Inter/Multi-Company Accounting

A particular differentiation would be Solomon's inter/multi-company accounting capabilities, which are pervasive throughout the entire product's functional footprint (even in the AR module, which is not easily encountered within other accounting products including MBS Great Plains), and the Inter-Company Export/Import tool takes information from multiple databases and uses them in transactions, while users can define access rights to the particular company data. Multiple companies in separate databases will have the same account structure but different charts of accounts. Although the invoices for different companies are entered in the same batch, checks are printed by company and sales tax history, for example, is listed by the company as well. Solomon is one of a few rare accounting products in its class where one supplier's master data can be shared amongst multiple companies, and the product also features a multi-company cash disbursements capability.

E-Business Modules

Solomon was also one of the first products amongst its peers to feature a number of e-business modules that provide a browser-based portal and electronic data interchange (EDI) features that let employees, customers, and business partners interact and retrieve important information from the company's accounting system through an Internet connection, without a need for Microsoft Terminal Server (MTS) or any other like web-enabling hardware component. The well-publicized Solomon Desktop module was the first one launched back in 2000 to allow secure, browser-based, anytime-anywhere access to all Solomon modules. The e-Commerce Gateway is another module that lets a company transmit and receive paperless electronic documents from business affiliates and partners. The module maps raw EDI data into meaningful Solomon business transactions and verifies the data to be added to its databases. The eVoucher application is used for the entry of AP vouchers and vendor account maintenance, which comes particularly in handy for remote locations.

Solomon Stands the Test of Time Despite Changing Masters Part Three: Product Differentiators

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 andd 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.

Solomon Stands the Test of Time Despite Changing Masters Part Two: Market Impact

Still, due to its quite belated expansion into the ERP world (let alone extended-ERP), the vendor had suffered the reputation of a best-of-breed accounting software provider only. While former Solomon had accelerated its delivery schedule of new functionality, it was also hard pressed with tight "time-to-market" constraints and limited resources at the time. The following intended functionality delivery schedule in 2000 would have been a tall order for even much more resource abundant competitors, given that some of these have seen the daylight only within the above-mentioned releases within Great Plains and MBS, well after 2000—repetitive build and MRP modules within the Manufacturing Series (yet to be released natively); replenishing, commissions, and shipments modules within the Distribution Series; employee utilization and time and billing within the Project Series; additional e-business functionality like eVoucher; and Solomon Object Model within the System Tools suite.

However, given that all is well that ends well, MBS Solomon, due to its distinct differentiators (e.g., project management, advanced distribution, and field service capabilities, the product flexibility, having integrated but modular applications, powerful reporting capabilities, multi-company accounting features, etc.) and weaknesses (e.g., rudimentary manufacturing functionality), has been blessed in disguise with possibly the most distinct niche and the least overlap (gray area) with the other MBS ERP products (i.e., MBS Great Plains, MBS Navision, and MBS Axapta). Indeed, MBS Solomon remains the choice for organizations that seek flexible financial systems, integrated with distribution, project, or service operations. The strongest customer base thus comes from construction—special trade contractors, wholesale distribution—durable goods, business services, engineering, accounting, research, and management service organizations.

Solomon Stands the Test of Time Despite Changing Masters

Microsoft Business Solutions Solomon, formerly Solomon IV and Microsoft Great Plains Solomon IV, a prominent business management and e-business suite of applications for small and mid-market companies, and the product that some had prematurely written off after being acquired first by one of its erstwhile greatest nemeses, former Great Plains Software in 2000 (see Will Solomon Finally Satisfy Great Plains' Insatiable Appetite?), and particularly after its new owner subsequently ended up under Microsoft's roof in 2001 (see Microsoft And Great Plains — A Friendship That Turned Into A Marriage), only soon after to share the fraternity home with yet another former nemesis, Navision in 2002 (see Microsoft 'The Great' Poised To Conquer Mid-Market, Once and Again), seems to be doing just fine, if not even much better than that. It appears that the product has several truly differentiating traits, which cannot be easily or quickly replicated by its seemingly more robust brethren products within Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) division. Thus, Microsoft has reason to continue to bolster the product for Solomon's loyal customer base and resellers instead of promoting less popular options (e.g., stabilization and replacement).

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. Owing to the product's renowned sweet spot of project accounting, MBS has further developed Solomon 5.5 to meet the needs of small to midsize project-driven organizations, specifically in the industries of business services, management and engineering services, social services, special trades contracting, general contractors, and wholesale trade (durable goods). To that end, Solomon 5.5 includes Microsoft Business Solutions Professional Services Automation (MBS PSA) product features that combine the power of MBS Project Accounting Solomon and the new enterprise version of Microsoft Project 2002 to provide externally focused, project-driven organizations with an integrated financial, project and resource management, knowledge management, time and expense, project accounting, financials, and reporting and analytics solution, based on the Microsoft .NET platform. Additional enhancements to the project accounting capabilities include new indirect rate calculation and new audit trail tracking abilities for contractors of the US federal government, particularly those subject to Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) audits.

The MBS PSA vertical solution became generally available in North America at the end of 2002, following its quite vocal announcement during the Stampede 2002 partner conference (see Microsoft Lays Enforced-Concrete Foundation For Its Business Solutions).