Testimonials

ExxonMobil Corporation and SystemLink

Strike Oil With Sage Accpac ERP

Since 1868 ExxonMobil Corporation has been a major producer, refiner and marketer of petroleum and chemical products. With over 42,700 employees and subsidiaries in over 140 countries, ExxonMobil has become a leader in the industry. Unfortunately, some of the financial accounting and reporting systems used by the affiliate companies appear to also have been around since 1868.

The International Market Is Dynamic

Multiple languages and currencies, geographically specific accounting and reporting standards, and numerous compliance standards create quite a challenge for any standardization initiatives. ExxonMobil needed a business technology solution that would work in all of their affiliates' business operations; a robust accounting and reporting system that was flexible so as to conform to local business practices.

Operationally, the system would have to include order processing, invoicing, inventory control, purchasing, payables, receivables, and financial reporting. Additionally, the solution had to be an integral part of ExxonMobil's overall corporate enterprise technology strategy. Without an integration methodology, ExxonMobil would be left with islands of technology. an accountant's paradox until ExxonMobil turned to SystemLink for advice.

"The objective was to find a cost-effective PC based software process that would meet the functional and technical requirements of all of our international affiliates"', says John Junker, Global Process Consultant for ExxonMobil Corporation's Global Information Systems. "After extensive reviews of similar software products, Sage Accpac ERP was the clear winner."

"Sage Accpac ERP is inherently designed as a truly international as well as a domestic software solution. Sage Accpac ERP technology enabled ExxonMobil Corporation to implement initiatives to reduce costs, and reduce inefficiencies", said David Beck, CPA, and President of SystemLink.

To provide implementation and on-going support for the affiliates, ExxonMobil established a Center Of Expertise (COE) located in Abidjan, on the Ivory Coast in Africa. Working in partnership, ExxonMobil's efforts are supplemented with the expertise of SystemLink. What began as a local support office has become a worldwide support center and helpdesk.

ExxonMobil Corporation Faced A Significant Challenge

Not unlike many corporations today, ExxonMobil needed an IT strategy that would consider its hundreds of business units, all running legacy systems some of which were not Y2K compliant, and an existing enterprise SAP implementation project.

"We had systems that were not Y2K compliant, and we had to make a decision to remediate these systems or look for alternatives," says John Junker. "SystemLink created an automated interface to successfully extract data from Sage Accpac ERP and format it for SAP, our enterprise-level accounting system."

"Because of our expertise and experience with both ACCPAC and SAP, we were able to guide ExxonMobil through the process of designing a business technology solution that would meet their international requirements, and allow them to achieve their objectives", said Beck. The SAP project was already of sufficient scope and would not be able to meet existing timing and cost objectives if it were increased to include all of the business units.

ExxonMobil needed an alternative solution at the business unit level that would integrate with SAP at the enterprise level. After reviewing numerous options - revise the existing systems to ensure their Y2K compliance, or implement Sage Accpac ERP, ACCPAC was the winner. Now all ExxonMobil needed was an integration strategy. The flexible chart of account code design of ACCPAC allowed ExxonMobil to mirror the organizational structure, departments, cost centers, and projects that had been incorporated into ExxonMobil's account code structure used in SAP.

SystemLink designed the integration that enabled legacy order processing information to update ACCPAC Order Entry, which would then update ACCPAC Accounts Receivable and General Ledger. A custom application would extract the data from ACCPAC General Ledger and convert it to a format that would seamlessly integrate with SAP's FI module. At each step in the process, ExxonMobil was still able to follow their existing business rules, effectively eliminating the need for error batches at the SAP level.

GlobeCast London Chooses Sage Accpac ERP for Platform Flexibility and Superior Accounting Capabilities

Sage Accpac ERP Proves an All-In-One Solution

A world leader in communications technology, GlobeCast provides broadcasters, businesses, and communications companies around the world with end-to-end satellite transmission and production services for video, audio and broadband Internet content.
The company was created in 1997 when the resources of France Telecom's diverse broadcast and broadcast-related entities were combined into a single business entity. By 2001, the GlobeCast London office had outgrown the capabilities of their existing accounting system. They needed a fast, efficient way to import financial information into Excel reports, the ability to run their accounting system on Linux-based servers and support for financial transactions with international clients. Graham Knights, GlobeCast Senior Financial Accountant, was responsible for finding an accounting system that could run on Linux and also provide advanced accounting capabilities.

Complete End-To-End Accounting

"We wanted a totally flexible accounting solution that would enable us to easily produce management reports," explains Knights.
"For example, more and more of our staff are using financial information in sales meetings, so we need to be able to provide this information as quickly and easily as possible. We wanted a totally flexible accounting solution that enabled us to export financial information into MS-Excel journals to easily produce management reports. As a leading provider of multi-national satellite and digital services, we also needed multi-currency capabilities." GlobeCast returned to SystemLink, the company that implemented their original accounting solution, for help in finding a system that offered the end-to-end accounting capabilities they needed, on a platform that supported their current and their future technology strategies.

After analyzing GlobeCast's requirements, the consultants at SystemLink proposed Sage Accpac ERP 5.0 on Red Hat Linux. This robust solution delivers the specific business management features needed by GlobeCast London today, while providing the flexibility to support future growth.

The GlobeCast Solution

Bill Williams, Managing Director of SystemLink Europe says, "One of the key advantages of ACCPAC solutions is that they are platform independent, so whether a client wants to run on an open system like Linux, or MS Windows NT, they are able to benefit from advanced accounting capabilities. In this case the requirement was to migrate from their existing systems to integrate with other systems running on a Linux server."
Graham Knights adds, " Another key requirement was a smooth migration, with the least disruption to our workforce. The ACCPAC solution gave us this, and also gives us flexibility for the future - Advantage Series has an easy upgrade path and is fully scalable."
All Advantage Series editions are built upon a single, open, multi-tiered architecture providing complete investment protection by allowing businesses to expand their operations, upgrading from one edition to the next with minimal additional training and complete preservation of existing data as well as any custom reports and screens.

A Different Kind Of Bottom Line
From an IT Point Of View

The GlobeCast satellite delivery system is based on a cluster of Linux servers, as is the internal Intranet. The advantage of a Linux-based accounting solution is openness and flexibility across the business systems. "Our current IT infrastructure is 100 percent more stable now, and the simplified installation of ACCPAC means the solution connected straight to the server." says Marco Tinnirello, IT Manager for GlobeCast NE

When we think of accounting, or accounting software, it's only natural to envision an office environment; with desks, phone systems, office-chatter, and people busily going about the day-to-day routines of running a business. We rarely think of pandas, tigers, great red wood trees, or war-torn countrysides. But if you were to ask some of the people at SystemLink in London, or Washington, DC, their answers just might surprise you. People tend to view accounting as an information system that helps run their business. But, what if that business just happens to be The World Wildlife Fund, The Lutheran Church World Federation Kosovo Project, or The National Parks Conservation Association?

The World Wildlife Fund

It's No Longer Just A Matter Of Debits And Credits

The mission of The World Wildlife Fund is the protection and conservation of nature. In order for The World Wildlife Fund and The World Wildlife Fund for Nature to succeed, they need to attract and account for donations that are vital to their continued survival. Accounting integrity and compliance to numerous local accounting standards is critical. The reliable audit trails within Sage Accpac are just some of the reasons why Sage Accpac was selected.

The Lutheran Church World Federation Kosovo Project

The Bottom Line Takes On A Whole New Dimension

The Lutheran Church World Federation, well known for their humanitarian efforts, chose SystemLink and SAGE ACCPAC when their help was needed in Kosovo. The Lutheran Church World Federation needed an accounting program that could quickly track and distribute the funds that provide aid and relief to those who so desperately need it - refugees in a war torn country.

The National Parks Conservation Association

From Rainforest To Boardroom, Sage Accpac Works

Then there's the business of trying to keep a network of national parks running smoothly, it's more than just keeping them safe for our enjoyment. It means preservation, because they are part of our past, and they are a part of what we leave for the enjoyment of future generations. Preserving them is a very real business in every sense of the word. That's why The National Parks Conservation Association chose SystemLink and ACCPAC. The National Parks Conservation Association needed a program that was flexible and sturdy because their typical office might just be a 20,000-acre forest. Using the Internet as a foundation, SystemLink wrote a custom interface that allows the NPCA employees to keep in touch with their home base from wherever they may be working. From rainforest to boardroom, Sage Accpac works.