Euro green light.

BASDA, the European business software developer trade association, has awarded three e-business software providers the second level of its euro currency conversion accreditation – but failed another unnamed company for not meeting the standard. Scala Business Solutions, Coda and Systems Union all received accreditation for their products confirming their software complies with BASDA euro specifications. It is understood a further five companies have applied for testing with announcements expected during the summer. ‘This latest accreditation programme will give users confidence that the claims made by vendors about their level of EMU compliance have been tested and confirmed not only in multi-currency conversion and triangulation, but also for the even more complex base currency conversion,’ said BASDA chief executive Dennis Keeling. The new accreditation programme checks whether software can convert from a national currency to the euro. It follows the launch of the first test programme in 1998, which checked multi-currency and triangulation. All companies within the eurozone must have software installed and ready to go before 1 January 2002, but the conversion process has been known to take three years for larger organisations. It is likely concerns will increase that some software will not work once it is installed. Keeling pointed out that the three companies which have passed the test will have an advantage over their rivals who cannot confirm their packages are able to convert currencies. He added: ‘The 26 companies which have passed the first test and the other 270 of our members who have not even passed stage one, are likely to witness increasingly concerned customers.’ Meanwhile, it is understood traditional big five ERP company J D Edwards has not renewed its BASDA membership this year. The company was the only big five company not to have received level one accreditation.