Ok, so tools to help people add and subtract and keep track of revenue have been around thousands of years. There’s the abacus, pascaline, arithmométre, curta, IBM 650 (google them) and then we have the accounting system we know today. Most of those were developed many years ago with very little changes made to their design and functionality and are as out of date to how people use the systems today as the abacus is. Just like abacus, it still works, but just not the best option out there.
Acumatica is one of the new solutions in the game and the fastest growing Cloud ERP in the world. They were incorporated in 2008 and started by ex-Microsoft Dynamics executives. The goal being to improve on all that is wrong with MSFT systems. MSFT accounting is good for what it is, but it has a hard time doing what people need to do with computing today. The point of this is not to bash MSFT, but point out where Acumatica is: years ahead in technology; just like your Mac Book is to the IBM 650.
Acumatica is as good as or better than other ERPs at AR, AP, and GL. That’s not the main differentiator to this solutions. Where it separates itself is in the technology and pricing model. As just a platform, it is head and shoulders above any other available software. So much so, that there are a number of companies that OEM it “original equipment manufacturer” into their specific software needs. They will allow access to the code so a company / user can build on their platform and not have to reinvent the wheel.
Why do companies want to do this? What is so great about the platform? Acumatica is a true cloud technology. It is browser agnostic and can be used on any devise, “BYOD”. Just those two reasons alone are why it is so successful. That is how people and companies work today. Think how many people work remotely. Think about where and when people work; coffee shops, on vacation, in the field, at kids’ soccer games, etc. They can always be connected, bad for their personal life, but great for the professional. It does allow a person the freedom to do the personal things out of the office and yet as long as they have access to the web they have access to the system.
The software also has the added benefit of having a CRM as part of the system; it is built right in. It’s not a bolt on or another module that needs to be added, it’s part of the system and flows seamlessly into the accounting piece. It may be turned on or not depending on the clients need.
Acumatica, as well, allows the options of how a company wishes to deploy the solutions. It can be a SaaS or on premise. There is also an option where if the client has the infrastructure to support it on premise, but does not wish to invest in buying the software, they may choose a SOP model where they “rent it” like in a SaaS model but deploy it onsite. There can even be a hybrid of both. Maybe they do not have the infrastructure but want to control the environment? The software can be hosted off site in an environment they own. The clients of the software may also switch options as they see fit. Maybe they are growing and do not have the money to invest in servers, but as the get larger they do. They then can switch over to on prem. Perhaps they start on prem and no longer want to incur the cost and upkeep of their system, they can switch to SaaS.
One of the biggest differences with Acumatica is the pricing model. Most ERP systems, if not all, are priced by user; not just everyday users, but anyone that needs to “touch” the system will need to purchase a license. Acumatica is priced by needed system resources. It does not matter how many people need to go in and look at reports or put in time and expense and so on. If it is a large global company with locations all over the world and each location will need access to the system, their system resources will be higher than the single location company where only 5 people need full time access to the system. So if there is a small company with 5 concurrent users, but there are 95 employees that need to access the system to see stock items or reports or put in time, their investment will be significantly less that a company that has 100 concurrent users. In the case with other systems, they would almost be priced the same, because other systems price per access to the system. Adding new employees to the system is also a snap as there is no need to purchase a license for them. Think of it as more of a small, medium, large, extra-large needs, kind of pricing.
Another nice distinct difference with Acumatica is the way they allow companies to receive software updates. Like most software there are yearly upgrades to keep the clients on the most recent version. However, unlike most software that tells their clients when they are getting the updates, Acumatic lets their clients choose when they get the upgrades. Why does this matter you might ask? Say you have a big project going on or it is the end of your fiscal year and just not a good time to get upgraded, with most providers you do not have a choice. You could just come in one day and have new fields, loss populated fields in the system, or have a new work around you don’t understand. Acumatica lets you upgrade on your schedule, not theirs.
The normal version of Acumatica is a very horizontal software, good for just about any organization. However there are a few verticals. The more advanced versions are very industry specific for: nonprofit, distribution/ manufacturing, professional service, and a top shelf DCAA compliant government contracting solution. If you fit into one of these verticals, I would suggest taking a look.
Acumatica, in my opinion, should be a strong consideration for any company looking for an ERP system. Especially one looking for a true cloud, browser, and device agnostic solution with over 10 plus people needing to access the system whether it be minimally or daily. The software offers a great UI/UX experience, is highly configurable, and fits the way people and companies must work today.
For more information on Acumatica, to get pricing, or just to answer some of your questions, please contact Mark at 301.360.0001 or by email at sales@ktlsolutions.com
MARK LAWRENCE | Sales Executive
Mark has over 10 years of experience in providing technology solutions. Starting with Monster World Wide in Tempe, AZ. After a few years working with National Accounts, Mark was promoted and relocated to the DC area as the Enterprise Sales Representative for the Mid-Atlantic. Here, he was the main Monster contact for Fortune 1000 companies such as Philip Morris, Dollar Tree, Volkswagen of America and Smithfield Foods, just to name a few. Mark was also a consultant to these companies by providing services such as recruiting and HR solutions from the hiring process to out placement service and applicant tracking systems. Mark joined KTL in 2014. With his background and experience in understanding and providing technology to specific needs and challenges for non-profit and other organizations, he has become an asset to KTL’s accounts department.
