@MASTERSTHESIS\{IMM2005-04062,
    author       = "O. A. C. Mendoza",
    title        = "A simulator prototype for an {ERP} system",
    year         = "2005",
    school       = "Informatics and Mathematical Modelling, Technical University of Denmark, {DTU}",
    address      = "Richard Petersens Plads, Building 321, {DK-}2800 Kgs. Lyngby",
    type         = "",
    note         = "Supervised by Bo Friis Nielsen, {IMM}",
    url          = "http://www2.compute.dtu.dk/pubdb/pubs/4062-full.html",
    abstract     = "The  following  document  presents  an  investigation  based  on the idea  of improving  the  value  of  Enterprise  Resource  Planning  (ERP)  systems  by  adding  a  discrete  event simulation application to the {ERP} framework.  

First,  I  conducted  a  brief  investigation  to  assess  whether  discrete  event simulation  is  alread   included  in  most  (or  an )  {ERP} applications. I  found  that  this type of  simulation  is  not  common  to  {ERP}  systems,  and  is  particularly lacking  in  systems designed for small- and mid-sized organizations. 

Perceiving  an  opportunit   to  enhance  the  functionalit   of  existing  {ERP}  systems,  I decided  to  develop  a  simulation  prototype  for  an  {ERP}  application.  This  project  is  the subject of my Master thesis.  

To  achieve  the  goal  of  developing  a  simulation  tool,  I  conducted  research  on  the  structural and functional  requirements  for my   protot pe, placing  emphasis  on ease  of  use  and  the  interaction  between  the  data-fitting  and  modeling  phases  of  simulation.  I  chose  to  develop  this  simulation  prototype  for  The  Microsoft  Navision {ERP} software solution, with which I have several  ears of experience as a  software developer.  

In  the  course  of  developing  the  prototype,  I  found  that  Navision  lacked  certain  desired  functions  for  performing  statistical  operations  and  designing  graphical  models.  I  solved  this  problem  by  creating  external  components  that  can  be  used  within  the  Navision  development  environment.  Basic  testing  was  performed  in  order to provide reasonable assurance that the external components would function  correctly.   

In  the  end,  my  efforts  to  develop  simulation  capabilities  within  the  Navision  {ERP}  system  proved  successful.  As  often  occurs  during  the  development  process,  I  was  inspired  to  create  new  functionality   that  I  had  not  included  in  my   original  requirements.  I  attribute  this  creative  inspiration,  in  part,  to  the  wide  scope  of  simulation  modeling  as  a  concept.  I  found  that  my  simulation  prototype  has  the  potential to add value to man  areas of the modular and integrated framework of an  {ERP} s stem for a result that is greater than the sum of its parts.  

In  conclusion,  I  believe  that  simulation  modeling  can  add  significant  value  to  existing {ERP} systems, and that future research should be done in order to automate  the data analysis process so as to enhance the adoption of simulation techniques for  the current users of {ERP} applications."
}