Imagine an ERP solution which saves you money. Imagine an ERP system which wins you awards. Now stop imagining, because it's here!
It happens every year in every company. Your CFO moves a bed into his office and bids his family farewell. Accounting staff begin to look anxious, shuffling around the building tying up loose ends, checking, balancing, tagging, reconciling. Words like “trial balance”, “provision”, “adjustment” and “asset register” get tossed around like common slang.
And then they arrive, taking over your boardroom as a wave of whispering sweeps the building: “Pssst...the auditors are here!” The hush is broken by the sound of a money box hitting the floor, as Marge in petty-cash swoons and faints, a shriek is heard from across the wing as the debtors' department catches wind of the imminent. While upstairs, management swivel away in their high-back chairs, pretending this exercise isn't costing a small fortune by the minute.
But it doesn't have to be this way. Just ask Yan Govender, Group IT Manger at Bidvest PaperPlus, a wholly-owned trading division of The Bidvest Group and a leading manufacturer, supplier and distributor of printed products, personalised communications, stationery, and packaging: “In 2005 we embraced SYSPRO as our choice ERP software and have never looked back. Since then, based on its success, we have deployed the solution in all 16 companies within our division. The key elements for success are a very stable infrastructure and adequate connectivity. In this regard, SYSPRO's input has been invaluable.”
In time every system experiences what is known as application erosion - the slow deterioration of its usefulness due to changes in technology and the user environment. This a normal stage in the life cycle of an ERP system, and at Bidvest PaperPlus this was no exception. “Our system was overdue some re-engineering, and for this we required SYSPRO's involvement,” says Govender.
The SYSPRO team led by Strategic Accounts Managing Executive Bradley Poliah revisited the client's needs and implemented the required modifications to make the system viable and cutting edge once more. This included the addition of an MRP or material requirements planning module, which was installed under budget and well within the time lines.
“Bidvest PaperPlus are the biggest SYSPRO users within The Bidvest Group and the infrastructure we've created for them is truly unique. Our solution runs on just two servers through which 38 different companies interact,” explains Poliah. “We've created efficiencies by running one data source across all these companies without the need for any other consolidation tool, keeping the costs low and creating great return on investment for the client.”
Besides great value the system also offers ease of use. SYSPRO Reporting Services harness the power of Crystal Reports, a key element in facilitating easy access to discrete and consolidated financial information. SYSPRO's financial report writer further allows for drill down functionality from General Ledger to source transaction; both of these are crucial components in reducing audit times. “SYSPRO's ERP also consolidates the numerous companies within the division and enables accurate financial reporting,” explains Poliah. “The Microsoft SQL Server database used by the ERP allows for easy streaming of analytical information from the various companies to the holding division.”
These efficiencies have not gone unnoticed. On 28 August 2010, at the annual Bidvest Awards, Bidvest PaperPlus received the highly acclaimed “Best Division of the Year” award, adjudicated by lead auditors Deloitte - awarded for the division achieving superior financial performance together with tight management control in all aspects of the business.
So the answer is clear: if it's smoother audits, happier colleagues, and lower fees you're after, then reward yourself with SYSPRO's ERP and make space for those future accolades on the mantel piece in your newly vacated boardroom.
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