GRINEX Advisory works remotely thanks to comprehensive IT support
It didn’t make sense for an accounting firm of (then) 10 people to have its own IT department. So they were looking for specialists who would take care of their IT infrastructure and, in addition, prepare the company for the increasingly popular remote access to work from home. And all this with the requirement to keep client data secure.
First they got rid of their own servers
Grinex originally stored all their data on their own servers. Every time the server went down, they had to wait for the service team to arrive and it was hard to work during that time. The solution was to abandon the in-house servers and move the data to a reliable remote storage that the employees themselves do not have to worry about.
Around 2005, GRINEX was recommended to System4u, which focused on some of the first cloud solutions in the Czech Republic. At System4, Grinex first built a terminal server on which clients shared their data with internal and external staff.
Gradually, they eliminated local servers altogether. The data was newly concentrated in a data centre, also provided by System4u. From Grinex, employees can easily access their data both via a remote desktop and directly from their computers via VPN.
However, as new technologies are constantly evolving, System4 soon started working on innovations and provided Grinex with modern cloud storage.
To one file from anywhere
System4u’s service portfolio is so broad that it does not have to focus on just one solution, but offers the ideal choice for the client. And that turned out to be the cloud system under Office365 for Grinex.
After moving to this cloud, Grinex started using Sharepoint for data sharing with clients, and System4 provided them with an MS Exchange client for e-mail communication online. In addition, they use PowerBI reporting and background automation through PowerApps. System4u also helped Grinex with the integration of all mobile devices (phones, tablets, laptops) into their IT infrastructure.
This process is a good demonstration of what can be achieved today at an affordable price. Grinex employees log in to the Microsoft cloud, the terminal server in the System4u data centre, and other services such as VPN via a single sign-on. They also log into other applications that System4u integrates via AzureAD.
Employees can edit one file from their work computer, then edit it from their home office from their home computer, and then edit it from their mobile phone while on the train.
Data security is a priority
Grinex operates from several offices in the Czech Republic and their clients include important international companies. Remote access from computers and mobile phones therefore requires a high level of security. To protect data and secure access, System4u has installed a reliable antivirus from ESET on all devices.
In addition, the IT firm has begun the transition from Microsoft Intune to Microsoft Enterprise Mobility + Security (Microsoft 365 Enterprise), a mass mobile device management system that can only be accessed from authorized and trusted devices.
System4 are experts in enterprise mobile device management and know how to set them up reliably. With Microsoft 365 Enterprise, a business doesn’t have to worry about losing sensitive data when, for example. an employee loses their mobile phone or computer. If necessary, the system administrator can remotely lock the device or completely delete the company data from the device.
There is nothing unexpected about the invoices
Grinex has been with System4u for 15 years, and the company is constantly innovating in the face of new market developments and company growth. Updates to programs or the number of licenses are managed automatically by System4u. This includes the development of CRM software, which ensures that accountants always work with up-to-date client data and have it in one place.
Thanks to a complete support package, accountants work on modern systems without even having to know about IT processes. In addition, they can call System4 at any time. At the customer support desk, they are not waited on 24/7 by a robot, but by a technician who solves the situation immediately.
Currently, System4u provides IT support for 30 internal and 20 external Grinex employees, each working on two to three devices, and also provides support for the company’s software installed on servers and workstations.
Grinex then just pays System4U an invoice that is transparent and fixed every month. The only other IT bills Grinex has are for the purchase of end devices such as computers, phones etc., which System4u of course helps them with.
