With a massive take up of iPad users, it makes a brilliant and more intuitive device for Enterprise Resource planning to be a success. That’s why we took our own ERP solution mobile (LV ERP for iPad).

Developing Enterprise Resource Planning for iPad makes good business sense when so many executives are using them to drive better sales, presentations or manage real time reporting. Whilst Lakeview ERP already boasts a web app and mobile version for desktop and mobile use, LV ERP for the iPad comes with unique features that take enterprise resource planning into a more intuitive environment as it is easy to use, more comfortable than a smart phone and not as bulky as a laptop.

According to Forrester’s Global Tech Market Outlook, Apple is expected to sell $10 billion worth of iPads to business customers in 2012, representing a 68% increase over 2011.

Source: Forrester Research

In the demo below you will see Lakeview’s ‘LV ERP’ app for the iPad in use. Watch and see how easy it is to navigate and manage your day to day business processes from within the app.

Related links
Download: LV ERP for iPad [iTunes download]
Book a demo : To see LV ERP in action

Author: Angela Kennedy

Technorati Tags: erp for ipad, LV ERP, mobile ERP

For our customers and prospects alike we promote and support a ‘Bespoke as standard’ ethos. This is our guarantee that all modifications to the software are included into the core product ‘as standard’.

How do we do this?

This is managed by having a single set of source code, by designing solutions as generic as possible and by switching features on by means of control flags.

The ‘Bespoke as standard’ commitment enables easy upgrades to the latest version of your Lakeview (LV or LM) software and to take advantage of new features as they are released.

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview

Technorati Tags: lakeview erp

We believe our business proposition is absolutely unique amongst suppliers of ERP software.

We are one of a few independent software authors directly supplying ERP systems to UK based SME businesses.

Lakeview has been providing business software solutions to UK SME’s for over 25 years, and understands the needs of both customers and the demands of trading from within the UK.

Our passion is to deliver excellent business software with an outstanding level of service. When customers contact us with a ‘how do I do this?’ or ‘what am I doing wrong?’ question, we don’t turn them away, or suggest spending on training or consulting. We take the time to find a solution and our customers constantly comment favourably on our service and often recommend us to others.

Introducing LV: Lakeview’s latest ERP product

Built using the latest, proven Microsoft technologies LV is proving to be the feature rich business software solution that Lakeview is renowned for.

LV ERP can be deployed

• On premise
• In The Cloud
• Or on any mobile device or tablet

LV also boasts

1. An App that allows you to create and update transactions as well as enquire across the system.
2. A full set of API’s for business and database interfaces enabling web shops and third party products to be easily integrated in real time.

In summary

Lakeview provide end-to-end software solutions to UK SME’s: Delivering solutions that are second to none in terms of features, support and technology and offered with an unwavering level of service.

Our largest source of customer acquisition comes from existing customer recommendations, together with previous Lakeview users moving company and introducing us. This speaks volumes…

Visit and download

More about LV: www.lakeview.co.uk/lv

Download LV to your mobile: iTunes App Store

LV on YouTube: http://youtu.be/daVj_SLYdtM

Author: Mark Greatrex, CEO, Lakeview

Technorati Tags: ERP on your mobile, LV ERP, mobile ERP

You maybe aware that Sage has announced termination of support for Sage Line 100 on September 30th 2012. This means no further development of the product beyond that date, no new releases and no changes for any taxation or legal requirements. This effectively renders the product unusable the next time there is a legal or fiscal change.

We have heard instances of Sage resellers not informing their customers and other resellers claiming they can support and develop Line 100 past this date (they can’t.)

Here at Lakeview our approach to product life cycles is very different to Sage and just about every other ERP author. Put simply we do not end life products and we do not force customers into buying an upgrade. Line 200 is sold as a natural evolution from Line 100 but in fact is a new piece of software. This is the opportunity for you to consider alternates.

Our Lakeview LM product has been providing customer with accounting and ERP functionality for over 25 years (longer than Line 100 has been in existence!) LM is still supported and developed with many of our customers still happily running their business very effectively on LM.

Two years ago we launched our LV product range which offers the rich functionality within LM plus all the latest Microsoft, Internet, Apple and mobile technologies. An increasing number of LM customers have taken the smooth upgrade path to LV based on their own decision and business benefits. Equally many Sage customers have migrated to Lakeview as the cost and disruption of moving to us is comparable or indeed less than moving to Line 200 but with much more benefits.

Lakeview LV also offers a fully functional mobile version that can work on any smart phone, tablet, iPad, iPhone, netbook, in fact any device that can connect to the Internet! This enables remote sales teams, executives and remote employees to access the system anytime anywhere.

As a UK author we also offer a completely unique proposition known as ‘Bespoke As Standard’. This means that we will modify the software to meet any needs that are specific to your business and we will guarantee that it will be included in the standard product. This enables a very smooth and painless upgrade to future releases – to our knowledge; nobody else in the UK offers this!

To find out more

Visit our website, download our LV App from iTunes or our LV brochure here.

Author: Mark Greatrex, CEO of Lakeview Computers Ltd

Technorati Tags: alternative to sage, good alternative to sage, sage erp, sage line 100, sage line 100 end, sage replacement

“You want me to do what? What do I know about IT?”

Does this sound familiar to you?

In today’s busy SME environment when keeping costs and overheads to minimum jobs such as managing IT fall upon those who certainly are not experts when it comes to hardware or networks let alone the time in the day for such a large burden of responsibility.

Managing your IT needs to be built on the solid foundation of these four pillars:

• Delivering your current IT needs to ensure that it enables the business.
• Understanding and budgeting for your future needs, e.g. Mobile solutions, Cloud computing.
• Managing the IT resource whether they are internal or external.
• Risk management (security, compliance, business continuity)

Lakeview offers a full turnkey solution not only do we author, deliver and support our own ERP software but we also have our own dedicated team of engineers to build servers and desktop machines to requirement and fully manage the security and stable operation of your network.

So if the above responsibility falls to you in your role then why not pass that burden to Lakeview as a single source of supply and support for all your IT and business software needs. We have many MD’s and FD’s that will testify to the benefit and outstanding service of having Lakeview as your trusted IT partner.

Find out more

Technorati Tags: business continuity, compliance, erp, FD, Financial director, hardware, IT directors, IT software, mobile ERP, risk management, security

Back in 2002, leading provider of co-ordinated design houseware products to major high street multiples, independent retailers and export customers, Creative Tops recognised that its existing ERP system could no longer cope with the company’s successful growth.

“As a result, we required a solution which would support our continuing expansion, both in the UK and the Far East,” confirms finance director, Alex Mathews.  “In particular, the new system had to enable comprehensive and transparent management control of what is a highly complex business.”

Following implementation of a Lakeview solution, Creative Tops has secured significant efficiency gains throughout the business.  In the warehouse, for example, stock accuracy has improved dramatically, from around 60% to 95+%: at the same time, the warehouse team has successfully managed a four-fold increase in volume, with little change in staffing levels.

Challenge

In replacing the existing ERP system, which offered limited scalability in managing stock control valuation, sales order processing and invoicing, the chosen solution had to meet a number of tough demands.

Most importantly, it had to be able to support a much larger number of users, with the current 50 reflecting a fivefold increase in four years.  In addition, it had to provide: a direct EDI link; true multi-currency functionality; an ‘any pallet anywhere’ stock control system; and retrospective stock valuation – essential in a company with a major export business.

Solution

“The Lakeview solution scored highly in a number of areas,” says Mathews.  “First, it offered an elegant Windows-based front end display, similar in many ways to our existing system yet with much broader functionality.  As a result, our staff could move over to the new system in just a few days.

“Similarly, the ability to import and export data simply and easily offered improved reporting capability.  And, critically, as Lakeview authors its own software, we would be able to influence its development in ensuring the system continued to meet our evolving requirements.”

Results

As part of a smooth transition the new system went live in January 2004, with no dual running, and the subsequent year-end accounts were produced combining both sets of data with no integration problems or delays.

Within a year, Creative Tops began to explore other functionality within the Lakeview system, for example using the purchase order system together with the landed cost module.  Automating the previously manual method of landed cost calculations has proved especially valuable, as the company now handles over 700 containers annually.

With ‘any pallet anywhere’ stock control, Creative Tops has all but eliminated stock duplication and today consistently achieves on-target 95%+ stock accuracy.  This in turn has allowed the company to reduce stock levels, at the same time improving both its supply chain management and customer service delivery.

“The Lakeview team backs all this up with highly responsive support in dealing swiftly with any issues which arise,” Mathews adds, “and their proactive approach is currently reflected in the way they are addressing with us the demands of the new waste packaging regulations.”

Creative Tops’ business has continued to grow successfully, from £8million at the time of installation to £18 million in 2007.  In the past two years alone – in a market in which prices have fallen sharply – volumes have quadrupled.  In the face of this unrivalled achievement, Mathews is unequivocal:

“Without our Lakeview investment, we simply could not have managed this dramatic growth in our business,” he believes.

Visit: Creative Tops

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview Computers Ltd

Technorati Tags: new business win

Overview

Decorative Panels Group is the largest specialist foil laminator and paper lamination board supplier to the furniture manufacturing and allied industries in the UK and Europe.  With its origins as a local cabinet and coffin maker stretching back to 1907, today the Group employs 300 staff and operates five separate factories in West Yorkshire and Teesside.

In 1997, it became necessary to replace and upgrade the existing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.  From that time through to today, the adoption of Lakeview software has been steadily extended to meet changing business needs in handling every aspect of the company’s business, from stock control to accounts.

Challenge

In looking for a new ERP system which was both the most cost-effective and offered broad functionality, Lakeview was recognised as offering the ideal solution.  In particular, the Lakeview software’s forward profiling feature met one of the company’s key purchasing requirements as previously customer orders were entered manually onto spreadsheets, which had proved increasingly inadequate as the business continued to grow.

Solution

Decorative Panels Group acquired core modules from Lakeview, which were then customised to fit its business.

“The high level of flexibility the solution offers remains especially valuable to us,” confirms IT manager, Graham Mason, “as in implementing the ERP system effectively across three separate trading companies within the Group, it is essential to program the software to meet the differing needs of each manufacturing operation.”

At the same time, Decorative Panels has continued to work closely with Lakeview, resulting in additional developments or modifications taking place on a regular basis.  From the initial implementation of basic accounts-based order processing, the use of Lakeview has extended to manufacturing, adding further modules, for example, in integrating automated purchase orders and works order processing.

“As a result, the Lakeview system we have in place today has changed as much as our business has changed and developed,” he believes.

Results

Most recently, the software has been adapted to incorporate bar coding in the dispatch area, to make the shipment of multiple orders on each vehicle more efficient and effective.

For Decorative Panels, the fact that Lakeview authors its own software has proved a huge advantage as the company has continued to refine and expand the use of the ERP system in this way.  “The company is highly knowledgeable on its software and equally importantly understands our business processes and the challenges we face,” says Mason.

“As a result, the Lakeview team is easy to deal with and is always highly responsive to our development requirements.  At the same time, on the rare occasions when issues arise, they react promptly and effectively.  In short, in my experience the company’s service is second to none.”

Highlights
Customer Benefits and Results

• Integrated ERP system manages complete manufacturing, distribution and accounts process
• Substantial efficiency savings throughout the three operating companies
• Customised solutions to meet the individual needs of each company
• On-going continuous development and improvement programme
• ‘Second to none’ technical support

Visit: Decorative Panels

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview Computers Ltd

Technorati Tags: decorative panels, manufacturing case study

Lakeview drives up customer service at The Radiator Company

Overview

Founded in 1998, The Radiator Company has grown to become one of the largest retail distributors of designer radiators in the UK and Ireland.  In 2004, the business was acquired by Marcus Orchard and he has since expanded with the acquisition of Clyde, a long-established commercial and industrial heating systems provider and, most recently, Supplies4Heat, a specialist supplier of plumbing and heating products to the merchant sector.

A Lakeview ERP system was already in place at The Radiator Company, providing an effective end-to-end order placement, stock control, delivery and invoicing system. 

“We immediately recognised the inherent capability and flexibility of the core Lakeview system,” says Orchard, “which has since been expanded to include additional modules and enhanced reporting functions”.

“Lakeview software is now in place in all three trading companies of the UK Heating Group and is used by every employee across the Group in helping us successfully increase operational efficiencies and substantially drive up customer service.  And, as a highly scalable solution, it has enabled us to grow from an annual £3 million turnover business to just under £11 million today.”

Challenge

In a highly competitive distribution environment, the goal was to improve commercial relationships by developing closer operational links between The Radiator Company and its key customers.

As a result, in building on the established strength of the Lakeview software within the business as an automated distribution and accounting tool, at the outset Orchard was keen to extend its capability in two key areas.

First, it was important to improve overall speed and accuracy by automating other aspects such as quoting for new business and returns management.  In responding to more demanding individual customer requirements, it was equally critical to enhance the quality and breadth of reporting and make information already held in the system available in a variety of customer formats.

Solution

With much of the business dependent on the ability to provide competitive quotations quickly and professionally, The Radiator Company sought to upgrade the process with the addition of an automated quotation function.   A new returns module also ensured that at the other end of the customer-facing process, issues were resolved more speedily, errors minimised and service quality similarly enhanced.

Improved data mining has enabled the business to develop customer and supplier partner specific reports covering a wide range of performance measures, including out-of-stocks, current status reports and delivery KPIs.

“This provides up-to-the-minute information at the touch of a button, replacing previously time-consuming manual reporting – our time savings can be measured in weeks rather than hours or days,” says Orchard.

More recently, The Radiator Company has worked with Lakeview to implement specific EDI solutions which meet the demands of major merchant group clients such as Wolseley Group and Jewson Graham and work is currently underway to incorporate new CRM modules.

The Radiator Company benefits significantly from the fact that Lakeview writes its own software.  “In extending our Lakeview capability, we work very closely with their developers and consultants from the outset,” confirms Orchard, “in refining the initial brief, working on-site to implement the new module and then adding further functionality as required after a few months’ experience with the new solution”.

“This flexibility enables us to create new reports quickly and effectively and means that any solutions developed for The Radiator Company can be easily adapted for the smaller sister companies.”

Results

Lakeview’s software is highly robust and, unlike many competitors allows the company’s management team to easily interrogate the systems and access previous years’ sales performance.

Like other businesses on maintenance contracts, the company also benefits from free regular software upgrades, often incorporating changes which have emerged from work Lakeview developers have undertaken with other similar customers.

For Orchard, Lakeview’s simplicity and robustness makes it ideally designed to support a distribution-focused company like UK Heating Group.

“Though price remains important, research continues to show that for distribution businesses on-time and fast delivery remain top of the list of priorities for customers,” he confirms.

“Thanks in no small part to Lakeview, our much-enhanced ability to track and trace deliveries and deal with customer issues rapidly and effectively has seen a dramatic improvement in our customer service ratings.  The result is that today we are recognised as one of the best service providers in our marketplace.”

Highlights | Customer benefits and Results

• Integrated ERP system manages company-wide distribution, accounts and reporting system
• Flexible, scalable solution meets the needs of a growing business with three distinct operating companies
• Close working relationship with Lakeview developers enables rapid creation and implementation of customer-specific solutions
• Rapid improvement in customer service scores
• Ongoing continuous development and improvement programme

Visit: The Radiator Company

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview Computers Ltd