After launching its Globe Enterprise software in Canada earlier this year, Netherlands-based Exact Software is ramping up its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software offerings for a wider North American launch this fall, officials said.
ERP vendor Exact — with offices on Andover, Mass. and Cambridge, Ont. — caters primarily to distribution and manufacturing companies within the small- to medium- sized business (SMB) space.
Exact Software’s Canadian general manager Matthew Bather said the firm’s rivals include vendors such as Syspro Ltd., Sage Ltd. and Microsoft Corp’s Business Solutions unit.
The firm’s offerings include Exact Macola ES, a manufacturer-focused ERP product (Exact acquired Macola Software in 2001), the e-Synergy Web-based collaboration business process platform, and the Globe Enterprise ERP offering for customer relationship management (CRM), distribution, financials and document workflow.
Exact customer Neil Montgomery noted that his firm — currently using e-Synergy for its front office – intends to migrate to the Globe platform to handle the back office functions.
Montgomery, president and CEO for Davis Controls, an industrial process control product distributor based in Oakville, Ont., said the firm is using e-Synergy to integrate its value chain (including customers and suppliers) from a single database platform.
The technology challenge right now, Montgomery said, is being able to communicate over the Web in real-time.
While similar best of breed offerings are available from the tier one vendors, “they’re often not affordable for distributors in our space,” Montgomery said.
According to Bather, the real-time Globe Enterprise product was made available in Canada earlier because its multilingual and multi-legislation capabilities make Globe a good fit for the Canadian market. The latest version will include a new GUI and screensets and also Globe distribution modules, including order entry, inventory and purchasing.
Exact intends to make additional ERP software announcements at its user conference in October, Bather said.
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