Taylor Macdonald leaves Deltek
December 31, 2008
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After having spent the last year Deltek building up an impressive channel, Vice President of Worldwide Channels and Sales Alliances Taylor Macdonald has left the professional services software company, effective immediately, for an executive position at an unspecified educational company.
Taylor Macdonald had previously been the popular and long time Executive VP Channel and Sales for Sage Software. He started with Sage in 1998 and in July 2004 was promoted to Executive Vice President, Channel and Sales Operations for the Mid-Market Division. He left Sage in October 2007 during a sweep of executive management which also included the departure of CEO Ron Verni, CFO Jim Eckstaedt, and CTO Jim Foster.
He had recently been signing up a significant number of top Sage vars who seemed to largely flock to Deltek based upon their interest in diversifying product lines as well as their faith in Taylor Macdonald.
Taylor’s departure was announced in an email from Carolyn Parent, VP Worldwide Sales at Deltek.
There has reportedly been at least one joint press phone conference which included the Deltek team along with Taylor, so the split does seem on the surface to have been amicable.
Dear Vision Business Partner,
I am writing to let you know that Taylor Macdonald has accepted a senior executive position at an educational software company. As a result, Taylor will be leaving Deltek effective 12/31/08.
While we are sad to see Taylor leave, all of us at Deltek are grateful to Taylor for his significant contributions. When Taylor joined us, his goal was to help us significantly grow our partner network by recruiting experienced, world-class partners to complement those that had served us so well in previous years, and to accelerate the momentum that had been established in 2007. And he was very successful – doubling the number of business partners in twelve months, and driving record new business revenues with partners for the year. These efforts significantly contributed to our strategic initiative of driving more and more business through the channel, and we’re very pleased with the progress we’ve made in 2008.
I know this was a difficult decision for Taylor to make, but it represents a unique personal opportunity that he felt he needed to pursue. Taylor has made it clear that he still believes Deltek represents a fantastic opportunity for partners, especially given the maturing of our program. We wish him well and know he will be successful as he tackles an entirely new industry.
Given the importance of the Channel and to build on Taylor’s success in 2008, I am pleased to announce that Sean Hickey, currently VP of Vision Sales, will take-on the additional responsibilities of Worldwide Channel Sales and Alliances beginning on January 1, 2009. We’ve always considered the Channel an extension of our direct sales force, and Sean will now lead both the Channel and Direct teams. Sean will continue to report to me.
As a fifteen-year veteran of Deltek, Sean is uniquely qualified to drive our Channel sales initiatives. Sean previously led all of Vision sales through 2006, and he was responsible for the rapid growth of Vision sales since its launch in 2002. Sean built the initial Vision partner channel, and he is enormously respected internally and by our Vision customers as well. Sean and I will be reaching out to each of you individually in the coming days to discuss the transition and gather your input.
I want to reinforce that the Channel Program remains a strategic imperative for Deltek. We remain committed to our Vision Business Partners and are focused on continuing the positive momentum to drive joint gains in the coming year. Thank you again for a strong 2008. I look forward to seeing you at the Partner Sales Kickoff on January 12-14, 2009 in Dulles, VA.
Please join me in congratulating Sean on his new role and wishing Taylor the best in his next venture.
Thank you,
Carolyn
Carolyn Parent
Executive Vice President
Worldwide Sales
IRS Publication 15 for 2009 Outlines New FICA and Withholding Information
December 29, 2008
IRS Publication 15 for 2009 contains the updated Federal Withholding rate tables as well as FICA limits for 2009. The guide is also an extremely helpful reference that can (and should) be used as a reference for the tax status of many different types of deductions such as 401k, cafeteria plans, flexible spending.
UPDATE 2-26-09: New IRS 2009 payroll tax tables have been released.
UPDATE 12-24-09: New IRS 2010 payroll tax withholding and rate tables have been released.
During my 10 years in the CPA world I used this as my guide during the hectic year end closing time when clients would ask about the new tax rates or whether a new deduction was taxable for federal purposes.
This guide is free and available from the IRS here.
I’ve included a viewable copy below (Beware – there may be changes from the time that I post this article and the time you are reading – so for best results always download the official copy from the IRS site). I take care to attempt to keep all information current but tax law changes frequently so please consult your tax advisor prior to making any tax table changes or updates.
Users who are not on a current version of Sage MAS 90 or 200 accounting software (and therefore don’t have access to the tax table update issued by Sage) can use the annual limit table in Publication 15 to maintain their own Federal tables.
Be advised that certain older versions of Sage MAS 90 do not support FICA maximum wages greater than 5 digits (xx,xxx) and an update is required in order to enter in the FICA limit for 2009 which is 6 digits – xxx,xxx.
Tip: Always manually calculate the taxes for the first payroll run of the year. This guards against the risk that someone mis-keyed the new tax rates into your software. Pay especially close attention to how a deduction code is treated (before tax / after tax) because it is often nearly impossible to change these codes after you’ve done your first payroll run of the new year.
Tip: Before you close payroll for the year in any accounting software – make a backup.
Intuit Cash Register Plus – free download
December 29, 2008
Intuit is offering their Cash Register Plus as a free download from their site. This decidedly limited version (credit cards work only with Intuit Merchant Services) provides a glimpse into how I think we’ll all purchase software in the future.
When software is simple enough to self-install, the manufacturer will provide an entry level solution with limited capabilities.
If you can live within the limited capabilities (most cannot) then you can use the software for free.
However if you grow or need more capabilities, then you pay the software company a fee which unlocks certain features. And in order to unlock these features you increasingly will be required to enter into a mandatory ongoing licensing fee (formerly sold as updates or maintenance).
This is an intriguing model because it potentially eliminates the old software distribution model of cardboard boxes filled with software CDs.
Why Self Install Is A Poor Idea
Where most users get burned on self installed accounting software is they fail to consider the future. They buy only enough capability for today – when they are small – and give no consideration to what their upgrade path may be once they add the next 2, 5, 10 or 100 employees.
Do you know the most expensive and painful time to upgrade software? It’s when your company is growing and you can ill afford the downtime (when the company is growing you’ll no longer care about the initial software cost that you saved using a freebie solution)
Purchasing any accounting software without giving thought to where your company growth may lead you in the next 3, 5 or 10 years is a recipe for failure.
How To Succeed in Accounting Software Selection
Given that we’re Sage MAS 90 authorized resellers and consultants you probably figure this is the point that I’m going to give a fancy sales pitch to use our product.
Sorry to disappoint but my pitch is for you to sit back and THINK about where your business is going over the next 3 to 5 years.
A pencil and paper will work for businesses that are just starting out. But as you grow you’re going to need something more full featured. That free system that you began with is quickly going to become a paid system. The question you’ll be facing is whether the paid system is enough.
My recommendations:
- Think about all aspects of your accounting software needs. Don’t focus only on the cash register or the shop floor or the lumber yard. Core accounting is the foundation which your reporting is built upon.
- Find a consultant who can provide the pros and cons of any solutions you’re considering. If they can’t come up with half a dozen cons – walk away because you’re just getting a sales pitch. Seriously.
- Arrange for a conference room pilot or test setup. These are called many different things but they all involve configuring the software in your office and fine tuning it to your business. This provides a much better understanding of where the software is a good (and bad) fit for your business. Expect to pay for this – and don’t be upset if you uncover items that cause you not to buy the package that you’ve just paid for have setup. Consider it an investment to avoid disaster down the road.
Finally, take a look at my post regarding Intuit’s QuickBooks Software. Even though I’m a Sage MAS 90 consultant, I took time out to spend a week in Arizona at a QuickBooks specific conference to learn more about the product and talk to the consultants who work with it every day. I’ve written up my thoughts (both good and bad) and you can review them here.
Microsoft Vista Answers (beta) – One stop technical support combines community, Wiki and FAQ
December 24, 2008
Users of Microsoft Vista have another support resource to turn to when they have questions about the latest operating system.
Microsoft Vista Answers combines community (discussion), frequently asked questions and search into one self-help portal.
The service is presently in beta and as with almost everything Microsoft based, you’ll need a Windows Live ID to login and do anything useful like post a question.
This would be wonderful if it could also be expanded to some of Microsoft’s other product lines and be kept free of spam and other malicious content.
Apparently user to user community message boards supplemented by vendor support is the wave of the future for technical support. I would not be surprised if one day over 90% of all support was rendered via an online self-service portal such as this with the remaining 5% delivered as premium priced custom support.
Link: Windows Vista Answers
Avalara offers free sales tax compliance kit
December 23, 2008
Avalara is offering a special Sale Tax compliance kit that includes a free rate calculator that allows for looking up rates by exact address and show the state, county, local, city and special taxes.
Speaking as someone who has witnessed a fair number of sales tax audits – I suggest that paying attention to sales tax issues before they come under audit is one of the best courses of action.
Remember that in most instances if your company is audited you’ll have little (if any) recourse to collect back sales tax from any customer where it was not computed correctly.
If your company is unlucky enough to be audted, guess who’s pocket sales tax discrepancy comes out of..
Whether you’re an owner, CFO, CEO or accountant – you should be looking to ensure that your company is in compliance with local sales tax law.
When you are operating in one state the compliance matters can be manageable. Spread those operations out between multiple states and suddenly what was manageable can become a huge time sink as well as potential liability during any audit.
Could your company benefit from automating the sales tax computation and filing functions?
When considering whether a sales tax calculation and filing service such as Avalara makes sense for your company, here are some questions to ask:
- Do you pay sales tax in multiple jurisdictions?
- Do you have a remote salesforce?
- Are you registered to pay sales tax in more than one state?
- Do you have business in one or more of the four home rule states (Alabama, Colorado, Louisiana or Arizona)?
- Do you have offices or locations in more than one state?
- Do you need to calculate sales tax in multiple jurisdictions on behalf of your customers?
- Do you have over 3,300 transactions per year?
Are you in a specific vertical industry such as:
- High Tech
- Medical Devices
- Multi-Level Marketing
- Warranty Support
- Printing
- Have you gone through a sales tax audit (with unfavorable results)?
- Have you had staff change in your tax department?
- Are you upgrading or changing your ERP or order entry system?
- Have you entered a new market
- Have you begun producing a new product?
Answering yes to one or more of the above may mean at a review of your sales tax reporting is in order. Start the process by requesting a free Sales Tax Compliance Kit from Erica at Avalara. She’ll send you out the free rate computation utility as well as some information specific to your local tax jurisdiction.
For more information fill out the inquiry form below.
[contact-form 2 "Contact Information Avalara"]
Sage releases 2008 IRD (Interim Release Disk) for MAS 90 and MAS 200
December 23, 2008
Sage Software released the 2008 Q4 Interim Release Disk today. This free update allows users of supported versions of Sage MAS 90 and 200 (3.7x+) to update only the relevant portions of the program so that they may process year end.
Per the updated IRD, the following are the relevant changes:
Sage MAS 90 and 200 3.71, 4.00, 4.05, 4.10, 4.20, and 4.30
Sage MAS 200 – SQL Server Edition 3.71, 3.72, 3.73, and 3.74
12-19-08
The release of the 2008 Year End Program Changes IRD contains enhancements for Electronic Reporting:
ELECTRONIC REPORTING
1099 Electronic Reporting has been modified according to the Internal
Revenue Service’s 2008 Publication 1220. The following changes have
been made in the “T” record:
- Transmitter’s Media Number Position 411-416 has been removed and is now blank.
- If you currently have a number in the Transmitter Media Number field in
1099 Electronic Reporting that number will no longer be copied to the
“T” record of your IRSTAX file. - According to the Social Security Administration’s 2008 Specifications for
Filing Forms W2 Electronically (EFW2) publication the field name Personal
Identification Number (PIN) position 12-19 of the “RA record has been changed
to User Identification (User ID). There is no change required to the
W2REPORT.TXT file. The field name in W2 Electronic Reporting has not been changed and remains Personal Identification No.
Link: Download 2008 Q4 IRD for MAS90 and MAS200
eCard 101 courtesy of Sage
December 23, 2008
Congratulations to Sage Software’s Northeast Team for sending an eCard that I actually enjoyed receiving.
As they did last year, key members of the Northeast team at Sage posed in front of a festive holiday tree.
I deal almost exclusively by phone with these four people. People like to do business with people.
I don’t do business with Sage — I do business with these people AT Sage. Forming a connection with people also by default forms a connection with the company.
Sending out something as simple as a card that depicts the people we deal with every day is a great idea.
More companies should do this.
About an hour after I received my card another top Sage Business Partner emailed me “This was actually a nice self generated idea….it shows a tinge of entrepreneurism still lives.”
Kudos to Sage and specifically Michael, Hellene, Susie and Eddie for creating what I consider to be the most effective eCard that I’ve received in 2008.
Sage MAS 90 2009 Tax Tables available now
December 19, 2008
MAS 90 and MAS 200 payroll tax table updates were released today by Sage and are available for immediate download.
With updates to the Federal tax table and 26 separate states, you should download and apply the tax tables prior to entering your first payroll for 2009.
Remember : You must print W2 forms using the old tax tables in order for the Social Security wage base to be accurate on your 2008 W-2 forms.
Most users find it helpful to make a backup of their 2008 final payroll data to a test company in Sage MAS 90 or 200. This can be accomplished in version 4.x+ through the company maintenance option in Library Master. Versions prior to 4.x must use the “File” – “Run” – “SVDATA” command to make a copy of MAS 90 data.
UPDATE 12-23-08: There is an IRD for 2008 which has just been issued by Sage and may be downloaded from here.
Payroll Tax Table Update
Product Group: Sage MAS 90 and 200
Product Affected: Payroll Tax Table Update Levels 3.71, 3.72, 3.73, 3.74, versions 4.00, 4.05, 4.10, 4.20, 4.30, and 4.30 Extended Enterprise Suite Version 1.0 and 1.1.
Number: PR3033-KBA
Date: December 19, 2008
Subject: 2009 Payroll Tax Tables Update Level 4.30, dated 12/19/08
You must be active on a Sage Basic Software Maintenance Plan to obtain the tax tables which must be downloaded from the Sage site (none are sent by mail).
As discussed during my December 17, 2008 year end seminar, there will not be an Interim Release Disk (IRD) this year since there have been no changes to the W2 form layout.
Link: Download Sage MAS 90 and 200 Payroll Tax Tables Update for 2009
Other Year End Items of Interest:
Schulz Consulting Year End 2008 Seminar (recorded)
Sage Official Year End Payroll, Electronic Media, Accounts Payable FAQ
Sage e-Filing help system wrong number
December 19, 2008
Use caution if you’re trying to contact the Aatrix folks with a number that you’ve located in the help file. It appears at least one of the number is out of service (wrong number). I did not exhaustively search all of the help files to see if there were issues in other areas.
The wrong number appeared once I had entered the W-2 edit screen and called up help for W-2 filing.
For the record, the correct Sage Aatrix support number (thanks Roberta) is 701-746-6814.
Here’s a quick video capture if you’re curious where I found this:
Sage Aatrix Help File from Wayne Schulz on Vimeo.
Link: Sage e-Filing Aatrix Portal
Link: Closing the Year In MAS 90 – 2008 Edition (video)
Link: Closing the Year in MAS 90 – 2008 Edition – notes
Link: Official Sage 2008 Year End Closing FAQ
Sage MAS 90 Year End 2008 Recorded Seminar
December 18, 2008
Below is the un-edited full length recording of my December 17, 2008 presentation titled “Closing The Year is Sage MAS90: Everything You Need To Know But Where Never Told.
The audio on this video is a little loud, so be sure to adjust your speakers down before viewing.
UPDATE 12-23-08: During the web seminar I indicated that there would not be an IRD (Interim Release Disk) for 2008. Sage have just issued one which seems to primarily relate to changes to electronic media. Download the IRD for 2008 here.
Please leave any questions in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Untitled from Wayne Schulz on Vimeo.
Sage MAS 90 and 200 Official Year End FAQ for 2008
December 17, 2008
Sage Software have just released their year end 2008 processing frequently asked questions. In this summary they reveal that the electronic filing update will occur approximately 12/20/08 and that payroll tax updates will be available approximately 12/22/08.
The frequently asked questions also reveal that there will be no need to install an IRD (Interim Release Disk) for 2008 unless you are printing 1099-INT forms.
Please review the full document below for the official information direct from Sage.Sage MAS 90 and 200 2008 Year End FAQs 12-08
Sage MAS 90 and 200 Year End Closing Tips
December 17, 2008
Everything You Need to Know But Were Not Told
This page is a playbook for quick answers to commonly asked questions about closing the year in Sage MAS 90 and 200. Even where I’ve referred to a product as MAS 90 or MAS 200 — the information is equally applicable to both unless otherwise noted.
Prior to installing ANY upgrades, service updates or IRD (Interim Release Disk) we advise you to consult with your Sage Business Partner.
We are NOT in the business of providing tax advice. Any information regarding year end tax filing rules and requirements are general in nature. You are advised to consult with your tax professional prior to implementing any tax ideas. We make every effort to keep this information up to date however changing tax laws may make some portions of this
This is geared to be an overview and not training. This information is offered as-is and without warranty or guarantee as to completeness or accuracy.
Updates Since Our Seminar 12-17-2008
- The Aatrix help phone number is incorrect is wrong in at least one of the Sage e-Filing help pages. The correct number is 701-746-6814. I have more information on where I found the wrong number here.
- Payroll Tax Tables are available for download as of 12-19-2008
- Video recording of the seminar – added 12-19-08
- IMPORTANT: There IS an IRD (Interim Release Disk) available for 2008 Q4 here
Overview of this page
- Applicable to all versions of MAS 90 and MAS 200
- If you’re on 3.x and want to get current – Sage Value Plan is $1,000 for MAS 90 and $1,250 for MAS 200
- Sage Contact: Susan Johnson - susan.johnson@sage.com
- Sage Online Community – brand new site – replaces SageTalk
- Sage Community is free and does not require dual registration
Hot MAS90 Promotions That Expire 12/31/2008
- Buy 2 licenses get one free
- Buy 15 licenses get 10 free
- Not Expiring: Sage Value Plan for MAS 90 3.x: Allows purchase of new modules and licenses when user is off maintenance and wants to stay at 3.71 – $1,000/$1,250
- Sage Extended Enterprise Solutions: Add CRM and Fixed Assets
Are You Using These New Features?
- Direct Deposit – $950 + $265 recurring maintenance
- Paperless Office (free for those on maintenance)
- eFiling (included in 4.3 – per transaction fee to file electronically)
- eFiling upgrade scheduled for 12/20/08
- Sage MAS90 eFiling fee schedule and FAQ
- IRS rules governing plain paper W2 forms
MAS90 Web Links To Remember
Tip: Before you’ll be able to log into most of the links below you’ll need to be active on Sage Basic Maintenance and logged into the Sage support site. If you do NOT have a login – you can create an account here. If you DO HAVE a login, first login here then come back to access the links below.
- Sage Community
- Sage e-File site
- Sage Tax Table Updates
- Sage IRD (Interim Release Disks)
- Sage Service Updates (MAS90 and MAS200 3.70+)
- Officially supported hardware and OS platforms
- Buy official Sage Forms
- Read the complete OFFICIAL SAGE YEAR END 2008 FAQ pdf
W2 OR 1099 ALIGNMENT ISSUES? TRY THESE STEPS FIRST:
- For 1099’s – make sure you are using the correct form – if on a laser printer you MUST select LASER 1099 as the form type or you may never get them to line up properly. Unless you enjoy late night trips to Staples or Office Depot to hunt for extra forms, make a test run first to plain paper.
- For both W2 and 1099, click the FORM button after loading the IRD and then click RESET. This resets your form to defaults. It will correct almost every issue known to mankind, make you beautiful and thin, and most of all let you print IRS submittable W2 and 1099 forms.
- In order to print to W2 box 14, you must make a manual change. Search the Sage Knowledgebase for “Box 14″ to discover the secret.
What’s an IRD?
An IRD is an Interim Release Disk. Typically released at year end time and it contains minor program fixes to address new W2 or 1099 forms (though it can change more than that depending upon year end tax changes).
These are separate from Service Updates because they address only the items needed to process your year end, therefore not forcing those with customizations to upgrade their entire system.
What are service packs and service updates?
Service Pack: Major fixes to version 4.1 of Sage MAS 90 and 200 (only applies to 4.1)
Service Update: Everything that has been released since the Service Pack for 4.1
What is a Sage Business Partner?
The consultant who helps you maintain your Sage MAS 90 or 200 accounting system. Can be readily identified by gray hair or lack thereof
2. Interacting with Sage Software Online
==>IMPORTANT NOTE: In order to obtain an online Sage account you MUST be on an an active maintenance plan
-Tax tables, Interim Releases (a.k.a. IRD) and Service Packs/Updates are ONLY online
-Tables, Interim Releases and Service Packs available for Versions 3.71+ only
-Sage does NOT send out update CDS or diskettes any longer
-If you need an online account – have your Sage Account Number (look on a packing slip), contact name and email address handy
-Register for Sage Account Here (only needed if you do NOT already have one)
http://www.sagesoftwareonline.com/eservices/Main/frmRegister.aspx
TIP: Before most of the Sage specific links will take you directly to the page, you need to first log in through the main Sage web site. This authenticates your computer. Once you’ve logged in, the direct links below should work like a charm.
The main Sage log in is here -> http://www.sagesoftwareonline.com
…after logging in to Sage, these links bring you directly to the goodies..
(a) Tax Tables (apply only after printing w2s) – http://support.sagesoftwareonline.com/mas/90ttu.cfm
(b) Interim Releases (when applicable apply before printing w2s and/or 1099’s) – you will not need an interim releases in years that nothing changes in the W2, 1099 or Electronic Filing.
http://support.sagesoftwareonline.com/mas/irdinstall.cfm
(c) ONLY if you aren’t using enhancements – Service Packs & Updates (apply before closing the year if advised to do so by Sage or your consultant) -
http://support.sagesoftwareonline.com/mas/query/main.cfm?module=1
TIP: If you have any enhancements to your Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200, or are unsure if you do, then do NOT load any of the SERVICE PACKS or SERVICE UPDATES without talking to your Sage Business Partner.
Generally Interim Release Disks are ok to load since they modify only one particular area of your software (usually form printing). If you have any doubts about this – talk with your Sage Business Partner.
TIP: If you’re not aligned with a Sage Business Partner, and not interested in spending another red cent on consulting, make a trip to the Sage Community forums. You can interact for free with Sage Business Partners and other users. This is not as good as having a one-on-one discussion with a Business Partner who knows your setup — but it’s better than nothing.
-Demo: Sage Community – http://community.sagemas.com
-Demo: Suggest an enhancement to Sage -
http://support.sagesoftwareonline.com/forms/enhance/css_enhancement_form.cfm
3. Best practices
-What do the seasoned veterans do at year end?
Make an internal backup copy of your company data
-Demo: v3.71 uses SVDATA command
-Demo: v4.xx uses Company Maintenance
(see http://www.s-consult.com/hiddenoptions.htm for instructions)
IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT
If you’re using Payroll and printing W2 forms – do not load the NEW tax tables until you have printed the W2’s.
If you ignore this advice you’ll find that the new FICA limits may interfere with the W2 printing because anyone who exceeds the maximum wage base is automatically assigned the FICA limit value that is in the tax table.
Order of closing Sage MAS 90 or 200
-Backup
-Bill of Materials
-Work Order
-Bar Code
-Purchase Order
-Sales Order
-Inventory Management
-MRP
-Timecard
-Magnetic Media
-Payroll
-Accounts Receivable
-Accounts Payable
-Job Cost
-General Ledger
What can be re-opened and what cannot
-Payroll always closes on calendar year and cannot be re-opened (backup companies)
-Load new tax tables AFTER printing W2
-If you are NOT on maintenance and cannot get the tax table update use IRS Publication 15, Annual Tax Table, to update your Federal Rates (search online for your State – most have their tax information posted in PDF files)
-IRS PUB 15 FOR 2008: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf
-Make an additional backup and store it safely -Use the SVDATA in 3.x or Company Maintenance in 4.x to internally backup Sage MAS 90 or 200
-Load any Interim Releases (typically for Payroll and Accounts Payable Forms)
4. General Ledger
Things to Review Before You Close
-Review # of years to retain history – set it to maximum (99) – you can always make history go away later but can never can get it back once purged
-Review Source Journal Options – do you want them to reset on you at year end?
-Review “Copy Actual to Default Budget at Year End” – most people do NOT want to check this box or they will lose any budget data that they entered for the new year.
Standard Reports to Run (minimum)
-Trial Balance
-General Ledger Detail (condensed!!) for full year
-Financial Statements
How to reopen years
-Sage MAS 90 will post forward one (or more) years – but will not post BACK to a closed year (as a financial safety measure)
-To re-open years in GL – go to General Ledger – Setup – General Ledger options and set the year and period back.
-If on 3.71 – re-close the year
-If on 4.xx – you do not have to re-close, simply advance to the current period via setup menu
Balances Looking Wrong?
-v4.x: From within GL – Utilities – Recalculate Account Balances
-v3.x: From within GL – Setup – Fiscal Year Maintenance – click “recalculate” (supervisor rights needed)
5. Payroll
Things to Review Before You Close
-If e-Filling with Sage – be sure to register and fax back all required information including PIN info
-There is no future period in payroll – the prior year MUST close before starting the new one
-Tax tables are system wide (shared)
-If doing Electronic Filing – get PIN # – http://www.ssa.gov/employer/reg.htm
-Make a backup company within Sage MAS 90
-Load any interim disks
-Remember: Print forms directly to printer- NOT from preview
Tax Tables
-Due out December 22, 2008 -Only for v3.71 and higher
-Do not load the tables until you have printed W2’s
-Tables must be downloaded from Sage (demo) or use Pub 15
- http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p15.pdf annual tables (demo manual update)
-Magnetic Media renamed to Electronic Reporting for W2 and 1099 — is a requirement for 250+ employees (NOTE: State requirements vary – check with your CPA or tax professional for the rules applicable to your company) – and it must be uploaded and you need a PIN – get one now – INTERIM DISK IS NEEDED for versions lower than 4.3 (see links above)
-One 1099 change for 1099-INT – layout changed only for this form – MUST have Interim release -If filing 1099’s electronically- say NO to “clear” prompt!
Why You Can’t Load The New Tax Tables Until W2’s Have Printed
-Sage MAS 90 payroll looks at the FICA maximum in your current tax table (remember tax tables are shared among ALL companies). If any employee has exceeded the FICA maximum, Sage MAS 90 defaults their W2 FICA earnings to be WHATEVER THE CURRENT MAXIMUM is in the tax tables (in this instance the new years maximum instead of the prior year).
Workaround if You Must Process Payroll For The New Year Before W2s Can Be Printed
-Look at the Tax Tables (Payroll – Setup – Tax Table Maintenance – FED)
-Make note of the old FICA maximum
-Install the new tax tables
-Process payroll as normal
-When ready to print W2 – go back into payroll tax tables (Payroll – Setup – Tax Table Maintenance – FED) and this time make note of the CURRENT YEAR FICA maximum.
-Change the current year FICA maximum BACK to the prior year maximum
-Print W2s
-Sage MAS 90 does NOT print a W3 – though the e-filing will print one
-Go back into Payroll – Setup – Tax Table Maintenance – FED and make the FICA Maximum be the proper amount for the current year
Standard Reports to Run (minimum – with Payroll more is always better)
-Print all quarterly reports – plus full year check history, deductions, earnings
5. Accounts Payable
Things to Review Before You Close
-Accounts Payable Options: Number of days to retain paid invoices – set to maximum
-Accounts Payable Options: Number of months to retain check history – set to maximum
-1099 totals are maintained for one current and one future year
-If you have not closed regularly your totals will be invalid
-Load Interim release disks
Standard Reports to Run (minimum)
-Print standard monthly reports
-Print year end Trial Balance and Aging that agree to General Ledger Accounts Payable GL
-Remember – print 1099 forms directly to printer – NOT from preview
-Sage MAS 90 does not prepare a form 1096
-IMPORTANT: Select the 1099 LASER form if you are using a LASER printer — otherwise the 1099 won’t align
-After 1099’s print you MUST remember to CLEAR the totals – year end does NOT do this
6. Accounts Receivable
Things to Review Before You Close
-Accounts Receivable Options: Days to retain paid invoices
-Accounts Receivable Options: Years to retain Customer History
-Accounts Receivable Options: Years to retain Salesperson History
Standard Reports to Run (minimum)
Print standard monthly reports
Print year end Trial Balance and Aged Invoice Report that agree to General Ledger Accounts Receivable GL
Self-study and training guides available – $ 50 each -
http://www.sagesoftwareuniversity.com/acs/eu/home.htm
Forms are standard and can be purchased at any office supply store
Questions or Comments Can Be Made Below
I will update this guide with any information that I am aware of that changes. Please let me know if you have any questions by using the comments below,
Don’t let Intuit sucker you with a 20% discount
December 16, 2008
I just read in Computerworld that Intuit’s discounting their QuickBooks software.
I’m not a big believer in discounted software.
I’ve learned from 20+ years’ experience that software price is the cheapest part of the whole deal.
The most expensive part of accounting software is the after effects of choosing a package that doesn’t work the way you thought.
The hours of trying to work around limitations and then just when you think everything is right you are socked with fat accounting fees from your CPA to clean up the hidden mess that’s been building inside your accounting system all year.
If you’re looking for cheap, basic and no frills then you have a lot of choices in accounting software.
If you’re looking for an accounting system because you’re company is growing (or will grow within the next three to five years) then you need to be careful.
You see — upgrading from an accounting system is painful.
Especially if a vendor has no upgrade path for you when your company grows.
Before You Buy – Read This First
From November 10 to 14, 2008 I was at the Sleeter Group’s annual conference held in Glendale Arizona. Over 400 QuickBooks consultants and vendors attended the show.
During this week long event I sat in on lots of different educational sessions, watched the keynotes, talked to the attendees and walked the trade show booth.
I Learned The Things Intuit Doesn’t Tell You
In the 30+ hours that I spent at the conference I learned a lot of things:
- What Intuit’s Jill Ward (head of sales and marketing) DID NOT SAY or DO in her 60 minute keynote address, which spoke volumes about one of Intuit’s major products.
- The demonstration of one very new Intuit feature that sounded like a cool report writing tool – but behind the fluff is a big problem nobody will think to ask in a slick demo. I thought to ask. And I wrote down my candid thoughts.
- There were virtually no sessions on one product that Intuit described as strategic. Hopefully this isn’t a sign that it’s not ready for market.
- Everyone likes to write reports. Right? Graphical WYSIWYG report writing is a pretty basic feature that every accounting system includes. Right? Wrong.
- Intuit probably has ironed out any linger multi-user issue? Right? Better read my report and decide for yourself.
It’s In My Free Report – Read Before You Buy
I have a three page, single spaced, report I typed before I left the conference in Glendale.
In it I detail my experiences at the conference.
I have all my impressions of what attendees told me and what I overheard at the lunch table.
I’ve also got answers to the question that I’ve asked above (hopefully you’re at least a little curious because the answers are eye openers).
Nobody should be buying discounted accounting software before reading my the report.
After you’ve read it you’ll at least have another opinion to add to your own.
Important – As a 20+ year Sage MAS 90 consultant I’m not independent with respect to my opinions. Do not take my report at face value. Instead, use it as additional information to form your own opinions. This report is also my own opinions and nobody else’s. If you read something that you don’t agree with – be sure to let me know.
How To Request Your Free Report
I’ll email you a free copy of the report if you follow these instructions:
- Leave a comment below
- The only words you have to enter are “send report”
- Do not enter your email or mailing address in the comment field (I’ll be able to send it via our web system)
Any questions – either email me – wayne@s-consult.com – or call my office 877-221-7751
Sage Act! moves from being a strategic CRM product to a value product
December 16, 2008
UPDATE May 2009: There has been a re-organization of roles within Sage which may result in the Sage Act! product line moving out of the Value Business division.
In a blog post dated December 9, 2008, David Van Toor, General Manager for Sage CRM North America announced that he handed over the supervision and management of the Act! product line to Sam Hunter, GM Value Business.
Van Toor presently has North American management responsibility for the Sage North America CRM line which until now have included: Saleslogix, SageCRM and Act!.
The responsibility for the Act! product line will now be transitioned to Sam Hunter as per this announcement which was posted on David Van Toor’s blog at the Sage Community Forum for Act!.
From his blog post:
The past 18 months have been a highlight of my career as I’ve lead the North American operations for the ACT! product line.
I’m proud of my team’s accomplishments in that time, including the creation of this vibrant on-line community, and increasing the value of being an ACT! customer through the ACT! Platinum Care subscription offering.We’ve also seen support hold times reduce, and service levels increase. The global product delivery team delivered ACT! version 11, which many of you have told me is simply “the best ACT! version ever!” ).
As some of you know, I also managed our mid-market solutions of SalesLogix and SageCRM. When we took a look at the level of attention both groups of products could benefit from, we decided I could not do justice to both.
Consequently, effective immediately, I’ll be focused on the North American operations of SalesLogix and SageCRM.
The North American leadership for ACT! will shift to Sam Hunter. Sam is a trusted colleague, and he and I share many management philosophies. I look forward to the benefits his leadership will bring to our staff, and to you, our customers.
This then will be my last post to this community site. This community has become so strategic to Sage that we’ve created a new position to focus exclusively on its development, and I know Sam’s new team will be continuing communications in this forum in an appropriate manner.
Such a transition carries mixed emotions for me. I’m sad to formerly leave a community of customers with whom I have formed strong relationships with, and whom have taught me much about delivering excellent customer experiences. I’ve enjoyed my interactions with you, and these have shaped my view of what it means to present a professional and caring business. I’m also excited to be able to focus my energies on SalesLogix and SageCRM, and drive their growth in today’s uncertain economy.
Should you wish to continue to read blogs by me, I welcome you to www.davidvantoor.com, and to the new blog I’ll be establishing on the soon to be launched SalesLogix customer community.
To all ACT! customers, a sincere thank you for your passion and loyalty.To all of you who’ve I’ve spoken with through this community, a special thank you for you willingness to engage directly in this new, Web 2.0 business world.Should your CRM needs change, I’d love the opportunity to work with you again.
Dave van Toor.
What Does Sage Act! As A Value Product Mean?
On the surface this may appear to be only an offloading of responsibilities from one busy general manager to another. However Sam Hunter is the GM who supervises the Value Business line at Sage North America.
The Value Business line is widely understood to include those products that are not strategic to Sage North America and therefore would not typically be first in line for research and development or marketing resources.
We don’t think this signals that Act! is being downplayed by Sage in any way. It almost certainly will continue to be funded and developed. Rather what is more likely is that instead of receiving further development efforts to integrate Act! to existing Sage ERP systems it will continue as a standalone CRM product sold primarily through resellers and retail.
This transition of Act! from the CRM division to the Value Business may signal a different positioning for the Act! product line and we’ll have to see if there is any official word (other than the blog posting) issued by Sage,
UPDATE: According to Sage – “ACT! is a strategic product for us. Sam Hunter is now responsible for both the Value Business Unit and the ACT! Business Unit.”
UPDATE: Several Act! consultants have pointed out that Sage’s CRM 2010 prominently features the ACT! product line aside Salelogix and SageCRM.They question whether this movement of Act! outside the traditional CRM group points to a change in the integration plans for the three Sage CRM products announced 9 months ago.
As part of this plan (documented in this March 2008 document titled Sage CRM Solutions 2010 Strategy):
A key part of the CRM 2010 technology strategy is to evolve all Sage CRM Solutions products to support integration with other applications using a common CRM integration contract approach. This approach is Web services-based and is independent of any particular implementation. Any service provider or service consumer can implement the contract. This leads to flexible, lightweight, loosely-coupled integrations.
The initial use of the contract integration is for application to application integration — this could be ACT! to Sage 50 Accounts for example. Each application can choose to publish information, as well as consume information. This same system is then used to generate feeds of information from the CRM application so that customers can view information through a standard Web browser or feed reader.
Link: Passing the torch – David Van Toor blog entry on Act! Community site
Some experts advise users to stop using Internet Explorer due to serious security issue
December 16, 2008
Microsoft is advising users of Internet Explorer version 7 (and possibly earlier versions) that there are serious security issues with the browser.
Security Advisory 961051 states:
An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the local user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less affected than users who operate with administrative user rights.
Given this serious threat there are several experts who have recommended that users switch from Internet Explorer 7 until a security patch is available from Microsoft.
Microsoft suggests the following to deal with this security vulnerability:
- Make sure anti-virus software is up to date
- Run Internet Explorer 7 or 8 in protected mode
- Set Internet Explorer Zone security to high
Windows users should enable automatic system updates so they receive security patches as quickly as possible.
Via: BBC News – dot.life
Why we don’t provide per call support
December 16, 2008
Sometimes a picture says it all.
Below is an image from an online MAS90 technical support chat. An online visitor had taken advantage of our free chat option (since replaced by the Google Chat that shows on each of our pages).
I had already spent way more time than I should have trying to help this person (who was not a client). When it became evident that his problem was more complex than a simple online fix – I proposed that we’d log in and fix it for a flat fee.
Read the message below — especially the very bottom where Charles tells me goodbye in his own unique way.
Link: Schulz Consulting Support Options
Sage MAS 90 e-Filing with Aatrix
December 15, 2008
Sage MAS 90 and 200 version 4.3 include integration to Aatrix electronic tax payment and filing.
To access this new feature, navigate from within your Sage MAS 90 or 200 payroll module to the period end menu. The e-filing menus for federal and state filing will be your first two options.
Out of the box the e-filing functionally support plain paper W2 and W2 form printing. There area a few caveats however. The IRS requires special printing on the back of plain paper W2 forms as well as perforated paper. 
If you wish, you can use the Aatrix site which automatically uploads your payroll data from Sage MAS 90 or 200. Be sure to setup your account with Aatrix ahead of time as that may require a signed acknowledgement as well as any PIN numbers for the various agencies that your’e responsible for filing taxes.
Link: Sage Aatrix eFiling Center
Sage MAS 90 and 200 e-Filing software update due December 20, 2008
December 15, 2008
Sage Software have announced that the software update for their embedded payroll e-filing (included on version 4.3+) will be available for automatic download on Friday December 20, 2008.
Unlike other Sage MAS 90 and 200 products, this update for e-Filing of the W2, 1099, W3 (and other forms) will be applied automatically when you go into the e-Filing module (located off payroll – period end).
The Federal W-3 is not required to be printed on the official form. Sage have incorporated an approved substitute that can be printed on plain paper with an inkjet or laser printer. It should not be printed in Red. You can identify the approved form by looking for the numbers 0000/1048 under “year” on the form.
Intuit changes mind regarding Turbotax 2008 fees – now allows unlimited federal filing and up to 5 e-files
December 15, 2008
Intuit has reversed themselves on their plan to introduce a $9.95 per additional return (for the second and subsequent federal return) fee for TurboTax 2008.
According to Rick Telberg at CPA Trendlines, the company now plans to offer unlimited federal return printing and up to 5 federal e-files.
Intuit Sr VP Bob Meighan has this comment on CPA Trendlines:
As I’m sure you’re aware, yesterday we announced that TurboTax now includes preparation and printing of multiple returns at no additional cost. Plus, as previously announced, TurboTax includes free e-filing with every federal return (up to the IRS limit of 5) and is the only tax software to include audit support, whether customers print or e-file.
We believe these changes make TurboTax the best value for consumers. Including free e-filing with every federal return means a savings of nearly $75 for some of our customers versus last year and a savings of up to $40 compared to our original pricing this year. I believe this now truly reflects our commitment to helping our customers keep more money in their pockets.
We have over 17 million loyal, passionate customers who genuinely care about what we do and who take the time to tell us. Our decision recognizes that our customers’ opinions really do count.
Bob Meighan
VP, TurboTax
Link: Intuit via CPA Trendlines
IRS publication 1141 plain paper W2 guidelines
December 15, 2008
The IRS has a set of guidelines which specify the layout of your W2 forms that you print to plain paper.
The latest version of Sage MAS 90 and 200 version 4.3 supports printing of you W2 to plain paper. There are however several requirements that should be followed when generating these W2 forms.
The IRS guidelines specify that those W2 forms supplied to employees should be generated on performated paper and that using scissors to separate the paper is not an acceptable method of perforation.
For more detail, view the following official IRS Publication 1141 embedded below (Dated June 2008).
Publication 1141 w2 2008 printing guidelines
How’s the Sage MAS 90 business?
December 12, 2008
I’ve had several consultants ask me how business is.
People usually ask this when their own business is hurting.
It’s likely they want some comfort in knowing whether a fellow competitor is experiencing the same thing.
My experience is that most of the time when you ask this question you get a bullshit answer.
Last week I was coming out of Starbucks and two guys behind me were exchanging this pleasantry. When one asked “how’s business” – I didn’t even need to listen to the reply (though I did). The response of course was “Good, doing good”.
Personally I hate getting those types of responses. I’ve been to my share of conferences where a colleague who I’ve known well has told me how phenomenal her business was and how much she loved it. Fast forward a year at the next conference and she’s telling me that she sold out and is now an employee working part time.
The moral of the story?
You hardly ever get a straight answer to “how’s business”
If you do get an answer, automatically disregard the one or two sentence replies that start with “good”. Instead look for answers that explain the market in a little more detail.
Instead of repeating myself over and over to people who write (or are perhaps not so bold as to write) – here’s my verbatim response from yesterday which I think summarizes the state of the consulting marketplace.
Warning: This is a boring read for anyone who isn’t in the business of consulting
How’s Business?
Hi David,
There are three types of consultants:
1. Those doing poorly
2. Those standing still
3. Those lying about how they’re doing
In our business we are largely driven by the amount of projects our clients take on. I’ve never in 20 years felt I’ve been able to “sell” someone on buying accounting software or starting up a new project.
They either need the software – or they don’t.
They’re either expanding and need additional consulting work – or they don’t
In my opinion this “need” is driven by several things:
1. Growth (including new business startups)
2. Mergers and Acquisitions
3. Anticipated growth
In this environment (and I don’t think this is totally recession related) I don’t see many companies in one of the three above categories.
Consulting and accounting software is a bit like putting a roof on your house.
Nobody roofs their house until:
- they see shingles coming off,
- they’re moving and a new owner demands it to be re-roofed
- they are remodeling
I’d say our new business inquiries are still happening. The quality of them is much poorer.
They’re also less likely to close (much less likely).
The problem with the new inquires:
1. They’re not simple installs anymore – we see more people than ever moving off niche packages (very tough to replace)
2. They’re comparing mid-market solutions to QuickBooks level products
3. They’re not realistic in their analysis of effort or cost to migrate to a new accounting system
4. They’re shopping on the Internet and looking for do-it-yourself solutions
Existing client projects have slowed the last few months. I still see inquiries though definitely not on the level that would happen when the economy is growing and our clients are expanding.
I’m working hard to get out of the race to please any vendor. My priority has always been to keep clients loyal and coming back. The only way I’ve found to do that is to keep them happy with exceptional service. So that’s my focus for the next few years.
How’s that compare to your corner of the earth?
Wayne Schulz
Schulz Consulting, LLC
160 Oak Street
Glastonbury, CT 06033
Subscribe to me on FriendFeed
voice: 860-657-8544 – x: 701 // cell: 860-416-6932 // fax: 860-760-6165
Update:
If you’re a consultant looking for some great marketing advice, I recommend this book.
Signs that a MAS90 deal is going to be a dud
December 12, 2008
Here’s an interesting item that I just left on the Linked In group – Sage Software VAR’s, Employees and Alumni. I thought I’d share it on the site because it gives some background into why there are some opportunities that we don’t engage.
At Schulz Consulting we’re looking to form long term relationships with our clients (5 years or more). We are not interested in moving record breaking numbers of boxes of software to make some sales contest so we can win a trip to Cancun and get our picture taken sipping a pina colada on a charter boat.
Another area that we don’t dabble in is per call support.
We define per call support as billing for answers to technical questions on MAS 90 in 1/4 hour increments to companies who don’t value the answer (or speed and accuracy within which it is delivered) and who will never return to us again as a client.
We provide support one way – on a prepaid annual basis.
There are a number of reasons we require our clients to be on a prepaid plan:
- We won’t chase one-off support questions and keep our loyal customers waiting.
- One off support is just that. We never hear again from the company that needs “just a quick question answered” (Note: See my comment at the start about wanting to form long term – aka 5 year – relationships).
- What a casual client (one off support) perceives as a quick question is hardly ever quick. We’ve spent the better part of twenty years learning about MAS 90 and MAS 200 so we can give you the answer quickly. There’s no way that paying for a 15 minute phone call adequately values that advice.
I won’t dispute there are a huge number of desperate resellers motivated by sales contests.
You’ll find them pretty readily with a quick Google search using the keyword “mas90″. Look on the right side of the screen where they’ve paid handsomely to entice you to click and then call them and bargain for a cut rate software deal.
Good luck getting it installed or supported properly. Judging from the calls that we receive, there’s a fair amount of software being sold for self-installation.
We don’t know whether these players who bid up their position and pay for your clicks will even be around in a year or two. There seems to be a never ending supply of resellers willing to gamble. We think that’s a bet you shouldn’t make – however that’s ultimately up to you.
Prescription before diagnosis = malpractice (I think Ed Kless at Sage Software first turned me onto that a few years ago)
Doctors today no longer prescribe medication without seeing you and making a diagnosis
The software industry needs to adopt the policy of diagnosis before prescription (sale). Selling your company software based on a self diagnosis that you (or someone else) made is a recipe for failure.
Full Disclosure: We talk ourselves out of many more sales than we make. So you’ll NEVER see us on that party boat in Cancun. You will however see us with loyal clients – some of who have been with us 20+ years.
And here’s my thoughts (unedited) from a posting I just made to Linked In.
Signs that a MAS90 or MAS200 deal is going to be a DUD:
1. Working through a third party who has no/little experience with your product yet has determined it is what their client needs.
2. A prospect who wants to close fast and has already determined that your solution is for them (85% of these are third bids you don’t win unless you play the “lets make a deal” game – the other 15% usually turn out to be disasters).
3. About 99.95% of the deals where people are coming off Industry Specific software. Unless they’ve paid for an analysis they’re in for a surprise when they learn that off-the-shelf software isn’t going to duplicate a system they spent $250k developing in the late 1980’s. These people usually will demand that you make good on tailoring your system to what they used to use (for free) and this only comes up a month or two into the implementation.
You’ll know these people because they HATE their customized system. They spend lots of time talking badly about the people who designed it.
They’ll however insist you duplicate all the prior custom system’s bad functionality and procedures — even though they have no idea why the old system was originally designed that way.
4. Just about anyone who finds you on the web and sends an email:
From: John
Date: Wed, Dec 10, 2008 at 7:51 PM
Subject: via web: Buy Mas90 Software
To: wayne@
I want to buy Mas90 with a visual integrator for 15 users. Can you give me a quotation ? You call my phone to discuss at 714-724-xxxx. Thanks.
How can you guard against a dud MAS90 deal?
Here are some simple tips. Take them to any reseller you like. I’m not trying to convince you that we’re the only MAS 90 consultants who can help you.
- Pay for a conference room pilot. Setup the system and run some transactions through it. This is the only way to be sure that the software will perform to your specifications.
- Check references in (a) the same industry and (b) using the exact same modules
- Avoid buying third party add-ons that have only one or two users. The best way to find out – ask. We were on a recent conference call with a third party solution provider who disclosed only 10 MAS90 end users were on their product.
The morale of the story – if you’re looking for a cheap deal, expect to take the on the risk of a bad implementation – which I guarantee will be 15 to 20 times more expensive than the $1,000 you just patted yourself on the back for saving on a discounted box of software from a guy despearate enough to buy an expensive Google Adword.
MAS 90 Year End Seminar – December 17, 2008 – 2pm EST
December 10, 2008
Sage MAS 90 Year End Closing Seminar
Year end is once again here. Join Wayne Schulz for a one hour seminar (watch the full length recorded presentation here)that walks through the best practices for closing the year in MAS 90 or MAS 200. He will cover the procedures for making sure you have the latest Payroll program updates as well as explaining the proper order of closing, items to review in each module BEFORE closing as well as any changes to W-2 or 1099 printing.
This is an intermediate level session appropriate for users with 1 or more years of experience with MAS 90 or MAS 200.
Wayne will move quickly through the key things to be aware of during your yearly MAS 90 closing. This will not be a training class and some prior knowledge of Sage MAS 90 or 200 will be assumed.
Users of all versions of Sage MAS 90 and 200 will find that this information is applicable to them.
Title:
Sage MAS 90 Year End Processing: Everything you need to know but were never told (Video Recording)
Date:
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Time:
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EST
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.
Link: Seminar Registration is Over
You may view my MAS90 Year End Tips & Tricks and seminar presentation materials here.
The official Sage North America MAS 90 2008 FAQ
Sage Payroll e-Filing for MAS 90 and MAS 200 – FAQ
December 9, 2008
Several people have asked about the fee structure for the new e-Filing feature embedded within Sage MAS 90 and 200. Below is a Sage PDF outlining frequently asked questions as well as the fee structure.
Sage MAS 90 Federal and State e-Filing 2008 FAQ
Nina Smith out at Sage Software
December 9, 2008
Sage North America just announced the departure of Nina Smith who was the President of the Business Management Division for Sage North America.
This announcement came in one of the first ever channel wide public emails from CEO Sue Swenson since she took the reins shortly before last year’s Insights conference in May 2007.
Nina Smith joined the company in 2001. She assumed the leadership of Sage BMD in October 2007 shortly after the ouster of executives Ron Verni, Jim Eckstaed, Taylor Macdonald and Jim Foster.
The Sage North America site listed Nina’s responsibilities as:
As President of Sage North America’s Business Management Division, Nina Smith is responsible for the company’s success in serving small and midsized businesses with core business management products and services that encompass accounting, customer relationship management, manufacturing and distribution, and related functions. Ms. Smith previously served as chief marketing officer for Sage Software, defining the company’s marketing strategies and guiding the company’s multi-year corporate re-branding effort. Ms. Smith has extensive experience in branding and customer strategy issues, and has successfully implemented multi-dimensional distribution strategies that encompass retail, distribution, and business partners.
Ms. Smith joined Sage Software in 2001 from Webtrends Corporation where she was chief marketing officer. She previously spent 19 years at Xerox Corporation where she held a variety of senior management positions, including chief marketing officer. In that role, she was responsible for integrating Xerox marketing efforts worldwide as well as global advertising, brand management, research, events, and marketing strategy. She also served as vice president of marketing and strategy for small and medium business operations, and vice president and general manager of mid-range printing products.
Ms. Smith serves on the board of Output Links, Inc. She lectures frequently on marketing, mentoring, and general business topics, and is featured in the book, The One to One Manager: Real World Lessons in Customer Relationship Management, by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Ph.D. She is a business graduate of the University of Redlands, Calif.
The Sage BMD Division is a key portion of Sage North America operations. Recent financial information from Sage UK discloses that the Business Management Division contributed 47% of the revenue of North America as reported in their most recent annual financial disclosures.
According to an email circulated to all Sage Business Partners on December 9 at about 4pm EST, there is presently a search for Nina Smith’s replacement. The email also announced the hiring of Motasim Najeeb as the CTO charged with working with Sage Division leaders, general managers, and the R&D teams to leverage the opportunities across the entire Sage North America product portfolio. In addition, he will work closely with Klaus Michael Vogelberg, global technology leader at Sage.
The announcement seems to have caught most of the Sage channel by surprise and comes on the heels of a Sage North America reduction in workforce of 150 people which just was widely reported on December 3, 2008.
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Intuit’s Turbotax imposes $9.95 additional return fee for 2008
December 8, 2008
UPDATE 12-15-2008: Intuit has rescinded this extra fee which we have written about here.
Users of the popular Intuit tax preparation software Turbotax may be in for a surprise when they go to print their second (and subsequent) tax return this year.
The fine print contained on the Amazon web site discloses that for the first time ever, you’ll have to pay $9.95 for each additional tax return file (beyond the one primary return included with the software).
The change is also spelled out in the official license agreement which can be reviewed on Intuit’s web site.
This means that if you’re filing returns for family and friends that you’ll need to pony up the extra fee before you’re able to convert your prior year’s data.
According to comments left on the Amazon user review forum (over 100 negative reviews and growing), in prior years the software limited users to preparing 5 returns (view prior year license information directly on the Intuit site) without any additional fee.
While this fee may be judged fair by some, it will be interesting to see how many are caught unaware by the additional cost.
Link: WayneSchulz
Sage MAS 90 and 200 Version 4.4 Early Look
December 6, 2008
Sage MAS 90 and 200 version 4.4 was demonstrated at the recent Sage Summit Customer Conference 2008 in Denver. Now that Sage is back from the conference they’re ready to unleash the show and tell on the rest of the world.
Here’s an early look that someone sent to me. Click in the upper right corner to make this go full screen.
There’s not too much new here- most of what’s displayed has already been discussed in public and was shown publicly at the customer conference in Denver two weeks ago.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Feature are subject to change without notice. This is for informational purposes only and does not represent an official notice of any new functionality.
My tip — until you see the feature shipping on ANY software product – use the pre-release information only as a general guideline of what is planned for including – and NOT what is guaranteed to be there.
Happy (early) Holidays – Make yourself into Santa at Macy’s Believe
December 5, 2008
Bored at work? Here’s an interesting way to send an eCard starring you as Santa. First upload a picture of yourself. Then after a little fine tuning of the image you’ll select a setting. I’ve chosen a tropical climate.
Try for yourself – free at Macys Believe
Sage reports annual earnings
December 3, 2008
Sage have just reported their annual results for the year ended September 2008. You can review the complete details on their investor page.
The parent company reported sales rose 7% overall for the year with an underlying 3% rise in net profie.
The chart at left displays Sage’s depiction of revenue growth. The Sage North America revenues (organic – meaning there are no recent acquistion revenue/loss results added or subtracted) contracted 3% when the Healthcare Division was added to the mix.
There’s more in a handy PDF summary file which I’ve included at the end of this article.
My notes from the PDF:
1% organic growth for Sage North America EXCLUDING Healthcare (which apparently means revenues contracted 4%) when Healthcare revenues are included there is a contraction of 3% (negative growth).
Business Management Division FLAT
- Peachtree FLAT
- Both MAS and Peachtree affected by market conditions
Industry & Specialized – up 3%
- Construction driven by support plan growth
- Non Profit continues to show good growth
Maintenance & Support is 52% of revenues
Launching integrated Software/Support model for Peachtree (I take this to mean support will bundle as is down with QBES)
Sage North America’s revenues breakout as follows:
Business Management – 47%
Industry Specific Solutions – 16%
Sage Healthcare – 28%
Sage Payment – 9%
http://www.investors.sage.com/files/presentation/31571/Final_presentation.pdf
via: ZDNET – Sage results show impact on SMB market
View the complete set of Sage official earnings release information on their site.
Schulz Consulting named Accounting Technology 2008 Pacesetter for fourth consecutive year
December 3, 2008
Schulz Consulting has been named to the list of 100 Technology Pacesetters for 2008 by Thomson Media’s Accounting Technology magazine. This is the fourth consecutive year that Schulz Consulting has been named to this exclusive list that groups the top 100 consultants in the United States.
Inclusion on this list is based on a combination of: Product Sales, Vendor Awards, Participation in Building the Profession, Reputation among Peers.
Schulz Consulting is the only consultant whose services focus entirely on the Sage MAS 90 and 200 product line.
Based in Glastonbury CT, Schulz Consulting provides remote, on-site and telephone support and implementation services to companies ranging in size from start-up to $ 500 million in size.
For more information contact Wayne Schulz:
Wayne Schulz – Email: wayne@s-consult.com
Phone: 860-657-8544
Link:
2008 Technology Pacesetters (pdf)
Crystal Reports scheduler for Sage MAS 90 and 200
December 2, 2008
Perryman Software introduces availability of their Crystal Reports scheduler for Sage MAS 90 and 200. This solution
The Ps Report Scheduler allows you to define and schedule stored procedures and reports, executables, and batch process tasks to be run monthly, weekly, daily, or on-demand. One Crystal Report can be used multiple times with different parameters because unique, preset parameters can be passed for each instance of a scheduled report. Parameters are entered during scheduling, and SQL statements can be defined as needed. Once scheduled, the item automatically runs at the designated
time and can be output to an electronic file, printer, or automatically emailed to multiple addresses simultaneously. You only need one version of the report regardless of the output variations required, allowing you to build a comprehensive Crystal Reports library in a single location and edit one, not multiple, versions. Included with the Ps Report Scheduler is the Ps Library, which controls user access
and network connections based on group and individual privileges. Authorized users can define and schedule reports and executables or run them on demand without a local copy of the application or Crystal Reports on their client system.
While the initial product information does not specify how this solution is run, it appears that you need to dedicate a workstation to run the scheduler (as opposed to running this as a service as some Crystal Report schedulers do).
The price of $ 1,200 is steep for casual users but will be attractive to those 10+ user sites with lots of Crystal Reports that they’ve been generating manually during off peak hours.
PS Report Scheduler: $995 + $199 support
Link: Download PS Report Scheduler PDF
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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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