Corporate Profile
Headquarters
Sarasota, FL

Type of Business
Restaurants and live-performance theatres

Territory
Central Florida

Number of Locations
Two

Number of Employees
70

Annual Revenue
$1.5 million

System Profile
Computer System
Grafika by DTK

Operating System
DOS/Windows

Network
LANtastic

BusinessWorks Modules in Use
General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Payroll
Job Cost

Application
General accounting, payroll, receipts, expense accounting, and payables

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Record-keeping is complicated by the varying pay scales governing employees in the theatrical business. An individual who designs costumes, paints sets, assists actors in the dressing room and who also appears on stage would be paid at separate rates for each of those activities. Likewise, restaurant employees are paid at different rates for varying duties — clearing tables, washing dishes, preparing food. Further, separate books are kept for each of the two locations.

For years, the company maintained its accounting records by hand. Company accounts manager Sheila Chalmers, a 32-year bookkeeping veteran, struggled to keep pace. While record-keeping demands ebbed and flowed with theatrical bookings, elaborate productions involving large casts threatened to overwhelm her.

“You should have seen this office,” Chalmers laughs. “I had so much software in here it looked more like a computer warehouse than a dinner theater.” Ultimately, she settled on BusinessWorks because, she said, it was the only application that satisfied her two criteria: cost and functionality. “In its price range, no other program was able to do what we needed.”

That was in 1993. Now, three years and three versions of BusinessWorks later, Chalmers says the software program has made a dramatic difference in her office’s efficiency. From her point of view, the flexibility of BusinessWorks is its best asset.

“You can make any module link with job costs, and that’s really important for us,” says Chalmers, explaining that job costing has a key role in her company’s operations. Presenting shows ranging from Broadway musicals to ice-skating spectaculars, Coastal Theatre Productions keeps separate records for each production in each theatre. Numerous departmental designations are used for different products and services.

“We set up costumes in one account, props in another, makeup in another, shoe rentals in another,” explained Chalmers. One account is set up for makeup in Venice, another for makeup in Sarasota. Further, every show is assigned its own number, from which Chalmers can use BusinessWorks to generate job cost reports. “The reports are just beautiful,” she said.

She also applauds the BusinessWorks payroll module. Twice a week she does payroll, which she said took her a half-day each to run manually. “Now I just hit a button and go,” said Chalmers. “Payroll takes me 15 minutes.” She reports that the transition to computerized bookkeeping was smooth, in large part to STATE OF THE ART’S support personnel. “Their tech support is wonderful,” she said.

Nowadays Chalmers is a pro. “I can make that program sing. I’ve configured it to do exactly what we need it to do—such things as custom journals,” said Chalmers. She’s so confident in the program she recommends it to others without qualification.

“BusinessWorks is a program anybody can use. Anybody. It’s very easy to set up,” she said. Chalmers offers more than advice. She offers assistance as well. “Anyone who needs help can give me a call. I’ll help them set it up.” Sounds like she really likes BusinessWorks. And that’s no act.