RFB&D: “Learning Through Listening” With Sage 500 ERP
Company Size
200-1,000
Region
- America
Country
- United States
Product
- Sage 500 ERP
- Sage HRMS
Tech Stack
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
- Human Resource Management System (HRMS)
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Functional Applications - Enterprise Asset Management Systems (EAM)
- Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
Applicable Industries
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Human Resources
Use Cases
- Advanced Production Planning and Scheduling
- Inventory Management
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) is a nonprofit library based in Princeton, NJ. The organization has 22 locations and employs 500 full-time staff and 6,000 volunteers. RFB&D provides books on CD and tape for users with print disabilities. The organization has a library of over 100,000 titles, all recorded by volunteers in 29 studios around the country. The process of creating and distributing these titles is complex, requiring careful allocation of studio booth time according to book inventories, release dates, and volunteers’ availability.
The Challenge
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) was facing a significant challenge with their existing Blackbaud and RaisersEdge software. The software could not support sophisticated manufacturing processes, coordinate multi-location recording schedules, or manage finances. The organization, which operates like a major corporate manufacturer, was relying on an antiquated accounts payable system, a financial package designed for small nonprofits doing donor management, and scheduling processes. The organization needed a solution that could manage everything from sales and inventory to back-end financials and scheduling.
The Solution
RFB&D selected Sage 500 ERP with a full complement of financial and manufacturing modules, and implemented it across the enterprise over 15 months. The software manages everything from sales and inventory to back-end financials and scheduling. Once a book is selected for recording, the project is assigned a work order in Sage 500 ERP. The book is then divided into sections. Routing slips are sent to notify appropriate studios with the parts they will record. When it’s time to burn a CD, studios dial up Sage 500 ERP in Princeton with their routing number. Through the Advanced Planning and Scheduling module, all projects are consolidated on a Schedule Board. Custom reports allow RFB&D managers to view scheduling and status data however they like. The Advanced Manufacturing module in Sage 500 ERP has also allowed RFB&D to implement just-in-time manufacturing for greater efficiencies and cost controls.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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