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Helping GlobalVision Improve the Metrics that Matter

About the Customer

GlobalVision is a Montreal‑based hybrid software/hardware/services company specializing in automated quality inspection, proofreading, and content & packaging compliance. Their tools help Fortune 500 companies in regulated industries ensure accuracy in text, graphics, labeling, and print workflows.

The Pain Before NetSuite

Before implementing NetSuite, GlobalVision was using Sage 300. While it met the basic accounting needs, several constraints became apparent as the business grew and diversified. From interviews, the main challenges were: 

Limited Reporting Capability

Any non‐standard report, or changes to reports, required SQL expertise or a “systems person.” Even accountants couldn’t tweak reporting without help.

Lack of Holistic Visibility

Data lived in silos; many processes were tracked manually (Excel, waterfall tables, manual journal entries), which meant delays, risk of errors, and inconsistent views of performance. 

Manual Revenue Recognition

Revenue recognition wasn’t integrated within the system. This caused a significant slowdown and risked data integrity — if formulas or Excel sheets were modified incorrectly it could break the entire spreadsheet.

Operational Inefficiencies

Since many tasks were manual, scaling meant hiring more people — headcount would have ballooned just to keep up with basic reporting, revenue recognition, and bookkeeping tasks.

These limitations hampered their ability to make fast, data‑driven decisions, slowed month‑end closes, created risks in financial accuracy, and put ceilings on growth and responsiveness.

Why GlobalVision Chose NetSuite

When evaluating a new ERP, GlobalVision’s priorities included supporting their hybrid revenue model (software + hardware + professional services), strong built‑in capabilities for revenue recognition, flexibility, and minimal need for custom code to support their growth.

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  • Sage Intacct was considered, but its revenue-recognition and reporting features were too rigid and limiting to account for GlobalVision's complexities
     

  • Microsoft Dynamics looked like it would require heavy customization, which likely would bring more maintenance burden
     

  • NetSuite, in contrast, offered out‑of‑the‑box features aligned with their business model: subscription billing, hybrid revenue, software/hardware mix, professional services. Less custom work, greater alignment.

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"NetSuite was the best out-of-the-box all around product — the decision was simple"

Michael Sobadjian, Head of Finance

Optimizing NetSuite for Growth

Sky High ERP was brought in to optimize, clean up, and adapt NetSuite to the nuances of GlobalVision’s business model and operations. Key projects included: 

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  • Automating workflows: custom scripts and workflows were developed to automate processes that were manual before.
     

  • Billing automation: implementing semi‑automated invoicing and better systems for tracking billing and project hours.
     

  • Building out a proper professional services module: tracking hours properly, aligning project/professional services workflows in NetSuite vs external tools.
     

  • Fixing revenue recognition: replacing manual waterfall tables, Excel rev‑rec workflows, manual journal entries.
     

  • Improving data integrity & reporting: enabling non‑technical staff (accounting, operations) to build their own reports; resulting in faster, more accurate close cycles. 

Measurable Impact & Business Outcomes

These are the concrete results GlobalVision has achieved since implementing and optimizing NetSuite: 

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  • Time to Close Books

    • Before: ~ 15 days​

    • After: ~ 5 days (3x improvement)

  • Headcount Relative to Growth​

    • Before: Would have required extra hires to keep up​

    • After: Doubled revenue with the same finance headcount

  • Reporting & Visibility​

    • Before: Needed technical staff to manually run reports; risk of errors and incomplete view of financial data. ​

    • After: Holistic visibility; business users can run reports leading to faster, data-driven decision-making. Automation resulted in significant cost savings in the IT department.

  • Professional Services Tracking​

    • Before: Mostly unmanaged with time-consuming and error-prone manual follow up.​

    • After: Automated project creation once orders were processed resulted in improved scheduling and visibility, allowing the PS team to plan more effectively.

  • Billing & Invoicing​

    • Before: Semi-manual, error-prone; manual journal entries and adjustments.​

    • After: Automation reduced billing time by 95%.

  • Customer Experience​

    • Before: Manual status tracking caused slower communication with customers. A growing headcount would have detracted from GlobalVision’s relationship-driven service.

    • After: The professional services team became more organized and proactive. Thanks to NetSuite automation, customers receive timely updates from licensing through delivery, improving customer satisfaction and retention.

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"NetSuite allows us to stay lean — we have a small internal support team thanks to the automations in place. If we had to scale headcount we wouldn't be able to maintain the same level of service."

Jake Berkson, Business Systems & Data Leader

Key Takeaways and Advice for Similar Companies

GlobalVision’s Head of Finance Michael Sobadjian shared this advice for companies in hybrid SaaS/hardware/professional services models considering an upgraded ERP system:

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Invest Time Up Front and Properly Plan Your Implementation

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Taking the time to clearly define requirements and map processes upfront ensures your ERP investment drives automation, efficiency, and long-term return on investment. Document where you rely on Excel, manual entries, external tools—these are friction points to solve within the new system implementation.

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Partner with Someone Who Understands Your Business

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Not all NetSuite partners bring hybrid models or revenue recognition experience. Partner with a company that not only specializes in NetSuite, but also understands the complexities of a business model with mixed revenue streams. 

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Automate Wherever Possible

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Even small‑workflow automations, scripting, etc., can shave days off month‑end, reduce errors, and increase staff leverage.

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Focus on Reporting and Data Visibility

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If your financials and operations are visible and accessible by non‑technical users, you can move much faster. 

Conclusion

GlobalVision’s story demonstrates the transformative power of NetSuite when fully leveraged. By consolidating systems, automating core workflows, and enabling accurate, real-time reporting, NetSuite allowed GlobalVision to cut their month-end close from 15 days to 5, double their business without increasing headcount in their finance department, and reducing billing time by 95%. Most importantly, it gave their team the visibility and control needed to scale efficiently and deliver a better customer experience. 

 

For growing companies navigating complex revenue models, manual processes, and data silos, NetSuite offers a powerful foundation to streamline operations, improve financial accuracy, and support sustained growth.

Sky High ERP specializes in enabling measurable impact through NetSuite—greater visibility, faster closes, and scalable growth. Book an introductory discussion to see what’s possible for your company.

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