Summit 2007: Get Connected
W618 – Array Development Update
Fred Welles, Jim Beitmann, and Jay ChackoDevelopment and Product Management
With more than 225 active Array customers, Array’s future development is a vital component of Activant’s development strategy. In this keynote address, Fred Welles, director of Array development, teams up with Jayan Chacko, strategic product manager for Array, and Jim Beitmann, senior development engineer, to provide a high-level overview of Array’s development plans. They will introduce key goals for the Array version 11.0 and 12.0 releases, discuss the development strategy for the Trading Partner Connect and B2B Seller integrations, and offer insight into the future direction of Array.
Pre-requisites: None
Wednesday, 3:45 p.m.
Congratulations to our clients
Thank you for your loyalty throughout the years
Summit 2007: Get Connected
“Let’s Get Connected”
To your Array team and our vision for the future
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
4Change in Product Development Management
Providing dedicated management focus Russ Mellott – Sales Dave Getty – Windows-based productsFred Welles – UNIX-based products
Summit 2007: Get Connected
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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WDN Development Organization
Steve McLaughlinSr. Vice President & GM
WDN
Bill WilsonSr. Vice President
and CTO
Fred WellesDirector Development
UNIX Products
Bill PattonSr. Director
Professional Services
Dave GettyDirector Development
Windows ProductsP21, TPCx, B2B
Russ MellottSr. Director
Sales
Frank HeenanDirector
Product Management
Mike WentzDirector
Marketing, Activant DirectAnd National Account Sales
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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UNIX Enterprise Software Solutions
More than 2600 CustomersActivant AcclaimActivant ArrayActivant D2KActivant DiscActivant FaspacActivant PreludeActivant SDIActivant StanpakActivant Turns
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Our Commitment Remains the Same
Stay on the course as initially communicatedContinue to develop and support each UNIX solutionIntegrations into Activant B2B Seller and Trading Partner ConnectProvide releases every 12 – 18 months
Provide superior customer experience
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
8UNIX Releases Since Integration
Acclaim
Faspac
SDI
Disc
Turns
Array
D2K
Stanpak
Prelude
2004 2005 2006 2007
B2B
B2B
Turns v3000
Acclaim v16
TPCx and B2B
TPCx and v5.5
TPCx and B2B
TPCx, B2B, and v11
D2K v4.0-Q1
Acclaim v17
SDI v13
Disc 6.1 Protobase
Array v12
TPCx
V8.5 - Real Time Web
TPCx
Faspac v5.5
v12 -TPCx/Clippership
Disc v6.0
Turns v4000
Array v11.1
B2B
v8.0, 8.01, 8.02, Web v3
Prelude v19
Acclaim v15
Summit 2007: Get Connected
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B2B Seller – A Web-Based Storefront
Conduct secure, online transactionsGive customers password-protected loginsEnable customers to enter orders online Provide around-the-clock customer service Maintain customer favorites lists Publish online catalogs Fully integrated with your business system
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Trading Partner Connect
Fastest growing Internet trading network for distributorsElectronically streamlines entire supply chain
Manufacturer/supplier to distributor to end user
Single point of contact for all transactionsHelps eliminate dead stockSession: The value of Trading Partner Connect Friday, 11:00 a.m.
Summit 2007: Get Connected
Our Mission
“Provide world-class products and services that help your business
grow, become more profitable, and give you a competitive advantage”
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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How Do We Get There?
Quality releases Superior support
More timely turn aroundQuality resolutions
Team approach with support and developmentLeverage and retain staff depth of knowledgeEMBRACE the Base
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EMBRACE the Base
EMBRACE charter: Ensuring our programs, communications, and strategies fall in line with the needs of specific customer groupsYour EMBRACE Advocate is – Dale Miller
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Embrace Initiatives
CommunicationOnline Idea Exchanges – meet the teamQuarterly calls
Development and SupportWork closely together to get your issues resolvedDeliver features you ask for
Marketing Fewer Prophet 21-focused e-mailsMonthly events e-mailInsights – quarterly with focus on your solutionSummit
Summit 2007: Get Connected
“Let’s Get Connected”
With your Array development team
Jim Beitmann
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Release History
Array was born in 1991Beta site – North Coast ElectricPlatform – Data General MV (proprietary OS language COBOL)
Array UNIX 1995 (introduction of IBM platform)Y2K Compatibility 1999 Release 6.0Release 7.0 and 8.0 skipped (Trade Power) to synchronize with other TP software productsReleases 9.0 – 12.0 general features and functionality
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Activant Array Logon
Improved logon dataDate and timeReleaseSupport levelStandard or modified softwareCustomer name
Easy access to customer and/or third-party modifications for non-standard softwareAbility to locate record locks
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Navigation
Improved “GO TO” functionalityBuilt-in simple e-mail and faxInterface to customer and employee contact tables to provide searching in e-mail and faxProgram name search in GOTO functionalityDo not have to be at a menu to go to another program and program returns where it left off when finished
Improved user-defined menusArrow key navigation to move up, down, left, and right
Summit 2007: Get Connected
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Navigation
Use of additional function keysDifferent method of changing modes and saving modified records
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Activant Array Order Entry
Ability to create a flat file from a quote and import to a contractAbility to mass maintenance any field in a contractAbility to fax optio invoicesRecord deletion of orders or specific order lines in quality system with reason codeAutomatic miscellaneous charges and the ability to tie a miscellaneous charge to an order line
Summit 2007: Get Connected
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
21
Activant Array Order Entry
Secure constants in OE and billing at user level in addition to system levelTransaction audit updating in billing moved to totaling phaseNew program FNDBTN allows user to keyword search bill-to information for orders such as cash sales billed under a generic customer, etcRestrict printing of “today’s orders” by userAR Notepad Purge
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Order Entry
Ability to move quotes and orders from one job account to anotherAdded time and user to sales order status displayCustomer pricing comparatorNew quality subsystem CMAbility to control price and cost overrides by line buy
Summit 2007: Get Connected
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Order Entry
View transaction audit in forward or reverse sequenceNew quality systems CM and ED
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Purchasing
Purchase order status inquiryAbility to re-sequence lines on a POPO notes by typeBatch code for inventory adjustments now automatically contains user IDAbility to toggle screen display in TPO maintenance to obtain additional informationAdditional EDI quality events report success or failure of transactions and reasons
Summit 2007: Get Connected
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Purchasing
Page up/down on Transaction Audit DisplayShow starting date when looking up POs by vendor
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Activant Array Accounting
Ability to prevent closing GL twiceAR Trial Balance option excludes finance charges or shows only finance chargesTwo new service charge codes
Over 90 – disputedOver 90 – credits < 90 days old
Ability to flag backed out invoicesAccounts Payable Debit Memo (Release 12.1)
Summit 2007: Get Connected
“Let’s Get Connected”
With Array’s product manager
Jayan Chacko
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
28
The Role of Product Management
Feature set definition Development of product contract and management of the roll-out planEnsure all Activant departments are ready to deliver and support the new features
Summit 2007: Get Connected
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Your Interface to Activant WDN
wdncustomer.activant.com
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Automatic Alerts Put You in Control
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Your Input is Critical
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Use the Form to Input Your Request
Fill out form
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What Happens When You Hit Enter?
E-mail sent to critical Activant peopleRequest stored in databaseReview the requests on a periodic basisFeatures put in ranking list on the Customer Web SiteHighest ranked features considered for next release
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
34
Customer Web Site Enhancement
Ability to rate your favorite feature enhancementYour voice for future enhancements Vote only onceYou do not have to rank every one
Summit 2007: Get Connected
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Summary
Release 12.0 – Available now through the Customer Web Site update centerStay on the course as initially communicated
Continue to develop and support each UNIX solution
Your feedback is important to usBe part of the process
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Additional Resources
New Features: 11.0 and 12.0 Highlights –Thursday, 8:30 a.m. AUG Business Process Showcase: The Power of Array – Thursday, 12:15 p.m.Open Forum: Drive Array Future Product Development – Friday, 9:45 p.m.
Summit 2007: Get Connected
© 2007 Activant Solutions Inc. All Rights Reserved
37
Thank You For Attending
W618 – Keynote: Array Development UpdateFred Welles, Jim Beitmann, and Jay ChackoPlease submit the Session Feedback Form
To receive NASBA credits, please be sure to complete the Session Feedback Form and sign the class roster in the back of the room
Session Feedback Form Summit 2007 – Las Vegas, NV
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