This is the professional web page of Joe Drouillard, Principal and Consultant of Avenue Systems LLC.  I like to share my ideas and insights gained as an ERP programmer, analyst, consultant and trainer over the last 30 years.  The last 18 I have been a consultant programmer for clients using QAD enterprise software and the Progress 4/GL programming language.  You are welcome to send me a brief email at joe [at] avenue-systems [dotcom] and I will attempt to answer it as soon as possible. 

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Streamlining MRO Procurement QAD with Mfg/Pro 

There are many third-party software programs which improve the MRO (maintenance, repair, operations) procurement process in Mfg/Pro.  But I have found it much more effective to maximize and supplement the functionality already in Mfg/Pro to greatly reduce manual effort in the request, approval, purchase, putaway and issuance of MRO  items.  This post includes a rather detailed project plan which will give you ideas for the many ways of improving the MRO process in QAD.  Many of these project items can be implemented separately (and in any order) in a continuous improvement process.   Read More>>

Backflushing Examined - The 4th Quadrant

In this article I will describe the manufacturing environments that I think are best suited for the use of Backflush inventory transactions.  Many companies have decided to use the backflush transaction as a cornerstone of their implementation design.  When a backflush transaction is performed, the quantity of the part being made is scanned or entered into the system.  Then the component parts are automatically inferred and consumed using information from the bill of materials (BOM).  This second step of consuming the component parts is done without any data entry or scanning, so it results in a tremendous reduction in the number of transactions entered.  Inventory transactions divert precious man-hours and are also a source of errors when entered incorrectly or late.  Therefore reducing transactions through backflushing is a very good idea, if transactions can truly be reduced using this method without losing inventory accuracy.  Read more >>>

Why Improve QAD? (or The Missing 5%)

QAD is a well-designed and written software package with logical data structures and fairly complete ERP functionality.  A typical installation meets 95% of the business requirements for many companies.  Problem:  The missing 5% is different from company to company, and while small, may be essential.  Read More>>>

Why Avoid Third Party Add-Ons to QAD?

Many third party software solutions are written in another programming language, then altered to update the QAD database.  Most come at a high price, with high annual maintenance and licensing costs which must be paid for each database instance.  And for the high price, you often get very poor interfaces to QAD and very poor support.  Most come without source code, so you cannot make any changes ore even look under the hood.   Many are bloated, with features your company will not need.  Most will STILL have their own missing 5%.  You are forced to "do without" or pay the high third party consultant rates to get a good fit.  And then you are left with a non-standard custom version which is difficult to upgrade.  Read More>>>

Printing A Graphic Image to a Laserjet Printer from Progress 

Here are the steps for printing a graphic image (such as a logo on an invoice) from Progress - - works well with QAD, without any third party forms printing software.  

Summary:  Here are the steps for printing a graphic image, such as a logo on a report, or signature on a check, when sent to a laserjet printer.  First, get a good black and white graphic image.  Then, use an inexpensive utility to convert the graphic file to a PCL macro that can be sent to a printer then called from a Progress program.  Then, modify the Progress report program to print the graphic as desired.  Read More>>

Sending emails and faxes out of Mfg/Pro 

In QAD it is easy for any user to send a report to an email destination using the predefined "email" printer device.  Unfortunately, the report is sent in the text portion of the email, and not as an attachment which can be opened in another PC program.  For example, a CSV file can easily be opened in Excel if the file is emailed as an attachment, but not if it is within the body of an email message.  Another disadvantage of QAD's approach is it does not allow you to send multiple documents to individual recipients in a single process, for example email/faxing P/Os to many different suppliers simultaneously in a single execution.  

The advantages of the approach I am recommending is:  1) Allowing you to send a complex report or text document as a spreadsheet or Acrobat file attachment, instead of a read-only email body, 2)  Allowing you to send multiple emails and faxes with individualized content simultaneously to many recipients in a single execution of a program.  3) Easily extends itself to a solution for Fax-enabling Mfg/Pro. Read More >>