Agency Management Sytems - Applied Epic Vs. AMS360?

[jtmgolf00]

Kris - I was asking you and hoping for some feedback from other agencies who have gone through the process - I have found in my consulting career that the more data that moves the better.
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logically you would think that Applied would move more data to Epic, but I don't know if that is reality.

 

[KrisCook]

Kris - I was asking you and hoping for some feedback from other agencies who have gone through the process - I have found in my consulting career that the more data that moves the better.
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logically you would think that Applied would move more data to Epic, but I don't know if that is reality.

The Epic sales person told me that very little accounting data is converted. That terrified me. I have heard that AMS360 actually has a better data conversion from Vision than Applied System's own Epic has. That's only anecdotal - I don't have any real information. I have seen AMS360's list of policy and transaction detail that is converted, and it's good.

 

[jtmgolf00]

Kris - not converting accounting data is normal (you would think that moving from your own vendor it would be automatic). My guess is no one will convert the accounting.

Some vendors have come up with a way of viewing the data in "history" files. Not the best solution but it works.

 

[KrisCook]

Kris - not converting accounting data is normal (you would think that moving from your own vendor it would be automatic). My guess is no one will convert the accounting.

Some vendors have come up with a way of viewing the data in "history" files. Not the best solution but it works.

I would think it would be almost impossible to disentangle the subsidiary ledgers, which are fed by production data, from the general ledger accounting that THEY feed.

Anyhow, I'm sure their tech people have thoroughly explored the logistics of data migration and I'll just have to be very careful with my beginning balances when we migrate. One good thing is the fact that Vision is on our own server, so it's not going anywhere. When we need history we can just open it up and pull whatever reports we need.

Vision is SQL-based. I forgot to ask the Vertafore guy if that is the case with AMS360. I'd think it would be harder to convert data if the database was based on something different - Access, for example. (Does anyone use Access any more?)

Anyhow, I hope to read more real-world experience details here before I have to make the decision. It's big and scary!

 

[jtmgolf00]

I am pretty sure 360 is SQL based - some of the small systems use some strange databases but you want SQL.

 

[1deutsch]

AMS 360 is MS .net, not SQL. Epic and Vision are both SQL based. We just had an AMS 360 demo in our office last week and we discussed the database side of 360. We are also a Vision lan agency that is considering a move to either Epic or 360. It's a tough decision. I like 360's Producer Plus and Pipeline Manager products and I think these features would help producers be more productive. Are any 360 customers using these features? I'm not sure if Epic has anything that is equivalent to Pipeline Manger & Producer Plus?

Thanks, Matt
Vision 7.1, LAN, 27 Users

 

[1deutsch]

Correction, AMS 360's database is SQL. .Net is the framework.

 

[jtmgolf00]

Correction, AMS 360's database is SQL. .Net is the framework.

I believe that is what I stated originally.

 

[KrisCook]

Update: We are signing a contract today to move to VisionOnline. We have an "Operational Discovery" conference with Applied Systems scheduled for next Thursday, so they can determine whether Epic would be an appropriate fit for our small, commercial-construction specialty agency.

I wish Sphinx would have come back to answer my questions.

 

[jtmgolf00]

Update: We are signing a contract today to move to VisionOnline. We have an "Operational Discovery" conference with Applied Systems scheduled for next Thursday, so they can determine whether Epic would be an appropriate fit for our small, commercial-construction specialty agency.

I wish Sphinx would have come back to answer my questions.

Good luck with this - let us know how it goes!