BusinessVision Inc.' BusinessVision 32

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BusinessVision 32 is an impressive suite of accounting modules that offers a modern look and feel. True to its name, BusinessVision provides many ways to view your accounting data, making this a powerful management tool in addition to its number-crunching capabilities.

MODULES AVAILABLE/SCALABILITY - 5 Stars The program is available in four configurations: Limited Edition, Small Business Edition, Standard Edition and Client/ Server SQL Edition. Limited Edition is a 16-module single-user system; Small Business Edition is a multi-user system for up to three users; Standard Edition (reviewed here) is an all-inclusive multi-user system with 18 modules and functionality for up to five users, expandable to 15 users; Client/Server SQL Edition is an industrial-strength system designed for higher transaction volume or heavy user load situations, supporting from 10 to over 100 users. All editions use Pervasive Btrieve files. The SQL Edition uses Pervasive SQL 2000 Server as its database engine.

Modules included in the Standard Edition are System Manager, GL, Bank Reconciliation, Customer Details, AR, Supplier Details, AP, Inventory Details, Order Entry, Point-of-Sale, PR, Sales Analysis, Purchase Order, Purchase Analysis, Job Cost, Import/Export, Budgets and Forecasts, and Bill of Materials. Several of the modules can be used stand-alone or integrated.

EASE OF USE/ TRANSACTION ENTRY - 5 Stars For its complexity and breadth of functionality, BusinessVision still presents a very straightforward and easy-to-grasp interface that is flawlessly organized and intuitive. Modules are accessed either from the Windows drop-down menu system or an icon toolbar that sits at the top of the work area. All modules employ a real-time architecture that eliminates batch posting and keeps up-to-the-minute information available for reports and queries. The month-end process is handled automatically, eliminating a potentially complex cutoff or time-consuming process.

Each module opens with a single data-entry screen, from which ancillary information and transactions are entered. The organization of each data-entry screen is very self-explanatory, with numerous lookups for key data fields. Consistently placed icons on each data-entry screen let you quickly browse or find other transactions in that data-entry category. For example, from the Order Entry screen, you can quickly browse a list of other orders, or look up orders based on numerous search criteria.

A powerful GL inquiry function offers five drill-down levels. The first level provides an expandable tree structure view of the chart of accounts with current balance information; the second shows the net change and closing balances by period; the third shows all transactions for the selected period; the fourth and fifth levels permit on-screen reconstruction of each journal entry, invoice or purchase order. Additional icons let you quickly see balance by period or net change by period data in a graph format.

CUSTOMIZATION/SECURITY - 4 Stars GL accounts can have up to four user-defined segments with up to a total of 24 characters. This allows full divisional tracking and reporting, not offered by many of the other mid-range packages.

User access security is also customizable either by an assigned priority level or by specific access to modules and menu functions. This is a relatively simple but adequate design for most situations.