OSAS Upgrade

If it has been a few years since you last upgraded your Open Systems Accounting Software (OSAS), then now is a great time to schedule your next upgrade! Version 7.5 of Open Systems Accounting Software is here and offers many added features and benefits.

Time Cards is Graphical

If you are still on a version 6.xx of Open Systems, then the most significant change in the Time Card module is that this module now has a graphical user interface or GUI (as does the rest of OSAS). The blue screens are largely gone. The only exception to this change is the Time Card entry screen. For reasons of speed of use, the Time Card entry screen remains the same in this new version as in the past (it is hard to improve). NOTE: Each user can select if they want to use the 'old' blue screen interface, or the new GUI (goo-ee). So long-time OSAS users may keep the familiar look if they prefer.

The new graphical functions allow new or casual users of OSAS to easily navigate and perform functions. Training time for new users is dramatically reduced.

Among the changes on the Payroll side is the ability to keep an unlimited number of previous year's payroll files. The year-end maintenance function now automatically saves the payroll data for the year. So it is possible to keep payroll files for 2008, 2009, 2010 etc.

Paperless Reality

Using the Print Manager feature in the Resource Manager, all reports may be printed to FILE if desired. The print manager will allow you to easily keep track of these previous reports and print them (even to print preview) whenever you like. Some sites particularly like using a free utility program for creating PDF files (PDFCreator). This utility installs like a printer on your system, then you can select it as the output device from within OSAS. When you print to this 'printer' it actually goes into a document PDF file that you can save anywhere on your system. Completely paperless and available on demand! You never have to go to a file cabinet to find an old report, or use office space to store boxes. Plus, documents can be easily shared electronically with other employees who do not have access to OSAS.

How To Get More Information

You may click on any of the links below to view or save any of these documents to see a more detailed list of features in versions 6.5 thru v7.5. Note that the list of feature additions at a given version level only makes note of the changes from the prior version level. So the v7.5 list of features are the changes made from v7.0 ---> v7.5.

New Features in v6.5 (color, 3 pages)

New Features in v7.0 (color, 2 pages)

New Features in v7.5 (color, 12 pages)

New Features in v7.5 (b/w, 3 pages)

Drill-down in the GL

In the General Ledger a very user-friendly feature is the ability to look at an account balance in the chart, then click on the balance amount to drill-down to the underlying transaction detail. It is like having an interactive GL Activity Report on the screen.

The Actual Balance column (in blue) allows you to double-click and drill down to the detailed transactions that make up the balance.

Plain Paper Forms and Email

In Accounts Receivable, you may now send invoices and/or statements to customers via email. Each customer can separately be designated to receive paper forms or email. When you print invoices, the system will know which customers get printed forms, and which are sent via email. The system will automatically send the email using your designated email account.

The plain paper/email forms also support a new (fancier) design. Click here to see a sample invoice.

Plain paper forms and email not only save you money (by not having to buy forms), but also save you time.

Link Directly to a Spreadsheet or Database

The Open Database Connectivity module (ODBC) is now included at no extra cost. This includes dozens of pre-designed custom reports and pivot tables. With this module, you can link a spreadsheet directly to any of your OSAS data. Imagine the custom reporting capabilities!

If you have never worked with pivot tables in Excel, you will be impressed with how flexible and powerful they are. With built-in selection criteria (pull-down arrows on table), you can select all customers, one customer, all invoices, one invoice, all part numbers, one part number ... you get the idea. This is a valuable reporting tool worth thousands of dollars.

Annual Software Maintenance

Any site that has upgraded in the past few years has been offered a new option called: Software Maintenance. More than 90% of all sites who get an upgrade, choose this plan 1 year later. With this option, you pay an annual fee that covers all standard support and tax updates (as in the past), but it also covers all future software upgrades as well. In other words, when a new version of OSAS is available, you don't have to bust the budget in order to pay for an upgrade, it is covered by your annual fee. About the only thing not covered by maintenance is on-site visits (time and travel would be billed separately if applicable). From a practical point of view, we would not expect to install a new version every year, there may still be a few years between significant upgrades, but when you do decide to upgrade for any reason, there is no large upgrade fee to try to fit in the budget. Generally, the cost of being on maintenance is approximately the same as if you perform an upgrade every 6 to 7 years, yet your system can be upgraded every 3 to 4 years (or on demand due to circumstance). This is particularly helpful if you find you want to add licensed users or modules later.

For a site currently not on maintenance, you must first purchase an upgrade, then on the 1st anniversary, you can choose to go on the annual maintenance plan.

To see the cover letter that goes with the maintenance invoice click HERE.

Act Now!

One key benefit of performing an upgrade that should not be understated is the benefit of re-focusing. Upgrade time is a time to take a good look at processes, procedures, training, etc. and really optimize how functions are interacting. So with an upgrade, not only do you get new features in the software, but it is also a good opportunity to train new and existing users how they can better utilize the entire system more efficiently.

These new features and efficiencies can be yours soon. Look through the downloadable information above, then give John Richards a call at: 608-781-6734. He would be happy to give you a detailed quote on an upgrade as well as annual maintenance for year two.

Note: Open Systems is a registered trademark of Open Systems Holdings Corp.