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Standpipe and sprinkler on New York city office building

Construction & Real Estate

Client Details

VFS Fire and Security Services is in the life and property saving business. The company designs, builds, installs, and monitors commercial fire and security protection systems. VFS Fire and Security Services brings that same expertise and technology to the oil and gas industry, protecting tank farms and refineries throughout the country. The company employs more than 160 employees and earns revenues in excess of $30 million annually. The business management and accounting requirements to sustain an operation of this size and complexity are significant, so VFS Fire and Security Services relies on Sage 100 Contractor.

Background

As the newly hired Director of Finance, Mr. Chris Herak was tasked to handle the software migration from American Contractor to Sage 100 Contractor.

The Challenge

Prior to Mr. Herak joining VFS Fire & Security Services, the company purchased Sage 100 Contractor from Plumb, a VAR specializing in Sage Construction Software. Not having utilized either accounting system, Mr. Herak depended on the Certified Consultants from Plumb to help with the transition and data migration from American Contractor to Sage 100 Contractor software.

“I soon discovered that American Contractor was no longer supported by their developers.  It was a basic system that could not handle the complexities of our business.”  Chris Herak, Director of Finance, VFS Fire & Security Services

As VFS moved forward with the migration to Sage 100 Contractor, Mr. Herak spearheaded the process, along with help of their internal I.T. Director.

“Our goal was to implement and integrate Sage 100 Contractor within two months-time, but that first meant getting all our information out of American Contractor.  Unfortunately, the financial and analytical information is not easily extracted from American Contractor.” Herak

The Solution/Outcome

Plumb Expert Consultants

VFS turned to Plumb for additional help with the implementation process.  The added benefit of buying Sage construction software from Plumb is their team of experienced software consultants who also have a background in construction accounting.  Plumb’s goal is to make sure companies feel comfortable with choosing the right software for their needs, while also having a streamlined implementation, and on-going training and support.

This was not an easy task.  VFS couldn’t pull simple information into Excel; it had to be completed from PDFs and data tables.  Plumb worked with VSF’s internal I.T. Director to pull the necessary information from American Contractor.  Plumb then transferred the transactional data to Sage 100 Contractor.

Now that Sage 100 Contractor is running up-to-speed for VFS Fire & Security Services, the company can make clear-sighted decisions based on accurate financial data. They use the software as a resource to see the profitability of their various departments and locations. Accurate job costing allows VFS to take the necessary action to improve profitability throughout the organization. With the on-going support from Plumb, VFS continues to optimize the software to be utilized specifically for their needs.

“I would recommend Plumb to anyone looking to purchase and implement Sage Construction Software.  It was a pleasure working with Plumb’s Consultants who made the move to Sage 100 Contractor easier and supported me and my team each step of the way.  Plumb gave advice on industry standards and best practices so I could make the best decisions when implementing out construction accounting software.” Herak