May 15, 2013

Join us at Sage Summit 2013

Posted by John Shaver under Business Strategy, Technology, What's ahead for Sage and Sage Products? | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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It’s hard to believe that Summit 2013 is just over two months away! summit 2013 logo

Summit 2013 will be held July 21 through July 26 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center located just across the Potomac River from Alexandria, VA in National Harbor, MD. The first three days of the conference are geared toward Sage partners and the customer days are July 23 through July 26.

Why would you want to attend?

  • See first-hand all of the new products and technology that Sage is working on for your business.
  • Participate in Sage City. Want to learn about what’s working for other customers in your industry? Join in the exchange of ideas that is all part of the innovative Sage City.
  • Exposure to new ways of thinking, working, and improving your business. I’ll be posting another Summit-focused article this Friday with many more details about sessions that will help you bring innovative ideas back to your company.
  • Visit the Expo to receive hands-on demos of the latest add-on’s and enhancements for Sage products. Have you been thinking about implementing an EDI or bar code system? If so, the Expo is the place to be. And those are just two examples of the many products that will be exhibited at the Expo.
  • Soak up the history of Washington, DC, Old Town Alexandria, and Mount Vernon. Or catch a Washington Nationals or Baltimore Orioles game (both teams have home games during Summit).

To help make your decision a little easier, you can use the promo code of PTOC2013 and receive $200 off of the registration fee.

Here is a link to the list of sessions.

I hope to see you there!

 

September 20, 2012

Recently Released: Guide to Sage 100 ERP 2013 (formerly MAS 90, MAS 200 and MAS 200 SQL)

Posted by Amy Shaver under Technology, What's ahead for Sage and Sage Products? | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Sage 100 ERP 2013 (Version 5.0) is planned for a December, 2012 release.   This article provides general information on new features and other important aspects of this upcoming release.  You can click here for the full release guide.

Accounts Payable

  • The invoice number is expanded to 20 characters.
  • Vendors can be marked as ‘inactive,’ along with a reason code.  All historical transactions will be maintained, but can be deleted by an authorized user.  You can also hide inactive vendors in lookup lists for faster lookups and data entry.
  • Cleared checks will be displayed in the Invoices, Transactions and Checks tab in Vendor Maintenance and Vendor Inquiry.

Accounts Receivable

  • Customers can also be marked as ‘inactive,’ with reason codes.  When marked as inactive, the customer cannot be used in data entry, except for cash receipts.  Inactive customers can also be excluded from lookups.

Paperless Office

  • Support for public mail servers, including Google email, Yahoo, AT & T and Hotmail.

Sage CRM

  • Multiple ERP companies can be mapped to a single Sage CRM system.  This will facilitate a consolidated view of customer activities and salespeople can move more easily between their customers.

Credit Card Processing

  • All cardholder data will be stored in cloud-based Sage Exchange Vault.
  • Also allowed will be a one-time credit card payment transaction without saving that credit card information.
  • Mobile payments will allow payments to be processed via smartphones.

These are just some of the features in Sage 100 ERP 2013.  Additional new features are also found in Inventory Management, Bank Reconciliation, Federal and State eFiling and Reporting, and more.  Access the full release guide here.

 

April 17, 2012

Sage Releases New Roadmap for Sage 100 ERP (formerly MAS 90, MAS 200 and MAS 200 SQL)

Posted by Amy Shaver under Business Strategy, Technology, What's ahead for Sage and Sage Products? | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Sage released a new roadmap for Sage 100 ERP (formerly Sage ERP MAS 90, MAS 200, MAS 200 SQL) as of April 2012.  This roadmap provides general information on new features as well as overall product direction for the Sage 100 line.

Below is  a general timeline for product updates and release dates:

Two changes of note are the addition of Sage 100 ERP Shipping by SmartLinc.  SmartLinc is a replacement for the prior Starship solution (Starship is sill supported by V-Technologies, independently) and is available in two versions

  • Process Shipper – on-premises, browser-based
  • Ship One –  cloud-based

SmartLinc includes complete carrier & shipping support for the US and Canada, as well as rate shopping, email notifications, and Bill of Lading support.

Another announcement is the Sage ERP Payroll module for SQL.  This will be a standalone payroll module and will integrate only to Sage 100 Premium (SQL).  This payroll module is based on the former Sage Accpac Payroll.

Another note of interest is that Sage Payments will play an even larger role in the Sage 100 ERP credit card transaction processing.  Payment data is not stored in the software itself but instead is stored in the Sage vault for tighter security and compliance.

Access the full roadmap here.

 

September 30, 2011

Sage Releases New Roadmap for MAS 90 and 200

Posted by Amy Shaver under What's ahead for Sage and Sage Products? | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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This month, Sage released an updated Sage ERP MAS 90 and 200 Roadmap describing added features and details about upcoming versions.  These roadmaps are published and updated on a regular basis to provide a guide for upcoming versions of Sage MAS 90/200 and integrated products.

Highlights of the roadmap include:

  • Release of Version 4.5!  The roadmap includes an overview of new features in this new version.
  • New features in Product Update 6 for Version 4.4
  • An overview of Sage Connected Services (like Federal and State e-Filing, Sage Sales Tax and Credit Card Processing)
  • Sage ERP MAS 90 Online
  • An update on Sage MAS Intelligence, Sage’s new financial reporting tool
  • Information on Sage CRM
  • A preview of Sage MAS 90 and 200 Version 5.0
The roadmap also reiterated expiring support dates as follows:
  • 3.7x, 4.0, 4.05 and 4.1:  September 30, 2011
  • 4.2:  September 30, 2012
  • 4.3:  September 30, 2013
  • 4.4:  September 30, 2014
  • 4.45:  March 30, 2012
If you have any questions about the roadmap, please be sure to give Aries a call!
 

August 30, 2011

Sage Offers Sage MAS Intelligence (SMI) Web Demo’s

Posted by Amy Shaver under What's ahead for Sage and Sage Products? | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Interested in learning more about the new financial reporting tool from Sage, SMISageMASLogo?  Here is a list of free web demo’s coming up over the next few weeks.  All of them include 30 minutes of demonstration and 30 minutes of Q&A.

SMI is Sage’s recommended replacement for FRx (which has been discontinued by Microsoft).  SMI is Excel-based and can be used to generate financial statements and is capable of generating reports for other MAS 90 and MAS 200 modules such as Accounts Receivable, Inventory Management and Sales Order.  In addition, reports can be created using multiple databases (even non-Sage databases).  For example, a report which combines data from MAS 90 and Abra HRMS.

For a more in-depth look at what you need to learn to get started with SMI, check out the list of Customer Resources that Sage has made available.

 

May 31, 2011

Sage Releases Updated Roadmap for MAS 90 and 200

Posted by Amy Shaver under What's ahead for Sage and Sage Products? | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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In May, Sage issued an MAS 90 and 200 Roadmap describing added features and details about upcoming versions.  These roadmaps are published and updated on a regular basis to provide a guide for upcoming versions of Sage MAS 90/200 and integrated products.



Highlights of the roadmap include:

  • New features in Product Update 5
  • Announcing Product Update 6 availability in July 2011
  • Overview of automated sales tax processing by Avalara
  • Overview of credit card processing by Sage Payment Solutions
  • Overview of Sage ERP MAS Intelligence (FRx’s replacement) including information about an FRx Conversion Utility
  • New features in Version 4.5, including payroll, sales order and accounts receivable
  • Overview of SageCRM
  • Announcing MAS 90 Cloud Deployment (only framework modules available)
  • New features coming in Version 5, including auto update
The roadmap also reiterated expiring support dates as follows:
  • 3.7x, 4.0, 4.05 and 4.1:  September 30, 2011
  • 4.2:  September 30, 2012
  • 4.3:  September 30, 2013
  • 4.4:  September 30, 2014
If you have any questions about the roadmap, please be sure to give Aries a call!
 

April 13, 2011

Bob’s Barbecue – The Absurdity of the Billable Hour

Posted by John Shaver under Comic Relief, Why Hire Aries? | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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I’m always looking for ways to demonstrate the absurdity and inherent risk to businesses like yours who work with software consultants (or CPAs or attorneys) who bill for their time.

This past January at the international VeraSage conference, I was talking with Ron Baker about how we can more effectively get the message out that the only way for a business to know that a software consultant knows what they are doing is by having that consultant provide them with a fixed price for every project.

Ron provided a wonderful insight.  The most effective way to demonstrate the absurdity of a particular idea (in this case, the billable hour) is to ridicule it.

Greg Kyte, who is a VeraSage Fellow, CPA and professional stand-up comedian, and I started working on a video lampooning the practice of billing time.

The result is Bob’s Barbecue.  It is the first in a series of videos which will depict all of the many ways that the billable hour is harmful and risky for your company.

 

April 1, 2011

Sage Releases MAS 90 and MAS 200 4.4 Product Update 5

Posted by Amy Shaver under Technology | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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The fifth Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200 4.4 Product Update — 4.40.0.5 — is now available.  The update contains several core features and functionality enhancements in Accounts Payable, Inventory Management and Library Master.  The 2011 941 Form Update is also included in Product Update 5.

Additions include:

  • Multiple Company Aged Invoice Report:  Print your A/P Aged Invoice Report in a multi-company format and combine vendor information.  You’ll get a complete picture of your vendors across all MAS companies, helping you identify opportunities for improving the bottom line, negotiating better volume discounts or consolidating orders to save on shipping.
  • Accounts Payable Check Sorting Options.  Print checks alphabetically by vendor name, not just by vendor number.
  • Expense Distribution Tables.  Streamline the entry of invoices in A/P when you need to regularly allocate across multiple departments.
  • Security in Item Inquiry.  Four new permission settings are available to further restrict users.  These permissions apply to Item Inquiry and are Allow Access to All Item Inquiry Tabs Including Main and Quantity, Allow Access to Costing, Receipts and Vendor Information, Display Standard Cost Information and Display Vendor Information.
  • Inactive Items.  An inventory item can be designated as ‘inactive’ in Inventory Management so it can no longer be purchased or sold.  If an item is marked inactive, you can process returns using RMA or a Sales Order Credit Memo, or maintain history for warranty purposes.
  • Company-Specific Background Colors.  Assign an easily identifiable background color for each company in MAS.  This helps ensure entries are made into the correct company.
  • 2011 941 Form Update.

Contact Aries Technology Group at (865) 291-0005 x721 for further information about this Product Update or to arrange a time to install the update.  Thank you!

 

March 31, 2011

Sage Releases 2011 941 Form Update

Posted by Amy Shaver under Technology | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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Sage has released the 2011 941 Form Update for MAS 90 and MAS 200.  The form update is compatible with versions 4.20, 4.30 (SP 17 – 21) and 4.40.  Changes to the form include:

  1. The year has been updated to 2011 on the entire form.
  2. A new entry field was added for Tax Due on Unreported Tips.
  3. There are no changes to the Schedule B for 2011.

Please contact Aries at (865) 291-0005 x721 if you have any questions.

 

March 2, 2011

Sage Summit 2011

Posted by John Shaver under Business Strategy, Travels and Adventures | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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This year, for the first time ever, Sage is combining its traditionally separate annual sage_summitconferences into one big conference.  In the past, Sage Summit (which is for users of Sage software) took place in the Summer and was a completely separate event from Sage Insights (which was for Sage partners).

The partner-focused part of Summit runs from Sunday, July 10th through Tuesday, July 12th.  Beginning on the afternoon of the 12th and running through Friday, July 15th, the conference switches gears and becomes completely focused on customers.  The best part of this arrangement is that Sage and partners (like us) will jointly welcome and host the customers.

It provides a fantastic opportunity for you to not only spend time with Sage executives and educators but to work one-on-one with your Sage partner to improve your knowledge of Sage products and to hone your project management skills to make you an invaluable team member for your company.

Here is a guide to all of the General and Breakout sessions along with prices for attending the conference.  Summit is being held in the Washington, DC area at the Gaylord National.

It’s a great location for bringing the family along as well.  All 3 of us are going this year, which I’m definitely looking forward to.  There is a Metro station close by and a water taxi that runs the Potomac from National Harbor to Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria and Mount Vernon.

I’ll see all of you there!

 

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