Experts in Finance Transformation, Unit4 Financials and Software Development

Upgrades

Unit4 Financials Version 14

Why upgrade?

As support is withdrawn for older versions (or there are compatibility issues with new hardware, databases, operating or communication systems), upgrading is advisable.

UNIT4 provides full support for the latest two releases, so many users of older versions are obliged to upgrade.

Upgrading avoids the risk of technical incompatibility issues and unsupported software, and It also ensures that the latest functionality is deployed, providing process efficiencies and cost savings.

Integration with third party reporting software such as Cognos and Business Objects as well as Procurement, Billing, Payroll systems are key considerations of the upgrade process.

What is new in v14

Unit4 Financials Version 14 is the latest software release from Unit4. The new version became available in May 2017.

The Highlights of the new version are:

1. Integrated Billing module

2. Flexi Fields on Transactions
3. Element Workflow

Plus a host of technical improvements. Details below

If you are currently using version 10, 11 or 12; view the 'what was new in version 13' section at the borttom of this page

Download Millennium's

What's New in V14 Guide

Element Authorisation

In order to ensure the accuracy of master data and minimize the risk of fraudulent creation or modification of key master data - e.g. supplier details - workflow capabilities have been added for creating and approving master data.

These workflow capabilities allow you to enforce the 4-eye principle for creation of new elements and business dimensions and will also minimize the risk of duplication or errors in the chart of accounts.

1. To authorise new elements before they can be used in transaction account codes. Optional & Variable for different uses of elements

2. To authorise changes to elements before changes are applied Optional & Variable for different uses of elements & different changes to elements

3. Enforced by all methods of Element Creation or Maintenance

4. Impact extends across all Modules

Independent of Company
Applied to individual Companies via Company Master
Multiple Rules per Company
Applied in list sequence & First applicable rule applies.

Element Authorisation Rules

Identify Element:

Identify Changes:

Download Upgrade Packages

Flexi-Fields on Transactions

The Flexi Field capability on element level has been extended to transaction level, which allows you to capture unlimited amounts of business-specific dimensions, perform more detailed analyses,

and calculate more detailed KPIs and intelligence, in order to support both strategic and operational decision-making.

Transactions that contain both financial and business dimensions will allow you to make more detailed and powerful analyses in our performance management solution (prevero) as well.

Includes:

Flexi-fields on Finance document headers
Flexi-fields on Finance document lines
Add/Edit after document entry
All Input methods
UI, XMLi/Web services, Table Link, Bulk load, XL
Available on transactional selection & presentation
Flexi-fields on document header and lines in new v14 Billing

Re-cap v13 Flexi-Fields

Flexi-fields on Elements:

Via Assisted Element
Via interfaces
Visible in Browse across all products

New Billing

This new billing module is fully integrated with the core of the Financials framework, so in many cases - though depending on the complexity of billing structures - there is no need for integrations with third-party billing systems.

The user-defined product catalogue - with individual item characteristics and rules - ensures accurate, complete and up-to-date data in your invoices and general ledger.

In order to comply with your invoice layout policies, you can easily design invoice templates in a drag-and-drop way and define invoice layouts and customer statements.

Includes:

1. Item Catalogue (Purchasing & Selling)

2. Ability to Design/Customise layout of screen (Drag & Drop)

3. Configurable data entry screens

Not simply a ‘reincarnation’ or ‘like-for-like’ replacement

Consider this a longer term project beyond V14

The billing feature set will evolve over multiple releases

Other Enhancements

The new release also delivers a range of other advances across the various functional areas of the solution. These are driven by planned developments, as well as customer enhancement requests, new statutory requirements and market innovations.

• Single user profile with designated capabilities per company

• Transaction lines allow multiple attachments, e.g. contract & invoice

• Ledgers can contain both financial and user-defined data

(Additional columns with, for example, flexi fields)

• User security enhancements improve data integrity and mitigate risk

(Password rules)
(Rights for unlocking and deactivating users)

• Separate debit and credit currency write-off improves analysis

• Unique pay proposal codes for easier identification and analysis

• Ability to create multiple dimensions consecutively with the assisted element template

• Single Sign-On across multiple domains via the Unit4 Identity Server enables 2-factor and cloud authentication

• Ability to invoke customizer from within the browser framework

• Field derivation improvements in input screens ensure accurate and efficient data input

Download V14 Overview

Technology Rationalisation

Discontinued

• Cadenza Billing

• Control Manager

• Windows client

• Cheque writer, WinPay, Callable link, OLE link.

• Deployment

• App server is an EAR •Container = Wildfly (JBoss), Websphere

• TKT March 2017

• Application Tier on Linux

Removed Functionality

• Intercompany across databases

• iGraphWidget User Extension API

Which type of upgrade do you require?

Millennium offer 3 main upgrade packages

Like-for-like Upgrade

This is a technical upgrade for clients seeking to remain on a supported version and/or upgrading technology across the company and require a compatible version of Unit4 Financials.

This option is a stepping stone to achieve future benefits without introducing major changes at the time.

This upgrade is only possible if the suitable technical infastructire is in place.

Like-for-Like Plus Upgrade

This package is for customers who would like to upgrade to V14 but would also like to take advantage of the new functionality to create additional benefits and efficiencies and achieve a few ‘quick wins’ as part of the upgrade.

Many organisations have grown and evolved since first implementing 'Coda'. The configuration and functionality remains as it was at inception.

The Like-for-Like Plus upgrade enables the Unit4 Financials system to be configured in line with the organisations new processes.

Re-implementation Upgrade

Your organization’s needs will have changed since the original implementation, due to increased volumes of business, more complex requirements, fiercer competitive pressures or enforced tighter controls.

This upgrade solution enables your Unit4 Financials system to support these changes, building on your existing investment, as opposed to the upheaval of the implementation of a new software solution.

A re-implementation provides you with an opportunity to achieve significant business and process improvements by overhauling the whole system including a new chart of accounts.

Note: Moving beyond V10 for POP & PIM involves a re-implementation of these packages and so a reimplementation of Financials at the same time may be the most effective solution.

For further information on Unit4 Financials v14, or to discuss an upgrade or book a demo, please call +44 (0) 845 604 4262, or complete the below form.

What was new in Unit4 Financials Version 13

Unit4 Financials Version 13

Version 13 was released in December 2014. The applications had been re-engineered to run in the UNIT4 product wide framework, to leverage current technologies to deliver features and benefits to the end user that would never have been possible in the previous Coda Browser framework.

Due to a combination of statutory requirements, customer enhancement requests and market innovation a vast range of improvements were made in the Financials area of the product, and here are some of the features that were introduced:

General

New Framework for user All Applications accessed from one menu.

Save Activities to a Favourites List.

History kept of recent activities.

Receive workflow messages as alerts

Financials

Enquiries

New Aged Analysis

Reference date on Browse Ledger

Browse Transactions (New) uses metadata

Administration Console

Flexi Fields

Unit4 Analyser – Browser based analysis tool

Workflow

Housekeeping

Financial attachments

Task List

Completion workflows

New scheduled tasks

Print Invoices

Print Statements

Ledger maintenance

Populate link tables

Customiser integrated into the application

Metadata – add new joins and vocabulary to existing views

Create and maintain repository folders

Printing & Emailing

Email template master – subject body & signature for use in invoices etc.

Print Options Master links Print Formats, Output Device & email templates

Print Format –Watermarks

Export/import Print Format Masters

Filter element selection in Generic Browse by filter users role

Link table import routine from source files

Credit Management

Diary management uses metadata selectors and presenters

Diary manager linked to user master

Credit Manager maintenance

Print Customer Statements – similar to Sales invoicing

New Aged table object on Print Formatter to include ageing on customer statements

Add elements directly to group masters.

Add attachments to elements