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Navigator Blog

MRP

Material Resource Planning and Its Role in Manufacturing

Industrial and manufacturing solutions have significantly evolved over the years as computers have become more powerful and manufacturing efficiency has gone from a competitive...

Manufacturing

Why Growth-Focused Manufacturers Need an Industrial Manufacturing ERP Solution

No manufacturer has a zero-growth strategy. But homegrown or outdated technology can make a manufacturing business look like it is slumping toward a no-growth goal.The difference...

business growth

The Benefits of Cloud ERP for Growth-Focused Companies

Some startups grow over time. Others move fast and chase the unicorn status of a $1 billion valuation like sustainable shoe manufacturer, Rothy’s.For slow-growth businesses, there...

Life Sciences

Empower Growth and Accelerate Innovation in Life Sciences with SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition

Growing a life sciences business is not an easy task. The life sciences industry presents plenty of opportunity, but operational complexity and regulatory challenges also are...

Medical Devices

SAP ERP for Medical Device Manufacturers

Medical device manufacturers face similar challenges, whether engaged with Medical Device Production, BioPharma & Nutraceuticals, Contract Development & Manufacturing, or ...

Finance

The Benefits of Cloud ERP for Financial Planning & Analysis

Thoughtful financial planning and analysis (FP&A) is at the heart of successful business operations today, more so than in the past thanks to the emergence of robust analytical...

ByDesign

Should Fast-Growing Businesses Choose SAP S/4HANA Cloud Public Edition or Business ByDesign?

There are many enterprise resource planning solutions (ERP) on the market today. For most businesses, SAP automatically makes the shortlist during the selection process because...

Life Sciences

Why Life Sciences Businesses Need ERP

For most life sciences startups, the product is the business. This makes sense because many life sciences businesses come out of fundamental innovation in the lab, and thoughts of...

Production Planning

Understanding SAP ERP Production Planning

SAP’s enterprise resource planning solutions (ERP) are made up of modules that deliver specific functionality and combine to provide an end-to-end backend solution for businesses...

FDA

How to Cut the Costs of FDA Validation with ERP

All businesses want systems that perform as expected. But for life sciences companies, there is the additional burden of proving that the systems and processes within the company...

SAP S/4 HANA Cloud, Public Edition

The Strength of the Clean Core: Why It Matters for Your Business

Businesses need a centralized backend system for efficiently conducting operations, which is why enterprise resource planning solutions (ERP) have become the standard kit for all...

SAP S/4 HANA Cloud, Public Edition

Grow with SAP S/4HANA

Growth-focused businesses need the infrastructure for rapid scaling, but typically they don’t have time for large software adoption projects. SAP has a solution.Earlier this year,...

enterprise resource planning

The Same Business Software for Every Stage of Your Company’s Growth

Each stage of the business growth journey brings new challenges for an organization. Selecting, moving data and learning new software should not be one of those challenges.

CPG

CPG Industry Challenges: Navigating the Hurdles of the Consumer Goods Sector

The consumer-packaged goods (CPG) sector is broad and complex, with many enterprises focusing increasingly on their ability to adapt to volatile cost pressures and looking at how...

Validation

Regulated Industries: Growing Food & Beverage Manufacturers Need ERP

When food and beverage firms are small, it is often possible to get away with idiosyncratic or inconsistent processes that have been home-grown. But as a food and beverage...

Validation

Maintain Food Safety Standards with the Help of ERP

When a manufactured food is purchased by a consumer, there is the expectation that the food product is safe and consistent. This safety and consistency is important for the...

Podcast

How to Run an Effective SAP Consultancy - Consulting Lifestyle Podcast

Are you curious about the world of IT consulting and how it has evolved over the years?

Supply Chain Management

Life Sciences Supply Chain Challenges: How ERP Helps

A reliable supply chain is an art as much as a science, especially given recent geopolitical concerns that have added trade friction and highlighted the brittleness of many...

Cloud ERP

Modern ERP Helps Food and Beverage Firms Stay Ahead

Not all backend systems are created equal. For food and beverage manufacturers, sustained profitability often comes down to supply chain and operational visibility combined with...

SAP erp

Understanding the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP)

Business operates differently now. They evolve faster and scale without heavy technology investment, they connect directly with other systems, they leverage data and automation,...

Upgrading to ERP

Why ERP is a Strong Strategic Move for Businesses Preparing for an Economic Downturn

Does it feel like the future has become more uncertain lately? If you and your business are worried about the direction of things, you’re not alone. The world has changed since...

Validation

What is FDA Software Validation?

The life sciences are not like pens or bras. When a pen is manufactured incorrectly or suffers from shoddy inputs, a consumer just pulls out a different pen. When a life sciences...

Cloud ERP

Scaling Business Growth with Cloud ERP Solutions: Expert Insights

Scaling Business Growth with Cloud ERP Solutions: Expert Insights Listen to the podcast here: Nestell & Associates Website | Youtube | Apple Podcasts

Podcast

The Personal Approach to Business - Startup Hustle Podcast

Tune in to Ralph Hess on 'The Personal Approach to Business', Startup Hustle Podcast.

Life Sciences

How Serialization Is Used in Pharmaceutical Packaging

Serialization in pharmaceutical packaging is the process of assigning and labeling a unique serial number for each product to be sold. This contains information about the...

Life Sciences

FDA and GxP Validation for SAP Business ByDesign ERP

Following good manufacturing practice (GMP) guidelines help businesses run more efficiently and ensure that product quality and consistency are maintained. Life sciences...

Advantages of ERP

Collaboration & ERP Allows Organizations to Streamline Work - Forbes Article

Ralph Hess, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Navigator Business Solutions was recently quoted in a Forbes.com article.

ERP Software

The Importance of an ERP System for Professional Services Firms

As a manager or an executive at a professional services firm, have you asked yourself any of these questions in the past year?

Life Sciences

Technology for Business Sake - Life Sciences Professional Podcast

In this episode of Lifesciences Professional Podcast, Linda Robertson speaks with Ralph Hess about business technology in the Life Sciences industry.

Life Sciences

How to Validate Software for the FDA

The life sciences is a heavily regulated industry for obvious reasons: the drugs and devices a life sciences firm manufactures or distributes must be consistently safe and...

integrated ERP

Utilize Data & Analytics to Improve Supply Chain Efficiency

A supply chain--by definition--has a lot of moving parts. It covers everything from the raw materials to the workers creating a product to the final delivery of goods to the...

sap cloud computing

Make the Most of Limited IT Resources by Moving to the Cloud

Cloud computing has been a huge boon for businesses that make the leap. Despite hesitancy from companies to migrate operations, the cloud’s ability to provide system resources...

CEO

CEO Capital Allocation from Startup to Public Company

Whether for a startup or a large enterprise, capital allocation is one of the most critical roles that CEOs perform. Yet, capital allocation strategies vary depending on the size...

SAP Business ByDesign

Intelligent Process Automation: Understanding the Differences Between Automated Robotic Processing, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

One reason that businesses move to ERP is for intelligent process automation. But this can be a nebulous term, often combined with vague buzzwords such as automated robotic...

SAP Business ByDesign

How SAP Business ByDesign Offers Advantages for the Life Sciences Industry

The life science industry has to meet strict regulatory requirements in an extremely competitive environment burdened with financial pressures and unique market demands. Companies...

SAP Business ByDesign

SAP ERP for Growing Companies

Growing companies face a multitude of challenges in today’s post-pandemic environment. This is particularly true in industries with complex supply chains and strict compliance,...

SAP Business ByDesign

UBIX Takes SAP Business ByDesign Analytics to the Power of AI - Webinar

What is UBIX? UBIXis an Advanced Analytics and AI Platform designed for the business user. The general-purpose platform can address any number of use cases from the front office...

Contract Manufacturing

Maintaining Quality As a Scaling Contract Manufacturer

It’s an uphill task for Contract Development and Manufacturer Organizations (CDMOs) to ensure product quality at the rapid pace demanded by customers, especially when they must...

Supply Chain Management

The Importance of ERP in Supply Chain Management

Anyone who runs a business knows how important supply chain management is. Ensuring the smooth flow of the resources you need to keep your business running is crucial, especially...

Cloud ERP

How ERP Helps Life Sciences Firms Avoid Recall & Improve Product Quality

The COVID-19 pandemic unsettled the supply chain, and the Ukraine-Russia war, ongoing cyberattacks, and trade disputes have only continued the trend. This has put pressure on...

Cloud ERP

Why Cloud ERP is a Great Fit for CDMOs

Contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) face unique challenges. They’re outsourced to handle drug and therapy development as well as to manufacture...

digital transformation

CDMO Races Along on a Digital Transformation Journey

As COVID-19 has infected and killed millions across the globe, it has spurred researchers to accelerate the delivery of therapeutics and vaccines. But the reality is that the...

Life Sciences

The Role of ERP in the Pharmaceutical Industry

The pharmaceutical industry has been transformed in recent years by pressure from intensely competitive markets and the need to comply with new regulations that mandate the...

SAP Business ByDesign

How Midsize Companies Are Evaluating and Buying ERP

Every business, big or small, wants streamlined business processes and access to real-time data. These are key success factors for modern organizations as they seek efficiency and...

Life Sciences

Software Validation: What Life Sciences Businesses Need to Know

Strict process control is fundamental for life sciences businesses. Not only is it important for accurate manufacture of drugs and devices that can make the difference between...

Selecting an ERP Solution

4 Reasons Why Enterprise Resource Planning is Critically Important

There’s a reason why 96 percent of the top 20 percent of businesses rely on enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, according to Aberdeen research. ERP is at the center of...

Life Sciences

What is a GMP-Compliant Facility?

A GMP-compliant facility is a manufacturing facility that meets industry-standard quality specifications. GMP stands for "good manufacturing practices". The Food and Drug...

Life Sciences

What is SOX Compliance in Pharma?

Automation of key business processes in the life science industry has profound benefits. SAP ERP is one such tool that allows companies in the life science industry to do just...

Life Sciences

GMP Guidelines in Pharma Industry Set By The FDA

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries due to the implications product quality has on public health. Automation and optimization of key...

CPG

How Consumer Packaged Goods Firms Can Navigate a Bumpy 2024

It has been a “messy” couple of years for consumer packaged goods (CPG) firms.First supply chains were disrupted by the trade war between the U.S. and China, then Covid-19 came...

Life Sciences

What is an ERP System in the Pharmaceutical industry?

The flow of processes and operations in a pharmaceutical company is extremely complex and labor-intensive, owing to stringent production regulations and competitive market...

SAP erp

SAP Best Practices for Life Sciences

The need for life science companies to find better, faster ways to manage vast repositories of data and information has made the use of an integrated ERP system essential.

ERP Software

Why Do I Need ERP If My System Already Works?

A successful business aims to improve and grow. Three factors play a role in achieving success: innovation (being the first to serve an unmet need), customer service (ensuring...

SAP erp

Customer Portals & Product Information Management

Hear how Customer Portals and Product Information Management (PIM) can streamline your operations, save time, and empower your customers.

Start-up

How to Implement an ERP Solution at Your Startup

Implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system has become a matter of survival for startups that want to scale fast or involve complex manufacturing operations, as the...

Life Sciences

Why You Should Implement the Finest ERP System Available

If you’re looking to find and implement an ERP platform in your business, we know it’s not easy.

Biotechnology

4 Common Financial Challenges Biotech Companies Face

Unlike many industries, biotech has seen significant growth throughout the pandemic, with the global biotechnology market value expected to reach $2.4 trillion by 2028.

ERP Selection

How to Pick the Best ERP Solution for Your Startup

When a startup starts shopping for enterprise resource planning (ERP), they might be surprised to discover that dozens of solutions are available on the market.

Cloud ERP

On-Premise vs. Cloud ERP: Which Is Better?

Businesses in the life sciences and biotech sector need efficient operations and speed to market. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems ensure that a business can stay lean...

Life Sciences

Why Life Science Startups Need ERP

Today, biotech and life sciences companies play a crucial role in the global medical supply chain. But life science businesses are complex, especially after product development...

ERP Software

When Is the Right Time to Consider an ERP Solution?

When you’re a startup, things move fast. One day you’re developing a business plan and securing funding, and the next you’re securing funding and expanding into new markets.

business growth

How the Right System Supports Biotech Company Growth

When your company’s research yields a breakthrough drug or device, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement. Unfortunately, stress can replace elation all too quickly as the...

Life Sciences

7 Reasons ERP Is the Right Choice for Growth-Focused Biotechnology Companies

Biotech firms must navigate a product life cycle that leads from R&D to clinical trials, manufacturing, and distribution. It’s a complex labyrinth of supply chains, regulatory...

Distribution

How to Stay Nimble in a Rapidly Changing Distribution Landscape

Online marketplaces have dramatically reshaped the landscape for distributors of all sizes. The distribution industry is in the middle of a big shift, and modernization has become...

How WMS Extends ERP Throughout the Warehouse

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is a valuable tool for warehouse management, providing visibility, automation and intelligent insights throughout every business department. ERP...

analytics

Optimize Your Warehousing with Robust Data Analytics

Modern warehouse management needs visibility and transparency for all data to control costs, maintain profitability and optimize operations. That entails aggregating large amounts...

digital transformation

Why Integrated Digital Systems Are Vital for Pharmaceutical Manufacturers

Need an example of why legacy systems just don’t cut it anymore? Look to the pandemic.

Distribution

COVID-19 Has Accelerated the Distributor Race to Digital Transformation

Most global distributors are on the path toward digital transformation. The ability to automate systems and processes, integrate all areas of business and provide workers with...

Inventory

The State of Your Warehouse is the State of Your Business

Warehousing (Inventory) is one of the most important parts of the supply chain. It can also be one of the most underserved when it comes to technology investments. The case for...

Life Sciences

What Is The Difference Between MES and ERP For a Life Sciences Manufacturer?

Manufacturing in the life sciences industry encompasses a broad range of processes and functions. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and manufacturing execution systems (MES)...

GMP

What is GMP, and Why is it Important for Life Sciences Firms?

There’s plenty of opportunities for budding life sciences firms, but there’s also a fair amount of regulation.

Advantages of ERP

Recognizing the Hidden Costs of Your Legacy ERP

Software has evolved a lot in the past decade. While most consumer wouldn’t dream about using an iPhone 4 in 2020, many businesses nonetheless still use legacy ERP solutions that...

Warehouse Management

How to Keep Your Warehouse Organized as You Scale

Scaling a business almost always is messy. For warehouse operations, however, scaling is particularly problematic; efficient warehousing relies on visibility and clear workflows,...

Inventory

5 Key Challenges Facing Modern Distributors

The distribution business is more competitive than ever thanks to ecommerce and giants such as Amazon that have muscled in. There are more options for consumers, more direct...

Life Sciences

How growing and mid-size Life Science companies leverage SAP Business ByDesign

Welcome again to our latest webinar, how growing and midsize life science companies leverage SAP cloud ERP. Again, today's webinar will be presented by Ralph Hess VP at navigator...

Supply Chain Management

Why 2021 Is the Right Time to Modernize Your Supply Chain

Supply chain management has been undergoing fundamental changes over the last several years, increasingly becoming both automated and autonomous. Given the many challenges that...

EDI

The Critical Role of EDI for SMEs

Electronic data interchange (EDI) is something that takes place on a regular basis among small and mid-sized businesses. At a time in our technological evolution when humans hold...

Warehouse Management

The Importance of Implementing a Warehouse Management System (WMS)

Automating your warehouses improves accuracy and efficiency. The next step beyond simple automation, however, is tying these automations to a centralized warehouse management...

Automation

Gain Control of Your Inventory Through Warehouse Automation

Inventory is the lifeblood of the warehouse, and accurate inventory data collection and validation are the keys for operational efficiency. When data quality suffers, the...

Automation

Five Signs You Need Warehouse Automation

Most businesses know that automation improves efficiency and reduces overall costs. This is no less true for warehouse automation. But as with the adoption of any technology,...

Automation

Deciding the Right Type of Warehouse Automation for Your Business

As warehouse management becomes increasingly complex, and the supply chain grows and transforms to reflect global economic change, warehouse automation is becoming inevitable.

Automation

The Role of Automation at the Modern Warehouse

Warehouse management has historically been a challenge for supply chain professionals, linked to a host of external variables including logistics, technology, commodities, and the...

Warehouse Management

5 Key for Running a Successful Warehouse Business

Warehousing is a crucial component for many businesses, but not all warehouse operations are created equal—as evidenced by the wild success of Amazon over the years.

Distribution

5 Benefits of Multichannel Distribution

The world of distribution is changing at a rapid pace. The mechanics between the point of sale and fulfillment to the customer are increasingly blurry. What is clear is that a...

Why ERP?

Why Distributors Should be Looking at ERP

Disruption is happening all over the world right now, from business to politics. This is no less true for distributors, who face online marketplaces, more direct-to-consumer sales...

Five Ways to Measure the Success of Your ERP Project

ERP systems empower businesses to streamline processes across all areas of the business, from inventory management and sales to customer service. The convenience and increased...

Life Sciences

Why Life Science Firms are Embracing Digital Transformation During the COVID-19 Crisis

The life sciences industry has historically lagged behind other sectors when it comes to digital transformation. But the COVID-19 pandemic has made digitization a business and...

Small Business

What ERP Means for Your Small Business

The United States is home to more than 30 million small businesses. Launching one takes guts, commitment, and planning.

Wholesale Distribution

Five Keys for Modernizing Your Wholesale Distribution Business

The wholesale distribution industry is at an inflection point. Trends such as online marketplaces, the digitization of the buyer journey, real-time data and artificial...

Small Business

How ERP Creates Value for Companies

Investing in a new enterprise resource planning system (ERP) takes significant time and money. Even moving to cloud-based ERP is a large project, and cloud-based solutions are...

ERP

Why Aren’t We Talking ERP ROI?

With the emergence of cloud-based ERP, enterprise resource planning solutions no longer are just for Fortune 500 companies. That’s part of why almost half of all companies have,...

Distribution

Why Wholesale Distributors Need ERP

Times are changing for the wholesale distribution industry. Online marketplaces, the digitization of the buyer journey, real-time data and even artificial intelligence are putting...

ERP Implementation

Four Secrets for a Faster ERP Rollout

There’s a quiet business process revolution taking place.

ERP

Five Ways Startups Scale with ERP Automation

Rothy’s, a San Francisco-based woven shoes startup valued at $700 million, began thinking seriously about automation when it only had 15 employees. The startup’s backend...

new year

Five ERP Trends You’ll See in 2020

There are many reasons that Bill Belichick is arguably the most successful football coach in the history of the National Football League. One of the biggest reasons is that he...

Life Sciences

Six Keys When Choosing ERP for Life Science Firms

Often the jump from research in a lab to the manufacture and sale of a drug or life sciences product is more daunting than the work that went into developing the product.

Medical Devices

ERP Validation is About Process, Not Software

ERP validation sounds complex, but really it is simple: Does the software perform as specified?

ERP Software

Evaluating Your Business is Key When Selecting an ERP System

The horror stories are enough to make any business think about sticking with their existing legacy ERP system instead of upgrading to something new.

CPG

Overcoming Today’s CPG Manufacturing Challenges with ERP

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) is a dynamic space that is changing rapidly due to better-informed consumers and new global market opportunities. These changes make fo exciting...

Distribution

How does a Warehouse Management System help Companies increase their profitability

How does a Warehouse Management System (WMS) help companies increase their profitability? If you think about it, the warehouse is the nerve center of a wholesale distribution