| "We haven't seen anything in the midmarket that | | | | bills for each project can be assigned independently of |
| competes with what this software delivers for a | | | | each other. Microsoft Dynamics SL also provides the |
| project accounting solution-not even from | | | | company with a centralized billing system. |
| industry-specific players." -Mike Silver, Partner, Omnios | | | | Extending Value Through Custom Applications |
| When clients approach Omnios, a Microsoft Gold | | | | For the trade-show services vendor, Omnios installed |
| Certified Business Solutions partner in Buffalo Grove, | | | | modules for financial management, distribution, and |
| Illinois, they want help solving business issues-and they | | | | professional services automation. Omnios also |
| want it fast. Omnios uses Microsoft Dynamics SL to | | | | recommended some customizations. The Microsoft |
| serve its clients, which include project-oriented | | | | Dynamics SL Technical Center wrote the |
| companies such as marketing agencies, contractors, | | | | customizations by using Tools for Visual Basic |
| and other professional services firms. By using | | | | development system, a module within Microsoft |
| Microsoft Dynamics SL to integrate its clients' project | | | | Dynamics SL that provides a development foundation |
| accounting and financial software with other business | | | | for building complete line-of-business applications. The |
| applications, Omnios helps clients increase their | | | | customizations included: |
| business efficiency relatively quickly. Customers | | | | - A job-entry application to make it easier to set up |
| report reduced closing times for financial statements, | | | | projects, showing the budgets, contracts, and billing |
| shortened sales and billing cycles, and increased | | | | information tied to each project. |
| productivity. Omnios can also easily customize | | | | - A transportation module for freight and handling |
| Microsoft Dynamics SL to fit unique customer needs. | | | | transactions that automates billings and releases the |
| The company attributes 90 percent of its sales to | | | | entries to purchase order, accounts payable, and |
| Microsoft Dynamics SL solutions. | | | | project management systems. |
| Situation | | | | - An enhancement to the Project Allocator in |
| Omnios, a Microsoft Gold Certified Business Solutions | | | | Microsoft Dynamics SL to simplify assigning costs and |
| partner located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, specializes in | | | | revenues to complex projects. |
| technology consulting and software implementation. | | | | The open architecture of Microsoft Dynamics SL not |
| The company focuses on businesses that need to | | | | only made it possible to integrate the solution into the |
| track expenses and income for specific projects and | | | | client's existing Microsoft infrastructure, but it also made |
| jobs. For example, Omnios helps many professional | | | | it easy to add new applications. "One of the chief |
| services firms, which depend on linking projects with | | | | advantages of using this solution is that it's from |
| costs and revenues to run their businesses effectively. | | | | Microsoft," says Sommerfield. "Most companies are |
| "We see ourselves as business consultants and | | | | already using Microsoft SQL Server for database |
| solution architects for midmarket companies," says | | | | storage, so it's easy to add Microsoft Dynamics SL on |
| Mike Silver, a partner at Omnios. To better serve its | | | | top of it and use industry-standard tools for |
| customers, Omnios developed a methodology to help | | | | customization." |
| customers: The six-step process includes planning, | | | | Microsoft Dynamics SL simplified serving customers in |
| interactive modeling, installing, migrating data and | | | | other ways, too. For example, in the past, the |
| documenting business policies, training, and support. | | | | trade-show vendor had difficulty tracking items-such |
| In addition, the company has earned several prestigious | | | | as chairs or T-shirts purchased on be half of the |
| awards. In 2003, Omnios earned the Microsoft | | | | client-and assigning them to particular projects. Now, |
| Solomon Excellence Award for its overall success, | | | | with the implementation of Microsoft Dynamics SL, it |
| customer satisfaction, and high degree of innovation | | | | can track and assign items easily. In addition, the |
| with Microsoft Business Solutions Technologies and | | | | company's Web site was updated to allow its clients |
| Services. Also in 2003, the company was named the | | | | to view their inventory and place orders. At the time |
| Microsoft Business Solutions President's Club for the | | | | of implementation, no other trade-show vendor |
| ninth consecutive year for its business performance | | | | offered that service. |
| and high levels of sales achievement and | | | | Simplifying Billing Processes and Reporting |
| customer satisfaction. Omnios draws on this | | | | For the PR firm bogged down with a complicated billing |
| expertise to serve its customers. | | | | process, Omnios suggested integrating the billing and |
| Most of the project-centric companies that call on | | | | project accounting systems using Microsoft Dynamics |
| Omnios for help share one requirement: They want a | | | | SL. Initially, the client had considered a custom |
| unified solution to support their project accounting and | | | | solution, but the company ruled that out when it |
| project marketing processes. Yet, these customers | | | | discovered that it could achieve the same benefits of |
| have individual needs as well. The following stories of | | | | integration with Microsoft Dynamics SL at less than |
| three customers, each with different objectives, | | | | half the cost of the custom solution-and it could deploy |
| illustrate why Omnios sees Microsoft Dynamics SL as | | | | the solution in about a year. |
| both a reliable solution for its clients and a strategic tool | | | | The Microsoft Dynamics SL solution linked the |
| for building its business. | | | | accounts payable, accounts receivable, and billing |
| Marketing Services Firm Needed to Consolidate Its | | | | systems together, thereby eliminating the need to |
| Systems | | | | re-key and manipulate information in separate |
| A large marketing services firm was struggling to deal | | | | programs. In addition, Omnios installed a module to |
| with a mixture of systems created by recent | | | | evaluate staffing and developed five custom reports |
| company acquisitions. The firm worked from multiple | | | | to provide detailed fee and revenue comparisons by |
| offices throughout the country and operated on seven | | | | project. The reports also help break down internal |
| separate general ledgers. It often took the company | | | | costs and invoice types-such as fixed-fee, |
| a month to close its financial statements. | | | | time-and-materials, cost-plus, or not-to-exceed |
| The firm's employee labored to consolidate information | | | | billings-to help the company gain insights into which |
| from multiple accounting, inventory, and project | | | | billing arrangements are most profitable. |
| management systems. The new chief executive | | | | Omnios integrated the Microsoft Dynamics SL solution |
| officer wanted to bring all these disparate systems | | | | with Microsoft Windows Small Business Server and |
| together-and he wanted the job done quickly. He set | | | | Microsoft Office, too. Now, all employees can run |
| an aggressive time frame, with the first deliverables | | | | project-tracking reports and analyze materials from |
| due in three months and project completion scheduled | | | | their desktops. They can also export reports to |
| in less than six months. "Businesses want quick | | | | Excel for distribution across the organization. |
| solutions. That's why we developed a standard | | | | Benefits |
| methodology and why we look for solutions that can | | | | Omnios chose Microsoft Dynamics SL as the |
| be implemented in a relatively short time," says Craig | | | | foundation for its company's offerings because it fulfills |
| Sommerfield, a Partner at Omnios. | | | | the needs of so many customers. "We looked at all |
| Trade-Show Vendor Desired Easier Tracking of | | | | the products in this tier," says Silver. "We haven't |
| Complex Jobs | | | | seen anything in the midmarket that competes with |
| Another company, a trade-show services vendor | | | | what this software delivers for a project accounting |
| overwhelmed by rapid growth, turned to Omnios for | | | | solution-not even from Industry-specific players." |
| help in refining its systems. The vendor found itself | | | | By using Microsoft Dynamics SL to bring multiple |
| unable to effectively manage the 9,000 jobs a year it | | | | systems together into a cohesive whole, Omnios not |
| was accepting, some of which were worth more than | | | | only helped its clients eliminate time-consuming and |
| U.S.$1 Million. The company dealt with everything | | | | error-inducing manual processes, but also helped |
| from the labor and materials costs of moving huge | | | | increase productivity and customer satisfaction for its |
| display booths across the country to purchasing | | | | own customers. Clients told Omnios that giving |
| furniture and T-shirts for its clients. Furthermore, the | | | | managers ready access to reports provides more |
| vendor used three separate systems to handle | | | | visibility into their projects and that, as a result, |
| job-related information, billing, financials, and payroll. | | | | managers have made better decisions. Other |
| Because of these issues, the company asked Omnios | | | | achievements that the clients have reported |
| to help revamp its processes. | | | | include the following: |
| Public Relations Firm Sought to Improve Business | | | | - Improvements in cash flow and a quick return on |
| Processes | | | | investment-The marketing services firm reduced the |
| A public relations (PR) firm also contacted Omnios for | | | | closing time for its financial statements from |
| help. The PR firm was using multiple software | | | | approximately four weeks to 15 days. The company |
| programs and time-consuming manual processes to | | | | also cut its inventory by U.S.$500,000 and recouped its |
| prepare client billings. Employees would spend hours | | | | investment in nine months. |
| re-entering data and handling administrative details-time | | | | - Time-savings in sales and billing cycles-The |
| that could have been spent on revenue-generating | | | | trade-show services firm reduced its billing process by |
| activities. To track work hours, the staff used one | | | | three to six weeks. Microsoft Dynamics SL also |
| program, which exported the data into Microsoft Excel | | | | helped reduce the time required to set up projects. In |
| for processing. Staff members would then import | | | | addition, the company trimmed its sales cycle from five |
| that information to Microsoft Word when they | | | | months to a little more than three weeks. |
| prepared invoices. Because of these disparate | | | | - Productivity gains and time-savings for PR firm-By |
| programs, the entire billing process took weeks. | | | | using Microsoft Dynamics SL, the PR firm increased its |
| Solution | | | | billable hours by nearly 30 percent, an unprecedented |
| Omnios began developing solutions for the three firms | | | | increase for the company. The automated |
| by reviewing each client's needs, goals, and objectives | | | | record-keeping helped it slash the time spent on billing |
| to determine an appropriate recommendation. | | | | from 25 hours per month to 5 hours per month, while |
| Omnios typically creates a profile of an individual | | | | cutting three weeks from its billing cycle. |
| client's requirements and uses the flowcharts in | | | | Omnios cites three factors that have made Microsoft |
| Microsoft Visio drawing and diagramming software to | | | | Dynamics SL the foundation of its business: flexibility, |
| clarify how the company's business processes work. | | | | ease of implementation, and the smooth integration into |
| Omnios then develops a customized plan for each | | | | its clients' existing infrastructure. "It's a powerful |
| client. "We don't just roll up our sleeves and start | | | | combination," says Sommerfield. "And having |
| doing things," says Silver. "We take the time to make | | | | Microsoft's research and development behind this |
| sure our targets are right." | | | | solution gives customers confidence and helps us |
| Omnios used Microsoft Dynamics SL to serve all three | | | | close more new business." |
| companies. Although each customer presented | | | | Selling Microsoft Dynamics SL often opens other |
| different requirements, Omnios found that Microsoft | | | | opportunities for the Microsoft reseller, too. For |
| Dynamics SL met their numerous needs. "Our clients | | | | example, one client contracted with Omnios to |
| want a solution that can adapt to their business | | | | interview prospective IT employees to ensure that any |
| environments-not one that requires them to change | | | | new hires understood the Microsoft Dynamics SL |
| their practices to fit a particular software application," | | | | solution. In addition, satisfied clients refer other |
| says Sommerfield. "The flexibility offered in Microsoft | | | | companies to Omnios, as do the vendors the |
| Dynamics SL means we can offer a tailored solution | | | | company has worked with while installing Microsoft |
| without having to write a lot of custom code." | | | | Dynamics SL at various locations. |
| Bringing Systems Together Quickly | | | | The company's close association with Microsoft helps |
| Implementing Microsoft Dynamics SL helped Omnios | | | | it as well. Omnios credits its Microsoft representative |
| bring together the marketing services firm's various | | | | for the company's high level of sales and support. |
| accounting, inventory, and project management | | | | "He's been incredibly responsive to our needs," says |
| systems within the tight deadlines required. Omnios | | | | Silver. "He provides everything we ask for." Omnios |
| deployed a new financial accounting system within | | | | draws on support from Microsoft, its own expertise, |
| two-and-a-half months. Within four months of | | | | and a focus on customer needs to base its business |
| deployment, Omnios had the project accounting tools | | | | on the flexible software solution. Omnios attributes |
| in place. Now, different divisions of the marketing | | | | 90 percent of its sales to Microsoft Dynamic SL, and |
| services company are not only able to work | | | | the company predicts a bright future. "Our customers |
| collaboratively on projects, but they can also view | | | | think they have a competitive advantage with this |
| project and financial information in real time. Costs | | | | solution," Silver says. "And because our customers |
| can be tracked against projects, and the revenue and | | | | believe that, we have a competitive advantage, too. |