JSE-listed enterprise-wide IT solutions company, The Connection Group - the local distributors of the Solomon ERP (enterprise resource planning) suite from US-based software company, Solomon - is to install the solution throughout the group in what is believed to be a multi-million rand deal involving an estimated 300 users.
Paul Moses, MD of Enterprise Connection, confirmed today that the Solomon solution will be rolled out at all companies within The Connection Group.
It is expected there will be 300 seats, or users, linked to the system, which will be integrated across the group`s wide area network (WAN). The installation ultimately integrates the various and diverse facets of the business to facilitate "improved administrative and financial control".
International software developer, Solomon Software - which competes with leading ERP vendors such as SAP and Baan has partners in 81 countries around the globe. The company, now in its 19th year, focuses on improving businesses` productivity by providing accounting information systems and related services that support the ever-changing needs of business.
"We recognised the great potential in Solomon and, while we have a number of large Solomon roll-outs in the pipeline, we have become one of the first company in SA to install the solution. It`s very much a case of being prepared to put our money where our mouth is," Moses remarked.
He said that with the rapid progress of the group through organic growth and growth by acquisition, it needed to tighten up control over its overall business - especially from a financial point of view. Solomon was deemed to be the ideal solution.
"We have, for instance, certain financial reporting deadlines as a listed company, and we will be using Solomon to timeously collate and circulate this information. Moreover, we opted for Solomon because it uses state-of-the-art technology and because of how it is written. It uses Microsoft`s Sequel Server at its core and we, as a group, are following the MicrosoftWindows-NT direction - so the system is a perfect match for our current and future infrastructure from a technological point of view."
Moses said the features offered by Solomon "are very exciting".
The software`s Internet features, for instance, enable customers to query accounts on the Web, as well as being able to access a host of other useful information on-line, such as what is on order in the future.
"Solomon is the number two accounting and financial software solution in the United States and the number one in terms of growth rate.
So we believe we are choosing a winner."
He said Solomon includes sophisticated modules embracing a wide range of business solutions such as finances, manufacturing, retail and distribution.
"Solomon gives The Connection Group best-of-breed of products throughout the enterprise which support the group`s philosophy of developing the most sophisticated supply and customer value chain possible."
Solomon`s software architecture, being Sequel server-based and tightly linked with Microsoft`s core technology, enables the company to provide the "closest possible fit to business process requirements for mid-sized to enterprise level companies."
Rob Heywood, managing director of Solomon SA explains that Solomon 1V represents a new era in enterprise business solutions, or ERP. Not only is Solomon IV one of the first, and few, accounting information systems to be built from the ground up as a Windows product, but it also offers unrivalled customisation capabilities and provides a unique open architecture. The product was developed using industry-standard tools including Microsoft Visual Basic, Crystal Report Writer, and SQL database technology to enable scalability and compatibility across a company`s IS enterprise.
"Solomon is also the number two accounting package in US in the mid-range client server market. It currently out-sells all its competitors combined six to one in client server systems in this market.
This award-winning design also provides users with maximum flexibility, efficiency, reliability, and performance. With Solomon IV, users can quickly create and integrate financial and operational solutions for all their business needs," Heywood explained.
Solomon has more than 12 000 Windows-based sites and 100 000 DOS-based sites worldwide in 81 countries, in medium-enterprise environments.
It is used by some top Fortune 25 companies, as well as many in the Fortune 500.
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