Implementation of Epicor iScala in Hyatt

All information is flown down in SSC

By means of the Center of Common Service, the Hyatt corporation applies the centralized approach according to which all processing of data and administration of the Epicor iScala system are transferred to outsourcing to Mainz and do not require use of local resources. Here accounts receivable management, accounts payable management, accounting, including check and input of accounting entries, payment of all supplier accounts enters. To save free-standing hotels from need of accomplishment of these of the labor-consuming and taking-away time transactions, Hyatt uses the software of Epicor iScala in which the unlimited number of hotels at the same time can keep separate accounting, being connected and being controlled in a single system. Thus, all data on hotels are flown down in the single centralized solution Epicor iScala.

All data from the connected specialized hotel programs come to Epicor iScala through Web services of the integration Epicor Service Connect platform. After that there is an automatic update of an inventory remaining balance in hotel services, statistics is updated, records in accounting and financial accounting are updated. For example, night of every day, day revenue, bills which are made out in a day, statistics automatically are transferred from the Opera Micros-Fidelio® systems to the Epicor iScala system, providing thus updating of information in accounting and financial accounting.

The Epicor iScala system includes also the module Requirements management allowing hotel services, such as kitchens, bars, house-kiping, administration to place requests for receiving from a warehouse of goods and services. A system also allows to create convenient lists of purchases which contain up-to-date information about stock remainders in warehouses of hotel. Wolfgang P. Baermann, the deputy finance director of SSC of Hyatt corporation, says: "The direct connection with a purchasing system which will deliver necessary goods in hotel automatically, without order placement on purchase can become the next step. This interface can be provided to Epicor". In the Epicor iScala system there are preconfigured procedures of export for data transmission of accounting to the systems of consolidation, such as Hyperion®.

Urgent solution

Having implemented the Epicor iScala system, the standardized solution for accounting in all hotels outside the USA was succeeded to adjust Hyatt corporations. The decision on Epicor iScala implementation made 10 years ago was dictated by need. "When in 1998 we were going to open the next 3 hotels in Germany, we already made the decision on a system for accounting which completely met our requirements connected with a connectivity of an unlimited number of hotels. Unfortunately, the provider went bankrupt at an implementation stage therefore we had to look for urgently a new solution", – Baermann tells. The hotel to Almaty (Kazakhstan) which was purchased some time ago by Hyatt already worked in Epicor iScala, and Hyatt was recommended to consider it as an example; quite so the corporation also arrived. It occurred partly because the unlimited number of the companies at the same time can be connected to the Epicor iScala system that gives the chance to all other hotels also ee to use. Other reason was that Hyatt hotels had enough extensive work experience with the Epicor iScala program that provided rather simple implementation. At last, more beneficial price of a system in comparison with such products as Oracle or SAP® became a decisive factor.

Within 1 month the decision was made and business requirements are made. Right after it started system implementation. "How we start new hotels now, then process was a little more difficult, – Baermann says. – To connect all 4 German hotels.

Hyatt to a centralized system, us was necessary to use the software of Citrix® which provides access to the application on the distributed basis. Initial process of implementation took only 3 months, and on January 2, 1998 Hyatt was started. More corporation did not experience any technical difficulties with connection of new hotels. The only necessary condition which still remains very essential is a certain level of discipline by preparation of initial data. The verified import of the list of clients, a supplier list with all bank details, the list of warehouse stocks provides free data transmission in the Epicor iScala system".

From the cook to the commercial director

Today the new hotel can be connected to the Epicor iScala system in 4-6 weeks, including personnel training. The Epicor company directs one or two consultants for accomplishment of technical works and for personnel training of hotel. "Consultants of Epicor always have long-term experience with a product. Moreover, they understand the train of thought of the people working in hotel business. The questions arriving from kitchen, restaurant or accounting are clear to them, and still they always bring useful documentation. Of course, we also use our own Epicor iScala system specialists for training of staff of hotel. For example, we have own experts who cope with the software in each region except for the USA (where we use Oracle Financials)", – Wolfgang P says. Baermann. It helps to accelerate Epicor iScala system implementation in every spot on the globe. Together with experts from Hyatt and consultants from Epicor, each project team of implementation also includes the chief financial officer, the director of purchasing department and the director of restaurant service.

Because most of employees of Hyatt outside the USA work with the software, Epicor often receives a broad spectrum of responses from users of Hyatt. The center of Common Service to Mainz is responsible for collecting of all improvement suggestions of Hyatt on Epicor iScala improvement. Also it makes their preliminary check and, at least time, in a year transfers them to the selected manager in Epicor company who is responsible for development of the Epicor iScala system for hotel business. "Epicor does everything possible to satisfy wishes on improvement of Epicor iScala in which the technical conflicts between different modules complicating implementation process are not admissible", – Baermann says.

It is less than load of the Center of Common Service, it is more than reliability

The solution of Epicor considerably lowered load of the Center of Common Service. Time necessary on administration of the software considerably decreased due to increase in level of control and improvement of security. Epicor iScala provides access to separate functions of a system depending on a role of each specific user, helping with implementation of control facilities of Sarbanes-Oxley, such as separation of duties.

The center of Common Service can obtain important information from the software of Epicor iScala for the specialized reports created by means of the SnapSearch mechanism. It was not in the previous version of the Epicor iScala system where all reports were strictly programmed. If, for example, someone from Hyatt unexpectedly needs the complete report on stock remainders in the warehouses of hotel which arrived from the specific supplier with indication of the final purchase price he or she can send an inquiry to the Center of Common Service and receive the response to the request within 30 minutes. If this information is useful to all group of the hotels connected to the Center of Common Service, it can be easily placed in a tree of the menu of the iScala program. "We are happy with the solution Epicor iScala, but we also look forward to new developments from Epicor company", – Wolfgang Baermann says, taking out positive assessment to ten years' cooperation with Epicor thanks to which to each hotel guest of Hyatt of spaghetti always move quickly and with a smile.