Many companies who are actively in the process of selecting an accounting software package are unfamiliar with the tools that are available to help you conduct your evaluation. There are more than a half dozen of these tools on the market - the most popular of which is The Accounting Library.

The Accounting Library - Product Summary

In this ever more competitive environment, the process of selecting a new business management system is becoming increasingly more difficult, and to be quite honest, more risky for the leader of any software selection project.

The key to success is merging your knowledge and experience with a consistent software driven methodology that serves both your needs and those of your organization. That's why you should make The Accounting Library your standard software selection tool. This powerful needs analysis and software selection tool has been serving accounting professionals for 20 years and is considered by virtually every major influencer in the market as the tool of choice for users, consultants and resellers.

The Accounting Library On-Line Edition

• (http://www.accountinglibrary.com/software-selection/accounting-software-world.php)
• This free software selection tool gives users complete control over the software selection and research process.
• Specify the criteria that are most important to you. This could be a fairly comprehensive list or something as simple as your budget and the modules you need.
• Rank products according to how well they meet your requirements.
• Learn more about each product by viewing a Product Web Page.
• Learn more about ISV solutions and services that integrate with each primary accounting system.
• View a GAP analysis that compares your requirements against the products in which you have an interest.
• Find resellers of these products and learn more about their services.
• Compare products side-by-side.
• Find an unbiased Software Selection Consultant.

 The Accounting Library CD-Edition

For the past 20 years The Accounting Library (http://www.accountinglibrary.com/cd-home.php) has been sold as a desktop-installed application. Now known as the CD-Edition, this software selection option will continue to be sold for one primary reason. If your firm would prefer to create a very detailed needs definition, you might want to consider using the CD-Edition of The Accounting Library with up to 3.700 questions from which you can build your needs definition.

The On-Line Edition contains 600 - 700 questions which still allows you to create a fairly detailed needs definition.

Once you have completed your needs analysis utilizing the CD-Edition, you can of course log into the On-Line Edition to learn more about products and ISV solutions of interest and search for resellers in your geographic region.

Standard Edition

• Select from 2,500 features, functions and reports as you build your needs definition.
• Analyze 115+ entry-level and mid-range products.

Special Price: Please note that you can purchase The Accounting Library Standard Edition for just $345 ($50 off) by calling and ordering from the Network Management Group, Inc. in Hutchinson, Kansas. This is a special arrangement that we have made with Charles Chewning (the author of The Accounting Library) for participants who attend this course. However, this offer is not available anywhere else - you must purchase the product through the Network Management Group, Inc. only. To s save $50, you must call Network Management Group, Inc.  at (620) 664-6000 or www.buynmgi.com.


Enterprise Edition

• Select from 3,7000 features, functions and reports.
• Analyze 100+ products including all of the top enterprise systems.
• Solutions, publishers of The Accounting Library will work with you to add products to the database that are of specific interest to you.

Modifiable Edition

• The Modifiable Edition is similar to an RFI/RFP but vastly more efficient than paper-based questionnaires and a spreadsheet-based analysis.
• Utilize the same database as the Enterprise Edition (3,7000 features and 100+ products).
• Add, modify or delete as many questions as necessary to create a needs definition unique to your organization. All of these procedures are simple menu/mouse functions.
• Send your revised needs definition to as many vendors as required regardless of whether they are in the database or not. Again this is an entirely electronic process.
• Each vendor will receive an electronic questionnaire together with associated help file system that will help them understand exactly what you require.
• Once they have completed the questionnaire each vendor can export their responses and e-mail the update file to you.
• All you have to do is select a single menu function to import the vendor's file immediately.
• Now you are ready to carry out the analysis but you have probably saved several hundred hours of your precious time .

Reseller Edition

• Solutions has even created a special edition of The Accounting Software Library for resellers.
• This special edition allows you to offer services to prospects they would only expect from a top level consultant.
• Of greater importance the methodology in the four volume set of accompanying manuals allows you to distinguish yourself from your competition early enough in the sales cycle where it really makes a difference.
• In addition to three client oriented consulting manuals you will receive a 300+ pages sales and marketing manual written specifically for accounting software resellers. This unique publication is the only one of which we are aware that is written specifically for resellers.

 
Other Selection Tools

There are other software evaluation products on the market as well. Provided below are a listing of some of the more popular accounting software evaluation and selection tool products:

The Requirements Analyst, CTS, Inc.
131 Rollins Ave S-1, Rockville, MD  20852, (301) 433-8015
Produced by Sheldon Needle of Rockville, Maryland, another very good selection tool is The Requirements Analyst, software to assess user needs against leading mid-range packages. It comes with a narrative critique of how each vendor works (The Guide to Accounting Software for Microcomputers). I have personally known the author of this product for more than 10 years and I recommend this product to many accounting software customers as well as consultants and resellers. CTS also evaluates manufacturing, construction small business, and medical practice software.  The initial subscription is $295 and annual updates are $l45.

Managing Automation Software Guides
5 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10001, Ph: 1-800-647-1908, Fax: 1-212-629-1159
The 1999 MEA Comparison Guide covers over 70 application areas, including ERP, business planning, supply chain, plant floor automation software (MES, SCADA, HMI, Quality, etc.) and computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS). The product sells for $510.
FastSelect from Expert Buying Systems
P.O. Box 370819, Las Vegas, NV 89137, (800) 832-6434
This tool covers 4 or 5 ERP based systems. A representative from the company asked us not to disclose their pricing.

SoftResources LLC
2517 Eastlake Ave., Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98102-3278
Phone: 206-860-2400, Fax: 206-860-2828
This company claims to have a database with a profile of more than 6,000 products. Targeted mostly towards larger companies, for a fee these guys will tailor each engagement to the client's specific needs and according to where they are at in the selection process.  The level of services ranges from complete hands-on assistance from start to finish to just providing an unbiased ear for advice and direction The company claims to use over 75 different resources to help determine a short-list of 2 to 4 possible software solutions that you can review.