FUTA Credit Reduction Act to Affect 20 States

The DOL released its long-anticipated list of 2011 FUTA “credit-reduction” states on November 18, 2011. Employers in these 20 states and the Virgin Islands will experience associated tax increases.

The standard FUTA rate is 6.0% on the first $7,000 of wages. Employers in most states receive a credit of 5.4% against the rate, resulting in a net tax rate of .6%. However, some states had Federal Unemployment Trust Fund loans – taken to keep their unemployment insurance benefit programs solvent during recent periods of extended high unemployment that were still outstanding. As a result, these states will have their FUTA credit amount reduced for 2011 filing in a way to recover funds still owed to pay back these loans, resulting as noted, in higher taxes for employers in those states.

Instead of the standard 5.4% credit allowed, employers in these states will have a reduced credit of 5.1% for 2011, making their FUTA tax rate .9%.

Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Kentucky
Minnesota
Missouri
North Carolina
New Jersey
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
Virgin Islands
Wisconsin

The following exceptions apply:

Employers in Indiana will have their credit reduced from 5.4% to 4.8% for 2011, making their FUTA tax rate 1.2%

Employers in Michigan will have their credit reduced from 5.4% to 4.5% for 2011, making their FUTA tax rate 1.5%

IMPORTANT NOTE: All rate calculations above are based on the current FUTA rate of 6.0%. This rate has been in effect since 7/1/11, when the .2% FUTA surtax expired. It is not known at this time how the IRS will handle the split year rates on its FUTA credit reduction calculations. Further guidance from the IRS is forthcoming.

The credit reduction only applies to employers who SUI wages to the states listed above. All other employers will receive the full FUTA tax credit of 5.4%.

 

IRS RULES CHANGE FREQUENTLY. CONSULT YOUR TAX ADVISOR FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH THE ABOVE.

We believe the information above is accurate as of the date published – 11/29/11 – though changes may occur which are NOT reflected above.  Schulz Consulting is NOT in the business of providing tax or accounting advice. You are advised to only make changes based on the advised of your financial professional.

 

FUTA Credit Reduction Act 20110-2012

What’s New In MAS 90 / 200 v4.50 – December 7, 2011

Interested in learning more about what’s new in Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 version 4.5? We’re delighted to announce that Leanne Lowe of Sage will be presenting a full hour new feature review for our customers and web visitors. We’ve reserved 15 spots for those who sign up via the link below. After these spots are gone the remaining enrollment will be on a space available basis (Webinar software limits us to the number of people we can simultaneously host ).

Leanne has spent 13 years working with Sage ERP MAS 90 and MAS 200. She started with The Macabe Associates who were the originators of Sage’s Extended Solutions. When Macabe sold the catalog to Sage Leanne transferred to Sage as an employee where she has worked since 2004.

 

What's New in MAS90 / 200 v4.50 (12/7/11)

Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 version 4.5 is here, and everything you've heard about the new features and benefits are all true and ready for you when you upgrade.

In fact, there is so much for everyone that one hour isn't enough time to cover all of the tremendous enhancements and inclusions, so we will be taking a broad look at the main points that everyone should know about, such as National Accounts for Account Receivable, integrated Customer Relationship Management, and the Reporting Tree capability for financial reports.

We'll also discuss the option to migrate to Sage ERP MAS 200 SQL.

When: Wednesday December 7, 2011 - 1pm to 2pm ET (10 am MST)
Presenter: Leanne Lowe, Sage Software

Price: Free to the first 15 people to register below

Alert: DSD SQL Mirroring & Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 – v4.4 PU 7

We just received this notice from DSD Business Systems that Sage’s product update 7 for MAS 90 and MAS 200 apparently has some changes rendering DSD’s popular SQL Mirroring product incompatible in some way.

Here’s the notice:
November 22, 2011

It has come to our attention that Sage’s Product Update 7 for MAS90 Version 4.40 has a major change to the Providex DLL that causes an incompatibility with SQL Mirroring. DSD is working hard to resolve the issue with Sage and PVX Plus. Please do not install Product Update 7 if you have SQL Mirroring installed at version 4.40 until DSD has resolved the incompatibility problem.

DSD Business Systems will send out another Important Announcement once the issue has been resolved and the DSD Website is updated with the new 4.40P7 Version of SQL Mirroring
.
Sincerely,
Jon Reiter
Chief Development Officer
DSD Business Systems


DSD SQL Mirroring for Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200

Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 License Agreement

From time to time our customers ask about receiving a copy of the Sage End User License Agreement (EULA). Previously would furnish them with a PDF that we’d stored locally.

Now I see that Sage have established a central area that distributes license agreements for most of their products.

To download and review EULA information for Sage North America products simply follow the link below:

 

Sage EULA – MAS90 & MAS200

object PvxDax.PvxDictionary could not be initialized during MAS90 4.5 Upgrade

Consultant and DSD partner David Selko  of Baltimore just checked in to report an odd issue he encountered while upgrading Sage ERP MAS 90 from version 4.30 to 4.50 today:
I am out to upgrade a client to 4.5. Get all the conversion work done, get the forms done, log a couple people in, then a user comes to me and says she can’t get in.

Immediate error

object PvxDax.PvxDictionary could not be initialized.

I uninstall the client, repair the client, run the regcom.bat file, register the pvxdax.dll file. No luck. Had this on two workstations. I call support and they say, your computers are messed up,

The work was all done, all the clients for 4.3 were removed and 4.5 installed. I start running around to put them back to 4.3 and support called back and says that it is possible that you don’t have Visual C++ 2008 installed.

The MAS90 workstation  setups installed fine without it and never mentioned anything about needing  it.

These machines were both missing dotnet. Anyway, installing the visual C++ fixed the issue. I ALMOST had to abandon the upgrade because of the missing files.

So if you see a workstation setup warn you about dotnet, this may be your issue.

 

And here is the file I needed to install:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=29

Via: DSD of Baltimore Maryland – MAS90/MAS200/MAS500/SageCRM

Frequently Asked Questions about Sage ERP MAS90 Online

If you are interested in using Sage ERP MAS 90 but don’t want to setup your own server or maintain the level of hardware that might be required for an online implementation – you should consider Sage’s cloud implementation of Sage ERP MAS 90.

This version offers most of the current MAS 90 modules in convenient monthly pricing.

Here is the frequently asked question list as distributed by Sage which provides answers to many questions that users have. Additionally you can review a MAS90 Online price list here.

Sage ERP MAS 90 Online Customer FAQs

Sage ERP MAS 90 Online Now Live

Sage ERP MAS 90 is now live. The new hosted version of Sage’s popular Sage ERP MAS 90 has apparently exited the early adopter phase can now be accessed direct at the Sage site via:

 

Sage MAS Online

Pricing on Sage ERP MAS 90 Online starts at $ 169 per user per month. There is a one year minimum commitment and unlike similar products there is NO minimum number of users Sage requires. Take 10% off for a 36 month contract. There is a 5% discount for prepaid contracts.

At this price you’ll receive 5 support cases per year, 24/7 access to the Sage KB.

TIP: This solution is  ideal for existing Sage ERP MAS 90 customers who are off plan as there are no fees or penalties to “get on” plan again when they sign up MAS 90 Online. By paying the per user fee for Sage ERP MAS 90 Online these customers would be considered on plan.

 

MAS90 Online Modules Include:

  • Accounts Payable
  • Accounts Receivable
  • Bank Reconciliation
  • Bill of Materials
  • Business Insights Dashboard
  • Business Insights Explorer
  • Electronic Reporting
  • General Ledger
  • Inventory Management
  • Library Master
  • Paperless Office (No fax or email capabilities)
  • Purchase Order
  • Return Merchandise Authorization
  • Sales Order
  • Includes up to 5 company databases
  • Unlimited Sage ERP MAS 90 database size
  • 1 GB of non-ERP personal file storage
  • First user of Microsoft Word and Excel
  • Backup service
  • Disaster recovery service
  • Unlimited 24/7 connectivity

MAS90 Online Options

  • Sage Business Care – Online Advantage Plan.(optional)  - $20/user/month (unlimited support cases/ Unlimited anytime learning)
  • Additional  Sage ERP MAS 90 Online Company – $ 50/company
  • Additional users of Microsoft Word and Excel (1 provided free) – $ 25
  • Additional personal file storage – $50 per GB

 

We see this as an especially strong offering for small companies with a need for Sage ERP MAS 90. Those companies are mostly likely wholesale distribution and making use of some type of inventory and order entry system. The key selling point of MAS90 Online will likely bet that there’s no minimum number of users to enroll and there is zero setup and configuration.

According to Sage here is how the MAS90 Online upgrade process will work (note the requirement to move to the current version of MAS within 90 days of release):

Sage will make the latest version of MAS90 available online so there is no need for partner install. However, the migration of data from the older version to the new version will still be similar to the on premise process where it is upgraded by the partner offline. Once the data is migrated to the latest version, it is then uploaded to the online environment where the customer can begin using the latest version going forward. Its also important to note that with MAS 90 Online we will have a “stay current” requirement where a customer with the assistance of a partner will need to ensure they upgrade to the latest version (via the process above) within 90 days of a new version release.

Its important to note that these upgrades should be more straightforward and less complex in nature compared to on premise upgrades. This is due to the fact that there are (1) a low number of customizations in the Online solution compared to on premise, and (2) beyond the initial move to Online the version jump will always be only 1 version.

Lastly, in reference to Product Updates and hot fixes for the current version, these are regularly applied by Sage as part of the Online service. This should not be confused with version upgrades.

 

Sage ERP MAS 90 Online Frequently Asked Questions

Sage ERP MAS 90 Online Customer FAQs
MAS90 Online

Year End 2011 Newsletter: Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200

We’ve just received our year end MAS 90 and MAS 200 newsletter – 2011 edition.

This issue covers a lot of ground  - including:

  • What’s new and what’s coming for Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200
  • Creating a new company in Sage ERP MAS 90
  • The importance of budgeting
  • Sage ERP MAS 90 and MAS 200 Module Closing sequence
  • Year end compliance issues (W2 , 1099, tax tables)
  • SQL Payroll for Sage ERP MAS 200 SQL customers
  • General module closing: Purchase Order , Sales Order
  • General module closing: Inventory Management, Payroll
  • General module closing: Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable
  • General Module Closing: General Ledger
  • Tips to help your Sage ERP MAS 90 year end processing run smoothly
  • DSD Business Systems office locations

 

Whether you have been working with Sage ERP MAS 90 or MAS 200 as a novice or expert – there’s something for everyone in our year end newsletter. You can view the information online or click to download the newsletter.

 
MAS90 Newsletter Year-End 2011

What Is The Difference Between MAS90, MAS200, MAS200SQL and MAS90 Online?

As I’ve met with many of our customers one question everyone has is — “what’s the difference between MAS90, MAS200, MAS200 SQL and MAS90 Online”?

I thought I’d take just a minute to explain the differences between the four current flavors of MAS90.

What Is The Difference Between MAS90, MAS200, MAS200 SQL and MAS90 Online

MAS90: This is the most common version used by our customers. The program is based on a business basic database language (Providex) and is typically used by companies with up to 20 concurrent users (although this is not a hard and fast rule).

The current version of MAS90 is 4.50. Every MAS90 module has undergone an upgrade (details) to reach this version (often referred to as framework because the underlying data tables changed in the upgraded modules) with the exception of the MRP, Work Order, Job Cost, Timecard and Payroll where the UI (user interface) changed but the tables did not.

MAS200: All of the above MAS90 information applies to MAS200. The screens, reports, underlying data tables and functionality of MAS200 is identical to MAS90.

What’s different about MAS200 is speed. The product used to be called MAS 90 Client Server before it was given the name MAS 200.

Processing with MAS 200 is offloaded to a Microsoft Server so every operation within the program usually runs much faster than MAS90.

While there’s no hard and fast rule of when you must use MAS200 (anyone who tells you different is giving a sale pitch) we typically see customers look at MAS200 when they have 20 or more users or significant issues with speed.

Although it appears due to the client server nature of MAS200 that you should be able to have remote users operating over a thin client — in practice most customers run MAS 200 over a remote desktop environment similar to Citrix or Terminal Server.

MAS200 SQL: All of the above applies with the added benefit that an IT department can make use of SQL data tables as the underlying file storage. Because of some behind the scenes processing that occurs to get the data between native Providex and SQL we have NOT heard that MAS200 SQL is a faster alternative than ‘regular’ MAS200.

MAS90 Online: This is MAS90 hosted by Sage in a secure data environment. For a fee of about $ 170 per user per month you access most MAS90 modules (notably absent is Payroll) and eliminate the need to maintain your own server to run MAS90.

 

Consulting Request: MAS 90 or MAS 200

In addition to support, consulting and educational services for Sage ERP MAS 90 and MAS200 Schulz Consulting provides highly skilled services for the following:

Sage ERP MAS 90 or 200 Advanced Scripting
Job Ops implementation, training, troubleshooting
Off-the-shelf MAS90 & MAS200 Enhancements
Experts in manufacturing (WorK Order, MRP, Bill of Materials)
Hosted MAS 90 or MAS 200
Custom Visual Integrator import
Sage MAS Intelligence
BizNet
FRX Report Design
Custom data conversion to or from MAS 90 or MAS 200

Schulz Consulting has over 70 experienced consultants available to provide assistance with almost any Sage ERP MAS 90 or MAS 200 project.

These consultants are located in:
Birmingham, AL Aliso, CA San Diego, CA San Jose, CA Larkspur, CO Denver, CO Watertown, CT West Hartford, CT Glastonbury, CT Ocala, FL Sandy Springs, GA Kaneohe, HI Ottumwa, IA Chicago,IL Elkhart, IN Sharon, MA Norfolk, MA Traverse, MI Cassopolis, MI Duluth, MN Springfield, MO Grand Forks, ND Holmdel, NJ Akron/Cleveland, OH Brunswick, OH Corvalis, OR Portland OR Waynesboro, VA Kirkland, WA

In addition most consulting work can be performed remotely.

To get started please tell us a little about yourself.

SageCRM Education and Training Classes

Have you just installed the latest Sage ERP MAS 90 or MAS 200 4.5 – including the free user license of SageCRM?

Interested in some affordable educational classes that walk you through the basics (and beyond) of SageCRM)?

Check these training options from Azamba. They’ve broken down their training in cost effective modules – and the price easily accommodates large groups.

SageCRM Training Classes

4 Reasons People Still Check Voicemail

Have you noticed that voicemail is now old hat in today’s high tech society. In this age of text messaging and social media many people don’t even both checking their voicemails.

Yet when they do – there’s usually only 4 reasons – as perfectly outlined by this graphic from  Ryan Block’s Google+.

MAS90 & MAS200 Consulting: Scripting, Manufacturing, Reporting, Integrations

Through our network of consultants we have access to experts in some of the more advanced areas of MAS90 and MAS200.

With over 70 members our 90 Minds Consulting offers a diverse pool of experience to answer your toughest MAS90 or MAS200 technical requests.

Consulting Request: MAS 90 or MAS 200

In addition to support, consulting and educational services for Sage ERP MAS 90 and MAS200 Schulz Consulting provides highly skilled services for the following:

Sage ERP MAS 90 or 200 Advanced Scripting
Job Ops implementation, training, troubleshooting
Off-the-shelf MAS90 & MAS200 Enhancements
Experts in manufacturing (WorK Order, MRP, Bill of Materials)
Hosted MAS 90 or MAS 200
Custom Visual Integrator import
Sage MAS Intelligence
BizNet
FRX Report Design
Custom data conversion to or from MAS 90 or MAS 200

Schulz Consulting has over 70 experienced consultants available to provide assistance with almost any Sage ERP MAS 90 or MAS 200 project.

These consultants are located in:
Birmingham, AL Aliso, CA San Diego, CA San Jose, CA Larkspur, CO Denver, CO Watertown, CT West Hartford, CT Glastonbury, CT Ocala, FL Sandy Springs, GA Kaneohe, HI Ottumwa, IA Chicago,IL Elkhart, IN Sharon, MA Norfolk, MA Traverse, MI Cassopolis, MI Duluth, MN Springfield, MO Grand Forks, ND Holmdel, NJ Akron/Cleveland, OH Brunswick, OH Corvalis, OR Portland OR Waynesboro, VA Kirkland, WA

In addition most consulting work can be performed remotely.

To get started please tell us a little about yourself.

 

How and Why To Link Your Google Profile To Search Results

The world of online search is growing more competitive by the day. If there were a way for your website’s results to stand out from the competition – you’d probably want to know about it – right?

How about if the way to make your site standout was completely free and took about 5 minutes to setup?

Here’s one way that many site owners are using to standout. They’ve seized upon Google’s new pilot program that links author information in Google Profile’s to web search results.

When Google users search the web for information Google now will associate the author of a post (provided they’ve set this up) with the search result. This means the author’s Google profile headshot and a link to add that profile to a Google Plus shared circle will both appear.

This is an easy way you can establish credibility with those who are searching as well as standout from competitors who’ve not taken the time to establish the link between their Google Profile and their web site.
If you want your author information to appear in search (Google News too) results for the content you’ve created then first create a Google Profile with a good recognizable headshot as your profile photo.

Sample:

Wayne Schulz Google Plus Profile (link)

 

Then verify authorship of your online content by associating it with your profile using one of two methods provided by Google (details):

  1. Add your name and email to the post (Google’s recommended method – and easiest)
  2. Link your web post to your Google profile (and your profile to your web post)

 

Once you’ve completed those steps – notify Google here.

It can take a week or so for Google to pick up on this (provided that you’ve followed the setup instructions precisely). And when they do you may not see every one of your blog posts indexed – rather you’ll see a few posts at a time gradually have your profile headshot and Google circle link added.

The results is a search result that stands out from competitors and conveys more authority – and hopefully translates into greater results for your company.

 

Google

Schulz Consulting On Google +

Schulz Consulting is now on Google +.

If you haven’t yet explored Google Plus – here’s a quick video that explains Google’s new social platform.

YouTube Preview Image

Google+ Pages provides businesses, products, brands, and organizations with a public identity and presence on Google+. Pages can currently be created for one of five categories to help guide you when signing up:

  • Product or Brand
  • Company, Institution or Organization
  • Local Business or Place
  • Arts, Entertainment or Sports
  • Other

Google+ pages interact in the Google+ world similar to the way that regular Google+ profile owners do – they can add people to circles, edit their profile, share things in Google+, +1 comments and photos, and create and join Hangouts. But they’re not entirely the same. Learn about how pages and profiles are different.

We will use Google Plus to provide constantly updated news about ERP software and specifically Sage EPR MAS 90 and MAS 200.

 

Schulz Consulting Google Plus

Do CT Employers Have To Pay Employees Idled By The Halloween Power Failure?

Here’s an interesting answer to a question that my friend Corrine Nadolny has just sent to me via email.

According to Corrine, who is a consultant for Paychex payroll processing, she was being asked by her customers:

Some CPA’s and clients have asked, if businesses were closed last week due to power outages and hourly employees were available to work but couldn’t, do they still have to be paid? Or should they collect? If the employer offers them extra hours to make up the lost hours, do they have to pay OT?

To which Corrine say’s that she called the CT Department of Labor and received this response:

I just called the Dept of Labor:
Exempt ee’s have to be paid

Non-exempt employees:
Do not have to be paid, they have the right to collect
If they work more than 40 hours to make up the time, they have to be paid 1.5 X
Comp time is illegal for non-exempt ee’s

Paychex’s contingency plan was tested again and payrolls were processes last week without missing a beat! If any of your clients had difficulty with their payroll processing and need help, please ask them to contact me directly.

Corrine
Corrine Nadolny
Paychex Inc
714 Brook Street
Suite 120
Rocky Hill, Ct 06067
Office (860)257-0677 Ext. 25012
Fax (866)784-5725
cnadolny@paychex.com

Tip: Always check with your own tax provider about these types decisions. The information on our web site is general in nature and may not apply to your company’s particular situation. We are not in the business of providing tax or accounting advice and make not guarantee about the reliability of the above information.

Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 2011 Year End Frequently Asked Questions (W-2, 1099, Tax Tables, IRD)

Sage have just released their MAS90 and MAS200 2011 frequently asked year end questions.

This list of 24 common questions about year end processing reveals several interesting bits of information:

1099 Reporting with MAS90 and MAS200

For AP 1099 Reporting, there are no changes, so no IRD is required. If you performed 1099 reporting last year, using Sage ERP MAS 90 or Sage ERP MAS 200 you should have all the programs you need to process 1099 reporting this year. The following are the minimum versions you must be running for 1099 filings

Versions 4.40.0.1 and lower must have last year’s IRD (Interim Release Disk) installed

Is an IRD required to print 2011 W2 forms with MAS90 or MAS200?

Yes. Customers running Payroll must install the 2011 year-end IRD. The following list contains the minimum versions
required. If you are not at least on the minimum version, you must add the required product update to get to the
minimum before installing the year-end IRD.

I am running payroll on MAS90 or MAS200 4.5 – do I need to download the IRD?

No. All of the program changes included in the IRD are also included in 4.5. However, you will still need to download and install the Q1 2012 Tax Table Update before processing your first payroll for 2012.

 

Do I need to download the MAS90 2011 IRD if I’m using the Federal and State eFiling and Reporting feature?

 

Yes, if you choose to use Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 version 4.3 or 4.4 Federal and State eFiling and Reporting, you will need to apply the IRD.

 

When will the year-end Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 Federal and State eFiling and Reporting updates be available?

On December 20, 2011, you will be able to access Federal and State eFiling and Reporting within the Payroll module
to update your W-2s. Also using eFiling and Reporting, you’ll be able to update your 1099s for year-end 2012 within
the Accounts Payable module. Simply access eFiling and Reporting within Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 after December
20, and the system will prompt you to apply the online automated update.
Throughout the year, quarterly updates for Federal and State eFiling and Reporting are generally available on the
twentieth of the last month of each quarter unless that date falls on a weekend. If it falls on a weekend, they will be
made available on the last business date before the twentieth.

 

When will the year-end Tax Table Update (TTU) and Interim Release Download (IRD) for Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 be made available?

 

It will be available as a download from Sage Online, Sage ERP MAS support section; access it by using the upper right
corner “Log On” from www.SageMAS.com. This download will ensure that you will have the most up-to-date tax rates for
the new tax year. Since Sage must wait for states to announce tax rate changes before we can create the new tax tables,
and legislative tendency is for last-minute changes, we’ll also update as necessary through January 2012. Subsequent
quarterly TTU releases will be posted in the same location

How can I obtain the TTU or IRD if I do not own a current Sage Business Care Plan?

 

You must be a customer with a current Sage Business Care plan, a business partner with a current Sage Business
Partner agreement, or a Sage Accountants Network member with a current membership agreement in order to access
Sage Online, Sage ERP MAS Support. Click there by using the upper-right corner “Log On” from www.SageMAS.com
and download the TTU or IRD. If your plan or agreement has expired, please contact our Sage Business Care department
for customer renewals at 866-709-2432, Business Partner renewals at 800-854-3415, and Sage Accountants Network
enrollment at 866-565-2726.

I’ve never been to Sage ERP MAS support, and I don’t know if anyone else from my company has either. What do I do
to get a logon and access the information I need?

If you do not have a current logon to Sage ERP MAS support, go to the following URL and click on the Register Now link:
www.sagesoftwareonline.com/eServices. You’ll need your Sage account number to register. Please note that to access
the support tools of Sage ERP MAS support, you must have a current agreement or subscription plan with Sage. If you
have issues with obtaining a logon, please email us at tools.na@sage.com for assistance.

Previously, I’ve filed employees W-2s through Magnetic Media. Are there any changes

The Social Security Administration will not accept W-2 information from employers on any type of magnetic media. Instead,
it requires electronic filing of W-2 information. Sage ERP MAS 200 for SQL version 3.74 Magnetic Media module and Sage
ERP MAS 90 and 200 versions 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4 Electronic Reporting module will allow you to create an EFW2 format file for
uploading to the SSA’s website (www.ssa.gov/employer). The EFW2 file is formatted to the SSA’s Electronic Filing specifications
provided the applicable IRD has been downloaded from Sage Online and properly installed on your system. The file will be
created in directory EFW2/”company code” as file name “W2REPORT.TXT.”
Some states may still accept magnetic media filings; please check the information your state has provided to you for its
policies. If your state accepts magnetic media filings and uses the Federal EFW2 format, you can use the Electronic Reporting
module to create the media for your state filing.

Does the IRD contain changes to Payroll to support the Cost of Employer-sponsored health coverage reporting?

Yes. Although reporting this information is not mandatory for employers until filing reports for 2012, the ability to include Code
DD on Form W-2 Box 12 is included in this IRD.

Does the IRD contain changes to Payroll to support Designated Roth Contributions under Governmental Section 457

Yes. The ability to include Code EE on Form W-2 Box 12 is included in this IRD.

I am running Sage ERP MAS 90 or 200 version 4.2 or Sage ERP MAS 200 SQL v 3.74. Is there anything else I need to
know regarding Payroll support?

The Q1 2012 Tax Table Update and Year-End IRD are that last ones that will be available for versions 3.74 and 4.2. You must
upgrade to a more current version of software in order to receive future TTUs. Please see the Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200
Supported Versions listing posted on Sage Online. Log onto Sage Software Online, click the link to Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200
Support. In the Compatibility section, click the Support Versions link

Will I be required to print my W-3 on the red, preprinted form when using Federal and State eFiling and Reporting?

The Federal W-2s and W-3s are not required to be printed on the official form. We have incorporated an approved substitute
that can be printed on plain paper with an inkjet or laser printer. It should not be printed on red paper. You can identify the
approved form by looking for the numbers 0000/1048 under “year” on the W-2 form and in the For Official Use Only box on
the W-3. These forms are approved for use by the Social Security Administration and conform to the IRS Publication 1141 as
required.

 
MAS90 and MAS200 Year End 2011 FAQ – Payroll, Accounts Payable, W2, 1099

Sage EasyPay Makes New Purchases or Reinstating Maintenance Easier Through March 2012

Looks like Sage is rolling back out (continuing?) their EasyPay plan where customers off plan can get back on by making monthly payments.

I’ve used this in the past and it’s a pretty nice incentive for someone off-maintenance who owes a large back maintenance amount in order to become current.

I believe the changes this time around:

a. You can use credit cards for the monthly payment. Previously it was only a direct ACH and some customers balked at giving access to their checking account.

b. 5 year and quarterly payments are no longer being offered effective December 1, 2011

c. Partners on the hook for defaults (I’m unsure if this has always been the case – correct me if I’m wrong). Seems fair to me though.

d. Add-on modules (qualifying) can be put on Easy Pay – though oddly there is a separate payment that you have to make – they don’t add it into your main payment.

e. Discounted multi-year M&S subscriptions cannot be combined with Easy Pay (I believe you could before)

f. The following items are NOT eligible for the SAGE ERP EasyPay Purchase Program:
• Other non-ERP Sage products (Abra, FAS, SalesLogix, etc.)
• Endorsed Partner products
• Third party products and OEM’s
• Edition upgrades (e.g., Sage ERP Accpac 200 upgrade to 500)

I’ve had several customers use this program to lessen the burden of becoming current on maintenance and it’s a nice deal in my opinion.

Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 V4.50 Product Update 1 Changelog Adds Conversion Information

Sage have posted the first product update for their latest MAS90 4.5 release. This product update includes a very helpful section which provides information on what files are converted (if any) when you load the product update.

Previously there was no way to know if a lengthy data conversion was going to kick off or if the product update might impact a customization that was installed on your system. The new changelog (view here) provides these details and should be helpful when deciding on the timing of the installation.

 

Sage MAS90 4.50 Product Update 1 – Via MAS90GURU