ERP and business intelligence software solutions are only as good as their ability to generate accurate, real-time analysis reports. A drawback with many solutions is the complexity associated with report generation. ADM Systems, the Pretoria-based ERP and business intelligence specialist, has an answer for companies operating in the mid-market space.
"The key is software that adds true customer value by empowering users to conduct their own reporting within parameters that best suit the business model and in an environment where they don`t need to understand sophisticated database structures to create such reports," says ADM Systems general manager, Anton Carstens.
ADM Systems is the Africa distributor for Vision Reporting, a packaged business intelligence solution that offers dynamic analysis and reporting applications for the desktop or across the web. Vision Executive includes tools that help to uncover and analyse trends, problems and opportunities often concealed within corporate transactional data.
"The package does not limit reporting to a single application, it can combine data from multiple applications into a single concise report," says Carstens. "By applying the analytical functions such as drilldown, expand, breakout and cube analysis, vital business indicators can be revealed and monitored. Analysis procedures and paths can be saved so that updated reports are available quickly and easily and built-in security features ensure only authorised users may access sensitive reports."
A most useful development within the Vision suite is Vision XL, which Carstens describes as an "intuitive add-in for Microsoft Excel". It provides fast, easy and flexible extraction of data from Microsoft Great Plains databases. All table joins with Microsoft Great Plains are pre-configured and plain English titles are used for tables and columns.
"Users of the Vision XL program don`t need to understand sophisticated database structures and can create and develop reports quickly and easily. Vision XL enhances the existing extensive functionality of Excel so the reporting and presentation are both powerful and dynamic with information extracted from multiple tables in Microsoft Great Plains and placed into a single Excel report.
"For many companies the ability to empower non-technical staff to effectively compile, analyse and use data in a familiar desktop environment is compelling with many benefits such as power and control over reporting, control over the preparation of reports, reductions in the cost of working with information and the re-invention of analysis and conducting it in real-time."
Carstens adds that the presentation of key information in quick easy to assimilate report formats leads to measurable, sustainable improvements in business efficiency.
"It makes sure that the right information gets to the person who needs it so that the right decisions can be made at the right time."
The Vision Alert function enhances the software`s capability to identify, analyse and report on underlying performance statistics and trends concealed within Microsoft Great Plains. It provides highly flexible automation of tasks driven by events or time and it can be programmed to make automated responses to conditions specified in the Vision reports.
"These conditions are usually critical triggers for the business and could relate to stock quantities, sales, product returns or financial data where exception reporting can be applied to generate alerts if, for example, sales drop below pre-set limits or a purchase order exceeds a limit."
Another feature is Vision Word, which extends the capabilities of Microsoft Word, offering rapid and adaptive ways to extract data from Microsoft Great Plains to Word documents without any requirement for understanding the highly technical database structure of Microsoft Great Plains.
"In a nutshell, Vision Reporting provides a comprehensive, simple to apply and use means of extracting data from the business database and presenting it in real-time reports that do not require vast technical knowledge to format and produce," concludes Carstens.
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ADM Systems is an integrated IT solutions provider to a broad spectrum of public and private sector organisations in SA, other countries in Africa and overseas. The company specialises in ERP and BI and also offers other services including financial systems, CRM solutions, systems integration, development, data integration, project management, consulting, infrastructure, hardware and networking. Software offerings include Macola Progression, Visual AccountMate, DataHabitat, Vision Reporting and various Microsoft solutions.
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