E-synergy and Macola Progression 2

[Macoladownunder]

We are at the door of implementing E-synergy using the Progression Interpretor. I understand that the direction of data is one way. I.E. data be passed from Macola Progression to E-synergy. BUT, before I give the final green light to ordering the software and expensive travel to the USA for training etc, I would like to know of most of the things that we may miss out on given that we are not using ES or Globe at this stage. ES is an option for the future, but not for a while. Has anyone got it going with Progression Macola and have they lost much of what the 'glossy' brochures say?

MacolaDownUnder
Aussies using Macola

 

[grossow]

The integrator will download customers back to Progression. The application works well. It uses XML to facilitate the data movement. There are some issues though. You want to make sure that your data is clean. For example the email field in the arcusfil_sql needs to be properly formated. If it does not have the @ sign then you will have issues on the import. There are other situations like this. This is nothing some quick work in query analyzer cant fix. As for missing out with out using ES, I dont think you will miss out on much. Once set up the Integrator has been rock solid.

 

[grossow]

By the way, It will run on earlier version of Macola. I have it running on 103F.

 

[canimp]

Other notes to prepare for the integration:
- standard synergy set-ups should be included prior to integration, these would include currencies, financial periods, payment conditions (ar/ap terms), item assortments, HRM records, CRM set-ups
- legacy data - as suggested, cleaning the data is advisable. This would also include consistency in entry of state/province codes, country codes, etc. This will not only decrease the need for translations within the integrator, it will be a good opportunity to clean up progression and remind employees of the importance of consistency in data entry (makes for easier report writing for Progression, too)
- thought and planning must go into the decision of how to manage "ship to addresses". Ship to's can either be integrated into synergy as contacts beneath an account, or as child accounts of the parent. There are pros and cons either way, but my recommendation is to map them to parent/child relationships. I can expand on this if required, but I am sure your implementor can address this.
- Likewise, careful planning should be done in regards to account, contact, item free fields prior to integration.
- depending on the level of GL reporting desired in synergy, you may wish to adjust the GL sub-types on your progression Chart of Accounts
- finally, key note: do not go gung ho entering other data into the live system prior to completing your initial integration. Finalize the mappings and initial data load first.

Integrator is running well (yes, this includes AR docs)- support from Andover team is excellent and there are always consultants willing to offer knowledge and experience.

 

[Macoladownunder]

Thanks canimp...very thorough and lengthy. Thanks for your time.

MacolaDownUnder
Aussies using Macola

 

[canimp]

Further notes:
If you are planning to move towards ES, take that into consideration when planning your mapped fields, especially in the CRM module as it is the most tightly integrated module between ES & synergy.

Also, by default, if an acocunt is loaded into synergy without a contact, synergy with populate the lastname and fullname fields with a "--". (In current version anyway, work is in progress to change this logic according to the work around I use). keep in mind that these same contacts can then be synced down to Outlook. Whcih means you then have the potential for many, many "--" contacts in outlook. As a work around, you can either load the prog data via the integrator and then run a script against your esynergy date, or you can use the same method in your progression data: populate the lastname and fullname fields with the company name. Then when the contacts sync to Outlook, at least you have a company to relate the phone/addy to as opposed to multiple "--" contacts. Depending on your implementation timeline, this may not be an issue by then, as I said, code to use this logic is already tested with the synergyexchange piece of this, and will likely be utilized in upcoming batches on the synergy side, also.

I will post more as I think of it, regardless, your team knows how to find me.

 

[Macoladownunder]

I kind of guessed you knew who I was and you knew who my 'team' was.

We are in CA on June 12 to be with our team for training.

Thanks again mate.

MacolaDownUnder
Aussies using Macola

 

[canimp]

Lucky you, CA is beautiful at this time of year. Mind you, from all accounts, AussieLand is lovely in any season. I hope you have scheduled in a bit of time to explore? Carmel or Big Sur are both worth the drive.

Yes, as soon as I read this, I twigged to your circumstance and recent questions, and was impressed. It is admirable to encounter users who utilize all available resources for answers. Kudos.

Well done. I would like to see every Macola Prog/ES/Synergy user here.

Cheers!
Ms. Mate

 

[Macoladownunder]

My apologies for the assumption of the male gender. Although, we do use the term 'mate' for the ladies also, it is not very polite for someone who you are not familiar with. Part of the cheauvinistic culture of Aussies still coming through there I guess. My apologies nonetheless Ms Mate.

The pressure on me to make this E-synergy piece work for our company is a little more than other things I have achieved with Macola over the past 2 years. Before my time, our reseller down here made all sorts of promises in pre sale to senior management and they found out later it was all lies. Needless to say, for many other reasons also, they are no longer our reseller.

Hence, 'Macola' means I need to get over this past impression to get the future. And E-synergy is very much out there in full view - different to something like Standard Costing or Currency Manager.

I know you are aware of my barrage of questions put to our current reseller. Thanks for playing a part in getting me a response - I kind of get the feeling you were there. No body would know my specific question regarding AR details unless they were privy to my email. I am still a little confused by that. The first response I got was that the paragraph in the tech document should not have been there and programmers who had left weren't available to get the definitive answer.

I have found this site very helpful to get the added comments. Your advice has been printed and noted with my team. Thanks again.

Also, thanks for the travel tips in California, but I have lived over there before in my young Rugby playing days. I know Southern Cal pretty well and have been several times since. You're right, Carmel is a wonderful place - something out of a different time zone really. Good golf courses nearby too. I am bringing my IT Manager up with me this time - his first. He is quite excited. For my part, I am looking forward to the training and meeting some of the management at Exact (and hopefully take some money off them on the golf course).

Hope to see you down here one day. I have a feeling that we may talk on the phone one day re E-synergy. It will be quite amusimg for you to know who I am and hopefully I will be able to tell who you are by the cheeky 'smile' you will probably have in your voice.

Cheers Ms Mate.

MacolaDownUnder
Aussies using Macola

 

[canimp]

No offense taken, Mate! "Ms. Mate" was simply a reference point in case we should ever cross paths. Me? Cheeky? Never! (Except perhaps to sales resources.)

I'll chip in on the bet though. Par 4? Double or nothing on a par 3.

I understand fully the confusion over the commments on documentation. The brilliant programmer previously in charge of the integrator did recently leave Exact. That said, the developer who has taken over is equally adept and bright and simply needed a little "hands on" perspective and experience. You're in good hands.

Enjoy your trip! Look forward to speaking to you someday.

 

[canimp]

Ok, now I am feeling decidedly cheeky...

The best way to get your staff (sales) to get on board with eSynergy is to tell them, "You simply won't get paid expenses unless you file them in eSynergy." They'll hop aboard the synergy express promptly and be the biggest Champions. Let them enter a few expenses, track the status and see when cheques are processed, and voila! You have evengelists.

 

[Macoladownunder]

Ok...I was going to end our little conversation after your previous notification, but now I must right back.

I am intrigued by your comment: "chip in on the bet. Double or nothing on a par3". If you have tried to send me a cryptic message there, you must be talking with one partner of our new reseller firm in CA, the one who came down here last month and embarrased me on a couple of Par 3's by chipping in from impossible positions - not to mention took my money. I know when he was down here, it was like losing and having it on the front page of every paper. What's worse, he hid the scorecard in a file that he knew I was gonna use after he left - and you think you're cheeky.

If not, it was a high coincidence.

Secondly, I never thought of that use for E-synergy. What a great idea. I have been thinking of a new procedure for getting their expense claims in on time. All this creativeness will help us no end. I can't wait to get started on it. I enjoyed Event Manager so much after I bought it when I was in the US last November, I need a new toy to play with. I know I can sell this product to other companies down here. Just need to get it going here to show 'em.

See ya Ms Mate.

MacolaDownUnder
Aussies using Macola

 

[canimp]

Ok, now that is funny - and high coincidence indeed. Just my wry humour, I had no idea.

Excellent story, though. Truly, I had no idea. Poor you, I made you revisit the whole sordid details all over again inadvertantly. Frankly, I was picturing management when I laid bets.

Agreed we should end this and take it offline for the usefulness of this thread for other users. But, I am glad you had an, "Ah-hah!" moment and a few good laughs.

DW now has my email should you desire further correspondence.

 

[AKPolarBear]

Macoladownunder:

I was just reading this post and was wondering how it all went and how it is going now?

I am on the hunt for an integrated job bidding and tracking solution.

Top of the world Macola user

 

[Macoladownunder]

AKPolarBear,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you.
I would give the integrator an 8/10 at this stage. If you use S/L control for inventory, the S/L info does not come across - I think. It would be nice to have a few 'deselction' criteria of data you don't want to come across from Progression. We had some initial bugs with the integrator when we first tried it and spent many hours with 'canimp' (in this thread) while in the USA. She was brilliant - got us over the line and home to Australia with all problems solved. There are some 'gotchas' to watch for. To seek more info on this, call the Toronto Exact office and ask for Australia's favourite consultant.
Send me another message with your email address and we can take this review direct with each other if you wish.
Cheers mate.

MacolaDownUnder
Aussies using Macola