90 Minds Consulting Group launches web site
November 29, 2008
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90 Minds is a group of consultants representing accounting software packages such as those from Sage, Intuit, Microsoft, SAP, Deltek and more.
This independent association of consultants, of which Schulz Consulting is one of the founding members, numbers over 25 separate companies with 100+ total consultants.
Because this group is not affiliated with any one particular software vendors, it possesses what may be the most unique capabilities of any company nationwide.
Instead of attempting to merge in members from as far away as Hawaii, the 90 Minds Consulting Group decided two years ago to informally structure around a private email list.
As this list popularity grew, the members wanted to have an outlet to advertise their services and membership in the group.
Thus the 90 Minds web site is born.
In the coming months this site will be significantly enhanced to include:
- Member locator
- Skills / product locator
- Contact a member
- Location searches
The site is strucured so that content relevant to all users of ERP Accounting Software will have a place to read bulletins and tips published by some of the most experienced consultants in the United States.
Link: 90Minds.com
Sage MAS 90, 200 and 500: Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance Whitepaper
November 25, 2008
Sage just updated their library online with a free white paper that explains how their Sage MAS 90 , MAS 200 and MAS 500 products are compliant with SOX regulations.
The document is quite good and clearly spells out several myths about the act including that using one type of software makes you “SOX compliant” (false) or that any accounting software packages have been certfied SOX compliant (false again).
Here’s an excerpt:
One area that many companies find problematic is if internal systems are fragmented and incompatible. For example, a manufacturer that uses one application for manufacturing operations and another for accounting may find itself exposed to potential control issues. This is because significant manual re-entry is usually needed to pass data (such as inventory valuation) from the operational system to the accounting system. Any lapse in this area will expose an organization to the risk of material inaccuracies.
Sage MAS products offer seamless integration between the inventory system, the manufacturing operations, and the accounting system. As long as Sage MAS security features have been implemented appropriately, there is very limited scope for information to be lost between modules of the system.
Manufacturers are not the only types of organization to be at risk from disparate systems of course. Project-based organizations that use Excel for tracking project performance will be at risk of accounting incorrectly for partially completed projects. Distributors must ensure their inventory levels are recorded accurately so that the accounts can reflect the correct stock valuations. In every case, an integrated system reduces the likelihood of accounting misrepresentation.
What’s New in Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 4.3 (Presentation)
November 24, 2008
What’s your experience with Avalara Sales Tax for Sage MAS 90 or 200
November 22, 2008
Do you use Avalara Sales Tax Reporting integration to Sage MAS 90 or 200?
We’re getting a lot of feedback from users returning from the Sage Summit in Denver. Apparently the link between Avalara’s sales tax reporting and processing service to Sage MAS 90 and 200 was the subject of quite of few heated comments.
Aside from the fact that Avalara may be the only integrated solution that supports US and Canada sales tax, we continue to hear feedback from users about unresolved issues with the integration. These range from transactions that won’t update to the dashboard to lack of clear documentation. As best we can tell the issues aren’t so much to do with a lack of functionality as they are to do with finding someone to support the integration.
According to our sources on the ground at during the entire Sage Summit 2008 customer conference, several end users were vocal in discussing issues they’d experienced getting support with this Avalara integration to Sage MAS 90 or 200.
How about you? Are you using Avalara for Sage MAS 90 or 200? If so, leave a comment and let everyone know how it’s working for you — good or bad.
Were you at Summit and did you speak with Sage about this issue? If so, what was the outcome?
Update 11-24-08: I had a conversation with an Avalara representative Sunday who seemed surprised to hear there may have been conversations about the product during Summit that spotlighted potential issues. She assures me that people are happy with the Avalara to Sage MAS 90 integration and in instances where there are problems, they’ve been isolated.
As I said above, the comments are open and I’m looking for feedback.
PhoneTag transcribes your voicemail and emails the results
November 21, 2008
Do you receive many voice mails during the day? If you’re like me you often receive voice mail during times when you may be in a meeting or other location where calling in and listening to a lengthy recording is not convenient.
For the last month I’ve been using a service called PhoneTag. When I receive a voice message my system (Gotvmail) automatically sends a copy (WAV or MP3) to a special address that I’m assigned at PhoneTag.
Then the service has my voice message transcribed and sent to me via email. This usually occurs within 5 minutes of the voice message being left.
Transcription isn’t perfect. People’s names can be tricky to transcribe. Whenever there is a word the system doesn’t understand it will put a (??) next to the word so you know that it may not be correct.
The big benefit of PhoneTag is that you can now read all of your voicemail instead of having to find a quiet place to call into your mail and listen to messages. In many instances this lets me know at a glance of my iPhone or BlackBerry Bold screen whether I need to excuse myself from a client apointment to return an emergency phone call or whether it’s only a routine message.
PhoneTag costs $9.95 per month for 40 transcribed messages (.25 per message overage fee). If you need more they offer an unlimited plan for $29.95 per month. Those who prefer to pay as they go can elect to pay a flat .35 per message transcribed.
I’ve found PhoneTag to be indispensable and a great tool for helping me manage my voice mail when I’m on the road.
Link: PhoneTag
Sage Partner Solution Source debuts
November 20, 2008
Sage rolled out another web site today featuring their new logo and web site design. This site, Partner Solution Source, holds information about Sage’s third party developer products.
Currently this page is capturing visitors who try to connect to the old Extended Solutions web site which used to hold product manuals for the 1,500+ custom enhancements marketed for the Sage MAS 90 and 200 product lines.
Unfortunately I have not yet been able to located a direct (or any) link to the Extended Solutions product descriptions. Perhaps as the move settles down Sage will provide a direct link so users can review the Extended Solutions manuals and pricing in the same way that their prior site allowed.
These Partner Solutions are broken down by the level of the provider as follows:
- Endorsed - The Endorsed Partner level is by Sage invitation only. These partners are required to meet rigorous strategic, technology, and integration criteria. Their solutions are handpicked by Sage and marketed aggressively alongside our core solutions.
- Gold – The Gold level is a select tier for established development partners who seek a closer relationship with Sage. The Gold Partners gain greater visibility and credibility for their solutions among customer and partners. They must agree to additional requirements like following Sage best practices, and getting at least one of their solutions certified through an independent testing company.
- Silver – Silver is an entry-level tier that is designed for developers who are new to a particular Sage suite of products or focus on custom solutions.
The site identifies the program as follows:
The Sage Development Partner Program provides partners access to the tools and resources they need to develop, test, and market their applications and components for Sage ERP, CRM, Accounting, and Value Solutions. The products included under this program are: Sage MAS 90 ERP, Sage MAS 200 ERP, and Sage MAS 500 ERP, Sage Accpac ERP, Sage Pro ERP, Peachtree by Sage, Sage BusinessVision, Sage BusinessWorks Accounting, Simply Accounting by Sage, Sage PFW ERP, ACT! by Sage, SageCRM, and Sage SalesLogix.
Link: Sage Partner Solution Source
BlackBerry Storm review summaries
November 19, 2008
Thinking of getting a new BlackBerry Storm when it’s released on Friday? The first reviews are starting to trickle in with the Wall Street Journal posting the first official review.
Unfortunately Walt Mossberg of the WSJ spends a large amount of time reminding us of why the BlackBerry Storm is different from all other BlackBerry’s (anyone not know the answer here — hint – look at the picture and try to find a keyboard).
Overall he pronounces is faster on high speed cellular data than the iPhone but couldn’t test it on Wi-Fi — because the BlackBerry Storm lacks any Wi-Fi capabilities. Unfortunately he also doesn’t say much about the multimedia capabilities of the phone (only one sentence).
As more reviews are released, I’ll compile them below so you can access them easily.
Note: Most reviews of the BlackBerry Storm are under embargo meaning they cannot be released online until a date set by Verizon. As soon as we spot sites posting their reviews (which should be soon given that the Wall Street Journal already has published) we’ll be linking them below.
Wall Street Journal Reviews BlackBerry Storm
Summary: Cursory review that focuses on reminding anyone living under a rock the past year that the BlackBerry Storm is different from prior BlackBerryies because it has no keyboard. There’s no analysis (save for one sentence) of multi-media capabilities or any discussion of APPS that are unique to this new touch device.
Rating: Duh.
Link: WSJ BlackBerry Storm Review
Mobility Today Video Review
Additional Reviews We Like:
BoyGenius Report – Verizon BlackBerry Storm review
Wired – RIM’s First Touchscreen Device Almost Eclipses the iPhone
ZDNET - Hands On: The BlackBerry Storm
JkOnTheRun – BlackBerry Storm, yes it can cut and paste (includes video)
CrunchGear – Review: BlackBerry Storm for Verizon Wireless
Sage MAS 90 version 4.4 update – 64 bit support – confirms Q4 2009 release
November 18, 2008
Live from Sage Summit in Denver Colorado comes this brief Twitter update on the status of Sage MAS 90 version 4.4. Not only have all prior release features been confirmed (expanded fields) but the program will be a 64 bit native release (UPDATE: Sage has since clarified that the program will run in 64 bit environment but the Sage MAS 90 and 200 software itself will not be 64 bit) and time permitting will incorporate some unspecified webservices.
Here’s the full text of the feature announcement live from the Sage MAS 90 and 200 version 4.4 what’s new presentation at Sage Summit.
This new version is slated for delivery in 2009 and has been announced to included expanded field lengths for Inventory Items (30) and Customer Numbers (20). This Twitter posting appears to confirm that those anticipated features will in fact make it to the final release which another Twitter update announces as Q4 2009.
via: Twitter Feed
Bruce Jenner keynotes Sage Summit today at 1:30
November 18, 2008
Olympic champion Bruce Jenner kicks off his keynote address to Sage Summit conference attendees today at 1:30. He was on hand Monday to be the honorary starter alongside a guy dressed as a big BlackBerry Smartphone for the Sage 5K road race.
Bruce will speak about finding the champion within in his 1.5 hour keynote address. Expect him to talk about his Olympic experiences and how they relate to the business world.
Watch this CBS 4 Denver report that has an interview with Bruce and tell me if the report doesn’t show him starting the race and giving some motivational advice to a guy in a BlackBerry smartphone costume (BlackBerry is listed as a sponsor).
via: Ryan Zuk Twitter
10 tips to get the most out of Sage Communities
November 18, 2008
Here are some general suggestions that I’ve found will help you get the most out of Sage MAS Community Forums (MAS90 MAS200 MAS500). Feel free to add on to this list.
If you’ve never participated here before – welcome! This is a GREAT way to meet other users (a very frequent request) as well as share in the knowledge (the keyword here is share).
1. Fill out your profile completely.
This allows other users to email you directly if they have information that may not be postable publicly. Often this could be workarounds that are unofficial or maybe some company specific advice that isn’t for everyone’s eyes.
Add your contact information into your standard signature. You can do this by clicking “My Profile” in the upper left corner (when you’re logged in) and then editing the Signature to include your name, company, email and phone.
It has been my experience that including this information does not invite spam, sales calls or other unwanted solicitations. What including the informaiton DOES is allow other users to contact you for private discussion… And this is exactly what the community exists for.
2. If you find the answer yourself to a question you’ve posted – come back and update your message.
Many of us use the community as a knowledgebase of sorts. Having a question that begins with “Do you know why I’m getting error xxxxx when I run on a Dell Laptop” and then is followed by “Never mind I figured it out” is frustrating for users to stumble upon.
What happens is someone else has the exact same question. It’s usually a Saturday/Sunday when offices are closed (but Sage Community is open) — they log onto the site and find the message, a note that it was solved – but NO indication of HOW it was solved.
Please try to always post the resolution to any problem.
There are FAR more people who lurk (read but never post) on this forum. Many of these people will be searching for problems that they are experiencing and will greatly benefit from a complete solution.
3. Don’t abuse the help
Almost all of the people here are running businesses (either as end users or consultants).
They volunteer their time here. Realize that this volunteer time generally doesn’t include testing out error conditions that may impact your company. If you need more extensive help – take it offline and work out an arrangement (or better yet discuss the issue with your Sage Reseller who setup the software).
Many people have phone numbers in their signatures. This is not a free phone support line. I don’t mind helping anyone whose in a bind – and neither do most other consultants or users. This doesn’t mean that you have a new free help line.
4. There’s probably no cure for you being on version 1.20 of MAS 90 or 200 and refusing to upgrade
Sage MAS 90 and 200 are at version 4.3 (as of this writing). If you’re looking for assistance on a very old version – please don’t be upset when the advice is to upgrade. There have been so many operating system advancements (and Sage advancements) that knowing why version 1.2 conflicts with Vista is probably not supportable in the community.
5. Give more than you get – and ask for nothing in return
If you run across a problem that you think the community can benefit from. Post it.
If you have an observation or suggestion post it.
The best Community members are those who regularly post items even when their own system is not in crisis mode.
6. Don’t confuse “Community” with employee
Just because Sage employees and consultants and end users frequent this area – that doesn’t mean they are here 24 x 7 looking for messages.
The Community forums are a tool – - they are not meant to be another full time employee for anyone.They are not a replacement for your support plan.
Don’t expect that this community will replace your support resource internally – because it won’t.
Use the community as a tool.
7. Search before you post
Before you post a problem – search to see if someone else has experienced the issue. My experience is that as Community grows a huge number of issues have been previously asked and answered.
If you post a question and don’t get an answer – you either have not posted it clearly or the problem is one that nobody has seen before.
8. Use the Kudos and Solutions Buttons
The Community Software allows you to send Kudos (thanks) and acknowledge working solutions via buttons on the right side of the screen. The more you use them , the better it will be for the next person. This lets other users know who is helpful in the forum and flags questions as resolved.
9. Tag your posts – be clear in your posts
Always include as much information as possisble in your posts. That will usually get you the most relevant suggestions to solve your problem.
At a minimum include the version number, service update number, circumstances surrounding the issue (new install, upgrade), things you’ve done that didn’t fix it, other odd issues (new applications installed, system crashes, virusses you’re trying to clean).
The Community allows you to enter in tags that can help others searching the messages. Use these tags wherever possible – they’ll help others when they get the same error and try searching.
An example of tagging would be:
If I posted a message “Error 48 line 12345 program POWZBA while updating Return of Goods in version 4.2 SP 20″
I might tag that:
“line 12345″, “powzba”,”sp 20″,”4.20″,”mas90″,”return of goods”, “error 48″
10. Avoid the temptation to rant
It’s easy to fall into the trap of posting all sorts of tyrades against Microsoft, Sage, Intuit, your reseller.
In general you’re better off waiting a day before posting something that does nothing but complain. Instead post the problem and your suggested workaround. People take to that type of message far better than something that offers no solution.
These communities are a great resource. Hope these tips help.
Link: Sage MAS Community Forums
Sage drops software from name – revamps logo and web site
November 17, 2008
At their Summit annual customer conference today, Sage Software shed a little weight by removing Software from the last part of their name and revamping their web site to more closely match the design and layout of corporate parent Sage Group PLC.
This revamping had been rumored for a while with the main question being how radical the new look of the logo would be. While the main Sage site has been redirecting to http://www.sagenorthamerica.com – the remaining Sage sites appear untouched and still carry the former Sage Software logo.
New features added to the site include a pronounced focus on vertical markets with areas such as Customer Management, Financial Management, Healthcare, Inventory Management, Nonprofit, Operational Management, Payment Solutions, People Management and Supplier & Partner Management all receiving separate listings on the site.
In order to sort through the variety of packages available, the site prominently displays a “my solutions” login and recommndation area. Here end users looking for software can store lists of Sage products and make comparisons between differing Sage brands.
Link: Sagenorthamerica.com
Sage Extended Enterprise v4.30 Recorded Webcast
November 17, 2008
Sage Software just posted this pre-recorded web seminar that reviews the features and benefits of the Sage Extended Enterprise Suite. For one fixed price per user ($2,250/user for MAS90 and $2,500/user for MAS200) you gain access to most of the accounting modules, SageCRM and FAS Fixed Assets.
Happily this pricing is for concurrent users – so you only purchase the number of licenses that are expected to be active at any one time.
The recorded webcast requires NO registration and lasts for about 10:30.
Link: Sage Extended Enterprise recorded webcast (NO registration)
Need more information? Call Susie Johnson at Sage Software – 877-541-1681 x4247
Or contact us via email – wayne@s-consult.com
Sage Software Twitter Addresses
November 17, 2008
Twitter is a short messaging service that has one objective. It allows you to tell other Twitter users what’s on your mind.
These updates come in the form of 140 character messages that you send either via the web or your phone (SMS text messages can be used to update the service as well as Twitter programs on Smartphones).
Sage Software this week is hosting their Summit Customer Conference in Denver. There are well over 2,000 people attending this conference and with that number of people you can be sure there will be questions and feedback about technical sessions and the conference area as well.
To help address those questions and allow for real time feedback, Sage established their own Twitter account (Update: As Mike Morper of Sage pointed out in the comments – the Twitter feed is specific for those users of the MAS product line). They’ll use this to “listen” to questions and suggestions from those who are at the conference. Use of Twitter by Sage is spearheaded by Mike Morper Senior Director Product Management – MAS.
Here’s all the relevant Twitter addresses that I have of Sage folks. Some of them are more active than others. I encourage you to check out Twitter (it’s free) and participate in the ongoing discussions.
Like anything new, Twitter takes a bit of time to “get the hang of”. So plan on giving it a week or so. Read some of the messages that people send and the when you’re ready participate by posting your own “Tweets”.
Sage Softare Related Twitter Accounts
NOTE: I’m giving broad overviews of what the following folks do at Sage Software. I am positive that I don’t have exact titles correct – however I’m pretty sure I’ve described their overall duties accurately. I’ll update any titles that I find to be incorrect or inaccurate.
Have an addition (or correction) — leave a comment to this article and I’ll be sure to update this list pronto.
Sage Summit Twitter Feed (Official):
http://www.twitter/tellmasteam
Wayne Schulz (Schulz Consulting) – not a Sage employee
http://www.twitter.com/mas90guru
Erika Jelovosek (MAS 90 / 200 Product Manager):
Erika’s been with Sage forever (or at least since I’ve worked with the product starting back in 1986). Probably knows the most complete history of MAS90 and one of the Sage Channel’s “go to” people for questions and suggestions.
http://twitter.com/ebjelovs
Mike Morper – Sr Director Product Management – MAS:
Mike’s managing the MAS product line at Sage. He provided the “Road Ahead” session at this years’ Insights reseller conference and has spearheaded most of the Twitter and Sage Community activity. Read his official Sage Blog here.
http://www.twitter.com/morps
David VanToor:
David oversees the CRM area of Sage Software and is active on Twitter and in a lot of the reseller channel activities.
http://twitter.com/dave_vt
Ed Kless:
Ed delivers lots of new ideas and advice to the Sage Channel. He’s the partner development guy who teaches many of the Bootcamps that teach innovative new business development practices. He’s very heavy on great new ideas and one of Sage’s “secret weapons” that keeps their channel strong.
http://twitter.com/edkless
Alan Bryant:
Alan is the former owner of Macabe Associates who came to Sage Software when the Macabe programming enhancements were acquired by Sage (the company – Macabe Associates – remains an independent consulting form specializing in Sage MAS 90 and 200). Alan oversees the third party development efforts of Sage Software.
http://twitter.com/alanbryant
Do you have additions or corrections to the above? Leave them in the comments below!
Sage MAS Community Forums (Tip): Browse all new messages with one click
November 17, 2008
Have you visited the Sage Software MAS Community forums? This free message board allows for open exchange of questions, suggestions, ideas and tips between fellow users of the MAS products (MAS90/200/500) and other user. Sage Software also has an active presence on the board with long time product manager Erika Jelosovek personally responding to messages.
After visiting the message area I had asked Sage if there was any way to view all of the newest messages on one page. Without this type of access searching for new messages was a tedious combination of clicking back and forth through the various board topics.
Happily I learned that you can view all new messags just by following one link which provides a summarized list of the messages with new activity. By using this you can easily view the newest messages (and those receiving new replies).
To view the latest active messages on the Sage MAS Community Board, follow this link:
http://community.sagemas.com/sagemas/newthreads
BlackBerry screen capture software eliminates the need to cable to grab a screenshot
November 16, 2008
Last night I stumbled across CaptureIT software for BlackBerry devices running OS version 4.3 or higher.
The program does one thing that I had been wanting to do for quite some time. It allows you to take screenshots of your BlackBerry device WITHOUT needing to cable it via USB to your computer.
This is the first time I’ve noticed a software only solution for BlackBerry screen captures. The prior solutions required that you cable your BlackBerry to a Windows PC and run a Javaloader application. Under the old method your screens would be captured and saved onto your PC. With CaptureIT the screen image is saved right to your BlackBerry’s media folder.
From the media folder you can email yourself the photo (or even better email it out to Flickr for hosting).
Link: CaptureIT OTA (over the air) download via BlackBerryForums
IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) – The tip of the iceberg?
November 16, 2008
Have you heard about the International Financial Reporting Standards? These International reporting standards have been relevant to the United States since FASB issued the Norwalk Agreement in 2002 which stated their commitment to rules for universal financial reporting that is accepted across countries.
There are nearly 100 countries requiring or allowing publicly held companies to prepare financial statements using IFRS principles.
In 2005 the European Union required over 12,000 companies listed on an EU-regulated stock exchange to adopt IFRS when they prepare consolidated financial statements. Canada is planning to require IFRS starting in 2011.
Where GAAP and IFRS Differ
The Financial Accounting Standards Board and International Accounting Standards Board are working to close the gap (pun intended) between IFRS rules and GAAP/IASB rules. Currently the following differences exist:
- IFRS does not permit Last In First Out (LIF) as an inventory costing method
- IFRS uses single-step method for impairment write-downs rather than two-step used by GAAP
- IFRS has a different probability threshhold and measurement objective for contingencies
- IFRS does not permit curing debt covenant violations after year-end
- IFRS guidance regarding revenue recognition is less extensive than GAAP and contains less industry-specific guidance.
When Will This Affect US Companies?
The earliest expected adoption dates for large US public companies to convert financials to IFRS is 2013 which is the year which all major capital markets are expected to operate from one set of accounting standards.
Given the worldwide meltdown of credit markets it’s reasonable to expect that many new rules and regulations will be introduced over the nexte several years. The IFRS may further be updated to address the perceived weaknesses in the existing reporting guidelines.
Mike Morper of Sage Software has a post that addresses how Sage MAS 90 and 200 will be updated to conform to any new reporting guidelines. He provides assurance that the product team at Sage Software is working on making sure the software conforms to any new reporting rules.
via: Mike Morper – IFRS Roadmap coming this week
Sage Software Twitter improves your Sage Summit Customer Conference experience
November 15, 2008
Sage Software just established a Twitter account to collect feedback from those attending their Sage Summit Customer Conference being held November 17-20 in Denver.
Update November 9, 2009: Please see our Sage Twitter List here which contains the most up-to-date list of all Sage Twitter feeds.
By creating a free account on Twitter you can send messages directly to Sage with comments on sessions you’ve attended, inquiries about events that are happening during the conference – or just about anything else.
It appears that Mike Morper will be quarterbacking this even based on the forum posting he originated announcing the Twitter account.
The use of Twitter during Sage Software conference isn’t brand new. We think it’s a great idea and liked it so much that we were the first to use it at the Sage Insights Conference in Washington DC (read the entire twitter stream here) where we posted over 270 updates on sessions and newsworthy items such as the real time announcement of Sage Extended Enterprise for MAS90.
According to a posting in the Sage Software Customer Forum,
It’s important to us that you get as much out of the week at Summit as possible. To that end, we have setup a Twitter feed (www.twitter.com/tellMASteam) so you can provide us real-time thoughts and comments. If you’re confused about something (mixed messages, incomplete info… you name it) or just wanna say you’re having a great time and learning tons, send a post to this Twitter feed and if appropriate, me or one of my Sage MAS colleagues will respond and do our best to steer you (or us!) straight.
As the size of conferences expand, the ability to directly ask questions to the conference host (and other attendees) is a huge benefit.
Never Used Twitter Before?
So you say that you’ve never used Twitter before and aren’t sure what it is? (Check out my Twitter stream here for an example of the types of things people talk about)
Twitter is a way for you to broadcast short (140 character) messages or inquiries. Think of it as an Instant Messenger only instead of talking directly to one person your message goes out to everyone with a Twitter account.
Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?
In order to use Twitter you will need one of these things: an internet connection or a mobile phone.
Following someone (such as Sage Software) simply means receiving their Twitter updates. How you receive the updates (on your phone, IM, or just on the web) is up to you. You can set your following preferences based on device, and then set notification preferences for each person you follow. Your followers are those who have elected to receive your twitters.
These messages can be read on:
- The web - at http://www.twitter.com
- BlackBerry – I recommend Twitterberry
- iPhone – I use and love Twittelator Pro
- Other mobile web browsers – m.twitter.com
- Text messaging (read how here)
Because Twitter is a relatively new concept to most corporations – they tend to pay very close attention to the tool in an effort to evaluate its effectiveness.
If you are attending the Summit Conference – create an account and connect with Sage Software with your questions. This is one of the best ways to get personal attention to your very public feedback.
Links:
Follow Wayne Schulz on Twitter
Sage Software Summit Conference Page
Sage MAS 90 and 200 Object Interface course is Now Available Online – Anytime
November 14, 2008
According to a forum post on the new Sage Community messaging board, there is a new anytime learning course designed for Sage Business Partners and Developers who want to learn more about the Business Objects Interface in Sage MAS 90 and 200.
This course is now available as an Anytime Learning course and designed to introduce programmers to the ProvideX OLE server (ProvideX COM) and MAS 90 and MAS 200 Object Interface. You will be viewing examples created in both VBScript and VB.NET, where you are shown how to use the Object Interface to interact with the Sage MAS 90 and 200 applications. This is an ideal course for those that have a working knowledge of MAS 90 and 200, developing scripts and programming using VBScript and VB.NET. This course does come with printable course material and VB script examples. See course description for further recommended prerequisite. Course is purchased as a single 90-day subscription. Sign up now at www.sagepartneruniversity.com and find the class under Product Training > Accounting ERP > Sage MAS 90 and 200 > Developer Courses > Object Interface.
Myron Stevenson from ClearIS Consulting opened the discussion with an explanation of how he has made use of the Business Objects Interface within Sage MAS 90 and 200 to integrate external systems with MAS90/200. Some of his projects have included:
- Create new customers externally and edit information
- Create new sales orders with any payment type including credit card
- Globally update master file fields programatically rather than manually
- Create General Ledger journal entries (ready for posting) that include user defined data for project tracking.
Myron notes that anything with a data entry screen can be handled by Business Objects Interface (BOI).
Link: Sage Community
Sage Software posts a video guide to using the MAS90 knowledgebase
November 12, 2008
Have you ever tried to research a topic in the Sage Software knowledgebase but stopped because you weren’t sure how it was used?
Maybe you’re not even aware that there’s a MAS90 and MAS200 knowledgebase that provides resolutions to many popular support cases.
If any of these apply to you, take a look at this new YouTube video just posted by Sage Software. It gives an overview of their knowledgebase with tips on how to use it to find MAS90 resolutions.
Nina Smith spotlights Billing Boss – a free online billing solution
November 12, 2008
In her keynote address today at the Sleeter Group conference for Accounting Consultants in Glendale Arizona Nina Smith, President of Sage Software Business Management Division spotlighted a free billing solution that is accessed via the Internet and allows for both online billing and collection of fees.
Thi
s service, Billing Boss, first appeared online in July 2008. To access the free service all you need is an Internet connection and a web browser. A recent upgrade to the service expands the number of currencies that are supported from 4 to 51.
Setup of the system is simple with a wizard that walks you through entering in your company data. In a matter of minutes you can be 
entering and sending your first invoice. The system can create a PDF of your invoice and send it as an email attachment or you can include a link back to the Billing Boss site where your customers view and pay for your goods or services.
So long as your customer has an email address on file, Billing Boss will handle sending out the invoice for you. When a customer receives the bill in their email they have three ways that they can chose to pay via Billing Boss.
- Send in a check
- Use a credit card - you must sign up with Beanstream merchant services – strangely Sage’s own Payment Services is not supported.
UPDATE: Billing Boss just told me via their Twitter stream that they will integrate to SPS (Sage Payment Services) within the next three months and the reason it is not now integrated is that SPS is not in Canada. - Use PayPal
From The Billing Boss Site:
How much is it?
Let’s get this out of the way first. It is Free. Cool, huh?
What is it?
Billing Boss is a simple online invoicing tool that allows you to send invoices quickly to your customers and get paid online.
Who is it for?
This tool is great for small businesses who want to get invoices out to customers faster so they can get paid faster. Basically, any business can use Billing Boss. Who wouldn’t want this?
What can I do with it?
You can:
* Replace your manual invoicing process and create invoices online using your Internet browser.
* Send invoices to your customers online.
* Stay on top of your cash flow by knowing who owes you money, how much, and by when.
* Keep your customer list online for quick reference.
* Track taxes collected from invoices.
* Grant access to your data to your bookkeeper or accountant.
What can your bookkeeper or accountant do with Billing Boss?
They can:
* Access your invoice and payment information online to prepare your books.
* Get an accountant’s view of your data with information such as taxes collected and total invoices sent.
How will my invoices be sent?
They can be sent either via e-mail or as PDF attachments.
If you choose, you can also print your invoices and snail mail them.
Is my data safe?
It sure is. Billing Boss uses industry-standard 128K SSL encryption at login and payment to ensure the safe transmission and delivery of your data. Billing Boss houses your data in a secure, state-of-the-art off-site data centre that ensures that your privacy and billing transactions are safe.
Why should I use Billing Boss rather than any other online invoicing tool?
We have designed Billing Boss with both you and your accountant or bookkeeper in mind. Where other online invoicing tools do not allow you to easily share your data, Billing Boss allows you to grant your accountant or bookkeeper read only access easily and securely, without having to transfer files back and forth. Since you can see everything online, your workflow and communication between you and your accountant or bookkeeper will be faster, more efficient and more accurate.
You don’t need any accounting experience to run Billing Boss: You will get your data in a way that helps you run your business (a business process oriented view) while your accountant or bookkeeper will get the information from an accounting perspective. You can quickly become one of your book balancer’s favorite clients!
Why else should you use Billing Boss? Did we mention that it’s FREE? Unlike some other online invoicing tools, we don’t have a pricing section for Billing Boss. Use it as much as you need to – the more you use it, the better! More invoices mean that your business is growing – and that’s what we like to see!
When can I access it?
Anytime you are connected to the Internet.
How do I get started?
Just sign up and start using it. You will need either IE 6.0+, FireFox 2.0+ or Safari 2.0+ for your Internet browser and an Internet connection.
Link: Billing Boss
Randy Johnston’s Technologybestpractices
November 12, 2008
I just saw Randy Johnston give a great technology update presentation at the Sleeter Group Accounting Software conference in Glendale Arizona. Randy has a lot of tips for exactly what technology to purchase and where he feels the marketplace is headed.
His site, Technologybestpractices.com, is a part of the K2 Enterprises group which has provided CPE and educational sessions to the CPA market for many years.
We both try to be as vendor agnostic as possible in order to be independent, both in our consulting practices as well as our seminar presentations. However, like most people, we have our favorites, and like most people, this is often based on what we have actually used and have experience with. We have used Hewlett-Packard desktops, laptops, and printers for nearly two decades now and while, like everyone, we have purchased a model we were less than happy with, over all, we have been very pleased. We also have direct experience with Toshiba and Fujitsu Desktops as well as IBM (now Lenovo.) Perhaps less direct experience with Sony and Dell, but mostly because of their retail channel and Dell selling direct to end-users for so many years. Today we realize that innovation is short lived, when one vendor comes out with a great idea, others will follow quickly with similar or improved versions. We have dropped any Operating System prejudice we may have had many years ago and both are active with Windows, Linux and OS X. We go back to pre-DOS, something called CPM! Actually we go back to before they punched holes in cards and connected wires on a plug-board, but that is just embarrassing.
Link: Technologybestpractices
Hightower to discontinue MAS90 Remote Salesperson?
November 12, 2008
We’ve heard from a fellow reseller that Hightower technical support has indicated via an email that they are discontinuing their Remote Salesperson for Sage MAS 90.
The Remote Salesperson solution ran on the Palm PDA platform and allowed for remote entry of Sage MAS 90 or 200 Sales Orders which synced to your MAS 90 or MAS 200 software.
The Remote Salesperson module for Sage MAS 90 and Sage MAS 200 ERP is the tool your Sales Representatives, Delivery Route Drivers, Consultants, and Field Managers need to close a sale and serve your customers more effectively. Your team will be able to enter sales orders and quotes while on the road with their Palm OS® handheld or Pocket PC (Windows® CE) device – saving time and ensuring accuracy. They’ll also be able to view customer and inventory information, edit customer and contact information, and add new customers and contacts.
According to this reseller as recently as a few months ago they were promised a version 4.3 version of Remote Salesperson. No word on what replacements may be offered.
Peachtree, MYOB and QuickBooks get a PC Magazine Review
November 12, 2008
The “Big Four” small business accounting pages have just been reviewed by PC Magazine and the results are interesting. None of the four (Peachtree, QuickBooks, MYOB and Microsoft Small Business) receives under a 4 star rating.
Low cost accounting software has gained a lot of ground in the past years. Once frowned upon by everyone as “not true accounting”, the software first earned the respect of users who often purchase these packages in their local office supply store (or increasingly by downloading a free trial). Once the software has been in use for several months the CPA invariably is looked upon to “bless” the selection.
PC MAGAZINE has this to say about the packages they reviewed:
Microsoft Office Accounting Professional 2008: Good for companies with online sales who want a familiar MS Office look and feel to their accounting software.
MYOB Premier Accounting 2008: Nice interface, powerful inventory, not as full featured in the online sales area as some competitors.
Peachtree by Sage Complete 2009: Thorough roster of modules especially payroll and inventory. An interface overhaul makes it a contender to become a star.
QuickBooks Accounting Pro Edition 2009: Good management overviews, not the strongest in every area but overall the best combination of usability and accounting features.
Here’s a link to the full review which includes more information as well as screen shots of many of the different key elements of the products.
Link: PC Magazine Reviews Small Business Accounting Software
Sleeter Group Accounting Software Consulting Conference 2008 Gets Underway
November 11, 2008
Day one of the Sleeter Group’s Accounting Software Consulting Conference 2008 gets underway today. I’m speaking on Thursday with the Sage Software follks about MAS90 and how it’s a next step up for anyone formerly using QuickBooks who may need a little more horsepower in their software.
The picture above is from the Monday Night Football Arizona Cardinals vs San Francisco 49ers football game. The hotel the speakers are staying in is a short 20 minute walk to the stadium -which allowed us to avoid the happy masses of football fans exiting the stadium after the 29 – 24 Cardinals win (I had to look the final score up because I left the game early to get some rest after having been up since 2am traveling to Arizona).
I’ll update the site with relevant keynote information and I will be talking to many of the QuickBooks consultants and vendors who make add ons for QuickBooks products .
If you’re at the conference – here’s my session titled Sage MAS 90 and 200: Easier To Use And More Affordable Than Ever.
Link: Sleeter Consulting Conference Schedule (Nov 11 to 14, 2008)
Follow Sage Software MAS90 Forum Messages on Twitter
November 4, 2008
Have you heard about Twitter?
If you’re not familiar with Twitter, it’s a short messaging (140 characters maximum) service that lets people post periodic updates about what they’re doing.
These short messages can be a way to keep in touch with friends and family. The act of reading someone’s Twitter messages (called Tweets) is usually accomplished by subscribing to their Twitter stream.
There are also automated tools that let you send short messages automatically to Twitter. Some web sites use these to send out notices to their frequent visitors to alert them to new content which has been posted on the site.
The Sage Software Community Forums have their very own (unofficial) Twitter account that does nothing but send out notices when there is new message activity in the forums.
You can join Twitter here and then click on http://www.twitter.com/sageforums to follow the automated messages.
If you like, you can even modify your Twitter account so that you automatically get SMS text messages to your cell phone each time a new message is posted on the Sage forums.
Link: Twitter Stream for Sage MAS 90 Community Forums
Blackberry Storm Manual Online
November 1, 2008
The user manual for the Research in Motion’s first touch screen device has just appeared online. The Blackberry Storm has yet to be priced and there’s no formal release date. Expect to see it on Verizon Wireless in the US – possibly before the Thanksgiving Holidays.
Blackberry Storm Manual Online (PDF) download via: Crackberry
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Custom SearchAbout Schulz Consulting, LLC
We are a Glastonbury CT consulting firm specializing in Sage MAS90, MAS200 and related software (FRX, Crystal Reports, Starship, F9, SQL Mirroring, etc).
We provide nationwide consulting services via on-site, telephone or remote connection. Our clients range in size from start-up to $200 million and are located as far away as Alaska, Hawaii, California, Florida, Texas, Montana, Michigan and many other states.
Since 1986 we've provided support for all versions of Sage MAS 90 or MAS 200 under an unlimited client support agreement.
You may contact us via email or review our full support agreement here.
Our phone number is 860-657-8544
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