BEYOND By Jim Parsons BEAN COUNTING There's more to today's accounting and financial management software products for engineering firms than just number-crunching A s a whole, engineers tend to take a conservative approach to informa- tion technology. And with good reason. Few firms can afford risk- ing an investment in a bleed- ing-edge system, particularly when what's already in place may still be adequate for current needs. Even if a technology upgrade is called for, the expected benefits must fully justify the inevitable challenges and complications DEREK LEA that accompany the transition process. November l December 2004 ENGINEERING INC. 1 5