OpenSurge

Business Accounting Software is for Everyone

2011-11-28T08:17:00.001-05:00

A recent study by the U.S. Bureau of the Census , Business Success: Factors Leading to Surviving and Closing Successfully by Brian Headd, Center for Economic Studies, found that:

"Major factors in a firm's remaining open include an ample supply of capital, the fact that a firm is large enough to have employees, the owner's education level, and the owner's reason for starting the firm in the first place, such as freedom for family life or wanting to be one's own boss."

Let's look at that second reason for remaining open, "large enough to have employees". By far, most business startups are because an individual has an idea, a belief in their abilities and a desire to be their own boss. They cobble together the resources they need and invest a generous portion of their own human capital. The business grows, customers are added, new products introduced and the next thing that new owner knows - its time to start hiring employees. Then the challenge begins.

The key differentiator of business management software solutions is the capability of the solution to be a true multi-user application. There simply is no such thing as an enterprise class integrated business management and accounting solution that is not designed to be used simultaneously by multiple individual users. By far the leading accounting software package used by startup businesses is Quickbooks, mainly because its cheap and easy to use, but Quickbooks is not a multi-user application. (Yes, the Enterprise Edition is and by definition the online version is -sorta, but that's not the point of this post). "Sharing" an application is not the same as having multiple users.

In order to get the most out of your employees and resources it is critical that everyone is able to collaborate around common principles. One main objective of implementing business management software is to have an integrated solution where data is generally enter once, actions create further actions (think supply chain management) and processes are automated. In order to accomplish this objective your management solution must utilize a robust relational database which allows for many users to be accessing and updating information simultaneously while providing security and data integrity. Further the database and the application work hand in hand to manage users, privileges and transactions.

So when your business has grown and you realize its time to leverage technology to increase your business's efficiency and ability to service your customers - start you ERP search with those solutions that provide multiple user functionality as a fundamental concept.

Learn more about multi-user open source accounting and business management software at:
www.opensurge.com

Manufacturing Software from xTuple

2011-10-27T10:50:00.001-04:00

Do you need a better solution for managing your manufacturing business? Looking for better manufacturing software or accounting software?

Take a look at the recent webinar with Wally Tonra on the manufacturing functionality in xTuple.

In this webinar, we took a closer look at the powerful tools available to manage your inventory, manufacturing, and distribution operations. This presentation is especially valuable for companies that have some degree of manufacturing / packaging / assembly in their business.

We focused on the tools and functionality available in all three xTuple product versions including our Free and Open Source edition, PostBooks. We also covered some of the more advanced functionality found in our Standard and Manufacturing Editions.

For more information or to schedule a demo, please visit the OpenSurge website.

www.opensurgegroup.com

Go Square to Take Mobile Payments and iPad Checkout

2011-06-29T11:24:00.000-04:00

Do you have a mobile business? Do you sell trinkets and do-dads out of your car, your suitcase or have a little roadside stand?

Or are you a roadie for a rock band selling t-shirts and CD's- which is where I saw my first Square in action.? If you don't know anything about how to process credit cards and need to start taking credit cards in person or over the phone, then the Square is the way to go. Take a look at the video below from the Wall Street Journal and get started.

What about open source xTuple ERP?
xTuple allows you to process credit cards both as payment for standard invoices and using the point of sale functionality. Setup is pretty standard for this type of application. A payment gateway is required along with a merchant account -not the most difficult thing to do, but then there's the encryption key and mapping the general ledger accounts. Enterprise management solutions are designed to handle complex operations which at times means the configuration can be challenging for the casual PostBooks user.

I can see using the Square with an iPad application where we populate the item list, i.e. the catalog, from the xTuple item list, use the iPad remotely and then download the resulting transactions. The capability does not exist with the Square just yet - but it can't be far behind.

And at OpenSurge we can't wait to get started!

Are you still using Quickbooks to manage your growing business?

2011-05-20T18:44:00.000-04:00

Wondering if its finally time to move your business to the next level? Time to replace Quickbooks?

Here are 3 top reasons to switch to a true enterprise class business management solution:

1. Collaboration - Growing companies reach a point where multiple people have to collaborate on financial processes, often from multiple business locations as well as from home and on the road. As multiple people become involved, everyone needs visibility into what is going on so they can make the right decisions and collaboration so they can all work together.

2. Business Growth - There are many growth-driven indicators - when multiple people need to have access to the financial system, when financial tasks need to be delegated, when dollar volumes become significant and when new offices are opened - it's time to think about graduating to a more powerful system. There are also brick walls that require you to graduate - when you need to operate in more than one currency, when you have more than one business entity, if you need to work effectively from multiple locations or when you need to deal with specialized requirements like revenue recognition or managing the profitability and utilization of billable services personnel.

3. Financial Accountability and Transaction Capability - Full audit trails, business reporting, double-entry accounting and automation are a must, no matter the size of your business. If you're growing, you need it now more than ever. And as your company gets bigger, you have more of everything: inventory, vendors, customers and customer requirements. You have a need for speed and greater transaction volumes. Don't be held back by an insufficient financial system.

So what replaces Quickbooks and how much does it cost?

PostBooks from xTuple is a full featured business management solution (accounting, sales, inventory, purchasing, CRM, etc.) that you will never outgrow. PostBooks is open-source so its free for anyone to use. But if you need help with installing, support or training - there's a world-wide community here to help. If you need additional features - multi-site, drop shipping, returns management, manufacturing scheduling, etc - xTuple's paid version has all the functionality you would ever need.

Take a look our latest webinar on the advantages of moving your business to xTuple!

Open source ERP and business management solutions from OpenSurge.

Now's the Time to Replace your old MAS 90/200 with xTupleERP

2011-04-15T19:05:00.000-04:00

Is your company is currently using MAS 90 or MAS 200 as its business system, and it‘s not going well?
Does it may take many hours of effort to get the information you need to run the business – using spreadsheets, hand-written notes, and lots of digging?
Do you have other outside applications that aren‘t tied into your main system and it can be difficult to coordinate the two?

If your answer to the questions above is "yes", then following are some issues that you need to consider.

1. Business Intelligence - MAS 90/200 is not built on a relational database and users do not have access to advanced analysis tools. xTuple runs on PostgreSQL the leading open source relational database where all your information can be accessed through standard tools, particularly the Structured Query Language (SQL), making retrieval and analysis more flexible, open, and usable.

2. Functionality - While a product like MAS 90/200 has a reasonably comprehensive set of application modules to choose from, many of the modules lack the very specific functionality needed by companies today. Many growing companies will experience increasing functional needs around electronic banking, multi-currency, project accounting, manufacturing, field service and inter-company processing. This functionality either does not exist within the MAS 90/200 family or are only available as third-party add-ons. This features and many others, such as manufacturing planning, MRP and one of the leading open source CRM capabilities are all included in xTuple ERP.

3. Scalability - While all systems have an upper limit on the number of users and activities that can be supported at given transaction volumes, the underlying technology is the determining factor of how far a system will scale. Some versions of MAS 90, for example, are designed to support a very limited number of users with reasonable response time at which point system response times deteriorate, processes take unacceptably long to complete, and it is not uncommon for the system to 'lock‘, fail, or otherwise become unreliable.

4. Connectivity / Interoperability - Extending the applications to partners and customers, such as a customer portal to allow trading partners to view orders, shipments, schedules, and invoices is difficult at best. Reports are distributed on paper or through e-mail. Connecting to analytical and decision support facilities like Excel is mainly a copy and paste function. xTuple allows you to connect to your customers, partners and suppliers through the xTuple Web Portal. Using xTuple Connect you can seamlessly integrate email into xTuple ERP, automatically sending reports, invoices PO's and other documents via email.

5. Productivity - MAS90/200 is designed in the traditional style with standard menus and limited ability to customize the screens that people work from every day. Because the menus are unique to MAS, users require considerable training and orientation to know where to find the functions they need. The xTuple user interface displays a graphic workflow by functions, allows for user preferences and custom hot-keys. xTuple's role-based screens are far more efficient for the user, easier to use, resulting in greater adoption of system functionality. Users can get right to the functions they use most without having to work their way through generic menus and screens.

6. Foundational Technology and Product Roadmap - Some Sage products have fallen behind the technology curve and need increased R&D investment. It is obvious from the previous points above that MAS 90/200 may not be considered examples of today‘s technology and while Sage is apparently committed to upgrading the products, this process will take quite some time and there‘s no telling how successful the company will be in its efforts. By contrast, xTuple ERP, using the open source development model is on the leading edge of available technology. Making the most of open source tools and the ability to operate on Mac OS X, Linux and Windows. xTuple has a reputation for consistently rolling out new features and functionalities; both specific ERP related functionalities (e.g. project management accounting) and integrations using the Web Portal and xTuple Connect that help you do more work with less effort.

It‘s easy to find fault with any application system – each has its own particular strengths and weaknesses. It‘s also easy to praise the strengths of any given system and down-play weaknesses. The real value of any system, however, is in how well the user company is able to use the tools to more effectively run the business.

Open source xTuple ERP is an ideal accounting solution for midsize and small business. xTuple can easily be hosted for cloud computing and clients can run on Apple Mac OS X as well as PC's.

Time and Expense Tracking with xTuple Open Source ERP

2011-02-16T09:12:00.000-05:00

Just a short post for this video on using xTuple's open source ERP solution for managing time and expense for services.

xTuple's robust business management solution will let you use Mac OS X for you accounting and invoicing requirements. This cross-platform accounting software solution is great solution to put in a cloud computing environment where all your business colleagues and co-workers can access the same database. And using xTuple's CRM functionality, one of the leading open source CRM solutions, your workforce can collaborate and manage all the projects to run your business and service your clients.

Visit OpenSurge, an Atlanta, GA based xTuple Elite Development Partner to find out more.

Another Mossberg Answer to the Mac Vs PC Question

2010-11-12T16:21:00.000-05:00

Walter Mossberg is the outstanding technology columnist for the Wall Street Journal where he recently entertained another question from the parent of a college bound student on whether to buy a Mac or a PC.

He correctly points out the obvious - PC's come in many styles, configurations and specifications from a multitude of manufacturers. He didn't point out another obvious point. What do all these machines have in common? They run Microsoft Windows.

But here's the killer quote:

"Macs have extremely high customer satisfaction, according to most major surveys, better built-in software and, perhaps most important, they aren't susceptible to the vast majority of malicious software, a particular problem on college campuses that can cost money and time and risk losing work." (See the full story)

He does recommend checking with your particular college or university to see if they support Macs as well as PC's. My son is in his final year at a large public university and he and over half of his classmates arrived with Macs - to a university that did not support Apple. And as a Civil Engineering major he was never limited using his Mac. The university has since started to support Apple. And like many universities, has an Apple store on campus.

And while I do miss my son - I've never had a phone call that started with "dad my computer is broken".

College and life's hard enough - buy a Mac.

So What's Your Reason for Starting Your Own Business?

2010-11-11T13:44:00.000-05:00

The number one reason for starting your own small business is because you simply need a job! You looked for a job, you wanted a job - but a job was no where to be found. This is when the resourceful, independent entrepreneur launches into what they hope will be a successful enterprise. Maybe it works, but you keep a eye out just in case that job finally shows up.

A close second is the job you have is the one you hate. Whether its the work, the company or the boss. According to Dilbert creator Scott Adams in a recent WSJ article:

"Our system requires a continuous supply of highly capable people who are so disgruntled with their jobs that they are willing to chew off their own arms to escape their bosses. The economy needs hamster-brained sociopaths in management to drive down the opportunity cost of entrepreneurship. Luckily, we're blessed with an ample supply." Read the full article

Either way, find something you love, make a plan, count your pennies (use open source erp) and go out and make it happen. You might not be a success the first time out, so you take the lessons learned and make another run at it.

So what's your reason?

5 Reasons Why Thymly Products Selected xTuple ERP

2010-09-27T18:45:00.000-04:00

Thymly Products, Inc., a major dry mix manufacturer on the East Coast, provides specialized food ingredients to the food and pharmaceutical industries, ranging from enzymes to phosphates.

With a rigid, legacy accounting software vendor that continued to lock down the source code of its aging product, Thymly didn’t have the control over its operations it needed to take its business to the next level. In 2007, the company began searching for a more agile ERP solution that would help its business grow.

“As part of our due diligence we spoke with several companies that were running ERPs of all sizes, and the feedback was consistent—the bigger the software house, the more problems with the ERP program,” says Harry Muller-Thym, Sr., founder of Thymly After looking at both large and small vendors, Thymly chose xTuple because of its open source ERP philosophy and excellent customer support.

“Since September 11, 2001, restrictions and regulations have continued to tighten in the food industry, and xTuple works very closely with us to understand our specific needs and ensure that we are able to meet the changing requirements,” adds Muller-Thym.

Thymly shut down its previous accounting system on March 31, 2009, and went live with Linux-based xTuple the next day. Some of the many benefits the open-source software provides for Thymly include:

Cost savings in inventory control—Thymly was able to reduce its inventory considerably within three months of implementation.
Traceability—The new ERP system allows Thymly to tag each product with lot numbers and weights and to track it 100 percent through the supply chain. In the case of an FDA recall, the company is able to respond within minutes, much faster than industry norms.
Integration—With its open-source technologies, the ERP package allows for integration with other software and production equipment. This allows Thymly to consistently produce the same quality product each and every time.
Better control over accounts receivable—By automating invoicing and A/R follow-up, Thymly is able to significantly speed up collections.
Permissions-based access—The software’s support for application permissions assigned by employee roles has helped Thymly with additional regulations set in place after September 11.

“The latest version of xTuple is the best yet,” says Muller-Thym. “It demonstrates xTuple’s commitment to taking feedback from its customers and incorporating those ideas back into the product. For every reason that we decided to purchase the xTuple solution, it has worked out, and it continues to exceed our expectations.”

In Mac vs PC Cost Comparison- Downtime Statistics Key

2010-08-25T07:25:00.000-04:00

There's a long running debate, or argument depending on your point of view, concerning the cost of an Apple Computer vs that of a Windows PC. It really isn't much of a debate if the only measurement is how much does it cost to walk out of the store with an Apple vs. a PC. And its more of an apple to orange comparison, because it can be difficult to decide which Mac to compare to which PC. In order to be fair, the models were chosen based on similar hardware specifications.

The Contenders

The 13" MacBook Pro vs 14" HP EliteBook 8440 with the same or similar processor, memory and hard drive. The Mac comes in at $1199. The HP sells for $1053. So you save $150 by walking out the door with the HP. In case you are wondering, I picked the best selling laptop off the CDW website. If you still want to pick another data point, the comparable Dell Vostro 3400 is $718. And while I would wonder why PC users are selecting the HP over the Dell and paying a premium - for sake of this comparison, the out of the store difference between Mac vs PC is $500 (yep, rounded up).

Now check this quote out concerning how the sagging economy is motivating midsize companies to find ways to save money:

"In a recent report by IDC, an impressive number of midsize companies migrating to Windows 7 say they realized a full return on their investment in just seven months. The migration also helped significantly reduce the time help desks spend dealing with malware, downtime and reboots by replacing Windows XP and Windows Vista."

Read it again. What the report finds is that the support requirements of Windows Vista and XP are so great that the cost of migration to Windows 7 can be justified in reduced support cost alone. By the way the report was sponsored by Microsoft.

So how much was the support cost reduced?

End users spent considerably less time dealing with malware, downtime, and reboots when using Windows 7 compared with previous Windows products. In fact, when 14 categories of common end-user activities related to keeping Windows PCs operational are considered, the savings result in 43 additional hours of productivity per year per user when using Windows 7. That amounts to in excess of one full work week per year of productive time.

So if you're doing a good job of following along, what we have learned is that if you switch from Windows Vista/XP to Windows 7 you will pick up an extra 43 hours of productive time. Now at a labor rate of $25/hour you just saved over $1000/year. And over the 3 year life of the PC, you saved $3000. All because Windows 7 is better than Vista or XP.

Okay you Mac users out there, I know what you're saying "we knew Vista was a piece of crap and no doubt the geniuses at Microsoft improved Windows 7, but that only means its a little less crappy. How does this relate to the Mac vs. PC cost equation?".

The data shows Windows 7 to be a 42% improvement over Vista/XP when measured by downtime. According to the report, a Windows 7 PC will have 57.6 hours of downtime a year. At $25/hour that's $1440/year. If the Mac is only twice as good as the PC (no snickering out there) it saves you $720/year, which multiplied by 3 years for the service life of the Mac, results in a total savings of $2160. Since we paid $500 more for the Mac, the 3 year net savings of using a Mac vs PC is $1660

Using data to support migrating from one Windows version to another, it is easily shown that the Mac is clearly the better financial decision, based just on comparative downtime!

The only thing left to support is whether the Mac has half the downtime as a PC. While I wish that I could point you to a study on Mac downtime, I couldn't find one. Google "mac downtime statistics" - zero hits. Must be why there is that long line at the Apple store. If anyone finds Apple downtime data, please pass it along.

So go tell your boss you want a Mac because its cheaper - of course that means you'll end up working one more week a year!

6 Great Reasons to Replace your AS/400

2010-08-18T17:34:00.000-04:00

If you are running your business on an AS/400 IBM iSeries and wondering how much longer you can wait - then consider the following:

6. Data Availability - High availability and point-of-time data requirements for audit purposes have become the norm in this stringent regulatory climate. This is easily possible with today's RDBMS systems like open source PostgreSQL. With AS/400 this feature is available only through table journaling, impacting performance and costing money.

They just look old

5. Hardware Cost - The cost of a iSeries hardware and software combination is higher than that of a comparable Linux, Mac OS or Windows based system. In this age of increased data loads for businesses, increasing the cluster size is inexpensive on a Linux/Mac based hardware when compared to an iSeries based expansion.

Love the user interface

4. Support Cost - Even though total cost of ownership was the basis of using AS/400 initially, the landscape has changed today with ever increasing interactivity between disparate applications across the enterprise. Administering a legacy AS/400 in this environment is not cost effective because of high cost of support.

3. Declining AS/400 Staff - One of the main factors in switching from an AS/400 is internal support. There is a declining availability of AS/400 experts and programmers in RPG within the company. Companies that do have staff in this area are 20-25 year veterans who are close to retirement.

2. Application Support - More and more ERP providers in the mid-market are no longer supporting RPG versions of their products. You might have already received that call from your provider informing you that support will no long be available after the end of the year.

1. Award winning open source xTuple ERP - Manufacturing, distribution, planning, accounting and CRM functionality you need to manage your business. For hardware use a Linux, Mac or Windows server - or a managed data center. xTuple runs on PostgreSQL, the leading open source database, giving you all the tools you need let technology work for you. Visit OpenSurge for more info.

The AS/400 was the system of choice in the mad dash to prepare for Y2K. The A/S400 started as a System 34 and has since become the iSeries and later simply System i as IBM continues to evolve the hardware. This is just hardware, but the software makes the difference. One of the reasons the AS/400 and its offspring are still around is that the legacy software was too hard to migrate to the latest generation of server. For the reasons stated above - you can save money by replacing your AS/400 in favor of the latest server technology (I'm an Apple fan) which is reason enough. So why wait until you find yourself caught with software that is no longer supported? Investigate, plan and execute on your schedule, but the time is now.

B-Schools using Open Source ERP to Teach Business Processes

2010-08-17T12:17:00.000-04:00

For years, there has been a need for teaching students about business process integration. The use of ERP systems has been proposed as a mechanism to meet this need. Yet, in the midst of a recent economic crisis, it is difficult to find funding for the acquisition and implementation of an ERP system for teaching purpose. While it is recognized that the use of ERP systems might provide a variety of benefits in a business school curriculum, how could business schools overcome the limited resources in order to bring in and integrate ERP systems into their business core classes?

I first started thinking about this several years ago in discussions with Steve Walton, Associate Dean of Executive MBA Programs at Emory's Goizueta Business School. What I wanted to do was teach a 'mini' class on business management systems and the supporting IT systems. The problem was how do you get the licenses and support of true enterprise software so that the students can have access to it?

Not long after OpenSurge became an xTuple Development Partner, it all came back to me and the solution was actually at hand. Using open source xTuple ERP (okay we would probably donate the server space), the students would have access to true enterprise software where they could learn the interactions between the business processes, cost accounting, supply chain management - even get to look at data table structure and report writing. I believe this is an outstanding and innovative approach to introduce the next generation of business leaders to business processes.

And it runs on a Mac! See the nearby post!

My thoughts on the next step is to solicit companies within the metro Atlanta area that are considering changing, updating or implementing a new ERP system. The students could then perform the discovery work, configure the application and proceed to conference room pilot. The participating company would need to provide access for the discovery phase - probably 8-12 hours would be sufficient. The idea is not to "nail" the install, but to gather enough data to make a realistic stab at the pilot.

If anyone has some thoughts or feedback, post a comment or email me. You can find my contact information on the OpenSurge website.

Thanks to a piece from Minh Huynh and Ivan Pinto at Southeastern Louisiana University for reminding my of the topic - all of which you can get here, the intro is theirs.

When will Business realize the approaching wave of Apple users has arrived?

2010-07-29T12:55:00.001-04:00

We want a Mac!

Starting a couple of years ago the first wave of college graduates entered the business world that had never used a Windows machine. Right now I'm looking over the 15 or so people gather in the local coffee shop - all on their computers, and only one using a Windows machine.

Being a Business Management Software guy - I struck up a conversation with her and asked about her Windows usage. Yep - because that's what her company uses. She has a Mac and an iPad at home (I don't even have one!), and hates having to use Windows - I told her to change jobs - she asked me for one. Well maybe, because she currently sells software and I'm guessing pretty good at it. Even with the Windows handicap!

The conversation then gets into how a business would go about moving to an all Apple environment. Of course you need to start by using xTuple ERP and putting it on a Mac server (hosted or local) - because you can't convert your company unless your ERP can run on a Mac. Since open source xTuple ERP is cross platform (Mac, Linux and Windows) you can start replacing clients with Mac's as the old machines become obsolete. In the meantime start using OpenOffice for documents, spreadsheets and presentations and Thunderbird for email on the Windows machines.

Then your world's is all roses and sunshine!

(And special thanks to my Windows focus group of one!)

Family Business Continuity Planning and Enterprise Management Systems

2010-07-09T11:25:00.001-04:00

Let's discuss enterprise software and why it should be important to a family business looking to insure that the business can successfully transition from one generation to the next.

Simply put, an organized, well run business following a consistent set of business rules is easier to hand off to the next generation. Business management software is an integrated systemic approach to managing all the data about a business, its finances, sales, inventory, etc.; resulting in an operational culture that shares information, eliminates silos and promotes best practices across the organization. The successful implementation of a first rate enterprise system, one that allows for the flexibility of your unique business, can be that key ingredient to a successful transition of a family business from one generation to the next.

First, what exactly is enterprise software, also known as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)? Basically it is an integrated business management system that connects users and information, enhances communication, identifies bottlenecks and standardizes business practices. A good ERP system, properly implemented, can bring about massive improvements to operational efficiency, shine a bright light on hidden organizational costs, and strengthen relationships with customers and suppliers. All of that translates into real growth - often exponential growth - even in a challenging economic climate.There are many different forms and types of ERP, but for purposes of this discussion it is those solutions that include functionality for accounting, sales, purchasing, inventory, supply chain management, production planning and CRM. Additionally, the system should utilizes an accessible relational database and custom report writer.

Now there is a wide range of products that meet the definition above. To name a few - Oracle, SAP, Infor, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, Epicor. These are all proprietary software products with one thing in common - they cost a lot of money.

But a few years ago several projects were started in the open source community to develop ERP alternatives. One of these projects has matured and been commercialized - meaning that a business was created around the project to provide coordination, development, documentation and support. As a result, xTuple has become the global leader in the emerging field of open source ERP, bringing the discipline of a real enterprise product company to open source. xTuple ERP is a complete package, running on open source PostgreSQL- the top open source relational database, with its own open source report writer. This is no starter kit, or collection of piece-parts. You can download, install, and be up and running with a full xTuple ERP system in 10 minutes.

As with all open source projects, there is a free open source license version of xTuple ERP called PostBooks. Anyone can get started with the xTuplePostBooks Edition - and thousands of companies are running their business on PostBooks every day. PostBooks is the ideal business software platform for many small- to medium-sized businesses. Of course, the heart of any business system is accounting, and PostBooks features a powerful General Ledger accounting system. Financial Reports are completely user-definable, and the system's open architecture facilitates simple interfaces to third party applications such as spreadsheets and outside payroll processors. The accounting module rivals anything available from commercial software vendors. But PostBooks is much more than great (free) accounting software. In addition to basic accounting features (general ledger, accounts receivable and payable, etc.), PostBooks includes fully-integrated CRM, sales and purchasing, product definition, inventory, light manufacturing and OpenRPT, xTuple's open-source report writer software.

And xTuple is more than good. The open source ERP community drives a relentless pace of improvements and refinements to the product. Every user - from the 2-person startup using the free PostBooks Edition, to the global enterprises using xTuple commercial Editions - every user benefits from the constant cycles of innovation that makes this open source ERP system so powerful.

The commercially-licensed editions of xTuple are designed for enterprises with larger-scale distribution and manufacturing operations, including Global 1000 companies that are powering their businesses with xTuple ERP. The xTuple Standard and Manufacturing Editions include advanced functionality for larger companies with more complex operations, as well as companies of any size who want or require a commercial license. But all customers still have full access to the source code of the commercial Editions, and enhancements made to any of the Editions of xTuple are handled through the same community development and managed release process.

The Standard Edition of xTuple is a fully-integrated end-to-end software system for companies with more sophisticated inventory control needs. It contains everything in the open source PostBooks Edition, plus additional enterprise-class functionality specifically for distributors and light manufacturers, such as advanced returns management, batch processing of emailed documents, multi-warehouse control, sophisticated lot/serial tracking and tracing, and other features.

The Manufacturing Edition of xTuple contains everything in the PostBooks and Standard Editions, plus additional enterprise-class functionality specifically for manufacturers.
xTuple's roots in manufacturing run deep. The Manufacturing Edition of xTuple ERP, the original award-winning ERP suite first released in 2002 is the premium commercial offering, recommended for manufacturing companies in both discrete and batch process production; make to order, make to stock, or mixed-mode; even job shops and engineer-to-order. The Manufacturing Edition software is currently deployed in a wide variety of successful customer manufacturing situations, including food production, piston manufacturing, industrial pumps, specialty garments and many others.

The Standard Edition starts at $300 per month and the Manufacturing Edition starts at $500 per month. All community members - whether they're using free PostBooks or a commercial license version, have access to the full source code of the core open source solution and to the xTuple user community where they can utilize extensive online documentation, user training videos and get advice and feedback from the global xTuple user community.

Award winning xTuple ERP is clearly the best option for the small and midsize family business to take advantage of the latest innovation in business management software.

For more information or to schedule a demo visit OpenSurge

Does "Open Source" Mean that the ERP Implementation Effort is Less?

2010-06-28T11:02:00.001-04:00

Stumbled upon a blog post where the author was making the case that open source ERP is "free", implementation is "simple" and user training is somehow "optional". The author also seemed to think that all the documentation was available that would make customizations a "snap". Okay that's not exactly what was said, but the implication was that open source ERP implementation and training was somehow easier and cheaper.

Open source ERP solutions are certainly less costly than proprietary solutions. Open source means that there is a "free" version available, but in general the "free" version will not have the functionality that a business of any substance would require. Licensed versions (like all software, functionality varies by product) of open source software are still considerably less expensive (25 - 50%) than proprietary solutions of the same functionality and scope.

With open source solutions the licensee typically gets the code and can make changes as required to meet their needs or use a partner to make these changes. Solutions that are supported by a commercial enterprise will always have superior documentation, user community/forums and training materials. The xTuple training videos are on the web, including a YouTube channel.

Its is simply incorrect to think that open source ERP (again of the same scale as a proprietary equivalent) is some how easier to implement and requires less training of employees. This is simply not the case nor does it make logical sense - just because the license fee is less does not translate to a smaller implementation project.

Let's not forget that ERP implementations are first and foremost business process projects and should not be viewed as an "IT Project". If so the implementation is destined for failure.

OpenSurge is a xTuple Development Partner providing open source ERP implementation, customization and support.

A Humorous View into the ERP Sales Cycle

2010-06-02T13:05:00.001-04:00

Ran across a bit on the web, while doing one thing or another - its not called the Web for nothing!! Kind of sucks you in and then you've lost 2 hours of your life. But sometimes you stumble across something that is just delightful and needs to be shared, which is what happened to me.

I found an outfit in Austria called Seven Lakes Software that developed a single user inventory application for the Mac. They have a page on their website called CO-ERP course, which they describe as "how to sell overpriced, crappy ERP software that doesn't fit in a prospect's business". This is a clever, funny and uncomfortable accurate account of the ERP sales process.

Please do go here to read the entire post, but I'm going to borrow a snippet to illustrate how open source xTuple ERP is different from other solutions - who shall remain unnamed. Here's the snippet from Lesson 1 Hide your Product:

What you have to think of when hiding your product.

No screenshots of your app should be available on your website.
Except they're completely fake (you know, the ones with the colourful 3D charts).

Do not provide your software's manual for download.
Your customer is too silly to understand it anyway.
Remember: there is no manual for your software! You're selling support and training, not manuals.

"A demo version makes no sense".
Tell the customer that it's much easier for you to show your product AFTER he signed the contract and paid thousands of Dollars.

Don't tell him that he has no chance to use your app without days of costly training.

Remember, it would cost YOU two working days to have your app installed. Your not an IT guy. He would install it in only one day. AFTER the customer has signed the contract, you can charge for anything.

Never do a real world presentation.
Your customer would discover that your software's user interface is ugly, that your app is hard to use, slow like molasses and buggy.

Pretty funny isn't it? although just a little sad and scary if you really need a better way to run your business

So how is open source ERP from xTuple different?

You can have you own online demo to play with as long as you want.
You can download and install the fully functional PostBooks edition to your computer in minutes.
All the documents are online
Training videos are available at xtuple.org and YouTube
OpenSurge encourages a real live onsite demo

And finally OpenSurge will gather your requirements, show how the requirements fit into xTuple, identify where further development is required and give you realistic assessment of the implementation project.

Hope you enjoyed the CO-ERP course as much as I did. Thanks to the guys at Seven Lakes Software.

xTuple Migrates Training Videos to YouTube

2010-05-22T14:34:00.002-04:00

xTuple is in the process of publishing training videos to YouTube. Just another example of how xTuple differentiates itself from the traditional ERP company.

One of the challenges in the open source ERP world is demonstrating that ongoing commitment to the user community. xTuple supports a world-wide user group through its xtuple.org website, where users can post questions, search archives and get all the documentation on xTuple. Licensed users of xTuple ERP can also post and track bugs and fixes to the software.
The xTuple site also contains a Product Roadmap so you can see what new developments are in the works. If you had been following the roadmap you would have seen (and even commented on) the development of the Drop Shipping functionality that is now in the latest release of open source xTuple ERP version 3.5. Want to see the drop ship functionality and how xTuple is using YouTube? The go view the Drop Shipment Training video.

OpenSurge Group just completed a great event in Atlanta, GA where we had the chance, along with Wally Tonra xTuple's VP of Sales, to perform side by side demonstrations of xTuple ERP with other proprietary products. We certainly generated a lot of interest in both open source ERP and the ability to run enterprise class software on Apple's Mac OS X.

Accounting Software Expo - Atlanta, GA

2010-05-13T12:15:00.001-04:00

With so many ERP solutions on the market, how does the busy business owner, CEO, CFO or senior executive find the time to evaluate them all? The Accounting Software Expo in Atlanta, GA on May 20th is an excellent way to get introduced to the leading ERP solutions for midsize business.

This one-of-a kind expo brings together financial management and business technology gurus for your benefit. Talk to experts who actually handle implementations, tech support, and end-user training. See live demos, ask questions and compare features within each accounting software. xTuple and OpenSurge Group will be there along with five of our better known competitors.

Want some great reasons for attending the Expo:

Efficient use of time, with 8 software demonstrations in one day, under one roof.
No hard-sell, no pressure, just unbiased feedback and honest discussion
Expert advice on managing the selection process internally, choosing software that meets your needs, selecting a VAR, and avoiding implementation pitfalls.
Networking opportunities with your peers and local VARs.

Wally Tonra, xTuple's VP of Sales will join myself as we lead the attendees through a presentation and demo of xTuple ERP. And we will be available throughout the Expo to answer any questions you might have on implementation, support, features and how open source ERP can be just the accounting and enterprise solution for your company. The Expo concludes with a panel discussion with all the presenters and will be moderated by J. Carlton Collins, CPA, is a nationally-recognized authority on accounting systems with extensive experience in financial management and technology

Go here for Expo Information and Registration

xTuple ERP is widely considered the most highly capable, fully cross-platform open source ERP system available in the marketplace. While xTuple ERP is deployed in companies of all sizes (including several Global 1000 firms), it is a particularly compelling choice for small to midsize businesses around the world. xTuple is a new kind of software company, one that truly provided an affordable yet comprehensive solution to meet their customers' changing needs.

OpenSurge Group is an xTuple Development Partner with offices in Atlanta, GA and Greenville, SC, is a specialized consultancy group dedicated to solving the unique strategic, management and systems problems of the small and midsize business. With years of experience blending technology into business solutions – anything from spreadsheets, or hosted database solutions to best in class xTuple open source ERP, OpenSurge can help you serve you customers better, become more efficient and maximize your technology investment.

Open Source ERP Implementation

2010-04-15T10:33:00.000-04:00

As an open source xTuple ERP Development Partner, I'm starting to see more acceptance for an open source ERP solution. xTuple is a robust ERP, with 100% of the functionality an inventory centric manufacturing or distribution would need. And more times than not all the requirements of other types of enterprises. Because of the open source approach - changes, modifications and extensions can be easily implemented and maintained.

One of the biggest challenges the open source ERP providers have is that users think that open source means "free" and "I can implement and support it myself". Yes, there is a free version of xTuple. And yes, there's an active community, good documentation and training videos for implementation and support. But this is Enterprise software, so its complex and challenging to implement - just like the proprietary versions.

xTuple ERP 3.5 AddS Drop Ship and Time Entry

2010-03-29T08:30:00.000-04:00

Open source ERP aims to give SMB distributors, manufacturers and service-oriented businesses increased automation and saves employee time.
Open source ERP specialistxTuple has taken the wraps off version 3.5 of its eponymous enterprise resource planning solution, adding features aimed at saving employee time and cutting costs by automating routine tasks that are often performed manually or by expensive external systems.
Offering Mac-based and open source ERP software for small to midsize businesses (SMBs), xTuple said that version 3.5 continues the company's recent push to add more enterprise-class functionality to the core package, while retaining the ease-of-use for which the company is known.

New 3.5 features include:

Drop ship purchasing: Now taking a sales order, immediately purchasing the item and having it shipped directly to the customer is fully automated and seamless for distribution companies.
Expanded support for tooling: Facilitates managing and consuming tools in the manufacturing process.
Pricing effectivity: Increases the flexibility of the pricing engine with regard to effectivity dates.
Time and expense management: xTuple 3.5 supports individual time and expense entry, optionally tied to Project Tasks.
New user-configurable filters in the CRM module: Allows non-programmers to customize the most-often used displays.
Support for PostgreSQL 8.4 and Qt 4.6.
Embedded MetaSQL editor: Enables power users to take deeper dives into custom reporting and use conditional data throughout the application.

Andrew Bergin, chief information officer at Minnesota-based Bergin Fruit and Nut Company, sponsor of the pricing effectivity enhancements in version 3.5, noted: "xTuple provides big-company ERP functionality, but makes it easy for smaller, growing companies to see real business benefit quickly. We implemented xTuple in a matter of months, and are having our best year in decades."

Since xTuple's last release in late 2009, over 400 enhancements have been added by the company, its partners and other community members. To date, the xTuple community has over 25,000 members and the PostBooks Edition has been downloaded more than 340,000 times. Additionally, it is consistently ranked among the most active projects on the SourceForge.net open source portal.

"xTuple 3.5 gives distributors, manufacturers and service-oriented businesses improved visibility into company data, increased control over their operations and the ability to make informed business decisions," said Ned Lilly, xTuple's CEO and co-founder. "The continuous involvement of our community of customers, partners and open source users is the key to the ongoing improvement of the product. It's how we're able to add more and more sophisticated enterprise functionality, while keeping the simplicity that SMBs require."

The PostBooks Edition of xTuple ERP is available free of charge under the open source Common Public Attribution License (CPAL), or xTuple's hybrid commercial license, whereby customers and partners have full access to the application source code, and any enhancements made to the product flow back to xTuple for review, quality testing and possible incorporation into the baseline product.

The Standard and Manufacturing Editions of xTuple are commercially licensed products with expanded features based on the core PostBooks Edition. All three versions of xTuple run equally well on Mac, Windows and Linux computers and are internationalized with multi-currency, support for multiple tax structures, and multilingual translation packs maintained by the global xTuple open source community.

Open Source ERP for Small and Midsize Business

2010-01-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

Following is a link to a new posting featuring OpenSurge's latest innovation for the small and midsize business.

If you have justed started a new business or have been arround for a while and realize that you need an enterprise class management solution, then this is a very cost effective solution for you.

So check out this opoen source ERP solution.

Open Source ERP for Small and Midsize Business

Hosted ERP

Part 2 of the xTuple Webinar - In depth look at CRM

2010-01-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

The integrated Corporate/Customer Relationship Management functionality is core to the xTuple application. xTuple's CRM can help you organize, synchronize and manage ALL of your business contacts and communications. Join this upcoming webinar to learn more about how xTuple's CRM can help your business nurture and retain your existing customers, attain new customers and reduce costs.

Interested in learning more about xTuple's CRM capabilities?

Then partcipate in this web event on Wednesday January 6th. This is not a sales promotion but information session. This is a convenient way to give small and midsize business owner a look into one of the leaders in ERP soultions for the small and midsize busines. xTuple provides all the functionality of the big name proporeitarty producst, but at a fratction of the cost - making it the clear front runner for any business that needs to raise their business management systems to the next level. And if you want to take a peak at the prices, visit the OpenSurge Group.

Whether you're a PostBooks pro, interested in picking up a few tips & tricks or you've just started using xTuple - this xTuple Webinar is a great opportunity for users of all types to learn more about xTuple and how it can work for your business!

The Demo Videos are a terrific source for learning about the xTuple suite of applications, but here's your chance to watch the software live in action, AND ask questions along the way!

So join Wally Wednesday December 2nd at 1:15 est for this hour long interactive demo of xTuple features and functions including CRM, Manufacturing and Purchasing.

Space is limited, click here to Register Today!

And for more information about open source xTuple ERP and how you can run your business on Apple Mac OS X then visit our website.

Hope you will join Wally for what will be an informative and interesting hour.

Free Webinar Introducing Open Source xTuple ERP

2009-11-25T10:13:00.000-05:00

Wally Tonra, the VP of Sales at xTuple, is hosting a free webinar to introduce new users to xTuple ERP. This is a great way for anyone that is interested in ERP in general or specifically xTuple's ERP suite of products.

Interested in learning more about xTuple open source ERP, accounting, and CRM?

Then partcipate in this web event on Wednesday December 2nd. This is not a sales promotion but information session. This is a convenient way to give small and midsize business owner a look into one of the leaders in ERP soultions for the small and midsize busines. xTuple provides all the functionality of the big name proporeitarty producst, but at a fratction of the cost - making it the clear front runner for any business that needs to raise their business management systems to the next level. And if you want to take a peak at the prices, visit the OpenSurge Group.

Whether you're a PostBooks pro, interested in picking up a few tips & tricks or you've just started using xTuple - the Introduction to xTuple Webinar is a great opportunity for users of all types to learn more about xTuple and how it can work for your business!

The Demo Videos are a terrific source for learning about the xTuple suite of applications, but here's your chance to watch the software live in action, AND ask questions along the way!

So join Wally Wednesday December 2nd at 1:15 est for this hour long interactive demo of xTuple features and functions including CRM, Manufacturing and Purchasing.

Space is limited, click here to Register Today!

And for more information about open source xTuple ERP and how you can run your business on Apple Mac OS X then visit our website.

Hope you will join Wally for what will be an informative and interesting hour.

Top Reasons for Selecting Open Source ERP

2009-10-27T11:03:00.000-04:00

1. Negligible Investment and Maintenance Costs

Of course, this is the biggest advantage of open source ERP packages – you get everything totally free of cost! It hardly matters if you use the package on 10 computers or 1000, you don’t need to spend even a single penny out of your pocket!

There are no hidden costs involved and there’s minimal dependency on the ERP vendor.

2. Training is Easy

Open source ERP packages are available not just free of cost, but also with complete licenses, comprehensive documentation and user manuals, allowing the users to learn and understand their usage on the fly. You don’t need to spend a whole lot of time and money on training your employees just to use the package, and necessary modifications can be made to the package as per your needs.

3. 100% Flexibility

This is something that even the best commercial ERP packages lack! Indeed, it is not possible to make even minor changes to the custom ERP packages, while you’re totally free to make changes to the open source ERP packages and fine tune them as per your business requirements.

The implementation can also be carried out separately without disturbing the regular operation of the business. Moreover, the open source ERP packages require considerably shorter implementation time, which is another big positive aspect.

4. No Dependency on ERP Vendor

As mentioned earlier, the open source ERP packages have minimal vendor dependency and everything is clearly mentioned in documentation and user manuals. So, you don’t need to wait for your ERP vendor to come and fix the issue. A good programmer should be able to get the job done within few hours easily.

5. High Accuracy

The productivity and accuracy is high in the case of open source ERP systems. On the other hand, the failure rates are often discovered to be on the lower side in comparison to commercial ERP packages.

6. Tight Security

Except a very few (the very best and the most expensive ones), most of the commercial ERP systems are tested to a decent extent, but still are many security flaws, traps, pitfalls and loop holes, which are easily harnessed by the hackers.

On the other hand, the open source ERP packages are thoroughly tested and 99% of the bugs are reported by the open source users in the process of development. Of course, nothing in this world is perfect, but the open source ERP packages are nearly perfect and very hard to break through, in terms of security loop holes.

Better yet a Supported Open Source Application.

Now when you take the above reasons and combine them with a supported open source ERP solution like xTuple ERP, you get the best of both worlds. You have a resource that can help you with the initial installation and configuration, develop customizations and provide on-going support.

For more information go to www.opensurgegroup.com

OpenSurge Small Business ERP and Accounting Solution

2009-10-26T11:27:00.000-04:00

ERP is a suite of integrated software modules for running different aspects of a business, such as human resources, accounting, purchasing, shipping, manufacturing, e-commerce, supply chain management, customer relationship management and inventory. In addition to offering a wider range of features than individual off-the-shelf packages you might buy at an office supply store, ERP enables information to flow between modules. Data, therefore, only needs to be entered once into the system to have it automatically available to all the other applications. For example, when new employees join the firm, a manager enters their personnel information into the payroll or HR application, and that data is recognized by all the other necessary modules.

Besides eliminating the need to reenter data into multiple systems, ERP also helps small companies get a better grasp on their business operations and finances. A business can also benefit from ERP's ability to provide reports and analyze business operations. If you keep all your data in an Excel file, there are only a few ways for you to look at it and you can't generate sophisticated reports from spreadsheets. With an ERP system, you're able to view data in different ways. For instance, you can look at it from a customer viewpoint -- who are your most profitable customers, how much do they buy, what do they buy?"

Small business managers who plan to grow their business should select an ERP package capable of scaling to meet potential needs. Companies that try to be conservative in their purchases and buy something that is too small instead solution with scalability, in terms of both the number of users and in functionality. How many transactions can it handle, how much volume of products, how many people touching it, etc.

For the ultimate in scalability and ease of start up, a hosted ERP solution is a great way for the small business to experience the advantages of a robust enterprise solution.

Here's a recent story from one of our customers.

OpenSurge Group Announces Hosted xTuple ERP Solution

2009-10-19T15:56:00.000-04:00

OpenSurge has launched its latest innovation for the small business owner. Using open source xTuple ERP in a hosted environment, enabling the small business the advantages of a robust and scaleable ERP solution at a price that makes ecomomic sense. Many small and emerging businesses that are working to get their business off the ground focus on sales and marketing, getting the products manufactured and customers satisfied. One of the last things on their list to worry about is how they are going to manage their books, track inventory, schedule production or share information across the company. Rightfully so, the new business is almost exclusively concerned about generating sales and uses all their resources making that happen.

Typically many new and emerging companies in today’s economy, such as SustainTex an organization dedicated to environmentally and socially friendly fabrics manufactured in the USA, have a small footprint main office with employees located across the country. And use many of the available technology tools like integrated phone and web applications to stay on top of their operations. Using xTuple’s PostBooks Edition and OpenSurge’s hosted service, SustainTex can easily trace their growing list of products and customers and manage their supply-chain to effectively produce the sustainable fabrics and garments that their customers desire.

According to Jack Miller VP of Sales “we didn’t have the time and resources to acquire the hardware and implement an ERP solution, but using OpenSurge and xTuple we were able to implement a robust ERP that enables us to manage materials through our supply chain. In addition to materials management, using the integrated fully functional CRM (customer Relationship management) tool we are able to collaboratively manage new opportunities anywhere we have internet access.”

xTuple uses a thin client, which really resembles a specialized browser, to seamless and securely connect to the PostgreSQL database. We install the database on an Apple server at our hosting facility, which provides world class security and connectivity in addition to backing up the server each night. This allows our clients to take full advantage of xTuple without the need to install servers, manage a network and worry about their data.”

OpenSurge chose the Apple platform for hosting xTuple because the of the solid performance of Snow Leopard Server and the additional services that are available such as group collaboration using the Wiki Server component of the OS. xTuple is a cross-platform application allowing clients to run seamlessly on Mac, Windows or Linux.

More Introducing of xTuple

2009-10-14T11:13:00.000-04:00

Kicking off a marketing campaign to let small and midsized business know that there is a enterprise solution that has all the functionality they need.

The promo is here.

Introducing xTuple

2009-10-14T10:58:00.000-04:00

You started your business with an idea, a concept, a product or a service that you believed in - then you went out and made it happen. You called on customers, built products, performed services and worked your tail off to make your customers happy. You hired associates, built factories and invested time and sweat, worked nights and weekends - because you knew you could do it better than your competitors. And it worked.

Maybe somewhere along the way you picked up a copy of QuickBooks or Peachtree Pro. It did the job and provided financials. But now you have a bunch of customers and inventory to manage, bills of material, cost accounting and production planning, then there's purchasing and vendor management - and these solutions just aren't cutting it any more.

Or just as likely you're the second or third generation and the business has been running "fine" for years. But you know that you have exceeded the capability of a patchwork system of unsupported old technology, independent database applications and spreadsheets.

Sure you have dedicated folks "managing" the books and that long time irreplaceable employee back in the shop juggling orders, ordering materials and trying to figure out what to make next. You know there's got to be a better way, but you're not dropping a hundred grand or more with one of the big guys hoping their rigid application can be bent into a useful tool.

If this sounds like you - then read on, because we have your Solution!

For more information visit www.opensurgegroup.com

REVIEW: Snow Leopard Server Provides Powerful Feature Updates

2009-10-07T17:56:00.001-04:00

REVIEW: Snow Leopard Server Provides Powerful Feature Updates

Mac OS X Snow Leopard Server is a great way for the SME to get away from MS Exchange server and Outlook. Snow Leopard can handle all your mail, calendar and address book requirements. And it has and a great Wiki server letting your entire organization seemlessly collaborate.

All for just under $500 for unlimited users.

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Open Source ERP in Thailand

2009-09-23T10:09:00.000-04:00

Interesting developement that the Thai goverment is funding open source ERP for the midsize business.

FYI - 1MM baht is roughly $30K

From the Bangkok Post - to get the full story go here

"Paitoon Butri, Software Industry Promotion Agency's open-source software manager, said this Government fiscal year which started in September, the agency will get a 35 million baht budget to promote open source - up from 26 million baht last year.

The agency will allocate 25 million baht funding to develop Opensource in Enterprise Resource Planning by select Kernel from Compiere, Open ERP and Apache Open For Business (OFBiz) to customise for Thailand.

"This is not redundancy with existing market because it will address companies which have 50-100 million baht revenue per year but local Thai ERP today address companies with revenue less than 50 million baht and global ERP vendor focus customers who has revenue of one billion baht."

However, SIPA still not finalise whether it will use bidding or joint-venture model to allow local open source providers to develop this open source ERP as a National ERP to help small medium sized to use ERP solution to improve business productivity and open more opportunity in implementation service for open source providers."

xTuple ERP

2009-09-18T10:34:00.000-04:00

xTuple is a global leader in the emerging field of open source ERP.

What does that mean? Our mission is to leverage the exciting and dynamic world of open source software to bring the benefits of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) to companies of all sizes.

And, frankly, we're also bringing the discipline of a real ERP product company to open source. This is no starter kit, or collection of piece-parts. You can download, install, and be up and running with a full xTuple ERP system in 10 minutes. Really.

And its a great way to run a business on Apple and Mac OS X!!