Real-Time
Transactional ERP solution that performs its functions in real-time
It's all about agility
ALERE has operated in real-time since its earliest release in 1990.
Real-time transaction-based ERP systems, such as ALERE, offer the benefit of immediate data processing and visibility into operations, enabling businesses to respond to changing circumstances and make prompt, informed decisions. By processing data in real-time, the system provides up-to-the-moment insights into inventory levels, sales, and financial transactions, enhancing operational efficiency, customer service, and decision-making accuracy. This stands in stark contrast to batch systems, which only process data periodically and result in delayed information updates and potentially outdated insights that greatly limit the agility and responsiveness of an organization.
Primary benefits of ALEREs implementation of a real-time, transaction-driven ERP include:
Automatic Period Closings
ALERE’s fiscal periods are completely date-driven. After the end of each defined period passes, ALERE automatically prevents users without permission from posting into the closed period unless a closing grace period is defined. Administrative users may post into the past up to the previously closed year if required. Should a posting into a closed period be required, the act of posting will trigger the reprinting of financial reports that may have been affected.
Because fiscal periods close without intervention by the user, there is no need for exclusive access to the system. The downstream effect of this is that an organization’s financial reports will reflect the status of the closed period any time they are run in the future, meaning no weekend or after-hours work is required within the system, and there is no need to pause operations while accounting closes a period.
Using the same methodology as month-end closings, year-end closings may also be done on your schedule. The process takes only seconds and, if required, may be reversed.
Real-Time Financial Information:
Since ALERE is transaction-based, profit and loss, revenues and expenses, accounts receivable and payables, and all other financial information are current as of the last keystroke. Access to real-time financial information is like having a crystal ball for your organization’s financial activities. It helps you make timely decisions, spot and tackle risks before they become problems and rapidly build an accurate month-to-date picture of organizational health for stakeholders.
As-of Reporting:
Real-time, transactionally driven systems such as ALERE carry additional benefits, especially for inventory management. By affixing both a date and ID to every transaction within ALERE, inventory information can easily be recreated based on an as-of date. This enables a more complete audit trail of system data greatly increasing the transparency of data and organizational accountability.
The benefits of a real-time, transactionally driven system also permeate financial reporting by allowing income statements for any range of dates to be compared on the fly.
Advanced MRP:
ALERE incorporates a method of material resource planning (MRP) known as synchronous manufacturing, which integrates material planning into the production plan. Particularly useful for items with long lead times, synchronous manufacturing, is like streamlining your production to cut out the fat. It’s all about reducing inventory carrying costs by keeping inventory lean while still ensuring enough inventory is available to support both sales and manufacturing operations.
ALERE accomplishes this by optionally synchronizing your material demand planning with your production schedule, then offering a way to manage both purchasing and manufacturing via Push-Pull planning to respond to changes in lead times and changes in demand. This would be impossible if not for the real-time access to the documents driving the demand.
Control of Invoice Aging Dates
Real-time and transaction-driven architectures such as ALERE have other benefits such as preserving the original aging date of an invoice should an invoice need be reopened for a returned or voided payment. This is crucial to producing accurate financial reports from your records. For example, let’s say you reopen an invoice due to a returned payment or a voided transaction. If the aging date changes, it will misrepresent the actual timeline of the transaction, and skew your financial reports by stating that the payment is not due for a period equal to the original payment terms. Keeping the original aging date intact ensures that your accounts accurately reflect when the invoice was initially issued and its true aging status. This preserves the integrity of your financial data and aids in compliance.
A barcoding implementation that just works:
ALERE’s real-time functionality extends its highly capable barcoding system known as DAQ (data acquisition). Numerous functions, such as warehouse management and manufacturing processes, can be handled in real-time through the DAQ system. These barcoded transactions post their captured data in real-time within ALERE with no middleware. The process enables highly accurate up-to-the-second transaction data with minimal effort by its users. Find out more about DAQ.
