Pronto Xi is an Australian-built ERP that's been a staple for distribution, manufacturing, and services businesses across Australia and New Zealand for decades. It's built by Pronto Software in Melbourne and has a strong following among mid-market businesses that need deep distribution and inventory functionality.
What sets Pronto Xi apart is its depth in wholesale distribution, manufacturing, and field service - areas where it genuinely outperforms many larger ERP platforms. But like any long-running ERP, many businesses are running older versions with accumulated customisations that make upgrades complex.
Pronto Xi Platform Overview
Pronto Xi covers a broad range of business functions:
- Financial Management - GL, AP, AR, budgeting, fixed assets, multi-currency, bank reconciliation
- Distribution - Inventory management, purchasing, sales orders, warehousing, freight management. This is where Pronto really shines.
- Manufacturing - Bill of materials, production planning, shop floor control, quality management, costing
- Field Service - Job management, scheduling, mobile workforce, contracts, equipment tracking
- Analytics - Pronto Xi Analytics powered by IBM Cognos for reporting and dashboards
- Payroll & HR - Australian payroll, STP, super, leave management, time and attendance
- E-commerce - Pronto Xi has web and B2B portal capabilities for online ordering
Version Upgrades
Pronto Xi upgrades are significant projects. Unlike SaaS platforms that update automatically, Pronto Xi version upgrades require planning, testing, and execution:
Version History
Pronto Xi has gone through several major versions. Common version jumps we see businesses needing to make:
- 660 / 680 to 770 - Multi-version jump. Significant effort but necessary for security and support.
- 730 to 770 - Single version jump. More manageable but still requires thorough testing.
- 760 to 770 - Minor version upgrade. Quickest to execute but still needs customisation review.
What Makes Upgrades Complex
Upgrade Challenges
- Customisations - Pronto Xi's flexibility means many businesses have significant custom code. Each customisation needs reviewing for compatibility with the new version.
- Data migration - Database schema changes between versions require careful data migration and validation.
- Integration rework - APIs and interfaces may change between versions, affecting connections to other systems.
- User training - New UI features and changed workflows need staff retraining.
- Testing depth - Every business process needs end-to-end testing. Distribution, manufacturing, and financial workflows all need validation.
Pronto Cloud
Pronto Cloud is the hosted option for Pronto Xi. It moves the infrastructure responsibility to Pronto Software:
- Hosted in Australian data centres
- Pronto manages servers, backups, and infrastructure patching
- VPN or secure web access for users
- Removes the need for on-premise server hardware
Important distinction: Pronto Cloud is a hosting arrangement, not a SaaS rewrite. It's the same Pronto Xi software running on Pronto-managed infrastructure. You still need to manage version upgrades, customisations, and application-level configuration.
Cloud doesn't mean maintenance-free. Moving to Pronto Cloud simplifies infrastructure, but application management (upgrades, customisations, reports, integrations) remains your responsibility.
Customisation Management
Pronto Xi customisations are both the platform's strength and its biggest management challenge:
- Custom screens and fields - Additional data capture tailored to your business
- Business rules - Custom validation, pricing logic, and workflow rules
- Reports - Custom reports and documents (invoices, pick slips, purchase orders)
- Interfaces - Custom import/export routines and integrations
- ProTalk scripts - Custom automation and business logic using Pronto's scripting language
Every customisation needs to be documented, tested with each upgrade, and assessed for whether it's still needed. We commonly see businesses with hundreds of customisations, many of which were created years ago for situations that no longer exist.
Common Integrations
- E-commerce - Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce. Order sync, inventory levels, pricing updates.
- Freight & logistics - StarTrack, Toll, Australia Post, TNT. Consignment creation and tracking.
- EDI - Electronic data interchange with major retailers (Coles, Woolworths, Bunnings).
- Banking - ABA files, bank reconciliation feeds, payment processing.
- CRM - Salesforce, HubSpot, or Dynamics CRM integration for sales teams.
- BI/Reporting - Power BI, Tableau, or direct database connections for advanced analytics.
- WMS - Warehouse management systems for businesses with complex warehousing needs beyond Pronto's built-in WMS.
How HELLO PEOPLE Can Help
We're a Perth-based software company with 18+ years of experience across enterprise ERP systems, integration, and custom development for Australian businesses.
Our Pronto Xi Services
- Upgrade planning & execution - Managing version upgrades from assessment through testing to go-live
- Customisation review - Auditing existing customisations, documenting them, and assessing upgrade compatibility
- Integration development - Building and maintaining connections between Pronto Xi and your other business systems
- Custom development - ProTalk scripts, custom screens, and automation
- Cloud migration support - Helping you move from on-premise to Pronto Cloud
- Independent advice - Objective assessment of your Pronto Xi environment and recommendations
Free Pronto Xi health check. We'll review your current setup, customisations, and upgrade readiness. Get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my version still supported?
Pronto Software typically supports current and previous major versions. Older versions (660, 680) are generally out of support. Check directly with Pronto for your specific version, and talk to us about upgrade planning if needed.
How long does an upgrade take?
3-9 months depending on version gap, customisation count, and integration complexity. Single version jumps are faster. Multi-version jumps need more extensive testing and remediation.
Should I move to Pronto Cloud?
If you want to eliminate on-premise server management, yes. But understand that it doesn't eliminate application management. You still need to handle upgrades, customisations, and optimisation.
Summary
Pronto Xi is a powerful Australian ERP with exceptional depth in distribution and manufacturing. Keeping it healthy means staying current on versions, managing customisations properly, and maintaining clean integrations. If you need help with an upgrade, customisation cleanup, or integration project - book a free health check.