Is It Time for a CTRM Upgrade?

After enduring a long, painful, expensive CTRM implementation many commodity companies are left dissatisfied. Each week they are stuck manually analyzing transaction data using spreadsheets. They endure this process assuming that the solution they have is the best they can get. But is it?   

Not All CTRM Solutions Are the Same

CTRM systems have a history of long, expensive implementations with disappointing results. The software is often poorly written, missing key components necessary for commodity traders. Risk policies, currency reporting, accounting and inventory costs may be tracked separately, requiring manual analysis in spreadsheets.

Companies stick with these ineffective systems because they invested time and money implementing them and they don’t have the stomach to endure another painful implementation to gain slight improvements in functionality. What they do not understand is that new CTRM solutions like Eka’s CTRM provide a step change increase in functionality without the pain.

1. Eka’s solution can be cloud-based, significantly reducing implementation time and upheaval.
   1. Implementation can be completed in 12 weeks, with little need for customization and minimal burden to IT departments.
2. Eka’s CTRM collects and analyzes more information, eliminating time spent on manual analysis and enabling faster, better decision making. Eka’s CTRM
   1. Tracks physical inventory quantity and valuation in real time throughout the supply chain.
   2. Provides real-time demand, supply, and P&L visibility across physicals and derivatives, identifying exposures and enabling timely decisions and actions.
   3. Captures physical contracts with complex pricing features.
   4. Maintains real-time logistics information throughout the supply chain, including multiple modes of transportation and quality reporting.
   5. Meets all regulatory requirements including Dodd-Frank.
   6. Analyzes transactional data through the use of predictive analytics.
   7. Delivers end-to-end transaction management for commodity trading, transportation and logistics, processing, marketing, and hedging.

Companies can achieve significant improvements in efficiency and reporting without the long, expensive implementation. And, thanks to big data analytics, they can take CTRM a step further.

Next Generation Analytics

Modern CTRM systems do provide analytics, but they provide analytics using data in the CTRM system. These systems deliver tremendous value to end users, but they still receive an incomplete picture. Traders need to analyze data from disparate systems all over the organization to gain a complete picture of commodity opportunities and risk. Eka’s Commodity Analytics Cloud gathers and analyzes data from CTRM, ETRM, ERP, CRM, treasury, and spreadsheets. By collecting and analyzing all available information, Commodity Analytics Cloud offers a generational shift in capability and value to all commodity business users and consumers of commodities including originators, traders, manufacturers, retailers, and utilities.

Eka’s Commodity Analytics Cloud is not a generic BI platform jury rigged to fill some functionality gaps. Eka’s solution was developed specifically for commodities trading by experts in commodities, technology and transaction management.

Before discounting new commodity trading and risk management solutions, take the time to evaluate today’s options. Research modern technology. You may be surprised at how much you can gain by making the switch.