NeXT is designed to enhance the industry’s operational and analytical needs. Capable of handling everything from retail bar-coding to restaurant recipes, NeXT simplifies day-to-day duties and enables its users to be better buyers, merchandisers and accountants. DataWorks’ software captures and updates POS information and funnels AP & GL data to your financial systems. The NeXT Overview document linked below goes into greater detail explaining all the features of NeXT. Take a look!
NeXT v5 Feature List
We are often asked "What is included in NeXT v5?" Version 5 (code named "Needlefish") is about accounting.
It includes a real time General Ledger interface among many other features
Enhancements
Major -----------------------
Change Cost After Receiving: During invoice reconciliation accounting personnel can audit and correct an item's cost from a processed Packing Slip. An inventory item's cost is updated based on the audit.
New Financial Event: Cost Adjustment / Variance: This event was added to the existing financial events (Inventory Asset, Revenue, COGS, and Shrinkage). When an item's cost changes greater than a defined max adjustment percentage, the system will throttle the change of cost to the maximum percent and post the difference to a journal entry for cost adjustments. This is helpful when an invoice with a cost change arrives after the majority of the items are sold and low in stock or totally out of stock.
Average Cost Smoothing Within Company: Cost changes are now weighted against the Company's Onhand value rather than the Facilities OnHand value. When an item is received with a new cost, the new value is added to the company value of the inventory, and all inventory items belonging to the same company are updated with the new cost. This cost smoothing allows for fewer swings in the cost of an individual inventory item. If the GL interface is turned on this smoothing event creates various debits and credits to the appropriate asset accounts.
Partial Packing Slip Posting To AP Invoices: System now allows for partial quantity posting from one or many Vendor's packing slips to an AP invoice. Vendors who mix and match their invoices and packing slips can now be managed.
General Ledger Interface: Journal entries are created to debit and credit the increase and decrease of the inventory assets. Real time entries are created for Sales, Receiving, RTVs, Transfers and Physical Inventories.
PO Clearing Account Journal Entry-Eliminates Accruals For End of Month: Journal entries are created at the time an inventory item is received or returned to the vendor. Debits and Credits are made to Asset accounts and the PO Clearing account. At the time an AP invoice is approved for payment, Accounts Payable is Credited and the PO Clearing account is Debited, keeping your system's Balance Sheet in sync with DataWorks perpetual inventory system.
AP Invoice Form: Form's user interface improved. Status Command Buttons added. Unlimited internal Notes tab added. System allows for limiting posting of receipts from one Purchase Order or all Purchase Orders.
Time to Floor Calculation: System allows for the forecast of a Vendors lead time by subclass. Options allow for various methods to create forecasts based on statistical analysis.
Flexible Inventory Analysis Periods: System allows for the flexible analysis of inventory sales and onhand values over one or more periods of days, weeks, months, quarters or years. Data can be mined for forecasting sales trends.
Minor -----------------------
Status Form: Status form in System Admin now has "Can be Auto Re-ordered" flag for Inventory Statuses.
Inventory Type Form: Inventory Type form now has the following flages "Can be Auto Re-ordered", "Menu Pricing Allowed", and "Consume When Rule" (Sales, Transfers, Receiving).
Receiving Form: Retail audit changed to reflect changes from PO's input. Void method sped up. If a Transfer Event will be triggered from a receiver, it occurs after the receiver's cost have been posted.
Facility Form: Facility form now has Tax Included Rule (Never, Sometimes, Always). Facility form now has a flag for "Exclude from Suggested Reorders".
Inventory Item Form: Inventory form has check box to indicate Retail or Facility has Tax Included rule. The Ticket Exception for Inventory allows override of Product, Vendor, and Subclass definitions of Ticket Type. Now allow definition of Min Max Plan specific for the Inventory item. Removed the old style command button and made the Ticket on demand a green hyperlink.
Employee Form: Employee form added "Report To Supervisor" field and added Signature Image Tab.
Financial Period: System warns when posting to a Closed Financial Period and uses current Period instead.
Suspense Account Log File: When a Suspense Account is used, the event leading to its' use is logged to the Suspense.log file. The Suspense.log file is located in the same directory as the NeXT security tables and other log files (i.e. Next.log)
Sales Interface: Sales Imports and Inventory Exports can now be run with separate times of day which are independent of a Facilities End of Day. Polling Intervals are now configurable from every 5 minutes to once every 24 hours. SLU Menus are now designed with SKU data rather than existing Inventory records. This allows for SLU's to be defined for MICROS Shared revenue centers. IC Export V. 2 now supports Tax Included. HTNG - Style Web Service Interface to ResortSuite POS system now supported.
User Defined Defaults: Defaults Values for Product Input can now be specified for User Defined Lookup Fields. The User Defined Lookup Fields and User Defined Input Fields for Product Input can now be setup to be either allow null or require input. Product Attribute 1 is now part of what makes a Product unique. Now a Manufacturer+MFR Part No+Subclass+Attribute 1 must be unique. This allows Logos to be defined at the Product level.
Reports: Receiving - Added two new Partial Posted Receiving Reports.
New Import-Export Standards. Includes Real-Time GL Export
Recent enhancements to NeXT included a complete real time General Ledger export. This interface became available with NeedleFish A and was installed on 6/25/2008 at Grove Park Inn.
The G/L interface is sold as a separate module and the file layout of the export is available for review by clicking here.
Additional export examples are available on request. Contact support [ at ] dataworksinc.com
HITEC 2008 Movies
We featured a couple of new movie clips at HITEC 2008. This first one is a fun advertisement into what we do here at DataWorks. If it seems we may like the comedy group Monty Python, you caught our point. click here to instantly enjoy the flash presentation. No need to have speakers, there is no audio component to the clip.
We got a lot of chuckles from this silent piece at the show, hope you do too. The second clip is an instructional piece that Matthew Kellas, our Director of Implementation and Training, created. It is a tutorial on how to utilize the Inventory's drill down functionality. Click here to download the Quick Time video.
You will need your speakers turned to hear Matthew walk you through the features
ARMS End of Life
At the 2008 Users Conference, DataWorks CEO Mark Cecil announced the end of life for DataWorks maiden product ARMS. First shipped in 1986, ARMS has had a long, distinguished career. Its resume includes being first deployed on AT-class PCs. It also saw deployment on SCO Xenix, early peer-to-peer LANs such as Invisible LAN, followed by stints with Novell and Windows 95.
The product saw its last major improvements for Y2K, with the final maintenance upgrades shipping in 2001.
Some ARMS users have already migrated to NeXT, but many users still utilize ARMS features and the DOS interface to this day.
But DataWorks' new product, NeXT, has surpassed ARMS in functionality and usability, and it is time to retire the old seasoned product and replace it with DataWorks' second generation product. Aug 1, 2009 will be the last day any ARMS modules will be sold.
March 1, 2010 will be ARMS last day of support
Registered ARMS users can convert to NeXT at no charge for the software.
Training and project management for NeXT are time consuming and require professional services from DataWorks in order to implement the conversion.
DataWorks offers group training session for organizatons wanting to convert to NeXT at a cost less than a typical private training project.
NeXT v5 Unveiled
During the 2008 Users Conference held on May 13-May 16, 2008, in Naples, Florida DataWorks CEO, Mark Cecil revealed the feature set of the upcoming version 5 of NeXT, code named "NeedleFish".
At the conclusion of the presentation, Cecil stated that Needlefish will ship on or before September 2008.
The version following Needlefish is already being planned and Cecil invited conference attendees to log in to the client portal of DataWorks web site and cast their votes for the features they would like to see in future versions.
DataWorks, Inc. Announces Completion of Software Rollout at The Ritz-Carlton Hotels in the United States and Caribbean
(Bonita Springs, Florida – April 23, 2008) DataWorks, Inc., a leading developer of retail/merchandising inventory solutions software, is pleased to announce the completion of their NeXT™ software rollout for The Ritz-Carlton.Recent installations are a milestone for DataWorks, bringing the total number of The Ritz-Carlton properties utilizing DataWorks’ software throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Caribbean to 20 locations. The roll-out peaked with five go-lives in late fall of 2007. The most recent property to be included in the roll-out was The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Kapalua, Hawaii. Additional locations will be added during the coming months.
The Ritz-Carlton roll-out installations of NeXT™ include:
- The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, Amelia Island, FL
- The Ritz-Carlton Bachelors Gulch, Avon, CO
- The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Dallas, TX
- The Ritz-Carlton Denver, Denver, CO
- The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman
- The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay, CA
- The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, Key Biscayne, FL
- The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, CA
- The Ritz-Carlton Marina Del Rey, Marina Del Rey, CA
- The Ritz-Carlton Naples Beach Hotel Spa, Naples, FL
- The Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL
- The Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Kapalua, HI
- The Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas, Henderson, NV
- The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
- The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach, Manalapan, FL
- The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds Plantation, Greensboro, GA
- The Ritz-Carlton San Juan, San Juan, PR
- The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, Sarasota, FL
- The Ritz-Carlton South Beach, Miami Beach, FL
- The Ritz-Carlton Westchester, White Plains, NY
The legacy of The Ritz-Carlton begins with the celebrated hotelier Cesar Ritz, the “king of hoteliers and hotelier to kings.” His philosophy of service and innovations redefined the luxury hotel experience in Europe through his management of The Ritz Paris and The Carlton in London. The current management company, Marriott International, was established in 1983 with the purchase of The Ritz-Carlton, Boston and the rights to the name Ritz-Carlton and has grown from one hotel to 70 hotels in 23 countries.
“The Ritz-Carlton now has twenty locations utilizing our product and we are pleased to provide an inventory solution that utilizes over 100 years of personal retail experience along with extensive customer feedback. We believe NeXT is the best product available to help our customers streamline their inventory operations to positively impact their bottom line. The Ritz-Carlton is known for providing superior customer service at all levels. We are confident that our software is the best and most efficient inventory solution for their daily operations,” says Mark Cecil, DataWorks’ president.
“What makes NeXT software stand out in the marketplace is that it is specifically designed to maintain inventory while seamlessly communicating with existing POS and accounting systems. NeXT will automatically update point-of-sale systems with new menu items and SKUs, as well as new pricing and on-hand information,” says Cecil. About DataWorks, Inc. and NeXT™ Since 1986, DataWorks has excelled in helping customers streamline their inventory operations. DataWorks, Inc.’s flagship product - NeXT, is a real-time merchandising solution, offering inventory, sales and purchasing systems for Retail, Food & Beverage, and Fixed Asset management. NeXT provides corporate inventory solutions to all sizes and types of retailers including; amusement parks, casinos, museums, stadiums, resorts, and zoos, as well as more traditional retailers.
Clients utilize NeXT to handle day-to-day chores of purchase orders, pricing, bar coding and theft prevention. NeXT enables retailers to be better buyers, merchandisers, and accountants. The system designs incorporate accurate and up-to-date inventory tracking and analysis, purchase order creation, sales analysis, reporting, physical inventory, and barcode ticketing. For more information on DataWorks, Inc., visit their website at www.dataworksinc.com or call 239-444-1030.
Real Time Sales with SpaSoft
DataWorks, Inc and PAR Springer-Miller Systems, Inc. are pleased to announce they have created a real-time interface between NeXT 3.0 and SpaSoft 3.0.5.20 and have certified the first installtion at Ritz Carlton's Half Moon Bay Property. Inventory items created in DataWorks flow seamlessly, automatically and in real-time into the SpaSoft System via SMS|Diplomat. All POS transactions performed in SpaSoft are reported automatically to DataWorks in the same effortless way.
“With this leading edge interface to DataWorks, SpaSoft users will benefit from increased operating efficiencies and reduced costs because it supports a centralized inventory system, streamlines inventory operations and eliminates double entries,” remarked Brigitte Diem-Guy, General Manager of SpaSoft Operations for PSMS, “Clients with inventory spread over a large property or multi-property sites will appreciate the value of this powerful, state-of-the-art interface.”
“This relationship gives our mutual resort customers a best-of-breed solution for spa inventory control," stated Mark Cecil, CEO of DataWorks. "With our combined presence in the leisure and entertainment market we now offer a means to consolidate purchasing and inventory control operations using our DataWorks’ NeXT system. For Enterprises, this interface is a bridge that uses secure internet technology to create needed economies of scale, coupled with real-time inventory on-hand values and sales analysis.”
The interface utilizies numerous internet technoogies including: Web Services, SOAP and XML. It is the desire of DataWorks, Inc to offer the interface as a standard for HTNG.
Contact (support@dataworksinc.com) for further information about the interface format.
"SandFlea" Webinar Published
Version 3.0 of NeXT - code named "SandFlea" Webinar Published.
Development of the Version began on Oct. 11, 2005. It is packed with new features and user-requested enhancements.
Today DataWorks has published a detailed webinar overview of the release of SandFlea. It is an hour long presentation of the changes that have been done in this release.
Click here to view the flash version of the webinar.
Or download the PowerPoint Presentation by clicking here.
"Sandflea is about user productivity. We listened to our users' challenges, and then totally re-engineered the day-to-day forms. We tackled visual design issues such as screen clutter, information grouping, and visual clarity, plus we sought reductions in keystrokes and mouse movements," stated DataWorks CEO, Mark Cecil.
"Next we ripped into speed issues. We timed each form with a stop watch, if it took longer than 3 seconds to load we dove into the inner workings of the data and we evaluated what data was needed when -- that gave birth to hyperlinks to access related data," continued Cecil.
"In addition, this version has some great new features including Retail Markdowns, a Recipe sub-system for our food customers, and Employee Access Policies that are part of our Enterprise Model.
"This is a big release. The code name 'Sandflea' suggests something quite small and minuscule - but our users are receiving the most significant changes to the user interface since we shipped NeXT 6 years ago," finished Cecil.
DataWorks attending HITEC Trade Show June 16 -19
DataWorks an industry leader in the retail and hospitality inventory control applications for more than 20 years, is proud to announce our attendance at the HITEC Trade Show in Austin, Texas from June 16th through the 19th. Booth 1625. HITEC offers a unique combination of top-notch education and the world’s largest hospitality technology exposition combined with the intimate opportunities to connect with fellow professionals. Industry peers and experts lead sessions, and the unparalleled expo showcases the latest industry products and services from over 300 companies.
We are pleased to offer attendees the opportunity to meet members of our Customer Service and R & D teams. To schedule a meeting or receive a pass to the show from our limited supply please contact Guy Ardizoni 800.776.2102 x 574
Hospitality Upgrade Article
DataWorks, Inc was profiled in the 2006-Fall publication of Hospitality Upgrade magazine. Click here to visit the Hospitality Upgrade web site.
The content of the article follows:
When you’re counting inventory, count on DataWorks. If you’re tracking T-bones in Tennessee or purchasing purses from Peru, DataWorks provides the experience and systems to take care of your operations, interfaces and analyses. Whether your operation is one store, one property or a vast enterprise, DataWorks has an inventory software solution for you.
Since 1986, DataWorks has excelled in helping customers streamline their inventory operations. Clients utilize DataWorks’ software, called NeXT™, to sweep through the tough day-to-day chores of purchase orders, pricing, bar coding and theft prevention.
Clients with inventory spread over a large property, such as a theme park or vacation resort, use DataWorks’ warehousing, distribution, transfer and allocation features to track and trace each item’s present location and history.
Enterprise customers are able to scale multiple language and currency barriers and cross geographic and language borders, achieving economies of scale with centralized purchasing and drop shipments. Even issues with cost and retail pricing, associated with tariffs and unique taxation issues, are handled for international clients.
Having your inventory under control is great, but having it seamlessly communicate with your POS and accounting systems is what makes DataWorks truly stand out in the marketplace. While you’re counting sheep, DataWorks is automatically updating your point-of-sale system with new menu items and SKUs, as well as new pricing and on-hand information. Clients can eliminate costly double entries when used with InfoGenesis, HSI, MICROS and PAR Springer-Miller systems.
Additionally, DataWorks provides interfaces to accounts payable systems, putting smiles on the faces of controllers and CFOs around the world—and we all know that keeping those individuals happy is very important.
Once information is flowing through the system, the value of putting DataWorks in place can be truly analyzed. Reporting capabilities include information about bestsellers, poor performers, cost-of-goods, gross profit, turns and stock-to-sales.
Client history has made DataWorks well-known for retail excellence and expertise in the hospitality market. The company is now expanding their market to include an F&B inventory system that works hand-in-hand with the DataWorks’ centralized system. Commodity purchases, recipes and food-cost analysis are now available with their F&B modules.
Systems can be implemented at the property level using a traditional local software install in a client-server or terminal server environment. In addition, an alternative is offered with the MyDataWorks ASP server farm, which is a viable solution to get your site up and going quickly. Support, upgrades and enterprise solutions are simplified with its ASP hosting solution.
Where is DataWorks going with NeXT™? Fixed assets and general purchasing will be in future releases. And new systems are built with the enterprise client in mind. Multiple currencies, multiple languages and multiple vendors are all part of DataWorks’ NeXT system’s current capabilities.
Peoria or Paris, Tennessee or Tahiti—you can count on DataWorks.
Physical Inventory - The Movie
DataWorks' customer service group has produced and released an animated documentary movie on Physical Inventory functions for its flagship product NeXT. Mining through the hundreds of support calls that are fielded on Physical Inventory functions, the group produced a 21-minute documentary that allows users to review, remember and relearn aspects of the system that are commonly forgotten or are confusing.
"Our customers are great, but let's face it, if you only do a full phyiscal once a year, you are going to forget things. Add some sleep deprivation from an all-night count, plus fold in a Type-A Controller or GM needing the numbers yesterday, and you got all the ingredients for a full-course meal of stress," said Matthew Kellas the animated flick's co-producer.
"The Movie was designed with the end user in mind," stated Lynn Thomas, the short's other co-producer. "We understand that our clients have questions concerning the process and we wanted to give them a way to get questions answered while having some fun. The characters in the movie each put a different spin on their topic. I believe you will find the movie is informative and you will be find yourself anxious to see who will be the next character and what they will cover."
The piece concludes with a survey that allows the end-user to critique the film. Feedback from the user community will help direct future DataWorks productions.
NeXT Ver. 3.0 Staged to Ship
Development of the Version began on Oct. 11, 2005. It is packed with new features and user-requested enhancements.
Click here to read the release notes.
"Sandflea is about user productivity. We listened to our users' challenges, and then totally re-engineered the day-to-day forms. We tackled visual design issues such as screen clutter, information grouping, and visual clarity, plus we sought reductions in keystrokes and mouse movements," stated DataWorks CEO, Mark Cecil.
"Next we ripped into speed issues. We timed each form with a stop watch, if it took longer than 3 seconds to load we dove into the inner workings of the data and we evaluated what data was needed when -- that gave birth to hyperlinks to access related data," continued Cecil. DataWorks, Inc announced that Version 3.0 of NeXT - code named "SandFlea" will ship in the first quarter of 2007
"In addition, this version has some great new features including Retail Markdowns, a Recipe sub-system for our food customers, and Employee Access Policies that are part of our Enterprise Model.
"This is a big release. The code name 'Sandflea' suggests something quite small and miniscule - but our users are receiving the most significant changes to the user interface since we shipped NeXT 6 years ago," finished Cecil.
Plans for DataWorks' following version, "Scaled Sardine," are already being drawn out. Scaled Sardine will include additional barcode hand-held support and a top-down Budgeting system. "That's not the complete scope," said Cecil. "We have a lot more enhancements and surprises planned. What's life without a surprise or two?"
Support Status Now Online
Users with open support cases can now monitor the progress of their case through the DataWorks web site. As DataWorks staff member evaluate and address your support issue, you can review the progess of the case on the web.
Here are the steps involved:
- Log into the www.DataWorksInc.Com web site. ***
- Click on the Review Support Case Tab.
- Enter the email account that was used to open the support case. -OR- Enter the Company Name and Case Number your issue was assigned.
- Review the Progress of your Case.
*** If you do not have a DataWorks Inc Web Site account, contact DataWorks support staff and instructions on creating an account.
Dataworks Adopts GoTo* Products
After a seven month test, Dataworks, Inc has selected a suite of secure remote access options from Citrix Systems, Inc (Nasdaq: CTXS). These security minded, web based products are called GoToMyPC Corporate and GoToAssist. The GoTo* products have enabled Datawork support staff to connect in a fast, reliable and secure manner to end users sites. Support Staff can provide support when ever they have internet access. Mark Cecil, CEO of Dataworks stated, "I know security is on everyone's mind - and it should be - so I feel especially happy about using these products. Citrix has done their homework and they have gotten in right." Laura Dywer, Directory of Customer Support echoed Cecil's comments, "We have been using the GoTo products on all new installs since July of 2005 and the results have been fantastic. The most amazing fact is that our open support cases have dropped 80 Percent." Dataworks has purchased over 250 licenses of the Goto Corporate product and is actively replacing PC-Anywhere installations with these products. For more introduction about the GoTo* products visit the Web Site : www.GotoMyPc.com.
Back Home after 465 days
(Bonita Springs, Fl) Dataworks has finally returned to its corporate offices after being displaced by Hurricane Charlie. On August 13th, 2004, Hurricane Charlie roared through South-West Florida, causing structual damage to the roof and windows of Dataworks corporate offices in Bonita Springs, Florida. After 15 months of temporary housing, Staff members returned to work on November 28th, 2005. Dataworks made use of many virtual office and internet technologies during its diaspora. VOIP Phone technology by Inter-Tel, Citrix Server, GoTo Products, Groove Software, and daily all-hands-on-deck conference calls kept the software development company running "The toughest part of our homelessness was training new staff", said Mark Cecil, founder and CEO of the 19 year old company. "Culture is built upon place and people. Without a home is was difficult to give a new hire a sense of what they belonged to and were working for. But once we settled into some temporary housing and began our daily vitual meetings, we got a rhythm going again." In the wake of the Hurricane, the software company took additional steps to prevent an interruption of business in the future. The company moved all of its servers and data into an off-site secured data center operated by US-Lec. This bunker gives the companies employee and customers additonal reserves in case of Intenet or power black-outs.