This book serves as a step-by-step guide for effectively using an ERP system to run your manufacturing business. Manufacturing initiatives, combined with today's ongoing and dramatic IT innovation, are driving the evolution of Enterprise Requirements Planning (ERP). Yet most manufacturers still fall short of getting the most return from their substantial ERP investments. "Maximizing Your ERP System" is the first commonsense, contingency-based guide to maximizing the benefits of an ERP application. It outlines a contingency ERP systems approach that is flexible, understandable, and designed to work in a variety of industries and environments.'For more than a decade, Dr. Hamilton's mastery has helped our firm deploy ERP applications in new and exciting ways. His advice - embedded throughout this book - represents a valuable resource for those of us charged with making an ERP system sing' - Brad Beagle, IT Manager, Turck. 'One of the problems in teaching about ERP has been the complexity of large-scale systems. By covering integrated systems within a single plant, and expanding to variations of larger enterprises, this book provides a straightforward yet comprehensive understanding of ERP' - Gordon B. Davis, Honeywell Professor of Management Information Systems, Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota. 'Both experienced financial people and those new to ERP systems will benefit from these easy-to-understand concepts and suggestions' - Art Olsen, President, CFO Services."The starting point of this book (is) that most manufacturers do not effectively use their ERP system to run the business; its central theme (is) to provide practical suggestions for maximizing effective system usage; its target audience (is) the management team responsible for implementation in smaller manufacturers'. "Maximizing Your ERP System". Enterprise Requirements Planning (ERP) systems have been proven to positively impact both firm performance and customer satisfaction. Yet the best ERP system is only as good as the knowledge behind it, and all employees and departments must understand how to use the system to realize its maximum effectiveness." Maximizing Your ERP System" supplies the knowledge you need to ensure that your company's ERP system: defines the way each product is really built; defines realistic game plans and delivery promises; defines explicit sales order requirements impacting supply chain activities; provides schedules actually used to coordinate supply chain activities; and, provides correct accounting and useful management information. Written to address the unique issues facing smaller manufacturers and autonomous plants of larger firms, "Maximizing Your ERP System" explores the distinct areas of ERP information and technical knowledge, from structuring the manufacturing database to a contingency approach for expressing sales and operations game plans. It describes the variations in manufacturing environments and system capabilities affecting system usage, as well as the impact of advanced manufacturing practices and IT developments.Whether your firm already has an ERP system in place or is just now looking to purchase or upgrade an ERP system, "Maximizing Your ERP System" will help you get the most from your system by determining how to best apply it to your requirements. Global ERP authority Scott Hamilton's comprehensive book will provide you with the knowledge and information necessary for understanding and using a flexible Enterprise Requirements Planning system, one with the muscle to drive your organization's growth and the flexibility to grow right along with it.