A Web-based data analysis system, Analytics-Online, designed and developed by Idion Solutions for Ernst & Young, has been implemented on the business advisor`s South African intranet and is in the process of being implemented in Europe. Once this roll-out is complete, the system will be offered over the Internet to selected Ernst & Young clients.
Analytics-Online focuses on supporting Ernst & Young`s assurance services. There are modules for testing payroll, creditors and cashbook, debtors, fixed assets, and those specifically focused on the medical aid and banking industries.
Caroline Rivett, director in charge of Analytics-Online, explains that Ernst & Young needed an integrated Web-based data analysis system. This system produces high quality reports from company data in a short time frame, wherever the user is based.
Idion Solutions, which was recommended by Microsoft as its preferred implementation partner, was responsible for the design, development and implementation of this Web-based system for Ernst & Young.
Analytics-Online has been recognised by the Industrial Development Corporation as being a highly innovative invention and is presently being patented.
Analytics-Online runs on a Microsoft Windows 2000 platform and uses Microsoft SQL 2000 for its database. The application is centrally hosted and provides Web-based access via the Internet.
Tim Stanley, sales executive at Idion Solutions responsible for co-ordinating this project, explains that Ernst & Young`s on-site analysts can now drill down, via this Web-based system, for a wide spectrum of ERP and financial back-end reporting information, including purchasing, budgeting and cashflow analyses.
"Analysts can upload data from whichever site they happen to be working at, wherever they are in the world, to Ernst & Young`s Data Engineering Shared Services Centre, to receive high quality state of the art reports," Stanley adds.
"This is not only promoting a culture of employee self-service, but in its second phase, this system will allow selected Ernst & Young clients to do the same," he comments.
Paul Nel, partner in charge of Ernst & Young`s data engineering services, says they were impressed by the quality of the system delivered by Idion Solutions.
"Ernst & Young and Idion Solutions are currently working together on phase two of the Analytics-Online roll-out to a select international client base," he says.
"In addition, Idion Solutions and Ernst & Young Information Systems Assurance & Advisory Services are working together to produce jointly implemented solutions in the information security and business intelligence areas."
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