We're gearing up for our 7th annual Tensoft Fabless Semiconductor Management (FSM) User Conference, which will be held at a new local venue next month.  For those of our Tensoft FSM customers who still need justification to attend, here's my Top Ten List of reasons to attend!

TOP TEN REASONS TO ATTEND MOMENTUM 2012:   

10) Hands-on product training on both days.

9) Learn what's new in Tensoft FSM and related systems, including all the enhancements that have been added as a result of your suggestions during Momentum 2011. 

8) Step back from the daily grind and discover new ways to approach your current processes.

7) Momentum 2012 is where your industry peers will be on May 21-22!

6) Influence the future direction of Tensoft products.  (Hint: So that - next year - you can take credit for those great enhancements at Momentum 2013).

5) Learn tips and tricks from Tensoft product experts - both those who work at Tensoft, and those who use Tensoft FSM every day.

4) Meet the Tensoft support and management teams, and put faces to those names.

3) Special guest appearances by Tensoft FSM's Technical Lead and Tensoft FSM's Vendor Integrations Lead.

2) The best line-up ever of informative, interactive sessions - all based on your suggestions from past conferences.

1) A chance to soak up all of this accelerated learning, get answers to all of your questions, brainstorm new ideas with the user community and Tensoft staff, and network with industry colleagues during breakfast, breaks, lunch and the Monday night reception - what a deal!

Outsourcing some or all of your manufacturing is old news for technology companies. The focus on core competencies, the need to scale quickly while managing cash, and the availability of high quality suppliers have all helped to drive this trend. At the same time technology companies retain the ultimate responsibility for production and on-time delivery to customers. Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems help tech companies manage their supply and demand, and integrating and consolidating information from the distributed suppliers is often an important part of this process.

Advancements have been made in SCM systems and technology support data integration – yet the reality of SCM data integration eludes many. Technical Standards Committees, including RosettaNet, have tried to improve this process by developing data dictionaries and transfer protocols. Recently I’ve partnered with semiconductor industry veteran Ron Jones ( n-Able Group CEO) on a white paper that looks at data integration in the fabless semiconductor industry. If you’d like to review our insights, this paper is now available by clicking here.