Algorithm's WiSys strategy

We love WiSys.

We believe that WiSys, founded by Bruce Hollinger, is the best thing to happen to Macola since Bruce founded Macola.

We have used WiSys to make Macola viable for the last decade-plus. Not just as a WMS product, but as a platform for adapting Macola to business needs when Macola wasn’t able or capable to meet customer demand. The Agility framework made Macola a practically open source.

I call it ‘whiteboard consulting’. Take a business process, map it as it is, then maps it as it needs to be, then design, test and implement those changes. We have done some truly amazing things with the tools.

If it weren’t for WiSys, we’d likely have moved on from Macola, or at a minimum picked up a competitive ERP product much sooner than we did when we went shopping in 2016 and found Acumatica.

Today, we find ourselves at a bit of a crossroad because of the events of the last 6 months related to the reseller channel closure.

We still love WiSys, but as we’ve clearly stated, Macola is not our long-term path. We will continue, as long as our current status as an ‘Authorized Macola Service Provider’ exists, to serve our customers running Macola and WiSys.

But today WiSys does not work fully with Acumatica, though we have internally made some pretty interesting strides on our own.

It does work with SAP B1 and as I’ve blogged elsewhere, if a customer needs or wants to leave Macola today and WiSys is a big part of their business, we have the means to move them to SAP B1 and remain their partner.

Acumatica though is our primary focus for new business and Macola customers who wish to convert. So we have asked WiSys to consider adding Acumatica to their integration capabilities and we’d assist with our consultants and developers to strengthen and deepen their bench.

In the meantime, we have a three-pronged approach to WiSys business at Algorithm:

• If you’re an existing WiSys user, we’ll continue to work with you to innovate and take your business forward with the products.

• If you’re 100% committed to staying with Macola and understand that your investment in WiSys may or may not be available to you in the future if you want to leave Macola, and SAP B1 is not an option, we'll be happy to help you evaluate and purchase WiSys and we’ll deliver the same creativity and success our other WiSys/Macola users enjoy today.

• If you’re on the fence about your Macolafuture and afraid to make the investment, contact us and let’s discuss how we can help you make incremental changes and perhaps protect that investment.

One more thing to consider. ECi has not made us aware of their product strategy for obvious reasons. If they continue down the path with Macola 11, Macola 12, etc.then your WiSys investment may be secure.

But should they deliver a new product path for Macola users, then you could face the same questions about WiSys; Will it work with ECi Product X? How long until I have to adopt ECi Product X? Is my WiSys investment safe with ECi Product X? etc.

This is why we continue to implore you to question ECi on their product roadmap and the future of Macola so you can make informed decisions about many things, WiSys included.

In light of the fact that ECi is offering WiSys for sale as well, ask the questions when you have the opportunity.

Lastly, if you are considering WiSys and would like to talk to a customer about how it’s changed their business, we have an impressive list of successful WiSys customers.

And when they come calling on you to consider WiSys, you should also ask ECi to give you a list of references that they’ve implemented (not WiSys consultants, not a former reseller), and then call those references.

Unfortunately, these past six months have inserted a lot of uncertainty in this business. We remain 100% committed to our customers and will continue to advocate for them to protect them and continue our relationship well into the future.