Microsoft Business Solutions Solomon, formerly Solomon IV and Microsoft Great Plains Solomon IV, is a prominent business management and e-business suite of applications for small and mid-market companies. Most recently, in summer 2003, Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) announced the availability of Microsoft Business Solutions Solomon 5.5, which includes several new features and enhancements in the product's Foundation Series, Financial Series, Project Series and Service Series of modules.
If not for a broad footprint, Solomon has been hailed for its flexibility and customizability, since its code was designed in a way that every new product release ensures that all customizations/modifications attributes (regardless whether new features have been introduced by MBS' developers or the users) are carried over.
Features can also be customized on either a temporary or permanent basis. As some examples, the product allows report customization, input screens and forms, and is customizable on different levels, while users can even start from a blank screen. To that end, the Customization Manager module allows the quick and easy modification of Solomon to fit a specific need, without changing the underlying source code. Solomon was one of the first mid-market accounting products that provided the ability to customize beyond basis screen "look and feel" features using Visual Basic programming, which is provided in the Basic Script Language (BSL) component of the Customization Manager module.
Further, the Solomon Object Model allows any application or programming tool that is capable of communicating to the Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) the ability to integrate with any screen in Solomon. Moreover, not only does it facilitate the integration with external applications, the model also provides the necessary architecture for Microsoft VBA, which is used within the above-mentioned Customization Manager. In other words, the object model provides a programmatic interface to the underlying functionality of Solomon, which enables any COM compliant tools (e.g., VBA within Microsoft Office applications, or any Microsoft VB and Visual C++ based tools) to communicate to objects (an item that can be programmed and controlled, such a text box or a drop-down menu on a particular screen) in any Solomon screen. This allows reuse of discrete pieces of the Solomon business functionality without rewriting desired functionality from scratch. At the same time, the object model is not data-centric and does not provide direct access to Solomon data structures, which leverages existing knowledge and involves non-programmers in the design decisions, inherits data validation and data entry constraints, and inherits database update rules.
Integrated Modules
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, MBS Solomon offers several series or groups of integrated modules that address different business types and needs. This modularity has the advantage of allowing the prospects to start frugally with only necessary base modules (e.g., accounting) and to incrementally add more functionality as needs demand and budgets permit, without the complexities of switching accounting application vendors or converting databases.
Of all the MBS' products, Solomon is apparently the purest in terms of a standard Microsoft technology stack, and without any proprietary additions (such as Great Plains original Dexterity environment, Navision's proprietary integrated development environment C/SIDE, which includes a proprietary Navision Server database and a proprietary 4GL programming language; Navision strong analytical features using Sum Indexed Flow Technology (SIFT); and the proprietary MorphX graphical development suite for Axapta). It is also a single-code product, with the same look and feel for both small and midsize customers, which has long differentiated the product from its competitors and MBS siblings (e.g., MBS Great Plains vs. Dynamics, Epicor Vista vs. Vantage, Best Software Peachtree vs. MAS 200, etc.) that currently offer separate products for the lower and upper ends of the mid-market. MBS Solomon Standard, a lower-priced offering of the Solomon edition that addresses the needs of lower mid-market enterprises with smaller information technology (IT) budgets and less-complex business structures (e.g., fewer companies or fewer divisions) that have twenty-five to ninety-nine employees, annual revenues of $25 million (U.S.) or less, and up to ten licensed users.
Furthermore, its sharp focus solely on Microsoft technology from the ground up, coined in "the power of one" motto (one OS platform—Windows XP/NT/2000, one database platform—MS SQL Server, one development environment—MS Visual Basic, etc.), also presents an attractive, risk-adverse option for penny-pinching mid-market customers. Solomon IV has consequently been very competitive in speed of implementation (from only two weeks to four months duration), feasibility of customization, total cost of ownership (TCO), and price/performance ratio. The product architecture has been devised entirely from scratch within the Microsoft context, which provides for flexibility and ongoing agility.
While its former and current competitors, particularly Sage (Best Software's UK-based parent company) and Great Plains, may have a more extensive partner channel within the industry, Solomon's indirect channel is more nimble and focused. This is due to its single-code product portfolio that reduces the deployment and support requirements for its entire market segment. In addition the former Solomon had supplemented its over 500 VARs through its above-mentioned STC network, which would provide for global service consistency and additional leverage for the channel.
Financial Series
At the heart of MBS Solomon is the Financial Series, which is made up of typical accounting and financial applications such as General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), Cash Manager, Currency Manager, Multi-Company, Financial Statement Translation (FST), FRx Reporting and Payroll/Direct Deposit. GL account and sub-account numbers can be up to thirty characters in length, whereby the main account number can be up to ten characters, and the remaining twenty characters can include up to eight user-defined segments. GL transactions can be entered using several types of transaction batches, including non-recurring, recurring, manual and one-sided adjustment, and GL account determines whether the transaction will operate in multi- or single-company mode. Transactions can be entered for any prior fiscal period or year as well as for future periods, which allows for things such as installments and prepayments to be managed at a single time, rather than month after month. The Financial Statement Translation module is compliant with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement 52, Foreign Currency Translation, and International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) Statement 125. The module supports translations from one set of books to another set of books, and supports multi-tier translations and consolidations.
A built-in version of the FRx Desktop and FRx Forecaster marquee financial planning, budgeting and reporting software integrates with Solomon for financial statement presentation, as it locates data from different accounting systems if necessary and puts all the information in a single report. Additionally, across all other Solomon series of modules, there is OEM embedded industry-accepted and familiar Crystal report writer, which can publish reports directly to the Web (using an embedded Crystal Reports Smart Viewer) or into Excel. This eliminates any need to learn proprietary and often pesky report writers, which has traditionally been the case with most peer products. Daniel, do not break the page here, keep the next two sub-head groups on this page
SOURCE:http://www.technologyevaluation.com/research/articles/solomon-stands-the-test-of-time-despite-changing-masters-part-three-product-differentiators-17051/
If not for a broad footprint, Solomon has been hailed for its flexibility and customizability, since its code was designed in a way that every new product release ensures that all customizations/modifications attributes (regardless whether new features have been introduced by MBS' developers or the users) are carried over.
Features can also be customized on either a temporary or permanent basis. As some examples, the product allows report customization, input screens and forms, and is customizable on different levels, while users can even start from a blank screen. To that end, the Customization Manager module allows the quick and easy modification of Solomon to fit a specific need, without changing the underlying source code. Solomon was one of the first mid-market accounting products that provided the ability to customize beyond basis screen "look and feel" features using Visual Basic programming, which is provided in the Basic Script Language (BSL) component of the Customization Manager module.
Further, the Solomon Object Model allows any application or programming tool that is capable of communicating to the Microsoft Component Object Model (COM) the ability to integrate with any screen in Solomon. Moreover, not only does it facilitate the integration with external applications, the model also provides the necessary architecture for Microsoft VBA, which is used within the above-mentioned Customization Manager. In other words, the object model provides a programmatic interface to the underlying functionality of Solomon, which enables any COM compliant tools (e.g., VBA within Microsoft Office applications, or any Microsoft VB and Visual C++ based tools) to communicate to objects (an item that can be programmed and controlled, such a text box or a drop-down menu on a particular screen) in any Solomon screen. This allows reuse of discrete pieces of the Solomon business functionality without rewriting desired functionality from scratch. At the same time, the object model is not data-centric and does not provide direct access to Solomon data structures, which leverages existing knowledge and involves non-programmers in the design decisions, inherits data validation and data entry constraints, and inherits database update rules.
Integrated Modules
Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, MBS Solomon offers several series or groups of integrated modules that address different business types and needs. This modularity has the advantage of allowing the prospects to start frugally with only necessary base modules (e.g., accounting) and to incrementally add more functionality as needs demand and budgets permit, without the complexities of switching accounting application vendors or converting databases.
Of all the MBS' products, Solomon is apparently the purest in terms of a standard Microsoft technology stack, and without any proprietary additions (such as Great Plains original Dexterity environment, Navision's proprietary integrated development environment C/SIDE, which includes a proprietary Navision Server database and a proprietary 4GL programming language; Navision strong analytical features using Sum Indexed Flow Technology (SIFT); and the proprietary MorphX graphical development suite for Axapta). It is also a single-code product, with the same look and feel for both small and midsize customers, which has long differentiated the product from its competitors and MBS siblings (e.g., MBS Great Plains vs. Dynamics, Epicor Vista vs. Vantage, Best Software Peachtree vs. MAS 200, etc.) that currently offer separate products for the lower and upper ends of the mid-market. MBS Solomon Standard, a lower-priced offering of the Solomon edition that addresses the needs of lower mid-market enterprises with smaller information technology (IT) budgets and less-complex business structures (e.g., fewer companies or fewer divisions) that have twenty-five to ninety-nine employees, annual revenues of $25 million (U.S.) or less, and up to ten licensed users.
Furthermore, its sharp focus solely on Microsoft technology from the ground up, coined in "the power of one" motto (one OS platform—Windows XP/NT/2000, one database platform—MS SQL Server, one development environment—MS Visual Basic, etc.), also presents an attractive, risk-adverse option for penny-pinching mid-market customers. Solomon IV has consequently been very competitive in speed of implementation (from only two weeks to four months duration), feasibility of customization, total cost of ownership (TCO), and price/performance ratio. The product architecture has been devised entirely from scratch within the Microsoft context, which provides for flexibility and ongoing agility.
While its former and current competitors, particularly Sage (Best Software's UK-based parent company) and Great Plains, may have a more extensive partner channel within the industry, Solomon's indirect channel is more nimble and focused. This is due to its single-code product portfolio that reduces the deployment and support requirements for its entire market segment. In addition the former Solomon had supplemented its over 500 VARs through its above-mentioned STC network, which would provide for global service consistency and additional leverage for the channel.
Financial Series
At the heart of MBS Solomon is the Financial Series, which is made up of typical accounting and financial applications such as General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), Cash Manager, Currency Manager, Multi-Company, Financial Statement Translation (FST), FRx Reporting and Payroll/Direct Deposit. GL account and sub-account numbers can be up to thirty characters in length, whereby the main account number can be up to ten characters, and the remaining twenty characters can include up to eight user-defined segments. GL transactions can be entered using several types of transaction batches, including non-recurring, recurring, manual and one-sided adjustment, and GL account determines whether the transaction will operate in multi- or single-company mode. Transactions can be entered for any prior fiscal period or year as well as for future periods, which allows for things such as installments and prepayments to be managed at a single time, rather than month after month. The Financial Statement Translation module is compliant with Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Statement 52, Foreign Currency Translation, and International Accounting Standard Board (IASB) Statement 125. The module supports translations from one set of books to another set of books, and supports multi-tier translations and consolidations.
A built-in version of the FRx Desktop and FRx Forecaster marquee financial planning, budgeting and reporting software integrates with Solomon for financial statement presentation, as it locates data from different accounting systems if necessary and puts all the information in a single report. Additionally, across all other Solomon series of modules, there is OEM embedded industry-accepted and familiar Crystal report writer, which can publish reports directly to the Web (using an embedded Crystal Reports Smart Viewer) or into Excel. This eliminates any need to learn proprietary and often pesky report writers, which has traditionally been the case with most peer products. Daniel, do not break the page here, keep the next two sub-head groups on this page
SOURCE:http://www.technologyevaluation.com/research/articles/solomon-stands-the-test-of-time-despite-changing-masters-part-three-product-differentiators-17051/
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