V.J. Salomone Ltd
V.J. Salomone Ltd is a holding company with five
subsidiaries in the group. It has been operating since 1920 and is
recognized as one of Malta's leading names. The group focuses on
the import and distribution of consumer and pharmaceutical brands,
including Abbott Laboratories and Novartis, as well as FMCG brands
such as Procter & Gamble and Thermos.
Prior to 2000, the group was using a bespoke finance system.
However, this system was imposing limitations on reporting and data
analysis. It was only providing bookkeeping functionality, basic
elements of stock movements and was very limiting in delivering
detailed, timely management information. The decision was made to
source a new accounting solution.
In preparation for the millennium bug, the group invested in a
large and complex financials package. However, halfway through the
implementation process they discovered it was not suitable and
aborted the project. Hardened by this experience, the company began
again and quickly narrowed its search down to two final
packages.
The decision was made to implement Access Dimensions across
the group. Norbert Falzon, Group IT Manager explains why. "We
decided on Access because it would be easy to implement and
provided a better fit for our organization. The integrated sales
management software operating on iPAQs would help to revamp our
sales cycle, creating new efficiencies. Also, Access was an
established solution in Malta, with a reputation for good support
provided through the local reseller."
Detailed analysis - open database and flexible nominal
structure
The group took full advantage of the flexibility of the Access
nominal, configuring its chart of accounts in the way that best
suited its organizational structure and reporting requirements.
"Today our employees are 'empowered' with all this
information making every individual part of the company's success."
Norbert Falzon
Group IT Manager
"Currently we are not using all the system's reporting facilities, but
we will do when all the group's companies have gone live. We will
then be able to conduct customer order analysis by division, or by
the individual suppliers we represent, and to analyse related costs
such as logistics, sales and support.
"We also adopted a protocol for building the nominal codes used
across our companies. This will help us to analyse functions, such
as shipping and finance, which are common across the entire group,"
says Norbert.
When setting up the Access system to control stock, V.J.
Salomone utilized every available sub-analysis field and user key.
This gave them the ability to mirror existing reporting
requirements, both for internal purposes and for foreign
principals. Excel
add-ins are also used extensively for adhoc report
production.
Norbert explains, "We use the sub-analysis fields in a number of
ways. In their most basic form, they control stock items across our
warehouse locations. For Procter & Gamble, they denote which
warehouses a particular stock item is sourced from. They are also
used to convert P&G cases to their statistical units factor.
Reporting on this alone is much faster and easier. Before, the
process was manual, incoherent and prone to human errors."
With respect to its pharmaceutical company, there were a number
of very specific requirements for stock control. "We have tested
the system extensively, to ensure that when we implement it for our
pharmaceuticals we will be able to track expiry dates and control
lot numbers. It is also important that certain lines of
pharmaceuticals are not available to every rep due to competing
lines. All of this is critical to our business and we are confident
that Access meets these requirements."
Increased efficiencies through automated, integrated
processes
V.J. Salomone uses a bespoke front end system for detailing and
apportioning costs against imported goods. When a purchase order is
raised in the accounts, the information passes into the front end
system, where the necessary calculations are made for customs
duties, levies and transport charges. Access Transaction Broker
then enters an adjustment against the corresponding stock record in
the accounts. The entire process is smooth and seamless,
eliminating the tedious manual task of calculating costs against
stock items for every shipment of goods.
The implementation of an Access Companion Product, the Sales
Management Software solution operating on PDA devices, has
increased efficiency throughout the sales cycle. Accurate stock
levels, customer statements and purchase summaries are updated onto
the devices each day.
This makes reps far more responsive to customer needs and
enhances the group's reputation for professionalism. New orders can
be entered directly into the PDA, while the rep is meeting with the
customer. At the end of the day, the order data on the PDA is
downloaded back into the accounts.
This routine eliminates any need to re-key orders. Norbert
comments, "With an average of 2,000 orders (and 15 SKU's per order)
across the group every month, time savings and reductions in error
rates are amongst the greatest benefits we have gained from using
this technology. And because our reps can now see current stock
levels, they are not spending their time selling items that are out
of stock."
Norbert concludes, "Access Dimensions has enabled us to analyze
our data in so many different and complex ways giving us the
opportunity to monitor regularly our business performance and take
knowledgably strategic decisions accordingly. Today our employees
are 'empowered' with all this information making every individual
part of the company's success."
Like many things, doing the best job relies on having the right tools. But how can you be sure what your team’s got what it needs? This guide takes you through what’s on offer so that you can help everyone from FC to credit controller work as one towards your operational goals.
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