The new QAD Demand Management application encompasses comprehensive sales forecasting, modeling, error alerting and reporting. The new QAD Sales & Operations application identifies out-of-balance supply and demand numerically and graphically, and in units, dollars and resource units. It shows concurrent projected inventory, shipments, production and backlog, and provides for adjusting production and inventory in convenient ways.

What does this mean for your business?

• Calculate just the right inventory level by location to balance cost with customer service
• Enable your sales force to revise forecasts (via the Internet or company network) and immediately update the rest of the company with the most current information from customers and prospects
• Identify any out-of-balance supply and demand, and address potential problems well before it's time for product delivery

Johnson Controls is the world's largest supplier of integrated seating and interior systems for the automotive industry. As automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) face ever-increasing consumer demand for customization, suppliers such as Johnson Controls are squeezed to respond quickly to OEMs without carrying high levels of inventory safety stock. The supplier's strategies for addressing this challenge include sequenced production, an advanced manufacturing technique for production and delivery of vehicle components in exact sequence corresponding to vehicles' progress on the OEM assembly line. Johnson Controls sought seamless integration between JIT sequencing software and planning and execution applications, and turned to QAD to develop a solution combining the automotive supplier's experience with QAD's expertise in cost-effective software.

Learn more about Johnson Controls' success with QAD JIT Sequencing: QAD JIT Sequencing Video

Q. Our organization recently acquired another company and we need to bring a number of new plants up to speed on QAD MFG/PRO software very quickly. Our challenge is not only the number of acquired sites, but also that these new plants are located around the world. How can QAD help me to integrate these new plant sites into the system in minimal time?

A. QAD Global Services has a number of tools and service offerings available to assist companies with global and multi-site implementations. One of these tools is Q-Advantage, our proven implementation methodology that is specifically designed to support QAD solutions. The cornerstone of Q-Advantage is a unique focus on helping customers execute a rapid implementation and deliver fast-time-to-benefit. Q-Advantage was developed through QAD consultants' years of experience gathering best practices from hundreds of implementations performed around the world. Q-Advantage provides your project team with a business-process approach that will outline a set of processes specifically tailored to meet your business needs. After you have defined your business processes and implementation standards using Q-Advantage, these processes are used globally to ensure implementation consistency as well as to help reduce the learning curve as new sites are brought online. Engaging QAD Global Services multi-site implementation knowledge and experience and using the Q-Advantage implementation methodology will assist you with your rapid implementation needs.

For additional information on QAD Global Services and our Q-Advantage implementation methodology, Contact QAD Global Services.

Which of the follow is seen as essential for lean supply chain success? 00% Lean planning activities between high-level planning and lean execution 25% Sophisticated mathematical functionality to effectively calculate takt time and leveling 00% Integrating ERP's relatively long-term outputs with the immediacy of an execution system inaugurated by kanbans 75% All of the above

Announcing Dynamic Enhancements to the QAD Solutions Guide

The QAD Solutions Guide has evolved dramatically over its first year of existence. First, QAD produced and launched an internal version, which provided QAD employees and partners an extensive library of QAD products, solutions, services and support information. Next, QAD delivered an exclusive customer version, and finally, a public version. With over 16,000 visits to date, the QAD Solutions Guide has become the most reliable information source for QAD solutions, industries, services offerings and more.

Increased use, improved search capabilities, rapid content updating and enhanced content management necessitated a move from the preliminary QAD Solutions Guide format to a more robust application. In October 2005, a strategic decision was made to move to a new platform under the steady hands of the QAD IT team.

And now, we're pleased to announce the newest version of the QAD Solutions Guide. While the presentation looks different, we were mindful to retain tabs that echo the previous table format. All of the content you've come to rely on is still available, with updates, enhancements and new content added daily.

If you have business questions related to the QAD Solutions Guide, please send your thoughts to Robert Cramer, rac@qad.com.

QAD Enables Global Business Standardization for Improved Cost Control, Enhanced Productivity and Rapid Response Capabilities

QAD has enabled A. J. Antunes & Co. and Fri-Jado to advance their ten year relationship and create a strategic alliance that will allow A. J. Antunes & Co. to provide base operations for Fri-Jado USA, a producer of food service equipment. The companies have utilized the Global Enterprise Edition of QAD MFG/PRO eB2.1 to expand their global reach through standardization of processes, reporting and analytics across multiple sites, multiple languages and multiple currencies. QAD MFG/PRO eB2.1 is part of the QAD Global Enterprise Edition portfolio of solutions created to support global operational excellence, while preserving the flexibility of local operations. Read the full Press Release for more details: QAD MFG/PRO Supports Strategic Alliance Between A. J. Antunes & Co. and Fri-Jado

Exciting QAD events are happening right now in your region and around the world! Check out the QAD Events page for more information.

Support and Education 2005 Year-End Review

Access Knowledge: QAD Support & Education provides the knowledge you need most. Here's a look at what you received in 2005 as a QAD Support customer:

• QAD Knowledgebase - The preferred Support tool continued to add value. Last year the QAD Knowledgebase was visited over 117,000 times - a new record! Close to 3,000 new solutions were created from around the globe, which means you now have over 31,000 solutions available to you at your fingertips! The QAD Knowledgebase is the fastest way to get the answer to most of your technical questions.
• Online Documentation - No need to look for the manual on the shelf because it's on QAD ServiceLinQ. Online documentation is convenient and always up-to-date! And in 2005, 120,000 of you used this service.
• QVillage - In the QAD online forum, customers share both experience and knowledge with their peers. We noted more than 12,000 QVillage visitors in 2005 and over 100 new discussion topics.
• QAD Education Learning Portal - In May, QAD launched the Learning Portal - a single point of access to online courses, eGuides, Web events, conceptual presentations and complete educational series on specific topics. It also includes a Professional Development Program, to help you keep your workforces' skills at the level required to maintain competitive advantage in your industry.

Online is better: 2005 saw a dramatic increase in the usage of QAD online Support tools. More and more QAD Support customers are understanding the value of having 24/7 access to the tools they need to improve business operations.

• Online Incident Management - Approximately half of the QAD Support Incidents globally were logged online in 2005 (with peeks to 90 percent in some regions). Online Incident Management provides many advantages such as response within the hour and global visibility. Additionally, incoming incidents are monitored by the follow-the-sun principle, which means you get answers even outside of normal office hours (24/5). Furthermore, you can review and update your open incidents at any time and easily add attachments. Make sure you benefit from this advantageous tool.
• Download center - In 2005, we experienced over 9,600 visits to this media-less, 24/7 online software delivery tool!
• QDocs (QXtend), Trading Partner Libraries, and now - new European Accounting Drivers downloads. All of these are available to download directly on QAD ServiceLinQ. Last year over 9,000 customers took advantage of this 24/7 available service.
• Remote Support - Our GoToAssist ® tool was used globally over 10,000 times in 2005 to troubleshoot & resolve issues in real-time.

2005 Achievements
QAD Support opened 21,719 incidents globally and closed 21,682. The target response times per severity were reached 99 percent of the time.

Customer Satisfaction has never been as high as in 2005! Watch for the upcoming Support and Education article that will detail how we measure customer satisfaction as well as the actual numbers.

Plans for 2006
QAD Support has big plans for 2006, starting with a new interface for the QAD Knowledgebase, a partial redesign of our online tools and much more! Our model of working is continuous improvement. Our first goal is customer satisfaction. Stay tuned!

What's New and What's Coming

QAD Learning Portal. Access learningportal.qad.com to view these new courses:

Building to Customer Demand

• Postponement-postponing the completion of the product until after the customer order is received-is one of the keys to building to customer demand. Join Bob Stahl and Tom Wallace as they describe the tools for postponement (lean manufacturing, modular product design, S&OP and two-level master scheduling) and how to implement postponement. Stahl and Wallace, both distinguished manufacturing consultants, authors and educators, will also discuss numerous examples of companies using postponement.

Processing Work Orders in QAD MFG/PRO

• This course will show you how to process standard, discrete work orders in QAD MFG/PRO. The course is augmented with commentaries by instructor and expert Lee Kirkpatrick.

QAD MFG/PRO eB2 new Functionality

• This course provides incremental training on the newest functionality of QAD MFG/PRO eB2.1.

Learn more about these and other courses currently available on the QAD Learning Portal: Featured Courses Overview.You will find many other educational courses created by today's manufacturing experts, as well as QAD MFG/PRO core functionality courses on MRP and MPS.

Web Events. Register for these Web events today!

January 2006

• QAD MFG/PRO Customer Schedules— In this Web event, senior instructor and consultant Lee Kirkpatrick explains how MFG/PRO Customer Schedules can improve your business: Reduce paperwork and errors by receiving your customers' shipping schedules electronically, integrate your customers' shipping requirements with your MRP, synchronize your customers' calendars with yours, send Advanced Ship Notices (ASNs), and track shipment.

February 2006

• QAD Production Scheduler (QPS)-A s manufacturers face constant fluctuations in demand and handle increasingly complex product mixes, visibility of the production environment-and information that impacts it-is vital to determining appropriate action. The QAD Production Scheduler provides near real-time visibility into key production scheduling information on a single screen. Learn more about this new Web-based product offering from Q PS Product Manager Carianne Nieuwstraten and Business Analyst Brent Shooltz.

Log in to the ServiceLinQ eLearning Web Events Archive to view the recording of past Web events, including:

• QAD Supply Visualization (SV)—An overview of the Supply Visualization features, as well as:
  • Purchasing processes
  • Inventory visibility, VMI and replenishment
  • Demand and supply collaboration
  • ERP system interoperability
    
    
• Value of Support—Your maintenance offers you a wide array of Support. This Web event will demonstrate and explain how to get the most out of the various Web tools available to your company. By knowing what tools are available and how to use them properly you will be more successful in maintaining your QAD MFG/PRO environment.

Knowledgebase . This month 100 new solutions have been created and made available in the QAD Knowledgebase. Check out the most used solutions this month:

• Are there any changes to 1099-MISC Form Print for Tax Year 2005 (Solution ID qad40483)
• 13.7 Where-Used Inquiry does not show all level 1 parent items (Solution ID qad35149)
• 36.15.1 CIM Data Load does not create groups in a specific Data Base (Solution ID qad33301)\

To review these solutions, go to http://www4.qad.com/qadkb/esupport/consumer/esupport.asp and enter the solution ID.

Q-Village Discussion Forum . Get connected with your peers and industry experts in the QAD community. Check out this month's hot discussion topic:

• How to change Unit of Measure?

Customer Advisories. One advisory was published last month.

• QAD MFG/PRO eB2.1 Service Pack 3: Enhanced Controls Audit Trail Creation Process May Stop Processing

This advisory addresses an issue within the Enhanced Controls module for QAD MFG/PRO eB2.1 Service Pack 3. Under certain conditions, the Audit Trail Creation Process (36.12.13.23) will stop processing audit trail records from the attmp_mstr (Audit Trail Temporary Master) table. The attmp_mstr records are created but are not moved through to the Audit Trail database.

To read the full story, click here .

If you would like to receive an e-mail notification when a new customer advisory is posted to QAD ServiceLinQ, please update your Web account profile and check the customer advisory box under e-mail options.

QAD ServiceLinQ is Your Online Support Center, providing a vast array of product information, knowledge repositories, analytical tools and direct access to QAD experts any time, any place. Register for your individual QAD Web Account today to receive the full benefit of ServiceLinQ!

This area of content requires a Web account.