Corporate Profile
Headquarters
Morrisville, NC

Type of Business
Vehicle repair and maintenance

Number of Locations
One

Number of Employees
10

Annual Revenue
$1 million

System Profile
Computer System
IBM (Intel 486)

Operating System
DOS

Networking System
LANtastic by Artisoft

BusinessWorks Modules in Use
General Ledger
Accounts Payable
Accounts Receivable
Payroll
Mailing Labels

Application
General accounting and payroll with an interface to industry-specific R.O. Writer by Automotive Progressive Systems

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Even though Emma Lou kept books by hand and had only limited computer experience, William asked her to come to work for Triangle, which was using an automated bookkeeping system less sophisticated than BusinessWorks. William and Emma Lou realized that additional overhead costs and anticipated growth required a more capable accounting program than they had.

“BusinessWorks has everything necessary for keeping good records, which is a vital part of operating a successful business and reporting to those outside the organization as required by law,” observed William. “We also chose BusinessWorks because it provides entrepreneurs with information required to make sound decisions and control a business.”

Triangle’s installation consists of five networked PCs, all of which may be used to access BusinessWorks. Work orders are keyed directly into the system at the receptionist’s desk as vehicles are brought into the shop. Customer service personnel use two PCs to generate work orders that provide instructions to Triangle’s mechanics and to document work performed and parts installed.

The automated data collection and job tracking function of R.O. Writer is used to trigger the powerful analytical and report-writing features of BusinessWorks. Using BusinessWorks, Triangle’s employees are able to instantaneously check account status, balance history, budgets and transactions. The Flash Report provides William with a quick overview of financial strength. Reports can be generated expeditiously on aging, vendor history, cash flow, cash requirements, bank transactions and other financial indicators.

Emma Lou particularly likes the “discount analysis report” that enables her to isolate and monitor purchase orders from vendors that grant discounts for prompt payment.

“I tease my boss.” she says. “I figure I save enough money to pay my salary by using BusinessWorks to take advantage of discounts. BusinessWorks allows me to flag payments and makes sure I meet deadlines for discounts.”

BusinessWorks also saves Triangle the costs associated with contracting for payroll functions. Emma Lou is amused by periodic solicitations received from independent bookkeeping firms believing that their payroll service would be attractive to Triangle.

“Payroll?” she laughs. “Thanks to BusinessWorks, that’s the easiest thing we do nowadays. I can’t say enough good things about BusinessWorks. It is user-friendly, and we’ve always received fast and efficient support from the support team.” With a hearty laugh, Emma Lou added, “If I can use it, anybody can.”