Farm & City In Zimbabwe implements ACCPAC across 48 branches

Issued by Sage Enterprise
Johannesburg, 04 Apr 2000

ACCPAC International, Inc., a subsidiary of Computer Associates International Inc. has announced that Farm & City has selected the ACCPAC for Windows Corporate Microsoft SQL Server Series business management system as the replacement to its legacy financial systems running on the DECVAX platform. In deciding to standardise on ACCPAC for Windows, Farm & City joins a growing number of larger companies to take advantage of best-of-breed business management solutions that offer superior user-definable integration, customisation capabilities, and comprehensive functionality

"ACCPAC for Windows has the functionality, flexibility and reliability to surpass the capabilities of our previous financial management systems. Standardising on ACCPAC brings our financial systems onto a widely supported & scalable Microsoft NT platform and provides us with a powerful long-term solution." says Alistair Gibson, Financial Director of Farm & City.

By combining the award-winning functionality of ACCPAC for Windows with the enhanced scalability and performance of Microsoft SQL Server and Windows NT, Farm & City solves its most critical issue efficiently managing its 240,000 invoice transactions per month for its 9 000 customers. Faced with the high cost of upgrading or replacing its disparate, non-Y2K-compliant financial management systems, the organisation sought an affordable, integrated solution capable of handling its stringent reporting needs and large volume of annual transactions. The ACCPAC solution will help Farm & City achieve speed, consistency and consolidation in financial reporting. The ACCPAC solution is being successfully implemented by the leading South African-based systems integrator, Lorge Consulting, with the product being supplied by sole distributors for ACCPAC in Africa, LA Technology

"The powerful integration facilities in ACCPAC provided the ideal mechanism for the retrieval of the 240 000 monthly sales transactions from Farm & City 's point of sales system. ACCCPAC's range of modules, together with the scalability of the Microsoft SQL server / NT platform and the integration services, provides Farm & City with a long term and cost effective solution," says Tony Lorge, Sales & Marketing Director of Lorge Consulting.

"High-end systems integrators such as Lorge Consulting are a clear reflection of ACCPAC's broad-based channel presence and our ability to support and deliver scalable, comprehensive business management solutions that meet the specific needs of our larger and growing mid-market clients," said Jeremy Waterman, MD of LA Technology

In 1999, ACCPAC for Windows 4.0 was selected as one of three finalists in the "Best Mid-Market Accounting/Financial Management Functionality" category for the Microsoft Industry Solution Awards. Its powerful flexibility and superior integration with industry standard Microsoft-centric technologies, demonstrated by ACCPAC's ability to deliver scalable, enterprise-wide solutions for larger and growing clients like Farm & City, was a key factor in this selection

Farm & City

Farm & City, based in Harare , Zimbabwe has 48 branches throughout the country. The organisation focuses on supplying general farm supplies to farmers nation-wide. It has 9 000 Accounts Receivable customers , 2,200 Accounts Payable vendors per month and processes in excess of 25 000 invoice transactions per month, including 8,000 cashbook entries. Farm & City is believed to have the biggest AR database in the world.

ACCPAC International

ACCPAC International, Inc., a subsidiary of Computer Associates International Inc., is a leading provider of financial accounting, business management and e-business software solutions serving a range of companies from small offices to large corporations. ACCPAC generated $48.9 million in revenue in fiscal year 1998. The company has more than 350,000 registered clients in over 100 countries worldwide. ACCPAC develops products for businesses with annual revenues from less than $1 million to $500 million. The company's products are sold and implemented through a worldwide network of more than 3,000 business partners consisting of resellers, qualified installers, and systems integrators.

ACCPAC for Windows

ACCPAC(R) for Windows has won numerous awards from leading trade publications, and was rated the Number One Windows accounting software package by VARBusiness magazine readers in 1998. For more information contact ACCPAC INTERNATIONAL, INC. at 6700 Koll Centre Parkway, Pleasanton, California 94566, or call 925-461-2625, or visit our Web site at www.accpac.com

Lorge Consulting

Lorge Consulting had its humble beginnings in 1986 as a small software consultancy and has over time developed strong methodologies and expertise in the implementation of business software solutions. The company has grown from strength to strength and is today a member of the Softline Limited group. Softline is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange as well as on the American exchange (SVI) and has representation both nationally in all major centres and internationally in the USA, Australia, the UK, etc. Lorge Consulting offers Turkey Systems, Software Development and Consulting services. Lorge Consulting has also been the ACCPAC international dealer of the year for the past 4 years and was the ACCPAC International Developer of the year for 1997 and 1998.

LA Technology

L A Technology is the sole distributor for ACCPAC in sub-Saharan Africa. It operates through select business partners throughout the continent. These partners are trained to install and support ACCPAC for the company's more than 15000 customers.

Certain of the statements in this press release are forward-looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. The actual results may differ from those described or contemplated All trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.