What are Viewpoint Spectrum users saying about the software?

I am the administrator for Spectrum in our company and overall the Experience has been very good!

Ease of administration and our accounting team rarely has any issues with the software

Pros

The support team is amazing. They are extremely helpful and are good at fixing the annoying bugs and getting to the root causes of our problems. The accounting and hr side of the software works extremely well and I have very few if any complaints or issues that I have to fix or call support for.

Cons

The project manangement side of the software was never really completed so its less than impressive. But I think on the positive side since Viewpoint has purchased Spectrum I think that integrating it with their Team software will make a huge difference in this section!

2 years in and we're still learning.

We've found errors in the software. When we reached out to Spectrum to ask for a fix we were told it was our own fault, asked us to pay for the fix, passed around, then finally Spectrum said it was their fault and would begin to fix. No timeline was given however. We need better customer service or IT turnaround times. It is incredibly frustrating to reach out with an issue, or suggest a much needed feature, with little or no response.

Pros

Document imaging is great. We also enjoy the invoice approval feature. Took us a while to implement and learn the system (well, we're still learning).

Cons

Payroll adjustments we'd like to do behind-the-scenes and not on a paycheque are a nightmare. The inability to track the purchaser of AP invoices. We use a user-defined field, but it does not link to the payroll module. Definitely not as user friendly as we would have liked (we came from Quickbooks though). The pricing module sucks. We need to pay for amount of users at one time (as some users access maybe once a week at most), not for named users.

Spectrum - Great features but could be better

Pros

Document imaging is truly built inside the software. The image storage was built inside every module for anything you want to scan. All of our AP (invoices, vendor contracts, Insurance Certs), AR (invoice supporting documents, MSA's), equipment files (titles, registrations), etc. were stored electronically and very easy to review. When approving AP, right inside the pre-check register I could review an electronic copy of any invoice making approval on the road very simple. There were also reports that could be run telling you when contracts were to expire, registrations were due, etc. The bottom line is that the designers not only listened to what the end users wanted, they also spent a lot of time making sure they designed it to make it easy for everyone. There are also a lot of user designed fields that allow you to customize things to fit your needs.

Cons

We had problems keeping the TB in balance. At least every three months, we had a transaction that only posted 1/2 of the entry, so when we ran a trial balance, it was out of balance (and the rebuild utilities wouldn't fix it), we then had to spend hours researching witch entry didn't post correctly, figure out the other side of the entry and then pay someone with backdoor access to recreate the missing entries. When we called Dexter and Chaney's support team, they had no answers as to why it happened; they would just help us figure out how to fix it (charged per hour). The financial report writer needs a lot of work. They do not support any of the better 3rd party systems like FRx, F-9, Hyperion, etc. Therefore, there was a lot of dumping to Excel and re-keying things into formats we could use. There was also zero drill-down capability. If you ran a TB and questioned what was in the line item, you had to run a detailed TB to see the detail. Then, if it came from another sub-ledger you had to run a report there to see the source document. Our implementation consultant was not very good; her training seemed poor and her knowledge of the workings of Spectrum were great, but she had no experience with the every day use of it, so I frequently pushed back on how it would work in the real world. Eventually she would concede that it would work better the way I proposed.

Great product has some flaws but nothing we were not able to work around.

It's been a great product that we've used for the last 9 years.

Pros

The way that as technology changes they system is updated to match.

Cons

Vacation accrual system is not what I'd like it to be. I have to do my own spreadsheet to get it to work properly.

Construction Software

I am a project accountant and have been a Spectrum user since 1996 when it was called ForeFront and this is the only construction software I've used. Overall I find the software easy to use. I've participated in training led by Spectrum trainers and their help and advise is invaluable. The ability to export data in different file types for analysis - exporting to excel file, data only is one I use regularly. We're also lucky to have an IT software support specialist with extensive Spectrum background who is able to provide SQL reports for those times when the standard reports and exports don't give us enough flexibility with the data for analysis.

Pros

Most processes in Spectrum are intuitive for the user.

Cons

As a long time user of Spectrum, we have a heavily customized Job Cost Report. It's becoming more difficult to accommodate our custom needs as new versions are released.

In-Depth Program With Great Potential

Overall I do like Spectrum. I feel like there are areas it could improve in and that I could be made more modern/ appealing to the eye. When I am busy I am able to answer the phone and navigate through Spectrum quickly to get the information I need right away. The depth of the program is a very good thing as long as they focus on having ways to be able to dig deep quickly or else finding information can become a headache.

Pros

I really like all the different reports that are made available. There are many places to add all different kinds of information and once the information is added in Spectrum allows you to pull reports for everything. Another feature I like a lot is the Favorites Bar. Spectrum is very broad and the Favorites Bar makes it very easy to quickly assess certain features of Spectrum that are specific to your role.

Cons

Some features about the software can be "glitchy" in certain features. For instance we have a tab with lots of information added in to one thing and this can cause Spectrum to freeze up and I will have to close completely out and log back in and start over what I was working on at the time. We have tried different recommendations to resolve this issue, but we get the same result.

I am always learning something new with Spectrum!

I benefit daily from spectrum from payroll and certified payroll reports it really is helpful to get those reports from spectrum and every Contractor I have sent them to has excepted them. We also benefit from job costs and equipment costs management .

Pros

What I like most about spectrum is it really is an all in one program and is always improving, also being able to pull reports on jobs and costs is very convenient and easy.

Cons

Customer support be a bit time consuming. There is so much to spectrum that it can be a bit overwhelming if you are a smaller company.

Spectrum for Construction Project Management

We use Spectrum on a daily basis for our accounting/project management software. Once the reports are honed to what you need and you learn where everything is, it takes care of everything we need it to.

Pros

Very powerful for tracking projects and integrating accounting. Lots of features, many more than I will ever actually use, but it can do just about anything you need it to.

Cons

Definitely a learning curve and takes time to find how/where to accomplish certain tasks.

Very User Friendly

Pros

The software is very user friendly. It is easy to navigate the multiple screens throughout the software. The integration/implementation of the software was a pretty smooth process as well. Customer service is always very helpful, and they almost always find a solution to my problem the same day. I love that you can customize all of the different module options in Spectrum to fit the needs of each company/user.

Cons

We started using Spectrum before there was a "cloud" option, and now all of the new modules or field apps require you to be a user of their cloud instead of self-hosted. This is unfortunate since many companies made a significant investment when initially switching to a self-hosted Spectrum platform. We are either forced to switch to the cloud and pay a significantly higher price each year or miss out on all of the new features of Spectrum.

Feels like service is going backwards

It qives our accounting team the tools they need to provide a quick and accurate overview for our company. They are able to perform all accounting functions in one platform.

Pros

Familiar feel, rather easy to train new users. Features are simple and quick to learn. It has served our company well for numerous years.

Cons

Customer service and new features feel like that are going backwards. Takes forever to get issues solved when a few years ago it was quick

Tons of features, but could use better reporting.

Spectrum support has become an issue in the last couple of years. When you can reach someone, the support is excellent. They have great people in support, but it has become increasingly difficult to get support on a timely basis.

Pros

Spectrum is fairly easy to use and navigate. We are paperless and the document imaging is easy to use and functional. Most reports can be downloaded in various formats, which is great.

Cons

Working in payroll, it is sometimes difficult to find the report(s) that contain the necessary data for the task at hand and sometimes the report needed doesn't exist. InfoLink allows us to extract data from Spectrum directly to Excel, but the tables are difficult to navigate and this process is very time consuming.

OK

It is fine, easy to use, I use it everyday, it has some bugs sometimes but nothing really serious, some features need to improve.

Pros

I would say is easy to use, it has all in the box, ok for a PM software.

Cons

They need to improve some features, I would like to have a punch list section and somehow tie schedule to the software to track my cost/schedule.

Spectrum Review

I am relatively new (just under two years) to the product, and yet many who have been with our organization since implementation utilize only a small portion of the features available. I cannot attribute all of this to the product, but it certainly bears some of the responsibility.

Pros

The ability to do all that we can "in-house" from a payroll perspective & the "export" feature.

Cons

Spectrum has some great capabilities, and customer servicde does have help available, but they don't make it easy to learn and optimize the features of the product.

Spectrum: easy to use

Pros

The program is very straightforward and simple to use. It offers many tools in the hub to track your hours and pay stubs easily.

Cons

When time reporting, the entry day defaults to the current day regardless of what day is selected.

Spectrum - Consistent Navigation for all Accounting Processes

Pros

I really like that the look and feel of Spectrum is consistent throughout the system. The A/P and Payroll processing is similar which helps the user become familiar with new job responsibilities quickly.

Cons

The General Ledger module is period driven, not date. So when running a Trial Balance a specific date is not available, without extracting to excel. For example, if you want to know the total Cash GL as of January 15th, the Trial Balance will only run for the period.

Spectrum uses

Pros

The capture of information and the ability to find that information in inquiries rather than running reports

Cons

Customization of reports has to be done thru a different software. Delay in improvements to the software

User Friendly

Pros

It is easy to enter invoices, make payments on them and do research on vendors and accompanying jobs.

Cons

The customer service is very hard to get ahold of. Also, the software is good for small or medium sized companies but not large ones.

Great!

Pros

It’s easy to use and anyone can learn. Would recommend.

Cons

Sometimes the web browser doesn’t load quickly

Full featured software package

As with any large, complex and flexible software package like Spectrum, it can be rather complicated to set up and train users in operating it. We have been overall pleased in using it since we switched back in 2009. During this time our business has just about tripled in size and we do not feel as if we have out grown it.

Pros

Lots of modules available with a fairly robust implementation, continuing active additions of new features and improvements, document imaging allows easy access to attached documents, security rights for employees can be adjusted down to individual menu selections if necessary, customer support is very good and transparent (we are notified if something doesn't work as expected with suggested workarounds - even if we didn't report the issue), and the ability to create custom reports in Crystal.

Cons

While subscriptions for updated US and state income tax tables are available, local income tax tables are not. When a sales/use tax code is entered into the screen, it cannot be marked inactive if it is no longer used (there are some other setups with the same issue). If a report has been previewed or exported in one form (pdf, for example), it cannot be immediately exported in another (such as Excel) without re-running the report. While most reports run quickly, there are some that can take a while and having to wait the additional time for the same information can be frustrating.

A daily tool

Pros

Spectrum gives me an instant look at open POs or subcontracts, payment history, job and equipment costs, helps to manage compliance (licensing, current COI, etc.), time reports, timecards, vendors, phase/GL/job codes. I can instantly find out whether an invoice has been paid, when we invoiced a customer, whether new equipment has been added to inventory. We have nearly eliminated paper files using Spectrum and digital files. In the past couple of years, Viewpoint has created an outstanding suite of user support that ranges from daily updates, web-based free training, and a responsive staff that helps find learning resources or the right technician/trainer to answer questions. The Viewpoint Network was a game changer for me.

Cons

The reporting function is limited if you don't know Crystal Reports, and the reports aren't consistent. Some are available in comma delimited format, which makes it relatively easy to structure the information in Excel. Others download only as preformatted Excel reports, using an older version of Excel, which is awkward to use.

From an AR Perspective

Overall Spectrum is a time saver. It has helped bring project management into the loop of being able to resolve customer issues. The best part is it has allowed me to be able to work from home two days a week for a year now!

Pros

The navigation make it so you can figure out what you need to do next with a minimum amount of training on how to use the system. The customizable reports are a great asset. Billing reports are easy to pull together.

Cons

Draw Request is my least favorite in this system. When you open draw request it shows you in the upper right in financials you have previous work. The total schedule of values is NOT showing. If you have amounts in both this period and materials stored the system will not give you a total of combined for the draw. Also when you are in the draw the entire line needs to highlight while scrolling down for the line you need. It gets very frustrating at times. When something is entered into job cost under the wrong phase, there needs to be a way to change the phase and not have to do multiple entries for negative to to incorrect phase and a positive to the correct phase. That would be ha huge time saver.

I am employed by a large, heavy civil construction contractor in Oregon. I was hired five years ago in the payroll department, and Spectrum was the software that this company was already using. In the past, I had used a construction software called Foundation which was exceptional at job costing materials by piece versus hourly wage. Spectrum's latest upgrade to the new version 14 has had some major changes in the payroll and human resource module, and has taken some time to get used to. I found that the basic data entry screens are easy to use but it's taken more time to locate where the functions are than I had hoped. If our company had invested in having on-site training prior to the upgrade, I believe these changes would've been easier on all of our employees. One of our employees did attend the Seattle conference but she was disappointed that there was not more hands-on learning and training, and thought that our company should have received a team training session prior to the upgrade, as well. Our payroll, human resource, purchasing department, contract administration, and accounts payable departments have all requested additional training with this latest upgrade so that they can use Spectrum with confidence, and complete their daily tasks faster on a regular basis. I am awaiting several changes that our company has requested from Dexter and Chaney's support team via telephone and multiple emails. The human resource module needs some serious work in terms of versatility. I am still hoping to take a crystal reports training class in order to create reports in Spectrum, rather than exporting everything into an Excel spreadsheet and spending hours manipulating the reports to get the outcome that our company required for individual, specialized reports in payroll and human resources. The project management module also has one grave error in changing the appearance, flexibility, and directory for creating and maintaining transmittals. This particular flaw has cost our company a minimum of 5 hours per week in additional office clerical hours just to keep up the creating, sending, and scanning of all documents through transmittals. That's very upsetting to a fast-passed construction company that processes between 75 and 100 transmittals per week! The largest advantage I've seen since this last upgrade is that the system works faster on the Internet and I am able to access Spectrum from home.

Excellent construction accounting software

Our experience with Spectrum has been good over the 6 years we are using the software.

Pros

This software does a good job of integrating our construction operations. We do not use the project management part of it though. We do a lot of job costing for our projects.

Cons

I think the inventory module should be modernized and brought up to current standards. It is not very easy to use.

Spectrum 14.24

Like all programs that have a significant number of features, the more your staff learns about the software the better the ROI. The user interface has a lot going on and can be overwhelming at first. However, there is a logic to it and once learned a diverse array of features can be accessed quickly.

Pros

The ability to access many features from one screen. The connectivity of features on screen. For example, if a job is displayed, all of the customer information is available as well. No need to add software to each workstation, software runs within a browser (I've used Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and my cell phone browser, I understand other browsers are supported as well) All reports can be emailed right from the display screen.

Cons

Many of the reports must be customized to meet user needs. Some features are not located in an intuitive place. Financial statement writer is basic and pretty weak.

We have been with Spectrum since 1997 (when it was Forefront). This software is a workhorse!

Ease of use and great support!

Pros

I like how easy this program is to use. If I can't find the report I need, I can easily export to Excel or Crystal Reports. The document imaging module saves us time when we need to review invoices or other documentation later. When I have issues, the support team is right there and usually can fix the problem while we are on the phone. It is rare for us to have an open ticket.

Cons

There are some differences between modules. When you exit a previewed report, some take you back to the site map while others take you back to the report page so you can adjust and run again if necessary. Consistency would be nice. It isn't a big deal, it could save a few steps.