In 2004, I wrote about how to develop technology strategy in the book On-Target Technology. As some of the people who read it noticed, it wasn’t a what-to-do book, it was a how-to-do book. It discussed current strategy and how to apply it to business, but it left developing a strategy to the reader. As I have consulted with businesses over the past few years, I’ve realized that many businesses need more than just a set of directions, they need a roadmap. So the next few casts will be a roadmap.


This cast will cover strategy in general and some specific techniques for developing strategy. Strategy is one of those things that can be difficult to define. People know it when they see it, but it is often hard to detect. We will talk about the one plus three stages of strategy formation: Pre-test, Set Objectives, Revise Business Processes, and Implement. These stages also work well for developing and implementing strategy that doesn’t involve technology.


In the next cast, we’ll talk about assessing where your business is and what technologies are typically important for a business in that stage.
Check out Geoff Smith’s music at music.podshow.com.
You can order On-Target Technology at Amazon.com.
Visit us at ceoTechCast.
Download our Guide to Selecting Business Software to help in your ERP Software selection guide at http://www.erpsoftwareguide.com.

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Implementing a business intelligence (BI) system requires three basic components: (a) Attention to the availability, form, and reliability of the data, (b) Application of business rules, formulae, or transformations, and (c) presentation in a report, chart, or combination of forms for management. One purpose of BI is exception reporting and recognition. A good BI helps management decide what areas of responsibility require more attention or more drill-down. Even if the information for drill-down comes from other systems (such as the ERP or accounting system), a BI helps management know where to look. The overall goal is to avoid looking in places where there is no issue. A second purpose of BI is to help management identify trends in business. If measurement has been put in place in key areas of the business, a BI will help management bring together these indicators to determine the direction of the business and where attention is needed.

Current buzzwords that are in use for business intelligence type data include dashboards, key performance indicators (KPI), critical success factors (CSF), and balanced scorecards. These terms actually refer to the content of the BI data, not to the BI system, though certain systems provide more tools for these different kinds of data.

To select a tool, begin with an analysis of the data needed for the business intelligence system. Determine if this data is being collected in the current system. If it is being collected, assess the accuracy and timeliness of the data.

Three kinds of tools needed

• Data manipulation


• Goal: Trigger knowledge of what to look at in more detail


• Transactional data needed in summary


• Need to crosstabulate data (sales of items by salesperson)


• Need to identify missing data (which items or categories were NOT sold to particular customers)


• Trend identification (curve fitting or trend analysis, time series analysis)


• Projections


• Pivot tables (multiple dimensions of analysis)


• Graphical presentation


• portal (presentation)

BI products you find everywhere:
Microsoft Office:
ACCESS
Suggestions from Microsoft on when to use ACCESS and when to use EXCEL:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access/HA102101951033.aspx

Excel:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/oct05/10-23bilaunchpr.mspx
http://channel9.msdn.com/posts/Charles/Business-Intelligence-in-Excel-2007/
http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelArticles/excel-dashboards.html

Crystal Reports:
http://www.businessobjects.com/product/qra/reporting.asp

Excelsius:
http://www.businessobjects.com/product/information_delivery/dashboards_visualization.asp

Advanced:
Performance Point server:
https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=181&wa=wsignin1.0 (requires signin and survey)

BusinessObjects Edge for Small/Midsized business:
http://www.businessobjects.com/product/catalog/edge/

Things You Forget discusses keeping your email secure. Brobdingnagian Bards playing Like A Hobbit In A Mushroom Field from music.podshow.com. Check them out at music.podshow.com. Download our Guide to Selecting Business Software to help in your ERP Software selection guide at http://www.erpsoftwareguide.com.

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This is the second TechCast covering business information and business intelligence. The main segment is on presentation of information for management use. Business information systems including ERP decision support systems and management information systems are included. Types of information are discussed, and presentation of this information is considered. Next TechCast, we will discuss some of the tools available to create one of these information systems. Things You Forget discusses reliable backups and off-site backups. Derek Clegg singing It’s Funny Sometimes from music.podshow.com. Check Derek out at music.podshow.com. Download our Guide to Selecting Business Software to help in your ERP Software selection guide at http://www.erpsoftwareguide.com.

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In this show, we’ll discuss a security news item, discuss the new version of Sage ACCPAC ERP: version 5.5, hear the newly revised segment “things you forget,” and begin a series on management information in computing. We’ll also hear the song “Where the Roads Cross” by Anne Davis from music.podshow.com.

A recent article on security in InformationWeek proposed focusing your security efforts on risks, not threats. This show provides a quick review of the article. In Things You Forget, you’ll learn about making sure that all of your data is backed up. This month’s Tech Management Today section discusses how to decide what information is needed to manage your business. It helps you evaluate the reporting you have today and what else you might need to know.

Links:
http://www.ceoTechCast.com
http://music.podshow.com

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Business Processes are increasingly being recognized as the way to think about implementation of ERP systems, and computer systems in general. Many business issues arise from bad business processes.

This ceoTechCast Show discusses a simple way to think about business processes. We discussed business process design at the last Manager's IT Roundtable. You can see the Roundtable information here. Look at the bottom of the page where you can download the notes from the Roundtable and a MindManager mindmap.

You can also find a demo of MindManager (a brainstorming tool) on the MindJet downloads page.

The music for this show is from music.podshow.com by Jake Coco and is titled Daddy's Eyes.

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This show covers five plus one reasons that you should not use an RFP to select ERP software. Please remember that this podcast is CEO TechCast, not IT Manager or CIO TechCast. If you're in IT, we know that you're pretty committed (via training and experience) to RFPs. And RFPs are super tools for selecting IT gear like servers and databases. Why aren't RFPs good for ERP or accounting software? Take a listen to the podcast.

The audio quality of the last show wasn't up to par. I changed microphones and wasn't happy with the result. This show is done with the same USB microphone, but with different settings on the recording level. Hopefully, it'll be better.

The music for this show is from Amanda Jayne, titled Nine Whole Lives. Hope you enjoy it.

Also, you might want to order a copy of our Guide To Selecting Business Software. It's free and direct to your email box. Enjoy!

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The current episode of CEO TechCast, DGG's podcast includes a new format. This episode includes Twelve suggestions for a software RFP. If you're considering a new software selection, you may be thinking about doing an RFP. Most companies that rely on RFPs are larger organizations.

Here (in no particular order) are three of the twelve suggestions:

• Base it on a needs analysis. For more information about what goes into a needs analysis, listen to shows three and four.


• Include all the detail you gather during the needs analysis process even if it seems extraneous.


• Have a review by someone who knows the type of software you are writing the RFP for. This person should be able to identify places in the RFP where you need more detail.

Music in this episode is by the Brian Seltzer Orchestra. The song is One More Night With You.

Links:
Music: http://music.podshow.com
Download the Guide to Selecting Business Software at http://www.erpsoftwareguide.com.

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In this show, we will talk about using barcode and RFID in ERP and accounting systems. I'll share an odd piece of feedback from the feedback line at +1 (901) 405-0536. We'll talk about 3-d printers from Z Corp, as well as the 3-D printer you can build at home. If you have a small office and are just interested in sharing files, there's a great new alternative to having a server called a NAS or network attached storage. Check out the PC Magazine review. We'll talk about these in Tech News. There's new news running around that Microsoft Update is patching files on computer systems without authorization we'll talk about in the Tech Geek Report.

Kellylee Evans sings "How Can You Get Along Without Me?" You can find more by Kellylee at music.podshow.com

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00:03 Introduction
03:01 News
10:40 Skybridge singing "Cedar" from the Podcast Music Network at music.podshow.com
11:21 Tech Geek Report
15:57 ERP News Intro - 1b
20:47 Main Segment
31:56 Smart Bomb Radio - Mac vs Pc 2 - from music.podshow.com
32:30 Things You Forget
38:51 How to get your Guide To Selecting Business Software
42:26 End
42:50 skybridge-cedar

NEWS:

Asterisk, the open source VOIP system. Information at: http://www.asterisk.org

LinusTorvalds comments on GPLv3. Read the article at http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2007/07/linux_creator_c.html

MUSIC:

Skybridge singing Cedar.

TECH GEEK REPORT:

I killed Debian. Long live Ubuntu. Can't bring Debian back. Unplugged from the Internet and now Debian is back.

MAIN SEGMENT:

How old technology can keep you locked in the past. New capabilities of software that can result in cost savings, decreased inventory, increased customer service, and better efficiency.

OPINION:

Management reporting by email.

Order a free copy of the Guide to Selecting Busines Software described in the podcast at: Http://www.erpsoftwareguide.com. It will be mailed to you immediately.

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In this show..GPLv3 affects Novell/Microsoft Deal…when can you safely delete email?...an update on the effect of Microsoft discontinuing Visual Foxpro after V9 on Accountmate…music from the group bill at music.podshow.com…More on GPLv3…an open source utility for viral marketing tracking…Quickbooks server goes Linux…comments on open source ERP…Using technology to solve business problems…getting inventory right, both cost and quantity…and general thoughts on open source.

Links:

Podsafe Music Network
Forward Track Viral Email Tracking Open Source Software

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