MI0038

1 Explain the relationship between business functions and

business processes in the insurance sector
Explaining the terminologies - business
function and business processes
A business function refers to an activity that an enterprise performs to realise its
pre-determined goals and objectives. You can also define a business function as a
series of rationally interrelated activities or tasks performed by an enterprise in
order to obtain the desired results. Generally, an enterprise classifies similar
activities into groups to simplify work, increase efficiency, and allocate resources
effectively. For example, activities, such as recruitment, performance appraisal, and
compensation management, come under the human resource function of an
enterprise.
Business functions are broadly categorised into two types:
Internal Business Functions: Refer to business functions that are performed
within an enterprise. For example, sales, production, human resource, etc.
External Business Functions: Refer to those business functions that are
performed by an external enterprise or agency. For example, public relations,
market research, etc.
Figure 1.1 represents the different business functions of an enterprise:

Now, to be specific, an enterprise that is engaged in the manufacturing and selling

of products can have the following business functions:
Sales and marketing
Production
Materials management
Human resource
Accounting and finance
Quality control
Each
of
these
business
functions
consists
of
numerous
business
processes/activities. A business process is defined as a set of activities performed
in a sequence to produce a valuable output from the available inputs. Let us
consider the previous example to establish a relationship between a business
function and a business process. The marketing function of an enterprise includes
activities (processes) such as budgeting, planning, market research, demand
forecasting, pricing, packaging, advertising, and distribution. Similarly, the human
resource function of an enterprise comprises activities such as recruitment,
compensation management, and performance evaluation.
relationship between business functions and business processes of an insurance
enterprise:

Shows the steps involved in the process of selling an insurance plan to a customer
by an insurance enterprise. This process involves steps such as making a proposal,
taking a request, checking the request, calculating premium, drafting a proposal,
and informing the customer. All these steps are the business processes of an
insurance organisation. On the other hand, relationship management, acceptance,
calculation, and support are the different business functions of an insurance
organisation. Thus, you can say that the business processes and business functions
of organisations are interlinked and none of these can work in isolation.

business function

A Business Function is a concept used in the Organisation Architecture domain and represents
what work is done by that organisation, organisation unit or business role. An organisation can
be designed as a set of Business Functions and usually the structure of the organisation
units within an organisation is closely based on the business functions.
Those Business Functions are more stable than the organisation structure itself and often an
Organisation Unit or Business Role may be responsible for multiple business functions. A
Business Function is only ever carried out by a single Business Role/Organisation Unit within an
organisation.
Examples of Business Functions include: Sales, Mrketing, Supply Chin Management,
Finncil Mngement, Operations, Customer Relationship Management, Product Management,
Supplier/Prtner Reltionship Mngement.

Business Process
A business process is a collection of linked tasks which find their end in the delivery of a service
or product to a client. A business process has also been defined as a set of activities and tasks
that, once completed, will accomplish an organizational goal. The process must involve clearly
defined inputs and a single output. These inputs are made up of all of the factors which
contribute (either directly or indirectly) to the added value of a service or product. These factors
can be categorized into management processes, operational processes and supporting processes.
Management processes govern the operation of a particular organizations system of operation.
Operational processes constitute the core business. Supporting processes such as human
resources and accounting are put in place to support the core processes.
The definition of the term business process and the development of this definition since its
conception by Adam Smith in 1776 has lead to such areas of study as Operations Development,
Operations Management and to the development of various Business Management Systems.
These systems, in turn, have created an industry for BPM Software which seeks to automate
process management by connecting various process actors via technology.
A process requires a series of actions to achieve a certain objective. BPM processes are
continuous but also allow for adhoc action. Processes can be simple or complex based on number
of steps, number of systems involved etc. They can be short or long running. Longer processes
tend to have multiple dependencies and a greater documentation requirement.

A business process is an activity or set of activities that will accomplish a specific

organizational goal. Business process management (BPM) is a systematic approach
to improving those processes.
The Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI), a non-profit organization, exists
to promote the standardization of common business processes, as a means of
furthering development of Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) and
Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN). Both languages were created to
facilitate communication between IT and line-of-business (LOB).

2 Explaining ERP selection process

The selection of the appropriate solution is a problem because only a part of it can
be handled bya definite or accepted procedure such as standard investment
calculations. On the other hand, thedecision maker needs to judge and evaluate all
relevant business impact aspects. There is noagreed-upon and formal procedure for
this important task. The modules that an ERP offers arethe most important selection
reasons; and can vary according to the needs of the organisation.When you
consider an ERP system, it is important to weigh all available options carefully. This
isbecause of the time, money, and training that can be consumed in implementing
such a system.There are three criteria that are generally used when evaluating an
ERP solution:
Financial Considerations :
When an ERP solution is considered, it must make money to beacceptable. As such,
there are several measurements that the finance department may make inorder to
determine whether or not an ERP solution is feasible.- Net Present Value (NPV) is
generally the most accepted method of valuing an ERP. It takes intoaccount the
time value of money and cash flows generated. The cash flow and discount
rateselection process is the most important part of an NPV calculation. Determining
an average cost of capital for your firm and the predicted cash flows help you get an
accurate result from the NPVcalculation.- Budgetary constraint is the most used
method when considering IT projects. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and payback
period methods are also very popular for many firms dealing with
ITimplementations.
Management Considerations :
On the management side, there are more variables to considerthan simply money.
For example, managers may differentiate between implicit and explicitbusiness
needs, competitive pressures, legal needs, and environmental concerns. This can
makethe management side of valuation very difficult to quantify. Generally,
companies take a fewfactors and try to create a scoring system that can be
objectively applied across the options.Sometimes probability of achieving the
intended benefits is included in this part of thecalculations else it is included in the

financial part of the process. However, the probability of achieving the benefits
instead of simply succeeding in implementation takes on a different look.This sort of
probability may be more directly tied with a softer science such as management.
Development Considerations:
Development is usually the least important decision factor inthese processes. One
of the most important factors is the probability that a project finishes ontime. This
simply does not happen very often, so it is important to determine what sort of
adverseeffects this could have on business operations.
ERP Software Selection Criteria
When reviewing potential software suppliers, you tend to focus only on the potential
productsfunctionality and cost. Although these elements are important, this
methodology neglects otherareas of importance. A suppliers ability to deliver
product services goes well beyond price andfeature options. The key selection
criteria include making few questions. Such questions help yousimplify making an
ERP software purchase decision. Some of the questions include:
For Product Functionality
Does this package meet the overall requirements listing?

Is the menu structure easy to follow and understand?

Are the help files easily assessable and easy for users to understand?
Can you customise help to meet the needs of the organisation?
Is the product too complex?
Are there standard reports available, and are they useful?
For Product Cost
Are the license costs justified given the functionality offering?
Is the required database affordable?
Are annual maintenance charges reasonable and in line with the industry
average?
Are payments for annual maintenance charges in line with industry norms?
What is the true implementation services-to-software ratio for implementations
withcomparably-sized companies?
How quickly can payback be received?
For Corporate Vision
What major organisational changes has the supplier made in recent years?

What major product changes have occurred in recent years?

What major product changes does the company foresee or have planned in the
coming years?
What level of involvement does the executive staff have in the companys daily
operations? Isthe executive staff knowledgeable of industry trends and developing
technology?
For Service and Support
Was the team comfortable with the sales process and representative?
Were the teams questions answered in an open and honest forum?
Can the supplier provide a complete turn-key solution?
What type of training is available?
What is the average technical support persons experience level and tenure with
the company?
How quickly are the non-critical software bugs fixed?

Is 24/7 support available?

Does the supplier offer business process re-engineering as part of the
implementation process?
Does the supplier have experience in similar industries?
For Technology and System Architecture
Is the technology robust enough to handle current and future transactions load? Is
it scalable?
Is the systems speed acceptable for daily usage?
Is source code provided for customisations or modifications without hefty charges?
Do customisations hamper upgrading to future software releases?
Is the software Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) compliant?
Does the software support eCommerce, Radio Frequency (RF) and bar coding, and
ElectronicData Interchange (EDI) transactions?
Does the software support multi-company, multi-division, and multi-currency
environments? Arethere any restrictions to this type of environment?
For Supplier Longevity
How many years has the company been actively engaged in this software
industry?

When was the products first release? What is the current release version being
quoted?
Has the company been consistently profitable?
Has there been recent turnover in the management staff?
Has the supplier increased or reduced overall headcount over the last year?
Are customer references available? Can you visit a customer reference site prior to
contract signing?

3 Explain the various Roles of MIS. Explain decision support system

and its advantages and disadvantages
4 roles of MIS
Management information systems combine hardware, software and network products in an
integrated solution that provides managers with data in a format suitable for analysis,
monitoring, decision-making and reporting. The system collects data, stores it in a database and
makes it available to users over a secure network.
Information Access

Managers need rapid access to information to make decisions about strategic, financial,
marketing and operational issues. Companies collect vast amounts of information, including
customer records, sales data, market research, financial records, manufacturing and inventory
data, and human resource records. However, much of that information is held in separate
departmental databases, making it difficult for decision makers to access data quickly. A
management information system simplifies and speeds up information retrieval by storing data in
a central location that is accessible via a network. The result is decisions that are quicker and
more accurate.
Data Collection

Management information systems bring together data from inside and outside the organization.
By setting up a network that links a central database to retail outlets, distributors and members of
a supply chain, companies can collect sales and production data daily, or more frequently, and
make decisions based on the latest information.
Collaboration

In situations where decision-making involves groups, as well as individuals, management

information systems make it easy for teams to make collaborative decisions. In a project team,
for example, management information systems enable all members to access the same essential
data, even if they are working in different locations.
Interpretation

Management information systems help decision-makers understand the implications of their

decisions. The systems collate raw data into reports in a format that enables decision-makers to
quickly identify patterns and trends that would not have been obvious in the raw data. Decisionmakers can also use management information systems to understand the potential effect of
change. A sales manager, for example, can make predictions about the effect of a price change on
sales by running simulations within the system and asking a number of what if the price was
questions.
Presentation

The reporting tools within management information systems enable decision-makers to tailor
reports to the information needs of other parties. If a decision requires approval by a senior
executive, the decision-maker can create a brief executive summary for review. If managers want
to share the detailed findings of a report with colleagues, they can create full reports and provide
different levels of supplementary data.

Defining decision Support system

A decision support system (DSS) is a computer-based application that collects,
organizes and analyzes business data to facilitate quality business decision-making
for management, operations and planning. A well-designed DSS aids decision
makers in compiling a variety of data from many sources: raw data, documents,
personal knowledge from employees, management, executives and business
models. DSS analysis helps companies to identify and solve problems, and make
decisions.

Decision-making analysis was conducted by the Carnegie Institute of Technology in the late
1950s and early 1960s. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) applied computer
technology to decision-making theory in the 1960s. By the 1980s, intensive research on DSS was
underway, and new theories and concepts emerged from single-user models of DSS, including
organizational decision support systems (ODSSs), group decision support systems (GDSSs) and
executive information systems (EISs). By 1990 DSS was broadened to include data warehousing
and online analytical processing.
Typical information gathered by a DSS may include:

Projected revenue and sales figures, some based on new product sales projections

Comparative sales figures between selected time periods

Inventory data organized into relational databases for timely analysis

In some DSS applications, timely analysis includes the consequences of different decision
alternatives.

DSS applications are used in many diverse fields, including medical diagnosis, credit loan
verification, evaluating bids on engineering projects, business and business management,
agricultural production at the farm and policy levels, forest management and railroad (for
evaluation of defective rails).

Advantages of Decision Support System

(1) Time savings. For all categories of decision support systems, research has demonstrated and
substantiated reduced decision cycle time, increased employee productivity and more timely
information for decision making. The time savings that have been documented from using
computerized decision support are often substantial. Researchers, however, have not always
demonstrated that decision quality remained the same or actually improved.
(2) Enhance effectiveness. A second category of advantage that has been widely discussed and
examined is improved decision making effectiveness and better decisions. Decision quality and
decision making effectiveness are however hard to document and measure. Most researches have
examined soft measures like perceived decision quality rather than objective measures.
Advocates of building data warehouses identify the possibility of more and better analysis that
can improve decision making.
(3) Improve interpersonal communication. DSS can improve communication and
collaboration among decision makers. In appropriate circumstances, communications- driven and
group DSS have had this impact. Model-driven DSS provides a means for sharing facts and
assumptions. Data-driven DSS make "one version of the truth" about company operations
available to managers and hence can encourage fact-based decision making. Improved data
accessibility is often a major motivation for building a data-driven DSS. This advantage has not
been adequately demonstrated for most types of DSS.
(4) Competitive advantage. Vendors frequently cite this advantage for business intelligence
systems, performance management systems, and web-based DSS. Although it is possible to gain
a competitive advantage from computerized decision support, this is not a likely outcome.
Vendors routinely sell the same product to competitors and even help with the installation.
Organizations are most likely to gain this advantage from novel, high risk, enterprise-wide,
inward facing decision support systems. Measuring this is and will continue to be difficult.
(5) Cost reduction. Some researches and especially case studies have documented DSS cost
saving from labor savings in making decisions and from lower infrastructure or technology costs.
This is not always a goal of building DSS.
(6) Increase decision maker satisfaction. The novelty of using computers has and may continue
to confound analysis of this outcome. DSS may reduce frustrations of decision makers, create
perceptions that better information is being used and/or creates perceptions that the individual is
a "better" decision maker. Satisfaction is a complex measure and researchers often measure
satisfaction with the DSS rather than satisfaction with using a DSS in decision making. Some

studies have compared satisfaction with and without computerized decision aids. Those studies
suggest the complexity and "love/hate" tension of using computers for decision support.
(7) Promote learning. Learning can occur as a by-product of initial and ongoing use of a DSS.
Two types of learning seem to occur: learning of new concepts and the development of a better
factual understanding of the business and decision making environment. Some DSS serve as "de
facto" training tools for new employees. This potential advantage has not been adequately
examined.
(8) Increase organizational control. Data-driven DSS often make business transaction data
available for performance monitoring and ad hoc querying. Such systems can enhance
management understanding of business operations and managers perceive that this is useful.
What is not always evident is the financial benefit from increasingly detailed data.

Disadvantages of Decision Support System

Decision Support System can create advantages for organizations and can have positive
benefits, however building and using Decision Support System can create negative outcomes in
some situations.
(1) Monetary cost. The decision support system requires investing in information system to
collect data from many sources and analyze them to support the decision making. Some analysis
for Decision Support System needs the advance of data analysis, statistics, econometrics and
information system, so it is the high cost to hire the specialists to set up the system.
(2) Overemphasize decision making. Clearly the focus of those of us interested in
computerized decision support is on decisions and decision making. Implementing Decision
Support System may reinforce the rational perspective and overemphasize decision processes
and decision making. It is important to educate managers about the broader context of decision
making and the social, political and emotional factors that impact organizational success. It is
especially important to continue examining when and under what circumstances Decision
Support System should be built and used. We must continue asking if the decision situation is
appropriate for using any type of Decision Support System and if a specific Decision Support
System is or remains appropriate to use for making or informing a specific decision.
(3) Assumption of relevance. According to Wino grad and Flores (1986), "Once a computer
system has been installed it is difficult to avoid the assumption that the things it can deal with are
the most relevant things for the manager's concern." The danger is that once Decision Support
System become common in organizations, that managers will use them inappropriately. There is
limited evidence that this occurs. Again training is the only way to avoid this potential problem.
(4) Transfer of power. Building Decision Support System, especially knowledge-driven
Decision Support System, may be perceived as transferring decision authority to a software
program. This is more a concern with decision automation systems than with Decision Support

System. We advocate building computerized decision support systems because we want to

improve decision making while keeping a human decision maker in the "decision loop". In
general, we value the "need for human discretion and innovation" in the decision making
process.
(5) Unanticipated effects. Implementing decision support technologies may have unanticipated
consequences. It is conceivable and it has been demonstrated that some Decision Support System
reduce the skill needed to perform a decision task. Some Decision Support System overload
decision makers with information and actually reduce decision making effectiveness. We are sure
that other such unintended consequences have been documented. Nevertheless, most of the
examples seem correctable, avoidable or subject to remedy if and when they occur.
(6) Obscuring responsibility. The computer does not make a "bad" decision, people do.
Unfortunately some people may deflect personal responsibility to a Decision Support System.
Managers need to be continually reminded that the computerized decision support system is an
intermediary between the people who built the system and the people who use the system. The
entire responsibility associated with making a decision using a Decision Support System resides
with people who built and use the system.
(7) False belief in objectivity. Managers who use Decision Support System may or may not be
more objective in their decision making. Computer software can encourage more rational action,
but managers can also use decision support technologies to rationalize their actions. It is an
overstatement to suggest that people using a Decision Support System are more objective and
rational than managers who are not using computerized decision support.
(8) Status reduction. Some managers argue using a Decision Support System will diminish their
status and force them to do clerical work. This perceptual problem can be a disadvantage of
implementing a Decision Support System. Managers and IS staff who advocate building and
using computerized decision support need to deal with any status issues that may arise. This
perception may or should be less common now that computer usage is common and accepted in
organizations.
(9) Information overload. Too much information is a major problem for people and many
Decision Support System increase the information load. Although this can be a problem,
Decision Support System can help managers organize and use information. Decision Support
System can actually reduce and manage the information load of a user. Decision Support System
developers need to try to measure the information load created by the system and Decision
Support System users need to monitor their perceptions of how much information they are
receiving. The increasing ubiquity of handheld, wireless computing devices may exacerbate this
problem and disadvantage.

4 Explain the role of manufacturing and production planning module

of an ERP system. Briefly explain the sub-modules of the
manufacturing module.

In the process of evolution of manufacturing requirements planning (MRP) II into ERP, while
vendors have developed more robust software for production planning, consulting firms have
accumulated vast knowledge of implementing ERP production planning module. Production
planning optimizes the utilization of manufacturing capacity, parts, components and material
resources using historical production data and sales forecasting.
ERP production module will just handle a tiny portion of production. The module begins with
Product creation. There will be a component master and stage master. This module is mainly
designed to monitor day-to-day production progress. On completion of any work order
information will be passed on to despatch for delivery. Reports on delivery schedule will be
available in this module.
Production Planning helps an organization plan production with the optimum utilization of all
available resources. Material Requirement Planning is done based on the production advice
generated by the sales department. Feasibility of production is evaluated using details like raw
material availability and procurement time, machine availability and capacity. A production
schedule is generated for all machines where the scheduling is done in an optimized fashion
based on the priorities of production.
Main features of Production and Production planning module:
Production module:

Process definition with inputs, outputs, by-products and overheads

Definition of Bill of Material for all products up to any number of levels

Planning based on customer wise production advice and sales forecast

Material requirement planning: MRP based on machine capacity and availability,

machine efficiency, raw material availability, lead time giving feasible quantity for
production

Production plan for machines with optimum utilization of all available resources like raw
materials and machines

Option to revoke production plan to change input parameters/ production priority/

quantity using fresh production advice

Generation of production schedule for machines detailing inputs and outputs

Analysis of machine efficiency and utilization

Automatic generation of MRS and purchase requisitions on finalization of plan

Generation of process requisition for processes that have to be subcontracted

Reserving quantity for production

Automatic generation of job orders for production

Option to make daily plans for production

Production Planning module:

Process definition with inputs, outputs, by-products and overheads

Definition of Bill of Material for all products up to any number of levels

Planning based on customer wise production advice and sales forecast

Material requirement planning: MRP based on machine capacity and availability,

machine efficiency, raw material availability, lead time giving feasible quantity for
production

Production plan for machines with optimum utilization of all available resources like raw
materials and machines

Option to revoke production plan to change input parameters/ production priority/

quantity using fresh production advice

Generation of production schedule for machines detailing inputs and outputs

Analysis of machine efficiency and utilization

Automatic generation of MRS and purchase requisitions on finalization of plan

Generation of process requisition for processes that have to be subcontracted

Reserving quantity for production

Automatic generation of job orders for production

Option to make daily plans for production

Linking to other modules: Production planning and control is a highly integrated executable
module. It receives planned production orders from the planning engine. It receives details of
product structure from BOM and details of operations needed for a manufactured item from
Routing. It receives cost accounting data from cost accounting module. The inventory module
deals with issue of goods to production orders and quality management checks the quality of
goods produced.
Production order control: This functionality is used to carry out all aspects of a production
order under different production environment such as repetitive manufacturing, job shop
manufacturing, and assembly line sequencing. The functionality enables user to transfer planned
order and create manual production order, print production order documents containing details of
required components and operations, release order to shop floor for execution and record status
of the order such as planned, released, active and completed. Finally, the production order is
closed when final outcome of cost, material issued and hours worked are posted to the
production order.
When a production order is created, the system automatically calculates estimated material (from
BOM) and estimated hour (from routing) for executing the order. The system may adopt forward
planning when production start date is used for calculating delivery date. The system may also
adopt backward planning when production start date can be derived from the delivery date and
the order lead-time of the item.
Production order Statistics: This functionality provides information regarding
actual cost and estimated cost of production orders, both in respect of materials
consumed and hours spent. This statistical information helps in better planning and
execution of future production orders.

Production Planning helps an organization plan production with the optimum utilization of all
available resources. Material Requirement Planning is done based on the production advice
generated by the sales department. Feasibility of production is evaluated using details like raw
material availability and procurement time, machine availability and capacity. A production
schedule is generated for all machines where the scheduling is done in an optimized fashion
based on the priorities of production.

Question 5:
Write short notes on
a. Sub-modules of CRM
b. Features of human resource

management module
Answer:

Sub-Modules of CRM

The CRM system provides information related to customers to an organisation in

order to make various business decisions. To do so, the CRM system works in
association with its different sub-modules. These sub-modules are shown in Figure
Figure: Sub-modules of CRM

Let us discuss the different sub-modules of CRM in detail.

Marketing module

The marketing module of a CRM system helps an organisation in:

Executing marketing-related activities
Making long-term marketing plans
Conducting marketing campaigns through different communication modes

Targeting potential customers and retaining the existing ones

Identifying sales-related opportunities

Service module

The service module of a CRM system helps an organisation in:

Improving customer service
Processing service orders
Managing service contracts
Complying with service-level agreements

Sales module

The sales module of a CRM system enables an organisation to:

Manage and execute the pre-sales activities
Capture sales opportunities
Enhance customer interaction
Support data processing
Centralise the relevant sales data at a single location

Features of human resource management module

Some of the important features of the human resource management module of an
ERP system are as follows:
It is able to define the job roles and responsibilities of employees.
It helps in recruiting the right employees with the right skills and
competencies.

It simplifies the activities involved in the employee selection and placement

process of an organisation.
It is capable of shortlisting eligible applicants from the pool of applications
based on pre-specified selection criteria.
It can update the details of a number of employees at a single point of time.
It continuously tracks the performance of employees, thereby allowing an
organisation to conduct performance appraisals and determine training needs
accordingly.

Features of human resource management module

Human resource refers to the workforce of an organisation that is employed to
achieve organisational goals and objectives. It is the most productive resource that
creates a long-lasting advantage for an organisation, by utilizing its skills and
knowledge.
Suppose you are the owner of an organization. Your employees are one of your
organizations precious assets. This is because the performance of your employees
has a direct impact on your brand image and service quality, which ultimately
decides the level of customer satisfaction. So, you can say that it is important for
any organization to manage its human resource effectively. The human resource
module of an ERP system helps an organization to perform human resource
activities, such as performance management, compensation management,
employee motivation, communication, administration, and training, effectively.
Apart from this, the module allows an organization to maintain a comprehensive
database of employee records and update it whenever required. These records
include information related to salary, attendance, performance evaluation,
promotion, transfer, and personal details of all the employees working in an
organization. An advanced human resource module is integrated with a knowledge
management system, which facilitates the sharing of expertise throughout an
organisation. The following are some of the common sub-modules of the human
resource module:

Personnel administration
Organisational management
Payroll management
Workforce management
Employee development

Question 6:
a. Explain some of the technologies provided by PeopleSoft Inc.
b. Explain the different modules under MFG/PRO application

Answer:
PeopleSoft
PeopleSoft Inc., owned acquired by Oracle, was founded by Ken Morris and David
Duffield in 1987. The organisation provides innovative software to meet the
changing needs and preferences of its customers. PeopleSoft Inc. has developed
software that provides enterprise-wide solutions to various industries, such as
health
care,
manufacturing,
communications,
financial
services,
retail,
transportation, and public sector.
The products provided by PeopleSoft Inc. help organisations in the following
areas:
Human resource management
Accounting
Treasury management
Performance management
Project management
Sales and logistics
Materials management
Supply chain planning
Service revenue management
Procurement
Supply chain management
PeopleSoft Inc. uses new and advanced technologies in its products. Some of these
technologies are:
PeopleSoft Self-Service Applications: These Java-based, cross-platform
applications help employees, customers, suppliers, and other occasional users of an
organisation to perform self-service administrative tasks easily and effectively.
These applications work in coordination with PeopleSofts core product lines, such as
human resource management and materials management.
PeopleSoft Web Client: Refers to software that can be downloaded on demand
and run on multiple Web browsers. PeopleSoft Web Client is affordable, simple
software with open architecture that provides enterprise wide solutions to
organisations. This software is supported by the self service applications of
PeopleSoft. Moreover, it has a Work list and Query interface that provides quick
access to business information.
PeopleSoft Workflow: Enables communication and telecom organisations to
achieve enterprise-wide integration of information, applications, and people. It helps
an organisation to automate its various time-consuming manual activities by
providing useful business data. For example, you are the marketing manager of an
organisation and require an approval from the top management to conduct a
promotional activity. In such a case, PeopleSoft workflow would automatically
forwards the approval requests to your superior.

MFG/PRO application
MFG/PRO software is considered as one of the successful client/server ERP
applications. The application helps an organisation to improve its operational
efficiency. It is comprehensive, open, flexible, scalable, and interactive software that
is developed to serve the manufacturing requirements of an organisation.
MFG/PRO includes a set of applications that supports the manufacturing,
distribution, financial management, supply chain management, and service/support
management functions of an organisation. It uses Oracle or Progress databases and

can run on different operating systems, such as UNIX, Windows and Windows NT.
MFG/PRO is also available with Windows Character User Interface (CUI) or Graphical
User Interface (GUI).

MFG/PRO is an ERP application capable of delivering robust and global functionality in the
areas of Sales and Distribution, Manufacturing and Financials. It is capable of delivering Supply
Chain solutions in the global context. It is well supported by the Enterprise Material Transfer
(EMT) and Enterprise Operations Plan as an Enterprise wide application. Its global perspective is
highlighted by its availability in 26 concurrent languages. Further the Open Systems architecture
makes it a truly international solution and is available on Unix and NT environment with
concurrent support on both these diverse platforms
MFG/PRO Distribution
The Distribution Module of MFG / PRO offers users comprehensive functionality in the areas of
Purchasing, Inventory, Sales and Distribution, Configured Products and Supply Chain
Management.

Purchasing

Sales Quotations

Sales Orders and Invoices

Inventory & Physical Inventory

Sales Analysis

Configured Products

EMT (Enterprise Material Transfer) and EOP (Enterprise Operations Plan)

MFG/PRO Manufacturing & Planning

MFG/PRO manufacturing module offers robust functionality in the areas of manufacturing and
planning. The manufacturing functionality covers Work Orders, Repetitive and Advance
Repetitive functions along with Product Structure and Formula Process functions. The planning
module covers MRP, Forecast/MPS and Capacity planning, while facilitating Product Line
planning.

Product Structures

Routing/Work Centers

Formula/Process

Work Orders

Repetitive

Advance Repetitive

Shop Floor Control

Quality Management

Forecasting/Master Production Scheduling

Material Requirements Planning

Capacity Requirements Planning

Distribution Requirements Planning

MFG/PRO Financials

General Ledger

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Payable

Multiple Currency

Cost Management

Cash Management

Fixed Assets

Global Tax Management