6 ways to evolve your MYOB Exo ERP system in a COVID-19 world

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in April 2020 and has been reviewed and updated in January 2021 in order to provide the most relevant and accurate information. You will notice the renewed version now has 7 ways to evolve your MYOB Exo system in a COVID-19 World.

Being “connected” is more important than ever before. These unprecedented times have meant businesses are working in different ways and accessing systems and solutions like never before. This poses a lot of questions for management and IT around how you can continue to operate in a secure and efficient manner. You need to ensure employees, suppliers and clients can access the information they need, when they need it, without putting your business at risk.

That’s where Kilimanjaro can help. Below, we’ve answered the 6 most commonly asked “connectivity and security” related questions about MYOB Exo:

1) Is it secure to allow employees to access MYOB Exo from home?

Yes, with the right tools in place. The engine behind MYOB Exo is a Microsoft SQL database. What this means is you can connect to this from anywhere with some simple mechanisms. The choice of the mechanism depends on your circumstances and requirements, but each provides a level of security to make sure your data is safe.

Some possible solutions are:

• Team Viewer
• Virtual Private Network (VPN)
• Microsoft Terminal Server (plus VPN)
• Private hosting such as Exohosted

At Kilimanjaro, we can assist you in selecting the right options for your unique requirements.

2) Can I move my MYOB Exo database to the cloud?

Yes, MYOB Exo can be fully hosted in the cloud. Again, your individual requirements will determine the best solution for you, so you are well-advised to talk to your channel partner before making any decisions.
Some possible options are:

• Fully managed hosted environment (our server in the cloud)
• Self-managed hosted environment (your server in the cloud)
• Aa combination of the two

3) How can I allow my B2B customers to access the system on-line?

MYOB Exo provides several options for this and is integrated integrations with many of the popular webstores and eCommerce sites such as Shopify and Magento. Kilimanjaro also has a synchronisation tool called Synkit, which can be configured to exchange data with any API. Kilimanjaro also offers a “module” called Dealers Online,  a sophisticated B2B webstore which can be deployed within a week and is tightly integrated to MYOB Exo. With this, your customers can view stock in real-time, place their orders, and with pricing policies and stop credit taken into account, no manual intervention is needed.

4) When using MYOB Exo Payroll, can employee information be viewed online?

Absolutely. Using the online employee portal called  MyStaffInfo, employees can securely apply for leave, check leave balances, and download payslips from any location, and in any web browser. If you are running MYOB Exo Payroll (Employer Services) and are not yet running MyStaffInfo, you really should be.

5) Can my sales force access the system from their mobile devices?

As with most modern ERP solutions, MYOB Exo can be accessed from mobile devices, allowing your salesforce to place orders directly into your MYOB Exo system from home (or if essential, the road). Using the MYOB Exo OnTheGo app, authorised members of your team can key their orders directly into your MYOB Exo system, from wherever they are. All they need to do is simply download the app from the Apple app store. Unfortunately this is not available for Android devices. Using Synkit, integration can be built with any 3^rd Party mobile sales tool that has an API

6) Can I run MYOB Exo Payroll from anywhere?

Like MYOB Exo, your MYOB Exo Payroll (Employer Services) software solution can also be hosted in the cloud. This will give you all the same benefits and features you currently experience, with the added benefit of being able to securely access it from any location, whether that be at home or in the office.

We also offer a completely new cloud-based Australian and New Zealand compliant payroll solution called MYOB Advanced Payroll (People). If you have some spare capacity in your payroll team, now may be a good time to consider moving. MYOB Advanced People can easily manage all your online payroll needs, and also offers a fantastic Employee Self-Service portal to allow employees to manage their needs online too.

7) Can I integrate my favourite mobile app with MYOB Exo?

Kilimanjaro has developed an integration tool called Synkit, that will allow you to integrate almost any software with an API into Exo. In addition, Exo itself has an API, and Kilimanjaro has a more sophisticated, highly configurable API for Exo. In short, integration between systems is now much more achievable that it has been in the past, and the cost is no longer prohibitive.

How can software solutions improve real businesses?

The Arcadia Corporation successfully transitioned into the cloud and achieved a single, efficient platform from which they now manage Accounts, Inventory Management and CRM. Moving from MYOB Exo to MYOB Advanced improved functionality and provided end-to-end management of its products. Additionally, integrations with their core business management system enhanced visibility and simplified reporting for the finance and sales teams.

Learn more about the real benefits of moving your organisation into the cloud by reading the case study here. 

We hope this has helped to answer your connectivity and security questions about MYOB Exo. The team from Kilimanjaro are still as always here to help, so feel free to reach out to us to talk about how any of these solutions could be applied to your requirements. You can fill out the form below or give us a call on 1300 857 464 (AU) or 0800 436 774 (NZ). If you have any more enquiries, please email us at sales@kilimanjaro-consulting.com.