Advanced Business Solutions wins Progress App Development Challenge 2013
9 October 2013 – Advanced Business Solutions (Advanced), a market leading provider of business applications (apps) and services has been named as the winner of Progress’ App Development Challenge 2013. The announcement recognises Advanced’s achievements in developing OpenMobile Expenses, a new expense claim management app which is fully integrated with the company’s workflow engine, eBIS, and financial management application, OpenAccounts.
The announcement was made by Andy Zupsic, SVP – Global Field Operations at Progress Exchange 2013, the company’s annual global customer and partner conference, and follows rigorous testing by a judging panel comprising members of the company’s senior management team and independent software development industry experts. The announcement has been made a week ahead of the official launch of OpenMobile Expenses, which is taking place at Advanced’s annual customer conference in London on 16 October.
Simon Fowler, Managing Director, Advanced Business Solutions, comments: “We are very proud to have received this award. OpenMobile Expenses is a highly innovative app which enables people to record and manage their expense claims when they are out of the office and on the move. Feedback from our customers led us to develop the app and it is a natural extension to the Advanced accounting software ecosystem.”
OpenMobile Expenses enables users to record and submit expense claims via their smartphones or tablets. This information is uploaded into Advanced’s eBIS and OpenAccounts solutions and then submitted to financial management personnel for processing. Expenses can be authorised or rejected by personnel who are also able to request further information about a particular expense.
The app can be pre-set with mandatory fields in order to capture key information, such as dates, the reasons for the expense and the amount, and enables expenses to be easily categorised via a simple drop down menu. All expenses are automatically checked to ensure adherence to company policies – such as maximum cost per meal- and those that contravene rules are automatically flagged for user review.
The application is also integrated with an online mileage application which calculates the distance between travel points. This ensures the complete accuracy of mileage and fuel claims before they are submitted.
Mark Armstrong, Vice President and Managing Director of EMEA operations at Progress Software comments: “We were looking for the most innovative app built using the latest version of Progress’ OpenEdge Mobile which stood out in terms of performance, commercial viability, creativity, user interface design and overall user experience. OpenMobile Expenses is an exceptional application that clearly meets all criteria and demonstrates Advanced’s expertise in using our mobile app development technology.”
“Advanced Business Solutions consistently innovates around Progress’ new technology and we’re confident that this will give them additional capabilities to take to customers in what is a competitive marketplace.”
OpenMobile Expenses has been initially developed for the IOS and Android platforms. Advanced chose Progress’ OpenEdge Mobile App Builder because of ‘write once, run anywhere’ functionality that enabled them to ensure the app was compatible with multiple mobile platforms without the need to learn device-specific languages or development environments.
About Advanced Business Solutions
Advanced Business Solutions (Advanced) provides leading integrated business applications and services that enable public, private and third sector organisations to retain control, improve visibility and gain efficiencies whilst continually improving corporate performance. Advanced prides itself on getting close to its customers by understanding their businesses and responding to their evolving needs.
Advanced’s software systems comprise core accounting/financial management, procurement, supply chain management, human resource and payroll systems, integrated with a range of collaborative, document management and business intelligence solutions to extend the value and effectiveness of the finance, human resource and payroll departments. Management information systems for school and academies are also provided through Advanced’s subsidiary, Advanced Learning. All solutions can be delivered as a managed or bureau service.
Customers are from both the public and private sectors and include Companies House, Newcastle City Council, NHSScotland, Norfolk Constabulary, Edge Hill University, WH Smith, Royal Bank of Scotland, Aer Lingus, National Express Group, DFS and RSPB.
Advanced Business Solutions is a division of Advanced Computer Software Group plc, a leading supplier of software and IT services to the health, care and business services sectors.
www.advancedcomputersoftware.com/abs
