Needs Analysis

“[RAD] very professional and thorough.”

Whether your company is growing and expanding or is a new, start-up operation, RAD Associates can help you select and implement the software solution that fits your business. As part of our needs analysis, we review your present procedures, business issues, and goals for a new system. We will analyze your existing hardware, transaction volume, and connectivity requirements. Our objective is to match your company’s precise needs to a business software solution. Our experience in solving business issues combined with our vast understanding of business accounting ensures you of a solution that will meet your company’s requirements today and into the future.

Our main goal is to provide you with the right solution the first time around. With that in mind, our upfront analysis ensures that we will lead your company down the path to success. We speak your language, understand the ins and outs of your industry and conceptualize solutions that are specific to the needs of your company. This savvy goes well beyond implementing software, but rather brings a complete understanding of how a business process should work in order to maximize efficiency.

A Deloitte and Touche information technology survey indicates that for every dollar spent up front on planning, you will save five dollars in total project costs. We are proponents of this concept. Our competitors often spend a few hours with a prospect, giving canned software demonstrations with little knowledge of more complex software and industry concerns. We know that this method often results in fast sales cycles with very low customer satisfaction.

We believe in educating our clients about the requirements and costs of a project from the start, giving you the time and information you need to make the smartest decision for your company.

Installation & Configuration

“I had set up Sage MAS90 on my own and floundered for about a year before I contacted RAD Associates. When they came in to help, we were up and running in less than one month.”

The proper installation and configuration of your accounting software helps to ensure maximum benefit from the system. With a robust and mature product line such as Sage MAS 90, such configuration can be extensive, and must be well planned and conscientiously executed. RAD Associates has provided expert installation of accounting software applications since 1985.

We professionally install all of the software components and any modifications. We have our technical group to ensure total hardware and operating system compatibility with our solutions. Any problems or concerns that arise will be handled entirely by our team, as the whole system, from Design to Customization, through Installation and Support, is our responsibility.

After installation, we proceed to each application, setting parameters and configurations so that the software fully fits your business needs.

Implementation

“Although we did not buy Sage MAS 200 from RAD Associates, they did come to clean up the system and get it in working condition, as well as give us the training needed to use the system properly.”

RAD Associates has a strong track record of implementing solutions into mission-critical environments. We will bring our experience as we guide you through a rapid, yet thorough implementation, targeting your business objectives. Implementation involves mapping your company’s workflow and procedures into the software, promoting a smooth transition. We will also work closely with your personnel to help you in establishing internal procedures surrounding the input and output of accounting data to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of your system.

After installation, we proceed to each application, setting parameters and configurations so that the software fully fits your business needs. Before we train End Users in the system, our team first tests all customizations to confirm that everything is working as expected

Data Conversion

“RAD Associates was fantastic in coming up with solutions to some pretty complicated requirements that we added during the initial installation. Overall, it went very smooth.”

Preserving the historic business data and current transactions from your prior application helps you work productively from the start.

Data conversion tools and experience allow us to electronically convert key data from almost any software, including Peachtree® and Quickbooks®. Often, data conversion tasks can be performed in less than one day, making this a cost-effective and labor-saving procedure.

Customization

“ RAD was able to customize an import of our dispatch information directly into Sage MAS90, resulting in ongoing savings of time and money. RAD did an excellent job.”

Sage Software put powerful customization tools in the hands of users and their business partners.

User-defined fields may be added to most entry forms, and attributes such as the length, title, and appearance of fields may be changed. Powerful scripting routines can execute outside programs or commands and return resulting data to your accounting software. State of the art report writers FRx and Crystal Reports make the creation of complex graphical reports drawing data from seemingly disparate sources possible. Powerful data import and export tools and ODBC compliancy make integration with third-party software not only possible, but also efficient and secure.

Sage Software offers a library of Extended Solutions for the Sage MAS 90 and Sage MAS 200 product lines. Extended Solutions is a selection of over 1,500 features and functions not found in the core modules, making customized functionality available off-the-shelf.

RAD consultants can help you expand the functionality of your system and increase productivity by skillfully applying these tools to meet your company’s specific needs.

Training

“I had used Sage PFW (formerly Platinum For Windows) in the past and was greatly pleased with RAD ’s knowledge. They were able to show us procedures we had never used in the past, simplifying our work and saving us time!”

Training helps to maximize the benefits realized from your software investment, and increases the productivity of your personnel. We customize our approach to training for each client, combining classroom-style courses with individual instruction to ensure each user is adept and confident in their tasks.

Training takes place on-site and typically occurs after the data conversion so we may use your data and business scenarios as part of the training program.

Our trainers have extensive accounting knowledge and software expertise, allowing us to provide a comprehensive training package, which includes day-to-day operations, month end procedures, and basic troubleshooting. Training is also available for the software’s reporting tools, including FRx financial report writer and Crystal Reports database report writer.

Support

“All of our questions (and there have been a lot!) have been answered immediately and with great patience. I’ve been very impressed and would say that it is the best support I’ve ever seen.”

When you place a support call to RAD Associates, you will not be routed to an informal call center. You will speak with a live person. For your convenience, support is available through several channels, including by telephone, facsimile, email, remote services, and on-site. We offer support Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m., PST, with other times arranged by appointment.

Infrastructure
Services—Infrastructure

RAD Associates networking services are designed to best suit the needs of your company. Whether you operate with or without a full-time networking staff or simply wish to enhance your current setup with further domain expertise, our networking professionals are here to help your computer systems work optimally for you.

Configuration errors can spell disaster for ERP projects. Thus, a solid hardware and network infrastructure is essential in maintaining an efficient accounting system. Relying on different companies for your networking needs can result in time lost, communication glitches and diminished productivity. At RAD Associates, we offer a ‘one-stop’ source for all of your hardware and software-related issues. Our highly trained team is on-call to help your company perform with the greatest success.

On top of that, networks are being attacked 24x7 by literally hundreds of thousands of worms, spyware, trojans, viruses, and hackers. Without a centralized comprehensive plan, any improperly configured workstation or component on your network can be just the "backdoor" one of these malicious applications can use to infiltrate your network. At a minimum reduced stability and performance is a result, and at the worst, total data loss and business interruption.

RAD Associates is pleased to offer you the following networking services:
• Analyzing and documenting your current network
  and infrastructure
• Full Network and Application security audits along with
   recommendations to resolve issues.
• Configuring and installing new networks
• Identifying and resolving operational problems with
   your network and application software
• Recommending hardware, software and network
   enhancements
• Providing Flexible Service and Support Plans

We look forward to answering your networking questions and discussing how we can best benefit your company.