Everyone loves the “new car smell”.  Not because of the scent itself, but because it signifies that you have just gotten something exciting and full of the latest new features.

The problem is, that new car smell wears off. The fancy features of your new car are quickly outdated because so many new options have come along in next year’s model.

We’ve been using Acumatica for three years since we decided to move from Dynamics GP to Acumatica internally. And I still feel like it has that “new car smell” because we get so many new features every time we upgrade.

Acumatica always has two releases per year. R1 typically comes out in March, and R2 is normally released in the fall.

CAL Business Solutions made the decision that we were going to upgrade once a year, typically the R1 release that comes after Summit because historically it has had more functionality. This year was our third Acumatica upgrade. Every year we have seen the value of the changes in the new releases and since we choose to do it once a year, we get double the amount of new features with each upgrade.

With the upgrade to Acumatica 2020 R1 I am especially excited about:

  • The reporting functionality of Generic Inquiries. Now we have the ability to do pivot tables off a Generic Inquiry, the conditional formatting is even better than before.
  • Sidebars on more screens. Last year I fell in love with adding sidebars to Generic Inquiry screens. Now I can create sidebars off of any entry screen, including a PO entry screen, or an order entry screen. This lets me show more information on one screen that I can use to serve my customers better.
  • Business automation events. We can extend alerts, not only to email but now to SMS texting. Some people would rather get text message than an email and we can work with that. We have another way to communicate in this digital world and in my mind that is just amazing.
  • Modifications to menu structure. Prior to Acumatica 2020 R1 getting a new report incorporated into the menu structure of the system required a minor customization. Now you can create a customized report and easily integrate it into the active menu structure.

Typically, when you buy ERP software, you are excited about all the new tools you have. But then the new car smell wears off, and all those benefits that you got when you bought the software at that time just start to feel old. And you want something more modern. I do not feel that way about Acumatica. I feel like every time we get a new release, I get to stay in that new car, with the same excitement. I have all the new options that are in those other new models, but I don’t have to switch.

This is what makes Acumatica different. They are moving, they are improving. You don’t need to think about getting something new. I loved Acumatica three years ago, I love it even more now. After three years Acumatica still has that “new car smell”.

If you are ready for a new ERP system for your business, let’s talk about Acumatica. We don’t use car salesman techniques, just honest business advice based on more than 30 years of experience. Contact me at CAL Business Solutions to set up a discovery call, 860-485-0910 x4 or sales@calszone.com.

By George Mackiewicz, CAL Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics GP and Acumatica Partner, www.calszone.com