About Innovative Options
Innovative Options was founded in 1991 by Theo von Solms as a vehicle to develop standard and customised software for small businesses.
Our client base includes businesses ranging from independent accountants, consultant firms and fast food outlets to motor vehicle repair shops.
Our software covers your business needs from staff management to cash and asset management:
ioClock Innovative staff and attendance management
ioAsset Innovative asset management
ioCash Innovative cash management
How Innovative Options software works
When developing any system, we apply the principle of “first entry equals final entry”, where possible. Our motto is “Enter once. Add to. Utilise and maximise. Never repeat any input.”
This means that data is only entered once. From then onwards, it can be added to. It is also available for manipulation, as well as for export to “partner” products (see explanation below).
The advantages of our system
The approach used in our software greatly increases efficiency, productivity and reduces the possibility of data duplication or errors.
- Where possible, we create import / export modules to facilitate data exchange between our systems and any other systems used by our clients.
- The most common example is data import and export from and to Sage Pastel Accounting® (a South African accounting package marketed world-wide).
- To facilitate data inquiry and follow-up, we design applications with a large number of browse screens, as well as management reports.
- We provide password-protected log-in screens for data-sensitive and multi-user applications.
- User access is restricted according to their assigned access level.
See our example of the ioClock Calendar file page. We use colour and icons to highlight specific data conditions.
This is an example of a management desktop, which gives users instant access to key data. For example, staff clock-in time (whether they clocked in on time or not at all).
Here is an example of how users can customise the data to suit their own business needs.
Some of our current satisfied clients
About Theo von Solms
Theo has a wealth of experience in managing his own businesses.
During two decades managing his own panel beating businesses, Theo identified needs that impelled him to design and implement his own software. The resulting VRM software was a comprehensive quoting and job management system for panel beating shops.
In 2014, Theo entered into an agreement with CapeSoft to take over the further development and support of VRM.
This ultimately developed into the Veculim software product, which is making waves in the auto body industry.
Over 25 years, Theo has also created software for numerous industries and businesses, both large and small. These include:
- A comprehensive fast-food franchise management system. It covers franchisee management, sales recording, statistical analysis, franchise fee invoicing and collection, pricing and promotions.
- A supplier cost-book system to control costing, ordering, comparative pricing and stock levels.
- A supplier database system for a motor vehicle repair group to do group purchases (to negotiate bulk buying terms).
- A technical college database system to manage student and course records and student progress.
- Custom software for Action Profiling, a personality type analysis and consulting business. This application shortened the time from interview to feedback (complete with comprehensive typed report) from 7 working days to 2 hours!
Chat to Theo about your business software needs.