Automating Business Analytics

Lawson Software and Best Software Inc., developers of enterprise software for midsize companies, are providing more business automation capabilities for those customers.

Lawson, of St. Paul, Minn., last week introduced its Promotions InSight package, which provides retailers with prepackaged analytics. Due in the fourth quarter, Promotions InSight offers quantitative measurement forecasting and analysis capabilities that let retailers analyze the effectiveness of promotions. In addition, customers can use the metrics generated to implement promotional programs that are tailored more to marketing objectives.

The software also provides Web-based access to promotional archives, budgeting capabilities, automated forecasting and performance measurements, officials said.

At the same time, Lawson announced it will integrate Connect3 Systems Inc.s promotions management and execution application within the Lawson Retail Operations and InSight applications.

Separately last week, Best unveiled Version 4.0 of its MAS 90 and MAS 200 enterprise software suites, which the Irvine, Calif., company called its biggest upgrade since 1996. Functional enhancements in the products are designed to make reporting more responsive, reduce the learning curve for new users and streamline accounting, officials said.

A Business Alerts module helps users identify problems and trends in real time, while a new Dual Grid Design can be personalized for faster data entry. For accountants, a Company Set Up Wizard feature guides new users of MAS 90 and MAS 200 through general ledger configurations. An Unlimited Budgets feature enables users to save historical budgets for reporting.

MAS 200 Version 4.0 beta tester Michelle Thom, executive assistant with KAPP Products, was most impressed with Bests item look-up module, which eliminates the need to look at each item a customer has purchased. "You can export your customer list or vendor list to Excel," said Thom, in Santa Rosa, Calif. "That saves time. We no longer need to go and export through Visual Integrator. You can just click, and it immediately transports to Excel."