Platinum Software Corp, Irvine, California says it will ship Platinum for Windows, a local network based financial accounting system, next year. Using the same tool set as the client-server SeQuel to Platinum product, it includes a report generator, an interface with an Excel 5.0 ‘feel’ and improved help system. The product has mail-enabled workflow to give users parameters to establish business rules for building and processing documents and is optimised for Financial Report Extender, a Windows financial report writer, which has a spreadsheet format for report column and row definitions. In addition there are longer account code structures and master file records and split commission capability for Accounts Receivable. Its macro language enables faster application development and customisation and allows for linkage of modules to desktop productivity applications via OLE 2.0, MDI and DDE. The first three modules will ship in the second quarter and include General Ledger linked with Financial Report Extender, Systems Manager and Multi-Currency Manager. Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Purchase Order, Order Entry, Inventory Control and Asset Management will ship throughout next year. Ron Drake, the new managing director of the UK branch of Platinum Software, London, said that as well as adding to existing applications and developing new ones, using largely Sybase technology, Platinum will continue to acquire companies with compatible product lines to obtain resources, gain a head start on the competition and enter new markets. Finance for this is to come from the recent share offering which raised in the region of $80m. Lotzof & Associates, a privately owned systems integrator and software developer in Chicago, Illinois is Platinum’s latest acquisition. The two companies have worked together over the past six years and Lotzof is now developing a client-server cost management application called Cost Management System, optimised for Sybase SQL Server for integration with SeQuel to Platinum and to be released in Spring next year. Platinum has also opened a new distribution and customer support centre in Ireland. First quarter results from Platinum showed net profit up 458% at $1.5m on turnover that rose 160% at $15.5m.
