M1

Pluspunten: M1 is incredibly visual; whether you prefer traditional forms or spreadsheet views, you can customize the navigation and data forms with ease. Search features are robust in the spreadsheet style views. M1 is also fairly flexible for customization regardless of programming skills. We can easily add fields to any module and forms can be manipulated to match our information flow. In our business every order is a custom order yet the straight forward manufacturing module makes planning and scheduling simple. Dashboards on the start screen are great to monitor daily activities. While most ERP implementations require significant work, the visual nature of M1 really helped us keep the project on track. The M1 implementation specialist spent time to learn our business and specific information needs. 9 months running and we are very happy. We have added several additional modules since the implementation and have linked M1 to our sales tax service provider. The suite of included reports are handy, though they need some customization when you start up. Export to Excel is very easy. We added Spreadsheet Server option to really increase the capability to share data with Excel. Security controls are very robust.

Minpunten: At times customer service response is a bit longer than we would like though once they are working on an issue, they are great at resolving. Some of the included reports are fairly complex yet require customization in Crystal Reports. Best to have some working knowledge of Crystal reports. Some modules in M1 are not consistent with others - probably different programmers or different schedules for upgrading - however that slows the process just bit when you move module to module.

Opmerkingen: They installed the core system for one company to test, then couldn't get their optional modules to work, but still performed the agreed work to customize our installation (and charged us)... then finally gave up trying to get THEIR optional module to work in version 8, and told us that we had to upgrade to version 9 to get those modules to work. Then after we upgraded to version 9, they said that version 9 now no longer supported that optional module, or the custom work they had already been paid for. We have been promised repeatedly by their support team and management that they would fix the issues and get this up and working as soon as possible. Please don't fall for these lies like we did. Instead of trying to fix anything, their support department literally just 'solved' all of the 30+ support tickets in their system on with the same day with the message 'SOLVED: This function or a component that it relies on is no longer supported' with no option for further discussion... no refund for the optional modules or custom work we had done... and then they have the hide to say that they need to get us to sign off and accept the fact that they can't make that company work before they even install the core systems for any of the 6 other companies.

Pluspunten: Their sales team made a really good pitch, then went radio silent the moment we signed up, and quit 6 weeks later. Based on their pitch, we engaged them to provide version 8 of the core system seven companies, and a couple of optional modules for a couple of those companies, and a few custom modifications, we were assured this would be straight forward and ready to use in 8-12 weeks. It has been over 2 years and they been unable to even get one of those companies up and running as per the our agreement with them.

Minpunten: The worst part about this experience? Everything that happened after they had our money... In all of my professional life I have never before experienced such intentionally dishonest behavior in a professional setting. Deciding to use ECi M1 has been the worst business decision that we have ever made. If you are in Australia, or if you intend to rely on the Australian support team, I cannot urge you strongly enough to stay away from ECi M1. They have repeatedly proved themselves incompetent and dishonest.

Opmerkingen: For us it was really the staff that made us feel at ease with out decision, from the salesperson to our implementer to the folks in support. They have really come through for us over the time we have used M1.

Pluspunten: M1 has helped us track serial and lot numbers effectively and allowed us to streamline many processes across the company. Have used it for five years now, we rely on the data it generates to run our business in the most efficient and cost effective way possible. Our implementer took the time to learn our business and made suggestions on how the software could assist us in areas we had not even considered. We definitely choose the right software!

Pluspunten: The training and implementation was fantastic. The product is well suited for our needs and the cost tracking functionality is great. The greatest strengths of the software are inventory control, cost/labor tracking, and reporting.

Minpunten: The accounting functionality and process can be burdensome. While it does get the job done, incorporating a FIFO system with real time cost of goods sold entry would be much more advantageous. Currently M1 only offers average, standard, or last cost of goods sold, which can really make things difficult if inventory costs change. Additionally, not having "real-time" financials is frustrating. You don't get the "actual cost of goods sold" until an accounting entry is made, so you cannot track financials daily or weekly unless your accounting department has time to make this entry and reconcile it on that same interval. Granted, moving to the COGS program could fix this issue, but the additional work and potential for mistakes makes it easier to wait for financials.

Opmerkingen: Everything from sales and marketing data, to employee data as well as financial data is housed in our M1 system.

Pluspunten: All the data you could ever need about your business can be housed in M1, between the data and the custom reports that can be made, it is a valuable tool to have.

Minpunten: Its clunky to use, most things take too many clicks to find and it feels like you have to go out of your way to find what you are looking for. It takes some work to make it user friendly in the least bit