CINCINNATI, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 50% of electrical-equipment manufacturers use manual tracking and "gut feel" to track project reporting, including project cost and profit. That's 14% more when compared to a composite benchmark of comparable industries.

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This is according to a 2009 research report by software maker Cincom Systems (http://www.cincom.com/erp) based on a national survey to sales and IT executives that sheds light on how these electrical-equipment manufacturing organizations are managing their businesses for increased efficiency and effectiveness.

One of the reasons for the large lack of formal project tracking may be the lack of project-management integration. A full 50% of electrical-equipment manufacturers have no project-management integration with accounting, finance or customer-management systems. This creates a large gap between rapidly advancing manufacturers that are creating profit and loss statements per project and those that lack insight into the profitability by project on an ongoing basis.

"Without integrated project management, the company is blind to projects hemorrhaging quietly in their respective silos and equally unaware when projects are running ahead of schedule and under budget," says Lou Washington, co-author of the report. "The end result is the same: assets mismanaged and resources wasted."

ERP SYSTEMS CREATE FREQUENT WORKAROUNDS

Most electrical-equipment manufacturers surveyed report that their ERP systems provide valuable information. However, 86% of those surveyed stated their ERP systems also require frequent workarounds and customized data extracts. Slightly less than 50% of the composite benchmark had similar problems.

"Manufacturers with hybrid sales channels should consider a project-based approach to defining processes with ERP," says Washington. "Traditional ERP lacks the flexibility and responsiveness needed to support hybrid sales channels and project-management-based businesses."

For a copy of Cincom's "2009 Electrical Equipment Industry Survey Report," visit http://www.cincom.com/electric.

ABOUT CINCOM SYSTEMS

For over 40 years, Cincom's problem-solving software, services and people have helped thousands of companies all over the world grow and manage their businesses. For more information about Cincom's products and services, contact Cincom at 1-800-2CINCOM (USA only), send an e-mail to info@cincom.com or visit the company's website at www.cincom.com.

RELATED LINKS:

Cincom Systems website

http://www.cincom.com

Cincom Acquire(TM) manufacturing website

http://www.cincomacquire.com

Cincom Enterprise manufacturing website

http://www.cincomerp.com

2009 Electrical Equipment Industry Survey Report

http://www.cincom.com/electric

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Lou Washington

http://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=55988

SOURCE Cincom Systems, Inc.

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RELATED LINKS
http://www.cincom.com