Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• When was Royal Datamatics Pvt Ltd (RDPL) founded and where is it located?

• RDPL was founded in year 1999 and is located at D-104, Okhla Industrial Area Phase-1, New Delhi, India. We are a 45 minute drive to International Airport and 30 min drive to Domestic Airport. It is a convenient and approachable location.

      ERP Definitions and benefits   

• What is an ERP?

• ERP is short for “enterprise resource planning.” Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is one of the most important tools in Garment Manufacturing Sector today. Enterprise resource planning is an integrated software solution used to manage a company’s resources. ERPs were preceded by MRP (material requirements planning) and MRP II (manufacturing resources planning). These earlier systems had limitations addressed by ERP systems. Today’s ERP systems integrate planning, inventory, Purchasing, engineering, order entry, manufacturing, accounting and human resources/Payroll.

• Do I need an ERP?

• Here are some of the signs that your current working system/software is limiting your business growth:

a) Increasing customer complaints about poor service
b) Using multiple systems for the same task
c) Failing to get accurate, up-to-date information for decision-making
d) Using handwritten notes/reports because it's easier to jot it down than use the current system
e) Having to enter the same data into more than one system
f) Inability to expand the business due to limitations of current Working/information system
g) Lost or corrupted data
h) Inability to accurately track inventory at various stages
i) Big variance in Planned vs. Actual costing in orders

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you are a good candidate for a new information system. The return on investment from implementing an ERP system can be very attractive.

The APPS™ ERP system will help deliver solid customer satisfaction by improving on-time shipments, automating clerical tasks, reducing inventory and providing accurate information to make correct decisions. For a complete analysis use our ROI survey.

The Shop Floor chaos is eliminated by proper scheduling and material control. Billing and delivery errors are eliminated using system automation. The APPS™ ERP system lets you "Build Your Business" by putting you in control of your organization.

APPS™ ERP offers the functionality, technology platform and implementation expertise to help you realize the full benefits of an ERP solution.

• What is the ROI and payback potential of APPS™ system?

• Our Clients have experienced a very fast ROI once they went live. If Management is committed and users are utilizing the system properly, there is no reason why anyone won’t be benefited from few months of APPS™ implementation.

• How is APPS™ different from other ERP software such as SAP etc.

• APPS™ is not a general ERP system. APPS™ is niche software made only for garment manufacturers and exporters. Our experience from Parent company “Royal Embroidery” was back bone of APPS™ as “Royal Embroidery” is into garment exports for the last 50 years for European buyers like H&M etc. This gives us the experience and an eye for intricate issues that only a garment manufacturer can understand by experience.

Other ERP solutions in market like SAP etc and not made only for Garment manufacturing sector and they do not have garment manufacturing and exporting experience as we have.  Such generic softwares have superfluous details which are either confusing or not required. 

• Does APPS™ support “Sequential Tracking System”?

• Traditional and standard costing systems track costs as products pass from raw materials, to work in progress, to finished goods, and finally to sales. Such systems are called 'sequential tracking systems' because the accounting system entries occur in the same order as purchases and production. Where management desires to track direct material and labor time to individual operations and products. This working methodology is being followed in garment manufacturing sector and thus sequential tracking can be utilized in APPS™ ERP software.

• How does strategic planning help ERP projects?

• Strategic planning is a management tool. As with any management tool, it is used for one purpose only: to help an organization do a better job - to focus its energy, to ensure that members of the organization are working toward the same goals, to assess and adjust the organization's direction in response to a changing environment. In short, strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it, with a focus on the future

APPS™ systems provide support to execute strategic plans for even the smallest garment manufacturing company. Your future competitive advantage is based on a series of uncertain events: how you deal with those events is your ticket to your success. APPS™ is a comprehensive tool for integrating different departments i.e. Merchandising, Stores, Production, Accounts, Quality, Logistics. In implementation APPS™ project managers ensure that this is a fundamental corner stone of the project.

• When do I get new releases of APPS™?

• As and when we upgrade APPS™ with any of the new features, we release the same free of cost to our existing clients, who are covered under Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC).

APPS™ ERP Target Market

• How much does APPS™ cost? 

• APPS™ doesn’t have fixed cost as different clients have different requirements. These costs vary with number of users, locations as well as the number of modules that are purchased.  Kindly contact our sales team and they will be happy to provide you with a quote.

• Can I buy Individual Modules? 

• Yes, Individual modules can be bought so that you can start with low cost system and keep on upgrading with new modules. But we recommend at least 3 modules to start with i.e. merchandising module, procurement module and production module as these can help you start with and comfortably help you in monitoring your business and start realizing ROI. Later on you can buy more modules as desired and go for phased implementation.

• How long does APPS™ implementation takes?

• Our experience shows that we need not more than 100 Man hours to implement APPS™, if we have target oriented client and end users are result oriented. We are experts in Change management and this course of implementation won’t really involve BPR (Business Process Re-engineering) as APPS™ is flexible enough to get molded in your present work culture.

At the same time if you feel you need to undergo Business Process Re-engineering, our implementation experts help individual departments learn the right working methodology and thus make your business realize paradigm shift. Usually implementation requirements are client specific.

• How much is the implementation cost? 

• We usually do not charge anything for Training and give it free of cost to all our clients. But in special cases where client demands and we act as “Management Consultant” and help our clients in “Business Process Re-engineering (BPR)”, we do charge on man hour basis, which is usually decided based by “Initial Audit” and “Functional Review”.

• What Software and Hardware is required for APPS™ ERP software?

• APPS™ ERP software operates well on commonly found hardware and software infrastructure. You will need a minimum requirement of network server running Windows 2000 Server. You will need a copy of Microsoft Office 2000+ for some users,  a database license for Microsoft SQL Server,  Oracle 8i 1.7. You will also need a 100 mbs network. Workstations and Servers should be Intel P4 with 512 MB of RAM.

• Can APPS™ handle Multi-Company, Multi-Divisions and Multi-Plant Requirements? 

• Yes, many of our customers run Multi-Company or Multi-Division operations. APPS™ ERP provides extensive Multi-Plant capabilities throughout all applications. Multiple divisions can exist in a single company, and multiple companies can exist in a single business entity.
  
  Please contact APPS™ to discuss your specific requirements and the APPS™ ERP Modules required.

• Is APPS™ web enabled?                                

• APPS™ is web enabled and help you monitor your reports from anywhere in the world. This would help you take the required action before hand even if you are traveling.

• Is your software available outside India as well?

• Yes APPS™ is sold globally, and with today’s technology, client support can be handled through head office.

• Can APPS™ handle global commerce issues like multi-currency and sales taxes?

• APPS™ ERP offers complete multi-currency functionality. In today's global economy your system must allow you to conduct transactions with customers and vendors with their currencies. The robust multiple currency and sales tax capabilities offered by APPS™ are unmatched in the industry.

                           
APPS™ Technology Platform

• What is technology platform of APPS™?       

• APPS™ works on VB/ .net platform for front end with Oracle as Database for backend.   

• What is Microsoft .NET? What’s in it for me?
• Microsoft .NET (pronounced “dot net”) is a completely new development platform. There is a lot of press and hype about .NET. What will .NET do for you and your company?” Microsoft has incorporated many significant improvements into this completely new platform.
  
  This platform offers many tangible benefits for both manufacturing companies and ERP developers:
• .NET insulates software developers from the different operating systems so its easier to deploy, install, maintain
  
  It runs faster, is more secure and hacker-resistant
  
  The .NET platform makes it easier to leverage the Internet and conduct E-Commerce with your supply chain
  
  .NET-based systems will be reduce the cost of software ownership
• Many ERP vendors with products using outdated technology will require a huge development cost and a complete rewrite to fully incorporate .NET. Many vendors will add minimal .NET functionality to be able to state their products use .NET. APPS™ is very well positioned and has been developed using .NET technology.

• How many users can I have? Is there any license fee per user? 

• At this moment we do not charge (like other ERP solution providers) on per user basis, you can have unlimited users once ERP system is live. We understand garment manufacturing industry and realize the need for unlimited user license. If there is change in the policy because of inevitable business demand, same would be reflected here. 

• Should I buy ERP source code?

• APPS™ is an 'off the shelf' package run by many users. The software is flexible and sophisticated and you are buying a product whose cost is amortized over the user base.
  
  The other type of software that you may use is custom software developed for your particular organization. There are various advantages and disadvantages to both approaches. Why would someone want to buy the Source Code? The reasons commonly given for buying source code are:
• It protects your Business: if your supplier goes out of business, you can still support your applications.
• You can customize the application to conform exactly to your requirements
• Users may find it easier and to use as you can remove unnecessary functionality
• You can incorporate business processes that are specific to you and which do not exist in any packaged solution

APPS™ has incorporated a vast array of flexibility into our software to enable us to tailor the system to your business processes. In addition because of our Microsoft .Net technology platform mini business process modules can be attached to the main system without altering the main product's source code.

By using Crystal Reports as our standard Report Writer we can customize or add additional reports.

If you take on the project of modifying source code, be prepared for large expenditures and stranding yourself on the current version of the ERP system. This makes upgrades impossible or prohibitively expensive.

• How secure is APPS™ in terms of data availability only to desired users? 

• The balance between making data available to the users that need it and denying it from those who should not have access is not easy to achieve. To manage this risk your company needs to implement an appropriate access strategy. Do not wait for an embarrassing – and potentially devastating – event to find out that security and controls in your ERP system are inadequate and constitute exposure for your company.
  
  Consider the following security issues:
• Are you certain that sensitive information cannot be displayed to unintended users?
• Can critical functions only be performed by the right people in your organization?
• Does your ERP system give your users access to all the relevant information, to make the optimum decisions?
• Are you confident that you have appropriate security and control over your data?
• Will you comply with external and internal audit requirements?
• Will you eliminate the disclosure of confidential information?
• How reliable is your network and ERP system
• Managing the security of ERP information into and out of your organization has never been more critical – or more challenging. As businesses grow, their information systems support whole communities of users: customers, suppliers, partners and employees, who all count on the secure exchange of a wide variety of information to place orders, pay bills and keep records up to date.
  
  Customers, vendors, partners and employees all need access to the right ERP information at the right time and, increasingly, from anywhere. Yet these users work on many different systems and access data from multiple locations. All have different passwords and authorizations.
  
  APPS™ ERP along with Windows Server addresses your security needs in authentication, access control and user management. An integrated solution identifies the user, determines what the user can do, determines the level of trust the user should receive and protects your data.
  
  Our ERP security specialists have the expertise, tools and methodologies to make sure that your APPS™ ERP system includes a tailored, cost-effective security approach that dovetails with your firewall, virus scanner and spam control.

• What reporting tools and options are available?

• APPS™ includes a wide array of management tools that link your strategic objectives to specific activities. We provide a set of strategic and tactical indicators focused on your primary objectives and feedback communication for course corrections.
  
  APPS™  offers the following reporting capabilities:

• Key performance indicators - compare Actual Results to Strategic Plan Targets
• Over 200 Standard  Crystal Reports in various formats including: paper, PDF or via the Web
• DHU Analysis.
• T & A reports.
• Event Alert - email alerts when specified events have occurred

       APPS™ Implementation

• Does APPS™ has a proven Implementation Approach?
  
  
• APPS™ has developed a structured implementation plan based on many years experience. This approach is our Rapid Implementation Methodology or RIM. We have all heard and read about horror stories of cost overruns and cancelled ERP projects. Project management and control is critical to the success of the project.
  
  APPS™ ERP offers the functionality, technology platform and implementation expertise to help you realize the full benefits of an ERP solution.

To add on to this, we act as “Management Consultant” for you if your organization wants us to re-engineer your business processes, thus helping you give better positioning amongst your competitors.

• Should you implement APPS™ with “BIG BANG” or “Rolling Steps” approach? 

• "Big Bang" means you stop using your existing system one day and your entire company goes live on the new system the next day. The alternate approach is a phased, module by module, implementation (we call it “Rolling Steps”. In Garment manufacturing sector usually we recommend to opt for “Rolling Steps” as its difficult to stop the ongoing work even for an hour because of tight shipment schedules and last minute production issues.

”Big Bang” implementation approach is being followed by few ERP providers but same doesn’t work in Garment manufacturing scenario and our consulting experts do not recommend the same. In case Client wants to follow “Big Bang” approach, we do consider the same only after Reviewing running “Business Process” and advice accordingly.

• Can you transfer reports from APPS™toSpreadsheet/Excel? 

• APPS™ has a complete set of data transfer utilities. You can export any report from APPS™ to your computer in Excel format.  Your APPS™ project manager/Implementation Consultant can discuss further options in more detail.

• We may need technical support for our new ERP system i.e. APPS™. What is your policy? 

• Good question. We have annual maintenance packages that include various technical support options. We also can provide technical support on a per incident basis.
  
  Most support problems can be handled easily over the phone, but should it be necessary, we can use software to log in directly to your system and take care of any problems you may be having. The bottom line is that you can rely on us to provide you whatever level of support you may need.

• What is the role of senior management in APPS™ implementation? 

Companies that implement ERP software continue to make the same mistakes that were made 10 years ago. They fail to monetize the intended business benefits while spending more than planned. At the heart of the matter is a chronic lack of knowledge and commitment on the part of senior management.

Senior management continue to view an ERP implementation as an IT project rather than the company wide business endeavor that it is.

Senior management must become more engaged in ERP implementation: While training for project teams and end users is a staple of all ERP projects, too little attention is paid by senior executives after the purchase decision is made. While senior management commitment to an ERP endeavor must include both sufficient funding and executive sponsorship, it is imperative that such sponsorship be more enlightened about ERP issues before the implementation commences to ensure that paramount business issues do not become lost in the fog of an IT shuffle.

• We have limited IT resources – can I still go for this ERP software? 

• The APPS™ ERP system is ideal for organizations with limited IT resources. We have many features to reduce system administration efforts including Auto Backup and Auto Database Maintenance. In addition APPS™ offers remote administration where we can provide support from our offices. Once the system is set-up and installed, it the only routine maintenance and system administration required is adding new users or changing user security profiles.

• Is the system Scalable? Can we add new user at later date? 

• Your APPS™ Administrator can create new users, and there is no limit to the number of users. Also there is no restriction on concurrent users as most of the other ERP packages have. You do not have to purchase additional user licenses. If policy changes because of inevitable business demand same would be reflected here.

• What training issues should I consider when implementing an ERP system? 

• When considering training for your new ERP system you can be faced with many issues and questions. Here are a few questions for you to consider:
  
  1. Is the training curriculum designed for the new organizational roles and tasks?
• Dozens of new tasks will be defined during the ERP implementation process. These tasks will be assigned to redesigned roles within the organization. Training should be designed to develop new skills for people who will be taking on new roles and tasks.

2. Are the training materials tailored to different learning styles?

• Each organization acquires ways of learning that are unique to its operations and culture. Training standards should be designed up front that optimize learning within your organization. These standards form the foundation for how training will be developed, delivered and perceived by the end-users.

3. Is the training customized for your specific business?

• APPS™ provides "off-the-shelf" ERP training materials, and in general, they offer an excellent overview of the APPS™ system and its modules. APPS™ can work with your implementation team to develop effective, successful customized training for your organization: customization that is ultimately crucial for your employees' and organization's productivity.

4. Are the learning materials developed by experienced instructional designers?

• Adults have different learning styles, and APPS™ offers you skilled and experienced adult learning experts to develop training that will address the learning styles within your organization. Studies have shown that this approach is significantly more effective than using technical experts and consultants to develop end user training.

5. When do you schedule end-user training?

• APPS™ delivers training on a Just-In-Time basis to minimize the time span between training and application of training to daily tasks. Other ERP companies can schedule end-user training on an ad-hoc basis reducing the affectivity and charging for training costs. We include all the people in department for training who might not be the end user but part of the same functional department.

7. How is end-user training delivered?

• APPS™ offers a mix of delivery methods including: Train the Trainer, Classroom, Self Study manuals and Computer Based Training as well as Web based training. Web based interactive delivery is becoming a highly cost effective method to be added to the delivery mix.

8. What about end-user support after the Go-Live?

• Considerable knowledge transfer happens after you Go Live. We recommend you schedule follow-up reinforcement aids and communication.

9. How do we assess end-user training levels?

• Prior to the Go Live a conference room pilot is conducted to assess end

                       user effectiveness and readiness to go live.

• Formal assessments can also be conducted after the Go Live to addresses

     knowledge transfer and skills retention.

10. How is on going training addressed?

• Training should continue beyond the Go Live to accommodate employee turnover, system changes and more sophisticated use of the new system.

11. What approach and tools will you use to make sure successful knowledge transfer between APPS™ and our personnel occurs?

• An approach that emphasizes instructional design will translate knowledge from the system and project experts to your personnel. Proper design of the training project identifies requirements that exist after system implementation.

• What is the main reason for end users accepting APPS™ ERP?  

• APPS™ speaks the end user language more than any other software piece. APPS™ implementation had been successful whenever it was driven by business goals and not IT goals. Rarely IT departments take the decision to go far ERP. The APPS™ training and skills to use ERP can be developed by end users quite easily. All these together have generated substantial user acceptance of APPS™.

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