Exhibit 10.2

      Employment, Confidentiality, Non-competition, and Severance Agreement
                                   (Agreement)

1.     Recitations  and Date.  This  Agreement  is entered  into by and  between
       Effective Management Systems,  Inc. (EMS) and Thomas M. Dykstra, its Vice
       President,  Secretary,  and Treasurer  (Executive)  as of the 19th day of
       March, 1999. It is entered into in recognition and acknowledgement of the
       significant,  crucial,  and continuing  beneficial and valuable  services
       being performed by Executive at the request of EMS.

2.     Employment.  EMS hereby agrees to employ Executive and Executive agree to
       continue his employment  with EMS. The term of this  Agreement  shall run
       from this date until the Separation Date as hereafter defined, unless the
       parties mutually agree otherwise (Term).

3.     Duties.  During the Term,  Executive shall continue to perform the duties
       of the  position  he now has,  as  reasonably  determined  by the  Board,
       consistent  with the level of  authority  and  responsibility  he now has
       (Duties).

4.     Compensation.  Executive's  base salary  shall not,  during the Term,  be
       reduced from its current level unless there is a corporate wide reduction
       applicable to all  executives of EMS, in which case his then current base
       salary  shall  be  proportionally   reduced  for  the  duration  of  such
       reduction.  Executive shall receive such bonuses and stock options as are
       determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board.

5.     Benefits.  Executive  shall  continue to receive  benefits  equivalent to
       those he presently receives,  including health, dental, life, disability,
       and auto,  and such other  benefits as are  generally  made  available to
       employees and executives of EMS.

6.     Reaffirmation  of  Inventions  and  Non-disclosure  Agreement.  Executive
       acknowledges the ongoing  obligation he has to EMS to disclose and assign
       inventions as well as maintain the  confidentiality  of  proprietary  and
       sensitive  business  information  pursuant to the agreement  presently in
       effect  between the parties  dated  February 12, 1981, a copy of which is
       attached hereto for reference purposes.

7.     No Prior  Agreements.  Except as set forth in  paragraph  6, the  parties
       acknowledge that this is the sole agreement  between them with respect to
       these subject matters and, to the extent any such prior agreements exist,
       whether verbal or written, they are hereby revoked.


<PAGE>



8.     Non-Solicitation  of Employees.  For one year from the  Separation  Date,
       regardless of cause or initiating party, Executive shall not, directly or
       indirectly,  induce or attempt to induce any  employee of EMS,  including
       its presently existing Affiliates (at least 50% of the voting stock owned
       by EMS), to leave the employ of EMS.

9.     Noncompetition.  During the Term of this Agreement and for a period equal
       to the length of any Severance  period  thereafter,  Executive  shall not
       directly or indirectly,  own any interest in (other than not more than 5%
       passive stock  ownership in a publicly traded  company),  participate in,
       consult with, or render any services for any business  which is planning,
       considering, or does develop, market, or service ERP software anywhere in
       the United States in the mid-market  segment  (businesses with up to $100
       million in annual revenue).  Notwithstanding  the above, this restriction
       shall  not  apply  to  Executive   becoming   employed  by  the  Synergex
       Corporation  after an Asset  Change in  Control  involving  the  Synergex
       Corporation.

10.    Separation  Date.  Separation  Date is the date  either  party  elects to
       terminate this Agreement.  the consequences of such termination depend on
       the party  initiating the  termination and the  circumstances  associated
       with such termination.

       a.     If  Executive  quits for a non Event reason or is  terminated  for
              Cause,  there  shall  be no  Severance  (each  term  as  hereafter
              defined)  and  Executive  shall  receive  only such  benefits  and
              compensation as any terminating employee would be entitled to such
              as accrued vacation pay and earned but not yet paid compensation.
       b.     If EMS terminates  Executive  without Cause at any time hereafter,
              Executive shall be entitled to receive Severance for a period of 9
              months,  whether the  termination i) preceded a Change in Control,
              ii)  followed  an Asset  Change in  Control,  or iii)  followed  a
              Shareholder Change in Control.
       c.     If EMS  materially  changes  the Duties of  Executive  at any time
              after the date of this  Agreement (an Event),  Executive may elect
              to treat  such  action  as a  termination  under b) above  and the
              appropriate   Severance   shall   apply   depending   on   whether
              circumstance i), ii), or iii) is present, except that in the event
              of an Asset Change in Control,  the consequent change in authority
              and  responsibility   solely  resulting  from  such  reduction  in
              business  operations,  shall not be deemed  an Event  without  the
              requisite Board change.

11.    Definitions.

       a.     Cause shall mean i) a final non-appealable felony conviction which
              substantially  impairs employee's ability to perform his duties or
              ii)  intentional  bad  faith  conduct  which  causes  demonstrable
              serious  financial  injury to EMS  evidenced  by a  binding  final
              judgement, order, or decree.

       b.     Change in Control shall mean the acquisition by any corporation or
              group  of  associated   persons   acting  in  concert,   excluding
              Affiliates,  if any, of EMS as of this date,  of an  aggregate  of
              more than i) 25% of the outstanding  shares of

<PAGE>


              voting  stock of EMS coupled  with or followed by the  election as
              directors of EMS of persons who were not  directors at the time of
              such  acquisition  and such persons shall become a majority of the
              Board (Shareholder  Change in Control) or ii) 50% of the assets of
              EMS (as  reasonably  determined  by  EMS'  auditors  according  to
              generally accepted  accounting  principles)  coupled with the same
              director  change as in i) (Asset Change in Control)  except that a
              sale  of EMS'  installed  base  assets  to  Synergex  Corporation,
              whether or not 50% of the assets and with or without the  director
              change, shall be deemed an Asset Change in Control.

       c.     Severance  shall  mean  the  making  in  advance  of  payments  to
              Executive  (without  any  withholdings),  equivalent  to his gross
              monthly base salary  amount,  for 9 months with a lump sum payment
              of any remaining payments due for the duration of Severance at the
              10th month.  Severance  shall also  include  continuation  for the
              entire  Severance  period  of  health,  dental,  group  life,  and
              disability  as then in  effect  but not less  than in effect as of
              this date.  Severance shall also include,  regardless of Severance
              period duration,  6 months  continuing use of his company car, car
              phone,  lap  top,  and  company  voice  and  email,  and 6  months
              executive outplacement with R I Thompson or equivalent.  Severance
              shall also effect an amendment to any  outstanding  option  grants
              immediately  accelerating the vesting of all then unvested options
              and extending the time to exercise all vested options to 12 months
              from such date. In the case of a Synergex Asset Change in Control,
              the  severance  payments  period  shall be 8 months and  include a
              payment equivalent to the forgiveness of Executive's personal debt
              to EMS of approximately $35,000 plus payment of the difference, as
              reasonably  determined  by EMS,  to  gross  up the  total to cover
              applicable  state and federal  taxes from the  forgiveness,  which
              forgiveness  shall occur and gross up payment shall be made at the
              closing date of such transaction.

12.    Legal  Interpretation.  If any provision of this Agreement is found to be
       in conflict with  provisions of any  applicable  law, the parties  desire
       that such  conflict not  invalidate  the entire  Agreement and that it be
       construed  to  invalidate  only  the  conflicting  provisions  and  where
       possible to reduce the  duration or scope of a  conflicting  provision to
       the maximum  permitted by law.  This  Agreement  shall be governed by the
       laws of the State of Wisconsin without giving effect to any choice of law
       or conflict of law rules or provisions.

13.    Other  Terms.  Both  parties  agree that any public  announcement  of any
       separation,  except for Cause,  shall require their mutual  consent as to
       the content, subject only to SEC or equivalent requirements.  The parties
       also agree not to, at any time, make any comments concerning the other to
       media,  prospective  or  actual  employers,   employees,   customers,  or
       prospects  which  could  be  reasonably  construed  as  being  in any way
       derogatory or negative of the other.

14.    Costs of Enforcement In an enforcement action relating to this Agreement,
       the prevailing party,  whether claimant or respondent,  following a final
       non-appealable

<PAGE>



       decision,  shall be immediately reimbursed by the other party for all its
       reasonable  out-of-pocket  costs  incurred  during such action  including
       attorneys' fees.

15.    Successors.  This Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding
       upon the successors and assigns, heirs, executors,  and administrators of
       the parties  except that  Executive may not assign or delegate his duties
       hereunder.

16.    Termination.  This  Agreement may be terminated  only upon mutual written
       agreement of the parties.


Signed at Milwaukee, WI upon the date set forth above.

Effective Management Systems, Inc.                   Executive


By: _________________________               By: ___________________________
         Title                                                an individual

Witness: ___________________                Witness: ______________________