Openda
Encyclopedia
Openda Ltd. is a software provider that offers Supply Chain
software for small to medium enterprises. Openda was established in 1997, when it was called P.A.L. (Progress Accord Limited).
, Wiltshire
in the UK
, and provides complete supply chain solutions for small to medium-sized businesses. The company was established in 1997, when two multi-million pound supply chain companies put a joint proposal together to produce a complete and integrated solution.
Over the intervening years, the company's customer base has grown to include companies not only in the UK but also Europe and the USA. Currently, the customers who use Openda's software trade in a large range of products, from high specification lot-tracable cabling and wiring, medical and beauty care, through to time-critical food products like milk and cream, to toys, packaging, and very high volume low cost plumbing goods.
Since mid 2005, Openda has focused its main energy to developing GUI
software to replace the original character-based version. Openda began actively marketing this new software as two separate products in the first half of 2006, QX and QXLite.
for the database backend.
The front end is unique because it is a very thin client, entirely developed by Openda in Visual Basic
. By going around the object-oriented offering provided by Progress itself, almost all processing is actually done by the back-office server, leaving the user's PC
free to run other programs with little or no interference.
The main hardware for servers running Openda's software system is provided either by IBM
or Dell
, with the Red Hat
distribution of Linux
as the preferred operating system
.
, ERP
, ecommerce, customer support
through actual order status and tracking, accounting, inventory management, warehouse management, purchase forecasting and scheduling, mobile invoicing, complete salesman notation, email marketing, document image processing
and multiple document output formats.
Also, the system includes a user tasks and memos feature, as well as having the ability of alerting on stock, orders, customers and suppliers.
The system includes a diverse list of generic reports as standard, with customisations and new reports designed if needed.
For customers that require it, Openda QX has the ability to send invoices and receive orders via EDI
, which would appear to be lacking in the nearest major competitors, such as Sage
and NetSuite
.
Supply chain
A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain activities transform natural resources, raw materials and components into a finished product that is delivered to...
software for small to medium enterprises. Openda was established in 1997, when it was called P.A.L. (Progress Accord Limited).
The Company
Openda is based in SwindonSwindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and provides complete supply chain solutions for small to medium-sized businesses. The company was established in 1997, when two multi-million pound supply chain companies put a joint proposal together to produce a complete and integrated solution.
Over the intervening years, the company's customer base has grown to include companies not only in the UK but also Europe and the USA. Currently, the customers who use Openda's software trade in a large range of products, from high specification lot-tracable cabling and wiring, medical and beauty care, through to time-critical food products like milk and cream, to toys, packaging, and very high volume low cost plumbing goods.
Since mid 2005, Openda has focused its main energy to developing GUI
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
software to replace the original character-based version. Openda began actively marketing this new software as two separate products in the first half of 2006, QX and QXLite.
Technologies
Openda uses Progress OpenEdge Advanced Business LanguageProgress 4GL
OpenEdge Advanced Business Language, or OpenEdge ABL for short, is a business application development language created and maintained by Progress Software Corporation . The language, typically classified as a fourth-generation programming language, uses an English-like syntax to simplify software...
for the database backend.
The front end is unique because it is a very thin client, entirely developed by Openda in Visual Basic
Visual Basic
Visual Basic is the third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment from Microsoft for its COM programming model...
. By going around the object-oriented offering provided by Progress itself, almost all processing is actually done by the back-office server, leaving the user's PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
free to run other programs with little or no interference.
The main hardware for servers running Openda's software system is provided either by IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
or Dell
Dell
Dell, Inc. is an American multinational information technology corporation based in 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas, United States, that develops, sells and supports computers and related products and services. Bearing the name of its founder, Michael Dell, the company is one of the largest...
, with the Red Hat
Red Hat
Red Hat, Inc. is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide....
distribution of Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
as the preferred operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
.
Products
QX and QXLite are the only two products marketed at the moment, with QXLite being a simple cut down version for very small businesses, with the bonus of being able to upgrade easily on demand.Features
Openda QX is a broad application covering business functions as diverse as CRMCustomer relationship management
Customer relationship management is a widely implemented strategy for managing a company’s interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes—principally sales activities, but also those for marketing,...
, ERP
Enterprise resource planning
Enterprise resource planning systems integrate internal and external management information across an entire organization, embracing finance/accounting, manufacturing, sales and service, customer relationship management, etc. ERP systems automate this activity with an integrated software application...
, ecommerce, customer support
Customer support
Customer support is a range of customer services to assist customers in making cost effective and correct use of a product. It includes assistance in planning, installation, training, trouble shooting, maintenance, upgrading, and disposal of a product....
through actual order status and tracking, accounting, inventory management, warehouse management, purchase forecasting and scheduling, mobile invoicing, complete salesman notation, email marketing, document image processing
Digital image processing
Digital image processing is the use of computer algorithms to perform image processing on digital images. As a subcategory or field of digital signal processing, digital image processing has many advantages over analog image processing...
and multiple document output formats.
Also, the system includes a user tasks and memos feature, as well as having the ability of alerting on stock, orders, customers and suppliers.
The system includes a diverse list of generic reports as standard, with customisations and new reports designed if needed.
For customers that require it, Openda QX has the ability to send invoices and receive orders via EDI
Electronic Data Interchange
Electronic data interchange is the structured transmission of data between organizations by electronic means. It is used to transfer electronic documents or business data from one computer system to another computer system, i.e...
, which would appear to be lacking in the nearest major competitors, such as Sage
The Sage Group
The Sage Group plc , commonly known as Sage, is a global enterprise software company headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. It is the world's third-largest supplier of enterprise resource planning software , the largest supplier to small businesses, and has 6.1 million customers...
and NetSuite
NetSuite
NetSuite Inc. is the leading vendor of cloud-based Software-as-a-Service integrated business management software for mid-market enterprises and divisions of large companies, with over 10,000 organizations and a +$225 billion market cap...
.
See also
- List of ERP software packages
- Comparison of accounting softwareComparison of accounting softwareThe following comparison of accounting software documents the various features and differences between different professional accounting software and personal finance packages.- Free and open source software :- Proprietary software :...
- Warehouse management systemWarehouse management systemA warehouse management system, or WMS, is a key part of the supply chain and primarily aims to control the movement and storage of materials within a warehouse and process the associated transactions, including shipping, receiving, putaway and picking...
External links
- Openda company page
- Openda's new location
- Openda QXLite
- ITShowcase Online overview
- Openda logo trademark
- IM2006 Awards Finalists
- IM2006 Awards Winners