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

Overview

Established in 1987, Contamac has grown to become a world leader in the development of specialist polymers and a major supplier to the ophthalmic industry. Today, Contamac exports more than 90% of its output, providing high performance materials for the world’s top contact lens manufacturers and has an unrivalled reputation for innovation, superior quality and customer focus.

For many years Contamac used a combined production and financial accounting software solution which had come under increasing pressure as the company expanded. In response, the company adopted a new ERP system from Lakeview, which has provided the enterprise-wide integrated functionality, flexibility and scalability to support Contamac’s continued growth.

“As we have driven quality standards to a new level,” says Rob Lewis, operations director, Contamac, “the Lakeview solution’s superior control and reporting capability has enabled us to provide customers with a level of service which matches our product quality. And we have been able to achieve this with a significant reduction in administration costs.”

To maintain competitive edge in a highly specialised yet competitive industry, Contamac recognised the need to meet a number of challenging targets.

In becoming more Quality Assurance (QA)-centric, the need to enhance product traceability with strong evidential back-up had become paramount. At the same time, the drive to demonstrate quality throughout the ISO-compliant business was reflected in the adoption of CE marking. These and other initiatives all required a higher level of materials control which would meet the exacting production tolerances required.

In addition, the growth of the business had put increasing pressure on ensuring shipping dates for distribution around the globe were met. All this had to be achieved in an increasingly tough economic environment in which the need to control and drive down cost throughout the business was critical.

Solution

In seeking an enterprise solution, Contamac looked at a number of options and selected Lakeview as best-placed to provide the level of integration and flexibility they needed in a fast-changing environment.

Lakeview’s highly-competitive off-the-shelf ERP solution offered a fully-integrated manufacturing package with sophisticated accounting and stock control capability. This enabled Contamac to significantly improve control of its end-to-end production process, from receipt of raw materials through manufacturing to dispatch and billing.

This level of automation across the operation not only allowed the company to improve the quality and consistency of its output in meeting higher quality assurance standards but also to reduce the level of manual input, so cutting production and administration costs and error rates.

Results

Implemented in 2004, the Lakeview system has provided the companywide operating platform required for Contamac to successfully grow its business and adapt to the company’s changing demands. The software’s intuitive functionality has also made it easy for staff across all departments to achieve maximum benefit from its advanced features.
As a result, Contamac has been able to manage growth at the same time reducing its administrative support requirement by 25 per cent. The company is achieving higher internal and external KPIs consistently and has demonstrably improved the ratio of on-time deliveries on much higher volumes.

One of the key strengths of the Lakeview system is its sophisticated and comprehensive reporting capability. In the area of quality control, for example, the time required to pull together the detailed six-monthly Quality Assurance report has been cut from more than three weeks to less than two days. Similarly, the administrative time required to report against regulatory requirements has been cut by 50 per cent.
Contamac has been delighted with the close relationship established with Lakeview, which has resulted in a number of valuable improvements to its software.

“As Lakeview writes its own software,” says Lewis, “we are able to feed into the broader development programme and suggest new functionality which will better meet our needs going forward. At the same time, we also benefit from other Lakeview customers contributing to the same process.”

Highlights : Customer Benefits and Results

• Integrated ERP system manages company-wide distribution, accounts, reporting and manufacturing
• Flexible, scalable solution supporting company growth
• Close involvement in Lakeview software development ensures relevant and valuable improvement in functionality
• Improvement in customer service and reduction in delivery complaints on higher volumes
• 25% cut in admin costs, dramatic reduction in time taken to create reports

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview

Technorati Tags: new business win

Established in 1981, Burtons Medical Equipment Ltd manufactures, distributes and services high quality healthcare equipment to the medical and veterinary professions.

By 2005, it had become increasingly clear that the company’s existing management system was unable to provide the consistent level of data retention and integrity necessary to cope with the demands of a successful and growing business – especially in such critical areas as stock control – which in turn was putting Burtons’ operating systems under pressure.

In replacing this with a Lakeview solution, Burtons has benefited from a number of key performance improvements throughout the business.  In particular, Lakeview’s market-leading batch control functionality has enabled to the company to provide the level of traceability essential to meet rigorous client KPIs and ensure it meets the quality demands of ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 13845:2003.

Challenge

Burtons recognised the need for a stable, Windows-based platform which would allow for easy migration of existing computer skills within the business.

By consolidating information in this way, we would have complete visibility of every sale across all departments, so improving internal efficiencies and providing a better service to our clients.

”At the same time, it had to bring together the three distinct aspects of our production, distribution and support operation with centralised data storage and control,” recalls IT manager, Mike Best.

“By consolidating information in this way, we would have complete visibility of every sale across all departments, so improving internal efficiencies and providing a better service to our clients.”

Established in 1981, Burtons Medical Equipment Ltd manufactures, distributes and services high quality healthcare equipment to the medical and veterinary professions.

By 2005, it had become increasingly clear that the company’s existing management system was unable to provide the consistent level of data retention and integrity necessary to cope with the demands of a successful and growing business – especially in such critical areas as stock control – which in turn was putting Burtons’ operating systems under pressure.

In replacing this with a Lakeview solution, Burtons has benefited from a number of key performance improvements throughout the business.  In particular, Lakeview’s market-leading batch control functionality has enabled to the company to provide the level of traceability essential to meet rigorous client KPIs and ensure it meets the quality demands of ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 13845:2003.

Solution

Having explored several options, Burtons selected Lakeview as providing the ideal combination of relevant and robust functionality, personalised solutions approach and superior service quality.

“In addition, Lakeview worked closely with us throughout the development to ensure that our processes were perfectly aligned with the software,” he says.  “As a result, implementation was smooth and the Lakeview solution has remained remarkably trouble-free ever since.

“Another important outcome of this partnership approach to implementation was a much sturdier and more resilient set of processes fully capable of managing our planned business growth.”

Another important outcome of this partnership approach to implementation was a much sturdier and more resilient set of processes fully capable of managing our planned business growth.

Results
Since the original implementation in 2005, Burtons has added Lakeview’s service management and works ordering modules and today the company benefits from a fully integrated sales, manufacturing, accounting and service software solution.

Internally, processes which previously would be repeated many times each day; such as label printing and data re-entry – are now fully automated, saving many man hours across multiple departments.

Customer service has also improved markedly, with more accurate stock recording ensuring consistently high delivery service levels, especially critical in Burtons ’ markets.  A detailed audit trail enables the cause of any problem to be determined and swift appropriate remedial action taken.

The area of preventative maintenance provides a recent example of how Lakeview continues to develop innovative bespoke solutions for Burtons.  In looking to improve the speed and flexibility of the company’s manual call reporting system for its national team of service engineers, a phased programme is underway which will initially enable each engineer to record call information by simply using electronic pens.

Within the next 12 months however, fully-automated two-way communication will be in place, integrating preventative and emergency service call booking and other data via PDAs.

Underpinning all this is a high quality reporting system and a level of customer service which, believes Best, “is second to none.  From day one, the Lakeview team has shown a thorough understanding of the key issues affecting Burtons ’ business and how its software could be adapted to meet our evolving requirements.

“In short, the result is a company-wide solution which we are fully confident will continue to keep us ahead in tough and highly competitive markets.”

Visit: Burtons Medical

Author: Angela Kennedy, Marketing, Lakeview Computers Ltd