Frequently Asked Questions
What is STRATIX?
STRATIX is a premium metal-centric ERP system for metal service centers and distributors that addresses the distinct and complex requirements of the industry, including: sales, multi-step production, inventory management, and much more.
What segments does STRATIX cover?
Flat-rolled, general line, plate, bar, and pipe service centers. Along with toll processors and tube mills, with full handling of all metal forms and products.
How well does STRATIX handle metal?
Invera has been making software exclusively for the metal industry since 1977. We know the industry inside and out. Such knowledge and best practices are embedded in the system.
What features are included for flat rolled?
STRATIX offers comprehensive functionality specific to
the processing and distribution of flat rolled products,
and is used by flat rolled service centers that perform
the following processes:
• Slitting
• Embossing
• Cut-to-Length
• Pickle and Oil
• Shearing
• Galvanizing
• Blanking
• Painting
• Multi-Strand Blanking
• Anodizing
• Cold Reduction
• Rolling
• Annealing
• Edge Conditioning
• Temper Pass
• and much more…
Who is Invera?
With a dedicated staff of over 100 employees, over 250 implementations, and with STRATIX currently installed in 17 different countries around the globe, Invera is the largest software company dedicated to the metal industry.
How long does it take to implement STRATIX?
Implementation time varies by the complexity of the project, on average we find a typical implementation takes between 6-9 months.
Does STRATIX have a reporting dashboard?
Executives have a full suite of graphical analytics dashboards up and running on day-one, giving full visibility across sales, purchasing, operations, and finance.
What features are included for general line?
STRATIX has many features that are specific to the processing and distribution of metal products carried by general line service centers. These companies typically carry a variety of products such as beams, angles, channels, bars, pipe, tube, plate, and fittings.
In some cases these companies also carry coil products and level these internally, or externally at an outside processor.
STRATIX is used by general line metal service centers that perform some of the following processes:
• Sawing
• Miter Sawing
• Shot Blasting
• Plate Sawing
• Plate Burning/Cutting
• Drilling
• Tee Splitting (beams)
• Grinding
• Shearing
• and much more…
Sales
How are sales orders entered into STRATIX?
Flexible order entry allows for line items to be entered by product attributes or short cut codes. For contract and JIT programs, orders can be entered by customer part number.
Does STRATIX handle quotes and orders?
| Yes, STRATIX provides robust quotation and sales order entry functions, with quick quote to order conversion. |
Does STRATIX have a sales mobile application?
| The INVEX-GO mobile app provides sales and management teams with powerful remote capabilities that can be used when visiting customers including real-time order status, inventory lookup, and more. |
Does STRATIX include a sales activity dashboard?
| Yes, the sales dashboard provides a centralized sales activity hub. |
Does STRATIX have a reporting dashboard?
| Executives have a full suite of graphical analytics dashboards up and running on day-one, giving full visibility across sales, purchasing, operations, and finance. |
Does STRATIX offer an eCommerce platform?
| Yes, INVEX-eCOMMERCE is a sales portal that can be embedded on or off of your website, where customers and sales staff can log in to perform various sales related activities. |
What types of orders can be managed in STRATIX?
| Order types can range from simple distribution orders all the way to more complex multi-step production orders that span one or more locations, including outside processors. |
Does STRATIX handle contract orders and JIT programs?
| Yes, STRATIX provides a robust set of features for managing contract orders, JIT programs, inventory planning, and MRP. |
Can I view and reserve inventory directly from an order?
| Yes, this is an option. STRATIX offers multiple opportunities to reserve material during the order/production cycle, to match your operating procedures. |
Does STRATIX handle toll?
| Yes, STRATIX provides comprehensive functions to manage your customer owned material and toll business including the option to bill after production, or after shipping. |
Does STRATIX handle claims?
| Yes, the NCR module handles complaints, customer claims, and vendor claims. |
Does STRATIX offer a customer self-service platform?
| Yes, INVEX-WCS is a customer self service web portal that can be embedded on or off of your website, where customers and sales staff can log in to access frequently requested information such as order status and order cycle related documents. This optional web application can be accessed remotely, and provides various branding options. |
Inventory and Purchasing
How does STRATIX handle inventory coding?
| STRATIX inventory coding is based on native metal product attributes that are familiar within the industry. Searching for a product by grade, thickness or finish, across one or more warehouses is effortless and seamless. Zooming in to inventory you find screens that are built for the industry with easy to read layouts, with quick access to heat information and certifications. |
How is inventory controlled and managed?
| STRATIX has unique attributes that enhance the control of inventory, provide better visibility of available stock for sales and production staff, and facilitate production through each process. |
What purchasing tools are available?
Purchasing staff have a complete set of purchasing and inventory planning tools for spot and repeat business.
What purchase order types are handled by STRATIX?
Normal purchase orders for stock, buyout, and direct shipments. Blanket and multi-release orders. Vendor consigned.
How can I search inventory?
| STRATIX provides a suite of flexible search options that enable sales and production staff to locate required stock, or stock that meets specific customer quality requirements. |
How does tag control and traceability work?
| • Products can be tagged for full traceability • Barcode labels facilitate the use of hand-held barcode reading devices for greater accuracy • Extensive traceability from receipt to shipment with user, date, and time information • Comprehensive material hold history |
Does STRATIX handle MRP?
| A full MRP system is available for JIT and contract programs, with forecast information, action date thresholds, and integrated requisitions. |
Does STRATIX handle claims?
| Yes, the NCR module handles complaints, customer claims, and vendor claims. |
Warehouse and Shop Floor
What tools are available to production and shipping teams?
Production and shipping teams have desktop, mobile, and tablet applications that enable them to work more efficiently. Distribution orders can be picked using the mobile app, while multi-step orders can be scheduled and recorded on desktop or tablet applications..
What functions are available on the warehouse mobile apps?
The shop floor mobile and tablet apps run on IOS and Android devices and include location management, picture attachments, receiving, flat-rolled production and packaging functions, and much more, all with full bar code scanning integration.
Does STRATIX handle multi-step production?
Yes, STRATIX provides full support for multi-step and multi-location production.
How is production recorded?
STRATIX allows processing to be recorded quickly and efficiently using features for flat-rolled and general line service centers that are unique to their processing and packaging requirements.
Does STRATIX handle outside processing?
STRATIX provides full native support for outside processing. STRATIX treats outside processing as a general production step, and auto-generates transports to and from the outside processor.
Finance and Accounting
What finance and accounting functions are included with STRATIX?
STRATIX includes comprehensive functionality for accounts receivable, accounts payable, and general ledger.
Does STRATIX provide a finance dashboard?
The STRATIX FINANCIAL homepage provides a centralized hub to access all financial applications
including AR, AP, GL, and their related reports, from a desktop or tablet device.
We like our existing finance and accounting package, can we integrate it with STRATIX?
Most likely yes. STRATIX offers over 50 API integration points to provide added flexibility.
Technology
How and where is STRATIX hosted? Do I need a server?
STRATIX can be hosted in the cloud, on our servers through our On-Demand program. Or it can be hosted onsite, on your own servers.
Is the data securely managed?
Invera’s servers, located in data centers throughout the United States and Canada, are SOC 2 Type II certified and meet the highest structural, power and environmental standards.
Does STRATIX integrate with SigmaNest?
Yes, STRATIX provides native SigmaNest integration.
Do the mobile applications work with barcode scanners?
The STRATIX mobile apps are compatible with most IOS and Android compatible barcode scanners.
What OS is used on the backend servers?
STRATIX servers run on a platform independent, Linux based OS.
Does STRATIX integrate with other systems?
STRATIX offers over 50 different API integration points, making it very flexible to integrate with other applications and systems.
Which operating systems do the STRATIX mobile apps run on?
The STRATIX mobile apps run on IOS and Android devices.
Does STRATIX handle EDI?
A natively integrated EDI platform is available to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of EDI automation with your trading partners and outside processors.
Implementation and Support
What is the implementation process?
Invera’s implementation process is systematic and field-proven. It is designed to shorten the time to implement, reduce risk, and maximize operational efficiency.
By leveraging our expertise, our customers can reduce overall implementation efforts and gain a more rapid return on investment.
Our training staff have extensive experience in the metal industry and are experts at computerizing metal operations.
We use a standardized training plan that we customize for every implementation. This plan includes on-site training, step-by-step user guides, exercises, videos, milestone evaluations and project planning meetings, and more. We stand by our customers every step of the way!
What support is provided?
Product releases and enhancements are all included as part of Invera’s standard support program. Our products are constantly enhanced with new features and functions that are based on customer requests for changes in functionality, productivity, and performance.
For those customers requiring technology support, we offer our INSTAR program which includes operational and recovery assistance, automated system monitoring, installation services, and 24/7 standby emergency support.