Posted on Fri, May 18, 2012
Despite the increasing awareness of new technolgies in cloud computing, mobile/smart devices, 31% of small businesses are still managing their day-to-day functions on paper and about 5% are using multiple apps. Here is a breakdown of 4 popular technologies small bsuiness owners are using to conduct different tasks in their organizations today....which category do you fall into?
Sage Software conducted a recent survey to examined how entrepreneurs in businesses with 0 to 9 employees manage their companies and use technology, how many different systems they have in place and how much time they spend on administrative tasks. Survey results discovered that although the small business owners desire to manage their operations more efficiently with new technology applications and devices, these tools are still not widely adopted.
Roadblocks to billable work
A break down of activities that are responsible for keeping business owners from completing billable work:
- 65% Marketing and finding new clients
- 52% Keeping up with emails
- 51% Invoicing, bookkeeping and other records management
- 37% Managing employees and contractors
- 34% Review and responding to social media
Too many disconnected apps
30% of business owners are using more than 3 applications to manage the daily functions in their organizations. Approximately 5% are using 7 or more applications!! These include:
- Email
- Contact Management
- Calendaring, scheduling
- Project Management
- Accounting (invoicing, payments)
- Task Management
- Time Tracking
The Cost of Doing Business
How much money small businesses spend annually on sofwtare for desktop, mobile and web applications. These expenses include purchases, upgrade fees, monthly subscriptions and support fees.
- 45% Spend more than $500 per year
- 23% Spend between $0 - $49 per year
- 9% Spend between $100 - $149 per year
- 8% Spend between $150 - $249 per year
- 8% Spend between $250 - $499 per year
- 7% Spend between $50 - $99 per year
The final question concerning "What would you change about the apps you use today?" 35% responded "Use one app that performs many functions".
NOTE: Source "Sage One multiple app study, conducted by Sage Software Inc."
View infographic survey results here.
Read more on this survey here.
Posted on Tue, May 08, 2012
Yes it is finally here! You can run Sage CRM v7.1 SP2 on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari browsers. With the increasing number of users on these browsers you will be delighted with some of the new features with Sage CRM v7.1 SP2. From the new date picker to screen capture and spell checker you will find lots of positive additions to that will enhance Sage CRM experience with your favorite browser.
Here are some of the new features highlights:
- New Date Picker in Sage CRM v7.1 SP2.
- Ability to upload multiple files simultaneously in Google Chrome and Firefox.
- Allows you to spell check as you type.
- Use tools like Screen Capture (by Google) which allows you to create a quick screen grab, scribble on it and save or send to who you like.
One of the more noticeable functions with the cross browser compatibility is performance. Since Sage CRM is using GWT (Google Web Toolkit) technologies on the Interactive Dashboard, users will find Google Chrome loads the Interactive Dashboard much faster than Internet Explorer. Interested to learn more? Watch the What's New in Sage CRM v7.1 SP2 video and see for youself the new exciting features.
Posted on Tue, May 01, 2012
If your business still “cuts checks” the old-fashioned way, you already know that Accounts Payable processing can be highly resource-intensive. With Sage 300 ERP, Accounts Payable can combine the efficiency of ACH with the security of Positive Pay. Here’s a look at what ACH and Positive Pay means for AP efficiency.
What is ACH?
ACH is an acronym that stands for Automated Clearing House. The ACH network is a secure payment transfer system that connects banks all over theU.S., making it easy for them to transfer funds amongst one another while relying on a common set of standards. It represents an important link in the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) process that acts as a sort of escrow for payments as they await clearance for their financial banking destination.
The new ACH feature in Accounts Payable allows you to use EFT as an alternative to issuing paper checks for payment. That means paying vendors and taking advantage of early payment discounts is easier and faster than ever. Plus, you eliminate the complications and cost of:
- Processing paper checks, printing, stuffing, and mailing
- Purchasing and securing paper check stock
- Approvals & signatures that can delay paper processing
- Since ACH is governed by strict rules that regulate electronic payments, you can rest assured that your electronic banking transactions are totally secure.
What is Positive Pay?
Positive Pay is essentially a tool for fraud prevention and security. Offered by most banks, it’s a service that matches the check number, account number, and dollar amount of each check presented for payment against a list of checks that have been previously authorized by your company. All three components of the check must match the exact details of the authorized list or the bank will not pay.
With Positive Pay for Sage 300 ERP, an electronic file is generated and sent to the bank each day that checks are written. That file contains information necessary for the bank to match your authorized payments. In the event that a check is presented that does not match the list, the bank will send an image of the item to you for manual authorization to pay or return the check.
Posted on Tue, Apr 24, 2012
With installations in hundreds of countries, Sage 300 ERP is truly a global product. With technology breaking down borders, it has become commonplace to see companies of all sizes conduct business internationally. But if you’re asking yourself “How does Accpac address the requirements of so many different accounting rules, currencies, languages, and cultures,” then read on to learn about the international appeal and diversity of Sage 300 ERP.
It’s All About Perspective
First and foremost, it’s worth pointing out that Sage 300 ERP is developed, designed, and supported by a diverse team that hails from all corners of the world. Sage believes strongly that a software product ultimately reflects the team that builds it and the Accpac folks truly reflect a diverse, innovative, and “world-wise” group.
Easily manage global commerce across multiple companies or subsidiaries. No matter where you do business, maximize your international insight and exchange information worldwide with Sage 300 ERP Multi-Company and Global Operations Management.
- Multiple Language and Localization Support
- Multi-Currency Manager
- General Ledger Consolidations
- Inter-Company Transactions
The International Language of Accounting
Sage 300 ERP allows you to install multiple languages, each of which is assigned per user. In other words, you can have an AP clerk running Sage 300 ERP in Spanish, a warehouse manager running French, and accounting staff running English. This might come in handy for companies that have branches or divisions in several countries. Out of the box, Sage 300 ERP supports English, French, Spanish and Chinese.
Dollars, Euros, Pounds, Yen …
From Pesos and Pounds to Euros and Yen, Sage 300 ERP Multi-Currency provides automated currency conversion while allowing you to maintain an unlimited number of currencies and rate types. Sage 300 ERP also supports up to 3 decimal places and 18 digits (15 before and 3 after the decimal - more than most competing accounting products offer!). And with a centralized table of all exchange rates, you can use the power of automation to keep track of ever-changing currency valuation.
Local and Regional Preferences
The development team for Sage 300 ERP is also mindful of various regional settings that include things like date preferences (mm/dd/yy vs. dd/mm/yy), characters used for number formatting (decimal vs. comma), currency symbols and much more. And when it comes to localization, the configuration options and flexibility of Sage 300 ERP can accommodate the nuances of almost any jurisdiction. So rather than providing Australian, Canadian, and American versions of Sage 300 ERP to accommodate the respective sales tax laws, Sage 300 ERP is available in one version that boasts a sales tax engine that’s powerful enough to tackle just about any local sales tax law you’ll encounter.
If suddenly you find yourself doing business internationally but haven’t yet taken advantage of the global diversity of your accounting software, don’t hesitate to Contact Us for assistance and discover why Sage 300 ERP is truly a global product.
Posted on Tue, Apr 17, 2012
If you haven’t heard of Sage Connected Services before, it’s a platform for Sage to provide you with integrated business applications from the cloud. Think of it as a marketplace of apps for your iPod … but in this case, the iPod is your Sage 300 ERP.
Everything from electronic invoicing, online payment processing, and tax compliance, to secure data backup, payroll processing, and shopping carts are available as cloud-based applications that plug right into Sage 300 ERP. In this article, we take a quick look at three popular Connected Services.
Sage Sales Tax – Powered by AvaTax
For companies doing business in multiple taxing jurisdictions, sales tax calculation and remittance can be a nightmare. But with Sage Sales Tax Powered by AvaTax, you can turn that nightmare into a sweet dream using this hosted, web-based application that automatically performs address validation, sales tax jurisdiction research, and rate calculation.
Perhaps best of all, everything simply happens behind the scenes. The appropriate data then plugs right into your Sage 300 ERP with no change to your existing workflow. Plus, you get fully detailed reports (minimizing your audit risk) and sales tax returns that are automatically pre-populated and ready to file. Sage Sales Tax takes just minutes to download and install.
Credit Card Processing
Credit Card Processing powered by Sage Payments offers a complete credit card processing solution for all types of businesses. Plus, it automatically connects to merchant accounts for card authorization and settlement. And when you sign up with Sage Payments, you’ll get the Credit Card Processing module for free. That means you can process transactions directly in your Sage 300 ERP with no need to re-key data – error-free processing with quick and easy reconciliation. Go to www.SagePayments.com for details.
Sage SmartBusinessReports
Powered by Experian – one of the biggest and well-respected credit reporting agencies in the world – Sage SmartBusinessReports provides you with easy-to-read credit reports for informed decision-making. Not only does your credit score reflect on the decisions that other businesses make about you, evaluating the rating of your potential customers can have an impact on which vendors or suppliers you do business with and at what price.
This Sage Connected Service also comes with business credit monitoring and alerts, information about past liens and judgments, and a database of over 27 million credit-active businesses.
Posted on Thu, Apr 12, 2012
Sage CRM Interactive Dashboard Tutorials - This is Part 3 of 3 on a series of how-to videos that cover the User Features and Work Processing for Sage CRM Interactive Dashboard. In this final part of the Dahsboard series, we will cover the knowledge needed to understand how to link a Record Summary gadget to a List gadget in an Interactive Dashboard.
This is a series of how-to videos. We will be posting them here on our blog periodically. Please be sure to subscribe to our blog to receive updates when new posts are added!
Posted on Thu, Apr 05, 2012
Sage CRM Interactive Dashboard Tutorials - This is Part 2 of 3 on a series of how-to videos that cover the User Features and Work Processing for Sage CRM Interactive Dashboard. Part 2 will illustrates how to create a List gadget with the Interactive Dashboard.
This is a series of how-to videos. We will be posting them here on our blog periodically. Please be sure to subscribe to our blog to receive updates when new posts are added!
Posted on Tue, Apr 03, 2012
Time is Money! Time collection and payroll is a critically important part of any business since labor, for many companies, represents the single biggest expense. But for companies that track time and attendance manually, the process can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and costly. In fact, there are a multitude of errors that can occur when time and attendance data is collected manually, keyed into a spreadsheet, and re-entered into a payroll system. If this all sounds painfully familiar, then read on because in this article we’ll discuss some common and costly payroll mistakes and take a look at the benefit of automating your time and attendance tracking and payroll processing.
Humans Aren’t Perfect
Before we talk about the benefit of automation, it’s helpful to examine the pitfalls of a manual process. Take, for instance, the cost of purchasing and storing paper time cards and the labor involved in distributing and collecting those cards. If you’re using an old punch clock, it’s not uncommon to spend hours reconciling information from missed or duplicate punches and illegible cards. Then there’s “time creep” that can cost a business money … those are the bits and pieces of time lost from late arrivals, early departures, and extra long lunches that are rarely accounted for in a manual system.
And that’s just the beginning. Now it’s time for the payroll clerk to add up the time cards and manually calculate pay rates, taxes, and benefits which opens things up for calculation errors and mistyped data. In fact, managing payroll for 50 to 60 employees typically requires a full-time payroll clerk.
Technology to the Rescue
For a long time now, companies have embraced technology and automation in the warehouse, on the shop floor, and in the accounting department. But in many cases, time and attendance tracking and payroll is still a very manually-intensive, paper-based process. But to the pleasant surprise of companies that implement payroll technology, the benefits reach beyond just the payroll department. With access to real-time labor data, manufacturing companies can identify production issues and make necessary adjustments before a job is complete. Those benefits also spill over into Accounting who can now invoice more quickly (with real-time data), collect customer payments earlier, and significantly improve cash flow.
Automated Workforce Management
It’s time to put technology to work for you with an automated workforce management system that consists of a digital time clock and sophisticated time and attendance software. The digital time clock replaces time sheets and time cards with ID badges that employees simply swipe through the reader to record their in/out time automatically. The software connected to the digital clock is programmed with employee information and automatically performs payroll calculations, benefit accruals, tax liabilities, and much more. That information is then easily transferred to your payroll system or outside service provider. No more tedious calculations, numerous errors, and hours of reconciliation. In fact, employees that formerly spent much of their time manually calculating payroll are reallocated to other areas of the business … and in many cases, a full-time payroll clerk is no longer necessary. Studies have shown that automation can cut payroll preparation time by up to 80%.
It Makes Good Business “Cents”
A workforce management system provides a wealth of information and reports at your fingertips. As we mentioned earlier, that real-time data will not only help you make better payroll decisions, it will also help you make better overall operational decisions. For instance, you might use information from the time management system for job costing. By accurately capturing and analyzing the time it takes to complete a specific task, you’ll have a better picture of your true costs and can make better management decisions.
Contact us to learn more about controlling your payroll processing costs and improving your business through an automated workforce management system.
Learn more about TimeClock Plus Web Edition a comprehensive program that allows both employees and management alike to take advantage of the ease and convenience of web based time and attendance.
Posted on Thu, Mar 29, 2012
Sage CRM Interactive Dashboard Tutorials - This is Part 1 of 3 on a series of how-to videos that cover the User Features and Work Processing for Sage CRM Interactive Dashboard. Part 1 will cover the basic knowledge needed to understand how Gadgets and the Interactive Dashboard can be used by Sage CRM users.
This is a series of how-to videos. We will be posting them here on our blog periodically. Please be sure to subscribe to our blog to receive updates when new posts are added!
Posted on Mon, Mar 26, 2012
Ok, it isn’t exactly a news flash that the global economy has slowed to a crawl. You know the story … companies laying off workers and watching sales decline. The question is, what can you do to improve your bottom line when revenue is drying up? Well, you cut costs, streamline operations, and do more with less. So let’s talk about technology that will answer the question “which tasks can be automated to free up some time and cut my operational costs?”
The above is an example of different application systems from ERP, CRM, HR Systems to Email Monitoring that can be setup.
Every Minute Matters
Today, every minute of every person’s workday matters – and now is the time to take a critical look at the tasks that each person performs and ask yourself “Could that task be automated?” If, for example, you have staff that are manually generating and sending invoices, creating POs for vendors, or tracking down late deliveries, an investment in Sage KnowledgeSync can save you tons of time by automating these tasks.
Put it on Auto-Pilot with Sage KnowledgeSync
Sage KnowledgeSync is a “monitor & response” system that watches for changing conditions within your business and automatically executes the appropriate response. On the “monitor” side of the equation, it leverages familiar alert technology. You know, anytime inventory is running low, a new order comes in, or a shipment is late, someone in your company gets a real-time alert to their email, cell phone, fax machine, or PDA.
But when it comes to the “response,” Sage KnowledgeSync really excels. After all, it may not be good enough to simply receive an alert because you still have to stop what you’re doing to take care of the situation … unless you have Sage KnowledgeSync. It works hand in hand with your Sage ERP Accpac or any ERP accounting as well as CRM system) so once an alert condition is triggered, it can be configured to automatically generate and fax a purchase order, run a report and email the results to you, send a reminder of an overdue invoice to your customer, display a WebAlert User ALerts Listing and just about any other action you’d normally perform manually.
If You’re Curious, Give it a Try
Sage KnowledgeSync comes preconfigured to monitor hundreds of common business conditions, and gives you the ability to specify an unlimited number of additional “trigger points.” So it’s easy to get your feet wet and have it up and running quickly.
You can get started with Sage KnowledgeSync with a FREE trial. Contact us if you’d like more information about installing the free trial and if you decide that you like it, just flip the switch and go live.
