Accounting Information Systems In DAVIES Bakery

Answer :

Executive summary 

This assessment unit will cover the importance and role of information management and effective communication management. Several business processes used by many organizations that could influence business operation adoption and selection of accounting software for improving financial structure amplifying the smooth running of the business. Analysis of the different type of accounting software, vendor and accounting software are evaluated based on their feature that would be beneficial to business operations given in scenario towards taking the business to the next level. The assessment report will also include the requirement of business for integrating accounting software in present business environment, system requirement that is essential for appropriate software selection along with a selection of adequate vendors to effectively implement accounting software without affecting present business operation ultimately increasing organizational effectiveness in the market environment. 

Introduction 

Accounting information system or AIS is the combination of both accounts as well as the information system that is giving us an effective method for managing the accounts along with various transactions of an organization. This type of system is used by an organization for collection, storage as well as to finance and data of an organisation. The data those are collected by this system is studied by accountants, auditors, managers and consultants for their future. On the other hand, the process of business is defined as the combination of various activities done for the execution and to achieving the goals of the organisation. In this report, the accounting software has been described. Also, there is also a brief description of the use of the Accounting information systems and its effects on the process of organisation. Along with this, the study of the business requirements of a bakery company of Australia named as DAVIES Bakery had been defined.

Background

The process of every business includes the inputs that are treated as resources of the organization. There are various types of businesses as well as industries such as manufacturing, health, finance, and travel. The DAVIES bakery is a business that is owned by the family and is running their business for more than 130 years. The founder whose name is John Davies is generous as well as a hard working man who is having a passion for producing the bread that is good and is of high quality. The fifth generation now runs this company if this family and has become the largest among all the large bakery companies of Australia. This bakery specifies that HACCP & SQF certify it; the factory is well equipped with modern and efficient machinery, and the process of quality assurance is done in a rigorous manner (Abdel-Tawwab 2014). This company is fully trusted and is supplying its products to all of the major retailers of grocery which are situated in Australia. They are also having the capability of producing the customised products for all of the retailers as well as the customers. This company have introduced an accounting information system for improving the communication and another process of the company. A baker is a manufacturer of all kinds of pastries, cakes as well as bread. The production of the bakery is done in various manners. The mass production is a process that depends upon the size of the bakery and demand of the population. The process of batch production is a type of production in which the products are manufactured in different batches. This type of production mainly provides smooth as well as the manageable process of production for the bakery business. The flexible type of manufacturing different types of machineries as well as equipments of new technologies is used. The process of production is adapted for manufacturing the high quality of products those are fresh and are produced according to the order of the retailers as well as the customers.

Business requirements 

What are the key business processes for your client? 

It is a phase in the development of software that felicitates all the requirements of the users for preparing the design of the system of future. For a bakery business, various types of activities are included in the process of manufacturing. Among those the indispensable activities, those are done in making the business successful. There are various steps of business requirements for the bakery business (Fico et al. 2015). These are the quality control, the process of storing, packaging, freezing in a cryogenic manner, packaging by the process of modified atmosphere and creaming. 

What outcomes are required from these processes to achieve business objectives?

First one is the quality control which is an essential factor in the food industry. After the processing of the food is done then the quality is checked that whether the foods are meeting the standard level. These quality control processes are very important for a bakery to run its business in a successful manner (Rosemann and vom Brocke 2015). Then the storage process is done where the processed food, as well as the raw materials and the ingredients, are stored with the help of effective technologies and innovative machines. In the storage room, the temperature must be maintained so that the quality of the product, ingredients and the raw materials can remain good. Then the products are packaged, and during this process, the products are handled in a careful manner. Packaging must be done in such a way so that it can enhance as well as maintain the product quality throughout the process of transport to the delivery of the products to the customers (Grujić and Grujčić 2016). The packaging also helps in providing promotion to the food products and also helps them to differentiate from the products of the competitors. An important process of the bakery business is freezing that done by the cryogenic freezing process helps in solidification of the products before they are being packed and ready for the delivery. This process also keeps the products fresh and can be used for long term. Another important process is packaging in a modified atmosphere that is used for the improvement of the quality of the product in an effective way of extending the stability of the products for a longer time. The last process is the creaming process where nitrogen is added to the cream and also to the products of the cream. This technique of adding nitrogen is a good technique; also this method is the best process for improving the reputation of the DAVIES Bakery.

Systems requirements 

What are some of the possible software features or functionalities that the firm should consider to achieve their IT investment objective?

In the case of DAVIES Bakery, although it is a big company, still it needed some software for the improvement of the working patterns and the quality of the product. This will help in the easy management of the company and also provides benefits in the manufacture of the products. While making the selection of the appropriate software, some points are needed to be considered.

 Software for accounting and costing must contain all the information that is related to the performance of the finance of the company. This software must have complete information about the turnover, performance and the profit of a company (Mayring 2014). All of these will help in the identification of the cost needed for the production in the business and also decides the prices of the bakery products. 

The compliance software helps the proper tracking of the execution process that is mainly done by the organisation to the retailer. This software mainly helps to change the environment that further helps in the maintenance of the stability of the business. This process is done by tracking the activities needed in the process of production of goods from raw materials to the final product.

The quality control is maintained by software that will monitor the quality of the products and if needed the improvement or the products will be done according to the demand of the market (Schilling and Neubauer, 2017).

The planning of the production is also maintained by software that combines the manufacturing and the accounting of the company. This software is maintained as a centralized system, and the information that is collected is used in the manufacturing.

The online delivery is a factor that is also maintained by software. It helps the customer to order the products through an online portal, and then the status of the delivery can be tracked by the customers. This software can also manage the tracking system as well as the mechanism of the company. In addition to this, the time and cost of the products can be updated with the help of this software.

The customer satisfaction is an important factor that must be maintained by the bakery and can also be done with the help software. This provides effective services by the bakery and also provides a source for the customers where they can give their feedback or can register their complaints about the product (Letier, Stefan and Barr 2014).   

Software selection 

Visit the websites of accounting software package vendors (e.g. SAP, MYOB, Xero etc.). You need to visit at least three (3) software vendors’ websites.

Few websites of accounting software as package vendors or software is known as vendor’s website could be Xero, MYOB and SAP that makes accounting easier than ever before (Wells 2018). Visiting website of this accounting software are-

Figure 1: XERO accounting software Web page 

(Source: Wells 2018)

Figure 2: MYOB accounting software Web page 

(Source: Arcega et al. 2015)

Figure 3: SAP accounting software Web page

(Source: Wells 2018)

Which category of accounting software (low, medium or high-end) suitable for the firm? Give your justifications in detail.

Accounting Software is a computer-based programs that assist accountants and bookkeeper in reporting and recording organizations financial transactions. The functionality and operational feature accounting software differ from product to product. Larger firms could choose an implementation of customized solutions that could integrate vast amount data from different sections of organizational departments. On the other hand, the smaller organization often selects the off-shelf products. 

Personal accounting software like MYOB plus for the window, Peachtree complete accounting and QuickBooks online accounting are often used by a single individual who could be a single owner of there with any employees or home users are basic in the feature, inexpensive and not require any particular training (Arcega et al. 2015). Towards implementing accounting software in a business organization, business authority needs to have a comparative analysis of available choices matching it with the requirement, necessity and feature of the organization. Few accounting software like Quick Book Pro 2003, Business Vision 32, Vision Point 2000 and ACCPAC are some examples of low-end accounting software that are used by small marketers and business that only serve single product serving in a single market. In addition, for medium-end accounting some of the software like SYSPRO, Great Plains (Microsoft) MAS 200 & MAS 90 and ACCPAC Advance Series Corporate Edition are broadly used by expended and large business that have their business operation in several countries where this software works on accounting standard of wide kind of transaction and nations in multiple currencies. ERP or High-end accounting software is expensive and complex than other software exists in the market that could allow the organization to analyse cost and time including all factors and effectiveness as well supporting soundness of investment of organization (Olson et al. 2015). 

As in the current scenario, the DAVIES Bakery is running a large business employing more than a large number of staffs/employees and increasing its business profitability. As going through kinds of accounting software available of account purpose and improving management, the efficiency of organization it could be proposed that ERP or medium end-accounting software for long-term investment in IT sector will lead organization business to next level. This software adoption would result in achieving cost efficiency providing a competitive edge to the organization because of increased management and production along with having proper control over the operational activity of the business. 

Vendor selection 

Compare and contrast the features/functionalities of two accounting software packages offered by accounting software package vendors within your selected category in (e)

As there should be the adoption of medium-end accounting software by DAVIES Bakery that would be simple to operate, available at affordable prices eliminating the complexity of use, ultimately giving a positive result to a focused organization. Some of the medium-end accounting software includes ACCPAC Advance Series Corporate Edition, Saasu, SouthWare Excellence Series, Xero, SYSPRO and Great Plains (Microsoft) MAS 200 & MAS 90 with Navision (Sadish and Kannan 2018). While comparing any of these medium-ends accounting would help towards identifying their capability to meet the business requirement on the basis of adaptability and feature, two of which are-

Saasu

This accounting software in the business operations is treated as future of accounting where it allows all kinds of business to have control over business operations by effectively managing cash flow without declining present profitability easily connecting with software without the requirement of any start-up. The respective software provides online accounting essentials, professional online invoicing, bank feeds, cash-flow forecaster and tracking of inventory with an additional feature of operation in multiple currencies more than 50 in number and fast pay runs (Sadish and Kannan 2018). Business operation in multiple currencies enables organizations to expand its business overseas in different countries. Whereas, in fast payroll feature it enables automatic calculation of tax, reviewing hours work for waged pay, scheduling pay run and tracking overtimes rate etc. Under the inventory section, the software allows organization of services and products that are offered, running voucher promotions at limited duration frame, connects to e-commerce websites and automatic updating of components and quantity as built.  

Xero

This accounting software was developed by an Australian company which is UK based provides the feature of cloud computing accounting for amplifying accounting ability of medium and small business sectors. The respective software helps in categorization, reconciliation, fast and bank transaction facility along with facilitating easy management of staffs effectively managing their wages, payments and tax of company (Mageto 2017). The software is available at an affordable price, and various features of it support business operations. It also comes with the feature of real-time monitoring of data and consisting a large number of subscribers satisfying them with a range of feature provided on desktop and mobile platform.  

Finding of comparing accounting mentioned above software accounts for many similarities in both of them like management of financial structure, cloud computing accounting and fast financial transactions (Hossack 2015). The difference has been found that Saasu is quite easy to set-up in comparison to Xero which complex while both of them offers the customized services. 

Which one would be the most suitable vendor and accounting software package for your client and why?

Given case depicts that DAVIES Bakery is interested in adoption of ERP or accounting software for enhancing their business performance and accounting segment towards providing a competitive edge to the company by creating stable business process. For evaluating which accounting software will suit the Bakery organization, two different kinds of software have been compared and analysed. After the complimentary study, Saasu accounting software has been chosen because of the few below-mentioned reasons-

 Customisation- Different version of accounting software that is used to develop business to the next level and fulfil the need and requirement of customers is helped by facilitating customization of customers. DAVIES Bakery should have to select the suitable version of software based on its business operation after evaluating advantages, disadvantage and feature of software towards meeting current and future demand for business operations. This respective version of accounting comes with a free trial that could be taken to test the suitability of it to the business. 

Size of business- DAVIES Bakery is large sized business employing a large number of employees and running its business for 150 years. Saasu accounting software is medium-end software that is used by large and expanded business organizations like DAVIES Bakery benefiting them to effectively manage operations and financial transaction of business offering the better financial position to business. 

Foreign transaction- The software facilitates a business transaction in more than 50 currencies consisting awareness of accounting standard of several countries. This feature will enable the concerned business to expand operations in other countries and amplify the reach of products (Bourne et al. 2017). 

Employee management-  Business employs a large number of employees. Thus it becomes more important for an organization to manage its employees towards achieving set target and objective of business. Under this, Saasu will offer management of employees, payroll, monitoring hourly wages, customizing user role for controlling who approves and edits pay and tax table update with no additional costs. 

Different platforms- Saasu is accessible from different platforms providing several tools and use of application over e-mails, desktop setup and mobile apps through internet facility. Here the bakery business could execute business from anywhere with having total control over every operation. 

It can be stated that Saasu will best suit the DAVIES Bakery business for accounting process and management of inventory in the organization. 

No extra startup- Implementation this software will not require any additional investment and start-up costs as it comes at affordable prices, facilitating the collaboration of CRM and e-commerce without disturbing business with accounting software functioning. 

Conclusion

After going through the reporting unit and analysing every information related to accounting software and there use in organization and business found that it plays an important in the effective management of every activity in the organization. Functionality and feature of different accounting software could support the expected outcome and investment management that has been described in the report. There is various type of accounting software available in the market, but the concerned organization in report scenarios could use medium-end accounting software that is widely used by large and expanded businesses without facing the challenge of setup complexity and advance knowledge of the operation. The respective organization could implement Saasu accounting software that comes in affordable prices and effective in managing business operation providing accessibility at different platforms like Mobile apps, e-mails and desktops. Business organizations operating their business in the current market environment need adaption of this software to keep the operation of the business process less chaotic and more manageable without wasting much of time on management.