From CEO.com

oday, your smartest, most productive people will create the most value by both generating and executing on their ideas. As this new breed of employee permeates the workforce, it demands a different approach to management to drive competitiveness and company success. READ MORE

From Inc.

Today's business plans need to go beyond dry logic, facts and figures and incorporate the passion and excitement that generate a real sense of commitment. READ MORE

From Entrepreneur

When you don't have a big budget to market your business, creativity can work just fine. READ MORE

From Ann marie Houghtailing

At any given time, we’re avoiding a conversation for one reason or another. We move it from one day’s To Do list to the next because we have more anxiety than language to enter the conversation. Here are five tips to conquer a tough conversation. READ MORE

From Harvard Business Review

The starting point of most competitive analysis is a question: Who is your competition? That’s because most companies view their competition as another brand, product, or service. But smart leaders and organizations go broader. READ MORE

From Entrepreneur

These presentations can teach you about the importance of time off, where you can do your best work, how to pitch to investors and more. READ MORE

From Multibriefs

Approximately 34 percent of the U.S. workforce — or 53 million Americans — earn a living working as freelancers, according to the "Freelancing in America: A National Survey of the New Workforce" report. Despite this huge number, freelance workers are still not protected by law. However, all of this is set to change as the Freelance Isn't Free Act (FIFA) takes effect in New York City. Employers and freelancers need to understand the extent of the law before they are affected by it. READ MORE

The 27th Edition of the Distribution Software Guide has become the most used directory for wholesale distributors looking to replace or upgrade their existing business software. The guide provides detailed vendor information including feature matrixes for Enterprise Distribution and Complementary Solutions. Request Print Copies at http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_dist_software_guide_login.aspx 

In response to market demand, the 11th Edition of the Manufacturing Software Guide has been developed to meet the unique needs of the manufacturing supply chain community. This guide includes detailed vendor pages, company demographics, product information, and a feature matrix. Request Print Copies at http://www.software4distributors.com/vendor/resources_manufacturing_software_guide_login.aspx

From Association Success

Whether it’s for a promo video or a webinar, having the quality of your footage match the quality of your content makes such a difference to the message you are sending out. READ MORE

From Harvard Business Review

Differentiation should be a prime motivator of any strategy; firms should always look to find an edge. But too often CEOs find themselves stuck in what I call an innovation plateau. They fall into chronic sameness, an inertia driven by a feeling that they must focus on cost, even cheapness, to remain competitive. READ MORE

From Fast Company

A system called “flash teams” combines some of the most successful elements of the new way we work, but is it sustainable? READ MORE

From Multibriefs

The promise of sunnier weather is a nice excuse to engage in a little deep cleaning. While it can be richly rewarding to discover the back of our closets, the clean surfaces of our desks and the joy of riding in an immaculate car, taking a little time to clean out the clutter in our minds can be even more beneficial. Here are a few simple steps to help you get started spring cleaning your brain. READ MORE

From Beacon Economics

The latest release from the California EDD shows that the state accounted for nearly one-fifth of all job gains in the nation in March, according to an analysis released jointly by Beacon Economics and the UCR School of Business Center for Economic Forecasting and Development. READ MORE

From Beacon Economics

California’s merchandise export trade had an exceptionally strong showing in February, although merchandise imports pulled back in the latest numbers, according to a Beacon Economics’ analysis of U.S. trade statistics released this morning by the U.S. Census Bureau. READ MORE

From Beacon Economics

The ability to accurately forecast where the U.S. and California economies are headed continues to be seriously hampered by the enormous uncertainties stemming from the ongoing turmoil of President Donald Trump’s administration.

From Beacon Economics

Each quarter, find updated analysis that goes beyond the state and national level to present a snapshot of employment, home prices, consumer spending, personal income, and other leading economic indicators within key areas of the state. READ MORE

Mack Brooks Exhibitions Group, organizers of the Fastener Fair exhibitions taking place globally, announce the launch of Fastener Fair USA. The first edition of this unique industrial fastener and fixing show will take place April 11-12, 2018 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland, OH. 

Fastener Fair USA will be the premier event bringing together manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and end users in the region’s only dedicated fastener, fixing, and joining technology exhibition. The show will offer a first-hand look at the latest solutions and technology available in the marketplace, as well as a top-notch educational program developed and delivered by industry experts. There will also be networking events to facilitate relationships and collaborations with industry peers.

From Distribution One

To many people, the terms “ERP” (Enterprise Resource Planning) and “Accounting Software” are interchangeable. This misconception, however, ends up being a detriment to companies when purchasing decisions are based on the comparison of two distinctly different product categories.

So what is the difference between ERP and accounting software? In short, accounting programs are merely a subset of the core ERP software capabilities and represent a fraction of the functionality provided by comprehensive ERP. This truth, however, is just the tip of the iceberg.

Accounting software
Predictably, accounting software deals with the financial aspect of operations by recording business transactions: AR/AP, journal entries, and general ledger utilized to produce basic financial reports like income statements and balance sheets. Due to this specified but limited focus, the accounting software market has experienced some instability with providers resorting to buyouts or ceasing operations altogether. Why?

Accounting software provides a good snapshot of a company’s financial health today but lacks the ability to anticipate tomorrow. Without data-driven forecasting, companies base business decisions primarily on SWAG (Scientific Wild Assumption Guessing) to predict supply and demand for products and services causing many to fall short of their profitability goals.

ERP software
Accounting functionality comprises just one subset of the overall solution. ERP’s main objective is to facilitate the day-to-day management of business operations by incorporating data from multiple aspects of the business into a seamless and comprehensive information system. ERP encompasses: Order Entry, Financials, CRM, Reporting, Purchasing, Inventory Control, Warehouse Management (automation/scanning), Serial/Lot Control, QC Tracking, Label Generation, Kitting/Assembly, Secondary Processing, and more along with supplementary functionality of E-commerce, API, EDI, and Mobile Apps. 

By accurately processing and analyzing data through these company-wide functions, ERP software delivers forecasting integral to improving the timing of sales and inventory, detecting process deficiencies, and identifying strategic enhancements for growing productivity and competitive advantage. 

What's Best for You?
Because businesses demand a more complete, comprehensive software solution, ERP continues to consume the accounting software market. Understanding the differences in software functionality is critical to your company’s near and long-term success. If you’re currently investigating software options for your enterprise, please contact me with questions on comparing apples to apples.

Steve Monks
Sales Executive