2004 Softline ACCPAC solution provider of the year, AccTech Systems, has upgraded Manica Africa`s ACCPAC Plus solution to ACCPAC for Windows for three of its over-border companies in southern Africa.
Established in Mozambique in 1892, Manica Africa is a group of wholly owned subsidiaries of the Bidvest Group of companies located throughout southern Africa. As the market leader in the region for freight management and logistics solutions, Manica Africa has upgraded its Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe operations to improve operational efficiencies and enhance its offerings in more remote areas traditionally slow to embrace new technology.
"Successful freight management and logistics services are further enhanced with the use of leading-edge technology. It enables companies such as Manica Africa to increase efficiencies and better meet the needs of its customers," says Mark G"unther, managing director of the Manica Africa Group.
Tertius Zitzke, managing director of AccTech Systems, says the upgrade to Accpac ERP will assist Manica Africa to gain valuable knowledge and insight into its local operations: "By standardising the technology across the organisation, Manica Africa is in a strong position to better utilise its scarce resources, allowing it to provide superior freight management and logistics services."
"Manica Africa is committed to developing the infrastructure and potential of the southern African region. As a result, it continues to invest in key infrastructures, facilities and systems to promote the smooth flow of cargo in the regions. In so doing, it rallies not only its own financial resources, but also those of the Bidvest Group to which it belongs," says G"unther.
Raffaello Sparapano, regional financial executive of the Manica Group, says the upgraded system has simplified the financial management procedures assisting in the management of the group across its regional markets: "The roll-out of the Accpac ERP system necessitated the installation of a new IT infrastructure countrywide for all three southern African territories.
"With an aim to enhance the business capabilities of regional markets traditionally slow in keeping pace with rapidly changing technology, Manica Africa invested significantly in each market which will provide the group with a distinctive advantage over its competition."
Manica Africa replaced part of the old system with the Accpac Purchase Order (PO) add-on, Service Manager, along with customised management reports created using Crystal Reports.
"This allowed Manica Africa to continue to properly manage and analyse all aspects of customer disbursement files," says Sparapano.
According to Zitzke, the amount of transactions that occur on a daily basis from regional head offices and various remote sites resulted in Manica Africa needing continued control to ensure the effective recovery of disbursements paid to suppliers and the government as well as from clients.
"The implementation of Service Manager has made it possible to improve the control of outstanding disbursement recoveries as soon as the payment is made. This enables Manica Africa to generate more accurate cash flow projections with relevant and up-to-date information," says Zitke.
The most notable change for Manica Africa is the reduction in the risk of duplication and operator errors where remote offices used to capture transactions and invoice information on standalone workstations. According to Sparapano, all remote sites can now directly invoice from a central system in real-time, significantly assisting Manica Africa to improve its financial and operational efficiencies.
"The ease of use and simplicity of the financial management reporting reduces the time taken to gather information for financial reporting, giving us more time to focus on other tasks," concludes Sparapano.
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