Extrait d'ACCOUNTING TODAY, Aôut 2003

Software for the Best Practices
By Wayne Schulz

Abak 6.0 is offered in three different versions. For smaller firms, the Small Business version accepts up to 50 employees, while the Pro and Enterprise versions allow for an unlimited number of employees.

Tracking within Abak is centered on projects. Because billing for special projects is an increasingly important aspect of most firms' profitability, this project-centric tracking is a powerful tool for better monitoring of time expended and dollars invoiced. All of the time you enter can be billed in total on a client-by-client basis or you can opt to select time by project.

With the latest version, the interface has been re-designed so that it now follows with the Microsoft Outlook look and feel. The left side of the screen holds a number of icons that are selectable for different menu options. The right half holds all the data-entry screens, which change dependent upon the option chosen. The software can be used either fully Internet-based or loaded onto a network. It also can be set to share data with QuickBooks, Accpac, and Microsoft Project, as well as with several other software packages.

The Abak architecture is designed around thin clients. When the company created the system, its goal was to be able to offload as much processing as possible from the client computer onto the server, which does all of the heavy lifting. This means that slower Internet connections can connect to the server without fear of perpetually watching an hourglass.

Each screen is smartly laid out. There is a minimum of clutter and the program tracks all of the most relevant fields to every engagement and project. Abak offers a couple of features not found in the other systems reviewed here. First, it supports multi-currency and allows for each client to have his or her invoices generated in the currency specified in the client master. Second, it allows for tracking of subcontractor and vendor invoices and their effect on the project or engagement as a whole.

This is a smartly designed system that is a good fit for those firms with many remote workers looking for a program designed from the ground up to be fast and flexible.

Extrait d'ACCOUNTING TODAY, Mai 2003

Time & billing; or full practice management?

By Ted Needleman

How we tested

To help you with your selection, we examined nine T&B packages. These run the gamut from simple applications that accumulate hours or enhance other packaged applications, to full-blown systems that have much in common with more elaborate practice management applications.

We examined each for core features. This meant setting each package up, going through the major set-up screen for the company, staff and clients. We then entered sample data for time and, where applicable, for expenses, and printed reports and invoices. For each of the packages, we looked at how easy the software was to set up and use, as well as what features each application offered and how appropriate those features are to the intended target market.

T&B software, for the most part, really doesn’t need a super-powered PC. The applications we reviewed all have fairly modest hardware and software requirements.

We installed and tested each application on the same hardware platform. This is a compact form-factor desktop PC we built using a VIA Technologies Mini-ITX motherboard. With a Samsung combination DVD-ROM/CD-RW optical disk drive and an 80GB hard disk drive, and 256MB of SDRAM, the entire computer is about the size of a large shoebox.

Windows XP Professional was the operating system that we installed on the test platform. This setup is very cost effective (about $500 or so), has about the same amount of processing power as an 800-MHz Pentium III system, and breezed through the installed applications without the hint of a problem. It also has the advantage of not taking up much more desk space than many laptops, especially with the 15-inch LCD flat panel display we attached.

The packages reviewed have a lot of similarities. That comes from their having been designed to meet the same basic need. They also do have some considerable differences.

Making the right match between the application and your firm requires that you have a good understanding of the work flow in your firm, and how the software needs to handle that aspect of the application.

If the application that you chose does not dovetail with the way your firm and its staff works, there is likely to be a lot of resistance in using the application, and you won’t be meeting the goals you set in adopting a T&B application.

Abak 6.1
AGI Software Consultants

AGI Software Consultants, a large Canadian consulting practice, originally developed Abak for its own use. When the company decided to start selling the application, it quickly became a popular T&B application in the Canadian market.

Last year, AGI established a sales office in Florida, and started selling Abak in the U.S. market. While there’s still a strong “flavor” of its consulting-firm origins, this latest Abak release will fit the needs of many midsized accounting practices just as well as consultancies.

Abak 6.1 actually comes in three versions, a “Small Business” version, a “Pro” version, and an “Enterprise” version. All are built on the same core software framework, but include or eliminate various bells and whistles. We reviewed the “Pro” version of the software.

We found the installation of Abak 6.1 to be greatly improved over the version that we reviewed last year. Abak is still a client/server application, but the server is automatically installed as part of a single-user installation, rather than requiring the somewhat bothersome configuration that was required in the last iteration. The server launches automatically and seamlessly when you launch the application. AGI has also done some work on the user interface. The result is very positive, with attractive and easy-to-navigate screens.

One thing that sets Abak 6.1 apart from many of the other T&B applications we examined is that it interfaces with Accpac International accounting software, as well as QuickBooks. This interface is an option, as is a Web client called Abak’s web-based module that allows you to enter data and access the collaborative date-book using a browser.

This date-book is a nice feature, and works well with another add-on, the MS Project interface. This option lets you use the Abak 6.1 application as a data collection front end to Microsoft’s project management software, a feature large practices will appreciate.

Abak 6.1 has a nice collection of reports and invoicing formats, with some degree of customization available. For more extensive ad hoc reporting, you can purchase a copy of Crystal Reports. If your practice has international offices, the “Enterprise” version of Abak 6.1 provides multi-currency

THE BOTTOM LINE, Vol. 18, No. 14, November 2002

A Abak CASE STUDY OF AGTI – NOT THE SHOEMAKER’S SON

Michael Burns, CA, MBASituation:

AGTI Consulting Services Inc. is an information technology consulting firm based in Montreal and serving the Canadian market from offices located in Montreal, Quebec City, Calgary and Victoria. AGTI has experienced rapid growth since its founding in 1996. By the end of 2001, its consolidated business revenues had climbed to $38 million. During 1999, it was clear to AGTI that their Excel-based systems were not going to suffice, and they began their search for a new system to track the time of their consultants and to bill their clients. They were primarily interested in a time-billing system. A time-billing system contains many of the features found in what is called Professional Services Automation (PSA) including time and expense management, invoicing, project management, but may not include customer relationship management, opportunity management, resource management or knowledge management.Objectives: Management of Work in Progress (WIP) was on top of the list of AGTI requirements. Some of AGTI’s clients required bills to be based on WIP not at the end of a billing cycle, but rather on the completion of a milestone.

It was also important for AGTI to reduce the time to enter time sheets by their approximately 200 consultants and to generate invoices. In addition, management required flexibility in reporting.Solution: The PSA products that AGTI considered were weak in WIP and too expensive. In Abak, AGTI found an affordable solution that met their requirements.

The Abak system manages time sheets, expense accounts, projects, WIP, invoicing, and integrates with a number of accounting software solutions. Abak was developed by the Groupe AGI (no relation to AGTI) in Montreal, which started selling the system in 1997. There are now about 300 clients from a variety of industries including accounting firms, engineers, architects, and consulting firms.

The majority of Abak clients are in Quebec, but over the last two years, most of Abak’s new business has come from outside of Quebec. In January 2000, AGTI implemented Abak’s client/server system, which automated billing and integration to Accounts Receivable. The consultants continued to send their time sheets as Excel spreadsheets by e-mail to administrators who would re-key a summary of the time into the Abak system. AGTI considered using the Abak’s web-based module product in 2000, but because of a number of specific AGTI requirements, it was not considered ready for use by AGTI. However in March of 2002, AGTI started to implement Abak’s web-based module which now enables most of the AGTI consultants to enter their time from anywhere and at anytime over the Internet. All they need is a browser on their workstation, and so they can do it even on a computer at one of their clients.

The newest version of Abak (Version 6.0) was released in May 2002, and includes a redesign with an MS Outlook look and feel, as well as new features including a mail-merge process from the Abak database to the invoice program.
In the short term, AGTI is not planning to use the new version for their consultants as it requires that a small program be loaded on the workstation or the server.
When consultants are working at a client’s office and using their computers, this would be a problem for AGTI.

Therefore, AGTI would prefer to continue using Abak’s web-based module, which only requires a browser on the workstation. However, implementation of the new version is planned for the administrators in December of this year.

The new version does offer an improvement in its architecture from a two-tiered to three-tiered system. This sounds technical, but is important to understand from a performance perspective. A two-tier system separates the database from the rest of the application, and is a big improvement over non-client/server systems.

In non-client/server (one-tier architecture), a request from a workstation for a customer would send all customers from the server to the workstation, and the workstation would pick the requested customer. This is not good as the network is flooded with data not requested. A three-tier system separates the business logic from the user interface, and again improves network performance as only user interface commands are being sent over the network.

A three-tier system has another advantage in allowing a “thin client” on the workstation or on the server without any other software such as Citrix, which can be expensive.

Groupe AGI had considered just a Web-based product that only used a browser on the workstation for the new release, but decided against it because they would not have been able to give users access to the entire system with the same flexibility and performance as their three-tier approach. You will find that other products will have part of their application available remotely via the Internet, but you need to use the client/server system at head office for more demanding functionality. With Abak, you can access the entire system from a remote location without the use of Citrix. You can also access time sheets and expense reporting with just a browser by using Abak’s web-based module.Challenges: A challenge for many computer consulting companies is the shoemaker’s son syndrome whereby the son of the shoemaker is without shoes.

Computer consulting companies prefer to keep their consultants billable rather than working on internal activities. However, AGTI management realized the importance of improving the internal business process, and allocated resources to get the job done. It was not just a question of training staff on how to use the new product. The training sessions reminded the consultants of the importance of submitting their time “on time”, and helped ensure that they all understood the meaning of the coding scheme used by the company such as for non-billable activities including training, marketing, holidays, vacations, sickness, and leave of absence.

Another challenge to AGTI not attributed to the software is in expense reporting. The auditors of AGTI stressed the importance of having each consultant sign a hard copy of their expense reports with a copy of the receipts attached.

For this reason, AGTI has decided not to implement Abak’s expense reporting system. However, the Abak system does not prevent AGTI from printing an employee’s expense report, which could be signed and which could have receipts attached to it. However, AGTI’s elaborate tax management built into their existing spreadsheet system for expenses, has caused them to defer the implementation of Abak’s expense reporting system. Integration is usually the big challenge for every system. Abak, as with most PSA or time-billing systems, does not include general ledger, accounts receivable or accounts payable. Abak provided integration between AGTI’s accounting system and Abak. For each invoice produced by Abak’s billing system, a corresponding entry is automatically generated and sent out to AGTI’s accounts receivable system. But there is no synchronization of customer information between systems. On the accounts payable side, the combination of not enough external purchases allocated to projects and the lack of synchronization between suppliers in the accounts payable system and Abak, has caused AGTI not to use Abak’s purchasing system. It should be noted that the Abak system does provide synchronization of customer and suppliers with other accounting systems including ACCPAC and Quickbooks.Costs: AGTI paid about $20,000 for the Abak software, which included the client/server version, Abak’s web-based module for all their consultants, customization of reports and invoices, as well as training and implementation. They spent about $18,000 for hardware, networking and communications. However, the hardware that was purchased for Abak is now also used by other administrative systems.Benefits: It took about 21 days after month-end to complete the billing process before the implementation of Abak. It now takes about six days partly because of Abak, and partly because of additional administrative resources.

Another benefit is that there is a lot less time spent in generating the bills, which allows staff to work on other activities. According to Jacques Parent, a partner at AGTI, who is responsible for the business case consulting practice, “We estimate that the migration from Excel spreadsheets to the combined use of Abak and Abak’s web-based module has cut the workload in half”.Conclusion: AGTI is happy with its Abak system. Although this project was considered small, by AGTI standards, it required the same attention to project management, change management, process review and end-user support as do larger scale projects AGTI consultants carry out with their own clients.

A key ingredient to this project’s success lies in the partnership that has developed over the years between Abak and AGTI. AGTI’s recommendations have helped Abak evolve the functionality and ease-of-use of its software.

CPA SOFTWARE NEWS – OCTOBER 2002

Abak Supports Multiple Currency Invoicing
By Isaac M. O’Bannon

Abak 6, the most recent version of Groupe AGI Inc.’s (727-561-9619); www.abaksoftware.com) client/server-based time and billing, workflow and project management software package is a workhorse designed to minimize lost time. The program is designed for all company sizes (fully scalable) that need to control under-billing and manage their client, sub-contractor and vendor relationships as well as monitor their resources.
The program is not small, and users should not expect to have it installed instantly. It can be run on a single workstation but was designed for networks with multiple users. Either way, the initial set-up process requires installation of at least three primary components: the client, server and remote management functions. The client program will be installed on all workstations using the program. For the server installation, the company recommends a 700MHz+ Pentium processor and 512MB of RAM. For client installations, at least a 300MHz processor and 128MB of RAM are recommended. I installed both on the test PC, which has an 800MHz processor and only 256MB of RAM, but I encountered no problems with server operation. The performance would likely suffer with this scenario, however, if there were multiple users accessing the application while it was deficient in memory resources. (The company noted that it offers technical support to guide clients through the installation process and promises that questions will be answered promptly and without delay.) The total program size requires about 100MB of free disk space for the server and around 10MB for workstations. The program can run across environments employing Windows NT, 2000 and XP, as well as Novell 4.0+ networks. For workstations, the program supports Windows 98/2000/NT/XP. The application is also 100% Internet enabled and is accessible remotely with the same interface.
After installation, the program opens into a highly functional and attractive Windows environment that includes drop-down menus for File, Management, Invoicing, Tools and Help across the top, as well as a vertical icon toolbar field on the left. The toolbar provides tabs to move between the four primary tasking areas: Enter, Management, Invoicing and Reports. The primary functions for most users, specifically daily time sheet and expense entries, are accessed from the Enter tab by selecting the appropriate icon. Abak allows time to be entered through either Fast Entry or Detailed formats, which provide varying levels of required information. Also on the Enter screen is a Datebook option that functions similarly to Microsoft Outlook’s calendar function, providing scheduling and contact management functions as well as call tracking with notes. All screens within the program are customizable to provide users with functions or data that they prefer. Generally, customization of screens can be performed using right-click menu selections or by clicking and dragging icons.
The Management, Invoicing and Reports tabs contain access-restricted functions for managing clients, contacts, vendor billing and productivity reports. From within these areas, billing defaults such as rate structures, budget control, client entry and various other tasks are performed. The program can support an unlimited number of clients, staff and rates per staff member/client. It also allows the definition of activity and expense limits, billing schedules and management of fixed pricing files. Project management functions with the Management tab also allow access to reference tables and data presented on “drill-down” screens, enabling managers to track what resources are being used for what projects. The program allows automatic or manual invoicing and provides invoice drafts for pre-billing reviews.
Abak integrates with Crystal Reports for creation of specific, custom-designed reports and comes with more than 100 pre-designed templates for work in progress, AR and contact management functions. The program has import/export capabilities with several accounting and contact management programs, including ACCPAC, Avantage, Virtuo, Fortune 1000 Acomba and Quickbooks, as well as most programs that allow output into comma-, tab- or space-delimited files. The software also integrates seamlessly with MS Project, and functions very well as a stand-alone application. The program has a very well-designed Help function that has been thoroughly indexed, and the company provides some documentation online, including a help desk and a FAQ section. Registered users are provided with passwords to access user-only support areas. The company also provides training.
New for this version, the program has adopted a user interface that is similar to Outlook, multiple currency invoicing, fast timesheet entry and client request processing functions.
Abak provides mid- and large-sized professional services firms with a tool to ensure accurate invoicing. The program helps to prevent double-entry errors and offers better control of subcontractors, vendors and resources. Its management utilities allow detailed analyses of productivity and workflow. The product is available directly from the company or through resellers, and a demo version of the product is available online. Abak costs $300 for a single-user license, $550 for a four-employee license, and $825 for a 10-employee license. Pricing subsequently changes thereafter.

ACCOUNTING TECHNOLOGY, August 2002

Practice Management Goes Remote
By Tom Davis
Few categories of CPA applications have changed as dramatically over the last few years as practice management, the group of applications that include time and billing, but go well beyond the jobs of capturing time and preparing invoices.

There have been the expected acquisitions - the CCH ProSystem fx software is built on the old Pacs product- folded products, such as GoSyustem Practice, supplanted by its sister Creative Solutions'Practice, and only in late June, CSI acquired Unilink, which will remove that company's offerings from the market. The competition has also been fuelled by new entries that have historically served law firms, a category embracing both TimeMatters and CMS Open, reviewed here.

Among the biggest changes to functionality is greater integration to other applications and more horsepower. For example, CPASoftware has added SQL versions to the Visual Practice Management line, while CCH and Abak have implemented the Advantage Server Database, which adds up to more robust applications.

Feather that support remote users, whether through interfaces to hand-held devices, like the Palm, or through Web-based computing, are also spreading. Web-based time entry is rapidly becoming available. For example, CCH Prosystem fx has remote-time entry capability and its Global Time Entry will provide time entry via the ASP environment. Visual Practice Management also has Web-based time entry, while CSI Practice supports both Microsoft Terminal Server and Citrix MetaFrame. Additionally, CSI Practice can be hosted via Creative Solution's Virtual Office ASP.

Those are just some of the developments in the category-leading applications reviewed here.

Abak

Abak, which emphasizes easy capture of time and expenses information, sports a Microsoft Outlook look and feel. Information is entered into a "Detailed" time sheet where the user can select a client or service (project), as well as service code (activity) information.

If additional time must be added to the same client/service, a "Fast entry" time sheet can be used, reducing data re-entry. These capabilities can be extended to the internet through the use of Abak’s web-based module.

Invoicing is done from a project focus. After a client is selected, a list of all services (project) performed for that client is presented. The projects that are to be included in the bill are selected and then the transactions that comprise WIP can be reviewed and edited as necessary for inclusion in the invoice.

Abak has a very interesting on-screen reporting interface similar to that found in high-end reporting tools. By dragging column headers into a group area, information can be expanded to drill down into more detail.

Abak can also transfer data to Microsoft Project and data can be exported to accounting packages that support data importing as well as to the Accpac's accounting software (other direct links are planned).

Abak+ supports multiple currency control. It can also apply differentials for sub contractors and add customized invoices, while providing HR functionality for determining holiday, vacation, and other types of paid time off.

Tom C. Davis is managing partner of Davis, Nichols & Associates of Valdosta, Ga. He specializes in training accounting firm partner and managers in the use of technology.

How we tested

For each review, we set up the application, walked through the company, staff and client set-up screens and entered time information. We also printed reports and invoices. We looked for ease of set-up, and features for time and expense entry, reports and accounts receivable.

A 1.9 GHz Pentium 4 system with a 40 GB hard-disk drive and 512 MB of RAM was used for each test. This PC ran under Windows XP Professional and, with one exception no problems were observed The exception was Journyx Time Card, which requires a Web Server on the installation system.

No single program will meet the need of every practice. In choosing a T&B system, it's important to understand your firm's work flow and how it translates to revenue. That allows you compare applications to see whose features best match your needs.

Abak
AGI Software Consultants

Abak is not as well known as some of the other packages reviewed. But it's well-established in Canada, and the vendor is increasing its U.S. presence. We received Abak version 5 to review, as well as a beta copy of version 6, which should be available when tis review appears.

This new version will change the way in which the software is configured and accessed. It will be multi-tiered, with the database separate from the application, though both of these components can reside on the same PC.

Abak's version 5 is multi-user capable over a network, or it can be accessed over the Internet through a Web browser, when an optional Web module is installed.

Version 6 will use thin-client software, installed on each PC that needs to use the application either remotely or on the network.. For those users or situations where a Web browser must be used, the Abak Web add-on would still be required.

Unlike many of the T&B packages reviewed, which link with QuickBooks and Peachtree accountings software, Abak can also interface with some higher end accounting applications, such as the Advantage Series by Accpac International.

Depending on your version of Accpac, this integration link is prices at $200 or $500. Accpac, like AGI, is prominent in Canada.

AGI also offers a link with Microsoft Project, a project management program. This $2,800 link lets you use Abak as the front-end time capture.

Abak's screens are nicely laid out and easy to use. The software provides an excellent array of reports, invoices and formatting options. The vendor reports that, in the upcoming version6, it has improved the Time and Expense input screens to make it easier to enter information, and has made it possible to view time and expense information on the same screen.

Also added in the upcoming version are fully sortable tables, enabling users to run queries and sort data without having to run reports. And, the thin-client structure should make it easy to perform remote time and expense entry from anywhere on a network of over the Internet.