Why use integrated accounting modules ...

Integrated accounting modules might seem expensive, but as Alan Alexander (pictured), QLD distributor for Quote & Print Software discovers, they can actually save you money.

Here are some reasons why it pays to have integrated accounting modules:

Debtors
To have the debtors ledger separate from the production system requires the maintenance of two systems of names and addresses (card files).  Even for printers with relatively smallish customer bases there will be small changes such as a new contact, phone number, email address and there are probably a few every week.  Experience shows that it is difficult to keep one client list up to date.  The maintenance of two is obviously harder and keeping two matching lists is harder still and the cost of this is often ignored when evaluating integrated accounting modules.

There is also credit limit checking.  Typically this is done on the financial system and so doesn't stop the production system from creating jobs for customers that are beyond their terms or credit limit. Then there are processing efficiencies.  When invoicing, all necessary information has already been captured on a job and invoices can be created by just a few clicks versus a non-integrated system where the information has to be re-keyed.

Quote & Print, like most systems, has an export link to other common accounting systems but the processing is still more expensive.

Creditors
Again there is an extra cost in maintaining two lists of suppliers.  A list in the production is necessary for the convenient creation of purchase orders.  The user-definable reports are similar for debtors, creditors, and production.

General LedgerThe General Ledger is linked to debtors, creditors and cashbook but is also linked to Quote & Print's Cost Recovery Planner module.  This is a module specifically designed to help with the calculation of machine charge rates.

Security Systems
There is only one security system that covers the whole Management Information System.  In Quote & Print, the security can be defined at various levels for each module and the menu is also customisable for each logon.  Some other accounting products may have a logon that only gives full access or none.

Quote & Print training and support
Quote & Print has user-definable reports in some modules with just the tables and field names that are different.  Their similarity obviously requires less training than having to learn another report generator.

The accounting and production systems have a similar feel about them and this may also reduce the amount of training required. Existing Quote & Print customers can take a step to improve efficiency by installing some Quote & Print accounting modules.

Potential new customers can implement a modular Quoting/Estimating system that can be scaled up with integrated accounting modules when desired.