A Review of
ACCPAC Pro Series
By J. Carlton Collins, CPA

What Makes ACCPAC Pro Different?

When reviewing any accounting software solution, I think that it is important to understand how the product is different from its’ competitors. All products are developed with different tools, different philosophies, and with different objectives in mind. All products are targeted towards different sized customers, and different industries. When evaluating products, it is easy to get bogged down in the overwhelming complexity of the systems. The reality is that all accounting systems have a general ledger with account numbers and financial reports; they all have an average accounts payable module that works fine; they all have a bevy of standard features. Studying these common elements of an accounting system will get you nowhere. It is the key differences that provide keen insights that will allow you to effectively identify and select the right product for your needs. With this spirit in mind, presented below are the key characteristics that set ACCPAC Pro apart from its competitors:    

  • Access to Source Code - ACCPAC Pro Series is written in Visual FoxPro.  There are over 1 million FoxPro programmers out there in the world, many of whom stand ready to write third party add-on modules; others stand ready to modify the Pro Series product for specific customers. Because FoxPro is such a widely accepted, open database architecture owned by Microsoft, ACCPAC Pro Series is the ideal platform for specific industry situations.  
  • Customization Capabilities - End users can easily customize forms, menus and other aspects of the application.
  • Key Financial Data - ACCPAC Pro Series has a unique thermometer icon which presents a snapshot of key financial benchmarks on a real time basis.  Many of the balances displayed are linked to details via drill downs.  
  • Mail Merge Option - Pro Series has an automatic interface between the customer database and Microsoft Word.
  • Alerts - Pro Series' ProAlert module allows you to build triggers to monitor your data. For example, a ProAlert formula could constantly recalculate the profit margin for the sale of lumber. If the margin happens to fall below a specified level, ACCPAC ProSeries sends out a ProAlert across the web or across an Intranet in the form of e-mail. Instantly, the appropriate people are warned of a possible problem that may need correcting.
  • Distribution Features - ACCPAC Pro Series includes advanced inventory features including serial number and lot  tracking.  In addition, ACCPAC has released ACCPAC Warehouse Management System (WMS) designed to automate the inventory-handling process. ACCPAC WMS provides receiving, stocking, replenishment, picking, labor control, radio frequency support and warehouse task management and is compatible with both the Pro Series and Advantage product lines.

Weaknesses - ACCPAC Pro is certainly not without problems – as with any top product, ACCPAC Pro contains weaknesses, missing features, missing modules and shortcomings. ACCPAC Pro is not targeted towards businesses of every size, nor is it ideally suited for every industry. We have compiled a detailed list of features for this product which can be accessed by clicking here.  Additionally, we have Comparison Reports, which list the features found in Axapta that are not found in the competing products. Other comparison reports available highlight the features found in competing products that are not found in Axapta.

 

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