Monday, February 11, 2002		Article

Software solutions for manufacturing firms
Sumesh Raizada

As the Internet grew in popularity and spread to different corners of the world, companies started developing several new and innovative software applications to utilise its full potential. The Internet became a source, not only for entertainment, information or chatting but also a medium for commerce and business process improvement. It has considerably reduced the communication time and costs as voice, text or video data can be transferred to far off locations within a fraction of second. This has virtually created a market place on the Web where buyers or sellers can exchange information and conduct business with each other. Apart from direct trading, companies are utilising the Net for managing their routine manufacturing, purchasing, retailing, finance or marketing operations.

An organisation can now remain simultaneously connected to its raw material suppliers, distributors as well as customers. As a result, when a customer of say heavy machinery places an order to the sales department of a firm, the technical details get spread to different departments concerned like planning, purchasing and manufacturing. The despatch department is informed of the approximate weight and dimensions of the machinery and its destination, so as arrange for the shipment on the due date of delivery. Finance department get order details so as to arrange for timely payment of duties, octroi and to complete billing formalities. The information regarding expected delivery date, means of transport and invoice gets communicated to customer or distributor in advance so as to prepare for the payment or receipt of material. All these processes are achieved within the shortest possible time and with minimum expenses thereby improving performance and productivity of organisation. Among the available enterprise process software, most widely used product is iBaan.

Baan is a business unit of Dutch firm Invensys Software Systems (ISS), with expertise in developing and providing software solutions for manufacturing organisations. It has subsidiaries and also joint ventures with a number of hardware and software firms, worldwide. iBaan software solutions are presently installed in almost every major industry ranging from textile, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, engineering. Therefore bright career prospects are available for professionals trained and qualified in iBaan. These professionals are required for development of general or client's specific software, their implementation as well as maintenance. Trained and experienced iBaan professionals also work with consulting firms or as freelancers for providing iBaan solutions. These are also employed by firms, in which iBaan solutions have been implemented, for providing training to the departmental staff. iBaan software experts are also involved in the upgradation or modification of existing software to suit the specific application in an industry.

iBaan business software makes use of the Internet in connecting various business units like suppliers, distributors or customers located at different places and various departments within the organisation. iBaan Technology consists mainly of four types of software solutions for implementation in respective areas of business. iBaan portal is used for providing information and communication within the organisation. It is meant for interaction between employees and to provide them complete assistance regarding product range, pricing policies, discounts, deliveries, etc. so as to enable them perform more efficiently. iBaan Business Intelligence is a software tool for enterprise reporting and analysis of financial, manufacturing or sales data. It helps management and senior executives to make strategic decisions on the basis of computed information. iBaan OpenWorld is software solution suited for e-commerce application and automation of operating systems and processes. iBaan DEM is another important software solution for graphical business modelling and business process management.

Baan has formed strategic alliances with several IT companies in providing solutions to almost every industry in the field of software, hardware, implementation, integration, etc. Baan also provides certification and validation on its products to the trained professionals, through its alliance partners located at various regions or countries. It also provides customised solutions through its authorised providers and has formed alliances with companies on fundamental architectural and technology developments. Through it certified Application Service Providers, Baan offers complete business solutions to the client firms.

iBaan solutions are implemented to ensure the smooth functioning of different business processes of a firm, like delivery of raw material in time, manufacturing of product as per the product specification or its shipment to customer within stipulated delivery period. iBaan solutions are also under implementation in industries like cable, paper, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, beverage, etc. iBaan solutions have applications in process automation in Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Supply Chain Management (SCM), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), e-commerce, etc. The iBaan professionals depending upon the applications and industry are drawn from the respective functional background. Usually, candidates with a few years of experience in operational fields like finance, manufacturing, distribution, materials, etc. are most suited for taking up the job as consultant for development and implementation of iBaan solutions. These consultants have to be proficient in Baan's technical architecture and therefore play a major role in establishing and managing software requirements for the client.

iBaan products are available in the field of planning, service, manufacturing, distribution, finance and procurement thus providing complete software solution for a business operation and processes. Some of the leading firms where iBaan solutions are successfully working include, Boeing, Andersen Windows, Nortel, Flextronics, Hermann Miller, Siemens, etc. The recently developed iBaan product now incorporates a feature in which changes or modification done in the processes of one organisation gets simultaneously communicated to the other connected organizations. This enables them to make suitable changes at their end also thereby reducing wastage of time and money.

iBaan solutions are also under implementation in aerospace, defence, automobile, industrial machinery, electronics, telecommunication, etc.. iBaan solutions for construction industry are designed to optimise logistics processes and knowledge management while for Logistics these optimise the inbound and outbound logistics activities throughout the supply chain. The recently developed iBaan solutions based on the OpenWorld framework can be used on different Internet protocols like HTTP, SMTP, FTP, HTML, POP3, etc. They can either work independently or with other iBaan applications.

Authorised Baan Customisation (ABC) providers are those firms that provide additional customisation services to Baan customers. ABC providers customise according to Baan development standards and methodologies. They are required to regularly update themselves with latest Baan products through training programs conducted by the firm and also have to ensure quality of offered product and services.

Some of the leading firms with which Baan has formed alliances in India are Atos Origin, Blue Star, Godrej Infotech, Polaris. Baan also has technological alliance with firms like Compaq, Dell, Siemens, HP, Informix, Intel and Oracle. Baan resellers are those who deliver e-Business and other Baan enterprise solutions in large as well as smaller enterprises. Some of these include Aptech, Ashok Leyland Information Technology Ltd., CMC Ltd., Godrej Infotech Limited, etc.

In India, Baan solutions have been implemented in varied industries including Bharat Bijlee Ltd, Dabur India, Elgi equipments, Godrej & Boyce, Emco transformers, Kirloskar Copeland Ltd., Usha Martin India Ltd. Baan has its development centre located at Hyderabad called as Baan Info Systems India Pvt.Ltd. Besides there is a BaanInstitute India also at Hyderabad for conducting training and certification to the professionals on its products.

The Baan professionals thus have good career prospects in large number of industries where iBaan has been implemented or in consulting firms for providing and developing software business solutions.