Cape Town Film Studios implements Sage accounting package

As one of South Africa’s first custom-built, Hollywood-style studios in South Africa’s history, the 10-year, multi-million rand project is one of the greatest investments in the South African film industry and aims to establish a home for film in South Africa.  The fully fledged sound stage complex officially went online in the third quarter of 2010 and is set to serve as a bridge between the South African and the international film industry.

Henri Hattingh, the CEO of AccTech Western Cape says the previous accounting package installation at Cape Town Film Studios was not meeting the client’s requirements and AccTech Western Cape was approached to re-engineer the accounting structure.  “The system was implemented and dated back to include opening balances from the start of the business.  It improved cost and asset control, especially in light of the company managing a large base of fixed assets that form part of a rental pool to visiting film-makers,” explains Hattingh.

“The change-over process was done professionally and systematically starting with a snapshot of Cape Town Film Studios’ current system and a presentation of the suggested new system,” says Hattingh.  “We also provided training to the Cape Town Film Studios team that has enabled them to utilise the full spectrum of the system to support their accounting needs.”

The system was implemented at the start of April and two months down the line Fadiel Martin, an accountant at Cape Town Film Studios says the Sage Accpac ERP 100 system is easy to use.  “We utilise a number of systems at Cape Town Film Studios that Sage Accpac ERP 100 is able to interface with.  It has alleviated allot of manual intervention and offers a host of reports that can be tailor-made to show specific information we need,” says Martin.

Poised for growth, Cape Town Film Studios needed an accounting package that could grow and adapt as the company grows.  “The financial accounting of a motion picture is extremely detailed, complex and vital, which necessitates the need for sound accounting practices that will increase the success of Cape Town Film Studios.  Sage Accpac ERP 100 is specifically designed for the growing company.  It is a scalable solution that provides the financial management power that Cape Town Film Studios will need at an affordable price.

The Sage Accpac ERP 100 solution is built on web-based, multi-tiered technology that will allow them to increase the functionality and capabilities of the software as the business grows,” concludes Keith Fenner, the Vice President of Sales at Softline Accpac.