Company Name:  The European Case Clearing House

Company Type:     The largest single source of management case studies in the world


Computer Hardware:     iMac’s powered by Ethernet

Software used:     Dimensions Multi-Currency

Modules used:     Sales Ledger, Sales Order Processing, Purchase Ledger, Purchase Order Processing, Nominal Ledger, Stock Control and Cash Book.

Number of users:     Ten

Number of employees:     Twenty one

Number of sites:     Two: Cranfield University, England.  Babson College, Massachusetts



First established over 30 years ago, ECCH has grown spectacularly – especially over recent years as interest in the case teaching method has increased.  ECCH’s first investment in a computer system was Access Accountant, which was in black and white.  Due to rapid expansion it was essential that ECCH had a system capable of growing. 

ECCH is the largest single source of management case studies in the world.  It holds and distributes all cases produced by the world’s best-known management teaching establishments, as well as case studies in many languages produced by individual authors from almost every corner of the globe.  This is why a system that could handle multi-currency transactions and accurate stock records was essential. 

Also, as it is a not-for-profit company with charitable status, ECCH provides services priced solely on the cost of operations.  Royalties are paid to member organisations, whose case studies are distributed, allowing them to make a significant contribution to university research.  This complex accounting process required a system capable of recording and monitoring this accurately and the ability to get real-time reports at the touch of a button.  

Initially ECCH was referred to Amethyst from Access due to our expertise in support issues and our location. There were a number of initial problems with how the system was running, but these were all quickly resolved.

ECCH has followed a training programme with Amethyst and now on most topics train’s new users itself, as the software is very easy to learn.

 Since installing the system ECCH have always signed an annual support contract, giving it’s users access to the Amethyst Support Hotline.  This has proved invaluable in the past as ECCH could be assured that it’s queries, whether technical or financial, would be dealt with promptly and efficiently.  However, as the system has developed dramatically now, the need to call has greatly reduced. 

Since the initial installation of Access many years ago ECCH have gone through a number of system up-grades.  It is currently running Access Dimensions Multi-Currency software on iMac clients under Citrix Metaframe.  The Dimensions, Microsoft SQL 2000 and Citrix Metaframe software is installed on two Windows 2000 servers networked to the clients via Ethernet.   

V. Brown of ECCH comments:  “Our upgrade from v3 to Dimensions was in 2002 and we haven't looked back.  The change in performance was remarkable, the efficiency and speed of Dimensions is greater than I certainly anticipated it would be, it took us a while to believe things were being generated/completed so quickly.”

At Amethyst we understand that every business is different, and that no two companies’ requirements from an accounts system will be the same. Whether a customer is a large corporation needing a multi user system or a smaller firm with only one or two users, our service is tailored from the beginning to suit individual customers needs.

We combine experience as accountants with wide knowledge of PC and Macintosh accounting software. We can provide you with impartial advice, high quality training and an excellent support structure – as ECCH have discovered.

“The support that we receive from Amethyst cannot be faulted, though with Dimensions running we hardly ever call, it’s such a stable accounting system, a shame only in the sense that I hardly get to talk to them! We did encounter problems with previous versions of Access Accounts but Amethyst was immediately on the case to solve the ‘unique’ problems we seemed to encounter.