Acuity Magazine recently published this article, based on a survey of the biggest tech challenges facing corporate Chartered Accountants in the ANZ (Australia & New Zealand) region.
Analysis of the results showed by far the biggest tech issue to be what they’ve dubbed “disconnection challenges”. To put it another way:
Too many systems that don’t talk to each other, and no budget to fix it.
Adem Turgut, chief executive of automation and analytics platform SolveXia, put it this way:
People are spending hours, days, sometimes even weeks just assembling data together from all these different places, massaging it in spreadsheets, checking it and passing it on.
As well as the drain on resources, these ad-hoc processes have serious implications for data accuracy and integrity.
Many of these issues can be confronted by replacing disconnected applications with an ERP system, but it would be naive to imagine this will be a silver bullet. Companies still find themselves needing gap-fillers, ranging from cheap off-the-shelf apps to bespoke software development.
With the ERP implementation having used up the entire tech budget, it’s almost like being back to square one.
Creating Connections…Where to Start?
Fortunately, for Sage 300 sites, Orchid Systems offers affordable add-on modules that can help resolve many of those ‘disconnection challenges’, and fill gaps in the capability of the core offering.
- Orchid Extender is the ultimate gap-filler, providing a cost-effective way to configure, customize and extend Sage 300. This includes configuring Sage 300 events to trigger the execution of external applications, or running custom Python scripts to provide sophisticated bi-directional integration.
- Orchid Notes helps overcome disconnection between staff, bringing key information into the foreground. With Extended Notes, that might include pulling data from external systems for display within Sage 300.
- Optional Tables makes it easy to store custom data within the Sage 300 database, reducing the need for external, disconnected applications.
The Acuity survey went on to ask in which areas the companies were considering investing in technology to improve efficiency. The following categories all landed in the top half of the 14 options provided.
Once again, Orchid’s Sage 300 add-ons have a lot to offer when it comes to creating connections, without breaking the bank.
Analytics & Reporting
- Info-Explorer: Orchid’s powerful yet affordable BI tool lets you bring data from multiple sources into a single cube for multi-dimensional, slice-and-dice analysis
Business Process Automation
- Use Process Scheduler to create and run complex schedules, including regularly executing Extender scripts and other tasks for integration with external applications.
Workflow Management
- Orchid Extender comes with built-in Workflow capability, supporting anything from simple approvals to complex, bespoke business processes using custom actions.
Document Management
- Document Management Link (DML): Connects Sage 300 to your existing document management and file-sharing systems, with easy access to relevant documents directly from your Sage 300 screens.
Accounts Payable
- EFT Processing streamlines one of the most important connections for any business – the one between them and their bank! It integrates seamlessly with Sage 300 AP & AR, plus Sage 300 US & Canadian Payroll, and supports hundreds of bank formats.
