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What Makes Oracle SBS 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. 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 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 Oracle Small Business Suite apart from its competitors:
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Web Access
- Oracle Small Business Suite is one of the first products to be
designed for delivery via the web. It therefore takes full
advantage of the web in its user interface. Hyperlinks on
each field provide line item help, folder tabs move you from one area
to the next, screen layouts can be customized for each user, and
remote access is a no-brainer as the entire application is
hosted. In addition, a web store front and customer
self-service capabilities are easily provided in this hosted
environment.
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Company Behind
the Product - Not only does Oracle Small Business Suite benefit
from running on the robust Oracle database, it also has the benefit of
Oracle's financial and management support. This product,
originally launched as NetLedger, has managed to survive despite slow
customer acceptance of hosted solutions - thanks to Oracle's financial
backing.
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Remote Time
and Billing Entry - this is one of the biggest benefits of a
hosted solution. Service companies typically have teams of resources
assigned to different jobs at different locations. Allowing remote
resources to record time from these locations speeds the billing
process and also improves accuracy for these employees. Oracle
Small Business Suite provides a simple time entry screen with
job tracking capabilities. In addition, the product is priced so
that "limited access" user rights can be purchased at a
reduced price for employees who just need to enter their time and
expenses.
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Access for
Accountants - again, hosting on the Web offers benefits that you
can't find in a traditional desktop solution. Every company who
purchases Oracle Small Business Suite is given a license for their
accountant's use in accessing their information. Since the
information is already on the web, all they need is a special password
and authorization to get to the data. For years, accountants
have been backing up client transactions, making adjusting journal
entries, and then backing up the data on a diskette or CD for entry
back into the client's system. There is typically a period of time
where the client is unable to enter normal transactions while he is
awaiting the return of the adjusted data. Oracle's solution is
so much more efficient. Both users can access the same information and
the accountant can customize his view of the information he accesses,
without changing the user's view. In addition, all transactions
are posted real time by the accountant with no loss of work for the company.
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Low
Cost - Oracle Small Business Suite costs $1200 per year for a
single full user and 5 "limited access" users. But
the cost of the software is not where the true cost savings
occur. Since the application is hosted entirely on the web,
there is no need for IT support, expensive hardware or
maintenance. In addition, the implementation is
straightforward and users should require very little
training.
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Customization
- This
product allows full customization - everything can be changed from
colors, to field names, to position of fields on the
form.
Weaknesses - Oracle
Small Business Suite is certainly not without problems – as with any top product,
Oracle SBS contains weaknesses, missing features, missing modules and shortcomings. We have compiled a detailed list of these weaknesses, including
screen-by-screen evidence of some of the key weaknesses. Click
here if you are interested in learning about Oracle SBS' weaknesses.
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