HansaWorld Enterprise
HansaWorld Enterprise - ERP, CRM and e-Business. One total solution.More than 70,000 companies run their business on HansaWorld software
Truly all in one!
HansaWorld Enterprise is a fully integrated modular, enterprise-wide Business Management, ERP and CRM system, utilized by large companies. The number of modules, currently at around 45, continues to increase. HansaWorld Enterprise was originally conceived as a mere accounting system, but has since then been expanded significantly - first by adding accounting ledgers (Sales, Purchases and Nominal Ledger), then Order Processing and Stock. Other modules that have later been developed (which can be considered typical in the type of program HansaWorld Enterprise represents) include Cashbook, Expenses, Job Costing, Fixed Assets, Quotations and Sales Support (contact management). Lately, the module range has expanded significantly to include Hospitality, Service Orders, Manufacturing, Forecasting, Event Planning, Course Booking, Rental and many more, leading to the widest feature set in a single fully integrated business management system available today.HansaWorld defines INTEGRATION. Other systems simply interface a couple of applications, and they never have true integration. HansaWorld offers TRUE integration. See our slideshow about integration here.
View a list of available modules here.
Below is a graphical view of some of the modules currently available in HansaWorld and how they neatly fit together to enable true and complete integration in what is arguably the fastest Graphical User Interface Accounting and Business Management Software on the market today:
This page provides a snapshot of what HansaWorld is about.
Please browse through our pages for more information or
contact us if you have questions.
HansaWorld is perfect for most companies, from small to
large companies needing an integrated solution for all
their business requirements - it's as simple or as
sophisticated as you make it.
Some of the features are listed below:
Built-In
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)- Intranet
- Document Management
- Webshop
- Communication VOIP
- SMS
- Internet Services
Wide-Area Networking
- Fast, even over the internet- Mobile solutions, including GSM/GPRS (all modules)
- Pocket PC/ Nokia Business Phone interface
- ASP ready
- no third party applications such as Citrix needed.
Open
- Mixed Windows, Mac & Linux clients- Scaleable servers, including Unix
- Real-time interfaces to external packages
- choice of databases
International
- Multi-currency- Multi-language forms and data
- many different languages for the interface
Easy to Use
- Vast numbers of standard reports- Full drilldown/drill-across
- Editable forms, screens and reports
- Consistent layout, design and architecture
- Intuitive workflows
Fast to Implement
- Proven technology that works- One Database, less interfacing
- Wide standard functionality
- Less need for customisation
Future Safe Solution
- Cross platform on servers and clients- Standard technology
- Upgrade path to other Hansaworld solutions
- Critical mass of solutions worldwide and locally.
Detailed Features:
HansaWorld's functionality is based on complete integration, thus its unique benefits are derived by all its components working together in harmony. How this leverages efficiencies in many of the different work processes is described below. For more detailed information, please download the product sheets for the various modules from our Industry section.
HANSAWORLD and Design
HansaWorld's System wide features
Integration
HansaWorld is a fully integrated, modular system. As transactions progress, e.g. from a quote to an order to an invoice to a receipt, there is no data re-keying. Single commands or mouse clicks move the transaction to its next stage.
Speed
Data Entry and Work Style
HansaWorld is designed for ease and speed of data entry. All mouse controls have a keyboard shortcut and default data is copied in where possible. Screens are clear and not cluttered with unnecessary buttons and colours. All on-screen reports are resizable and use clear screen-readable fonts. Being a true windows system, designed for windows from the outset, you can have as many windows open on your desktop as you wish. You do not have to close windows down to start a new enquiry when the phone interrupts you. HansaWorld works for you and is designed to work as you would move paper around your desk.Processing
The system is written in ANSI C and compiles to very fast code requiring the minimum of hardware resources and RAM. Transactions are processed fast and there is minimal delay in screen refresh times. HansaWorld is designed around an object database, making it the fastest graphical user accounting system available. Also object databases have different index structures from the usual, relational databases, making HansaWorld substantially less vulnerable to hard disk or networking problems. HansaWorld is a true client/server system with the server providing intelligent processing services to a community of users.
Networks and the Internet
HansaWorld has been designed to use very small network message packets. The screens and graphics are all held on the client machine so that all that is sent on the network is data. This means that, in a multi-user environment, there is minimal contention on the network and that HansaWorld will even perform very well over dial up connections for remote users.HansaWorld uses TCP/IP network protocols which are fully compatible with the Internet standards. You can therefore have a server connected anywhere in the world to the Internet which you can access via your Internet provider usually at local call rates.
You can have any number of servers on your own site, remotely connected by dial up, or remotely connected to the Internet. These facilities are particularly useful if you are multi-company and multi-location or if you are providing external services to a number of clients using HansaWorld - e.g. external accountants.
Countries and languages
HansaWorld has many features for companies with divisions or subsidiaries that operate in different countries, often using different languages. Many areas within HansaWorld allow you to create different language texts for different countries. The simplest example is setting up invoices in different languages, so that all your French customers automatically have an invoice printed in French.Languages can also be used for different terminologies used for different groups of customers - e.g. Trade, Retail, and Government.
Forms design
All forms within HansaWorld can be customized by each user. Existing fields on each form can be repositioned, resized, have the font and styling options changed, or simply deleted. Other fields can be added to forms, where appropriate. Additional text can be placed anywhere on the form, as can lines, boxes, or imported pictures (such as your company logo). Forms can be associated with any language, and with any printer. Form sets can be established where any number of forms are printed at the same time on different printers as a result of processing a transaction.Backup, exports and imports
A complete backup of the system can be performed quickly. This produces a text file. Alternatively, you can export data from various parts of the system, again as ASCII text files, which can be opened by most other applications. Restoring from backups is even simpler: there is only one function, and HansaWorld can tell by reading the file what data is being restored. You can therefore import any data.Security
Users can be assigned to user groups which determine their access privileges to modules, data, reports, documents, imports, exports and batch routines or specific fields.File Management
HansaWorld uses a very simple but effective Paperclip icon to allow outside files to be accessible from specific records. For example, scanned Purchase Invoices can be saved against the Purchase Invoice records in HansaWorld, and then accessed by anyone who can view the relevant record. Similarly, lengthy word processed contracts might be stored against Project or Contract records, spreadsheets of forecast assumptions against Budgets, or CAD diagrams against Items or bill of materials. Files attached in this way are encrypted, compressed, and uploaded to the HansaWorld Server.Record Management, and Workflow
The Paperclip icon is extended to allow any records in HansaWorld to be cross-referenced - drag and drop one record onto the Paperclip to form the cross-reference. Then double-clicking the cross-reference opens the related record. This is ideal for marking which Sales Orders should be fulfilled when goods are received against Purchase Orders, or providing a quick way of into HansaWorld from other systems or as a result of exporting data and editing it. The import/export formats can be obtained from your HansaWorld dealer.This functionality is particularly strong when used in conjunction with HansaWorld’s to-dos and email/bulletin board functions, delivering:
workflow capabilities, whereby the various tasks for a project can be set up as to-dos against relevant staff, and then monitored for progress
a fully integrated intranet, so that relevant staff can view folders and records on the bulletin board, and navigate to explanatory records in the database.
For example, finance staff may review a folder on the bulletin board setting out company policies on accruals, linked to spreadsheets with supporting assumptions, and journal entries showing how to post such entries.
Customisation
HansaWorld can be customized using the HAL (HansaWorld Application Language) programming language. This allows the following customisations:
interface - text on screens can be configured for any customer requirements (this includes Multilanguage support, with 20 languages already available), the attributes of fields can be changed, including the positioning on screen and indeed whether the field displays at all
reports - can draw on almost all data in the HansaWorld database, report across multiple files, and supports full drilldown or drill-across.
exports/imports - can be configured for specialist reporting requirements in outside applications, but more particularly allows data to be exchanged with other systems on a regular basis. For example, this includes banking payment files, supplier price lists, and imports of orders from a stand-alone website
procedures - HAL allows event-driven procedures, to add very specific functionality to any area of HansaWorld. For example, whenever an Invoice is saved, a HAL procedure could create to-dos in different people’s diaries depending on invoice value, and with different text, to allow complex credit control
registers - HAL can be used to add completely new functionality to HansaWorld, with the same interface. HAL procedures can ensure the new functionality integrates fully with existing registers. Refer also to HansaWorld and Connectivity for more details.
modules - with the above tools, entire new modules can be built, with the same well known interface the users are familiar with already. This allows you to have all your business processes in one truly fully integrated system.
Specific Business functions
Below is a discussion on some of the features found in HansaWorld. Please note that this is in no way a complete list. HansaWorld continuously adds new features and modules.
HANSAWORLD and Accounts
Budgets, forecasts, simulations
Budgets can be set up for any company, account, object and month. You do not need, however, to set up individual budgets for each month: you can set up annual budgets for accounts, and then have HansaWorld deal with the seasonality automatically (see below).HansaWorld also allows you to create revised budgets, so that you can keep existing budgets intact while still forecasting a more realistic figure based on results to date. Revised budgets are set up in an identical manner to budgets. HansaWorld includes functions to make setting up budgets much easier. Budget keys exist to create monthly patterns across which to spread budget totals. For example, you can set up a budget key which has a value for months 1-11 of 1, and for month 12 of 4.
This might be the case if you sell four times as much in the run up to Christmas as you do in the rest of the year. Budget keys can be set up for any number of months. When you use the key, your budgeting period must cover the same number of months as the key. Transactions can be posted as simulations, which allows you to derive a much more detailed picture of the short-term future of your business than you could with budgets. Simulations are entered in the same way as transactions, but may be edited or deleted at any time. When you run most Nominal Ledger reports, you can choose whether or not to include simulations.
As a result, you can perform detailed “what-if” scenarios. HansaWorld can produce a liquidity (cash flow) forecast, using the due dates of purchase and sales invoices, and any nominal transactions posted as simulations.
Repetitive transactions
Transactions can be saved as templates, for selecting automatically. For example, you can set up all the double entry for processing payroll. Creating a new Nominal transaction, with an account code of the automatic transaction brings in all entries set up in the template.HansaWorld has several features which considerably extend the power of this module:
You can perform calculations rather than entering fixed amounts in the debit or credit columns
You can cross refer a calculation line to the previous line of the template, or to the previous line in the transaction into which you are copying the template
You can associate an automatic transaction with an account on your chart of accounts, so that the automatic transaction appears whenever you enter a Nominal transaction using that account
As with all other parts of HansaWorld, you can use the Copy button to create an identical automatic transaction for editing - useful for reversing journals
Reporting and presentation
Everyone has a different view of how to present debits and credits on reports, screens and the like. For example, most people want balances on a Balance Sheet to be positive, in most cases: assets to be positive, if debits, and liabilities and equity to be positive if credits.However, they may want other parts of the system to show positive amounts for all debits, and negative figures for all credits. HansaWorld actually stores all debits as positive, and all credits as negative, as you would expect of a true double-entry system.
HansaWorld provides functions to allow you to reverse these signs independently for assets, liabilities, equity, income or expenses, on the Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Report; ledgers, balances and budgets; and for exports.
Unlike many other accounting systems, when running various Nominal Ledger reports HansaWorld will prompt you for a brought forward date, and will present a brought forward balance for all transactions up to this date.
Balance Sheet and Profit & Loss Reports give you considerable flexibility of presentation, so that you can create your own headings, subheadings, subtotals, and simple text lines. This allows you to perform detailed calculations on any account or series of accounts. These can be used for ratios as diverse as sales per square foot, chargeability percentages, and profit per employee.
Most reports can be drilled down, on screen, to the underlying transactions which can be corrected or updated and the report recalculated with a single click.
VAT
HansaWorld’s VAT features include:A report providing all figures for transfer to the VAT Return
A detailed report analysing all VAT figures that appear on the VAT Return report
A standard set of accounts and reports to be used with South African or Namibian VAT Reports as the case may be. VAT Reports are also user definable.
In some countries, where the authorities permit, HansaWorld can submit VAT Reports electronically.
Accounting controls
You can further analyse any transactions by allocating one or more Objects to those transactions. Settings within HansaWorld allow you to force users to put objects on transactions, and you can configure these so that only certain objects are available to be posted to certain accounts. These can be in any combinations.Objects are typically used to account for expenses such as Vehicles, Departments or Persons, and are much more flexible than using sub-accounts.
Inexperienced users and mistakes
HansaWorld understands that not every user will have a full grasp of accounting. If your company includes inexperienced users, it will be beneficial to turn on the preliminary transactions feature. This allows all transactions within the system to be edited directly, rather than requiring you to reverse errors and then re-enter the correct figures.HansaWorld handles the full audit trail implications, so that more experienced users can see what in fact has been done. Months can be closed at any time, and once closed transactions can no longer be edited.
Alternatively, in any situation where you want to amend a detail on a Nominal transaction, HansaWorld offers various easy to use features:
- You can copy the offending transaction by highlighting it and pressing Copy
- You can reverse it with one button
- You can add a correction mark to cross refer the new entries back to the incorrect entry
- A quicker way of achieving the above is to go in to the incorrect entry, and update it – including deleting and reprocessing any line.
One further method of protecting against mistakes is to prevent users from posting transactions at all (see below for how this is done). You can edit any of the transactions that have been saved, as they have not yet been posted. At any time, you can run a maintenance routine which posts all un-posted transactions.
Setting up HansaWorld from another accounting system
HansaWorld provides extensive functionality to make the transfer from other systems a painless process. All transactions in HansaWorld that post automatically to ledgers can be set up to start at a particular date, so that any that precede this date perform no postings.For example, if you intend to go live on HansaWorld on 1st January, any transactions you import or enter directly to the system with a date before then will be saved but will not affect control accounts.
In addition, there is a very simple screen that looks like a normal Nominal Ledger transaction, for the entry of your opening trial balance.
HANSAWORLD and Sales
Sales Orders
Sales Order Processing is designed to be fast and the user can initiate activities from this module such as deliveries, invoicing (provisional or full), pro-formas and back to back purchase orders. An optional status bar can be displayed showing, for each order line, the quantity: in stock, allocated to sales orders, on purchase orders and deliverable. Gross margin summaries are also displayed.Sales invoices can be raised for selections of orders and can be grouped across orders for one customer. Purchase orders can be amalgamated across sales orders for one supplier and minimum order quantities sought.
Order items are automatically priced according to the relevant price list, quantity and volume breaks and other price formulae that may be applicable. Stock can be reserved, and orders linked to jobs.
Reports and analyses include:
- Delivery List
- Order Gross Profit
- Invoiceable Orders
- Item List
- Order/Object Statistics
- Over Delivered Orders
- Price List
- Produceability List
- Sales Order Journal
- Deliverable List
A variety of forms and form sets can be printed either to default or to printers assigned to the form.
Quotations
Quotations are entered to HansaWorld in an identical fashion to sales orders. All details that can be stored for a sales order can also be stored for a quotation.Once created, quotations can be printed to a user-customisable form. At any time, new sales orders can be created from quotations, singly or in bulk, with the same details, using a simple menu command. Also a job/project can be created from a quotation. If required, a proforma invoice can be printed directly from a quote.
Original quotations are retained even after conversion to a sales order for analysis and lookup, and detailed reporting is available on the Quotation Acceptance statistics.
Calendar and To-Dos
HansaWorld’s Calendar and To-Do functionality is centered around diary entries called Activities, which allow the user to record:- The customer/prospect concerned
- The date of the task
- The time of the task
- A code for the type of activity, which is user definable
- Free text for further explanation
- A checkbox to indicate when the activity has been completed
- Date to make contact
- subtasks and notes
Each Activity can be marked as to whether it will appear in the Calendar (date and time based graphical entries) or in the To-Do list (simple list of tasks to perform).
HansaWorld’s Calendar is a team-based system, rather than personal - you can review other people’s diaries, and if necessary look at more than one diary at a time to see when several people are available.
Different types of work can be colour-coded, so you can see how anyone is planning or spending their time. Entries can be made for planned time and compared to actuals, and separate budgets can be prepared to see whether enough time is being spent on particular types of work. The graphical nature of these features makes employee chargeability easier to monitor, as you can immediately see which of a group of people is performing best.
The To-Do list can be used by any department, and Activities can be connected to other records using the Paperclip (see HansaWorld and Design for more details). This allows the To-Do functionality to be extended to full workflow management - these are notes that can be attached to any other record, such as a Project, and everyone can see whether these To-Dos have been completed, and what further comments have been added.
Activities can be automatically generated as a result of sending a letter, quote or entering into a contract. Thus, for any customer, a complete history of transactions and communications is instantly viewable on screen including what has been done and what is yet to be done. Activities can be automatically generated as a result of completing other Activities with a specified code - for example, entering a credit control Activity as completed with a “Cheque is in the Post” result might automatically create another Activity in three days time to check the post and chase again if not received.
As well as the quotes, orders, activities and letters you perform for customers and prospects, there is a record card for the company and each contact associated with it. Here is entered the standard information which is used by the rest of HansaWorld when performing tasks for the company or contact. Such information would include addresses, telephone and e-mail numbers, multiple classifications for searching and analysis, default terms, warning messages which appear when entering financial transactions, factors, discounts and even the language or terminology you wish to use on forms and letters.
Letters and mailings
HansaWorld allows you to create standard or ad-hoc letters, which can be printed for individual or selections of customers, or prospects. Each letter gives you control of the greeting (Dear Sir/Madam, Dear Jim and the like) and heading. In addition, you can create paragraphs of standard text, and bring them in to any standard letter with a single code.The letter list will show the proposed recipients of a mailing before you proceed allowing you to change your selection criteria.
HANSAWORLD and Purchases
Purchase Orders
As with other parts of HansaWorld, you can select an existing Purchase Order, and copy the details into a new order. These details can be edited in any way before saving. The Purchase Order itself allows you to request the delivery date, and to specify the way that you will eventually pay the supplier.Purchase Orders have a field which indicates when all items and associated purchase invoices have been received. Purchase Items can be set up so you can buy in different units from those you sell in: for example, you might buy in boxes of 12, but sell in boxes of 3.
You can enter a different company in HansaWorld’s factoring field, to allow you to record the eventual purchase invoice against a different company from the supplier.
Unfulfilled orders
HansaWorld provides a report that allows you to view all unfulfilled purchase orders, and/or all those that have been partially received. In addition, there is a menu function that allows you to close any selection of purchase orders – any quantities that have not been received will be cancelled.Goods receipts
Recording goods receipts could not be simpler: pick the purchase orders against which goods have been received, and select Goods Received from the Special menu. This creates the relevant goods receipt records, and copies the ordered number of items. For partial receipts, the Purchase Order is not marked as received until the entire order has been received.Suppliers’ invoices
Raising suppliers’ invoices when purchase orders are already on the system is extremely easy: select any purchase order for which an invoice has been received, and select Invoice from the Special menu. This creates a new editable supplier’s invoice copying the details from the purchase order.HansaWorld supports discounts taken from suppliers, recorded directly at the purchase invoice stage. You can specify a factor number for the supplier. Purchase credits are created by copying a purchase invoice, and changing the payment terms to credit.
Multi-currency
You can purchase items in any currency. Purchase invoices will automatically pick up the latest exchange rate for the currency put on them.Reordering
All of this is brought together by the Deficiency List report. For each item, this lists the number in stock, the number on sales orders and delivered, the net of these two, the number on received purchase orders, and a suggestion for the number to reorder, based on the item’s reorder level. HansaWorld also provides an automatic function to create Purchase Orders for all items below their reorder levels, or for any range of such items.If more than one supplier exists for an item, HansaWorld will pick whichever has been specified as the default supplier for the item on the Purchase Item record. If the stock deficiency is greater than the normal order quantity, HansaWorld will top up the figure on the Purchase Order. However, if the deficiency is less than the minimum order level, HansaWorld will not create a Purchase Order. The automatic generation of purchase orders is usually performed after reviewing the Deficiency List.
Jobs
To allocate purchase orders and invoices to jobs, enter the job number in the order’s (or invoice’s) project number field.Payments
You can create different payment modes, linked to different nominal accounts (usually bank or cash accounts) – this is principally used to simplify bank reconciliation. You can specify bank record details against each supplier, and these will be applied by default to the purchase invoice – but may be overwritten. Payments can be made from any of your own bank or cash accounts.A maintenance function exists to allow you to export a selection of payments as a Banking file, to be sent to your bank. This file is saved in common text format, which can be opened by almost all applications to reformat to the bank’s specification.
HansaWorld allows you to print remittance advices for any range of payments. This form can be customized to permit automatic cheque printing in certain circumstances. In other respects, payments work in the same way as receipts, allowing you to process bank charges and foreign exchange differences at the time of payment.
Accounting controls
You can set up purchase invoices to require a signatory. In addition, purchase invoices can be saved at any time, but will only be posted to ledgers when OK'd.Suppliers can be put on hold: this prevents payments to them, and there is an option on forecast reports to exclude payments to suppliers on hold. Individual purchase invoices can also be put on hold, to prevent payment.
Fixed Assets
A command on the Special menu of the Purchase Ledger module provides a simple method of capitalising asset purchases. If you have highlighted a purchase invoice, it automatically creates the necessary asset record in the Fixed Assets Module.HANSAWORLD and Stock
Deliveries
Orders can be shipped simply by selecting Delivery from the Special menu when viewing an order. This creates an editable record with all the delivery details on it. To part-ship, just overwrite the Delivery Quantity field for any item and the undelivered items will be automatically held as a back-order. HansaWorld will suggest part delivery where insufficient stock exists. HansaWorld will also handle the number of packages in the
shipment.
HansaWorld can make automatic accruals for Purchase Invoices against stock items received – simply by specifying the Purchase Control account in the settings.
Real time stock valuation
HansaWorld uses a concept called “cost accounting”, that allows you to control postings of the cost of goods sold in real time, rather than updating stock values at period end by manual journal. All items you wish to account for in this way should be assigned to Item Groups. The Item Groups allow the specification of the debit and credit accounts for the update, together with the basis for deriving the item’s cost. The cost can be a percentage of selling price, the cost shown on the Item, the purchase price at the time of invoicing, or the FIFO cost.Items can be revalued in HansaWorld on receipt of stock using either of two methods: the price on the item can be updated to the new purchase price, or can be set to a weighted average of all previous purchase prices. This methodology is available for each item.
At any time you can run a stock list, which lists all stock by location, and provides a valuation based on FIFO, base price of items, or purchase price.
Location management
If you specify a location on a purchase order, goods will be booked to that location if the goods receipt is linked to the purchase order.Similarly, specifying a location on a sales order and linking the delivery to the sales order books goods out of that location. You can also specify a shelf code and a department on invoices, to be printed on stock taking and picking lists.
HansaWorld provides a stock movement function which allows goods to be moved between locations. You can add cost at the time of moving the stock, and HansaWorld posts a Nominal Ledger transaction for those costs.
Production
HansaWorld uses recipes for assembly management, bill of materials and formulations. Recipes show the component mix for any assembly or sub-assembly. They list any number of items on them, with their transfer prices (which can be different from normal costs).Each assembly or sub-assembly can also be set up with prices for internal or external use. Markups or additional costs, such as works cost, can be applied as part of the recipe.
HansaWorld allows items to be stocked as assemblies, subassemblies or their components. At any time you can report on how many assemblies can be produced from component stocks, using stock of sub-assemblies or components. Production can be run at any time to build and place the assemblies in stock; component stocks are automatically debited.
Delivery notes and picking lists can be restricted to the built item, or can list all component parts. If you do not produce an assembly but it has a recipe, then component stock will be debited on delivery.
Multi-currency
Many systems cannot handle the process of buying in one currency and selling in another, from the point of view of stock valuation. Not HansaWorld. Goods receipts save the currency the goods were charged in, with the current exchange rate at the date of booking in the stock.HansaWorld allows you to update cost prices of any range of stocked items with a maintenance process. This process can use the exchange rate at the date of goods receipt, to ensure a match with stock reports.
Serial number and batch traceability
Goods receipts can be raised automatically from purchase orders. If the item ordered is serial numbered, HansaWorld splits the goods receipt so that each line has a quantity of one, and all that needs to be entered is the serial number.HansaWorld produces a serial number history report, which lists all movements by item for any range of items. Batches are similarly fully tracked and can have annotations of best before dates.
Warehouse management
HansaWorld has detailed functionality for managing warehouses, including picking, binning, pallet management and automated forklift drivers.HANSAWORLD and Job Costing
Time billing
Set up as many employees as you want, each with their hourly rates and cost per hour for gross profit calculations. Employees can belong to groups, all with the same rates, for ease of entry and reporting.Job groups can themselves be associated with price lists, so different customers are recharged at different rates for the same person’s time. In addition, you can set up specific discounts or unit prices for individual customers and items (time or costs).
Time sheet entries allow you to enter any quantity of items (usually hours of an employee’s time) against an employee and project. In addition, items can be non-stocked cost items, such as consumables, recharges and the like. To make things even easier, job groups can be restricted to a defined list of items that can be entered on time sheets.
To speed up data entry, clicking Enter or Tab from a blank line copies data from the line above, which can be edited. Posted entries can be amended easily by marking them, “red-lining” deletions, and adding amended lines.
Expenses
HansaWorld provides simple expenses sheets to allow your employees to enter their expenses. The expenses input screen is headed by the employee and only books expenses to that employee. Each line on the expenses screen allows you to post against different Nominal accounts, with the amount of the expense (inclusive of VAT, if any), the item (if any), quantity, and project (job) number.HansaWorld also provides the facility to have someone sign off an expense sheet. Expenses sheets can be in any currency, with a current rate being picked up automatically, by default.
HansaWorld provides reports to show what is owed to each employee.
Payments can be made to each employee, as advances or repayments. These show your bank account and the employee’s, for lists to be sent to your bank. Additional bank fees can be added to these payments.
Purchase Invoices
Any purchase invoice entered in the normal way through the Purchase Ledger can be allocated to a project simply by putting the project code on it.Quotations and Sales Orders
Various functions exist to permit details on quotations and sales orders to be transferred to projects. New projects can be created automatically from quotation details. If a project number has been set on a sales order, which is then shipped, HansaWorld records the shipment in project record which is available when the project invoice is raised.Budgets
When you first set up items in HansaWorld, you specify whether they represent time (service items), stock, assembled items, or anything else. Budgets can be set up for each project for any combination of items and employees.
For time items, HansaWorld will default to the employee’s recharge price. Each budget line can be marked with a type, which indicates whether future invoices will be based on actual costs or a fixed amount.
Invoicing
HansaWorld handles any schedule of invoicing, and based on budgets, costs or any number of pre-set amounts at any date. HansaWorld allows you to set up a default presentation for an invoice, which can be varied for any project. This determines the level of detail independently for entries from time sheets (time and consumables), and for purchases.
Detail varies from every transaction to one line per project, but alternatively allows listing by item or by item group. Prior to invoicing, you may change the quantity or price of any time based item. Mark-ups can be associated with each item, so that they can be recharged at the marked up price from the job. Alternatively, you may change the mark-up percentage for any item prior to invoicing.
Invoices can be raised automatically across jobs for a client. HansaWorld provides an on-screen report for all items on a project yet to be invoiced. Like many key reports in
HansaWorld, this has full drill-down, both for transactions and budget details. You can double-click down to the detailed transaction, and edit quantity, price, and discount or mark-up figures to make final adjustments prior to invoicing. Billable entries can be marked as “invoice after date” and any number of interim down-payment or deposit invoices can be raised and set off against the final invoice.
Links to Payroll
HansaWorld can easily export time sheet information for import into an external payroll package. The payroll summaries can also be exported from payroll packages for import into the HansaWorld nominal ledger. See your HansaWorld dealer for advice about imports and exports with other payroll packages.Reports
HansaWorld’s time billing reports include:- Employee statistics, covering time worked, on what, by project, with productivity details
- Gross profit by project, if requested showing time, purchases, material and order items separately
- Project statistics, giving amounts invoiced and yet to be invoiced
- Project transactions, giving amounts against budget.
- Project purchases
Controls
Projects can be set up as not invoiceable, to cover internal projects or projects you intend to invoice outside the time billing module – for example, using the repetitive billing features of the contract module. Also projects can be closed, to prevent further time being billed to them.HANSAWORLD and Repeat Billing
Contracts
HansaWorld supports repetitive billing with the Contracts Module. For any arrangement where you wish to issue a number of invoices over a range of dates, you should set up a Contract. Typical uses are rentals, subscriptions and fixed price service contracts and agency arrangements.
Each Contract has a start date and an end date, and the date the contract was entered into. You also enter the number of invoices you wish to print at any time, and the length of each invoicing period. This can be any number of days or months.
Having set up the rules for repetition of invoices, you then set up the invoice itself. Tabs on the Contract screen are similar to the tabs for entering normal invoices to the Sales Ledger.
Example:
If you set the length of the invoicing period to 3 months, and the number of invoices to print at any one time to 3, you can produce 3 invoices for a quarter at one sitting, with invoice dates separated in monthly intervals. Other settings will allow you to produce one invoice in a quarter with three line items, one for each month, on it or one invoice per quarter with one line item for the quarter on it. Periods can be days if required.The invoice dates default to the current date, but can be overridden with automatic features. You can force the invoice date to be calculated from any number of days before or after the Contract date.
Reports
HansaWorld produces various reports for the Contracts module:- A list of Contracts, with their details
- A report which shows all Contracts due for invoicing at a specific date interval. This allows you to check what will be invoiced by the automatic functions.
Automatic integration
HansaWorld provides a simple function which can be run at any time to create all outstanding Contract invoices, for any specified range of dates. The invoices created by this function are transferred to the Sales Ledger for final OK'ing and printing. As well as integration with the sales ledger, the Contracts Module can create activities in the Sales Support module on confirmation on a contract and to provide a reminder to mail a renewal letter as the contract becomes due.Quotes and Status
Quotations for contracts can be created within the Contracts Module and their status tracked to include issue, acceptance, credit checks, contracts issued and so on. Upon acceptance of a quotation, a contract can be created with a single command and without re-keying details. The status of the contact and the invoicing status of a customer with payment history are instantly viewable on screen.Updating Contracts
During the term of a contract, details of things in a contract may change in other parts of the system - customer details and terms, item descriptions, characteristics and costs and other relevant settings. A simple maintenance function - Update Contracts - will refresh contracts with these new details automatically without having to edit many existing contracts.Circulation Contracts
For publishing-type contracts, a simple export of circulation details permits the printing of labels, letters etc for fulfilment purposes.HANSAWORLD and Post Sales Support
Introduction
HansaWorld Enterprise’ Service Order module provides detailed functionality for companies that repair stock, including tracking of repair items, works orders for instructing engineers as to required work, charging of parts and labour against a repair, and the ability to recharge any or all incurred costs to the customer. Use the Sales Support module for helpdesk and other call tracking functionality, and the Contracts module for support contracts and maintenance agreements.
Stock Tracking
HansaWorld allows multiple stock locations to be set up, and even a default location for customer stock being repaired. HansaWorld has a special stock movement for Service Orders, which allows customer stock to be moved in or out of any of the locations already specified.Works Orders
At any time, Works Orders can be created for any range of Service Order lines or Service Orders, and assigned to an individual engineer. These are instructions to each engineer as to work required. Each Works Order allows for a planned time in which the work is to be performed, and a final deadline.The status of the Work Order can be changed at any time, from Issued to Started and then Finished, or Cancelled. In addition, if parts are required for the work, Purchase Orders for them can be raised from the Works Order.
Parts and Labour
Engineers record the parts and labour incurred against individual Service Orders, by way of Work Sheets. Parts used can be stock controlled or not, as required, and serial number tracking is available for each part. Available stock items can be reserved for future use. Labour is charged in the same way, as incurred.Each cost line is posted to a separate, editable register – this allows reporting on costs incurred, and changes to be made to the income values or quantities prior to invoicing.
Service Orders
If work is to be performed on any item, a Service Order is created first – this is the main central record for the Accounts Department. This details the original customer and any future payment terms, and the items on which the work will be done.HansaWorld can keep track of the serial numbers of items previously sold, and give you a selection for that customer when you add the item to the Service Order.
HansaWorld allows multiple items to be added to each Service Order, each treated differently.
If the work is invoiceable, costs that are later accumulated against the Service Order can be sold on to the customer. For work that is under contract, specify the contract already set up in the Contracts module (see HansaWorld and Repeat Billing). The length of warranty periods can be set up for each item sold, and HansaWorld will automatically compute the end of the warranty period based on the sale date of the item being repaired. In each case, HansaWorld allows a standard problem to be registered, for printing on engineers’ instructions (Works Orders). Also each item can bear a maximum cost of repair.
From the Service Order, the Accounts Department can monitor the progress of work by running a Service Order Status report, or the status of the customer’s account with the Customer Status report. The contents of this latter report can be configured differently for each user.
Invoicing
Invoices can be raised at any time for any Service Order or range of Service Orders, if they have been specified as invoiceable. The invoicing routine refers to the sale value of costs showing in the Worksheet Transaction register, whether parts or labour. Invoices raised in this way appear in the Sales Ledger, but remain editable in all respects until confirmed (OK'd) there.
Helpdesk
For companies that provide helpdesk services or those that simply want to record what has been said to individual customers, the Sales Support module provides ideal, simple to use features. Create Activities for each conversation, which record the customer and contact details, who spoke to them, the date and time (start and end times for more detailed reporting), and as much text as is required. Activities can be classified by type, for reporting purposes. HansaWorld also provides a versatile, Sequences function, which ensures that a new Activity is automatically created a given number of days and/or hours later, whenever a particular type of Activity is completed in a specified way.This function is ideal for call-backs. Activities remain open until completed (OK'd), and so a report of not OK'd Activities gives all unresolved support calls.
The Sales Support module also provides a standard letter writing capability. Standard paragraphs of text can be saved, for repetitive use. These paragraphs can then be associated with letters to individual customers, or all customers that meet specified criteria. Letters can be printed or faxed. These features are ideal for standard support faxes.
Support contracts
HansaWorld’s Contracts module allows the saving of all details of periodic support or maintenance agreements. Each Contract is for a specified customer, starting on a given date, and running either indefinitely or until an end date. Contracts can be for any number of days or months, and so can include monthly, quarterly or annual contracts.The Contract is also designed to list equipment under maintenance, or simply the type of support being offered. HansaWorld allows you to customise the format of the support contract document. Invoices can be raised automatically for any range of Contracts and any range of dates, and are saved as editable invoices in the Sales Ledger.
HANSAWORLD and Communications
HansaWorld Enterprise embodies some of the most advanced technologies available in any desktop business system. Many of these are discussed here, in the context of how HansaWorld can link to the outside world.
Open TCP/IP Connectivity
For those users who need to have two way communications with the HansaWorld Enterprise database, for example to integrate another application with HansaWorld Enterprise, there is a special toolkit available. We call this Open TCP/IP. This method of communication with HansaWorld Enterprise is very fast and versatile.HansaWorld Enterprise has two TCP/IP ports open for communications. The first one is the primary port that HansaWorld’s own clients use to communicate with the server. The second one is the “open” port. External programs can use this open port. They can connect, log on and exchange information with the HansaWorld Enterprise’ Server.
It is possible to search for, open, save, update, and delete all kinds of records. There are also some special commands, for instance to obtain the status of an order, or stock status. When working with other developers we are always happy to consider requests for new commands that will provide specific functionality.
The messages consists of a command, some information and (if you want to save a Customer for instance) the standard internal format of the record being affected. See also HansaWorld and EPOS & Bar-coding and HansaWorld and eCommerce for examples of how Open TCP/IP can be used.
Open Database Connectivity (ODBC)
ODBC is a set of tools provided by Microsoft for enabling reasonably seamless connectivity between disparate databases and related tools, such as word processors, spreadsheets, and report generators. HansaWorld Enterprise offers users the option of an innovative technique for extracting data from the main database – we call it ODBC Mirroring.HansaWorld Enterprise’ ODBC Mirroring works in a straight forward and easy-to-configure way, and yet it is a very powerful tool. Any operation that affects the data, e.g. saving or changing an invoice, can simultaneously write, using standard structured query language (SQL) commands, to an ODBC compliant receiver. These receivers could range from an SQL server to a simple text file.
The benefits of this are enormous. One could, for example, set up a data warehouse, using one of the many products available, and then each time the data in HansaWorld Enterprise changes so does the data in the warehouse. This will ensure that any analysis that is carried out on the data warehouse is absolutely up-to-date.
Perhaps even more importantly, the interrogation of this data will not affect the performance of your HansaWorld Enterprise installation, which can be left to get on with the mission critical task of handling your business.
Multiple Servers
HansaWorld is one of the only accounting systems that support multiple server technology, to allow greater scalability of the software. The performance bottleneck in a system like HansaWorld is in reports - if users are running several large reports, all of which are processed on the server, the system slows down. Multiple Servers get round this. All client requests, whether to write to the database or run reports, are processed to a Master Server (a PC, Mac or UNIX box running a special version of HansaWorld). All write requests are processed to all Multiple Servers (additional computers running normal versions of HansaWorld Server), but each report is routed to a different server. HansaWorld currently supports up to five Multiple Servers. This clearly promotes better performance, but also provides greater data security, as there are multiple live copies of the database available real-time - if necessary, one or more of the servers can be at a different location from the others.Wide-area networking
HansaWorld Enterprise uses TCP/IP as its networking protocol, and has been designed with extremely efficient bandwidth utilisation - this makes it the fastest graphical user interface (GUI) accounting system available, and allows use even over slow speed networks, like the Internet.If you site a HansaWorld Enterprise server where it can be accessed directly from the Internet, it is possible to log onto HansaWorld from anywhere in the world using the Internet as the network. There is a built-in firewall option in HansaWorld Enterprise, and the messages are encrypted for further security.
HansaWorld achieves this in a fundamentally different way from almost all other vendors, as all communications are direct between HansaWorld client and server; there is no third-party software required, such as terminal emulation, and no additional servers to run such software.
This delivers greater speed, more reliability (the fewer pieces of software and hardware the better), and adds up to a much more cost-effective solution.
Wide-area networking features can be run over the Internet, but also using GSM phones as fax modems (running at 9600 baud). As a result HansaWorld is ideal for companies with travelling sales, technical or managerial staff, which need to access live data, at any time, from any place, all for the price of a local call.
ASPs
The inbuilt speed of HansaWorld Enterprise makes it possible to host the server anywhere in the world, at no special cost (aside from making the server available to the Internet). Accordingly HansaWorld is suitable as an ASP (Application Service Provider) product, without any additional software requirements. ASPs host servers on behalf of companies who want to outsource the majority of their IT issues, rather than employ in-house experts. HansaWorld customers who require this service should contact their local office to discuss who provides it in their area. Accredited ASPs will be able to handle all maintenance of HansaWorld, including backups, upgrades, and any hardware problem solving.The HansaWorld server can also be used as an FTP server. This means that file sharing can be performed across a wide-area network, without the need for other software. File sharing is another service relevant to ASPs.
HansaWorld Mail and Conferences
HansaWorld Enterprise provides its own E-mail system as standard - there is no need for separate E-mail or bulletin board software. HansaWorld Mail is fully POP3 and SMTP compliant, so can exchange E-mails with other mailing systems. E-mails can be edited, so each recipient can see the full history of the correspondence.Real-time discussions are better done using the Chat facility, all effectively at local call rates. As HansaWorld Mail is the same software as other parts of HansaWorld, integration is simple and reliable, for example allowing Quotations to be E-mailed easily.
Conferences can be set up in HansaWorld Mail, with different access rights per conference. HansaWorld’s file management capabilities are particularly strong in this area, allowing files to be stored against bulletin board records and E-mails. For example, quality control manuals might be available to all users; while word processed board minutes would only be accessible by members of the board.
HANSAWORLD and Point of Sales
HansaWorld and EPOS
HansaWorld is ideal for an Electronic Point of Sale Environment (EPOS), such as a shop. Various EPOS devices can be connected to a HansaWorld client computer, and used for data entry or output by HansaWorld:
barcode scanners: HansaWorld accepts data entry for any field from a barcode scanner, including stock codes, commercial barcodes, and serial numbers
intelligent keyboards: programmable keyboards allow one or more series of keystrokes to be pre-programmed, so a series of HansaWorld commands can be performed at the touch of a single key. Keyboards can be used in this way for data entry (instructing HansaWorld to add a particular piece of data into a specific field), and for printing, opening a cash drawer, and moving on to the next transaction.
receipt printers: HansaWorld can print to these printers using escape sequences. Document layout is customisable
cash drawer: HansaWorld can issue escape sequences to open a cash drawer when printing receipts. The HansaWorld Cashier module provides specific, easy-to-use functionality to support this environment:
- cash customers with cash payment terms, ensuring postings to cash rather than the sales ledger
- cursor movement to mandatory fields
- retail, VAT-inclusive price lists
- promotional price lists and discounts
- quantity break discounts
- item warnings to assist users
- multiple cash payments
- cash back calculations
- daily cash balance report, to reconcile to till figures
- automated routine for daily (or periodic) posting of till figures to the Nominal Ledger
HansaWorld and barcodes
Data entry
HansaWorld supports use of barcode scanners in any area of the system. Scanners attached to client computers can be used for any data entry, typically for stock codes, barcodes and serial or batch numbers, but also for example allowing entry of job numbers, employee codes, and service types in the Job Costing module. Any field can take data entry from a barcode scanner in this way.Printing
HansaWorld has a drag-and-drop Forms Editor, which operates in a similar way to a graphics package. Fields can be added or removed from any form, text can be entered, lines, boxes and pictures can also be mixed on the page.
Any field can be given a style, which includes the font that will be used on a PC or a Mac, the typeface and type size. Provided the relevant font is installed on your computer, individual fields can be given a style that is a barcode, and so will be represented on a particular form as the barcode equivalent of the data in the underlying record.
HansaWorld provides a raft of relevant document types for printing, including:
- freight labels
- goods receipts notes
- picking lists
- delivery notes
- stock labels
- fixed asset labels
- production orders
- internal orders
- item labels
- returned goods notifications
- stock movements
- stock requisitions
- etc
Data collection
Data collection principally involves the use of handheld devices to collect data for transfer to the accounting and logistics system in a batch. Ideally devices like the one below are used, which include a built-in barcode scanner. These devices are truly portable, and so do not require direct connection to a computer.The most obvious use for such a device in conjunction with HansaWorld is the collection of stock information.
Perform a stock take by moving round your warehouse scanning all relevant barcodes (item codes and serial numbers). This information can then be transferred to your computer using a synchronisation cradle, and the resultant file imported to HansaWorld. HansaWorld has a stocktaking register, which will receive the data, and allow reporting of counted stock against system stock.
Import routines can be easily written for HansaWorld to extend the above example for your specific requirements.
Scan all goods on receipt, and upload the data to update HansaWorld on Goods Receipts and quantities received that are noted on the original Purchase Order.
HansaWorld assists in this process by allowing supplier codes to be stored in the database, so scans can be of their codes rather than your own. Similarly control the picking of Deliveries and updating of Sales Order details.
HANSAWORLD and eCommerce
HansaWorld supports a full range of eCommerce solutions, as a result of the unrivalled speed of its database and the quality and openness of its connectivity tools. Each solution is explained in detail below, but refers also to the table at the end to find the one most appropriate to you.
HansaWorld and wide-area networks (WANs)
A client version of HansaWorld can log on to a HansaWorld server across any wide-area network that supports TCP/IP, including the Internet, most virtual private networks, and using dial-up networking. HansaWorld is almost unique in not requiring third-party products and specialised hardware for this process, such as Microsoft's Terminal Server or Citrix Winframe - consequently the HansaWorld solution is faster, more reliable, and cheaper. Also HansaWorld has built-in security: over-the-wire encryption of all network data, using a proprietary coding technology.
HansaWorld can be used in this way to support:
- working from home
- mobile staff using laptops, even over GSM mobile phones if no telephone point is available
- multi-site use of a centralised database.
HansaWorld provides additional functionality to extend intranet use:
HansaWorld Mail - not a link to an external mail system, but a fully-integrated internal and external system (both POP3 and SMTP compliant), using the standard HansaWorld interface. Mails are editable by both sender and recipient, thereafter showing as unread, and allowing an ongoing dialogue
HansaWorld Conferences - a bulletin board, which is particularly effective in conjunction with HansaWorld's document management features. This provides a centrally-accessible point for corporate procedures, quality and other manuals, news, and any other communications
HansaWorld Chat - communicate real-time with any logged-on user, at local call rates
HansaWorld FTP - files can be managed across a wide area network.
Extranets are also practicable using this technology. A HansaWorld client can be installed in two minutes, ready to log on to any HansaWorld server. Limited Access features in HansaWorld can restrict users to only data applicable to them - for example, a customer can only see their own record details and balance information. If given access, they can place orders, and even check stock levels - also subject to credit limits.
Note that routers are only required at either end of the connection if multiple log-ons are intended.
Direct webshop
This method allows customers to "log-on" directly to the HansaWorld server from a web browser, without an intermediate website. The HansaWorld server sends both data and screen layouts to the web browser. There will be a limited set of routines for designing screens that customers will see, and only a pre-defined number of screens (although users can approach HansaWorld directly if others need to be added). The advantages of this method are:no need for any developer involvement no ongoing maintenance of websites, outside database or communications links
lower costs.
This method requires a fixed link to the Internet from the location of the HansaWorld server.
Online Webshop/eCommerce site
HansaWorld provides a developer's toolkit for real-time connections to most modern, external applications.Since one or more websites can query a HansaWorld database, the website itself can be structured fundamentally differently from an offline webshop. For example, the website does not need its own database of products, prices and stock levels. Also, since it is managing the exchange of data to HansaWorld, there is no need for user maintenance of this solution.
This method is particularly suitable for:
existing or future bespoke websites for any purposes, where design is important
commercially-available eCommerce packages already linked to HansaWorld - talk to your dealer or HansaWorld directly about which packages are linked, or to your eCommerce provider about linking to HansaWorld (not a complex process)
FMCG or other fast-moving environments
high volume websites.
It is currently preferable to have the website and the HansaWorld server on the same local-area network (LAN).
However, HansaWorld's unrivalled WAN features make it unnecessary for the server and clients to be on the same LAN. If, for example, the website is hosted by an Internet Service Provider, the HansaWorld server should be similarly hosted. It is possible to site both the website and the HansaWorld server anywhere with good Internet links, including offshore for realising tax-planning advantages.
Strong scalability is offered by:
UNIX servers, including IBM's Netfinity servers (HansaWorld is accredited worldwide by IBM)
multiple server technology
multiple gateway technology, allowing website "hits" to be apportioned between gateways to channel more data into HansaWorld.
Offline Webshop/eCommerce site
This is a low-technology, high-maintenance solution for linking websites to HansaWorld. Data is collected by the website, for example customer orders, and then exported by it to an ASCII file for import to HansaWorld.Various import filters already exist within HansaWorld, or others can be added by any specially-accredited dealer. This method is particularly suitable for connecting:
- existing or future bespoke websites for order-taking where design is important but budget is constrained
- commercially-available eCommerce packages capable of exporting ASCII files. As there is no real-time communication between the website and HansaWorld, the website needs a database of products or services and their prices. If the customer will be advised of delivery times based on stock availability, the website also needs a methodology for approximating real stock levels.
Therefore users need to maintain website data, and to manage the exchange of ASCII files and their import to HansaWorld - which can be by email. HansaWorld allows customers to be notified by email of delivery details, after placing the order.
Customizable web screens
HansaWorld Direct Webshop has been extended in version 3.7 to allow full customisation of any web screens served by the HansaWorld Server. This allows the customer to have their own designs for any data entry via the Web; not just web shopping. Screens can be customized using HansaWorld’s programming language, HAL (HansaWorld Application Language), so any fields can be set up with any designs. Access of the HansaWorld Webshop can be through any web browser.No other software is required. There is only one database required in this design, HansaWorld, and therefore none of the traditional problems synchronizing different databases. Therefore all data is immediately updated both on the web and in HansaWorld - for example, if you change a price list from a HansaWorld client, this information is automatically available from the web screens.
Web screens can be adapted to include programming logic, and to display any data entry fields. Processing the data from a web browser then saves it directly to the HansaWorld Server.
Applications might include web shopping, but also time recording systems, expense claims, and quotations entry by mobile workforces, and any other data entry across a wide-area network. Click here to view a demo of the webshop in action.
Mobile solutions
Click on Business phone or Business organiser to get more information on how HansaWorld is leading the ERP market to new levels of mobility.Competitive Edge
HansaWorld applies the international business model adapted by suppliers of larger systems. Its products are the same regardless of geographical location, and are only adapted to local specifications and requirements.HansaWorld Enterprise is written in a proprietary, object database
Traditionally, the fact that software has been written in a proprietary, object framework has been considered a weakness, not a strength. For example, many vendors have based their entire strategy on links to Microsoft products, and in particular SQL Servers. However, technological changes have increasingly been demonstrating the shortcomings of SQL Servers and the attitude toward viewing a proprietary, object database as a weakness has been changing.
The proprietary database ensures that HansaWorld is the fastest GUI (graphical user interface) accounting system (underpinning much of the edge that HansaWorld retains for ASP, mobile and eCommerce solutions), and makes it easier to claim cast-iron security features for wide-area network use (using proprietary over-the-wire encryption).
HansaWorld is a leader in mobile and wide-area networking technologies
HansaWorld is the world-leader in mobile and WAN technologies as applied to business information systems. It has been possible to connect a laptop running HansaWorld software to another PC running HansaWorld software via a mobile phone for seven years. This is a good example of the benefits of the object database and the general design of HansaWorld: both these factors contribute to making HansaWorld Enterprise the fastest GUI accounting software in the world, and this speed makes it viable to operate software over a slow network (mobile phones allow traffic of 9,600 baud, compared to modern modems operating at 56,600 baud).
As far as the company is aware, no other accounting software has the above-mentioned capabilities - all others require intermediate technologies and offer significantly less flexibility. Applications include mobile salespeople entering quotations and orders, working from home on live data, and multi-site use on the same data, without the requirement for special hardware or software.
HansaWorld provides deliverable document management solutions
HansaWorld has added a very simple, generic file management technology that even the smallest customer can implement immediately. This is one of the areas where quoted software vendors are coming under increasing pricing pressure for non-delivery (along with eCommerce and ASP).
HansaWorld provides a simple, quick toolset for exploiting other technologies
The number of solutions delivered by HansaWorld compared to other vendors demonstrates the flexibility, openness, scalability and performance of the object database. This leaves HansaWorld in the perfect position to exploit new technologies, many of which are under current development or discussion, such as: - Fax management (added to the development version); - Integration to intelligent switchboards - already performed in some countries, additional features likely; - Electronic banking; and - Communication with other servers, for example
e-Commerce Solutions
The majority of software vendors offering eCommerce have linked a template-based website database with the accounting system, via simple exchange of ASCII files or basic synchronisation features. While this may meet the needs of some customers, most are looking to more modern technologies for their e-Commerce strategy, which HansaWorld is already delivering. All of HansaWorld's e-Commerce solutions use HTML, and are independent of the web browser a customer uses (and can even be run over some mobile phones). In addition to providing shop solutions, HansaWorld Corporate Portal gives web access to all employees to e-mail, conferences, reports and more. Direct access secures reliable and up to date data.Direct Webshop
Direct Webshop is an out-of-the-box solution, whereby customers log on and place orders directly to the HansaWorld server from a web browser. This ensures that all data (stock, prices, credit limits etc.) are real-time, eliminating the need to synchronise two separate databases thereby dramatically promoting reliability. The Direct Webshop can be considered a very quick and cost-effective solution.On-line Webshop
By using Open TCP/IP connections, separate website databases can communicate in real-time with HansaWorld Servers. HansaWorld's WAN strengths come to the fore here: as the website is usually located at an ISP, there is a strong argument also to host the HansaWorld Server at the ISP (which is not an option available to many competitors). This is one of the bases on which HansaWorld is marketing ASP (also called "co-location services" or "server hosting") - it is an easy way for ISPs with strong website development arms to enhance their business. This method is well suited to companies with existing websites, and also to companies with a need for high security, as the solution enables maintenance of two separate servers (for the website and the accounting system).Customisable e-Commerce
HansaWorld has released a refined version of the direct webshop whereby web screens can be completely customised using HansaWorld's programming language, HAL (HansaWorld Application Language). This will allow HansaWorld and HAL Accredited dealers to create any web front-end to HansaWorld - this goes well beyond web shopping, allowing, for example, a consultancy company to create a web time recording system for entry to HansaWorld.Vertical markets
HansaWorld Enterprise is in a unique position to respond quickly to market trends. Even though our system can be set up to suit most businesses needs, we see large possibilities in entering vertical markets. As of today, we have solutions for service companies such as advertising bureaux, lawyers, auditors and consultants. Systems exist for hotel management and restaurants, bookkeeping bureaux, point of sales, magazines, and more. Our development tool, HAL, can put more power into any of these vertical markets, if there is a measurable interest shown.ASP
HansaWorld Business Solutions is prepared for the ASP market. By setting up our own ASP, HansaWorld iServion ASP in Sweden, we have demonstrated to other ISPs/ASPs how HansaWorld technology can be used for this purpose without Citrix or Terminal Emulation technology. Each company has its own HansaWorld server located at iServion or the HansaWorld ASP, with its dedicated IP address and unique port number. This, combined with setting up access groups and password control in HansaWorld, provides the necessary security. When a customer's pre-configured HansaWorld client starts, it locates its dedicated HansaWorld server, gives a chance to login and then the client is up and running. In Southern Africa, such a service is offered by us at www.transact101.com