I've studied a lot of accounting software web sites, so have you. I am often amazed and appalled by the lack of information contained on these web sites. I am even more amazed and appalled by the immense amount of marketing hype and useless jibber-jabber that you run into as well. Its not just me, I hear from hundreds of prospective customers each year who are frustrated at how difficult a task it is to ferret out relevant information from the accounting software publisher's web sites. 

To help drive my point home, I've identified the Good, Bad, and Ugly of accounting software web sites, and we are sponsoring a contest to locate the worst examples of jibber-jabber. Listed below are the basic elements which we think each accounting software company should include on their web site, along with a ling to a couple of example pages where at least one accounting software vendor is doing right. I hope that all of you accounting software web site developers are listening. 

The Good

1. List of Product features by module

   1. http://www.accpac.com/products/finance/pro/GLpro6.asp

   2. http://www.sysprogroup.com 

2. Tables comparing features to competitors

   1. http://www.quickbooks.com/drawchart.html

3. Screen Images
       a.   http://www.blackbaud.com/images/re7_bio1.gif 
       b.   http://www.peachtree.com/complete/html/2002pcw_advanced_complete.cfm 

4. Downloadable movies
       a.   http://www.navision.com/us/view.asp?categoryid=382

5. Slide Shows
       a.   http://www.businessvision.com/downloads.htm 

6. A Listing of all modules

   1. http://e.epicor.com/ebackoffice/financials/

   2. http://www.jdedwards.com/public/0,1921,0%257E27%257E,00.html

7. White Papers that do not require submission of contact information

   1. http://www.bestsoftware.com/mas90/pdf/default.asp

8. Access to demonstration system

   1. http://www.sap.com/ides/

9. News and Press Releases

   1. http://www.epicor.com/company/news/

   2. http://www.oracle.com

10. Brochures Online

    1. http://www.bestsoftware.com/mas90/pdf/default.asp

    2. http://www.businessvision.com/download/bv32.pdf 
       

The Bad & The Ugly

Unfortunately, a lot of the information you find on accounting software publisher's web sites is obviously written by marketing personnel who are more interested in projecting an image than conveying hard facts about the product. Presented below are two examples of this practice using two very good products. 

Lawson Software - The following excerpt was taken from the Lawson web site where the company describes it's financial solution: (http://www.lawson.com/financial/) 

The financial services marketplace is evolving at a pace matched only by the rapid advances in financial technology. Industry lines are blurring as institutions merge, acquire, globalize and cross over into new markets. The emergence of competition from outside the traditional financial services world has blurred these lines even further. Lawson has the knowledge and technology to help you respond quickly to market changes and navigate through this complex landscape. Lawson delivers proven software solutions developed specifically for the financial services industry to: 

• Grow your business by determining your most profitable customers, lines of business and products

• Provide actionable information to make daily business decisions

• Supply data that enables you to comply with regulatory and statutory reporting requirements

• Meet the demands of the converging market by providing scalable, industry-specific solutions that integrate with core systems

This description tells us nothing about the Lawson product. I think that you could actually copy and paste this exact quote into the QuickBooks web site and it would fit there just as well as it fits here. Lawson Insight is an excellent product and I highly recommend it.

J. D. Edwards - This following excerpt was taken from the JD Edwards web site where the company describes it's General Ledger: http://www.jdedwards.com/public/layout/flushrightcomponents/0,1926,0%257E568%257E,00.html 

Your chart of accounts is up to date. Historical data is archived. Now you hear whispers of an impending reorganization. Can you handle another change without tearing out your system — or your hair?

You can if you have J.D. Edwards General Accounting. Rather than a rigid chart of accounts, General Accounting distinguishes between your recording structure versus your reporting structure. This approach makes reorganizations, mergers and acquisitions, branch office additions, or a new project much simpler to manage. In addition, this solution provides the following features:

• Access consolidated financial information online, any time, across multiple currencies and languages

• See originating transactions while viewing the account balance online

• View two ledgers simultaneously and calculate the variance online — budget vs. actual, forecasted vs. actual, etc.

• Visibility to your recording structure versus your reporting structure

• Immediate, real-time conversion to your domestic currency

• Seamless integration with all J.D. Edwards applications

That's it - only 153 words are used to describe the J. D. Edwards General Ledger. Actually I think that the first 3 bullets make fairly good points and do describe the product, the last three bullets are weak points in my opinion. But, don't you think that it should take more than 153 words to describe such a powerful product like J.D. Edwards One World's General Ledger? I do. J. D. Edwards One world is an excellent product and I highly recommend it.

Wouldn't you think that these two companies would want to tell us more about their solutions? It suggests to me that they might bee trying to hide something. It suggests to me that they want to make you come to them for the answers, perhaps so they can apply sales pressure. I know that in reality they are not trying to hide anything or apply tricky sales pressure, the truth is probably that these web sites are developed by marketing people who tend to think and write like marketing personnel. However, evaluators and reviewers tend to think in terms of features and hard facts.

Exact Software North America - As another example, my staff member spent 30 minutes reviewing the Exact Software web site in an effort to determine the proper name of their product. Finally, she gave up and e-mailed the company to find the correct answer. For the record, Exact still sells Macola Progression, and plans to release Macola ES later this year. Macola Progression is an excellent product and I highly recommend it.

Submit Your Entries - Have you seen inadequate aspects of accounting software web sites? If so, tell us about it. We are accepting entries for the worst accounting software web page award. Please include a link to the page, and a description of the shortcoming. Send your entries to marylou@accountingsoftwareadvisor.com. Thanks.