Interprise - A Year Of
  • Gabriel CroweGabriel Crowe
     
    August 2011
    Interprise is an accounting platform built on .NET technology. At its core it is an MSSQL database with connected desktop clients in a multi-user client/server relationship. The system is capable of ecommerce via a modified version of the aspdotnet storefront that connectes to the MSSQL database mentioned above.

    We're using the UK version located at:

    The american version (slightly ahead in terms of features) is located here:
    http://www.interprisesolutions.com/

    First of all let me say that I did start a thread about this software a while ago right here on this forum. Since then i've been working on the technical parts of this catalog, pretty much all on my tod for about a year now. Those thinking about getting into Interprise need to be aware of some key points.

    It will only import stock items.
    Though the system has extensive support for matrix items (products with one or more drop downs) and kit items (products built with other products, like computers and selectable upgrades) It will only import plain stock items via their XLS spreadsheet importer. This is a showstopper for clothing companies with thousands of lines, or any company that uses a lot of kits (like a computer shop). If your shop requires a lot of these, then be prepared to spend a LOT of money on billable man hours, getting your inventory looking the part in this system.

    £600 is not cheap and i'm led to believe that its very complicated.

    Side note; Once its up and running, the ability to maintain stock levels and track them through kits and matrix items is a dream. I've never seen a system do it so well. The system also supports (though we dont ever use) services and 'assemblies' These are when you have component parts, like fabric and thread, and you use that material to make a finished product that is then sold through your website. Again, this tracking of stock is absolutely bang on, just very complex and slow to set up.

    The website is not a new version of aspdotnet storefront.
    The site itself is actually a version of the ASPDNSF source code purchased by the interprise team in order to integrate a few years ago. What they did was modify the shop to allow orders to hit the accounting system in real time, and customer accounts to do the same. Stock changes the inventory people make are reflected straight away online. The problem with this of course is that since all that time ago since they took the old source and rebuilt it a lot has changed in ecommerce, and in the way aspdnsf works. There is no real online documentation for the shop. It makes it very difficult to find somebody to work with. I found 1 company that was willing to do some work on it ( http://www.webopius.com/ ) and they had very good rates. All others shyed away at the thought os working with such an 'old' version of the template engine. The template engine for the shop is based on xslt and xml packages. They seem odd to me but then... thats because i'm used to php and things like smarty. To a .net developer, i'm sure they make sense.

    Serious problem: The source code is not available. I can only edit so much of the functionality. For me this is a problem. I like to know that my cart has support. This one, really has not. Nobody in the Interprise office can help me with technical edits and they send all their web cart requests to a company in the Philippines for edits on their cart. This is slightly frustrating.

    Your desktop machines need to be beefy.
    I might have mentioned this in a previous post but when you want to connect to the database online you use a desktop client that is installed via an exe/msi. This software is heavy and needs a couple of gig of ram. The installed puts a local copy of MSSQL express in order to keep a cache of the data it pulls down from the web. This is ram heavy too. Less than 2gb and you'll be waiting for dialogs to pop up.

    Your internet needs to be beefy.
    I learned this one the hard way. The internet at the company i'm installing this system for is very slow. A single line is lucky if it gets 2mb down / 512k up. We had to call BT to get 2 more lines in and get 2 broadband lines extra, multiplex them and now, with 8mb we get a sort of satisfactory experience. If your internet is less than 4mb you will struggle on multiple users at a good speed. Imagine sorting your inventory of 5k items on this line speed? trust me, its no fun.

    Their office staff are friendly.
    Its true, I do think they do everything they can. Most of our requests and problems are met with logical solutions or reasons why its not possible.

    My verdict?

    Stock: I'd suggest that you only go for this is you have a small simple inventory and your business is growing. If your inventory comprises of stock items then jump in, you'll be able to import them and rock out very quickly. If your products have sizes and selectables then expect a LONG road to going live. If you're a small company growing then this system will grow with you and scale all the way up to multiple warehouses and thousands upon thousands of product lines. 

    Acountancy: From an accountancy persepctive this thing is the bees knees. Multiple users, all the bells and whistles its a serious work of art.

    Ecommerce: It lacks in punch what other web shops have. Its out of date a little and needs some love. Dont expect more features than the shop you get built. It's a nightmare to add more, there is no 'plugins' market for the web shop. It does support something called eshopconnect. This is a piece of software that sits between your interprise suite database and another shop such as magento or oscommerce. I've never used that but many claim it to work just fine, opening up the webshop possibilities somewhat.

    ^ link is to american website.

    So, i'm out. :)


     
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