Global Shop Solutions Software Surpasses 1,000 Free Custom Apps
Imagine if they gave Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software away for free. Global Shop Solutions (Woodlands, TX), a leading producer of ERP software for manufacturers around the world, doesn’t go that far. But it does offer more than one thousand custom applications that its customers can download for free from the company’s web site. These apps enable system users to adapt the software to their unique shop floor requirements to further enhance their ability to cut costs and streamline operations.
“One of the many strengths of our software is its ease of customization,” says Dusty Alexander, the chief executive officer of Global Shop Solutions. “When customers ask us to write a custom application for them, or they write one their own, we typically make them available to our entire customer base at no additional charge. It’s one of the many ways we continually improve our software to support our customers’ evolving ERP needs.”
The free applications are stored online in the Global Shop Solutions Application and Reporting Center, or more commonly known as the “ARC Store.” Users can log into the ARC Store, search for applications by name or the module they reside in, download the app, and install it with one click of a button.
ARC applications range from a simple GAB script that enables automatic email invoicing to more sophisticated “dashboard” apps that combine the functionality of five or six regular menu items into one, thereby providing faster access to the data users want to see.
Currently, one of the most popular downloads is the “certs app,” which automatically packages up all required material certifications for each product shipment. Some Global Shop Solutions customers report saving 20 or more hours of work per week with this custom application.
“We have a very strong user community at Global Shop Solutions,” adds Alexander. “The ARC store is one method we use for sharing the good ideas of our customers with that community. We’re delighted to have the strength of a platform ecosystem and surpassed the 1,000 milestone with our ARC apps, and have no intention of slowing down.”
