Sage ERP X3 benefits mining companies

ERP X3, version 6.2, which are particularly useful for the mining sector.
Some of the features of the enterprise resource planning software are ideal for mining companies involved in exploration and development, as well as for managing mining equipment and operational data.
Mr Keith Fenner, Sage ERP X3 sales director at Softline, the South African subsidiary of Sage Enterprise who was in the country recently, said the system was being used widely by a number of mining companies in South Africa.
In Zimbabwe, the Sage divisions of Chips Computing Services has installed Sage ERP X3 at a number of large companies.
The program is flexible, with optional modules that can be added onto the core program designed for particular business sectors.
There is a module, for instance, designed specifically for municipal billing, which is useful for local authorities.
Some of the new features of version 6.2 of Sage ERP X3 relate to advanced budgeting, manufacturing project management, subcontracting and asset management and production, making it possible to have an analytical view of the business.
Multi-legislation management has been extended in version 6.2.
One of the new features that Mr Fenner said would be particularly useful in mining is the search facility.
“Reporting and searching can be a problem for mining companies especially in instances where there are as many as 60 000 to 70 000 items in stores and 5 000 to 10 000 transactions conducted every day.
This makes it impossible to find anything under such circumstances.
“The latest Sage ERP X3 search function brings up all related searches, in the same way that Google does.
The software supports multi-country operations within one single ERP system, reducing the cost of multi-country deployment,” he said.
“Sage ERP X3 also comes with traceability and audit tools, multi-company and multi-legislation tools and the ability to streamline business operations locally and internationally.”
Some of the other benefits, he added, include scalability and flexibility, which gives it the capacity to grow and adapt to change.
“It is easy to use, as it facilitates collaboration inside and beyond the business and the streamlining of operations across all areas of business.
“It makes informed decision-making easier, reduces costs and provides a fast return on investment,” he said.
Sage has 6,3 million customers worldwide. It is the number three ERP vendor in the world. There are 250 mining companies in Africa using Sage ERP X3.
A good ERP system, Mr Fenner said, should perform well and be able to have 100 users today or 1 000 users tomorrow.
“It does not require the purchase of third party products to manage it, come at a low cost; be easy to use and it is able to operate with other systems within or outside the company and it is capable of being integrated into both office and social networks,” he said.
Sage ERP X3 has all these qualities, Mr Fenner said.
“It is user-centric. You can do what you want with it,” he said.
Sage has a coherent ERP portfolio that is focused on the mid-market.
It provides flexibility, choice and a superior customer experience. It offers low cost solutions involving many users in an operation.
Chips Sage Division head Mr Charles Kuyayama agreed with Mr Fenner’s assessment of the product and its usefulness to mining companies.
He said Sage ERP X3 increases business insight, optimises business processes, streamlines operations, controls financial risks, boosts sales, grows a business, enhances collaboration and reduces costs.
Adding that the Sage ERP X3 for Mining suite should assist any mining company to better manage its operations and position itself for growth, as the experience of mining companies in other countries that have installed it clearly shows.
“Designed for a network of up to 1 000 computers, it can be deployed rapidly. It is cost effective, easy to use and provides a complete end-to-end mining solution,” he said.
The Sage Division of Chips, which is one of only four Sage Premier Solution Providers in Africa, not only sells but installs and provides technical back-up for Sage ERP X3 and other Sage software products.
The availability of technical back-up and expertise from Chips is one of the reasons Sage products have become so popular in Zimbabwe.
Chips recently received from Softline the Alchamex Best Performer of the Year 2010 – Sage ERP X3 Award and the Best Sage ERP X3 Performer Award.
It also received the Best Achiever Africa Award and the Best Line 500 Performer Award, beating hundreds of Sage dealers from throughout Africa, including many South African dealers.