Syspro 6.1 upgrade ignites Black Cat Fireworks

Matthew Broad, Black Cat's IT administrator, states that the company has been using various versions of Syspro, from K3, since 1991 – and that every update has required a lot of extra work to implement and bed down. Despite that, he says: "It was high time to make the change, as our existing software was out of date. Clearly, we would benefit from accessing the new features within Syspro 6.1, such as easier integration and the ability to customise reports and create executive views ... about customer orders and stock status." And he adds: "The system would also allow us to add extra information directly onto delivery notes, which cuts administration time and the need for separate documentation." After two months of using the upgraded system, he reports that the company can indeed do much more with Syspro 6.1 and says it was a good investment, having given the company a flexible and futureproof system that speeds up sales order processing, which was a key requirement for the upgrade. "The improvements are immense. Thanks to adding DataSwitch for integrating and manipulating data, we can process up to 12 large orders per minute," says Broad. DataSwitch, he explains, allows Black Cat to import order data directly from affiliate websites straight into Syspro via EDI – very important, given the highly seasonal nature of its order taking. "We also have much more control of our reports, thanks to Syspro Reporting functionality. I can make changes on the fly so that each individual in the company gets the information he or she needs," he comments. And Broad adds that Black Cat suppliers, including its logistics partners, have also benefited from the upgrade, since the company now sends electronic files containing the information they need, again using DataSwitch. This has been of particular benefit to the company's logistics partners who can simply import the order and delivery data into their transport planning systems to help with their scheduling.