When you make a decision to purchase an ERP system, you’ll almost certainly also be making a decision on an implementation solution provider as well. Some companies define the relationship with their solution provider as a customer/vendor relationship – a relatively adversarial relationship where the vendor must be closely managed and their “feet must be […]
An Introduction to Standard Costing in the Technology Industry
[The following is a partial transcription of the beginning of a recorded Tensoft SemiOps training webcast, which is available to anyone who’s interested – see video here.] “While semiconductor manufacturing is a process, it also has fixed outcomes, which makes it unique. So it’s not really process manufacturing like food, oil and gas, or paint […]
3 Reasons to Implement ERP Before Production Ramps
Every technology setup is looking to grow, and to grow rapidly. The point where your production and sales are starting to ramp is exciting and challenging. Investing in your next level of ERP needs to be done – the only question is when to do it. Choosing the right ERP solution can have a huge […]
Tensoft SemiOps SI (Supplier integration): How It Got to Where It is Today
Tensoft has been helping semiconductor manufacturers integrate efficiently with their supply chain partners since 2001. During that time, we’ve built integrations to all of the Tier 1 semiconductor supply chain partners, most of the Tier 2 partners, as well as even some very small partners that we worked with as “one-off” integration efforts. As you […]
What Does Tensoft SemiOps Have That My Spreadsheet Doesn’t?
If you’ve been in the semiconductor industry for any length of time, you’ve probably seen some of the world’s most spectacular spreadsheets. You may have even created one of these masterpieces of supply chain planning and execution yourself. If so, our hats are off to you! The semiconductor supply chain is famously complex, so managing […]
Tensoft SemiOps: How Industry-Specific Functionality Makes It Unique
Our fabless semiconductor management solution – Tensoft SemiOps – has been purpose-built for the semiconductor industry, which is why we’ve amassed a long list of semiconductor customers over the years. We’ve seen how Tensoft SemiOps has benefited these customers by providing out-of-the-box functionality that can be deployed quickly; functionality that’s not available out-of-the-box anywhere else. […]
What’s Missing in Traditional ERP Inventory Systems?
It’s not that traditional ERP Inventory systems don’t work for everyone – they just don’t work well for fabless semiconductor operations. Trying to make them fit is much like trying to force your left foot into your right shoe – you may be able to jam it in, but it won’t be comfortable or highly […]
Lot-Based vs Demand and Supply-Based Planning in Semiconductor Industry
Planning is, ideally, about supply and demand. Semiconductor supply is a flush of all inventories and WIP to all possible outcomes – to include multiple end products from a single wafer, to include other variables like binning or programmability, or whatever model you may have for finalizing finished parts. Demand is ideally forecast and actual […]
Standard vs Actual Cost: Choosing the Best Method in the Semiconductor Industry
Within the fabless semiconductor industry the standard cost approach is usually the norm, but some still argue for the use of actual cost. In reality, actual cost methods – such as specific identification, moving average, FIFO, and LIFO – are less able to deal with the complexities of the semiconductor industry. Actual cost is a […]
Why Contract Billing is Harder than Subscription Billing
Subscription billing management isn’t easy – no question about it. The subscription model is about building, optimizing, marketing and selling packaged offerings. It’s repeatable and it’s often high velocity. These packages may have some components that create some complexity to the billing process – maybe a bundle of services, or some offerings may be usage-based […]