“ABAS qualified on all counts”

IST Metz GmbH
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Video: abas ERP in Mechanical Engineering, Plant Engineering and Construction

When did you start using ABAS?

We have been using ABAS since 1988. The management came to the conclusion that is was necessary to use an ERP system in order to support business processes. The decision was made in favor of ABAS.

Which release did you start with?

At that time we introduced Version ABAS EKS 3.0. Now we are using abas Business Software Version 2004R4N07 which was released in December. However, we not only use the most up-to-date release that is issued once a year, but also the upgrades. About three of them are released each year. We always use one of them as it contains features that we need.

How do you evaluate the upgradability or releaseabilty of the system?

To import a new release is a time effort of half a day or at most one day. The releases are tested by our experts and key users and then released. This is an effort of at most one and a half days. The ABAS upgrade is not critical and, compared to other systems, can be carried out quickly.
It needs to be mentioned that several clients have to be upgraded: our productive client and three test clients in which different projects are depicted. The entire effort refers to those four systems.

How do you evaluate the abas Business Software regarding industry specific requirements?

Our requirements are not so much industry specific, but more company specific. We are using a relatively adjusted software solution which we need due to our processes. For example, our BOM grows successively with the progress of the sales order. While the designer is still working on a component it can happen that the equipment is already being mounted at the same time. The fact that our customers can and want to make changes until just before the delivery of the product requires that we are very flexible and results in a very unusual workflow. This means that we need a system that is very adjustable. We found all of this in the abas Business Software. About 90% of the screens are adjusted or developed by ourselves.

How does that influence the releasability?

Not at all. We do not have any problems with it at all. When importing a new release we have no programming or reworking effort. Two of our employees are supervising the ERP solution. We upgrade, program or adjust things ourselves, however we are always consulted by ABAS.

You said that you do not have any problems now. Was that different in the past?

We only activated the abas Business Software that we are using now one and a half years ago. When I came to the company about four years ago, we had big problems with our ERP system. However, this was not due to the system itself, but to a former employee who had done a lot of individual development, even in areas that ABAS has in the standard. For example, we had our own scheduling programmed. It becomes critical when changing these core areas of the system. Generally, our system could no longer be maintained. That is why we decided to make a new start. After an orientation phase we decided for ABAS again, this time with Release 10.

Did you also look at alternatives?

We had also looked at other systems and their providers. For us, the costs, implementation and adjustment effort, as well as flexibility, were important. In addition we were looking at the economic situation of the provider. With an ERP system, one commits oneself to a long-term relation with the provider. Thus, we excluded some providers. This has proven to be the right thing to do. Moreover,we checked whether our requirement specification could be implemented with the system or not. ABAS qualified on all counts.

What is the reason for the abas Business Software being so convincing?

I like the company that is behind it. Its flexibility, philosophy and understanding for their customers. The price/performance relation is good, as well as the possibility to adjust the system to ones requirements easily. All three points were decisive for our selection.

How satisfied are you with the support by ABAS?

We are direclty supported by ABAS Karlsruhe. This is important to us as our contact persons can have direct access to the developers. This means that we have first-hand information, which is decisive for us as we carry out almost everything ourselves. Only for larger projects like now with the job-lot production or the planned integration of the E-CAD system we have ABAS consultants in our office. And we are very pleased with them.

Which plans do you have regarding the ERP solution in the near future?

Currently we are working on a large project to produce a part of the basic components of the equipment in series in addition to the pure commissioned production. This serial production will take place in our new plant. To link these two forms of organization in a logistical and information technological way is our next big goal.

Would you again decide in favor of abas Business Software?

From today’s point of view definitely. We are not able to say yet whether ABAS will also be a suitable tool for the planned job-lot production. But there are many companies that are using it in serial production. Therefore, I don’t doubt that we will be able to do this. Especially since ABAS is such a flexible tool.

If ABAS could satisfy a wish for you – what would it be?

I would appreciate it if the system were changed to a modern programming language and the handling regarding print and output would become easier. These two points of the product could be modernized. ABAS already realized this and started to approach the problem.