Intelligent ERP Platform
Comarch ALTUM is the first intelligent business platform that has been developed to support the key business processes of small and medium-sized trade and service companies, retail chains and e-commerce companies. The platform unites the latest IT technologies with our 35 years of experience in the development of industry-specific solutions, which have already helped 70,000 customers worldwide improve their business.
Dear reader, With the market environment dynamically evolving, businesses must be able to adapt to change and learn to recognize and make use of upcoming opportunities in order to gain a competitive advantage. When it comes to investment in ERP software, our customers need to expect much more than simple task automation, as operational excellence no longer guarantees competitive advantage. For us as an ERP vendor, this means that our solution has to offer much more than any other ERP solution available on the market. Comarch s vision is to deliver our customers solutions that, through the intelligent use of new technologies, open up new and better ways of doing business and help them leave their competition behind. We believe that small and medium-sized businesses in particular need to have access to technologies that give them the same possibilities that large corporations use to manage their businesses only served faster, more intuitively and easier to use. These new technologies not only changed the rules for how business is done but also changed the requirements that users have towards an ERP solution. In January 2010, Pierre Audoin Consulting (PAC) published research that identifies crucial ERP functionality for SMEs. The findings of this research have affirmed to us that with our newest ERP solution Comarch ALTUM, we are on the right track. It allows for the intelligent improvement of a company s business processes based on the automatic analysis of client, product and transaction data. Choosing the right ERP system greatly influences the future development of your business by guaranteeing you an advantage over the competition. I believe that Comarch ALTUM is the right choice! Zbigniew Rymarczyk Director of the SME Business Unit, Member of the Board 3
Comarch ALTUM Overview Classic ERP functionality Effective actions are the key to reducing the operational costs of every company. Comarch ALTUM professionally manages all key processes in small and medium business. The user-friendly interface and a high level of automation allows for efficient and comfortable activities as it relates to: Marketing, successful management of customers and suppliers (CRM) Sales and purchasing, managing the product portfolio and the pricing policy (Trade) Managing stock levels and warehouses (logistics) Management of payments and cash-flow (finance) Cost management and accounting (Accounting) The ERP features in Comarch Altum meet the legal requirements of three countries (Germany, France and Poland) The advanced Business Process Management engine in Comarch ALTUM helps improve the efficiency of processes all over the company by automating entire processes, coordinating the activities of different employees in different departments and assisting users in performing assigned tasks. As a result, operational costs and the number of costly mistakes decrease, whereas the quality of processes all over the c o m p a ny improves s i g n i f i - cantly. Business Intelligence (BI) With today s fierce competition, reliable and up-to-date information, allows making the right decisions every day. Thanks to the Business Intelligence tool, an integrated part of Comarch ALTUM, the newest information on the company s current situation and its environment are available wherever and whenever they are needed. Comarch ALTUM sets new standards in terms of information use, granting each system user access to reports and analysis, without the requirement of buying additional licenses. E-Commerce Online trade has become an essential part of almost every business. In order to help you get one step ahead of the competition, Comarch AL- TUM delivers a fully integrated Online Store and an online B2B tool that, thanks to automated exchange of data, allows you to improve customer service while reducing operating costs created by your online sales-channels. Business Process Management (BPM) In order to be ahead of the competition, a company has to execute all its key business processes as efficiently as possible. Mobile solutions As business is mainly done away from a desk and an office, companies also have to find ways to make activities that take place outside the company more efficient. 4
Comarch ALTUM increases the efficiency of those who spend most of their time outside the office such as managers, sales representatives and warehouse personnel who can use ERP functionality on their mobile devices, wherever they are. EDI Electronic interchange of documents helps reduce the costs of cooperation with business partners. We n o t only support available formats i n C o m a r c h ALTUM, but Comarch is also one of the world s leading EDI suppliers. Ergonomics and Interface One of the key features of all software is its user friendliness and usability. The modern and intuitive interface of Comarch ALTUM was designed with the aim to support the user in performing his daily tasks, with all required functionalities right at hand. Since the behavior of the system s menu as well as all document views can be fully personalized, users can create a work environment that fits their habits and requirements best. This increased comfort leads to greater effectiveness from your workforce. Flexibility In order to gain a competitive advantage through an ERP system, it must not only be adapted to the requirements of a specific industry but most importantly, must allow for the mapping of the company s best business practices. Innovative use of the latest technologies allows for a high level of adaptation to the requirements of even the most specific and smallest industries as well as the most elaborate and sophisticated processes of any company, something totally unknown in other ERP solutions. Thanks to the use of the TrueAPI mechanism, the cost of running and modifying the system can be significantly reduced. Openness The integration of a company s ERP solution with the IT solutions that are used by its business partners enables a decrease in operational costs and shortening the time required to react to changing market requirements. Thanks to the integrated BPM and True API mechanisms, Comarch ALTUM can be integrated with third party solutions, such as special software or hardware or a businesspartner s system, in an easy and inexpensive way. Newest technologies New technologies mean new possibilities and security in the development of your business. Comarch ALTUM is a fully integrated system based on a common, cutting-edge technological platform which allows for the system s functionality to be easily adapted and personalized. The system was developed using Microsoft.NET technology and the Microsoft SQL database server. 5
Business Performance Management The automation of standard operations connected with the creation of documents that describe the business processes occurring in a company is a crucial functionality of all modern ERP solutions. The possibility to carefully analyze data regarding a company s efficiency and its possibilities of further development is what gives businesses a real advantage over their competition. Comarch ALTUM has been developed in a way that allows every system user to easily and quickly analyze data that has been input into the system during daily operational activities. This makes it possible to improve the decision making process at every level of the company. Furthermore, along with standard reports and graphs the system enables the creation of budgets and the presentation and communication of a company s strategy in the form of key performance indicators that are grouped and displayed on Business Scorecards. This makes it possible to define targets and continuously monitor their realization. Whenever a part of your business gets off track, the person in charge will be immediately informed by an automatic alert. Using different types of reports, such as maps, graphs and tables you can easily identify the source of any deviation from the target. Once you have identified a bottleneck or a source of errors in your company s processes, you can immediately eliminate them by changing the definition of the relevant business processes using the graphical editor of the Business Process Management tool. In short, the combination of Business Intelligence and Business Process Management that are integrated parts of Comarch ALTUM delivers you a powerful Business Performance Management tool. By constantly monitoring defined targets and having in-depth information on all your business transactions on hand, you can immediately react in the right way, whenever a change or threat arises from inside or outside the company. Business Scorecard and map analysis Set of possible analytical reports 6
Planning Comarch ALTUM comes with a budgeting tool that supports you in defining short and long term targets for your entire company. The system coordinates cooperation between all departments involved in the budgeting process and automates the process of submitting, accepting and declining proposals. No matter whether the bottom-up, top-down or a combined planning technique is used, the budgeting tool of Comarch ALTUM ensures that the planning phase can be closed in time with an adequately prepared budget. Analysis In the event there is a deviation from a defined target or a change in your enterprise s internal or external environment, its source must be identified. Comarch ALTUM comes with a number of reporting tools that allows displaying a wide range of data about the company s activities. With the integrated Business Intelligence tools, building sophisticated reports becomes easier than ever for less experienced users. Different types of reports, such as tables, charts and maps allow for an easily readable presentation of data and efficient analysis. Newest data warehousing technologies make it possible to analyze data as soon as it is input into the system. Advanced statistical algorithms can be applied to a company s data in order to create reliable forecasts and identify unique opportunities. Monitoring Once the planning process has been completed, by using the Business Scorecard tool available in Comarch ALTUM, the defined goals can be summarized in a clear overview. This not only makes it possible to divide your company s targets into different perspectives and communicate individual targets to every employee, but also to monitor the current realization of the target. A comparison of planned and current values lets you monitor your company s performance virtually in real time. The status and trend indicators used on the Scorecard immediately draw managers attention to any deviation from a given target. Adaptation As constant adaptation to new requirements and market realities is crucial for success, change is an inevitable part of every business. Comarch ALTUM not only helps identify where those changes are necessary but supports managers in monitoring and analyzing their business. The system also makes it possible to change processes within the company and enforce those changes company-wide. By using Business Process Management in Comarch ALTUM any rule, parameter or activity within a given process can be easily edited, and the underlying workflow engine makes sure that every step is taken in accordance with those rules. Users can expect their ERP solution to support the entire decision making process from planning to controlling as well as the analysis of information in all management areas. 7
Trade Successful acquisition of new customers and efficiently handling sales transactions are a key to succeeding in business. Comarch ALTUM allows for comprehensively handling the entire sales process from the request for quotation to the order and on to the sales and purchase invoices. Thanks to the automation of individual activities as well as of the entire trade process the system helps you significantly decrease costs and improve customer service. Comarch ALTUM offers more: The pleasant an intuitive interface can be additionally personalized to best suit individual user requirements. This allows for faster and better customer service and guarantees lower sales-related costs. The CRM in Comarch ALTUM completes the tradingfunctionality by supporting marketing and sales campaigns as well as post-sales activities. The dedicated POS interface for touchscreens, the online store, the handling of ebay and Allegro auctions and a mobile sales solution provides full automation of alternative sales channels. Many different interface languages as well as multicurrency functionality make Comarch ALTUM the ideal solution for companies that operate internationally. A wide range of Business Intelligence tools and advanced statistical methods allows for intelligently optimizing your company s offer as well as its pricing and discount policy. Sales Process 8
Managing sales channels Retail sales Comarch ALTUM allows you to automate and speed up the sales process, offering a dedicated POS interface for touch-screen devices. Even more importantly, the system guarantees the central administration of prices, product range and promotions through a dedicated solution for retail sales networks. As a result, it enables management of the entire sales network from a single POS to the back-office and including the headquarters. It delivers accurate, current and in depth information on your company s performance. Online sales An efficient way to increase your market share or enter new markets is the development of an online sales channel. Comarch ALTUM helps you manage your online sales thanks to the integrated e-shop solution and the possibility to plan and run ebay and Allegro auctions from within the ERP system. Additionally, with the online B2B portal, you will be able to offer your business partners an attractive way of cooperating online. Thanks to full integration of all e-commerce solutions with the ERP system, the information flow can be fully automated and the costs of your online sales channel significantly reduced. Sales force automation Thanks to a dedicated interface for mobile devices, Comarch ALTUM provides access to ERP functionality wherever your customers are. As a result you will have access to current information on customers, items and price lists and be able to conduct sales activities directly on a customer s premises. As data is synchronized automatically, every received order can be immediately realized in the ERP system. B2B cooperation can be made significantly easier and more efficient by granting access to online functionality such as order posting, checking the availability of articles or tracking orders. 9
Logistics The success of a company depends to a high degree on the efficiency of its logistics processes. Comarch ALTUM ensures the ideal management of all these processes, from the receipt of goods to their movement between warehouses and their eventual release. Thanks to full integration with trading processes, the warehouse can be efficiently managed, to minimize costs and process a customer s order much faster. The intelligent automation of stock level optimization makes it possible to generate cash by unfreezing unnecessarily bound capital without risking a loss in the ability to satisfy demand. Comarch ALTUM offers more: The innovative connection of BI-analyses and Business Process Management allows for constant optimization of stock levels while taking into consideration historical sales levels as well as forecasts including seasonal parameters and product features. Describing products with multiple features gives you better control over purchasing and stock-replenishing processes and available stock. An online B2B Portal and electronic data interchange (EDI) minimizes costs by improving cooperation with your business partners and allowing for quicker realization of orders. A dedicated interface for mobile data collectors ensures clear automation of warehouse tasks connected to receiving and releasing goods and taking inventory. Stock Optimization Process 10
Financial accounting Effective financial management widens the range of possibilities a company has to develop its business. Comarch ALTUM accommodates the complete management of financial accounting according to domestic and international standards and regulations. Thanks to its extensive functionality in the area of finance, Comarch ALTUM comprehensively manages existing as well as expected payables and receivables, providing full control over your company s cash flow. Comarch ALTUM offers more: An advanced posting scheme engine automating the posting of documents, taking into consideration not only the type of transaction but also specific details. Access to all documents from the accounting level is possible thanks to full integration of the accounting functionality, which makes the collection of necessary information much easier. The analytical description mechanism helps you efficiently control costs. The multidimensional analytical areas available through the business intelligence tools that are integrated in Comarch ALTUM provide for full control over your company s financial situation and costs. Data analysis - various types of reports Definition of accounting schema 11
Flexibility A tailor-made ERP solution for your company Nowadays the implementation of an ERP solution that delivers industry best practices no longer provides you with an advantage over your competitors. In order to really move ahead you need more. Comarch ALTUM allows you to leave your competition behind, by incorporating your company s know-how into the system, letting you do business in your own successful way, yet fully supported by your ERP system. Thanks to the flexible architecture of the Comarch ALTUM business platform, you are able to minimize the investment of time and money required to customize the system to your specific requirements. The following summary details why Altum is so easily adaptable to the specifics of your company: Business Process Management Thanks to the integrated Business Process Management engine, Comarch ALTUM can be fully adapted to the specific requirements of a company. It enables the automation of business processes, which results in a higher efficiency of the entire workforce and a lower risk of errors or badly performed tasks. Comarch ALTUM enables the construction of processes that guide employee cooperation within different departments throughout the company., Analyzing, modifying and adapting processes to a company s requirements becomes much easier thanks to the graphical process-editor. True API When implementing any IT solution, you must think not only of the current situation and structure of your company, but also the plan for growth and development. Comarch ALTUM is fully prepared to reflect all kinds of changes in your business. Unlike other programs, Comarch ALTUM delivers 100% of its functionalities through its programming interface, which we call TrueAPI, giving you a wide range of extension capabilities that allow for further expansion. As a result, you re able to change existing functionalities or add new ones. Graphical Business Process Editor 12
Interface The interface used in Comarch ALTUM allows for an intuitive and ergonomic working environment throughout the system. The esthetic appearance of the interface, which has been developed according to latest trends in system design, helps decrease the entry-barrier for users during the system introduction phase. This is of utmost importance when introducing a new tool that is of such importance for the entire company. Thanks to the use of the newest technologies, the system not only looks attractive, but is also intuitive and flexible. The available Profile Editor tool makes it possible to adapt the interface to a user s requirements by creating an interface that contains only the functionality he requires to perform his daily tasks. Additionally, mechanisms that are available in the context of virtually every system view allow you to adapt the presentation of information in lists or documents to the specific requirements of each employee, so that he can fluently execute his daily tasks in an ergonomic work-environment. Standard order screen with access to all information Point of Sale screen End-users that are used to the usability of up-to-date web applications are mainly looking at usability criteria such as simplicity, efficiency and performance. 13
PAC s research on the ERP market In order to support companies in the selection of an ERP solution, the global market research and consulting firm Pierre Audoin Consulting (PAC) has recently published the whitepaper A new generation of ERP solutions. PAC summarized the results of this research as follows: In short, the main aim is to quickly and straightforwardly provide more employees with relevant information in order to improve decision quality throughout the company. Additionally, an ERP solution has to be flexible enough to be adapted to current changes in the business environment quickly and without huge costs. That s why users should consider the following criteria when selecting an ERP solution: Usability: Only easy-in-use systems are accepted by end-users Business Performance Management: support of the entire decision-making process from planning to controlling; by means of an integrated data-warehouse. Business Process Management: Predefined processes containing industry best-practices as well as the possibility to easily define company-specific processes Integration of mobile solutions: Mobile clients that use data from within the ERP system should be available E-Commerce integration: easy integration of webshops into the ERP solution with automated data exchange between the applications. Download a free copy of the whitepaper on our website: www.comarch.com/erp/whitepaper 14
Experience in action Comarch is a global provider of business IT applications, specializing in forging business relationships that maximize customer profitability while optimizing business and operational processes. Comarch s advantage lies in its deep domain knowledge that has been cultivated over 35 years. Comarch has nearly 3,500 specialists and consultants working in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. As a result of modern technology, market trend analysis, and a sense of responsibility, Comarch has delivered more than 2,000 complex implementations and provided business applications to more than 70,000 companies across the globe. Comarch s goal is to deliver innovative and highly sophisticated IT solutions to businesses across all sectors. With the trust of an international client roster that includes companies such as British American Tobacco, Renault, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson, BP Global, Procter & Gamble, Carrefour, and Auchan, Comarch has proven successfully at competing on the global market. Each year, Comarch invests 15% of its revenue into R&D. In this context, Comarch is dedicated to providing high quality products and consulting services that can easily adapt to the ever-changing business environment. Awards Therefore, it is of no surprise that Comarch has been recognized several times for its product, Comarch Altum. Among others, the ERP platform Comarch Altum has been honored by Gartner and Microsoft for its innovativeness. Moreover, Comarch Altum received an award for innovation in the Saxony regional category at CEBIT 2009. 15
Comarch Headquarters Al. Jana Pawla II 39 a 31-864 Krakow Poland phone: +48 12 64 61 000 fax: +48 12 64 61 100 e-mail: info@comarch.pl Comarch Inc. 10 W 35th Street Chicago, IL 60616 United States phone: +1 800 786 4408 fax: +1 800 684 5916 e-mail: info@comarch.com Comarch Software AG Chemnitzer Str. 50 01187 Dresden Germany phone: +49 351 3201 3200 fax: +49 351 438 97 10 e-mail: info@comarch.de Comarch OOO Prechistenskiy Pereulok 14/1 119034 Moscow Russia phone: +7 495 783 36 71 Poland Gdansk, Katowice, Krakow, Lublin, Lodz, Poznan, Warsaw, Wroclaw Belgium Brussels France Lille Germany Dresden, Frankfurt/Main Lithuania Vilnius Panama Panama City Russia Moscow Slovakia Bratislava UAE Dubai Ukraine Kiev, Lviv USA Chicago, Miami www.erp.comarch.com www.comarch.eu www.comarch.pl www.comarch.de www.comarch.ru Comarch is a leading Central European IT business solutions provider specializing in forging business relationships that maximize customer profitability while optimizing business and operational processes. Comarch s primary advantage lies in the vast domain of knowledge accumulated in and applied to our software products. These products incorporate highly sophisticated IT solutions for businesses in all vertical sectors. Comarch has a multinational network of offices employing over 2800 highly-experienced IT specialists in Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. Comarch Spółka Akcyjna with its registered seat in Kraków at Aleja Jana Pawła II 39A, entered in the National Court Register kept by the District Court for Kraków-Śródmieście in Kraków, the 11th Commercial Division of the National Court Register under no. KRS 000057567. The share capital amounts to 7,960,596.00 zł. The share capital was fully paid, NIP 677-00-65-406 Copyright Comarch 2010. All Rights Reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of Comarch. Comarch reserves the right to revise this document and to make changes in the content from time to time without notice. Comarch may make improvements and/or changes to the product(s) and/or programs described in this document any time. The trademarks and service marks of Comarch are the exclusive property of Comarch, and may not be used without permission. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. EN 2010-04