ERP Basics

• ERP : An Acronym for Enterprise resource planning

• Essentially a Management Information System
Some Basic concepts
• System: A set of elements or components that interact to accomplish
a goal
• Information system : A set of interrelated components that collect ,
manipulate and disseminate data and information and provide a feed
back mechanism to meet an objective
• Computerized information system :Computers ,people, procedures
and software that store organize and deliver information
• Components of an IS: People (Specialists , end
Users , Hardware, Software (Processes and
procedures),data and network resources
• Management Information System :An IS designed
to cater to the requirements of Mangers
1. Support business operations (increase efficiency)
2. Support Managerial decision Making (Increase
effectiveness
3. Enhance competitive advantage or reduce your
competitive disadvantage
Functional areas of operation / Business
processes
• Business Function: A particular area of responsibility, or decision
making. Eg. HR , Marketing, Finance Accounting Production etc.
• Functional areas are interdependent – Each requires data from others
• Better integration of these functional areas leads to improvement in
communications, work flow and success of the company
• Process :A process is a specific ordering of activities across time and
place ,with a beginning and an end , and clearly defined inputs and
out puts- structure for action
• Business Process: Any set of activities designed to produce a specified
output for a customer or market
OR
• Collection of activities that takes some inputs and creates an output
that is of value to the customer
• Business Processes in an organization fall into three levels
• Strategic planning
• Management control
• Operational control
• Thinking in terms of business processes helps manger to look at their
organization from a business perspective.
• Managing inputs( Men, Machines , Material Money) and business
Processes effectively requires accurate and up to date information
• Business Process Re- engineering: The fundamental rethinking and
radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic
improvements such as cost, quality ,service speed.
ERP- A cross functional integrated IS
• ERP systems are computer systems that integrate application
programs in Accounting , Sales ,manufacturing marketing, HR and
other functions in the firm. This integration is accomplished
through a data base shared by all application programs .Integrated
IS facilitates sharing of data among functions
• ERP has been promoted as solutions for supporting or streamlining
processes at all levels
• This is done by sharing data effectively and efficiently between and
within functional areas leads to a more efficient business process

•
 Production
Inventory
Purchase Control

Production Planning ERP Human Resources

Engineering
Sales
Accounting
What is ERP
• ERP integrates all data and processes of an organization into a unified system
• A typical ERP system use multiple components of hardware and software to
achieve the integration
• A key ingredient of most ERP is the use of a unified data base to store data for
various system modules
• Primary Goal : To improve and streamline internal business processes
• ERP utilizes ERP software applications to improve the performance of
the organizational resources( Men, Money, Materials Machines),
Planning, Managerial control and Operational control.
• It is a multi-module application software that
integrates activities across functional departments
from Production Planning , Parts planning
,Purchasing ,Inventory control, Product distribution
,to order tracking,. ERP software may include
application modules for Finance , Accounting, and
Human resource aspects of business
ERP Software modules
• Module base software is the core of an ERP system. Each software
module automates business activities of a functional area of an
organisation (mimics a major functional are of an organization )
• Common software modules include
• Production planning : Optimizes utilization of manufacturing capacity , parts
components and material resources
• Purchase : Streamlines procurement of raw material by automating the purchase
process.
• Inventory control : Facilitates the process of maintaining the appropriate level of
stock in a warehouse and automates the replenishment system . This module is
integrated with the purchase and finance
• Sales : Implements functions of order placement , order scheduling ,
shipping and invoicing
• Marketing : Supports lead generation , direct mailing , and campaigns
• Finance / Accounting : Gathers financial data from various
departments and generates financial reports such as – Balance sheet,
General ledger, Costing , profit and loss statements
• Human Resources : Streamlines management of human resources
• ERP Users : The users of an ERP system are employees , of the
organization at all levels , from workers , supervisors, mid level
managers to executives
• ERP Vendors : SAP, ORACLE, JD Edwards, BANN, i2 technologies
• Vendors have developed specialized ERP to cater to a specific industry
• E.g. Erp’s Apparel industry, Pharmaceutical industry , Healthcare ,
hotels , Hospitals , automobile , paper cement , Retail stores etc .
Organizational Benefits
Facilitates operational coordination across departments
Supports decision making
Facilitates real time monitoring of activities, tracks costs , check order
completion status.
 Supports strategic planning , and facilitate improved operational and
managerial control --- which leads to
Benefits
• Better management of Resources ( Men , Machines , Material and
Money)
• Cost reduction :Lower inventory carrying costs , production costs ,
marketing costs.
• Cycle time reduction :From order to delivery
• Productivity improvement:- Higher operational efficiency and
enhanced managerial effectiveness
• Quality Improvement: Thru reduced -errors and Product defectives
• Performance improvement :
I. Better customer deliveries
II. Better customer service
III. Reduction in customer response time
• Problems tackled by ERP
i. Material shortages
ii. Productivity enhancements
iii. Customer service
iv. Cash management
v. Inventory problems
vi. Quality problems
ERP Implementation methodologies
• Different companies may install the same ERP software in totally
different processes. The same company may implement different ERP
software in the same approach. There are three commonly used
methodologies for implementing ERP systems.
The Big Bang Approach
• Companies layout a grand plan for their ERP implementation. The
installation of ERP systems of all modules happens across the entire
organization at once. The big bang approach promised to reduce the
integration cost in the condition of thorough and careful execution.
Modular Implementation
• This method of modular implementation goes after one ERP module
at a time. This limits the scope of implementation usually to one
functional department. This approach suits companies that do not
share many common processes across departments or business units.
Process -Oriented Implementation
• The process-oriented implementation focuses on the support of one
or a few critical business processes which involves a few business
units. The initial customization of the ERP system is limited to
functionality closely related to the intended business processes.
Implementing an ERP Life cycle successfully
• ERP Life Cycle: Highlights various stages of implementation of an ERP
• Different stages of implementation are
 Pre-evaluation screening: Done to eliminate those packages( from
several ERP packages commercially available)that are not suitable
for the organization
Evaluation of the package: Must be Done rigorously against a well
designed selection criteria.
Project planning : Includes schedule of implementation , roles
,responsibilities identifying personnel etc.
Gap analysis : Done to determine the extent to which a package
meets the organizational requirements
Re- engineering : Implementing ERP requires a large number of
processes to be modified.
Team training : Training the employees in using the module and
running the system
Testing : Must be done under both real case scenario and extreme
conditions to identify bugs or weak links
Post Implementation : To ensure smooth running and updating of the
system with changes in technology
5 Steps to successful implementation of ERP
 Strategic Planning
 Assign a project team
 Examine current business process and information flow.
 Set objectives
 Develop a project plan
Procedure review
 Review software capabilities
 Identify manual processes
 Develop standard operating procedures
 Data collection and clean up
• Convert data
• Collect new data
• Review all data inputs
• Clean up data
Training and Testing :
• Pretest the data base
• Verify testing
• Train the trainees
• Final testing
Go Live and evaluation :
• Develop a go live check list
• Evaluate the solution
Managerial Concerns
• End user adoption problems
• Training
• Application maintenance
• Future Upgrades
ERP Critical Success factors
Clear understanding of strategic goals
Top Management commitment
Project management implementation
Great implementation
Cope with technical issues
Organizational commitment to change
Extensive education and training
Data accuracy
Focused performance measures
Resolution of multisite issues
Business Process Reengineering
Automation
• refers to computerizing processes
to speed up the existing tasks.
• improves efficiency and
effectiveness.
Rationalization of Procedures
• refers to streamlining of standard
operating procedures, eliminating
obvious bottlenecks, so that
automation makes operating
procedures more efficient.
• improves efficiency and
effectiveness.
Business Process Reengineering
• refers to radical redesign of business
processes.
• Aims at
• eliminating repetitive, paper-
intensive, bureaucratic tasks
• reducing costs significantly
• improving product/service quality.
Paradigm Shift
• refers to a more radical form of
change where the nature of
business and the nature of the
organization is questioned.
• improves strategic standing of the
organization.
Business Process Reengineering
• “Reengineering is the fundamental
rethinking and radical redesign of business
processes to achieve dramatic improvements
in critical, contemporary measures of
performance such as cost, quality, service,
and speed.”

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Key Words
• Fundamental
• Why do we do what we do?
• Ignore what is and concentrate on what should
be.
• Radical
• Business reinvention vs. business improvement

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Key Words
• Dramatic
• Reengineering should be brought in “when a need exits for heavy blasting.”
• Companies in deep trouble.
• Companies that see trouble coming.
• Companies that are in peak condition.
• Business Process
• a collection of activities that takes one or more kinds of inputs and creates an
output that is of value to a customer.

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What is a Process?
• A specific ordering of work activities across time and space, with a
beginning, an end, and clearly identified inputs and outputs: a
structure for action.
What is a Business Process?
• A group of logically related tasks that use the firm's resources to
provide customer-oriented results in support of the organization's
objectives
Why Reengineer?
• Customers
• Demanding
• Sophistication
• Changing Needs

• Competition
• Local
• Global
 Customer Demands

• expect us to know everything

• to make the right decisions
• to do it right now
• to do it with less resources
• to make no mistakes
• expect to be fully informed
Why Reengineer?
• Competition
• Local
• Global

• Change
• Technology
• Customer Preferences
 Business Process Reengineering
WHY ?
Integrate people, technology, & organizational culture
To Respond to rapidly changing technical & business
environment and customer’s needs to achieve Big
performance gains
 Why Organizations Don’t Reengineer?

• Complacency

• Political Resistance

• New Developments

• Fear of Unknown and Failure

Performance
• BPR seeks improvements of

• Cost
• Quality
• Service
• Speed
Business Process Flowchart Symbols
A Predefined Process

Start The Start of a Process

End The End of a Process

Representing a Relation
Business Process Flowchart Symbols
Continuation of the process at the same page
at an equal symbol with the same number. Used
when a relation arrow crosses another relation arrow

Off-Page Connector - Process will continue on the

next page

Integration Relation - A relation to another module is

identified and described
Data Flowchart Symbols
An Activity

A Document

A Decision

Flat Data File (input as outputs)

Data Flowchart Symbols
Manual Data Item

A Database File

Representing a Relation

Continuation

Off-Page Connector
Rules For Data Symbols
Rules For Data Symbols
Start Symbol used to identify the start of a business process

Generate
Purchase Activities must be described as a verb
Order

OK?
Decisions have only two possibilities (Yes & No)
Yes

No
Crossing lines are not allowed

If one side of the decision has no further processes

End defined this symbol has to be used
Rules For Data Symbols
I Continuation symbol within the same number must be
present twice on the same page

Purchase
Order
Name the document

Off- Page Connector is used to continue a process at the

next page or to let the process to flow over at the
A previous to the next page. If more than one is needed use
A, B, C, D …

Posting Name the data

of Bonus
Rules For Data Symbols
Predefined Processes always have a relation to level and
Sub-Process stream by a number in the line below a sub-process
Delivery description

BC 4.04
A predefined process must be described in a different
flowchart. To make the relation clear between the
predefined process and the belonging flowchart a unique
alpha numeric number should be assigned to this
predefined process.
Version Management
• For different versions of a business process or data flow some
mandatory information must be on the flowchart.
• Name of the business process
• Unique number of the business process
• Revision number
• Date of last change
• Author
• Page number with total pages
The C’s related to
Organization Re-engineering Projects
The 3C’s of The 4C’s of effective
organization Re- teams:
engineering:
- Customers - Commitment
- Competition - Cooperation
- Change - Communication
- Contribution
Key Steps

Select The Process & Appoint Process Team

Understand The Current Process

Develop & Communicate Vision Of Improved Process

Identify Action Plan

Execute Plan
1. Select the Process & Appoint Process Team
• Two Crucial Tasks

• Select The Process to be Reengineered

• Appoint the Process Team to Lead the Reengineering Initiative

Select the Process
• Review Business Strategy and Customer Requirements

• Select Core Processes

• Understand Customer Needs

• Don’t Assume Anything

Select the Process
• Select Correct Path for Change

• Remember Assumptions can Hide Failures

• Competition and Choice to Go Elsewhere

• Ask - Questionnaires, Meetings, Focus Groups

Appoint the Process Team
• Appoint BPR Champion

• Identify Process Owners

• Establish Executive Improvement Team

• Provide Training to Executive Team

Core Skills Required
• Capacity to view the organization as a whole

• Ability to focus on end-customers

• Ability to challenge fundamental assumptions

• Courage to deliver and venture into unknown areas

Core Skills Required
• Ability to assume individual and collective responsibility
Use of Consultants
• Used to generate internal capacity
• Appropriate when a implementation is needed quickly
• Ensure that adequate consultation is sought from staff so that the
initiative is organization-led and not consultant-driven
• Control should never be handed over to the consultant
2. Understand the Current Process

• Develop a Process Overview

• Clearly define the process
• Mission
• Scope
• Boundaries
• Set business and customer measurements
• Understand customers expectations from the process
(staff including process team)
2. Understand the Current Process

• Clearly Identify Improvement Opportunities

• Quality
• Rework
• Document the Process
• Cost
• Time
• Value Data
3. Understand the Current Process

• Carefully resolve any inconsistencies

• Existing -- New Process
• Ideal -- Realistic Process
3. Develop & Communicate Vision of Improved
Process
• Communicate with all employees so that they are aware of the vision
of the future

• Always provide information on the progress of the BPR initiative -

good and bad.

• Demonstrate assurance that the BPR initiative is both necessary and

properly managed
3. Develop & Communicate Vision of Improved
Process
• Promote individual development by indicating options that are
available

• Indicate actions required and those responsible

• Tackle any actions that need resolution

• Direct communication to reinforce new patterns of desired behavior

4.Identify Action Plan
• Develop an Improvement Plan

• Appoint Process Owners

• Simplify the Process to Reduce Process Time

• Remove any Bureaucracy that may hinder implementation

4.Identify Action Plan
• Remove no-value-added activities

• Standardize Process and Automate Where Possible

• Up-grade Equipment

• Plan/schedule the changes

4.Identify Action Plan
• Construct in-house metrics and targets

• Introduce and firmly establish a feedback system

• Audit, Audit, Audit

5.Execute Plan
• Qualify/certify the process
• Perform periodic qualification reviews
• Define and eliminate process problems
• Evaluate the change impact on the business and on customers
• Benchmark the process
• Provide advanced team training
Benefits From IT
• Assists the Implementation of Business Processes
• Enables Product & Service Innovations
• Improve Operational Efficiency
• Coordinate Vendors & Customers in the Process Chain
BPR Challenges
Common Problems with BPR
• Process Simplification is Common - True BPR is Not
• Desire to Change Not Strong Enough
• Start Point the Existing Process Not a Blank Slate
• Commitment to Existing Processes Too Strong
• REMEMBER - “If it isn’t broke …”
Common Problems with BPR
• Process under review too big or too small
• Reliance on existing process too strong
• The Costs of the Change Seem Too Large
• BPR Isolated Activity not Aligned to the Business Objectives
• Allocation of Resources
• Poor Timing and Planning
• Keeping the Team and Organization on Target
How to Avoid BPR Failure
• To avoid failure of the BPR process it is recommended that:

• BPR must be accompanied by strategic planning, which addresses leveraging

Information technology as a competitive tool.
• Place the customer at the centre of the reengineering effort, concentrate on
reengineering fragmented processes that lead to delays or other negative
impacts on customer service.
• BPR must be "owned" throughout the organization, not driven by a group of
outside consultants.
• Case teams must be comprised of both managers as well as those who will
actually do the work.
How to Avoid BPR Failure
• The Information technology group should be an integral part of the
reengineering team from the start.
• BPR must be sponsored by top executives, who are not about to leave
or retire.
• BPR projects must have a timetable, ideally between three to six
months, so that the organization is not in a state of "limbo".
• BPR must not ignore corporate culture and must emphasize constant
communication and feedback.
Summary
• Reengineering is a fundamental rethinking and redesign of business
processes to achieve dramatic improvements

• BPR has emerged from key management traditions such as scientific

management and systems thinking

• Rules and symbols play an integral part of all BPR initiatives

Summary
• Don’t assume anything - remember BPR is fundamental rethinking of
business processes
 Executive
Information
System
(EIS)

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 INTRODUCTION

 An executive information system is a type of management information

system that facilitates and supports senior executive information
and decision-making needs.

 It provides easy access to internal and external information relevant

to organizational goals.

 EIS are enterprise-wide DSS that help top-level executives analyze,

compare, and highlight trends in important variables so that they can
monitor performance and identify opportunities and problems.

 In recent years, the term EIS has lost popularity in favor of business
intelligence .

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Components OF EIS

EIS components can typically be classified as:

1) Hardware

2) Software

3) User interface

4) Telecommunications

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5
Hardware

The basic hardware needed for a typical EIS includes four components:

1) Input data-entry devices. These devices allow the executive to enter,

verify, and update data immediately

2) The central processing unit, which is the kernel because it controls the
other computer system components

3) Data storage files. The executive can use this part to save useful
business information.

4) several EIS products for networked workstations became available.

These systems require less support and less expensive computer
hardware.
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Software

A typical EIS includes four software components:

1) Text-handling software—documents are typically text-based.

2) Graphic base—graphics can turn volumes of text and statistics into visual
information for executives.

3) Typical graphic types are: time series charts,scatter diagrams, maps,

motion graphics, sequence charts, and comparison-oriented
graphs.

4) Model base—EIS models contain routine and special statistical, financial,

and other quantitative analysis.
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User interface

An EIS must be efficient to retrieve relevant data for decision makers, so

the user interface is very important.

Several types of interfaces can be available to the EIS structure, such as

  command language,
scheduled reports,

  natural language,
questions/answers,

  input/output.
menu driven,

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Telecommunication

 As decentralizing is becoming the current trend in companies,

telecommunications will play a pivotal role in networked information
systems.

 Transmitting data from one place to another has become crucial for
establishing a reliable network.

 telecommunications within an EIS can accelerate the need for access to

distributed data.

99
Applications OF EIS

 EIS helps executives find those data according to user-defined

criteria and promote information-based insight and understanding.

 Unlike a traditional management information system presentation,

EIS can distinguish between vital and seldom-used data, and track
different key critical activities for executives,

 both which are helpful in evaluating if the company is meeting its

corporate objectives.

 After realizing its advantages, people have applied EIS in many

areas, especially, in manufacturing, marketing, and finance areas.

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Advantages of EIS
 Provides timely delivery of company summary information.

 Information that is provided is better understood.

 EIS provides timely delivery of information.

 Management can make decisions made promptly.

 Improves tracking information

 Offers efficiency to decision makers

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1
Disadvantages of EIS
1) System dependent

2) Limited functionality, by design.

3) Information overload for some managers.

4) Benefits hard to quantify.

5) High implementation costs.

6) System may become slow, large, and hard to manage.

7) Need good internal processes for data management.

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2
Decision
support
system
(DSS)
10
3
INTRODUCTION
 A decision support system (DSS) is a computer-based information
system that supports business or organizational decision
making activities.

 DSSs serve the management, operations, and planning levels of an

organization and help to make decisions, which may be rapidly changing
and not easily specified in advance.

 Decision support systems can be either fully computerized, human or a

combination of both.

 DSSs include knowledge-based systems.

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4
Components

Three fundamental components of a DSS architecture are :-

1) the database (or knowledge base),

2) the model (i.e., the decision context and user criteria), and

3) the user interface.

4) The users themselves are also important components of the

architecture

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Classification

DSS components may be classified as:

1) Inputs: Factors, numbers, and characteristics to analyze

2) User Knowledge and Expertise: Inputs requiring manual analysis

by the user

3) Outputs: Transformed data from which DSS "decisions" are

generated

4) Decisions: Results generated by the DSS based on user

criteria

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Applications
 DSS is extensively used in business and management.

 Executive dashboard and other business performance software allow

faster decision making, identification of negative trends, and better
allocation of business resources.

 Due to DSS all the information from any organization is represented in the
form of charts, graphs.

 A growing area of DSS application, concepts, principles, and techniques is

in agricultural production, marketing for sustainable development.

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8
Benefits

 Improves personal efficiency.

 Speed up the process of decision making.

 Increases organizational control.

 Encourages exploration and discovery on the part of the decision maker.

 Speeds up problem solving in an organization.

 Facilitates interpersonal communication.

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 Promotes learning or training.

 Generates new evidence in support of a decision.

 Creates a competitive advantage over competition.

 Reveals new approaches to thinking about the problem space.

 Helps automate managerial processes.

 Create Innovative ideas to speed up the performance.

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 MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION SYSTEM

111
Meaning Of Information Systems
• An information system is an organized combination of
people, hardware, software, communications Networks and
data resources that collects, transforms, and disseminates
information in an organization.

112
Types Of Information System

113
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM(MIS)

• The MIS is defined as a system based on the database of

the evolved for the purpose of providing information to the
people in the organization.

114
• Management information systems are distinct from regular
information systems in that they are used to analyze other
information systems applied in operational activities in the
organization. MIS involve three primary resources:
technology, information, and people.
• Management information systems are regarded to be a
subset of the overall internal controls procedures in a
business, which cover the application of people,
documents, technologies, and procedures used by
management accountants to solve business problems such
as costing a product, service or a business-wide strategy.

115
Role Of MIS
• The role of MIS in an organization can be compared to the role of
heart in the body.

• The information is the blood and MIS is the heart. In the body the
heart plays the role of supplying pure blood to all the elements of
the body including the brain.

• The MIS plays exactly the same role in the organization.

• The system ensures that an appropriate data is collected from the

various sources, processed, and sent further to all the needy
destinations.

116
 • The system is expected to fulfill the information needs of
an individual, a group of individuals, the management
functionaries: the managers and the top management.

• The MIS satisfies the diverse needs through a variety of

systems such as Query Systems, Analysis Systems,
Modeling Systems and Decision Support Systems.

• The MIS helps in Strategic Planning, Management Control,

Operational Control and Transaction Processing.

117
Characteristics of MIS
• Management-oriented: The basic objective of MIS is to provide information
support to the management in the organization for decision making.
• Management directed: When MIS is management-oriented, it should be directed
by the management because it is the management who tells their needs and
requirements more effectively than anybody else.
• Integrated: It means a comprehensive or complete view of all the subsystems in
the organization of a company.

118
• Common database: This is the basic feature of MIS to achieve the objective of
using MIS in business organizations.
• Computerized: MIS can be used without a computer. But the use of computers
increases the effectiveness and the efficiency of the system.
• User friendly/Flexibility: An MIS should be flexible.
• Information as a resource: Information is the major ingredient of any MIS.

119
Features of MIS
• Timeliness
• Accuracy
• Consistency
• Completeness
• Relevance

120
 Components of MIS
1) Marketing Research System (MRS)
Marketing research can be seen as the systematic and
objective search for and analysis of data and information
relevant to the identification and solution of any problem in
the field of marketing.

121
2) Marketing Intelligence System (MIS)
The process of acquiring and analyzing information in order to understand the
market (both existing and potential customers); to determine the current and
future needs and preferences, attitudes and behavior of the market; and to assess
changes in the business environment that may affect the size and nature of the
market in the future.

122
3) Internal Record System (IRS)
Marketing managers rely on internal reports on orders, sales, prices, costs, inventory
levels, receivables, payables, and so on. By analyzing this information, they can
spot important opportunities and problems.

123
4) Decision Support System(DSS)
A decision support system (DSS) is a computer-based
information system that supports business or organizational
decision-making activities. DSSs serve the management,
operations, and planning levels of an organization and help
to make decisions, which may be rapidly changing and not
easily specified in advance.

124
Aim of Management Information System

• The main aim of MIS is to inform management and help

them make informed decisions about management and the
way the business is run.

125
Types Of MIS
• Transaction processing systems: These systems process a large volume of
routine, recurring transactions.
• Operations information systems: These systems gather comprehensive data,
organize it and summarize it in a form that is useful for managers.
• Decision support systems: These systems help mangers with the necessary
information to make intelligent decisions.
• Expert systems: They are meant to mimic humans in making decisions in a
specific field.

126
Elements of MIS
1.Hardware
2.Software
3.Control
4.Databases and application programs
5.People
6.Telecommunications and Networks

127
Outputs Of a MIS

• Scheduled reports which are

produced periodically, or on a
Schedule (daily, weekly, monthly).

• Key-indicator report which

summarizes the previous day’s critical
activities and also it is typically
available at the beginning of each day.

128
 • Demand report which
gives certain information
at a manager’s request.

• Exception report which is

automatically produced
when a situation is unusual
or requires management
action.

129
Benefits of MIS

• It improves personal efficiency.

• It expedites problem solving(speed up
the progress of problems solving in an
organization).
• It facilitates interpersonal
communication
• It promotes learning or training.
• It increases organizational control.

130
• It generates new evidence in support
of a decision.
• It creates a competitive advantage
over competition.
• It encourages exploration and
discovery on the part of the decision
maker.
• It reveals new approaches to thinking
about the problem space.
• It helps automate the Managerial
processes.

131