Question

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
After analysing the two businesses, Talking Soft
Executive Summary below and match sentenc
nesses, Talking Software produced a report for Cleverbox. Read the
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The accounts packages are not being used effectively.
Information needs to be stored in one lo
needs to be stored in one location and this will save money.
The software needs standardizing and updating regularly, ang
s standardizing and updating regularly, and this will save money.
personnel departments of the two companies operate differently.
One of the bespoke applications is not part
le bespoke applications is not particularly useful and cannot be used by the other
company.
The two companies need to use a single operating system.
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Cleverbox Software: Problems & Options
Executive Summary
Talking Software carried out an analysis on the
IT estates of the two businesses and the high
level summary is as follows:
Problems: Talking Software has noted that:
1) The IT Infrastructure of the two businesses
requires consolidation into a single data
centre and database. There is an opportunity
to reduce cost through server consolidation.
Communications infrastructure is compatible
(MPLS based) but will require some capacity
increases on certain links to ensure the end
users' experience of using the applications is
acceptable.
ii) Server Operating Systems are incompatible
being Windows and Linux. Desktop
Operating Systems are also a problem
because Windows and Mac OS are used.
iii) Software Licences: all departments have
been purchasing their own licences and
there are lots of agreements with lots of
vendors and no volume discounts. There
are no coordinated upgrades leaving some
users and departments without the software
functionality they need. This is all leading to
high numbers of calls to the IT Helpdesk and
significant training costs.
iv) At a departmental level there are the
following issues:
a) Human Resources: Cleverbox uses HR Pro
as its HR application in real time, whilst
Smart Route runs their HR activities using
Microsoft Excel updated monthly.
b) Finance: Cleverbox Finance is struggling
to integrate with your own HR, Sales
and Procurement applications due to
different data formats and scheduling.
This is leading to delays in Payroll for your
own staff, late billing to your clients and
late invoice payments to suppliers. Smart
Route uses the Sage Release 2.0 which
you will not be able to integrate to.
C) Manufacturing: Cleverbox uses a self
developed application that integrates
well within the business but will be
completely incompatible with Smart
Route. Although it is integrated, the
functionality is limited and it provides
very little management information.
Options: Given the observations above we
believe the options for Cleverbox management
are to:
1 Invest in Smart Route to change their
operating system and replace their
applications to mirror Cleverbox. A
Second stage would then consolidate the
information of both businesses into a single
database. This solution will support your
business for the next three years. The cost of
Option 1 will be one year's profit and it will
take two years to execute.
2 Scrap all the legacy software in both
businesses and invest in an off-the-shelf
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system.
This will provide a common database and
synchronized data across the combined
business. Modular software applications for
each department allow every department
to store and retrieve standardized data in
real-time. This option is future proof. Option
2 will cost two years of profit and take one
year to implement and will support your
business for seven years.

Answer 1

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no entiendo

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