[ SITUATION ] Home Lumber's technology infrastructure was based on a server that the company had outgrown. They desperately needed to upgrade to a newer system and they needed it quickly with no downtime for the 150-200 employees who accessed the system daily. The company's main headquarters also needed to ensure their four remote sites could have fast, reliable, secure access to critical information like the company's centralized billing and inventory system. Home Lumber wanted to implement a document imaging system to improve the billing process and cut down on accounts receivable staff time. [ APPROACH ] Enterprise Systems upgrades the server with a new Compaq server running an SCO UNIXWARE operating system. In order to minimize downtime during the server upgrade, the Enterprise Systems team developed a detailed action plan for the transition. Enterprise Systems implemented a new Cisco Frame-Relay network, to connect the four remote sites to the main location and to improve data transmission speeds. Citrix thin-client technology was implemented to deliver business applications to remote locations from one central location. An additional battery back-up system was installed to ensure that Home Lumber's system could continue running in the event of a power outage. Enterprise Systems worked closely with a document imaging software company to develop a system that would allow Home Lumber to create and catalogue electronic documents for all billing related paperwork without sacrificing the visual representation of hand-written signatures. [ RESULTS ] The upgrade for the primary server was seamless. Administrative tasks that once over two hours can now be completed in 20 minutes, and all remote sites have real-time access to the main server. Accounts receivable was able to significantly reduce staff time and improve the accuracy of all billing process with the new imaging system. Enterprise Systems worked directly with the software vendors to ensure a quick efficient installation. Home Lumber is working with Enterprise Systems on a new system to accommodate an additional remote location and to implement a new delivery dispatch system. Home Lumber will retain Enterprise Systems to assist in the launch of a new system that will allow the company to share critical engineering information with customers in a secure environment. "When it comes down to it, they are our MIS department…When we want to install something new, they will come in and get us set up and then help train our staff. They make it seamless so my people can get back to doing what they need to do. Their customer service is second to none… Now we consult Enterprise Systems all the time. They help us decide if something we want to do is going to be cost effective and if it will work with our system." —Gordon Loundagin, CFO Home Lumber