What are the Reasons for Wi-Fi is slow and how to fix it...

If your WiFi at home is really slow all of a sudden, then there’s a problem somewhere that you can most likely fix yourself. Here’s how to fix slow WiFi.We discussed earlier how you can deal with a slow WiFi connection that you can’t exactly fix, but what if your internet at home is experiencing performance problems? You can usually fix that since you have access to the router.

There are many reasons why your internet connection might be slow. Perhaps another user in the house is streaming Netflix or your router is clogged up a bit and just needs a simple reboot. There’s even the chance that your internet service provider could be experiencing problems of their own, in which case you’re pretty much out of luck. No matter the cause, slow WiFi can be more frustrating than not having WiFi at all.


With slow WiFi, loading websites can take forever, YouTube videos will lag and freeze, and forget about streaming any media. Slow WiFi is something that you never want to come across, especially if you’re working on something important or timely.


1. Internet thieves

One of the best things about Wi-Fi is the easy access it provides to the internet. But, if your network password is too simple, there could be more people tapping into it than you originally bargained for.Obviously, this isn’t something you want. Networks with weak passwords or no passwords can be accessed by almost anyone. Use a free program called Wi-Fi History View to review each device that has connected to your network, and look for IP addresses you don’t recognize.


Prevent this by first changing the password for your router. If you don’t know where to find it, a site called RouterPasswords can help you locate the manufacturer’s default password. From there, create a password that is complex and difficult to guess. Click here to see a simple formula for creating secure passwords you can actually remember.

2. Congestion

This is a problem in crowded neighborhoods or apartments. When too many people try to connect at the same time on the same Wi-Fi channel, connection speed is significantly impacted.
When your connection slows during peak hours, usually in the evening when everyone gets off work or on Sunday night when The Walking Dead is airing, that’s a sure sign of congestion.

Fix this by selecting a different channel for your router. If you have a 2.4 gigahertz frequency router, there are usually 11 channels to choose from. Channels 1, 6 and 11 are recommended but try other channels to find a faster connection. Or buy a new 5 gigahertz router.

3. Outdated equipment

Wi-Fi routers are not all created equal. “AC” routers are a step up from the older “B” and “G” models and even "N" models. They have more features and offer better performance. If you’re shopping for a new router, that’s what you want to look for.
AC routers have a maximum spectral bandwidth of around 8 x 160MHz, compared to the 4 x 40MHz standard of N routers. In other words, the increased bandwidth allows more data to be transmitted without slowing down.

4. Your router’s security settings

Aside from protecting your network from unauthorized bandwidth usage, which could slow down your network without your knowledge, did you know that the type of wireless security you use could impact your overall speeds too?
If your network is Open (no security) or is using WEP, change the security setting immediately! Obviously, an open network will make it easy for someone to steal your Wi-Fi, and the older WEP security is easily hacked, so avoid it at all costs.

Also See: Steps to Maximize your Wireless Network Security

This leaves you with WPA, WPA2 with TKIP or WPA2 with AES.
WPA and TKIP are what you want to avoid. Not only are these protocols older and insecure, they can actually slow down your network.
The best option is WPA2 with AES. AES is a newer and more secure setting that lets you achieve higher speeds. Click here for additional tweaks you can make to get more out of your router.

5. You’re too far out of range

Sometimes the easiest fixes are right there under our noses. Routers are not designed to transmit signals over long distances, so there may be hot spots and dead zones in your home.
To map out your network, use a tool called HeatMapper. It helps you see where Wi-Fi signals are strongest in your home or office. HeatMapper is a free download for Windows users. NetSpot is a good alternative for Mac users.

Once you’ve identified the problem areas in your home, you have a few options available. One option is to purchase a Wi-Fi extender that can boost the range of your router’s transmission. Wi-Fi extenders range in price from around $20-$120, depending on the features included in the model. However, a mid-range extender should work just fine. Click here for a full breakdown of Wi-Fi extender options.

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Security tips for Web Bloggers to stay protect online

Nowadays, people access blogs for exchanging ideas with others. Bloggers retain their blogs and constantly update them either for financial benefits of just out of passion.

Worldwide Blogging is considered as a serious business by many people as for some it is the main source of income, while other bloggers just get some extra income out of it. Keeping this in mind and also the fact that blogs are considered being the 5th most trustworthy source of information that you can find on the internet, if you own a blog you should definitely consider any available options for protecting it.

Malware infection on blogsMalware infection is a common “harm” that can be caused to your blog, believe it or not, as cyber criminals are very creative in doing their malicious work. Some sources of infection for your blog can be:

• Your web hosting control panel
• Infected advertisement banners
• Breaking the administrator password
• Code injections in the blog’s HTML
• Plugins integrating with your blogging platform

Checking whether your blog is infectedWhen you created your blog, you may had thought that marketing and writing skills are all you needed to have. Well that would be wrong. A blog owner needs to know how to keep the blog data protected and which measures to take for staying protected against cyber-attacks. You can define whether your blog is infected by the presence of these symptoms:

• The appearance of your blog has changed and your content and graphics replaced by others (website defacement).
• Your blog’s visitors are prompted to download and install apps like Java or Flash player just upon their visit to the blog’s page.
• You receive an error message when you try to access the blog.
• You see banners about guns, drugs etc. appearing.
• Immediately when you try to access the blog you get redirected to another site (URL redirects).
• You receive notifications from your hosting providers about spam alerts coming from your site.

Here are 7 important tips for keeping your blog secure

1) Set strong passwords

Any accounts that are connected to your blog should have a strong password while you should avoid using the same password (despite its complexity) for all your accounts and apply 2 factor authentication. All the above should be combined with frequent password changes.

2) Control access to the blogYou should create a new administrator account and delete the existing default one as the cyber criminals tend to target these accounts. You also need to define the access rights for all the user accounts and delete those that belong to users to post irrelevant content.

3) Maintain an updated blogging platformBe sure to immediately apply any updates that are released for your platform as these will also close any recently discovered security holes.

4) Regularly backup your blogYour blog’s database needs to be regularly backed-up, so be sure to include this in your schedule. This can be done either with the use of a web hosting package (which includes automatic back-ups) or can be performed manually. At least 2 copies of the blog’s database should be retained.

5) Update your pluginsAlways keep your plugins updated as cyber criminals will use the vulnerabilities that exist for harming your blog and also delete any old plugins that you don’t use anymore.

6) Use only themes from trusted sourcesIf you plan to install a theme that was not obtained from a trusted source, just don’t as you risk of having malicious code installed on your website.

7) Protect your computer from malwareWhile ensuring your blog’s security is important, retaining a clean and safe computer, equipped with a good antivirus and a malware blocking tool is important too and of course always keeping it up to date by installing the latest application and security updates.

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Social Media Management Applications Online

Social media is one of the most effective ways for you and your business to get more traffic and generate new leads. Having the right social media management tools and a presence on all the major networks like Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn is a necessity these days for any business. Social Media factor is quite important for every businessman and web-developer/blogger. 
There are millions of people attached to different social media platforms like Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and more. Business persons build their stable position over these social media platforms and introduce their business to the people connected from all over the world, deal with their clients and share all the essential updates relevant to their business. Bloggers/web-developers use that platforms to introduce their services to the millions of people.

But, there are several different social media platforms, not only a single one. So, sharing of even a single update on these different platforms by logging in every site individually is the time-consuming task.

That was considered as an issue and was resolved by the development of Social Media Management Applications. These tools help us in sharing time to time updates on all added social media platforms at the same time or according to schedule. Add your social media sites' accounts and all you have to do is create a single post about whatever you want to share, that assisting tool will share the post on all your added social media accounts. You are able to add even more than one account of different social media sites using the premium services of that tools. Now, with that tools, there is no need to waste your time in logging in and out on all your social media accounts.

Engage your accounts with "Top 10 Social Media Management Applications" enlisted below and focus on writing articles and promoting business services. we suggest the use of Premium versions to avail complete features like collaboration, analytic reports, schedule messages, real-time content promotion experience and much more.

No.1: Buffer

buffer app social media management tool

Buffer is the top rated social media management app with its extraordinary features. You are able to add all your leading social media sites' accounts such as Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ using it's free version. Premium version is also available with lot more features. You can add Facebook groups and Pinterest using premium version.

Rating: 9/10

No.2: Hootsuite

top hootsuite social media management tool

Hootsuite is another awesome social media management tool, provides free and premium both. You are able to connect three of your social media accounts using the free version but the premium one provides the feature to add 50+ accounts. Manage your all contents with an awesome and simple dashboard.

Rating: 9/10

No.3: Social Scheduler

top social scheduler social media management app

Social Scheduler provides some more features that make it shining. Using free version, you are able to connect two social media accounts. You may schedule private messages using Social Scheduler. It provides the most reliable and clear dashboard as well. Premium version is quite kind too.

Rating: 8.8/10

No.4: AgoraPulse

agorapulse social media top tool

Want to analyze the audience alongside the content sharing? AgoraPulse will make it easy for you. Enjoy the one-month free trial (no credit card required). Reply to direct inbox messages and review the comments. Daily reports and "help desk" availability. Most affordable prices with lot more features.

Rating: 8.5/10

No.5: SproutSocial

sproutsocial top media management tool

Want to built team-work? SproutSocial is going to help you. Stay updated with its real-time trigger on all social media conversations. Enjoy one-month free trial (no credit card required) with a wide range of features.

sproutsocial features

Choose one of the best suitable plans with the quite affordable price and make your business leading.

Rating: 9/10

No.6: Oktopost

oktopost social media sharing app

Are you a Professional blogger or Business person? Oktopost may lead you towards the better ranking. One month free trial included (no credit card required). All the essential features are defined by Oktopost.

Rating: 9/10

No.7: Viralheat

new social media management tool viralheat

Viralheat is another social media manager/publisher and analyzer. Have a deep look at what the people are saying about your services or products over social. Target the keywords and engage your contents with trending affairs.

Rating: 9/10

No.8: Komfo

top media tool komfo

Komfo social media management tool helps in analyzing the contents. Stay updated with latest trends and promote your content respectively using Komfo. Listen what your clients are reviewing about your services over social media and get stand upon competitors. Schedule your messages across social media platforms with easy to use interface.

Rating: 9/10

No.9: Sendible

sendible media management tool

Sendible provides the deep analytic reports for each content you publish on engaged social media platforms. Automatic sentiment analysis tool raises your interaction with the discussions that your clients make over social media, blogs, news and commenting. Enjoy the one-month free trial (no credit card required) and make your social media experience favorable.

Rating: 9/10

No.10: Crowdbooster

crowdbooster social media management tool top

Crowdbooster provides you the real content promotion and management experience. Schedule the posts for your clients using social media marketing service and stay in contact with them all the time. Choose your affordable plan and take a step towards the leading social media management and promotion experience. One month free trial without the credit card is included.

Rating: 8.8/10

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Best Free Email Client Software for Windows.

If you are looking for an alternative to Windows Mail or Outlook, or if you just bought Windows 7 and are now sans email management software, there are a plethora of email client options available for free.

An email client is, quite simply, a software program that enables you to effectively manage your email. Effective email management means you can improve and automate your lead management. This is especially important for people who have multiple email accounts or want multiple user access.

The email client doesn't replace your current email software, but it does help you to manage your emails and save them in ways that make them easy to access and search. You may need to try a few of these to find one that matches your requirements and provides the day to day lead management functionality you need.

Also Read: Why do we use the '@' symbol in email addresses?

Mozilla Thunderbird

This is a powerful email client tool for managing email and content. It allows you to work both online and offline so that lead management doesn’t have to stop when you don’t have internet access.

One of the best Mozilla Thunderbird features is its speed. It loads quickly even when contending with multiple RSS feeds and folders. Mozilla Thunderbird has excellent HTML support, junk mail filters and virus protection. Additional features include:

• Tabbed e-mail
• New search tools and indexing
• Smart folders
• Support for Firefox’s Personas
• Simplified setup wizard

You can rest assured your email is secure with the S/MIME, message encryption, digital signing and phishing filters. Speed is also a positive Thunderbird feature and the comprehensive search tool is able to sync with results on desktop searches. Lead management is improved with the fast and powerful search tool. Find a list of features here.

Opera

Still a leading contender, although not as innovative as it once was, Opera is a solid email client with exceptional functionality.  Opera has an excellent search function with a customizable search bar, tab browsing and advanced bookmarking tools so you can remember all your favorite sites.

Opera integrates easily with chat and email and installation will only take a couple of minutes. Emails are stored on your hard drive, so you can continue with lead management tasks even when you are not online.

Get a full list of the Opera features here.

DreamMail

DreamMail is specifically designed for the user who has multiple email accounts which they need to access simultaneously. DreamMail supports POP3, eSMTP, Yahoo, Google SMTP, and even RSS feeds. You can customize your email templates and utilize the email signature management function. Advanced spam and message filtering helps you to manage your email effectively.

Additional features include:

• Multiple users
• Auto detection of server settings
• Messages filtering
• Filtering, sorting and searching

DreamMail has some drawbacks; it doesn’t support Thunderbird or IMAP which makes it unsuitable for many users who want to utilize it for effective lead management. 
Find a full list of features here.

Postbox Express

This is a feature-limited free version of Postbox’s emailing software. Postbox Express has the unique ability to import settings from any other mail client you currently employ. This makes setup a breeze as Postbox Express will sync with your current email seamlessly.

One of Postbox Express’ most handsome features is the search function; the speedy search engine will help you find what you are looking for in record time. It also organizes folders and messages in tabs (much like a web browser) which makes for a far more efficient workspace.

Postbox Express has extended social media functionality which adds a new dimension to your CRM. You can easily post things to your social media platforms, import profile photos and address books or update your status directly to LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Use add-ons to extend the functionality or make use of the community-translated language packs. Postbox Express is a functional, customizable email client that is definitely on the first-class mail client list. 
Have a look at a comprehensive list of all the Postbox Express features here.

Windows Live Mail

Compact and functional, Windows Live Mail offers users some nifty features. Installation takes some time and effort and you will have to enter your account server names, details and ports manually and importing your account details and emails from your other email programs may take a little fancy footwork. Once it’s up and running though, Windows Live Mail is impressive and easy to use. Some additional features include:

• POP3 and IMAP support
• Excellent junk mail filter
• Accessible interface
• Support for RSS feeds
• Calendar
• News groups
• Excellent integration with other Microsoft programs

Get a full list of Windows Live Mail features here.

eM Client

The best thing about eM Client is its extensive features list. The free version gives users access to these fantastic features, but does limit you to 2 accounts. This makes it unsuitable for effective lead management of multiple accounts, but the free version is a good way to sample the goods.  Take eM Client for a test drive and, if you don’t have a ton of email accounts, you will really be able to take advantage of the extensive features list. You can import all your files from just about everywhere (including Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Windows Mail etc.) Other attractive features include:

• Import contacts from Facebook, Google or even CSV and vCard files
• Support got S/MIME, SMTP, IMAP, POP3, SSL/TLS
• Import messages from .eml files
• Customize signatures
• Templates
• Calendar
• Customizable contacts database
• Skype integration
• Google maps for address location

Get a full list of the extensive features here.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of the email client programs available for free use. However, it is a comprehensive collection of the most notable players and the ones that have the best functionality and widest range of features. You can utilize the free software for personal mail and to try out each email client until you find your perfect fit.

Most of the programs offer widgets and add-ons that you can choose to pay for to improve lead management functionality.

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How to Customize Your Windows 10 Experience

Windows 10 seems to be a winner. But, the only way to really know if a new operating system will meet the public’s needs and wants is to wait and see how they react. If they keep it when they buy a new computer, it’s a good system. 

If they put an older OS on a new computer, then it’s probably not. 

The reception of Windows 10 is positive overall. 

With Windows 10, as with all of Microsoft’s operating systems so far, there are programs, apps, and other tools that can be turned on and used. However, they’re not necessary or useful for every user, so it’s important to choose what’s right for you.

 ALSO READ: keyboard shortcuts for Windows10

According to a report about personal technology in the New York Times, many of the optional features are related to networking, system administration, and software development, but as with earlier versions of Windows, there are also options that “regular” users may wish to use. The first step is to go to the Windows Features option box and look at the different menus and screens and determine what is possible for the version of Windows you have.

The Windows Features box, when selected, will show the user a list of different applications and programs that can be enabled or disabled. If there is a checkmark in the box next to the option, the option is already on. The “Start” menu is one of the first places the technophiles suggest a new user of Windows 10 begins their search to see what they do want to turn on or off.

The Start Menu

Most people will be perfectly satisfied with the default version of the start menu. It is the same version of “Start” that they accessed with Windows 7 with a few nuggets from Windows 8.1 that proved popular. One difference is there is a Tablet mode with this version of Windows and it has been made for 2 in 1 devices and allows easy access to the start menu when the keyboard has been removed.

ALSO READ: Windows 10: tips and tricks

The folders that the user sees when they go to the start menu can also be customized. This allows the user to have the folders they use the most at a convenient location. All the user has to do is go to settings, then personalization, then start and add to or remove apps or folders, or other things that they use a lot. Perhaps it is Netflix that the user wants to have access easily and quickly. It is easy to add this program to the Start Menu.

Cortana



Windows 10 has its own personal assistant called Cortana. Setting up Cortana is easy as it will ask (in writing), very simply what you want to be called, and if you want different customization for Cortana too. If you think that Cortana is a little too Big Brother to your Winston Smith, you can leave this program off too.  If you like Cortana, you can teach her to know your voice only, or you can let any voice access her.

Update Apps
When you upgrade to Windows 10, you can upgrade many of the apps that you have already received from Windows by going to the Windows Store and following the prompts from the Downloads and Installs pages as they relate to Windows 10. This is also where a user can ensure they have all of the updates to Windows 10 installed on their computer and their system.

Microsoft Edge


Windows 10 has a new Microsoft browser called Microsoft Edge. Using Microsoft Edge will not stop you from using other browsers, but Edge will be there for you to use if you like, and if you choose, you can make it your default browser. 

Quick Action Buttons



There is now an Action Center on the desktop for different devices. This Action Center will alert users about apps and systems that might need to have upgrades or changes made for them. As part of the Action Center, there are also Quick Action buttons that allow the user to click them and go to different options that the user visits often. 

Optional Features on Windows 10
The truth is, there are dozens of features that users can turn off or turn on with any operating system. Most users won’t even know that these options exist, and if they did know of their existence, they wouldn’t mess with them. 

Examples (there are dozens of optional features):

    .NET Framework 3.5 — This is needed for people who want to run certain applications
    Active Directory Lightweight Director Services — This is used to authenticate users on a network
    Embedded Shell Launcher — Use this if you want to replace Windows 10’s Explorer.exe shell with a custom shell. 
    Hyper V — This is a virtualization tool

People very involved in technology may turn these optional features (and the dozens of other options) on or off, but some will automatically turn on if a new download requires it. Most people won’t consider changing the factory settings, but should know that they are there if needed.

Windows 10 is proving to be popular with users and is recognized as a convenient and improved operating system.

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Free Video Apps to Capture Your Creativity

All you need now are some apps to make the most of both. We’ve rounded up a handful of great apps designed for mobile videographers of all levels, from budding auteurs to friends capturing friends’ antics to families looking for fun creative outlets for their kids. The best part? You can get started with all of them without paying a penny up front.

This one has potential to keep kids – and geeky grown-ups – busy for hours on end by turning anyone who can hold a camera steady into an expert special-effects director. All you have to do is select one of the available scenes or effects – like a meteor smashing into the ground, say, or an avalanche – and then point the camera at your subject. Press record for the specified amount of time, hit the OK button afterwards, and around five seconds later you’ll have your very own professionally rendered CGI Hollywood action scene starring your friends, family and even your toys or pets. It comes with plenty of free scenes to choose from – including one in which a Star Wars BB-8 will zap the subject of your choice (the app was built by J.J. Abrams’s Bad Robot production company) – and you can purchase more scenes in packs for just a couple of bucks each.

Action Movie FX

Free with in-app purchases | iOS

Hailing from the image gurus at Instagram, Boomerang doesn’t capture true video but instead short bursts of photos that it then runs back and forth in an infinite loop, a bit like a GIF. Boomerangs can make their subjects appear to defy physics – like a drink forever pouring and un-pouring itself – or transform a friend’s casual smile into a study in muscle movement. And it’s incredibly easy to use: just point your phone at your subject and hit record. The app takes care of the rest. Another couple of taps will let you instantly share your boomerangs however you like; not just on Instagram but also Facebook, Twitter, text message or email.

Boomerang from Instagram

Free | Android, iOS

This awesomely accessible video editor is so well designed that it was recently purchased by GoPro to give its extreme-sports camera customers the power to quickly and easily edit footage on mobile devices. But you don’t need a GoPro camera to use it. You can import videos (and photos) from your device or a cloud service. Then in just a few simple steps, Splice will stitch everything together, automatically adding transitions and the music of your choice. Once all of your scenes have been put together, you can edit speed, add effects, crop out bits of the frame you don’t want, and add text or narration. It’s a quick and painless way to put together professional-looking videos from your library while on the go.

Splice

Free with in-app purchases | iOS

Give a tablet loaded with this app to an imaginative kid and you probably won’t see them again for the rest of the day. They can get started with virtually no instruction. Just open the app, point it at a scene – like a table set up with action figures or dolls – and then start tapping the onscreen shutter button, moving subjects a smidgeon at a time between shots to create a sense of movement. You can play back your progress at any point, adjusting speed and adding your own voice. It’s as simple and easy as animation gets, yet it opens the door to endless possibilities, from Lego movies to cartoons made from paper cutouts. No kids? Consider using it to document the progress of a home reno or backyard project, capture the magic of blooming flowers, or record the gathering of storm clouds.

Stop Motion Studio

Free with in-app purchases | Android, iOS, Windows Phone

Want quick Web celebrity? Triller could be the ticket. It will let you put together an (almost) MTV-worthy music video in a matter of minutes. Just pick a song from the app’s featured list of top 40 artists or one your own library, select the length you’d like your video to be, then record yourself performing it as many times and using as many filters and effects as you like. Once you’re done, the app will create a preliminary video by automatically stitching together segments from each of your takes. Unhappy with the final cut? No problem. You can easily shorten or lengthen each segment with a quick slide of your finger. When finished, you can share it with your friends or upload it to the Triller community. Then just sit back and wait (hope?) for a bit of viral fame.

Triller

Free | Android, iOS

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How to choose the right ERP software ?

There are thousands of so called ERP experts out there. But the truth is no one understands your business like you do. You may be one of the few that has reviewed and evaluated ERP programs extensively before.

With so many ERP options in the marketplace today, selecting a package for your business can be an overwhelming task. While many companies feel that any software will work and their organizations will simply conform to the functionality of the software, widely-publicized ERP failures indicate that this isn't the best solution. Further, since ERP should be a transformational business initiative providing key competitive advantages to your company, the decision shouldn't be taken lightly or made with incomplete information.

So what's the best way to find the ERP solution that's going to be the best fit for your organization? Here are seven steps to help you choose the right software for your organization:

software for your organization:

Conduct a process review and analysis. Since ERP is first and foremost a business initiative, you should first define and document your current business processes, pain points, and strengths. This analysis should also include what you think your processes should look like in the future (your "to-be" state) and the corresponding business requirements. These processes and requirements should eventually be used for potential software vendors to demonstrate their product's capabilities within the context of your business needs.

Evaluate the technical fit. Although ERP should be a business rather than a technology initiative, it's also important to understand how a potential software solution will align with your current infrastructure. For example, if you're a Microsoft shop, you're likely to find a better technical fit with ERP software products built on a .NET platform.

Understand the total cost of ownership. During the sales cycle, ERP software sales reps are interested in downplaying the costs and risks associated with purchasing their software. However, it's a lot easier to accept potential costs early in the process rather than after you're already committed to a particular solution. Be sure to uncover "hidden costs" associated with ERP, including implementation costs, hardware upgrades, backfilling your project team resources, software maintenance, etc.

Develop a realistic implementation plan. While you're still in the sales cycle, you should take vendor implementation duration estimates with a grain of salt. It's important to develop a comprehensive project plan that includes not just the activities required to install the software, but the ones that are required to ensure that the solution is fully functional, tested, and accepted by end-users. This plan should be developed prior to your final software decision so you fully understand the cost and resource commitments required to make the project a success. 

Your implementation project plan should include everything from business process and workflow design to data migration, conference room pilot, multiple test iterations, and key organizational change management activities.

Track the potential business benefits of the new system. If you don't measure it, you likely won't achieve it. ERP projects are no different. Chances are your organization is looking at ERP as a way to reduce costs, increase revenue, or scale for growth, and you should estimate and measure benefits against these metrics if you are going to realize the full potential of ERP.

Keep your options open. While this may sound more like dating advice, it's also relevant to choosing an ERP package. Contrary to common belief, there are more than just two to three primary ERP software vendors. Although two to three software vendors constitute a majority of market share and marketing dollars, there are at least 70 viable ERP software solutions in the market, all with varying degrees of functionality and strengths. 

Too many companies choose a solution based on brand name or based on what competitors are doing. Instead, organizations need to consider the options that are going to best meet their unique business requirements and sources of competitive advantage.

Look for objective and independent advice. Ask colleagues, employees, and other contacts what they use or recommend for a company like yours. Conduct research on the internet or hire an ERP consultant if necessary. In any case, don't assume you have all the answers if you don't have experience with ERP. Find other sources of independent ERP advice to validate what you're hearing from software sales reps.

With these seven steps, you and your organization will be much more likely to be one of the ERP success stories rather than one of the ERP nightmares we've all read about. 

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