Uncategorized Archives

The Billion-Dollar Simplicity Paradox

November 2, 2026 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

I recently found myself reading about the history of Cabbage Patch Kids, as it was a famous doll when I was a kid and wanted to learn more. Kudos to the beauty of curiosity. One minute you’re reading about business, and the next you’re learning how a doll with a name, a birth certificate, and an adoption story became one of the biggest toy phenomena of the 1980s. Let’s dissect this for a second. Someone took a stuffed doll, gave it a personality, convinced people they weren’t buying it but adopting it, and created an extraordinary commercial success. Meanwhile, the […]

Replacing Microsoft Dynamics GP: Why 2029 Is Closer Than It Looks

October 28, 2026 | 0 Comments | Alex Miles

For organizations still using Microsoft Dynamics GP, 2029 may seem like plenty of time to replace the system. In ERP terms, it isn’t. Selecting and implementing a new ERP is a significant undertaking, which is why organizations should start planning now. Microsoft is encouraging GP customers to move to Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC), but BC should not be viewed as a simple upgrade. Moving from Microsoft Dynamics GP to BC is effectively a new ERP implementation, with configuration, integrations, data conversion, testing, and training all needing to be addressed. If you are going through that effort, it makes sense […]

Does Automation Lead to Job Layoffs?

February 22, 2026 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

Andrew Coyne wrote an article in the Globe & Mail on February 12 entitled “The AI job apocalypse is coming. Or is it?” He acknowledges there will be layoffs but there will also be productivity gains, which has historically been a driving force in a growing economy. “AI’s technological advances may not cost workers their jobs, but enhance them, allowing each to produce more with the same effort.” I think they will also be able to focus on more value-added services, which could lead to new business and a growing company. It’s too early to know what will happen for […]

3 Tips for a Successful ERP Hypercare Period

February 4, 2026 | 0 Comments | Alice Mai

3 Quick Tips On prepping for your user acceptance testing – Shared by Alex Miles, Partner at 180 Systems. Ensure you have a clear agenda with detailed steps. Have reference orders. Eliminate distractions for your team. […]

Why Technology Due Diligence Matters Before a Merger (3)

Technology Due Diligence Before a Merger

December 25, 2025 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

Mergers often feel like the corporate version of the holidays. There is excitement, anticipation, big plans, and the optimistic belief that everything will come together beautifully. But just like the holidays, the part that looks magical on the outside usually hides a fair amount of scrambling behind the scenes. And while leaders gather around the deal table making lists and checking them twice, technology due diligence somehow gets treated like the last-minute gift someone remembers on the way to the party. A quick stop, a rushed decision, and a hope that everything works out. Spoiler alert: it usually does not. […]

Looking back

December 16, 2025 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

180 Systems is having our best year with revenue growth of about 40% over last year. It’s ironic that we are growing so quickly now, when as some of you know, I have been doing this kind of work for a very long time. In fact, most of my colleagues, friends and even my spouse retired years ago. The reasons for growth have a lot to do with my partner, Alex Miles, who is young, smart and ambitious. We have also hired a great team – there are 8 of us now and hopefully you will have the opportunity to work […]

The Canvas Behind the Field Service Showpiece (1)

From Shadows to Structure in Field Service

December 11, 2025 | 1 Comments | Amanda David

Field service looks simple from a distance. A customer calls, a technician arrives, the problem gets fixed, and everyone moves on with their day. In reality, it resembles a Rembrandt painting. What appears calm from across the room reveals far more depth and tension when you step closer. The surface may look tidy, but the truth lives in the low light. The most common field service problems rarely burst in like a spotlight. They behave more like the shadows Caravaggio and Da Vinci loved to paint, subtle and creeping in from the edges. They hide in small inefficiencies and only […]

Not Just The Top 10 ERP Systems

February 5, 2025 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

Some consultants will identify the top 10 ERP systems or just consider them in software selection projects. These systems have the largest customer base and typically have: Modern user interfaces Invested large sums in R&D to take advantage of new technology like AI. Invested large sums in security. But should you also consider lesser-known systems that cater to a specific industry? Advantages of Lesser-Known ERP Systems They are usually industry specific and also include business processes optimized for the industry and industry experts to implement the system. Licensing and implementation are usually less expensive. They are often less difficult to […]

Personal Message from Michael Burns

October 27, 2020 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

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BENCHMARKING: Get the Gain

December 4, 2010 | 7 Comments | 180systems

April 2008 from the Supply Chain Management Review – “…Another important reality is that benchmarking brings a necessary level of objectivity to performance evaluation. The subjective notion that “We think we’re pretty good” isn’t really good enough. That was the trap we fell into at Compaq when it came to order cycle time until the benchmarking told us otherwise. The reality is that self-opinion doesn’t truly matter to customers, who are comparing you against other suppliers… The biggest hurdle to benchmarking is coming up with standard ways to compare one company’s operations with another’s in order to make “like-for-like” comparisons…” […]