Data process automation delivers huge time savings

Businesses around the world express great interest in migrating infrastructure to the cloud, but the migration part can be quite challenging. Many organizations find that they don’t want to move everything to the cloud. For any number of reasons, a hybrid topology best suits the business.

But a hybrid topology introduces its own challenges, particularly in the realm of information security and governance. So it was not really a surprise that business took off when, in 2006, Netwrix Corporation began to offer information security and governance solutions specifically designed to meet the needs of companies with sensitive information housed and running in hybrid environments.

Today, Netwrix provides a market-leading visibility and governance platform for companies in every phase of a cloud migration—from on-premises to hybrid to fully cloud-based IT environments. More than 150,000 IT departments around the world rely on Netwrix solutions to detect insider threats, cost-effectively manage and pass compliance audits, and increase the productivity of IT security and operations teams.

Growth Demands Discipline and Connectivity

But Netwrix faced migration challenges of its own. Specifically, the migration from small to mid-sized company. When it was small, its financial personnel could work with different financial and business management systems without too much trouble. They would simply cut-and-paste datasets between the systems and reconcile them on an as-needed basis. As Netwrix added more sophisticated modules to its ERP system to support the $20 million company it was becoming, the limits of that approach became painfully apparent. The volume of inbound data was accelerating, as was the demand to process that data accurately and consistently across multiple systems—from Salesforce on the sales and CRM side to Oracle NetSuite on the ERP side. The old method of cutting, pasting, and reconciling later wasn’t going to cut it.

“We needed a way to ensure that data was consistent and reliable throughout the entire sales process,” says Brian Helwig, CFO at Netwrix. “The question was, how best to get enable NetSuite to work with the data flowing into Salesforce?

Actian was quick to respond with a compelling answer to that question: Actian Salesforce Connector for NetSuite.

Actian Salesforce Connector for NetSuite

Actian Salesforce Connector for NetSuite provides automated, end-to-end support for data synchronization between Salesforce and NetSuite. It is preconfigured to support the lead-to-cash process across the standard versions of NetSuite and Salesforce while also user-friendly enough to enable users to customize integration without requiring the intervention of external vendors.

“After months of switching over to NetSuite,” says Helwig, “it took only eight hours to get Actian Salesforce Connector for NetSuite up and running. We turned it on, and it worked. All processes are now automated and data flows instantaneously between platforms. It was by far one of the easiest integrations I’ve ever done.”

Saving the Equivalent of Two Salaries

Integrating Salesforce and NetSuite using Actian Salesforce Connector for NetSuite has delivered distinct quantifiable benefits at Netwrix. The company no longer has to reconcile datasets across between multiple systems, which has saved the company the equivalent of at least two full-time salaries. On top of this, Netwrix no longer encounters data integrity issues arising from inconsistent datasets, data entry error, or similar mistakes associated with a manual cut-and-paste process. Neither do Netwrix personnel have to spend time finding and fixing errors.

All these benefits have delivered real business value for Netwrix:

• Easier order and quote creation.
• Real-time order and invoice processing.
• Full visibility for sales and finance personnel.
• Fewer delays and errors in lead-to-cash cycle.
• Better cash flow and reduced days sales outstanding.

“Actian not only understood the importance of lead-to-cash, but also the entire order lifecycle and how it worked. They understood that we needed to increase efficiency and accountability while simultaneously ensuring that we minimized risk of fraud. I knew I made the right choice when we installed the adapters in both systems, and the order came through flawlessly.”