SunSystems 5.4 was released in 2009 to ensure the underlying architecture was kept updated in line with Microsoft releases back then.

SunSystems 5.4 offered vastly improved functionality over version 4, with new features and updates that made it more efficient and user-friendly.

Notwithstanding, v5.4 was effectively discontinued on June 1, 2014.

In place of it, newer versions of the product (including v6 in 2011, v6.2 in 2014, and) were released with significant new features and enhancements.

SunSystems 6.4 is the latest version of this easy-to-use, cutting-edge financial management solution.

UPDATE: Infor had since released a more modern and more robust version of SunSystems called SunSystems Cloud. This is now the latest version. With it, users can now enjoy the full benefits of a true SaaS platform that is secure and cost-effective. It’s a multi-tenant cloud platform, enabling Infor to offer SunSystems on a larger scale.

It has been welcomed by many as an improvement to the reliability of SunSystems 5.4, incorporating the kind of modern functionality that genuinely adds value to the user experience. If you’re still unsure about whether or not to upgrade from SunSystems 5.4 to 6.4, there are a few compelling reasons why you should do it.

Outdated architecture

SunSystems 5.4 was released over 10 years ago and is based on an outdated Microsoft platform.

This means you can’t take advantage of newer Microsoft technologies that may enhance performance and stability.

For instance, staying with SunSystems 5.4 means staying with an older and unsupported version of Microsoft Windows and SQL, which comes with many risks.

It also means you cannot buy a new Sun licence for v5.4, leaving you stuck with an obsolete version that will become increasingly unable to meet your needs over time.

No longer supported

As of June 1, 2014, SunSystems 5.4 is no longer supported by Infor. This means you won’t receive any security patches or other updates, leaving you vulnerable to attack.

According to Accenture’s “State of Cybersecurity Resilience 2021” study, cyberattacks increased 31% from 2020 to 2021. The number of attacks per firm rose from 206 to 270 year over year.

Lack of features

Newer versions of SunSystems come with many new features and enhancements that are simply not available in 5.4.

New Features and Enhancements in Newer Versions of SunSystems

SunSystems 6.4 comes with many new features and enhancements. Here are just some of them, which explain why you should upgrade:

Data customisation

With the new SunSystems 6.4, there is a lot more scope for personalising and customising the system.

If you’re looking for a transaction entry that is more accurate and easier to use, for example, then this is a big advantage, as entry forms can be individually tailored with the customisation of characteristics and attributes.

A true web client

SunSystems 6.4 removes the past limitation to a “thick or rich” client, which required that it was either installed onto the computer itself or delivered via Citrix/Terminal Services.

This is no longer necessary because, with SunSystems 6.4, you have a true web client. This means that users can connect to the system from anywhere, using any device with a web browser, including tablets and smartphones.

Longer data fields

Field space was an issue for many with SunSystems 4 and 5.4.

There is now much more flexibility when it comes to data fields with additional fields added, more space in each field as well as space for long notes.

More currency options

There is a big difference between the currency options in SunSystems 5.4 and SunSystems 6.4.

The earlier system is designed around limited transaction currency/base currency, which could be problematic for those seeking more currency options for reporting.

SunSystems 6.4 is a different matter and much more versatile with five currencies for each transaction, which can be configured in a number of different ways.

SunSystems Reporting Services

The process of authoring and editing reports is much easier in SunSystems 6.4 thanks to SunSystems Reporting Services.

This is an upgrade from the Report Designer in older versions, which many, other than the most skilled users, tended to struggle with.

More efficient processes

SunSystems 6.4 is generally more intuitive and designed to remove unnecessary steps and redundancies from a number of key processes.

For example, the payment list for payment runs can be saved as a batch and brought back later to ensure nothing changes from when the payment run was initially running.

Multi-session capability

When using older versions of Sun, the system restricts you to doing one single task at a time but that limit is lifted with SunSystems 6.4.

With the upgrade, it’s possible to have up to nine sessions open at the same time, which can help to improve experience and convenience and also boost productivity.

Integration with other systems

SunSystems 6.4 has been designed much more with collaboration in mind than its predecessor.

This makes it much easier to enable collaboration, which can save time and resources and boost performance as a result.

User experience and usability

The entire system structure and operation have been considerably modified to make using the system as painless as possible.

Interface navigation has become more user-friendly and logical, for example. In addition, the way in which SunSystems 6.4 presents information is now more consistent and understandable.

Database performance improvements 

SunSystems v6.4 is a 64-bit application currently, which has resulted in a significant increase in system performance.

Microsoft supportability and updates 

Clients on SunSystems 5 should upgrade to SunSystems 6.4 or later to ensure that they are running operating systems and SQL Server versions with the most up-to-date security patches from Microsoft.

Procurement enhancement 

To make the procurement cycle easier, new features have been added to facilitate it in a company.

Approvers may now have a focused perspective on pending orders and invoices that are awaiting approval, allowing them to be approved/rejected with a single click.

Conclusion

While SunSystems 5.4 is good accounting software, it lacks security and many of the features and enhancements that are available in newer versions.

If you’re still using 5.4, it’s time to upgrade to a newer version so you can take advantage of all the new features and enhancements that are available. Doing so will help improve your company’s security and efficiency.

To learn more, or to upgrade your software, contact us today.