Sage MAS Intelligence (SMI) is a powerful new tool in Sage ERP MAS that was primarily adopted to replace Microsoft FRx, which is being retired by Microsoft. Naturally there is a learning curve associated with getting the most out of any new tool. Here we provide some tips on getting started with creating custom financial reports in the SMI Report Designer.
Sage ERP MAS Intelligence for Version 4.5 adds the ability to attach Reporting Trees to Report Designer layouts. The new trees will expand the options that companies can use for different reporting structures. A 90-day trial period is included for Report Designer so customers can experience the benefits of expanded importing and exporting capabilities, and creating scheduler commands. Also included in Version 4.5 is more flexibility on how reports or any Excel workbooks are distributed, supporting distribution via email, publishing to a public server, and FTP publishing.
As most of you have hopefully heard by now, Microsoft has announced retirement plans for FRx Financial Reporter. Last year, when Sage formally announced Sage MAS Intelligence as the endorsed replacement for FRx, we immediately undertook certification and training in preparation for supporting our Clients as they moved off FRx. However, based on early feedback from Clients and staff, there were some concerns that SMI might not be a good fit for all of our Clients. Consequently, we decided to do our own independent research into other financial reporting alternatives, and we are pleased to announce we can now offer you choices when the time comes to move off FRx.
I remember when I saw Business Intelligence (BI) for the first time. It had to be 8-9 years ago, at a fancy event in a NY Hotel sponsored by Crystal Decisions the maker of Crystal Reports. It was right around the time they were acquired by a Business Objects a French Company that was later acquired by SAP.
At one of our previous MAS 90/200 ERP Client Conferences, we made the following challenge: “Let us visit your office and we will find and eliminate something you are currently doing that involves manually retyping information from MAS ERP into Excel or some other system for purposes of analysis or reporting. If we don’t find anything, we will buy the whole office lunch.”
