SouthernEra Resources Limited, an independent producer of platinum group metals and diamonds, is using Novell technology to provide an Internet-based accounting solution to users at its countrywide regional offices and headquarters in Toronto, Canada.
"We needed to update our accounting practice and looked for a suitable solution that would deliver a consolidated and centralised set of financial statements from any location at any time," relates Rob Rainey, CFO at SouthernEra.
Novell Business Expert Easy Access Computing was appointed to provide ACCPAC OnDemand via an infrastructure based at SouthernEra`s offices in Rosebank. The solution included a new e-mail system as well as various other business applications that can be accessed via a Web browser. Thin client technology was used to ensure maximum performance over slow WAN (wide area network) and Internet links, running on the WorldCom (UUNet) international Internet backbone. Costs were minimised by interfacing as much as possible with existing infrastructure.
"SouthernEra staff can now access ACCPAC from their office, home or any computer linked to the Internet," says Easy Access Computing technical director Dave Stewart. "All applications are delivered via a Web portal, while Novell technology incorporating Portal Services, OnDemand, iChain and GroupWise provides a personalised experience to users when accessing the system. They can customise their view and modify the content to include favourite Web sites, e-mail and a variety of other applications."
"We also developed a consolidation process that eliminates the tedious task of manually consolidating a complicated set of accounts," he continues. "By centralising the accounting system, only one set of programs needs to be maintained, while standardisation of accounts becomes a reality in allowing a central point of administration for maintaining the chart of accounts."
The Toronto office also has access to the accounting system across the Internet and has almost completed the standardisation of the chart of accounts. A LAN (local area network) has been installed at the Rosebank office and SouthernEra plans to consolidate e-mail services under the SouthernEra.com umbrella as soon as Telkom completes a series of diginet line installations.
"SouthernEra is among a handful of pioneers such as Novell and CNN who are using this system worldwide," says Stewart. "The thin client solution is the way of the future and it`s simply a matter of time before other users follow SouthernEra`s lead."
"Novell`s experience has been that the implementation of this system in larger organisations reduces international IT costs by as much as 80% in some instances, as the system ultimately eliminates the need for replicated systems in several locations as well as expensive international communication linkages," says Patricia Leamon of Novell.
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