New ERP Software Features: A Help Widget, Currency Conversions, Projected Costing, and More
Launching into 2022 at full speed, we’ve put together a selection of new Icicle ERP software features from the last few months! Take note of our brand new Help Widget, now available in multiple sections of Icicle and growing all the time. We also introduced automatic currency conversions, a new projected costing pane, support for Traditional Chinese characters, and more.
Help Widget to Maximize The Benefits of ERP Software
When was it released? January 11 2022
What does it do? If you log into Icicle and check out the bottom right corner of your screen, you will see an orange diamond with a white question mark that is our new help widget! Over the next few months, you will notice the help widget on more Icicle pages as we build out that content. When you click on the orange diamond, you will get context sensitive help information. We are also developing an FAQ tab to make it even easier for Icicle users to find answers to their common questions quickly.
Where did the idea come from? This project is headed up by Icicle’s very own Training Specialist, Katherine, so if you have suggestions please feel free to share them with her!
Mass Editing ERP Software Entries
When was it released? December 11 2021
What does it do? Toward the end of the year we added a new mass edit feature for products, ingredients, packaging, and parts. That means that you can now go to a list interface for any of those categories and see a new edit button that will allow you to edit multiple items at once (for example names, UPC codes, internal codes, reordering thresholds, etc.). This is so much more efficient, we can’t believe it didn’t exist in Icicle’s ERP system already.
Where did the idea come from? A big thank you to Adrian from Alamo Botanicals!
Automatic Currency Conversions (Based on Most Recent Exchange Rates)
When was it released? December 11 2021
What does it do? This new ERP software feature dynamically updates international exchange rates in Icicle using data from the European Central Bank. Every night, Icicle ERP will sync with the latest exchange rates and dynamically apply them to all relevant areas of Icicle.
For example, if your company records are in USD and you purchase an item from a supplier in Euros, Icicle will automatically convert the currency and update it daily so your costing information in Icicle is as accurate as possible. On the sales side (product pricing), it works in the same way so that your sales reporting information is always correct and up-to-date.
Icicle will also save the amount, currency, and exchange rate for each line item in invoices and bills, so as the exchange rate changes, original bills and invoices do not change.
Where did the idea come from? This feature is part of the Icicle ERP software team’s project to fully develop our accounting ERP software capabilities – watch out for exchange rate adjustments in Accounting soon!
Projected Costing Pane
When was it released? January 7 2022
What does it do? Icicle users in the Formulas section of Icicle can now see a Projected Costing pane that reflects the expected costs of raw materials and labour based on a given batch size. Previously, you could only get this costing information after production or based on estimates from past production, so there was no way to fully anticipate what the cost would be before you made the product. Now Icicle pulls information directly from your inventory to provide real-time costing. If you have the inventory in stock, Icicle will use the data from the corresponding purchase order; if you don’t have the inventory you need in stock yet, Icicle’s ERP software will check valid price lists on file and pull the most recent prices.
That means that as you build formulas in Icicle, you can see accurate costs right away, helping you optimize production and guide product pricing. This is especially useful if you are developing new products.
Where did the idea come from? The idea for a projected costing pane came from a conversation with a new prospective client – can’t wait to welcome them on board!
Suggested Raw Materials
When was it released? November 25 2021
What does it do? Previously, Icicle enterprise resource planning software users could go to their Production Runs page in Icicle and see what ingredients were needed for the next production run. They could go and pick the lot codes they want to use, or use Icicle’s suggested ingredients based on best-before date.
With the new Suggested Raw Materials interface, Icicle users can now stage raw materials required for their production run, meaning that Icicle will generate a list of raw materials so that manufacturers can get everything together ahead of time (organized according to best-before dates for waste reduction). Users can simply go to the warehouse or freezer/cooler and get everything they need before production even starts – improving production efficiency.
Where did the idea come from? Thanks to TJ from Greenleaf Productions Inc. for this great idea!
Production Run Verification
When was it released? November 26 2021
What does it do? Icicle users will notice a new option (not the default) called “require production run verification.” When you have this option turned on, any products produced are hidden from the logistics parts of Icicle (racking, picking, etc.) until the originating production run is verified by the appropriate staff member. This extra safety feature makes sure that unverified products are not released by accident.
Where did the idea come from? A big thank you to Peter from Superior Food Safety for this very useful idea.
Finalize Button in Receiving
When was it released? January 9 2022
What does it do? The Receiving section of Icicle also has a new “finalize” button that allows users with the correct permissions to finalize receiving records. The purpose of this button is to prevent accounting systems (including QuickBooks integrations) from synchronizing incomplete data. Now Icicle’s ERP Software will wait to sync accounting information until the receiving records are finalized!
Where did the idea come from? Thanks to Sophia from Anita’s Organics for her help working this one out!
Shipping Report
When was it released? October 12 2021
What does it do? Icicle’s new Shipping Report feature provides you with a detailed report on shipping information in a searchable interface. Icicle will ask you to select criteria (for example, sales order number or shipping reference number) and will then automatically generate a report on all the shipments that have gone out over a certain period of time, to a particular facility, or to a certain customer. Once you have that search generated in your ERP software, you can drill into the data as much as you like, or share the information with your head office quickly and easily.
Where did the idea come from? Thanks to Joanne from Made Rite Meat!
View Picking Metrics Captured in Icicle ERP Software
When was it released? October 17 2021
What does it do? Icicle’s new Picking Metrics feature allows managers to review historical data on picking operations in order to evaluate the rate of picking and other analytics that will improve efficiency in picking practices.
Where did the idea come from? Thanks once again to Neil from Snow Cap Enterprises, an Icicle super user!
Racking Improvements
When was it released? November 10 2022
What does it do? We’ve also improved the Racking interface for companies with large numbers of records. Our development team made several performance improvements in our ERP software, including a change to the way searches are executed (to minimize the number of searches).
Where did the idea come from? Thanks to Neil from Snow Cap for working with us on this!
Price List Cloning
When was it released? December 2 2021
What does it do? Icicle’s Price Lists feature is pretty cool, allowing Icicle ERP software users to create supplier and customer price lists (including promotional lists, customer-specific lists, and price list tiers) that are automatically integrated with purchase and sales orders. Now you can clone lists instead of building them again one product at a time. For example, if you had a Fall 2021 price list, you can clone it for Spring 2022 and customize as needed.
Where did the idea come from? Thanks to Mia from Made-Rite Meats for this handy improvement!
ERP Software Support for Traditional Chinese Characters
When was it released? November 22 2021
What does it do? In 2021 we released support for Traditional Chinese characters in Icicle! Previously, we supported Simplified Chinese as well as English, French, and Spanish.
Where did the idea come from? Thanks to Ray from Hon’s Wonton House for helping us get this up and running!
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