In financial management, it is seen that the choice of your operating system is key to the efficiency, security, and overall performance of your accounting software.
We speak about a robust and time-tested platform that stands out – the AS400 (Application System/400) Operating System.
While the AS400 operating system offers various multiple advantages for running an accounting software, finance heads like yourself may face certain concerns.
AS400 OS Limitations when Running Accounting Software –
Old AS/400 Software User Interface
Your organization’s AS400 accounting software may have a green and black screen or text-based or character-based user interface, which is less intuitive compared to modern graphical user interfaces. Your internal users who are accustomed to more visually advanced systems may find such user interface less user-friendly.
Solution – You’d need to craft a AS400 GUI modernization strategy as soon as possible – before your internal users complain about working on interfaces from the last century. Think about deploying your in-house AS400 resources to the project as soon as possible. If you currently lack the capability in-house, you can take the route of hiring new AS400 developers or partner with a technology service provider – who can execute your project at half the overall cost and twice the speed.
AS400 Accounting Software Integration Intricacies
Integrating your newer accounting software based on AS400 OS can be difficult. The AS400 system can get notorious for not seamlessly connecting with some of the modern applications or cloud-based solutions, requiring additional efforts for integration and data exchange on your part.
Solution – As a financial leader, you’d need start hiring for AS400 integration experts in-house or look for an AS400 integration service provider to get through the integration intricacies.
AS400 Accounting Software Customization Challenges
Customizing your AS400 based accounting software may present multiple challenges. Your system’s architecture, while robust, may not be as ready as more modern platforms, making it harder to implement specific customizations or tailor your legacy AS400 software to your unique business needs.
Solution – Bespoke projects like AS/400 customizations are not easy and we know that. Such projects usually need an entire SDLC (software development life cycle) before they experience the light of the day. Extending your internal team with capabilities sought from an AS400 development partner can be your best bet.
Lack of Expert AS400 Talent
Operating and maintaining your AS400 accounting software would often require niche talent. Your internal finance team may need extensive training to effectively navigate the system. Besides, hiring and retaining AS400 experts can be a challenge as they are costly and difficult to source.
Solution – Extending your internal team with AS400 accounting software certified experts from a technology partner. Nothing else would be as cost-efficient as this!
Your AS400 Accounting Software Perceived as Legacy?
Your AS400 system, while powerful, is normally considered a legacy technology by some of them out there. As a finance head, do you face such resistance from your stakeholders? You do your best to highlight your AS400 accounting system’s strengths for ensuring buy-in from all stakeholders, however is there anything you can do to turn this around and make it easier?
Solution – Yes, you can very well do a lot! AS400 software modernization or and immediate upgrade. How? By getting in touch with AS400 service providers who can consult, modernize, maintain, support your AS400 accounting software and train your internal team.
Internal AS400 Talent Allocation for Modernization is Difficult
Did we mention that modernizing AS400 accounting system can demand investing resources in terms of time, budget, and personnel? Finance and accounting heads like you may face the heat from your management to allocate resources for such projects. Then, how do you ensure smooth operations of your AS400 accounting software?
Solution – We’d say keep the hunting and allocating internal resources attempts aside. Reduce the resource-allocation negotiations with the management or the IT team, and shine in your meetings by suggesting partnering with an AS400 services and technology company. You’ll get the freedom to scale up or down resources as per your requirements, while executing the project at half the cost and twice the speed. Seal the deal!
Handling AS400 Accounting Software Scalability Concerns
We know that AS/400 is scalable! However, undertaking scaling projects may not be as straightforward. You, being the finance head, may encounter challenges when expanding your AS400 accounting software functionalities while adapting to ever increasing financial data volumes.
Solution – Either hire internally or borrow talent from an AS400 technology partner and hand over all the scalability project related elbow-grease to them.
Financial Businesses still prefer AS400 Accounting Software
Well, let’s step back and talk for companies that need a reliable and secure framework to operate their mission-critical applications, AS400 based accounting software is especially an ideal investment.
The AS400 operating system is developed for medium- to large-sized companies. It is a platform that offers a lot of versatility along with a broad spectrum of software applications to serve various organizational financial needs.
The IBM i framework has been employed for over two decades now, and the software solutions built on it are widely implemented by many organizations worldwide. Finance, banking, healthcare, manufacturing, and insurance are to name a few industries that leverage the capabilities of the AS400 system.
One of the most preferred software applications by businesses that are run on the IBM i platform is the AS400 accounting software. This software solution assists businesses in managing their accounts, financial transactions, and other relevant functions.
In this blog, we’ll cover all details pertinent to the AS400 accounting software. But before that let’s go through the various types of AS400 operating software.
What Are the Different Types of AS/400 Operating Software that Businesses use?
The AS400 operating system is a powerful platform for businesses that seek a reliable and versatile computing ecosystem. The following are some of the popular AS400 software applications used by businesses in all industries:
1. ERP Software
One of the most popular AS400 software used by businesses is enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Businesses can manage their finances, inventories, supply chain, customer interactions, and other essential operations with the use of the AS400 ERP software.
2. Database Software
The AS400 supports a relational database management system (DBMS) called DB2. In addition to DB2, the AS400 operating system can employ Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server, other third-party database software solutions.
3. Financial Software
AS400 based financial software enable companies to manage transactions across various omni-channel platforms. And such software is frequently built on the AS400 operating system.
4. Banking Software
The AS400 platform is renowned for its robust security features. There is a range of software solutions supported by the AS400 operating system for businesses like banks that need top-notch security, including data encryption, intrusion detection, and security management tools.
5. Accounting Software
The accounting software developed on the AS400 platform aids in the management of accounts receivable, financial transactions, accounts payable, general ledger, financial reporting, etc.
Now let’s understand what AS400 accounting software is in more detail!
AS400 Accounting Software Overview
The AS400 accounting software is a technological solution that is built to manage financial and accounting operations on the AS400 IBM i platform.
It equips organizations with a comprehensive set of advanced capabilities for handling invoicing, payroll, and other accounting tasks, as well as financial transactions.
By integrating with other applications, the AS400 accounting software enables companies to automate their business processes. As a result, companies can increase operational effectiveness, minimize human error, cut costs and time spent on manual tasks.
Features of AS/400 Accounting Software
As mentioned before, the IBM i AS400 accounting software offers a range of features that can assist businesses in streamlining their accounting procedures. The following are some of its critical features and functionalities:
1. General Ledger
The general ledger is a critical component of any accounting software, including the IBM i AS400 accounting software. Organizations can use this feature to keep track of all their financial activities, such as orders, expenditures, and payments.
It also enables the generation of financial statements, like income statements and balance sheets, that give a brief overview of a company’s financial situation.
2. Payroll Management
For most companies, managing payroll is a vital task, and the accounting software, built on the AS400 operating system, provides many capabilities to make this process easier to manage.
Businesses can use this tool to monitor vacation and sick leaves, manage employee benefits, and determine employee compensation.
In order to ensure that companies are in compliance with every applicable law, this software also enables the generation of tax filings and payroll reports.
3. Budgeting and Forecasting
Budgeting and forecasting tools are necessary for companies that want to manage their finances effectively and make reliable business forecasts.
To their rescue comes the IBM i AS400 accounting software, which offers a range of budgeting and forecasting features. These capabilities help businesses establish budgets, monitor expenditures against budgets, and predict future cash flows and income.
4. Accounts Payable
Another critical feature of AS400 accounting software that enables companies to manage all of their payments and outstanding invoices is accounts payable. This feature ensures that your invoices are paid on time, preventing late fees and penalties.
Additionally, it facilitates the tracking of payments from vendors and the generation of reports to enable organizations to evaluate their cash flow and manage their expenditures efficiently.
5. Inventory Management
Many organizations, especially those in the retail and manufacturing industries, place a high priority on inventory management.
AS400 accounting software offers a great many capabilities to help manage inventory and track stock levels. Additionally, it assists in managing the transfer of inventory between centers and reordering goods as inventory levels drop.
6. Compliance with Regulations
Accounting software can assist companies in complying with tax regulations and accounting standards such as SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) and GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles). This reduces the likelihood of incurring monetary or legal implications.
Additionally, the software solution offers tools for financial reporting, audit trail creation, and tax reporting to help organizations comply with regulatory standards.
7. Financial Reporting
The financial reporting feature offered by this software enables organizations to build financial reports, such as balance sheets, income statements, etc., that are reliable and accurate. You can generate these financial reports in real-time and tailor them according to your business requirements.
8. Fixed Assets
The fixed asset management feature of the AS400 accounting software keeps track of your assets and monitors their depreciation over time. It gives businesses a realistic estimation of the worth of their assets, enabling them to decide effectively on purchase, sale, or replacement of them.
Benefits of Leveraging the AS400 Accounting Software
The following are some of the key advantages of using the AS400 accounting software:
1. Accessibility
Accounting software gives numbers meaning while carrying out automatic calculations. They give non-accounting users the power to manage finances. Business owners and other employees can carry out all accounting tasks without any or minimal training.
You can perform all tasks while adhering to legal requirements using a desktop computer or a mobile device. And you can accomplish it without spending money on a third party to update the budget.
2. Security
The most important information for a business is its financial data, which must be protected from theft or accidental loss.
Exactly that is what accounting solutions do for their users—they guard against any threat to accounting and maintain a backup in case you need to recover the original documents.
The AS400 operating system is renowned for its security features, which include access controls, embedded encryption, and audit logs. This essentially means that organizations can rely on the security of their financial data.
3. Scalability
The AS400 accounting software solution provides its users with scalability by managing a massive number of monetary transactions. They accomplish this without any system crash or shutdown. That’s why it is an excellent choice for companies that need to process big chunks of financial data frequently.
4. Seamless Integration
This software application is compatible with other tools and apps built on the AS/400 platform. Its integration capability makes it easier for accounting software to integrate seamlessly with:
- Customer relationship management systems
- Supply chain management systems
- Inventory management systems
5. Reliability
The AS/400 software platform has a reputation for reliability. The software is known for its outstanding uptime and is built to run nonstop 24 *7. This means that companies don’t need to be concerned about system outages or downtime when employing the software to organize their accounting data.
6. Multi-currency Support
Multi-currency capability is a crucial component of AS400 accounting software for companies that operate internationally or trade with foreign currencies. Businesses can use this functionality to track currency rates and manage multiple-currency transactions.
7. Automation
The AS400 accounting software provides organizations with automation capabilities that assist them to save time and eliminate human errors.
Setting up your accounting software requires an initial time investment, just as with any new software system. But once you do, it will automate tedious and repetitive bookkeeping and accounting operations, saving you hours of effort every week.
For instance, companies can automate the steps that involve creating reports, generating invoices, and setting up payments. This frees up resources for other operations and saves organizations money and time on manual tasks.
8. Customization
There isn’t any “one-size-fits-all” accounting software system because each organization performs different financial calculations and follows a unique set of standards.
However, the AS400 accounting software is a flexible software application that you can customize according to your business operations. This is one of the best advantages of the AS400 platform and can certainly help your business grow.
This functionality helps you add new capabilities to your accounting software, update its user interface, and integrate it with other tools and applications.
9. Cost Savings
AS400 accounting software takes charge of your revenue stream and automate administrative procedures and fundamental calculation processes. This application also reduces the need to hire external finance management expertise.
In addition, it lowers the cost of printing and publishing finance documents and store critical information in secure places that are carefully always monitored.
10. Accuracy
When you use AS400 accounting software, you don’t have to manually update several cells in multiple sheets every time you make an adjustment to your records. Rather, any adjustments you make will be automatically reflected in your financial statements and reports, enabling you in maintaining accurate data.
Now you are aware of all the critical features and benefits of the AS400 accounting software built on the AS400 operating system. The only concern that remains is where you can get one developed tailored to your business needs or update your existing legacy accounting software.
Build a Custom AS400 Accounting Software with Integrative Systems
In financial management, it is seen that the choice of your operating system is key to the efficiency, security, and overall performance of your accounting software.
If you are you looking to custom develop, upgrade, and optimize your cost-effectively?
Integrative Systems is here to help you!
Integrative Systems is an AS400 development company whose primary goal is to help you transform your vision into reality by providing you with excellent AS400 software development and support services.
Our in-house AS400 development team boasts technical expertise and experience in designing and creating high-end AS400 software solutions for various industries, domains, and verticals.
As we have 20 years of experience in this field and are an IBM Silver Business Partner. You can put your trust in us when it comes to AS400 applications of any complexity.
Contact us today at [email protected] for your IBM i AS400 accounting software needs!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the IBM i AS400 Operating System?
Ans: The AS400 operating system is a native framework created by IBM for their AS/400 range of computers. It supports a variety of business applications and has proven to be reliable, customizable, scalable, and secure for its many users worldwide.
2. What are Some Well-Known Software Solutions that run on the AS400 Operating System?
Ans: Some of the well-known software applications that run on the AS400 operating system are:
- Accounting software
- Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
- Security software
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software
- Database software
- Supply chain management (SCM) systems
3. Is the IBM i AS400 Still Used in 2024?
Ans: Yes, the AS400 operating system is still widely in use even in 2024 and is singularly known as IBM i. It is still a customer favorite worldwide, and users/business owners who want to run their apps seamlessly choose this robust and scalable operating system.
4. Which Programming Languages Does the AS/400 Framework Support?
Ans: Java, C, COBOL, C++, RPG, and a host of other programming languages are supported by the AS/400 system. As a result, it serves as a flexible framework for the development of various software applications.
5. Where to Find Skilled IT Experts Who Can Work with the AS400 Framework?
Ans: Finding skilled IT professionals who can custom develop a new AS400 software or upgrade an existing one can be challenging, as it is a niche technology.
However, you can hire an AS400 development company such as Integrative Systems, which has a vast pool of IT experts with years of experience working with the IBM i framework.
