Star makes O’Brien’s accounts system really shine

The Irish-flavoured pub and restaurant group’s upgrade to Greentree has made its complex accounts system really hum...

Best known for its chain of P.J. O'Brien’s contemporary Irish pubs, O’Brien’s large portfolio also includes Melbourne’s Turf Bar and the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, and Fraser’s Restaurant in Perth.

A privately owned group of companies which began life, in 1983, as a family business, O’Brien Catering, it is Australia’s largest leisure caterer. It specialises in the sports and entertainment markets, and now operates some of Australia’s highest profile restaurants and pubs.

Based in Melbourne, the company’s growing portfolio of investments, which are spread across Australia, had reached the point where an upgrade to its financial software was necessary. Specifically, it needed to be able to keep in better touch with its individual subsidiaries.

Financial software that could track its different activities was becoming critical to the business.

Windows led way
O’Brien’s had been running the CBA financial system since 1995. According to financial controller Ann Vella, the system was versatile and adaptable, met all functionality requirements and performed without complication. However, with expansion came a more complex business and O’Brien’s needed a financial system that could better support this growing business.

“The [CBA] system was extremely reliable and stable, and provided us with a solid basis for carrying out our daily invoicing requirements,” says Vella. “But, as we expanded, it became clear that people were more confident with Windows-based systems, so the DOS framework was becoming an increasing drawback.”

The company looked at a number of solutions that could provide the same flexibility as CBA but could also adapt to its now highly complicated business structure.

It turned to Star Business Solutions for a solution. Star, a Greentree business partner, recommended Greentree as being an effective system capable of integrating O’Brien’s network of subsidiaries.

“The most appealing factor when it came to Greentree was that it was unique in having a reporting tool facility, through Excel, which enabled us to engage in online viewing and reporting at any time," says Vella.

“The absence of complex data transfers, apparent with other systems, was also a strong factor in the decision to purchase Greentree. The solution went live almost immediately, with Star provided ongoing support during the post-implementation stage.”

O’Brien’s plans to link all its subsidiaries using Greentree's thin client technology to its Melbourne head office. This will allow remote users to connect to the central system via the internet.

Ease of use
As well as avoiding doubling-up of data entry, the new system has freed head office from labour-intensive tracking of individual business unit’s data.

“Each unit can enter its own invoices, and maintain a current inventory of goods and stock. Item wise, the improvements are vast. Significantly, we are able to view current or archived data with minimal effort,” says Vella.

Greentree has become an integral part of O’Brien’s daily business operations. Its ease of use has meant that not only is the system as proficient as its predecessor but it’s more capable and progressive. O’Brien’s is using the cash management, general ledger, accounts payable and accounts receivable modules.

Around 24,000 accounts are held in the general ledger and about 5,000 transactions are conducted every month. Greentree has allowed for simpler, smoother production of monthly profit and loss balance sheets than was the case with the previous system. O’Brien’s says the decision to move to Greentree was the right one as it has made for a more efficient and effective accounting system.

For more information

Star Business Solutions
www.StarBusinessSolutions.com.au
Ph (02) 9499 3377
Or (03) 8415 8315
sales@star.cd

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