This is more than a maintenance release so there is likely to be something in this release for almost everyone.
One of the primary aims of each release in 2016 is to attract users on older versions to bring their EXO Business systems up to date, so that they can take advantage of MYOB cloud platform services such as MYOB Bank Feeds , EXO OnTheGo and MYOB tax portals. These developments offer high value and allow businesses to retain the convenience of self administered (local, fully hosted or hybrid) databases and also leverage cloud services as they continue to come on line.
The purchase order entry screen has significant improvements in this version
This release also addresses a record number of items most requested by users and implementers of the EXO Business system.
The full release notes are available here, but in summary:
- NZ GST Returns. A new feature highlight for New Zealand users is the ability to submit and review GST returns directly to the IRD from within the EXO Business application via a new MYOB cloud service. MYOB is the first company in New Zealand to launch this e-GST service after working directly with the IRD on the project for many months. See how e-GST works
- Australian Taxable Payments Annual Report (TPAR) . For Australian users involved in construction related activity, there is a new cloud-based Taxable Payments Annual Report (TPAR) submission process using Standard Business Reporting (SBR). Previously, this annual report has been a significant pain point for users each year, as it has been very complex and time-consuming to submit electronically or manually in the past. Associated with this feature are methods to formalise the structure of Australian Addresses to specify the purpose of each address line e.g. State , Locality etc. See how SBR Taxable Payments works
- Purchase Order Entry. This version includes improvements to purchase order entry. This is the the single most requested feature based on user community feedback. The enhancements to purchase order entry incorporate recent enhancements pioneered in sales orders entry, utilising workflow customisation features, such as search templates, line-level Extra Fields and grid column controls, paste to grid etc. These allow you to further customise, refine and enhance the purchase order entry process to better suit your business process requirements. After upgrade, you will need to opt-in (via profile setting) to get the new purchase order functionality in this version. We believe the changed interface is overwhelmingly beneficial and does not present any immediate learning curve for existing users. In the next version (2016.3) this new functionality will become the default behaviour and the old functionality will be retired.
- Exporting Clarity documents to file. This topic confuses a lot of users but, the Clarity reporting engine handles exporting to files under two different use scenarios:
- The exported file is an "image' of the printed report with a vary similar layout. This is usually for electronic filing or emailing rather than a structured file for import into another software process.
- The exported file is 'Flattened' for import to other software. This often means that sub-header and footer data is sometimes converted to a more consistent columnar layout.
- Clarity has two different formatting tools for this. The printed report layout is maintained a WYSIWYG instinctive tool whereas the columnar export layout is both separate and, until this version, somewhat tedious to set up and maintain. Both format types can be stored within the same Clarity report definition. This version has improvement to the export setup parameters screen that make this setup easier and faster.ices installer is included here for convenience, but there is no change from the previous versions.
- G/L Trial Balance Tree. This screen has additional checkbox parameters Show Inactive Accounts and Hide Zero Balance.
- Display of Currency Symbols. Currency symbols such as those for Pound, Euro and Yen, are now displayed in values where appropriate based on the currency applicable to the account or transaction being viewed. Previously, screens displayed the currency symbol set in your windows location settings.
- Job Costing Date Validation. To better support perpetual inventory integration, period date range validation has been added to the transactions dates entered in EXO Job Costing screens.
- Extra Search Field Formatting. When adding additional columns to search screens ,a new formatting parameter is now available to apply the presentation for various field classes (such as Cost and Sell Prices, Quantities, Discounts, and Dates). This creates presentation consistency for decimal places, currency symbols, percentage symbol, and date versus date-time.
- Post Ledgers to G/L. This function can now be launched from operating system command line enabling it to be attached to a scheduler. This enables automation of G/L update as can be scheduled on a short (or long) time span.