Strategic Product Roadmap

Transcription

1 Strategic Product Roadmap

2 Making business life easier Commitment to our clients With 25 years of knowledge and experience, MYOB is in a leading position to help businesses of all sizes succeed. We have given over a million businesses the freedom to focus on the work they really love, by delivering tools to make business life easier. But we re not resting on our laurels, our solutions are continuously evolving to meet our clients needs and advancements in technologies. This statement of direction aims to provide clients with insight into our plans for the next few years. It will assist you to plan for upcoming product enhancements and ensure you get the most from our products and services. In addition, it provides information on how you can contribute ideas for product improvements. At MYOB we seek to deliver value to our clients by making our solutions efficient, easy to use and compliant with Australian and New Zealand Regulation. In addition, our extensive network of MYOB Certified Exo Partners provide high quality implementation and support services to our clients. We have Exo Partners across all of Australia and New Zealand and it is highly likely that we have one just around the corner, who has implemented a solution in a business like yours. We stay on top of the latest emerging technology advances, best practices and industry trends and include these elements into our solutions to deliver value to our clients. We value our clients opinion and seek regular feedback on our products and services via Net Promoter Score surveys. We also encourage client feedback on how our solutions can be improved and we have incorporated hundreds of these enhancements into our products. 2

3 Financial and business management systems for medium sized and larger businesses MYOB Exo Business is a fully integrated financial and business management system specifically for medium sized and larger businesses. It can be custom designed to meet the needs and processes of your business. Working from the core module, Exo Finance, and in consultation with an MYOB Exo Partner, you can configure your own application work flows, interfaces and reports to create a truly unique system. By doing so, you can build a system to fit your business processes like a glove. As your business changes, so can your software setup. You can purchase additional modules and customise for a complete system including: + + Exo CRM + + Exo Job Costing + + Exo Accountant s Assistant + + Exo Point of Sale (POS) + + Exo Fixed Assets + + Exo Business Analytics + + Exo Inter-company + + Exo Serviceable Units + + Exo OnTheGo + + Exo API Exo Business will enable you to manage your information in an efficient and organised manner, gain complete visibility across your organisation and will assist you to make quick educated decisions essential to the success of your business. 3

4 Recent investments We are continuously innovating Exo Business, by improving existing features and developing new ones. Some of the many improvements designed to enhance, or extend the usability of Exo Business have been driven by our client s requests. And we will continue to incorporate the latest technology innovations to make business life easier. Features introduced in recent releases: Exo OnTheGo This ipad application is designed specifically to meet the needs of the salesperson or account manager. Exo OnTheGo provides users with all the information they require to manage the sales, account management and ordering process on the go. Exo LiveRelay MYOB realised the need to build a cloud data service to provide integration services and allow access to Exo Business data for both Exo OnTheGo and the other 3rd Party applications. It s located outside the client s network to access and interact with Exo Business using the Exo API. This channel provides a secure, fast and reliable mechanism for integrations into databases traditionally inaccessible. Internet On Premise Exo LiveRelay Service Firewall Exo Business Server LiveRelay Service 3rd Party Applications Exo OnTheGo Exo Business Client Exo Business Client 4

5 Recent investments Exo API As part of our integration model for Exo Business we provide a means for 3rd party applications to interface with Exo via an Application Programmers Interface (API). We provide a contemporary RESTful programming interface that provides developers access to the data and business logic of Exo Business. We continue to heavily invest in this technology to ensure Exo is simpler for API developers to continue integrating with Exo. In turn, this allows API developers to improve their solutions functionality and fit with Exo. Exo Business Alerts Exo Business Alerts provide increased control for business owners by reviewing transactions as they are entered by staff and either displaying warning messages or preventing the save process if an exception to predefined business logic is identified. integrations Supplier price books Mobile timekeeping CRM integrations Warehousing and inventory management Reporting and Analytics Purchase and sales authorisations Exo API MYOB Exo Business Exo API Telephony integration Eftpos and loyalty Freight and logistics E-commerce Aged care Business Alerts are a fantastic way of ensuring that the sales orders have appropriate margins, or include freight, or that purchase orders are sent only to the supplier that offers the best price. EDI connectors Customer portals MRP Distributed POS Hospitality 5

6 Recent investments Exo Banklink Bank Feeds Live integration to MYOB Banklink Bank Feeds service with high quality and reliable feed data and a powerful and highly programmable rule definition engine that allows you to automate the bank reconciliation process, and create transactions (Invoices, Payments, Receipts and General Journals) based on these rules. Versatile hosting models MYOB understands that whilst some clients may be adept at managing their own infrastructure, for others it makes more sense for it to be managed by a specialist provider. MYOB s Exo products can be deployed either on client-owned and managed infrastructure or that of a suitable hosting provider. For those clients who wish to utilise their own infrastructure, we provide full product installers. Our products use well-known Microsoft components so supporting Exo will be familiar to staff who have experience in managing applications based on Microsoft technologies. Clients wishing to gain the benefits of the cloud while leveraging the investment they have already made in their on-premise Exo solution can elect to have their system hosted by a 3rd party. In order to assist those Exo clients in selecting a suitable hosting partner, we ve developed the MYOB Enterprise Cloud Partner Program. Further information on this program can be found on the MYOB website. 6

7 Strategic Exo roadmap overview MYOB is committed to ongoing investment into Exo Business. We have made significant investments into recent product improvements and upcoming releases. This investment program spans well into the future as outlined in our roadmap. We aim to have 2+ annual product releases and additional service pack releases (as a minimum) to keep the product current so we can continue to make business life easier for our clients. Workstreams Core product improvements Reporting and analytics Additional online connected services Extensibility framework User experience, platform and integration component update Application programmers interface (API) Mobility extensions Compliance updates On premise or private hosting deployment options 7

8 Core Product Improvements Improvements in the inventory, sales and purchasing modules will provide customers with greater streamlining of distribution processes. Major focus will be given to expanding the automation capabilities of Exo, helping our users to improve their sales and purchase order processing, smarter stock replenishment rules and better management of exceptions to ultimately improve customer service. Integral to this work is enhancing the serial and batch number tracking and our business alerts and notifications service. A large proportion of Exo Business users rely heavily on our versatile Job Costing module, and these users will benefit from our planned improvements to the revenue recognition process, contracts management and tighter integration with sales orders processes. For service-based businesses, the Serviceable Units module will be enhanced for both job-costing and non-job costing users. Users will now be able to track the usage of owned fixed assets, warranty information and service history of customers assets. Reporting and Analytics Exo offers a variety of reporting and dashboard tools that allow customers to analyse their business performance. In the future, we will consolidate these tools and provide a powerful visualisation tool that is easy-to-use, secure and delivers reporting to users via the cloud, desktop or mobile. 8

9 Online Services Following on from Geolocation services, our recent releases of Bank Feeds, electronic submission of New Zealand GST, Australian Taxable Payments and ABN company name validation, Exo will continue to pro-actively integrate with the growing ecosystem of MYOB online platform services. Over the next few releases we will provide a number of new online services including a MYOB delivery and tracking service that provides auditing and analysis of recipient activity. This means you ll know if a customer has received that invoice you ed them, opened it and viewed the attachment, allowing you to follow-up outstanding debts armed with better information. It also provides additional security avoiding your valuable business communications falling into the recipients spam folder. You can also enable electronic submission of Australian Business Activity Statements (BAS), streamlining the compliance process for customers, plus integrate with MYOB PayDirect, enabling customers to make payments online. The convenience of the PayDirect service is proven to improve cash flow by reducing the average days to pay for invoices and statements. MYOB extensibility framework No two Exo Systems are alike. The in-product extensibility framework has been at the heart of Exo since its inception and the toolset continues to grow, allowing Exo to easily adapt to our customer s ever-changing requirements without resorting to custom programming. Our roadmap over the next 3-5 years continues to build on and enhance this framework. Including features such as: + + search templates + + business alerts + + more extra fields + + new extra field types and controls + + new business events + + extra field events + + logic to automatically map contacts to different types of transactions. 9

10 Exo User Experience We are planning to roll out an updated improved user interface with proportionally expanding forms to allow users to take full advantage of their larger monitors. Additionally, better multi-tasking window management to allow you to flip between windows within the application. Plus, improved menu definition tools, and a fresh new look and feel. Platform and Integrated Component updates We provide continuous and ongoing support for contemporary operating platforms and integrated components. Rolling out optimisation for Windows 10, and SQL server 2016, Office 2016, IOS (MYOB Exo OnTheGo) and popular clients within months of mainstream release. Exo Application Programmers Interface (API) We continue to expand the coverage of the MYOB Exo REST API through 2019, as an increasing community of application developers and integrators choose to use the API over traditional direct SQL integration citing the advantages of the Exo Relay providing a robust, stateless and secure access to Exo Business objects over the internet. The roadmap sequence for the API includes: + + expansion of the custom table endpoint feature + + stock movements + + period management + + general ledger accounts + + generic Exo-OData endpoint + + debtors receipts + + basic opportunities + + creditors invoices + + debtor invoices + + job details + + timesheets. Mobility Extensions We have got the needs of the salesperson or account manager covered with the Exo OnTheGo app. It provides users with all the information they require to manage the sales, account management and ordering process all while they are on the go. Compliance Updates Tax agencies in Australia and New Zealand are undertaking wide ranging changes to reporting systems aimed at streamlining compliance and integrating business systems reporting directly with their systems online. MYOB work very closely with the ATO and IRD on these strategies with Exo Business leading the charge with ready integration to Standard Business Reporting (SBR) in Australia and e-gst filing in New Zealand online services. 10

11 Gathering and prioritising roadmap items MYOB gathers inputs into the roadmap from a vast array of sources, most notably: + + clients + + partners + + legislative requirements + + industry demands + + technology trends + + the market landscape There is a formal process followed when clients want to request product enhancements. These requests are tracked from inception, analysis, development through to the enhancement release. Each version of Exo is supported by the inclusion of detailed release notes that contain details of all the product enhancements included in that release. Prioritisation of investment follows a rigorous process that considers many facets including breadth of clients that will receive the benefit, overall client experience, product consistency, client satisfaction, technology and market positioning. The challenge for us is to balance all the (sometimes competing) needs of stakeholders, technology and resourcing possibilities. However, ultimately we aim to target product investment that delivers the best possible value to our clients. This includes continuing to tailor our solution to the requirements of the New Zealand and Australian markets. We work continuously and collaboratively with the ATO and IRD to streamline compliance. 11

12 Ongoing support of products Every year MYOB invests in research and development to improve our software and services. We do this in line with regular customer feedback, new technology advancements and changes in legislation. We believe that using the latest software is the best way for our clients to help run their business effectively, gaining the full benefits of the latest investments made in the software. Conversely, we understand that upgrading your software needs to be a carefully managed process that requires planning well in advance, in many cases around key business events. All Exo Business releases move through the following support phases: + + General Support Commences from the date when MYOB releases a new version + + Transitional Support Commences from the date when MYOB releases the NEXT version + + Partial Support Applies to all versions released in the past 24 months that are not under transitional support + + End of Support Applies to all versions released more than 24 months ago. In general, a release of Exo Business will move through the support phases in around 24 months however this depends upon the specific timing of releases. 12

13 Ongoing support of products Each product release is followed by a number of scheduled Service Packs; generally 6-8 weeks apart. We plan these in advance to ensure that there is an ability to respond to any product issues that need to be addressed quickly and that cannot wait for the next release which could be several months away. Service Packs are constructed in such a way that they can be quickly applied to a clients installation without the need for extensive testing as the number of changes are kept to a minimum. Exo software must co-exist with technologies currently in the market or being developed by other software manufacturers. In some instances, MYOB software is also dependent on the features and services provided by these technologies (also referred to as Environments ). MYOB has an on-going environment compatibility process that tests our software on commonly-used current environments so that our clients can be confident in its effective operation. Environments are deemed compatible based on our testing methodology, test results and information received from the relevant manufacturer. The MYOB Compatible Environments Roadmap has been developed to provide you with information on current compatible environments and future plans, so that you can plan for the effective use of MYOB software in your business. MYOB aims to complete compatibility of appropriate emerging environments within six months of the manufacturer s release of the product. However, we recommend that our clients do not operate MYOB software on new products until we have published a statement on the successful completion of the compatibility. 13

14 Ongoing investment in our partners MYOB has an extensive network of highly experienced business partners who have undergone considerable testing and evaluation enabling them to offer clients a high degree of knowledge and expertise regarding a range of MYOB Enterprise Solutions. MYOB s partners bring this experience to your business and collaborate with you to design and implement a business solution that fits your unique needs. All partners have access to MYOB support and resources to ensure clients have a high quality implementation experience. Partners have direct telephone and electronic access to a dedicated partner support team that provide product assistance to our partners consultants. The MYOB partner support team is backed up by having direct access to the development team that creates and maintains the product should a more indepth technical investigation be necessary. We currently, and will continue to, provide an ongoing training program for our partners comprising core product functional and technical skills, what s new in each release, as well as a range of business management skills. Current MYOB Exo partners are listed on our website, visit myob.com 14

15 myob.com 2016 MYOB. All rights reserved. Exo and other product names are registered trademarks of MYOB. The information in this statement of direction is for informational purposes only and comprises MYOB s current thinking at October As MYOB is always seeking to provide the best solutions for its clients as market conditions dictate, the information in this document should not be interpreted to be a commitment by MYOB and MYOB cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this document. GES