MYOB began the year with the surprise launch of a cloud-based ERP for mid-size companies. MYOB Advanced Live is a localised version of a respected US program called Acumatica.
Some readers have asked how MYOB Advanced stacks up against MYOB AccountRight and Xero, but the programs are targeting different markets.
Xero and MYOB AccountRight are intended for micro and small businesses with less than 100 employees, though they were originally designed for about 20 staff.
MYOB Advanced is for companies with 100 to 500-plus staff and is designed to handle more complex accounting. For example, one subscription can handle multiple company files and provide intercompany consolidation and reporting. The inventory handles consignments, kit assembly, multiple warehousing and supplier purchase agreements.
Asset tracking includes depreciation and service schedules. The sales and customer management module can send bulk email marketing campaigns to customers.
MYOB Advanced is relatively affordable given the number of features at A$99 per user per month (NZ$109) for the entry-level Standard edition.
The Standard edition gives users access to all functions, while Plus (A$139) and Enterprise (A$179) add greater numbers of workflows and more licence types such as sales, warehouse, projects and finance.
An employee user licence costs between A$12 to A$25 depending on edition and volume.
MYOB sent through the full feature list. Here’s MYOB Advanced’s Edition_Comparison_Chart for those interested in what you get for each edition.
Pretty astounded they have no payroll Sholto – that’s a pretty major gap in that offering don’t you think ?
Now that you mention it, yes it is. I’m guessing we’ll see PayGlobal make an appearance…
Hi Richard / Sholto,
I was actually at one of the launch events earlier this week and payroll was discussed. It is currently being developed by MYOB’s NZ developers and will be released in the near future.
As this is the only module that MYOB are developing (or bolting on), it will be interesting to see how well in integrates with the rest of the platform.
All in all though, it looked like a fairly good product. I’m interested to hear some real live reviews once they have done some migrations across.
Shaun
@Richard @Shaun
This is the unofficial word on the street – from a very good source.
MYOB is currently developing Advanced People and it will go into pilot later this year. It’s a cloud payroll and HRMS solution developed for Australia and New Zealand and will integrate with MYOB Advanced Business.
Thanks for that Sholto…
I find it hugely interesting that MYOB are being commended fro introducing a localised ERP product that they have no apparent ownership of.
Accumatica looks like a pretty good product from the outside looking in but are local businesses going to be happy with this offering ?
I will be interested to see how this and the other MYOB headlines play out of the year of 2015 – I fear that this time next year may see a very different landscape in this market…
Lets wait and see…
MYOB has a minority investment in Accumatica – they wouldn’t say how much. I take the user perspective at face value; the more options for cloud ERPs in Australia the better. If it’s a good product already, and it’s been localised, why wouldn’t local businesses be happy?
Rich, sounds like you’ve got a strong opinion on why they wouldn’t be happy. Feel free to write it up!
Sholto you are right I do have an opinion.
Small investment aside, lets look at the market in AU with the “licensed” model as this seems to be the case.. The model works until the licence agreement ends – we all know what happens then…
So if you work on that experience you would have to guess that the Accumatica re-badge to MYOB Advanced is either a ploy to strengthen the businesses value position in the market leading up to a re-list or its a stop-gap solution to allow the business time to develop its own tech and deliver it replacing Accumatica.
All three of these scenarios are not confidence building exercises to build a user base.
I guess the question is – will the market accept (or even be aware of) a re-branded application when its targeted at the mid tier that really requires significant pre sale investment before they decide to move…
What would happen if one of the large, cashed up accounting app platforms decided to acquire Accumatica (NetSuite, Intuit, Sage, Xero, Microsoft, SAP…) ?
I think Accumatica is a solid product and it definitely has a place place in the AU market – what I am not sure about is the MYOB strategy or its intention long term – that we have not been told…
Anyway Sholto – just my thoughts !
MYOB cleared up their contractual arrangement with Accumatica in yesterday’s story. CEO Tim Reed says the distribution licence is “decades” long. Effectively MYOB can claim MYOB Advanced (Accumatica) as its own product.
So what is the target market, MYOB would need to be careful not to cannibalise there own MYOB EXO product.
Graeme – I am guessing the EXO product is heading out the door as part of the strategy of MYOB to make themselves relevant to the market setting themselves up of the IPO (or re-list) later in the year to fund the Bain exit…
I might be and have been known to be wrong..
From what I’ve been told by current EXO partners and MYOB, they plan to have both platforms in market for a good number of years yet.
They stated there is still resistance of cloud, more so in Tier 3 and Tier 2 companies who still only want a local server based solution. Which makes sense and follows the path of AccountRight in that it can be used as both purely desktop or cloud.
Hi Sholto,
I have just joined Leverage Technologies to launch their MYOB Advanced practice…relocating back from the US where I was the Vice President of Partner Strategy and Enablement and Product Evangelist for Acumatica for the last 18 months (after 11 years at SAP looking after SAP Business One)
Jacks comment above is correct, both Advanced and EXO will be in market as Advanced is SaaS only unlike the US model for Acumatica that allowed partners to offer it on-premises or in a private cloud.
I am more than happy to answer any questions anyone has about either Acumatica or MYOB Advanced and of course – keep and eye on our website and my postings via Social Media…as an evangelist, I have a lot to share…
Cheers
Richard Duffy
General Manager – Leverage Cloud Solutions
We use it and it is slow it is not worth using.
Stay away from MYOB Advanced.