Case study - TVR Cars

TVR Engineering Ltd manufacture and market a range of internationally prized hand built sports cars for the discerning driver. The name TVR is associated with quality and excellence, with each vehicle receiving individual attention to detail.

The fruits of applying these principles have led to a doubling of production in the last 15 years. However, TVR has not grown without administrative difficulty, especially in stock and production management information systems. Workable solutions to these issues are often complex because the competing needs of different management functions create administrative loads that are difficult to reconcile.

Recognising the problems, TVR set about finding a solution that would effectively resolve a number of difficulties. They particularly wanted to source a package that could be fully integrated with existing financial controls to provide a seamless, co-ordinated system.

TVR approached a number of software houses and, after evaluation of several systems, selected Datafile Software Ltd and it's Premier system. Premier is a fully configurable Windows based system that has the benefit of its own tailorable database engine or Profiler. Unlike other offerings, Profiler is accessible to competent computer managers and does not require an external consultant or programmer to create customer functions.

Both TVR and Datafile recognise that system specifications change as installation proceeds, especially as line managers start to see potential benefits. It is therefore, crucial that a modular package be flexible enough to meet users' needs as they unfold. There is no point in having a package that is feature laden only to find that a special report cannot be produced. At the same time, systems should be oriented towards functionality that is directly relevant. Finally, with thirty users, the package has to be reliable. Understanding these additional issues, the installation was planned to be in two major stages with four discrete sections. This had the additional benefit of minimising disruption to existing procedures and eased the accounts staff into the Premier approach.

First to go in was the purchase ledger, tailored to provide a familiar feel to its users, but with some added functionality. Next was stock control. This was seen as a key component because TVR was anxious to create a database that showed every part put into every vehicle that came off the production line. At the same time they wanted control over multiple retail prices for their international markets. Finally in the first stage was introduction of a sales ledger. This module links to stock control and reflects the pricing system built into stock control as well as multiple tax rates and currencies.

The second stage included installation of the main network hardware. Nominal ledger, invoicing, payroll and purchase order processing were the final components to complete the accounting picture. Profiler was used to handle TVR dealer listings for products billed. Job costing and sales order processing (SOP) have been added with customer functions for specific users. For example, SOP provides management with profit and loss details for every part in dealer orders. Job costing also manages TVR's race team inputs and again management can monitor the parts that have been used in any particular car.

Product: Datafile Premier

Datafile Applications:

• Sales Ledger  
• Purchase Ledger  
• Nominal Ledger
• Invoicing  
• Job Costing
• Payroll  
• Stock Control  
• Sales Order Processing
• Batch Tracking

Profiler Applications:

• Additional reporting for main applications
• Warranty System  
• Production Costing  
• Stock Price List
• Customer Mailing
• Vehicle Specification  

Website: www.tvr.co.uk