PS Financials

[staningrimsby]

Hi Everyone,

 

I just have quick question for you all, does anybody use PS Financials as our finance officer has decided to ditch FMS

and go with this solution. She is very vague in what she is telling me as regards to the setup of the system so just wondered

if anyone is using it and wether you can answer my questions please;

 

1. I beleive it runs on SQL Server 2008 (do they do it themselves or is it left for me) ???

2. I also beleive it has a web portal for some reason, does this need any ports opening on the firewall etc

3. How easy are the clients to setup ???

 

Cheers in advance,

Stan.

[GREED]

I'm assuming you are a SIMS user for MIS? Don't forget to ask about SIMS integration experiences.

[elsiegee40]

I suspect he's at an Academy. My governor school is also a SIMS school and is also ditching FMS as it doesn't do what we need in terms of a multi-school academy. They're going with PS Financials too. Can't help on the technical side... it's not my network to play with Edited February 12, 2013 by elsiegee40

[Soulfish]

We run PS Financials here as our finance package. Coming from FMS be prepared for some big differences! Firstly it makes full use of SQL reporting services for its invoicing/PO part. This is the web portal that you've been told about. For instance we have a paperless ordering system. Everything is done via the web portal for budget holders, or delegated budget holders (including allowing budget holders to approve POs raised by others under their cost centre).

 

For the finance team you'll need to install the PSF client on their PCs. One thing to take note of is the fact that there isn't alot in the way of documentation (...a manual would be nice...) so make sure to take lots of notes when they do the install. They'll send you a technical requirements brief setting out what they need before their contractors can remote in and install the system. You'll also normally have some onsite training although we've found some trainers are a lot better than others

[staningrimsby]

Thanks Guys,

 

Yes we are a SIMS school and FMS for the time being, the first meeting with PSF is the 25 Feb but I dont think its anything to do with the technical side of thing.

[staningrimsby]

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Just a quick one for the PS Financials people out there, will it run on 2008 SQL Server Express R2 or does it need full blown SQL,

I have asked them the question as they want me to set this up ready but at the moment they havn't got back to me ???

[Jimmer3568]

We use PSF. Can't really comment on the technical aspects of the system, but I can say their technical support tends to be "variable", depending on who a call gets assigned to. Some of their support is very good, while at other times we've really has to chase to get things resolved.

[vikpaw]

I would go with full blown, as it's cheap enough on a school licence. Express limits, CPU, RAM and possibly other things, so if reporting services are restricted then you'll need full.

[staningrimsby]

I would go with full blown, as it's cheap enough on a school licence. Express limits, CPU, RAM and possibly other things, so if reporting services are restricted then you'll need full.

 

I realise what your saying but it would have to be installed on a shared server thats allready running 2008 sql express for SIMS, FMS (for the moment), sophos, backup exec its also running DNS, DHCP, AD, Print Server etc etc etc... Not sure if it could cope with full blown SQL.

[vikpaw]

you could upgrade the express instance, supposedly, seamlessly, and then just add an instance for PSF...

[staningrimsby]

Thats what i was planning on doing just didn't know if they insisted on full blown SQL or not,

the schools business manager will not be happy if they try to install it and can't.

[vikpaw]

I'd double check with @Soulfish

[john]

I would go with full blown, as it's cheap enough on a school licence. Express limits, CPU, RAM and possibly other things, so if reporting services are restricted then you'll need full.

 

Have you seen the latest SQL Pricing under EES @vikpaw? SQL 2012 has gone ££££ its no longer per CPU either its per core so all these new 6 and 8 core CPUs are making it eyewateringly expensive as I have just priced up the SQL for our new box 12 cores of CPU Power its cheaper to license it as SQL plus CALS for all the users who will access it ! But still very expensive

[vikpaw]

Actually, @john i saw it yesterday for another reason, i haven't seen actual pricing, but i noted the model has changed. the core licence is supposed to be 1/4 of the price, to make up for it, but to the NM's dismay, our new blades came 6-core!

I do like the idea of licensing the hardware, and having SQL as a cloud available to any number of VMs. Not sure how that will work though.

I was hoping not to have to change SQL for a couple more years, but the fancy business intelligence stuff sounds interesting. It's present now, but i guess it gets more exciting in 2012;)

[john]

All I know is when you have 12 cores to cover you need a lot of staff to make it cheaper than server plus CAL