesses grow, often through acquisitions or mergers, they also acquire multiple ERP or Accounting systems. These systems are often not integrated, will have their own processes and their own sets of data; reporting and analysing across these systems is virtually impossible without ‘exporting and importing’ data and extreme dexterity with spreadsheets. The lack of true visibility is almost inevitable.

This lack of visibility, by not having a single version of the truth, can result in delays in decision-making from lack of timely information, high costs, inability to quickly react to change, using up valuable resource and increased margin for error. Those fabulous spreadsheets, with carefully crafted pivot tables and the like, are often out of date almost as soon as they are published.

With a single global ERP system, data, inventory and processes can be accessed anywhere, anytime.

Having a single version of the truth – a single, fully integrated, global ERP system – can provide improvements in delivery performance, decreased time-to-decision, inventory accuracy and much more.

Local rules and regulations

Staying on top of local, regional and international laws and regulations – such as tax compliance, privacy laws, payroll, accounting and industry-specific regulations – is a big operational challenge for global companies.

Managing the unique taxation and legal environments of each location centrally can be overwhelming, whilst the local management of these environments can lead to exposure to errors and risk.

These aspects can be managed with a single global ERP system, in local language (where required) and currency – with consolidated reporting in ‘home’ currency if desired. Automatic updates of main currency conversion rates and updates of the latest regulatory compliance should all be part of a strong global system.

All transactions can be viewed anytime, anywhere, reducing the complexity, time, margin for error and risk.

Manual reconciling

Having multiple ERP or Accounting systems to manage local operations results in reports having to be manually reconciled and turned into some form of a global view.

This is a complex and time-consuming process, with enormous scope for error, especially when reports originate from locations with differing tax and regulatory arrangements.

A global ERP system can consolidate financial and, if appropriate, operational data through standardised processes.

This minimises the risk of errors and speeds up financial close times, allowing employees to spend time on other operationally beneficial tasks.

Analysing performance

Having multiple systems with different parameters and versions of data can make it difficult to accurately analyse performance in each local market.

Gathering and interpreting disparate data can lead to a difference in how performance is analysed per location, which can be detrimental to making the right decisions globally.

Having real-time access to relevant data in a global ERP system will allow an organisation to analyse and interpret data to accurately assess performance of each location.

The ability to, for instance, track costs, access accurate inventory information and much, much more relevant information allows organisations to see improvements in decision-making and profitability.

Webinar – Visibility across Global Operations

The above challenges and many others that lead to a lack of visibility across global operations can be solved by implementing a single global end-to-end ERP system. Sage X3 is an ERP system that allows global organisations to streamline and standardise processes across multiple geographies, departments and divisions, giving you visibility at the click of a button.

You can join Ian Bromley, Senior Sage X3 Consultant with over 20 years of experience, on 24^th September at 10am (BST) to find out how Sage X3 can provide visibility across global operations and help you to overcome the challenges you face as a global organisation.

In this webinar you will be shown key areas of Sage X3 that make it ideal for organisations with global operations:

• A single transparent view across global operations.
  • Within your business, your departments, across divisions, and locations.
• Real-time visibility and management of data.
  • How to make that data work for your business across disconnected sites and/or global operations.
• Manage the unique local rules and requirements for each location.
  • In local language and currency and report in a single currency.

Register for the webinar today.