Thin client applications are defined as having the bulk of the data processing being performed at the server rather than on the client. Also thin client applications have reduced data transmissions between the client and the server, thereby enabling the client to be more remotely connected to the server.

Whilst some accounting software vendors claim to have Thin Client technology, the fact is that none of them can offer anywhere near the same level of functionality and performance as Espresso Financials with its Multi-Tier Architecture.

The three main alternative Thin Client technologies are Web Browser Interfaces, Terminal Emulation Software and Traditional Mainframe Architectures.

Web Browser Interfaces

Until quite recently the thin client interface only existed in the realm of mainframes, then along came the concept of the web browser thin client interface. The problem for software vendors is that accounting software browser interface development is extremely difficult and problematic, which is why most vendors have only partly implemented the technology, with a requirement to use their old interface for any unsupported features. With Espresso Financials the entire interface is thin client.

Because Web browser interfaces are supposedly "platform independent" they cannot possibly offer as much functionality or client-side performance as native Microsoft Windows executable programs. By comparison, Espresso Financials Thin Client interface takes full advantage of the Microsoft Windows operating system, with functionality including Multi-Document Interface, Tree Structures, Rapid Data Entry Screens, SmartMove™ Cursor movement, direct interface to POS hardware, fast scrolling through lists of data and unrestricted printing of reports.

Espresso Financial's Multi-Document Interface is ideally suited to accounting management. After all, why wouldn't you want to be able to see inventory, customers, suppliers, invoices and corresponding receipts on the screen at the same time? With the web browser "one screen at a time" mentality you can't do this.

A common claim by vendors of web browser interfaces is that they are zero client or zero install interfaces. In fact this is just not true. Not only do you have to install the operating system as well as a compatible web browser (which will need to be configured to accept applets), you may also have to download and install a thin client engine such as J2SE (around 8000KB), report applets (around 800KB) and dozens of other applets of varying sizes. Espresso Financials thin client interface is comparatively thinner at just over 2000KB and requires even less client configuration.

Of course the size of the thin client is fairly trivial since it only gets downloaded the first time the program is executed or when new versions are released. What is more important is the volume of transaction data that is transmitted to the thin client. Again Espresso Financials wins the contest here with only compressed raw accounting data being transmitted, whereas Browser Interfaces need just about everything you see to be transmitted in uncompressed HTML. So with the smaller data packet size Espresso Financials is undoubtedly the better performer with better functionality.

Terminal Emulation Software

Terminal Emulation Software products such as Citrix, Microsoft Terminal Server and even PC Anywhere work on the principle of running a virtual workstation on a server computer and transmitting screen images to the remote computer which sends back keystrokes and mouse movements.

So if you have twenty users you not only need twenty workstation computers to act as screens and input devices but you also need an immensely powerful computer capable of simulating twenty workstations. Apart from this expensive hardware, the terminal emulation software itself is also very expensive. Together these costs can often exceed the cost of your accounting software.

It is worth noting that contrary to what some terminal emulation software vendors will have you believe, you do not need their software in order to centralise email or share word processing or spreadsheet documents across your enterprise. These functions can be better managed with inexpensive mail server software, Virtual Private Networks or Web Folders.

Despite the high costs of implementing terminal emulation software, it does serve one purpose, and that is to enable remote workstation access for older technology accounting software that do not support thin client interfaces. Unfortunately, these packages have never been optimised to reduce processing on the client and are therefore very demanding on the resources of the terminal emulation server. To compound the problem, the amount of data involved in transmitting screen images to the client is substantial. The net effect of this is debilitating performance degradation.

Espresso Financials with its optimisations for unbeatable remote access performance is in a different league, and best of all this high performance is all built in to the client and server application programs, with no requirement to purchase additional hardware or software.

Mainframes

Mainframe Architectures rely on having a powerful mainframe server computer with minimally configured workstations. Mainframes, without doubt, are very expensive in terms of server hardware, software, support and maintenance. They are hampered by proprietary technology requiring specialist IT personnel. The user interfaces generally offer much less functionality than true 32-bit windows applications. For example, reporting is typically limited to ugly and voluminous character based printouts. Espresso Financials with its high performance multi-tier architecture and server clustering technology offers a real alternative at fraction of the cost.

Keep It Simple

The old adage of "Keep it simple" is perfectly suited to Espresso Financials with its fully integrated thin client technology and no requirement for additional hardware or software (not even a browser). It is no wonder it has the best performing thin client interface.