aiko@cs.odu.edu (John K Hayes) (06/15/89)
Hello. I have been asked to find out what is available off the shelf in
the way of business accounting/finance/database systems for use in a
company of about 100-300 people. It will be implemented probably on a
PC. They are looking for something that is already available and usable
with minimal modification and setup. Since I really have no interest in
that particular field (although it does seem to be my job) I don't
consider myself an expert.
Does anyone out there know of any software systems of this type that are
available and which are good or bad and what it is that they do???
Any help you can offer will be kindly appreciated!
Thanks,
john
--
---{john hayes} Old Dominion University; Norfolk, Virginia USA
internet: aiko@cs.odu.edu
Home: (804) 622-8348 Work: (804) 460-2241 ext 134
<++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++>
Are you a Have or a Have_Not? Because if you're a Have_Not, you've probably
had it; whereas, if you're a Have, you've probably got it and are going to
give it away at some point in the future! --- The Clash
<++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++>mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant) (06/15/89)
From article <9236@xanth.cs.odu.edu>, by aiko@cs.odu.edu (John K Hayes): > Hello. I have been asked to find out what is available off the shelf in > the way of business accounting/finance/database systems for use in a > company of about 100-300 people. It will be implemented probably on a > PC. They are looking for something that is already available and usable > with minimal modification and setup..... I answered a question like this by mail, but they keep coming. A few years ago I was looking for an accounting system for a sailing club. It's the kind of club where every member does a little work, and we have no building, so the cash budget is minimal, but the organizational structure is complicated. Anything that would handle the complexity of our low-budget, many-hands operations would cost too much, so I wrote a system from scratch, combining features from some of the systems I looked at. Companies differ greatly in their needs, not only depending on number of people. Are the 100-300 people doing service or manufacturing? Do they need job costing? Fixed asset depreciation? These are not standard features of all packages. Most have only accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll, in addition to the general ledger. The question included a database-system component. Why? How closely does the database system have to be integrated into the accounting package? If it is to perform special functions peculiar to this business, somebody is going to have to program those functions into it. That doesn't sound like minimal modification and setup. For some industries there are special-purpose packages already designed. My advice to the first inquiry was for the friend to save some trouble and expense in the long run by finding a good reliable consultant to get a system that's right for the application. I can only repeat that. M. B. Brilliant Marty AT&T-BL HO 3D-520 (201) 949-1858 Holmdel, NJ 07733 att!hounx!marty1 or marty1@hounx.ATT.COM Disclaimer: Opinions stated herein are mine unless and until my employer explicitly claims them; then I lose all rights to them.
ccjoan@castor.ucdavis.edu (Joan Gargano) (06/16/89)
In article <1458@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant) writes: >From article <9236@xanth.cs.odu.edu>, by aiko@cs.odu.edu (John K Hayes): >> Hello. I have been asked to find out what is available off the shelf in >> the way of business accounting/finance/database systems for use in a >> company of about 100-300 people. It will be implemented probably on a >> PC. They are looking for something that is already available and usable >> with minimal modification and setup..... SBT in Sausulito, CA produces a set of accounting packages using FoxBase. Each accounting package can be used alone or linked to other related packages. We use accounts receivable, sales orders, accounts payable, payroll and general ledger. All the the modules are linked to general ledger. Sales orders is linked to accounts receivable. Payroll is linked to accounts payable. There are other packages such as professional billing, purchase orders, etc. You can purchase the source code or compiled versions and the set of programs that best fits your needs. SBT also maintains a list of vendors who have customized SBT for specific businesses, bakeries, florist shops, welding shops, etc. We found the system easy to install an use. We recommended the packages to three other businesses who purchased a full set of packages and are up and running without any problems. Joan Gargano * Univ. of Calif., Davis, Computing Services * (916) 752-2591 Internet jcgargano@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu BITNET jcgargano@ucdavis UUCP {ucbvax, lll-crg}!ucdavis!jcgargano
barr@frog.UUCP (Chris Barr) (06/20/89)
In article <4680@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu> ccjoan@castor.ucdavis.edu (Joan Gargano) writes: >In article <1458@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> mbb@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (martin.b.brilliant) writes: >>From article <9236@xanth.cs.odu.edu>, by aiko@cs.odu.edu (John K Hayes): >>> Hello. I have been asked to find out what is available off the shelf in >>> the way of business accounting/finance/database systems for use in a >>> company of about 100-300 people. It will be implemented probably on a >>> PC. A couple of years ago at a startup company we wrote our own in short order useing Smart, before discovering several commercial products were available to run on top of the SmartWare system: rdbms + spreadsheet + w.p., comms, calendar. They're in Hutchinson, KS, merged with Informix a year or so ago, frequently rated tops among integrated s.w. packages (especially in West, Midwest). Joining among multiple spreadsheets, speed, database the strongest module rates very well against DBase/Foxbase, and a new, revamped user interface version came out some months ago.
aland@infmx.UUCP (Dr. Scump) (06/24/89)
In article <1529@frog.UUCP> barr@frog.UUCP (Chris Barr) writes: > >A couple of years ago at a startup company we wrote our own in short >order using Smart, before discovering several commercial products were >available to run on top of the SmartWare system: rdbms + spreadsheet + >w.p., comms, calendar. They're in Hutchinson, KS, merged with Informix a ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ (actually Lenexa, KS, in the "heart of the Silicon Prairie") >year or so ago, frequently rated tops among integrated s.w. packages >(especially in West, Midwest). Joining among multiple spreadsheets, >speed, database the strongest module rates very well against DBase/Foxbase, >and a new, revamped user interface version came out some months ago. The new version, SmartWare II, began shipping this month. -- Alan S. Denney @ Informix Software, Inc. {pyramid|uunet}!infmx!aland "I want to live! -------------------------------------------- as an honest man, Disclaimer: These opinions are mine alone. to get all I deserve If I am caught or killed, the secretary and to give all I can." will disavow any knowledge of my actions. - S. Vega