Communications
Group
This
public company, with its head office in New
York, used Omicron and other accounting systems
in its many international offices. Consolidation
was achieved by re-keying faxed information
into multiple linked Excel sheets. Staff had
received little training and moral was low.
Inter-company reconciliations, currency revaluation
and consolidation were major obstacles to efficient
financial reporting.
In consultation with the Financial Controller, we completely redesigned
the core chart of accounts. We created the analysis codes and system settings.
Reports were written in the SunAccounts report writers and Vision. Consolidation
was achieved using SunAccounts data and Vision with no re-keying. The inter-company
reconciliation, which used to take a week, was now automatic. We build
the interface between SunAccounts and their proprietary communication billing
systems, reducing substantially the billing cycle.
After
successfully testing the system in London, we rolled
it out to the world-wide offices. We converted
the data from their local systems, which sometimes
included oriental or European programs and characters.
We imported their budgets using Vision and adjusted
the system to take account of local requirements,
particularly in banking and reporting. We configured
the BACS interface or computerised cheques to pay
creditors.
We provided
the SunAccounts and Vision training to both the
Systems Managers and the users – sometimes
through a translator. We also amended our client
specific
manuals to suit local needs and terminology.
Implementations
in Europe included planning for the Euro and its
implications for SunAccounts.
Implementing
under pressure, often with little local technical
support, in countries with different cultures,
varying English skills and staff shortages required
all of our consultant's patience and understanding.
We implemented
the system in the New York head office and subsequently
to later company acquisitions in Europe. All the
systems were project managed, installed and implemented
by us with minimal disruption to the reporting
deadlines of this public company.
