ARE YOU READY FOR DIGITALIZATION?

ABAS PRODUCT WORLD:SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS MODEL

BE A DIGITAL CHAMPION WITH ERP EXCELLENCE

4,000 SATISFIED CUSTOMERS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

MIDMARKET COMPANION

SEVEN STEPS TO GO LIVE

MARKET EXPERIENCE

MIDMARKET COMPANION

DIGITALIZATION

04 Be a digital champion with ERP excellence

MARKET EXPERIENCE

06 Midmarket companion

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO 08 Ready for the digital future

LEADERSHIP 10 Thinking about tomorrow today

PRODUCTION 12 Optimal planning.

Agile control.

FINANCES AND ACCOUNTING 14 Master finances.

Plan strategically.

SALES 16 Transparent and mobile

ORDER PROCESSING 18 Work efficiently, securely and

structured

04

06

10

DIGITALIZATION

BE A DIGITAL CHAMPION WITH ERP EXCELLENCE

LEADERSHIP

THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW TODAY

CONTENT

SALES

TRANSPARENT AND MOBILE

PURCHASING 19 End-to-end digital

purchasing processes

IT 20 High security.

Low operating costs. Confident future.

IMPLEMENTATION WITH STRATEGY 22 Seven steps to Go Live

ABAS IN ACTION 24 Live operation:

Turning goals into results

INNOVATION AT ABAS 26 Research. Understanding.

Practical solutions.

REFERENCES 28 Hidden Champions run abas!

ABAS WORLDWIDE 30 Your local experts – in 27 countries

12

16

PRODUCTION

OPTIMAL PLANNING. AGILE CONTROL.

22IMPLEMENTATION WITH STRATEGY

SEVEN STEPS TO GO LIVE 3

For midsize businesses, the impor-tant question is how to master these challenges and what can and must an ERP system contribute. The fact is: ERP solutions are becoming the catalysts and pace-setters of digital transformation. They automate pro-cesses across system and company boundaries, integrate eCommerce platforms and provide the foundation for the Internet of Things.

ERP AND DIGITALIZATION Companies looking to leverage the potential of technological develop-ments such as IoT, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence are more dependent on a highly efficient and networked IT environment than ever before. Modern ERP systems com-bine all relevant commercial, logisti-cal and production data and act as

an interface to third-party systems, platforms and services. Flexible and robust, open yet secure, they optimize workflows and consolidate data into key figures. This demand-ing role as a data and process center requires a new generation of ERP software – and a new self-concept on the part of ERP providers. Rigid, self-contained ERP systems are being replaced by open platforms suitable for networking, and soft-ware providers are transforming themselves into system integrators and digitalization companions.

TEAM SPIRIT INSTEAD OF ONE-MAN SHOW ERP decisions are increasingly focusing on which software provider can best help you prepare for these developments. Digitalization is not a

one-man show: Networking with the right partners is a decisive step on the way to successful digital trans-formation. That's why ERP selection is becoming more about finding a partner with the necessary digitali-zation expertise and understanding of your business processes, rather than just the largest functional pack-age. Only someone who understands how you work can provide you with the right tools and services.

BE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE It doesn't matter whether you're put-ting your existing ERP organization to the test or whether you're already in the middle of the ERP selection process: The sustainability of your system is central to digitalization and thus a cornerstone of your company's ability to compete.

BE A DIGITAL CHAMPION WITH ERP EXCELLENCEDigitalization is changing companies and their value-added chains faster and more profoundly than any previous technological revolution. Prices are falling, run times are getting shorter, and new competitors challenge com-panies of all sizes and industries with innovative products and services.

DIGITALIZATION

MIDMARKET ORGANIZATIONS WITH A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION STRATEGY: 63%

ONCE A STRATEGY IS IDENTIFIED:APPROACH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION WITH A CLEARLY DEFINED PLAN: 51%

INCREASE IN PROFITABILITY OVER LAST 12 MONTHS: 74%*

*BDO Middle Market Digital Transformation Survey 2019

4

IT'S TIME TO GET STARTED!

"Overall our analysis revealed that in small and midsize businesses in particular, there is a significant discrepancy between established and available technologies for digitalization and their use in the companies."

Dr. Gerrit Sames, TH Mittelhessen University of Applied SciencesTHM Theses, Volume 9, Status of the Digitalization of Business Processes to Industry 4.0 in the SME Sector, 2018

"We can't rest on our laurels if we want to continue to successfully assert ourselves on the world market. That's why we've embarked on the path to Industry 4.0. The customer benefits and easy data exchange through intelligent networking are designed to increase our competitiveness."Martin Zeller, Managing Director BASS GmbH & Co. KG

DIGITALIZATION READINESS CHECK

5

MIDMARKET COMPANION

MARKET EXPERIENCE

UNIQUE THROUGH CUSTOMIZATIONStandardization lays the foundation for greater speed and connectivity – and is therefore a necessary conse-quence of digitalization. Neverthe-less, custom processes are what ensure your competitive advantage. After all, every company is different. abas masterfully combines these apparent contradictions: Tried-and-tested, industry-standard workflows serve as guidelines for process modeling and point to optimization potential. At the same time, almost every workflow can be adapted to your own requirements.

RELIABLE THROUGH RELEASE COMPATIBILITYThe core of abas ERP is its unre-stricted ability to upgrade, i.e. abas ERP combines continuous develop-ment with uncomplicated release changes. The upshot? Even custom-ers running a highly customized system are regularly provided the latest technological advancements. All changes, adjustments and expan-sions are automatically integrated – in running operation and without time-consuming migration. That's one of the reasons why abas is a leader in low operating costs!

MODERN THANKS TO MOBILITYWhether distributed project teams, flexible working hours, or quick access to information for an external sales force: Modern work requires the mobile use of your systems – without performance losses or security risks. abas ERP makes your whole business mobile. Using a browser-based web client, your teams can access the ERP instal-lation anywhere, anytime. A broad range of mobile apps provide additional functions tailored to the needs of individual departments, for example, for use in production and warehousing or for sales and service representatives.

HIGHLY NETWORKED THROUGH CONNECTIVITYThe digital transformation is fuel-ing the drive for high connectivity: Smart factories not only need to capture data from a variety of shop-floor level sources, but also analyze it in real-time and automatically pass it along to all planning-level processes involved. abas has always been state-of-the-art when it comes to powerful connectors, end-to-end processes, and easy data exchange with third-party solutions. In addi-tion to proven standard connectors

and programming interfaces, the abas portfolio now includes the inte-gration platform abas Connect to make your company “IoT ready.” This smart middleware significantly sim-plifies communication between any number of applications and sets new standards for adaptability and quick system integration.

TAILORED TO GROWING BUSINESSES! The experience of your software vendor in your industry – not just on paper, but from numerous field-tested ERP implementations – is critical to the success of your IT project. Their ability to think in your processes, to define improvements together with you, and deliver a transparent software implementa-tion are equally essential. abas offers you the combination of broad SME experience in worldwide proj-ects, an exceptionally agile ERP system, and a proven implementa-tion strategy developed to ensure the quick success of your IT project with maximum transparency and consis-tency.

Shaping change and creating new potential has been our business and our passion for almost 40 years – with ground-breaking solutions, intelligent process consulting, and the industry knowledge of our team. As a vision-ary and pioneer in the field of business software, we now provide far more than "just" an ERP system: We com-bine proven ERP with smart services to create a modern IT platform that offers the best foundation to master digital change. Over 4,000 midsize manufacturers currently rely on abas. Ninety-three percent of our customers have stayed with us over the years; 45 percent have relied on abas for more than ten years. It's a fact we're really proud of, because it proves that we live up to our most important aspiration – to provide reliability. Especially in the dynamic digitalization environment.

6

BEST SCORES FOR• STABILITY (1.3) • ADAPTABILITY (1.5) • SUITABILITY FOR SMES (1.7) • UPGRADE COMPATIBILITY (1.8)*

4,000 SME CUSTOMERS

93% CUSTOMER LOYALTY

"The thorough preparation paid off. For us, this was real teamwork: A successful large project with a superb result."Andreas Wetzel, Head of Business ConsultingMEIKO Group global

* Tro

vari

t sur

vey

"ER

P in

pra

ctic

e: U

ser

satis

fact

ion,

ben

efits

, and

per

spec

tives

201

8/20

19"

7

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO

READY FOR THE DIGITAL FUTUREThe abas product portfolio provides end-to-end support for all business processes – with software that was developed for the midmarket. And the technology is ready to meet the challenges you will face in the course of digitalization – either today or in the next few years. You set the pace, but with the assurance that you always have the right IT.

BASIS ADD-ONS CONNECTIVITY

PROCESSES

Sales Purchasing

Business Intelligence

EDI Workflows

Finances/Controlling

Warehouse

Service PDC

Production

APS

DMS

B2B Portal/

Webshop

eInvoicing

Mobile Solutions

Automotive & Supply

Project Management

IoT Platform

Supply Chain

Third-Party Systems

8

ROBUST, PROVEN FOUNDATIONWhether management or controlling, purchasing or sales, production or warehousing, service or account-ing: abas ERP is 100% midmarket-tested-and-proven. When you use abas, you're working with reliable software that utilizes best practices from many years of ERP implemen-tations. From you, the midmarket.

FLEXIBLE AND REQUIREMENT-ORIENTED EXPANSIONNot every SME needs the same things. But everything you do need must fit seamlessly into an inte-grated system. abas develops soft-ware based on this principle and provides you with add-ons to meet your additional requirements – from APS, DMS, and Project Management to automotive and mobile solutions with a broad range of configurations.

OPEN FOR MORE PLAYERSOpenness has made abas ERP great – our software has always supported interaction with third-party sys-tems. abas Connect, an integration platform that enables communica-tion between systems and services via configuration, makes openness simple and cost-effective.

COMBINE AND OPTIMIZE PROCESSESabas ERP helps you design secure processes. With abas BPM, you can establish process security across all systems and actors throughout your company and kick off the thorough optimization of your process world.

SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR INDUSTRY

Always midmarket and always industry-oriented. Our software solutions are tailored to the spe-cific demands of your industry:

• Metal fabrication• Automotive industry• Mechanical and plant

engineering• Electronics• Distribution• Medical engineering• Professional services

Many of our customers are Hidden Champions in their market. Find out more:

“We required flexible business software to cover our broad range of fields. Today, all departments can use one solution.”Joachim Hellrung, Head of ITFassmer GmbH & Co. KG

9

THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW TODAYOf course, when choosing an ERP solution, you should keep an eye on expanding your ability to compete. It's important to set your business up for future success – with an integrated process landscape and a clear digitalization strategy. The new ERP solution must provide the neces-sary process orientation, agility, and openness.

The standard release provides high-level functional suitability combined with simple custom-izing for day-to-day business. In your investment decision, be sure to include the expected operating costs and look for a solution that supports low-cost release changes with minimal internal disruption.

"abas ERP gave us wings: If you want to build an airplane, you need turbines, not pedals. Software is similar. abas ERP really helped us take off."Frank Hermann, Managing ShareholderWMH GROUP GERMANY

COMPANY LEADERSHIP

10

THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOBThousands of ERP projects in 27 countries have made abas ERP the functionally mature software it is today. In addition to the core ERP system, which covers all the pro-cesses required to run a business, a wide range of expansions is avail-able. These expansions support specific individual requirements and range from function add-ons, such as DMS or compliance screening, to industry packages and mobile applications.

KEY FIGURES As a business leader, it's critical that you have an overview of all KPIs to identify weaknesses at an early stage. Thanks to a high degree of integration, abas ERP is able to con-solidate key figures based on real-time data: Revenue and contribution margin development, production key figures, opportunities, accounts receivable, liabilities, or liquidity. The information you need is prepared in manageable dashboards that high-light critical processes and can be accessed on the go.

FLEXIBILITY AND OPERATING COSTS abas ERP uniquely combines flex-ibility and upgrade compatibility. According to the current Trovarit survey report1, no other ERP solution for SMEs makes it easier to config-ure and automate critical business processes on the fly. The costs of adjustments can be kept to a mini-mum. This leads to cost advantages of up to 20% when compared to other solutions.

BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENTProcess optimization is a great opportunity to improve your overall competitiveness. With the business process management solution abas BPM, you can model and optimize business processes across systems and companies. Whether procure-ment workflows, disruption manage-ment, or service processes: Tasks are structurally processed in a work-flow – either automatically in abas ERP and other systems or by per-sons and groups within your com-pany or at customers and vendors. This ensures maximum process stability, integrated workflows, and reduced error rates and processing times.

TOP-DOWN DIGITALIZATIONAgile companies that drive change will achieve clear competitive advan-tages in the new digital markets. According to a Bitkom survey2, 78 percent of companies established a digital strategy in 2018, at least at a departmental level. abas helps com-panies make end-to-end digitization a reality, one step at a time. Our integration platform, abas Connect, enables flexible and easy standard-ized communication between dif-ferent systems, not just with abas ERP, but also with IoT platforms. A number of IoT projects have already been implemented, for example, for product tracking via RFID or in the sensor-based shop floor control.

1 Trovarit survey "ERP in practice 2018/2019“2 Compared to 68 percent in 2017 (Bitkom survey on the status of digitalization in the German economy 2018)

abas BPM

Access up-to-date critical key figures

11

OPTIMAL PLANNING. AGILE CONTROL.As an operations manager in a manufacturing company, complex manufacturing processes, machine breakdowns, capacity shortages, and tight delivery schedules mean quick decisions are part of your daily routine. Digitalization is adding a new dynamic: How can you address challenges such as predictive maintenance, advanced analytics, and smart robotics?

abas has specialized in the manufacturing industry right from the start. That's why planning and controlling manufacturing processes is one of the greatest strengths of our solutions.

“Thanks to abas, we reduced our stocks by half. Reduction of inventory costs has brought us a serious competitive advantage.” Cemalettin Özmen, IT Manager Uzay Kalip

PRODUCTION

12

PRODUCTION PLANNING abas ERP combines all relevant planning data for schedulers, includ-ing sales orders with minimum stock replenishment orders, stocks with procurements, machine utilization with lead times, and delivery dates with procurement deadlines. You can plan your production on the basis of this interconnected data. abas ERP automatically creates work order suggestions and machine allo-cations while taking deadlines and capacities into account. Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) visu-alizes production capacities, identi-fies bottlenecks, and streamlines sequences.

PRODUCTION CONTROL The production center is your control cockpit in abas ERP. Here you can view and modify work order sug-gestions and work orders, monitor schedules, create shop floor papers, post material withdrawals, or read-ily identify and resolve issues such as missing parts or unposted PDC documents.

PRODUCTION EXECUTION Without feedback from production, even the best planning can quickly become irrelevant. For this reason, plant data collection is a standard abas component. Processing times as well as actual, scrap and rework quantities, and their causes, are recorded during production – at a terminal or via mobile devices. The integration platform abas Connect facilitates the data flow to and from your machines, via simple, con-figurable system connections. Well-prepared information for your work-ers is also essential for maintaining smooth production. This information is managed using a work list of prioritized steps – either as text, graphics or audio-visual.

WAREHOUSING AND SHIPPING PLANNING abas ERP schedules, manages and controls all stock movements between vendors, customers, pro-duction and warehouses. Serial numbers, lot management, and product tracking at the container level keep you on top of your ware-housing and shipping. The ERP soft-ware also provides optimal coordina-tion for the flow of goods, including route-optimized picking, automated consideration of shipping packaging material, and packaging planning. This way you can achieve accelerated inventory turnover and optimal stock levels, while maintaining a high level of delivery readiness.

SERVICE MANAGEMENT Your service management is also continuously supported by abas ERP – from the first service request to scheduling engineers; from invoic-ing to documenting the full service history. For maintenance and service

assignments, your engineers can use mobile abas apps to conveniently access information about appoint-ments, service orders, and custom-ers or report back assignment data via a tablet or smartphone.

IOT READY As an ERP provider focused on small and medium-sized enterprises, we accompany our customers through their digital transformation at the process level. abas ERP offers the necessary integration depth and process orientation to drive the end-to-end digitalization of your value chain. The integration platform abas Connect supports digitalization efforts in two ways: First, it ensures feedback from order, operating and maintenance data in real time. On the other hand, it enables commu-nication between abas ERP and your IoT platform, which can be used to realize IoT projects, such as predic-tive maintenance.

Machine capacity utilization, critical work orders, scrap rates, missing parts lists – direct access to central information

13

MASTER FINANCES. PLAN STRATEGICALLY.Your area of operations is characterized by business thinking. You've got to stay on top of procurement and production costs and evaluate cumulative sales figures, while ensuring liquidity and managing risks.

That's why high-performance reporting across all business units is critical. Your expectations for your ERP system are high – process and data security, consistent adherence to and support of legal requirements, and significant reduction of administrative costs.

“In the last 10 years, we’ve increased sales volume by 25%, increased our finished product references by almost 200%, and all with an organic growth of only 5 people; all this undoubtedly and to a large extent, is thanks to abas ERP.”Emilio Casan Arolas, CFOBelloch Laboratories

FINANCES AND ACCOUNTING

14

FULLY INTEGRATED SYSTEM abas ERP offers you the full integra-tion of accounting in all ERP areas – from purchasing, materials man-agement, manufacturing, and sales to service and project management. All financial and operational data are available in a single system, and material and value flows are seam-lessly linked. The result is precise key performance indicators for oper-ational planning and control that sig-nificantly simplify results-oriented business management.

CONTROLLING Regardless of whether year-over-year P&L comparisons, contribution margins, sales, vendor key figures, price developments in purchasing, stock values, or customer payment behavior: abas ERP dashboards pro-vide an overview of all relevant key figures at all times and also enable you to drill down directly to the detailed analysis of individual KPIs. The motto is as simple as possible: Self-service Business Intelligence ensures maximum intuitive usability to create real-time analyses, which you can even use on the go.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING abas ERP provides best-practice-based workflows for all areas of accounting that considerably reduce time requirements and costs. This also applies to accounts receivable and accounts payable as well as G/L accounting, payment transactions, outstanding items, reminders, mate-rial and production cost posting, or group accounting. Take advantage of time-saving aids such as automated posting processes, payment sugges-tions, the creation of payment for-mats for domestic and foreign pay-ments, depreciation calculations, or

plausibility and completeness checks for the P&L statement and balance sheet. You can easily create custom cost object and project cost evalu-ations, and fixed asset accounting is integrated so that the status and value of your assets can be tracked throughout their life cycles with just a few clicks.

LIQUIDITY PLANNING Liquidity planning is also part of the complete package. Starting with the current liquidity status, the outstanding items from purchas-ing and sales as well as all delivery and invoice commitments are added or deducted and distributed across a definable time axis. Individual configuration options are available for all other planned payments and receipts. Deadline scenarios help you to simulate various alternative courses of action.

INVOICING AND DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT abas ERP complies with many cur-rent accounting regulations and standards. Invoices are electronically sent and archived. abas DMS helps you secure, manage and organize documents from abas ERP and other sources in an automated and entirely audit-proof process.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT Does your company have a pro-nounced project business? abas PM delivers the tools to better plan capacities and costs. From purchas-ing and sales to controlling, project management is integrated in all core business processes. The integration in production processes represents a particular benefit for all machine and plant manufacturers as well as one-off manufacturers.

Informative finance cockpit

Liquidity planning

15

TRANSPARENT AND MOBILEDo your sales teams have access to all the information they need? Are you still recording sales data in isolated applications? Do you spend too much time searching and recording information? Would your sales representatives profit from mobile applications they can use off site?

abas offers software solutions that make your day-to-day business easier. You and your employees can focus fully on your core tasks – customer acquisition and sales – whether in your office or on the move.

"Thanks to a stock query function through the web-site and our abas Webshop with a plate-cut calculator, our customers experience a very specific benefit – manual calculations are no longer necessary. A pricing procedure that runs up to the placement of the order makes the whole process comfortable and profitable for the customer as well as for our sales team – and that leads to a higher customer loyalty. " Silke Bartolf, MarketingGEHR GmbH

SALES

16

SALES CONTROLabas ERP provides clear information centers that deliver the data you need to increase your sales success: Revenue and contribution margins; development of opportunities, quota-tions and orders within a quarter; commissions per product and sales employee; and much more.

WELL PREPARED FOR EVERY CUSTOMER INTERACTIONYour internal sales team receives a call and now needs to quickly have the necessary transactions and information at hand. Just one click on the customer or prospect file is all it takes: Revenue, outstanding items, sales orders and their current statuses, current service processes, tasks, and notes are all bundled there. The integrated document management system also grants access to archived documents directly in abas ERP. Your sales team has the comprehensive overview necessary for close-knit customer care.

SALES PROCESSESEverything in a single system: The end-to-end process consistency of abas ERP is particularly valued by customers. Users are guided through the process flows step-by-step – from creating an opportunity or quotation to order management and recording packing slips and invoices. In addition, you benefit from automated assistance such as the creation of various shipping documents, forwarding orders, or electronic invoicing. Sales planning is also performed directly in abas ERP using your preferred forecast-ing method. Prices for products or services are calculated in the system and recorded in detail – including price lists in domestic and foreign currencies, discount scales, and special promotions with validity periods.

CUSTOMER PORTAL AND WEBSHOPabas's web-based customer portal helps your business partners stay closely involved in sales and service processes. Grant your customers online access to current stock levels, quotations, orders, packing slips, and invoices. Or create a B2B web-shop where your customers can find products with their individual prices and discounts, check product availability, and place orders. The deep integration with abas ERP has distinct advantages: Prices and catalog structures only need to be created once in the ERP system and are then transferred from there to the customer portal or webshop in real time.

MOBILITY FOR YOUR EXTERNAL TEAMSIn addition to a Windows GUI, abas offers a browser-based web client for abas ERP. This means you can use the full scope of abas ERP fea-tures regardless of location. With a smartphone, sales representatives can utilize abas Mobile CRM – an app that provides a graphical overview of transactions, tasks and appoint-ments, as well as navigation, email and phone integration for customer contacts. abas Mobile CRM runs on iOS, Android, and Windows 10 and can also be used offline.

All sales data at a glance – even on the go

17

WORK EFFICIENTLY, SECURELY AND STRUCTURED

ORDER PROCESSING

Efficiently organized order processing is crucial to achieving customer satisfaction. Missed delivery deadlines, faulty deliveries, insufficient information provided to the customer, or defaulted payments are often due to defi-ciencies in order processing. As an employee in order processing you know the pressure this creates. You expect your ERP software to anticipate, stabilize and simplify processes, so you can find required information quickly and complete tasks in just a few clicks.

RELIABLE PROCESSES – EASY TO USEabas ERP provides structured and transparent support through every stage of the customer order process – from the initial request, pricing, quotation, sales order, and provision of related information to delivery and accounting. You work with a user-friendly interface and benefit from numerous automated processes. For example, sales orders can be gener-ated directly from a quotation, a web order, or via EDI. Or delivery docu-ments, shipping orders, and ATLAS customs data are created automati-cally.

In addition, abas ERP displays the next possible steps in each process. This adds efficiency and reliability to order processing. For example, availability checks or automated scheduling of order items in production can be triggered with a single click.

YOUR PERSONAL DASHBOARDA tailored dashboard grants you access to the applications you need on a daily basis. This streamlines your work environment so you have more time to focus on the topics that matter most. Thanks to intuitive navigation and an easy-to-use sug-gestion search, all other processes are quickly available. Whether out-standing sales orders and invoices or notes to customers: Find what you need faster and save valuable time.

QUICK ASSISTANCEOne of your customers has a ques-tion? The customer file enables you to provide information about any order, regardless of whether it concerns the current processing status, the delivery date, or adjust-ments to the preferred quantity or delivery date. With abas ERP, you have a highly integrated system that provides a complete history for every sales order – including confirma-tions from production or archived documents. With this information you can permanently contribute to the satisfaction of your customers.

Quick, convenient order processing

Your 360° view of customer information

18

END-TO-END DIGITAL PURCHASING PROCESSES

PURCHASING

Professional procurement increases your company's earnings. Thoroughly digitalized processes involving vendors offer additional savings potential. At the same time, high delivery performance – and the ever-present question of how to shorten procurement periods – remain in focus.

PURCHASING ACTIVITIES CENTERYou have control over operative pur-chasing via the abas ERP purchasing activities center. All order processes are integrated – from requests and purchase order suggestions to pur-chase orders, goods receipt, and invoice verification.

BIDDING PROCESSabas ERP accelerates and automates your request management. The sys-tem creates purchase order sugges-tions and initiates the bidding pro-cess, provided there are no defined vendors recorded. Inquiries can then be sent automatically.

PRICE OPTIMIZATIONPrice optimization in abas ERP helps you to purchase goods under the best possible conditions. For example, you receive a notification when it's possible to optimize the price based on recorded quantity variances. All procurement costs are transparent: abas ERP displays precise expenditures, such as raw material prices and freight costs.

VENDOR SELECTIONTake advantage of the quick 360° overview of your vendors: The ven-dor file gives you access to current processes, procurement proposals, outstanding deliveries, etc. By com-paring vendor conditions – includ-ing price scales, discount scales, shipping periods, blanket orders, and material surcharges – you can identify which vendor best meets your requirements for each product you order.

STRATEGIC VENDOR VALUATIONAs an experienced purchasing agent, you want to evaluate your vendor pool. The business intelligence solu-tion from abas provides a detailed overview of delivery reliability, reclamations, purchasing volume, and price development via dash-boards or ad-hoc analyses. Identify vendor risks and potential points for the next time you negotiate conditions.

CONSISTENT DIGITALIZATION IN PURCHASINGDigitally design your procurement processes from end to end: From determining requirements to pur-chase order suggestions and order-ing C parts – all automated by abas ERP. The purchase orders are placed via EDI or a webshop connection. The digital process culminates in digital invoicing and payment processing.

Act quickly on all procurement processes

Closely monitor delivery reliability

19

HIGH SECURITY. LOW OPERATING COSTS. CONFIDENT FUTURE.

"I've been impressed by how simple it is to operate the system."Craig Thibodeau, IT/ERP Coordinator Cadman Power Equipment

IT

As an IT manager, you're not only responsible for your company's operational readiness and process opti-mization. You're also responsible for the transformation of your existing IT landscape and establishing the foundations for the far-reaching digitalization of your company. You expect your ERP system to utilize modern technology principles, to provide maximum openness and integration capability, to balance high release capability with simultaneous flexibility, and to be a robust system platform with guaranteed data and process security.

20

SECURE AND READY FOR THE FUTUREThe underlying technologies of abas ERP guarantee the highest possible process and data security as well as full development potential. A unique characteristic is the outstanding combination of flexibility and release capability, which allows you to adapt your ERP system not only to your current needs, but also to future requirements. Paired with the pro-nounced openness of the system, the foundation is laid for the consistent digitalization of your processes and the implementation of new business models.

NETWORKED IT LANDSCAPEIn addition to standard connectors and a REST API, the abas Connect integration platform is available, which enables you to implement all your company's connections – even ones independent of abas ERP.Integrations are implemented via a graphical editor, no programming necessary. Interface maintenance is also considerably simplified. Imple-mented routes can be easily reused for new integrations.

BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENTabas BPM offers the support needed to make your processes more efficient and enables you to react quickly to change. The solu-tion, which is available on-premise or from abas Cloud and is based on the BPMN 2.0 standard, helps you optimize your business processes. Employees, customers, vendors, and abas ERP as well as other systems are fully integrated. Workflows and their tasks are incorporated in daily work routines and monitored via dashboards. This way you can estab-lish sustainable, agile processes throughout your company.

MOBILITYWith abas ERP, you can flexibly and inexpensively meet all internal requirements for working on the go. Using the browser-based abas Web Client, your teams can access the ERP installation from anywhere. The only prerequisite is an HTML5-capable browser – IT expenses are kept to a minimum. A broad range of mobile apps are included in the abas product portfolio. These apps sup-port your employees in practical sce-narios, for example, as mobile appli-cations for warehousing, production, sales representatives, or customer service – even offline.

ON-PREMISE OR CLOUD?When it comes to operating models, abas offers you the choice between a classic on-premise installation or a Cloud-based solution. When choosing the Cloud, you first need to decide whether you want to utilize a hybrid Cloud approach, where select applications are Cloud-based, but the core ERP solution is hosted in your own data center, or whether a full migration to the Cloud is an option for you.

BEST OPERATING COSTSWith abas ERP, your operating costs remain low, because the high release compatibility ensures that adjust-ments can be made smoothly during running operation. When it comes to TCC (Total Costs of Change), abas is unrivaled.

CUSTOMIZINGabas ERP offers total security for your modifications, even for highly individualized installations. abas ESDK is available as a customizing tool to assist you with development and to support the convenient and secure roll out of your customiza-tions. Or you can find out which apps and extensions are available for abas ERP in the abas Marketplace: marketplace.abas.com

Easily design workflows

abas Connect

21

"We were able to reduce errors and increase delivery reliability. abas completely understood our requirements and precisely tailored the system to our needs."Xiao Min, Project Manager TAYA Canvas

IMPLEMENTATION WITH STRATEGY

IMPLEMENTATION IS VITALBefore you go live, you'll first need to complete the implementation phase. Nearly 40 years of project experi-ence have shown us that in addition to the ERP software, the success of an ERP project depends on project organization, transparency, and the early application proficiency of your employees. This is exactly what we focus on during implementation.

ABAS GIM: SUCCESS HAS A METHODSecurity, efficiency and transpar-ency are top priorities in our abas ERP implementation strategy. All abas VARs around the globe adhere to abas GIM (Global Implementa-tion Method) – a proven seven-step methodology that guarantees high deadline and budget reliability and ensures that the ERP project is never a “black box.” We prioritize commu-

nication, professional courtesy, and the involvement of all project participants. Goals, sub-projects, schedule and cost developments, as well as priorities are constantly synchronized. This allows us to recognize undesirable developments early on and counteract them on time. The result: abas stands out with implementation periods that are 30 percent below the market average and ensure a quick ROI.

SEVEN STEPS TO GO LIVEDone! You've decided on an ERP system and you’re eager to get started. After all, you expect your investment to yield results as quickly as possible: Cost savings, increased process speeds, decreased error rates, growing customer satisfaction, and greater transparency.

22

GLOBAL IMPLEMENTATION METHOD

#1 #2

#5

#7

#3

#6#4

STARTA project team is formed

for the ERP implementation – with one customer-side and one abas-side project

manager as well as key users and consultants. In the kick-off meeting, objectives

and project procedures are presented, joint

responsibilities laid out, and an initial capacity plan and

schedule defined.

ORGANIZATIONNow all project participants

have the necessary foundation to evaluate the various

aspects of the project. The path from the ACTUAL state

to the TARGET state is defined together in the implementation

concept – using work packages, which outline

requirement details, priorities, time frames, participants, and costs. That's how we establish

real transparency.

SMART CHECKWe need to understand what makes you tick. We analyze and document your ACTUAL

processes in workshops and determine how "digital

ready" your organization is. This is the basis for the

later definition of necessary measures and project

priorities.

CONFIGURATIONStep by step, the work

packages will be configured, documented, tested by you,

and released as partial results. Only after you

approve a work package will work begin on subsequent work packages that build off of it. This ensures that teams can intervene early if a configuration needs to

be reworked. This iterative, incremental approach delivers maximum security throughout

the project.

QUALIFICATIONNow you need to understand what makes abas ERP tick. That's why in the next step

we'll introduce your key users to the standard processes in

abas ERP. These are based on best practices for individual

business departments. Your advantage: Instead of isolated functions, your key

users get to know tested-and-proven workflows and can align their daily operations

with abas ERP's capabilities.

TRAININGThe next step is to train all

employees. They will be trained directly by your key

users. This train-the-trainer approach is not only cost-

effective, it also guarantees a high level of practical

relevance in user training because your employees learn the program in terms of your

company's processes.

GO LIVEStart as lean as possible – that's our recommendation to you. Because of its flexibility, abas ERP allows

later-prioritized processes to be implemented during running operation. That's why we're ready for productive operation as soon as all core processes run smoothly. This way you can get started quickly and take pressure

off your employees thanks to a short introductory period.

23

LIVE OPERATION: TURNING GOALS INTO RESULTS

ABAS IN ACTION

"abas is constantly evolving. It's great to see how this drives us, the user companies. Heading into the future with confidence – that's worth a lot."Montse Ramón, Executive BoardIndustrias Tapla S.L

After the implementation is where it gets really exciting: The ERP system has to prove itself in everyday operation and deliver the desired output – year after year and under increasingly dynamic conditions! Value-added chains change, new locations are added, and ever-faster advances in technology force IT infrastruc-ture to be adapted continuously. We ensure the efficient operation of your ERP system throughout the ERP life-cycle and clear the way for you to focus on your core business.

24

SUPPORT & TRAINING For us, being customer oriented is not just a sales argument, but a promise: Our experts support you with industry expertise and process proficiency in the continuous optimi-zation of your workflows. The abas support team is there to help you with all questions during running operation quickly and efficiently.

abas Academy's versatile training program offers first-hand knowledge transfer from trainers with many years of project experience. In addi-tion to in-person training at various training locations and on-premise courses, eLearning (webinars and online courses) provides maximum flexibility in planning your training measures.

USER COMMUNITYThe abas Community is an active user community where you can exchange knowledge with other Hid-den Champions. You'll find numer-ous contributions made by abas users, developers and partners. Or you can ask your own questions in the community and benefit from the pooled knowledge available there.

The abas Conference is an important meeting place for midmarket com-panies, where we present the latest abas features every two years and discuss current ERP and IT trends.

UNMATCHED ECONOMIC EFFICIENCYIn the course of digitalization, the demand for ERP system agility is also increasing. What's often over-looked in the selection process, especially by SMEs, is the "Total Cost of Change" effect due to releases and process modifications. In a com-parative study by techconsult GmbH, abas ERP stood out in terms of total cost-effectiveness. In contrast to many other ERP systems, abas suc-ceeds in keeping operating costs up to 20 percent below those of com-petitors – thanks in part to uncom-plicated release changes, a smart workflow designer, and significantly lower expenses for external service providers.

The result: 93 percent customer loyalty and above-average customer satisfaction and recommendation rates. We're proud of that.

TRAINING COURSES

ONLINE COURSES

WEBINARS

ABAS COMMUNITY

500 POSTS PER MONTH

13.0HIGH SUPPORT SATISFACTION

AVERAGE PERIOD OF USE

OPERATING COSTS

LOWERED

YEARS

25

RESEARCH. UNDERSTANDING. PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS.

INNOVATION AT ABAS

"We want to be ready for the future."Edward Langston, Managing Director Multiwall Division Langston Companies, Inc.

On average, companies currently use their ERP system for 11.7 years1. There's a good reason why agility and sustainability are so crucial. In addition, an IT partner who develops appropriate solutions at an early stage, especially during times of disruptive changes, can be a significant benefit.

26

RESEARCH – FOCUSED ON DIGITALIZATIONFor years, abas has cooperated with renowned scientific institu-tions throughout Germany, includ-ing RWTH Aachen, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and the University of Applied Sciences in Pforzheim, to develop appli-cable IoT solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises. We're currently focused on projects such as real-time shop floor controls, location systems for production and logistics, energy management solu-tions, and smart assembly tables. Work has started on the first projects for predictive maintenance and 3D prototyping in cooperation with IoT platform providers.

ABAS LABS – THE EXCLUSIVE INNOVATIONS PLATFORMResearch and development for known requirements: With our customer program abas Labs (www.abas-erp.com/de/abas-labs) we integrate the most important experts directly into our product development – our users. Labs par-ticipants get early access to new products, product enhancements,

and beta technologies; interact with product management, soft-ware architects, and subject mat-ter experts; and provide important impetus for the practical implemen-tation of innovative solutions.

ABAS MARKETPLACE – PERFECT BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATIONDigitalization requires an open plat-form concept, which simplifies broad collaboration. Our approach is to provide you with maximum transpar-ency about abas solutions as well as complementary offers from partners in the digitalization environment. The abas Marketplace (marketplace.abas.com) provides you with a plat-form where you can find, in addi-tion to the abas product portfolio, numerous apps, templates, add-ons and services that streamline your processes and support your digitali-zation efforts.

ABAS ERP CLOUD – CHOOSE YOUR OPERATING MODELUndoubtedly, the infrastructure changes involved in moving to Cloud-based solutions is a central component of the digital transforma-

tion. The aim is to implement new, agile and high-performance busi-ness models, especially in the IoT environment and without excessive capital commitment. The advantages of the Cloud are obvious: High per-formance even with a large data vol-ume. Investment in hardware and IT personnel is eliminated. Implemen-tation is quick and cost-effective, and scaling is based on needs and resources.

Nevertheless, there is still skepti-cism, particularly among midmarket companies, about migrating their own ERP system – the heart of their business operations – from a local installation entirely into the Cloud. For this reason, abas also offers a hybrid Cloud operating model. With this model, your ERP system remains in your local infrastructure while you also leverage individual applications in the Cloud. The choice is yours.

1 Trovarit survey "ERP in practice: User satisfaction, benefits, and perspectives 2018/2019"

abas Marketplace

abas Labs

27

REFERENCES

HIDDEN CHAMPIONS RUN ABAS!Small and medium-sized companies often lead the world market in their sub-sector. They are highly specialized businesses that run on passion and an innovative spirit and are often key contributors to their country's economic success.

These Hidden Champions use ERP solutions from abas:

Zoller,Germany

ABEL Pump Technology,

Germany

ADA Cosmetics, Germany

Auerswald, Germany

Bachiller, Spain

ADAPT Elektronik, Germany

AMS Tôlerie Fine, France

Andritz Ritz, Germany

Bass, Germany

CGR, France

Durand- Wayland,

USA

GIC Grupul Industrial

Componente,Romania

Medical Deve-lopment and Engineering,

India

Polymaster Group,

Australia

Beckwood Corporation,

USA

Düker,Germany

KUIPERS technologies,

Germany

MEIKO Maschinenbau,

Germany

Printpark,Turkey

Buss, Switzerland

Computrol, USA

Fluid Controls,

India

LISEGA Group,

Germany

CabTec, Switzerland

CTR Manufacturing

Industries,India

Gehr Kunststoff-

werk,Germany

MAPLAN,Austria

WMH Group,Germany

Bralo, Spain

Ernst Umform-technik,Germany

Laboratories

Belloch,Spain

Pankl Racing Systems,Austria

Industrias Tapla,Spain

BRUK, Poland

CINCARIA, Malaysia

Fassmer,Germany

Langston Companies,

USA

Perrier,France

Tigges Fastener

Technology, Malaysia

Burgmaier Technologies,

Germany

Clarion Technologies,

USA

Flaro,Romania

Lékué,Spain

PGO,Poland

Trust Automation,

USA

ChromaScape, USA

Heiniger,Switzerland

Kahlbacher Machinery,Germany

Uzay Kalip,Turkey

28

At abas we are proud that an above-average number of our customers rank among these (world) market lead-ers. Supporting and accompanying them on their path to success – often over decades – is what drives us.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

29

ABAS WORLDWIDE

D/A/CH REGION

YOUR LOCAL EXPERTS – IN 27 COUNTRIES

NUREMBERG

MERZHAUSEN

HÖCHBERG BEI WÜRZBURG

COLOGNE

LÜBECK

HANNOVER

MUNICH

NEUFAHRNROTTWEIL

METTMANN

WUPPERTAL

STEINHAGEN/ GÜTERSLOH

VIENNA

WELS

ST. GALLEN

VOLKETSWIL

GRANGES-PACCOT

KARLSRUHE

NEU- ISENBURG/FRANKFURT

PFORZHEIM

KAUFBEUREN

EBERSBACH

OLDENBURG

HAMBURG

BERLIN

LEINFELDE-WORBIS DRESDEN

30

CONTACT US!We'd be glad to answer your digitalization questions – or you can arrange a non-binding demo appointment!

SALES@ABAS-ERP.COM

EUROPE

WORLDWIDE

TURKEY

ROMANIAHUNGARY

SLOVAKIACZECH

REPUBLIC

NETHER-LANDS

BULGARIA

UKRAINE

POLAND

GERMANY

SPAIN

FRANCE

ITALY

SWITZER-LAND

AUSTRIA

CANADA

USA

BRAZIL

CHINA

AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND

INDONESIA

THAILANDMALAYSIA

SRI LANKA

INDIA

SAUDI ARABIA

EUROPE

31

© abas Software AG Created: May 2019 Subject to change

abasERP

@abasERP

abas ERP

abas Software AG Gartenstraße 67 76135 Karlsruhe

Germany info@abas.dewww.abas.de

NEXT GENERATION ERP SOFTWARE FROM OUR PEOPLE TO YOURS

abas ERP is a registered trademark of abas Software AG.