Distribution Software Guide
I started using software when I was very young; lucky that my elementary school was one of the first ones to implement PC and PC classes. I was 12 when I was first introduced to a computer. In Junior High I already could use dbase and other programs of the time. I was never a programmer but software came easily to me. I grew up with it.
When it really got confusing was when I entered the business world. They had all types of software applications and even more names for it. I soon found out that many of the names had nothing to do with what the software really did. Most of all was marketing strategies to position the software to a set of users or customers.
Here are some popular terms that are used right now in the Enterprise Software World…
ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning
Read more on this type of software, what it offers, what to consider, modules and more.
CRM - Customer Relationship Management
Learn who uses the software, how to pick the best type for you and your organization and mucho more.
SFA - Sales Force Automation
Also known as Sales Force Management, Sales Force Automation is a term interchangeable with CRM (Customer Relationship Management). To be more specific, SFA uses “automation” capabilities with the software. This automation includes:
§Hand held computers
§EDI
§Cellular technology
§GPS
§Rout management
Database Marketing
This is an older, not very used term. At the same time it’s a very important term that you should know and apply. It comes from the Marketing World where it is one of the most powerful and underused term.
Database Marketing is placing all your contacts from trade shows, calls, referrals, customers, all of them, into a software program and using it to get more customers and increase sales.
Many of the CRM and Sales Automation Systems use this tool. You could even use Office tools like Excel and Outlook to do simple database management.
Online Collaboration
Online Collaboration is one of the newer terms and it refers to working online on the internet. It can include Project Management Tools and if it does it puts them on the internet to share with others. The great feature of this type of software is that you can connect people. Yes, you connect people by working with them online and sharing information. Features and Modules can include:
§Web Based
§Document Management
§Workflow
§Task Management
§Discussion Threads
§Blogs
§Forms Management
§White-board
§Alerts
§Project Management
Project Management Software - Project Management Office (PMO)
Project Management Software has different names can be very similar to Online Collaboration. One difference is that Project Management Software can be very specialized around just Project Management without being online or without sharing a lot of documents or other information and focusing on one team’s approach to project management. Once you integrated into an enterprise wide solution you start getting more into the collaboration aspect of project management. Here are a few items the software manages:
§Tasks
§Milestones
§Calendar
§Gantt Charts
§Alerts
More advanced systems can also have:
§Risk Management
§Assets
§Budgeting and Financials
§Other system integration
Supply Chain Management Software
This software can be very general or specific; it can have components from other types of software or even be called by different names because it’s so broad. In general, Supply Chain Software manages your whole product from finding it, buying it, manufacturing it, delivering it to your customers and even dealing with product returns.
Web Based Software
This is a simple term that refers to software you can use over the internet. It can also be called ASP software.
When it really got confusing was when I entered the business world. They had all types of software applications and even more names for it. I soon found out that many of the names had nothing to do with what the software really did. Most of all was marketing strategies to position the software to a set of users or customers.
Here are some popular terms that are used right now in the Enterprise Software World…
ERP - Enterprise Resource Planning
Read more on this type of software, what it offers, what to consider, modules and more.
CRM - Customer Relationship Management
Learn who uses the software, how to pick the best type for you and your organization and mucho more.
SFA - Sales Force Automation
Also known as Sales Force Management, Sales Force Automation is a term interchangeable with CRM (Customer Relationship Management). To be more specific, SFA uses “automation” capabilities with the software. This automation includes:
§Hand held computers
§EDI
§Cellular technology
§GPS
§Rout management
Database Marketing
This is an older, not very used term. At the same time it’s a very important term that you should know and apply. It comes from the Marketing World where it is one of the most powerful and underused term.
Database Marketing is placing all your contacts from trade shows, calls, referrals, customers, all of them, into a software program and using it to get more customers and increase sales.
Many of the CRM and Sales Automation Systems use this tool. You could even use Office tools like Excel and Outlook to do simple database management.
Online Collaboration
Online Collaboration is one of the newer terms and it refers to working online on the internet. It can include Project Management Tools and if it does it puts them on the internet to share with others. The great feature of this type of software is that you can connect people. Yes, you connect people by working with them online and sharing information. Features and Modules can include:
§Web Based
§Document Management
§Workflow
§Task Management
§Discussion Threads
§Blogs
§Forms Management
§White-board
§Alerts
§Project Management
Project Management Software - Project Management Office (PMO)
Project Management Software has different names can be very similar to Online Collaboration. One difference is that Project Management Software can be very specialized around just Project Management without being online or without sharing a lot of documents or other information and focusing on one team’s approach to project management. Once you integrated into an enterprise wide solution you start getting more into the collaboration aspect of project management. Here are a few items the software manages:
§Tasks
§Milestones
§Calendar
§Gantt Charts
§Alerts
More advanced systems can also have:
§Risk Management
§Assets
§Budgeting and Financials
§Other system integration
Supply Chain Management Software
This software can be very general or specific; it can have components from other types of software or even be called by different names because it’s so broad. In general, Supply Chain Software manages your whole product from finding it, buying it, manufacturing it, delivering it to your customers and even dealing with product returns.
Web Based Software
This is a simple term that refers to software you can use over the internet. It can also be called ASP software.
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Distribution Software Types
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