I really like Spire Systems for most SBT, ACCPAC Pro and Sage Pro ERP upgraders, but not for all. This month’s email/blog lists a few of the kinds of businesses for which Spire is not a suitable solution.
Not-for-profit entities.
Not for profit organizations require fund accounting, a method of tracking sources and uses of funds. Spire sort-of does this in the Job Cost module (Spire has a Job Cost module), but I do not recommend it for NFPs. There are many, good fund accounting systems designed for NFPs. If you run a not-for-profit, buy something else, not Spire.
Multi-entity accounting.
Another high-level accounting requirement is multi-entity, G/L consolidation. What is this? If you own or manage more than one business and want to roll-up the financial results from all or some of them into one, big G/L, you consolidate. Spire does not do this, yet, alas. Your SBT Pro Series, ACCPAC Pro and Sage Pro ERP consolidates GLs. If you need this feature, keep what you have or look at something else.
Contractors, job shops and other project-bases businesses.
Spire’s Job Cost does a bit of project management and job cost accounting but only adequately, and nowhere near the level contractors, job shops and other, project-based businesses need. There are other ERPs that are better at this than Spire.
Catch weights.
Catch weights are used in meat, cheese, and fish distribution businesses and hardly anywhere else. Very few ERPs support catch weights and Spire is not one of them. With regret, I walked away from some otherwise good opportunities because Spire lacks catch weight support.
Style, color and size inventory.
This is a huge requirement in the apparel industry and Spire does not handle it. Maybe we will get it in the future. But Spire does not do it now so, now, if this is your business, Spire is not for you.
Make, model and year inventory.
Car parts businesses are all about vehicle make, model and year. Customers want to know which part fits in their vehicle. There are other ERPs that offer make, model and year support as a standard feature. Buy one of them, not Spire.
USA Payroll.
Spire has a Canadian payroll module but nothing for USA employers. I rarely recommend in-house payroll, but, if you must have in-house payroll and you are not a Canadian business, find another ERP that has it (such as QuickBooks).
Conclusion.
Do you see yourself in my little list? If you do, my only solution for you is to help you keep what you have or point you towards something else. Spire will not work for you, which is regrettable.
If you do not see yourself on this list, maybe Spire is a good fit. Tell me who you are and what you want, and I will tell you if Spire works for you. And, if Spire does not work for you, I will tell you that.
-Matthew Lefkowitz, Lefkowitz Systems, Inc., June 2021.
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