MRI Horizon is well suited to commercial real estate, with a wide range of functionality for layering property structures and capturing data at the level detailed portfolios need. Where it really pays off is reporting: you can build custom reports via the Oracle server, connect over SQL, and because each button is mapped to its underlying table and column, report writing becomes far more precise once you know your way around the schema. Its service charge management functionality is also notably extensive.
Trade-offs worth knowing
- Customisation often needs MRI input. Certain customisation is limited or requires MRI Horizon's involvement, which usually carries an additional cost. A lot of the more advanced functionality is delivered as paid work rather than self-service configuration.
- ETL is less developed. The ETL functionality is not as mature. It can often be built out to a company's specific needs, but that frequently requires MRI input too.
- Turnaround can be slower. Change requests and support tickets can take time to work through, and it is not always transparent where a request sits in the process. It is worth planning timelines with some buffer in mind, and it is another reason to have people who can resolve issues directly rather than waiting in a queue.
- Documentation is less open. Not all documentation is easily accessible, which raises the value of having people who already know how the system behaves.
Digevo's take
On Horizon, experienced consultants tend to be more cost-effective than they first appear. Knowing where the data sits and how the system is wired means work that would otherwise be scoped, queued and billed by MRI can often be done directly, faster, and with reporting built the way the business needs it.