2011 access corporate brochure

8/6/2019 2011 Access Corporate Brochure

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2011-access-corporate-brochure 1/16

consulting | software | solutionswww.theaccessgroup.com

Company overviewBusiness & accounting software and consulting



01 About Access

02

Get completebusiness

clarity

Access will give you the advice, tools and clarity you need to make effective decisions, quickly andwith certainty.

As both a business-focused consultancy and a specialistsoftware developer, we combine our innovative award-winning software with practical experience to deliver a

solution that’s exactly right for you and your business.

Thank you for your interest in Access. You can find outmore about our consulting, software and solutions inthe following pages.

About usTo learn more about Access as a company, see next page.

Consultancy

To read about our consultancy services andimplementation process, go to page 4.

SoftwareTo find out more about our award-winning software, goto page 8.

SolutionsTo familiarise yourself with our range of solutions forspecific market sectors, go to page 12.



03About Access

Simple, proven & relevant

You can rely on us to provide you witha solution that’s simple, proven andrelevant to your industry. We’ve 20

years’ experience of softwaredevelopment here in the UK and ourregional consultants haveimplemented this software all overthe UK, and in Ireland. The expertise

we’ve gained gives us an unbeatableability to accurately assess and deliverto your needs.

Flexibility for the futureBecause your business will constantlyevolve, we provide a software solutionthat grows with you. Our modularsoftware covers a complete range of business, financial and administrativeprocesses and can be flexed to give

you the precise view of your businessthat you need at any time.

Going forward, our supportiveconsultants will work with you toconstantly improve your businessprocesses. Their first-class softwareexpertise and in-depth industryknowledge ensures that yoursolution delivers a continual returnon investment.

Looking ahead

We believe your solution must be

ready for the future, as well as rightfor today. We design and own oursoftware, so we can continuallyinnovate to meet your changing needsas well as those of your industry.For instance, we worked with theCarbon Trust and DEFRA to create away for your organisation to measureits carbon footprint without addingextra administration or complexity to

your current processes.

Award-winningWe’ve won many awards over the

years and have once again been voted‘Software Package of the Year’ at theAccountancy Age awards and alsoseparately by our customers. All oursoftware is accredited by industrybodies including HMRC, the Instituteof Chartered Accountants, the

Business Application SoftwareDevelopers Association and Microsoft.

A great place to workWe’re very proud of our people andstrive to be a great place to work.Recently, our efforts were made publicwhen Access was named one of theUK’s top employers. Voted number 85in the Sunday Times 100 BestCompanies to Work For list, this addsto our recent success in achieving theBest Companies One StarAccreditation which demonstrateshigh levels of employee engagement

Reach your business goals

We are driven to deliver high-impact,straightforward solutions. We believein sustainable business anddemonstrate best practice. We want tohelp make your business morecompetitive and successful. WithAccess, you can be sure you’ve got theclarity you need to reach your

business goals.

“We felt confident thatAccess could provide thewhole solution for us andthey were a company wecould work with.”

Wayne SmithBirmingham Airport



02 Consultancy Maximumimpact, simply

delivered

Software is a vital tool for your business, but we believethat the right implementation partner is the most

valuable element of any software change.

We have national coverage through a regional officenetwork across the UK and in Ireland. Our consultantsare implementation experts, adept at pinpointing thechallenges and opportunities a change of system willbring to your business. Every one of them can adaptand tune the software to meet your individualrequirements and will support you and your business as

you take this important step forward.

04



05Consultancy

“The adoption of ourAccess solution hasstreamlined our business

processes and deliveredaccurate up-to-dateinformation to those whoneed it. We are confidentthat the system willcontinue to support usfully as we continue ourgrowth plans in thecoming years.”

Andrew ChaplinFreedom Group



06

“The quality of report-

writing provided wasphenomenal and all of thereports that were writtenspecifically for us wereabsolutely first class.”

Christine HawkinsDevon Wildlife Trust

Delivering your solution

Our consultants follow a 4-phase,12-step process designed to support

you throughout the complete life of your project. From software selectionto go-live and beyond, this processensures that your project is managedin-line with your timescale, budgetand resources.

Communication is the key. Weunderstand businesses as well assoftware. We propose a scale of project,management and administration that’sappropriate for your specific needs.

We listen and respond to your

requirements. We ensure you’re alwaysinformed of progress by identifyingclear deliverables and providing a levelof documentation that best supports

your project.

You can have total confidence in whatwe deliver for you.

Phase 1 – evaluationStep 1: Needs analysis

After detailed consultation we willclearly define your needs in a proposaldocument that identifies the benefits

you will experience by updating yoursystems.

Step 2: Solutions demonstration

We will take you through a tailoreddemonstration of your proposedsolution and work with you to agreewhich elements will be included in theinitial project. We listen and takeaccount of all your feedback and willprovide a quotation outlining theanticipated cost of your project.

Step 3: Sales handover

Having finalised the project’s scope andagreed commercial terms, we prepare ahandover document from the sales tothe project team, who will partner youthroughout implementation. They willmeet with all appropriate members of

your team to ensure continuitythroughout the process.

The4

phases and12

steps of our implementation process

are scaled in-line with your

timescale, budget and

resources so that you’re

always in control.



Consultancy 07

Phase 2 – planStep 4: Definition

The Access project team will work with you to define the structure and controlprocesses that will guarantee thesuccess of your project. Documentsthat we provide you at this stage willcover all your project objectives, thefull specification and success criteria.This gives total clarity over individualtasks and responsibilities to ensure

you’re fully informed going forward.

Step 5: Solutions workshops

This step helps your project teambecome fully immersed in theproposed software. We map business

processes to functionality so that youcan understand how the solution willlook and feel.

Step 6: Confirmation of requirements

Following your feedback from thesolutions workshops, we will confirmthe detailed actions and solutioncomponents necessary to meet theproject success criteria we identifiedearlier.

Phase 3 – designStep 7: Configuration

The components identified in Step 6are delivered and a User AcceptanceTest (UAT) system is built ready for youto carry out a pilot test. We configureand tune all the variables within thesystem to match your specificrequirements.

Step 8: User Acceptance Test

The UAT is conducted in a workshopenvironment for your staff against anagreed test plan. At the end of thisstep you will be ready to go live.

Step 9: Education

With a fully designed, installed andtested system now in place, we willtrain your staff on all relevant areas of the software. We are highly skilled atadapting our training to the learningstyles of each of your staff members.We can train all of your staff or, if preferred, we will train your in-housetrainer.

Phase 4 – implementStep 10: Go liveThe test system is converted into a liveworking environment ready for theprocessing of real-time businesstransactions. This is managed by a pre-

agreed go-live check list to ensure allpossible circumstances are consideredand addressed.

We will be on-site to answer yourquestions and support your usersthroughout this time, helping them toget maximum clarity and impact fromthe software as they becomeincreasingly confident.

Step 11: Support handover

We prepare a handover document anddeliver it to our ongoing supportteam. This document contains all theinformation our support consultantsneed to answer any future queries

you may have.

Step 12: Post project review

Your opinion is extremely important tous. Shortly after you go live we willrequest feedback on your experience of the implementation process to help usfurther refine our delivery processes.We then agree sign-off for the project.

“Our Access representative

was on-hand at all timeswhile we trained key users,who then had theconfidence to roll out thisknowledge to their teams.”

Richard BriereHolt JCB



03 Software Cut complexity& increase

efficiencyOur modular system will give you a fully connectedplatform that can be constantly tailored and expanded– now and as you grow. You can rely on us for athoroughly proven solution that’s both highlyfunctional and easy to use.

Our business software portfolio extends from core

accounting functions into manufacturing &distribution, professional services, HR, documentmanagement and CRM to name but a few.Read about our portfolio overleaf.

With our complete range of software you will get fullvisibility over all your business operations, helping you

to cut out complexity and increase efficiency.

08



09Software

“There were plenty of solutions out there thatcould do the job

adequately but the Accesssolution was the only onethat fitted our businessneeds exactly.”

Denise CardyTouch



10

Core products

Access Dimensions

Featuring purchasing, costing, creditcontrol, cash flow forecasting and

more, this award-winning business &financial solution provides all thefeatures you need to make your dailytasks easier and more efficient. Apowerful financial core providesinstant access to essentialinformation, making key tasks such asasset management and budgetingquick and easy. With in-depthreporting, drill-down, comprehensiveaudit trails and full multi-currencyprovided as standard, you have

everything needed for informeddecision-making.

• Suitable for 1-500+ users

• Multi-language & multi-currency

• Over 40 configurable modules

• Comprehensive reporting includingdashboards

• Two-way Microsoft Excel integration

• Easy-to-use, Windows based system

• Accountancy Age ‘Software Packageof the Year’ 2008-10.

Access FocalPoint

Designed to bridge the gap betweenfinance and non-finance users, thispowerful solution is entirely web-based for ease of access and low costof ownership. Featuring organisation-wide functionality such as timesheets,expenses, resource scheduling andpurchasing, each module enables youto embed your own multi-level

approval workflows within thesoftware, ensuring the rightinformation is captured and updatedto Access Dimensions. Integrationwith BlackBerry and iPhone isprovided through our mobileplatform, Access Mobile.

• Easy-to-use, web-based tools

• Integration with Access Dimensions

• Wide range of generic businessmodules

• Web-based for rapid deployment

• Low cost of ownership

• Multi-level approval workflow.

Access Supply ChainThis fully traceable, multi-level supplychain solution enables you to handle allforms of manufacturing processes withequal efficiency, including make-to-

order, make-to-stock, one-off andsemi-continuous. Everything you needto overcome complex issues, such asover/under stocking is available, in oneeasy-to-use package.

• Proven in many industry verticals(e.g. aerospace, automotive,electronics, engineering, food & drink,pharmaceuticals and white goods)

• Fully interchangeable manufacturing& distribution modules

• API for development with SQL-based solutions

• Full integration with Best of Breedapplications

• Award-winning financials built-in

• Optional Business Intelligence,CRM, HR & payroll.

SelectHRAvailable standalone or fully integratedwith SelectPay, this powerful .NET

based solution is designed to support you through every aspect of theemployee lifecycle. With powerful toolsthat can be configured to yourprocesses, browser-based SelectHR isable to meet the needs of your HRdepartment, managers, employees andapplicants and is regularly re-testedagainst legislative requirements. Withan Office look and feel, everyone willfind SelectHR familiar and easy to use.Based upon the new WWF (WindowsWorkflow Foundation) standard,

workflows are quick to visualise andutilise ‘drag & drop’.

Offering a wide range of modules,SelectHR is flexible and easily configuredto fit with your own ways of working.

• Recruitment & selection

• HR administration

• Learning & development

• Self-service

• Workflow• Dashboards/BI

• Document management.

“Our solution has reduced

the time taken to close ourmonthly accounts by 50%.”

Sue McDonaldThe CompetitionCommission



Software 11

SelectPayOur HMRC-accredited payroll solution isscalable for anything from tens tothousands of employees. A powerfulAPI enables straightforward integration

with your other products (e.g. key cardsystems), as well as easy import of timesheet and pay information. We alsooffer integration with our HR solution,SelectHR, enabling you to streamlinethe flow of information (e.g. newstarter data) across your organisation.Flexible and easy to use, SelectPay caneasily adapt to fluctuations in staffinglevels, differing pay types andfrequencies. It provides an epayslipfunction for fast, secure distribution of payslips via email, as well as

comprehensive reporting facilities.

• Flexible paytypes and frequencies

• Microsoft SQL Server based

• Password-protected epayslips

• Two-way electronic exchange withGovernment Gateway

• Bureau compatible.

Access Service ManagerThis powerful solution will give you

total control over your servicecontracts. From invoicing renewals andmanaging complex schedules to PDAintegration and customer portals,Access Service Manager ensures tight,closed-loop communication betweenoffice and field so that you can providethe very best in service.

• Call centre management

• Job scheduling

• Workshop control

• Parts management

• Planned preventative maintenance

• Contract management

• Billing & contract renewals

• Meter billing.

Complementary products

GoldMineGoldMine® CRM from FrontRangeSolutions® is a world leader in the

development of powerful, businessand customer relationshipmanagement software.

For over a decade, we’ve implementedthis market-leading solution alongsideAccess Dimensions into a wide rangeof industries and sectors. Available in arange of editions, GoldMine offers

functions such as contact andopportunity management, sales &marketing automation, customerservice and call management. AsFrontRange’s ‘CRM Partner of the Year’,

you can rely on us to implement theright GoldMine solution for yourorganisation.

• BlackBerry and Outlook integration

• Web access as 3-tier connection (viaa web server using XML/SOAP) or a2-tier connection (client/server)

• Security privileges at database &application level.

DashboardStep away from the detail and see thebigger picture. Dashboards enabledecision-makers across your wholebusiness to access graphical reportsand graphs on a self-service basis, withdrill paths to show where theirattention should be directed. This leadsto a much faster, more responsiveapproach to reporting.

Document ManagementReduce the costs of processing, storing,and retrieving your business-criticalcorrespondence. Using DocumentManagement, everything from boardpacks and purchase invoices to emailsand graphics can now be scanned, filed,searched and tracked from within onesecure electronic archive.

Workflow FormsThrough configurable templates,automation and alerts, you can replacepaper-based processes and speed upthe capture and approval of genericbusiness information. Tasks thatwould usually require interventionfrom your finance department, such asrequesting a new supplier code, cannow be instigated by any authoriseduser, increasing efficiency and returnon investment.

“We’ve now got true

visibility of materials andpackaging, stocks, work inprogress, the whole lot.”

Nigel PlantThe Cromer Crab Company



04 Solutions Your uniquesolutionWe create these tailored solutions by blending all of ourown software components with best-of-breed thirdparty applications. Each is bound together by ourintegration expertise, report writing skills and, if necessary, our ability to write specific software for you.

We are extremely skilled at providing facilities for stock-based, project and time-based companies and have aproven track record in manufacturing, distribution andservice-based organisations. Read on to find out more.

All our solutions are based on our standard softwarewhich is proven in a very wide range of industries. Inaddition, we have a range of niche solutions that match

the challenging needs of specific market sectors.

12



13Solutions

Professional services

We will provide cost control,profitability analysis and boost clientrelationships through one flexible,easy-to-use system.

Web-based project management toolscapture all your project-related costs,making up-to-the-minute informationavailable to every authorised memberof staff.

Using our solutions, client billing andincome recognition is entirelyautomated, with detailed WIP andcost-to-complete analysis available ondemand.

This solution is ideal for all

professional service organisations,from architects and surveyors toadvertising and design agencies, andall types of consultancy firms.

Manufacturing

Tracking the complete process fromcustomer order through to delivery iskey to meeting your customers’requirements and expectations.

To achieve this, you need to be sure

that you have the materials andresources to meet realistic productionplans and the ability to report onprogress at any time.

Our end-to-end manufacturingsolutions track order processingthrough to scheduling and tight stockcontrol. This facilitates the planning of both materials and resources toensure orders are progressed in themost efficient sequence.

To ensure you have up-to-the minuteinformation, powerful reports areprovided as standard. Monitoreverything from costs and labour towastage and WIP, delivered in aflexible format to suit you.

We offer specific functions for adiverse range of manufacturers, suchas aerospace, chemicals, electronics,food, pharmaceuticals and tooling.

Distribution & wholesale

Running your warehouse anddespatch areas smoothly andefficiently is essential. But you alsoneed to focus on making the rightdecisions to ensure you have the rightstock at the right time.

From forecasting stock levels by SKUto warehouse management andmulti-location stock control, you havea seamless end-to-end solution thatlinks every stage of the pick, pack anddespatch process.

And with powerful, highly visual stockforecasting tools, you have everything

you need to make smarter decisionsbased on your past, present and future

sales demand and stock situation.

This solution is suitable for all types of organisations, including those thatdistribute to retail, wholesale anddirect to the consumer.

“Now we can tailor pricingstructures based on ourcustomer buying patterns,

so building up mutuallyprofitable relationshipswith them.”

Stephen MartinControl Aer



14

Charity/Not-for-profit

We remove the burden of financialreporting so that you can focus on keychallenges such as project analysisand successful fund management.Using powerful reporting tools, youcan create a single board pack thatsimultaneously meets therequirements of the Government, theVAT man, your trustees and the board.

Using our project costing functionality, you can create as many projects,activities and campaigns as you needwhile seamless integration with yourthird-party software provides at-a-glance reports on specific donations.

For your staff, an interactive web portalprovides a one-stop-shop forinformation. Enter timesheets andexpenses, raise purchase orders, accessreports and much more – when andwherever you are.

This solution is ideal for all types of charity and NFP organisations such ascouncils, schools, universities, religiousestablishments and Government

bodies.

Financial services

You need to analyse profitability of all your products and funds, meetstringent regulatory guidelines andoversee mergers, investments andexpansion with confidence.

Our solutions automate all of yourback-office processing needs, enablingfast, real-time reporting to every userin your organisation.

An easily navigable, central source of information streamlines the processof data collection, helping you to meetcomplex reporting requirements(e.g. FSA).

Analysis can be carried out at anylevel, from multiple funds down toindividual trading desk or product.Multi-dimensional modelling toolscan handle the most complex cashflow analysis.

This solution is ideal for financialinstitutions such as fund managers,venture capitalists and stockbrokers.

Construction

We will improve your planning,estimating, cost allocation and billingby providing you with the centralisedinformation you need to strengthen

your supplier and customer

relationships.

From time and materials through todesign and build, we link all your jobcosting information with your corefinancials for an instant review of revenue and costs against budgetand milestones.

We reduce time spent managing yoursub-contractor responsibilities, whileonline ordering software enables site

workers to proactively manage theordering and goods received process.Requests for payment, phasedinvoicing and retentions are allhandled with ease.

Building contractors, sub-contractors,civil engineers and companiesinvolved in any aspect of sitepreparation and/or demolition will allbenefit from this solution.

“Access has been the

foundation of our financeteam for many years.As our business has grown,the company has workedwith us to develop thereporting that we need tomeet our stakeholders'requirements and has alsoundertaken a number of projects with us to buildsolutions that meet ourspecific demands.”

Adrian JohnsonThames River Capital



more

Solutions 15Solutions

Service management

Effective call management andresource scheduling, maintainingcontracted service level agreementsand accurate billing are all essential toprovide outstanding service.

We automate your entire back-officecall centre, enabling your team torecord, manage and close calls whilecalendar scheduling functionalitymakes it easy to allocate staff to jobs.Self-service portals ensure that yourcustomers have complete visibilityover call and job statuses.

PDAs enable remote service engineers

to download daily and weeklyschedules while integration with thesales ledger ensures swift, automatedbilling and contract renewals.

This solution is suitable for a vast arrayof industry sectors such as airconditioning services, print equipment,photocopier companies and IT andcommunication service companies.

Transport & haulage

Accurate vehicle costing, seamlesshandling of your day-to-day clientmanagement and efficient load and

journey planning are all essential to your profitability.

Integration with your business-specific applications puts an end tore-keying, centralising everything frompayments and remittances tomanagement reports. Linking with

your third-party logistics softwareprovides real-time visibility of yourposition in the supply chain and tight,electronic audit trails across yourdelivery network.

Powerful job costing functionalitycan be configured on a ‘log book’ basis,providing instant information on thestatus of every component within

your fleet.

This solution is ideal for freightforwarders, cargo handlers and courierservice organisations.

“The key factor in choosing

Access was their fullyintegrated servicemanagement solution.We wanted a user-friendlysystem that we could trustand would grow with ourbusiness.”

Stephen TateCopy IT Digital Solutions

To find out more about our consulting,software and solutions, telephone uson 01206 322575 or [email protected].

Alternatively, visit the Access web siteat www.theaccessgroup.com, where

you can download furtherinformation such as brochures, infoguides and customer case studies.

We look forward to helping youachieve complete business clarity.



consulting | software | solutionswww.theaccessgroup.com

Access UKThe Old School, Stratford St. MaryColchester, EssexCO7 6LZ, United Kingdom

T 01206 322 575T 0845 345 3300

F 01206 322 956

E [email protected]

Access IrelandPlaza 212

Blanchardstown Corporate Park 2

Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland

T +353 (1) 885 5577

F +353 (1) 829 3881

E [email protected]

Winner: Enterprise Accounting &Finance - Sift Media Business

Software Satisfaction Awards 2010

Winner: Software Package of theYear - Accountancy Age 2010

Winner: Construction AccountingSoftware of the Year - Construction

Computing Awards 2010

Winner: Green I.T. Awards -Environmental Accounting

Software of the Year 2010

Winner: SME Human Resources &Human Capital Management - Sift

Media Business SoftwareSatisfaction Awards 2010

Top 100 ranking:The Sunday TimesBest Companies to Work For 2011