Thriving in One-of-a-kind Manufacturing Through .net Solutions Profiled by Manufacturing Journalist Tr Cutler

Manufacturing Journalist TR Cutler profiled the development of .net solutions in the current issue of Accounting Software 411. the complete feature can be read at http://www.accountingsoftware411.com/Press/PressDocView.aspx?docid=8264.



Nexgen Technologies is an emerging leader in the manufacture of unique capital equipment designed for the semiconductor industry. Based in Santa Clara, CA Nexgen, leverages outsourcing of major components allowing their organization to focus on engineering, product development and testing. As a highly engineering focused manufacturer their business model is simple: be the best at delivering one-of-a-kind capital equipment. Nexgen required a solution that would give them the controls and effective technology in combination with comprehensive functionality for their complex manufacturing requirements. After many months of evaluation of ERP systems Nexgen selected VISIBILITY.net ERP. According to Naylor, “This ERP solution is exactly what we were looking for and is oriented on our type of one-of-a-kind manufacturing business. They understand our business demands and have 20 plus years of experience implementing their solution effectively. What we liked most was the comprehensiveness of the software and how it will enable us to optimize all areas of our business. From quotes, to costing, financial compliance, projects, business process improvements through workflow and will accommodate our growth with multi-entity and multi-lingual. Additionally, it was designed from the onset using Microsoft’s .net which gives us a contemporary business platform to grow our business on. “

With the recent advent of .NET technology, the problems encountered by Nexgen’s previous system limitations were erased with the ERP solution chosen. 100% written in .NET-managed code, the new ERP system was developed to support multi-site ETO/MTO manufacturers.

The benefits of a true multi-site ETO/MTO solution:
1. The .NET architecture eliminates the need for Citrix or other remote access applications. Instead, users can access the .net solution from anywhere in the world as long as they have a browser, like Internet Explorer, and an Internet connection. This also eliminates the need for multiple costly Unix or Citrix servers, lowering the total cost of ownership and IT maintenance requirements.

2. A true multi-site ERP system eliminates the need to maintain multiple databases. Each site can be set-up as a separate manufacturing entity within a single database. This allows a single listing of part numbers to be shared across all entities. Moreover, the part costs, pricing, and MRP planning parameters can be unique by entity. Custom solutions are not necessary to handle inventory transfers between sites.

3. Powerful security features allow each and every field within the application to be controlled. Field level control, by user, may be set to Active, Inactive, or Read Only. This feature allows full control over which users have access to costing data yielding substantial compliance benefits.

According to Stephen Carson, executive vice-president of Visibility, “Our .net ERP solution reduces hardware and maintenance costs for one-of-a-kind (ETO/MTO) manufacturers. With only a single database to manage, the inherent complexities of maintaining separate databases are eliminated, thereby increasing the accuracy of tracking costs. “

Visibility Corporation (www.visibility.com) is a leading developer and supplier of business software solutions designed for the unique needs of project-based, engineer-to-order and to-order manufacturers. Visibility's Enterprise Application solutions help midsize manufacturers of complex products operate their businesses effectively. Visibility has an extensive customer base throughout North America and Europe and has the strongest representation of ERP among complex manufacturers.

VISIBILITY.net is an integrated ERP solution and more. Offering unparalleled functionality and integrated workflow, this browser-based solution cost effectively delivers the power of .NET-based Web services for use with either a Microsoft SQL Server™ or Oracle® database. Conducting business any place, any time, any where is a reality, deployable with unprecedented flexibility.