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No matter how many different mission-critical applications you may be running on your AS/400, chances are the most important one is the suite of accounting applications that record and summarize every transaction that occurs in your company. Financial software was the justification for computerizing many businesses and continues to be a core function, regardless of the computer's penetration beyond the accounting department's cubicles.

Accounting software can cover a wide range of specific applications and can include functional modules as generic as general ledger or as specific as credit card management. Some vendors provide functionality in a monolithic integrated product, while others let you pick and choose from standalone modules that you can purchase separately and interface to custom, legacy, or third-party applications.

NEWS/400 surveyed 36 companies to provide a buyers guide of AS/400-related accounting applications, which you can reference on the Web at http://www.products400.com. All the products covered execute either directly on the AS/400 or on a client platform in conjunction with an AS/400 server. We asked the respondents to profile their software in terms of common functions and to indicate how those functions are packaged in the application. The vendors' responses are summarized in the table posted on the Web to provide you with an overview of what's currently available in the AS/400 accounting applications market. This buyers guide focuses exclusively on companies that provide accounting systems encompassing virtually all accounting functions, but there are other companies that produce more focused applications that handle just one primary aspect, such as accounts receivable or general ledger. If you're interested in a more specific package, check out the vendors listed in the online version of the NEWS/400 Sourcebook at our Web site at http://www.news400.com.

Several areas of this buyers guide may be of particular interest to you. For example, today's business climate often demands that companies relying on suppliers for raw materials or components closely manage the timing, tracking, and payment for orders of those materials. Accounting packages' ability to handle those functions are summarized in the "supply chain functions supported" section of the table.

As more individual companies grow into global entities, international financial compatibility becomes critical. Support for multiple currency conversion and the new euro currency are indicated in the "International Standards" column, as are compliance with ISO 9000 standards, Y2K date compatibility requirements, and electronic data interchange (EDI) standards. Also included is data on each package's ability to handle tax functions, such as Canada's Goods and Services Tax (GST) and the Value-Added Tax (VAT) required in Canada and many European countries, as well as more common features, such as employee payroll tax calculation.

Most of us tend to think of "user interface" in terms of the display the user sees - green screen or GUI. But many of these packages have user interface features that go beyond simple screen presentation. The table notes those applications that include such features as PC downloading, "drill down" analysis, workflow tracking, Web integration, and banking interfaces.

Other Issues to Consider

When you're evaluating packages, don't overlook training. What training methods does the vendor offer? Are the classes included with the package price, or will you pay by the class? Will the training methods meet your schedules and deadlines? Does the vendor offer ongoing classes that are suitable beyond the initial installation for those users who come on board after the software is already in daily use in your business? While the table can give you an idea of the training methods each vendor offers for its product, you'll need to decide other training issues as you negotiate with the vendor.

Many of the vendors in this buyers guide are reluctant to list software prices. This is because pricing can be a complicated issue, particularly for accounting software. Pricing is often based on such unpredictable factors as the modules being purchased, processor features of the AS/400 on which the software is to be installed, installation and support costs, and the projected number of users. Different pricing schemes may make it difficult for you to compare individual package prices, but the lack of hard-and-fast pricing opens the possibility of some price negotiation when you're dealing with certain vendors.

Bryan Meyers, CCP, is a senior technical editor for NEWS/400. You can contact him at bmeyers@wtp.net

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Sidebar : Vendor Information

Advanced Logic Solutions, Inc.
(770) 578-6771
Fax (770) 578-6858
http://www.advlog.com

Advanced Software Quality N.V.
3211526736
Fax 3211526693
http://www.asq.be

American Software
(404) 261-4381
Fax (404) 264-5206
http://www.amsoftware.com

Applications Specialists, Inc.
(903) 597-5414
Fax (903) 593-0484
Assist Cornerstone Technologies
(800) 732-0136, (801) 355-7744
Fax (801) 355-7720
http://www.assistintl.com

CAD Consultants
(719) 594-4532
Fax (719) 594-6669
CODA Group plc
(44) 1423509999
Fax (44) 1423530525
http://www.coda-financials.com

Computer Software Solutions
(800) 537-1233, (918) 627-1117
Fax (918) 627-1508

Datalink Chorus
(44) 1271342648
Fax (44) 1271379250

Datanational Corporation
(248) 426-0200
Fax (248) 426-0707
http://www.datanat.com

Data Processing Services, Inc.
(800) 654-4689, (317) 574-4300
Fax (317) 574-4322
http://www.dpslink.com

DMS Systems Corporation
(800) 443-5994, (919) 985-2500
Fax (919) 985-1900
http://www.dms-systems.com

Gamma Software, Inc.
(541) 770-5587
Fax (541) 770-5596
http://www.gamma-software.com

Gemma International, Inc.
(630) 575-4100
Fax (630) 575-4130
http://www.gemma.ibmbp.com

HarrisData
(800) 225-0585, (414) 784-9099
Fax (414) 784-5994
http://www.harrisdata.com

Infinium Software, Inc.
(800) 725-7668, (508) 778-2000
Fax (508) 775-3764
http://www.infinium.com

Informatech, Inc.
(800) 923-4229, (450) 629-7722
Fax (450) 629-0200
http://www.informatech.com

Information Consultants, Inc.
(800) 739-3777, (847) 397-0088
Fax (847) 397-7890
http://www6.interaccess.com/iciapps400

JBA International (USA)
(800) 522-4685, (847) 590-0299
Fax (847) 590-0394
http://www.jbaworld.com

Kobelt Development, Inc.
(800) 661-1755, (604) 572-8058
Fax (604) 590-8313
http://www.kobelt.com/kdi

Lawson Software
(800) 477-1357, (612) 379-2633
Fax (612) 379-8401
http://www.lawson.com/as400/

Linton Shafer Computer Service, Inc.
(800) 638-2220, (301) 695-5333
Fax (301) 695-7651
http://www.lintonshafer.com

MAPICS, Inc.
(888) 362-7427, (404) 705-3000
Fax (404) 705-3368
http://www.mapics.com

Medallion Systems
(301) 670-0400
Fax (301) 670-1808
http://www.medallionsys.com

Micronetics International
(561) 995-1477
Fax (561) 483-4204
http://www.axpert.com

Pegasus Systems, Ltd.
6444710886
Fax 6444710889
http://www.pegasus-sys.co.nz

Proget
3227239111
Fax 3227251948
http://www.proget.be

Protal
(800) 721-4803, (905) 639-4770
Fax (905) 639-4292

Real Software N.V.
3238709211
Fax 3238709288
http://www.realsoftware.be

Reymen Data Center N.V.
3216632576
Fax 3216639979

RLRA, Inc.
(817) 477-3324
Fax (817) 473-7329

Royal 4 Systems
(562) 420-9594
Fax (562) 420-7818
http://www.royal4.com

SAP America, Inc.
(610) 355-2500
Fax (610) 725-4910
http://www.sap.com

SIA (Service Information Access, Inc.)
(888) 842-0500, (514) 842-0500
Fax (514) 842-6854
http://www.siamtl.com

Software Plus
(800) 343-6844, (201) 933-7587
Fax (201) 933-3365

Voelker, Thompson & Associates
(800) 377-0391, (517) 868-3591
Fax (517) 868-4071
http://www.sirvys.sales.com

Xdata Solutions
(219) 266-0964
Fax (219) 266-0893
http://www.xdata.com