Flexibility. It's what brings companies of every size to select Navision Software's leading accounting and business management system as their primary accounting and business information management solution.

"I think most businesses are like ours," says Greg Howell, controller for Westech Engineering, Inc. "We're not generic, and it's hard to meet our needs with an off-the-shelf accounting package. I spent a year looking for software that would allow us to do the modifications we needed, to get the information we needed. We didn't want to change our business and the way we do business to fit the software package."

Westech Engineering is a manufacturer of equipment used in water and wastewater treatment facilities. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the privately held company has 135 employees and does business worldwide. Approximately 20 percent of its customer base is located outside the US.

As the company expanded, it needed to upgrade from its text-based accounting package.

"Our intent is for all of our project managers to have access to the reports and online decision support information available on the accounting system," said Howell. "in the year, we spent reviewing accounting packages, we didn't find anything better than Navision Financials. Other Windows products did not seem as far along, or as well developed, as it is. As we've implemented the program, we've been able to add new functionality as the system requirements grow. So far, we haven't found anything that we needed that we couldn't accomplish with Navision."

After spending more than a year reviewing numerous software packages, Westech selected Navision Software's flagship product, Navision Financials, based on its flexibility, rapid adaptability and outstanding user interface.

"Of more than 20 software packages reviewed, only Navision Financials had the flexibility we needed,' said Howell.

Its high performance and the customer service from the Navision Solution Center were other key factors in the decision. The solution is provided by the Navision Solution Center, Insight Business Solutions of Salt Lake City, Utah.

The transition to the new network also involved an upgrade to Windows 95 and NT Server. Insight Business Solutions worked closely with the company to ensure a smooth and seamless implementation.

The Navision Financials server system runs on a Windows NT workstation, and 25 computers running Windows 95 are networked to the server on a Novell 4.1 network. Online since June 1, 1996, the network has been expanded over the past year to nearly 50 workstations. Westech has added users, database space and additional tables.

"Since we were making the transition, it made sense to move to the most advanced operating system," noted Howell. "The fact that Navision Financials was one of the first products licensed for Windows 95 and Windows NT helped make that decision. We were able to upgrade to the current versions of the desktop software we used as well."

Since installing Navision Financials, Westech has used the software for all its accounting, shipping and receiving, and work in process inventory. Westech relies on Navision Financials to provide usable information for making good business decision.

At the core of Navision Financials' design are unique modules, or program components. By breaking the system functionality down into small modules and even smatter "granules" (something no other accounting programs do), the software can be specifically customized according to the needs of the business. Westech has purchased granules in eight functional areas: General Ledger, Purchase and Payables, Sates and Receivables, Inventory, Payroll, Report Designer, Bill of Materials and Job Costing and Resources.

Insight Business Solutions continues to work closely with Westech, updating modules as the business adds divisions, products and services. In addition to its eight accounting granules, Westech utilizes customer-specific applications tailored specifically for the company by its Navision Solution Center. For example, Westech uses a customer-specific application to track all its work in process inventory. Likewise, another customer-specific application allows Westech to track its ISO9000, which mandates that all items received must pass different levels of inspection, depending on the item. The application, in turn, runs reports on what equipment needs to be inspected, whether it passed or failed, and its future inspection status.

Currently, the Navision Solution Center is developing another customer-specific application to allow Westech to utilize job costs for scheduling projects and personnel. With the new application, for example, project managers will be able to use job costing to handle project scheduling and update the status of each job.

Since job costs are the heart and soul of the entire Westech system, the company uses this key application to keep track of costs and profitability. In fact, job scheduling has totally replaced the previous system used by Westech.

The seamless integration of the modules into an effective management accounting system has given Westech the ability to streamline its operations and diminish the margin for error.

"We have worked closely with Westech to create a uniform system that has cut out the redundant data entry and decreased the room for error," said Wendy Kemp of Insight Business Solutions. "Now, all the information originates from one place, reducing mistakes and saving the company both time and money."

Many clients choose Navision Financials because of its ability to customize very specifically for their business - something off-the-shelf programs cannot do. By the time a company reaches the point where it has several divisions, products and services in operation, it has passed the point where accounting is a simple crunching of numbers. instead, a fully integrated accounting and business information management solution is needed that wilt perform basic accounting procedures and serve as a management tool company-wide.

Navision Financials' unique design allows the kind of customization and integration that gives everyone from the accounting department to the maintenance shop the ability to input data and access certain information, all from one system. For users like Westech, the ability to tap into business information enterprise-wide is a refreshing option that they never had before Navision Financials surfaced.