Technically Speaking
World-class insights from Gross Mendelsohn's technology consultants for executives, IT managers, and everyone in between.
Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
There are a few recurring IT issues that plague even the most savvy computer users. We’re dedicating this blog post to those users who are diligent when it comes to technology and cyber security, but need a quick fix to get out of a common problem. We’re revealing the five most common questions our help desk gets, and how we address them for clients.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting
Why doesn’t your banking dashboard show your daily calorie count? Sure, you might like to know how many calories you’ve consumed so far, but that’s better suited for your health and fitness apps rather than your online bank account’s home screen. The same principles apply to your business intelligence dashboard. We are constantly distracted by incoming emails, new information from various departments, and perhaps your chatty officemate. Your business intelligence dashboard should be a distraction-free interface that focuses only on the information that’s relevant to you. Using tools like Sage Enterprise Intelligence, you can set up specific key performance indicators (KPIs) to appear on your dashboard, which will help you with your day-to-day tasks.
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There’s the old saying that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” While there is some merit to that philosophy, it doesn’t hold true with technology. When your business relies on all sorts of technology tools for efficiency, productivity, customer service, and so much more, IT is not something to ignore or skimp on. The truth is, there are subtle (and no-so-subtle) signs that your IT system might be failing, or worse, jeopardizing your business’s cyber security. While we certainly don’t advocate for spending money on unnecessary technology, there are some clear indicators that point to a need to upgrade your IT system. The technology in your business is outdated if …
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Adjusting your spam filter to the right level of sensitivity is one of the most important steps you can take to defend your network from harmful email malware. However, it’s easy to miss an important email if you set your sensitivity too high.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Our annual Sage 300 Users Group is a treasure trove of Sage advice. Here are four essential tips that our moderators revealed to Sage users at our last event…
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
It’s World Password Day! Now is the perfect time to take inventory of your passwords and see how well you’re protecting your online data. Today’s password standards might look a little different than what you’d expect. Keep reading on to discover password best practices that keep cyber threats at bay.
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There were several golden nuggets revealed at our last Sage 300 (Accpac) Users Group. The Sage 300 Users Group is an annual event our team hosts to help Sage users discover new ways to utilize the software. We constantly accumulate feedback and questions from our Sage clients over the year and cover those topics during the event. Once we get our Sage experts in the same room (which doesn’t happen often with our busy schedules), magic happens. Here are a few things you missed if you didn’t attend the last Sage 300 Users Group:
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
The honeymoon stage is always right after signing the managed services agreement. Your tech questions get answered quickly and you’re happy with your IT provider’s service. Then, an occasional call or email goes unanswered. And then one day, you realize your calls and emails aren’t ever returned, leaving you wondering, “What do we do now?” Surprisingly, this happens more often than you would expect. If you’ve ever been ghosted by your technology provider, you know how much it can cramp your style. Here are a few signs you’re dealing with a deadbeat technology provider, and how you can cut the cord before things get worse.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Integrations and Development | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Like any technology purchase, there will be a time where your software or hardware will become outdated. For consumers, it’s a simple matter of upgrading your cell phone or laptop. Businesses, however, face a more daunting task when software is no longer supported by the manufacturer.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Healthcare
PointClickCare has done a lot of research in the long-term care industry. What trends did they see in 2018 and what are their predictions for 2019? All of their research was shared at PointClickCare’s annual summit in Nashville, TN, and I got to experience it firsthand with my colleagues Jennifer Rock and Debby Spear.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
We expect a lot out of our software. We want our ERP systems to store large amounts of data and make information easily accessible to users. We want our business intelligence software to generate meaningful reports and insights on-demand. All of our software needs to work fast, and we refuse to compromise on security. With powerful tools like Microsoft Dynamics GP and PowerBI, these demands are met—but don’t be fooled, there’s a lot going on behind the curtain to make it work.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit
Our 2018 Microsoft Dynamics GP User Group attendees got an exclusive look at the newest version of GP, and now you can see it too.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development
According to the 2018 Maryland Construction Industry Survey, many contractors indicated that their top concern is automated integrations between software tools, like estimating, bid log, scheduling, accounting, service and more.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
You wouldn’t dare eat fro-yo without customizing it with your favorite toppings, so why not customize your daily GP experience to match your needs?
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
We know when Cyber Monday hits, you’ll be hunting for the best deal. What you may not know is that hackers are also looking for the best deal, and it’s coming from your wallet.
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In case you haven’t heard, October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Every year the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance team up to raise awareness about cyber security concerns. This year, they’re appealing to end users to step up their game.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development
There comes a point where you need more than out-of-the-box ERP system capabilities. But, how do you know when your business is nearing, or past, that point?
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Service Businesses
With the onslaught of cyber attacks in 2018, organizations are turning to new safeguards to protect their business, and their wallet, from the expense of a cyber attack.
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Sage is making some changes to their software, and you might be affected. Don’t worry, we’ve got the skinny on everything you need to know in this blog post.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Cyber security breaches are happening everywhere. The international Petya/WannaCry attack on outdated Windows systems, the SAMSAM attack on the City of Atlanta, and even the widespread Docusign Desperado phishing threat have gotten a lot of media attention. When a new threat is announced, what steps do you and your team take to avoid becoming the next victim?
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
We’ve heard more than once that “Larry, the IT guy” has your networking needs under control. While we haven’t met Larry, we’re sure that he can probably use an extra hand. Why? Because IT is a big job. And while Larry is super good at what he does, it’s also important to supplement his work so he’s not overwhelmed.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Healthcare
Today is a great day because we’re announcing our partnership with PointClickCare, the #1 preferred electronic health record (EHR) solution for senior care providers. Watch our video or read below to see the top three reasons why our team is elated about being an authorized PointClickCare partner…
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Have you ever wondered why your accounts receivable person hates pulling reports? It’s because they don’t have business intelligence tools. Business intelligence software helps staff build accurate reports in less time than ever before. Let’s take a closer look at what business intelligence encompasses, and how organizations are using it to make smart business decisions.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Networking | Nonprofit
As a nonprofit, we know you prioritize saving the whales or feeding starving children over spending money on IT, and that’s okay! But there are certain IT needs you just can’t ignore. The good news is that there are a few little known discounts – just for nonprofits – that’ll help you spend less on IT so you can focus on your nonprofit’s mission.
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If you’re particular about following HIPAA compliance, you may think your skilled nursing facility is protected from a hack. The truth is that healthcare organizations need to follow today’s cyber security best practices in addition to their HIPAA practices to protect their employee and patient data from being hacked.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
Check out this video to see the step-by-step instructions on how to get better reports in Sage 300, or read the transcript below.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
On this day in 1777, the United States adopted the American flag. Adopting a new flag can be a lot like adopting a new ERP system. For the U.S., the stakes were high to create the right symbol to represent the newly found nation. Similarly, the stakes are high for your business when adopting a new ERP system. Likewise, a lot of decisions need to be made to ensure that your ERP system “represents” your organization.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
There are a lot of reasons people land on our website looking for a new ERP system. More often than not, those organizations really just need a facelift for their existing software systems, rather than the whole song-and-dance of a new ERP implementation. Here are the top two cases where a new ERP system might not be necessary:
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Your managed services subscription should include high-end preventative services, basic IT support and cyber threat responses, but the #1 thing you should get out of this partnership is peace of mind.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Over the past few months, you may have received a call from Sage asking if you’re ready to switch from Sage 300 to Sage 300Cloud. Before you can make that decision, you’ll probably want to know what you’ll get out of Sage 300Cloud.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Earth Day is this weekend. What’s one thing you can do to make your business a little more eco-friendly? Go paperless!
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Construction & Real Estate | Networking
According to the 2018 Maryland Construction Industry Survey, only two out of ten contractors said their computer system had been hacked, infiltrated by a virus or otherwise compromised during the last year. That’s good news, right? We’re not so sure.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
There’s no doubt that cyber security threats are getting increasingly sophisticated. So it’s no surprise that more organizations are seeking out an easy, fixed fee network maintenance and disaster prevention service that gives them freedom to get back to their core business tasks – and protects them from cyber attacks. Enter managed services.
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You don’t need a crystal ball to get a good picture of what’s happening at Sage headquarters. For 2018, Sage is unveiling a slew of new software updates to both Sage 300 classic and Sage 300Cloud (formerly known as Sage 300c). Let’s look at some of the big changes for 2018.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Seven days later, and Atlanta is still working to get back to normal. You might expect that a government agency would have superior protection on their networks, but this is clearly false. It just proves the point that anyone can be a victim of a cyber attack.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Making the leap to a managed services solution can be a tough choice, especially if all the options available to you are blending together. While we like to think of managed services as a Netflix subscription to network security, there’s a lot more at stake than a few hours lost to a binge-watching session. We’ve seen business owners and IT execs struggle to choose a managed services provider. That’s why we put together a three-step process for selecting the right MSP for your organization.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Using Sage 300’s order entry module is a great way to handle shipping and billing processes with ease. However, there is one catch: Sage 300 requires that each individual order is shipped and invoiced separately. We’ll let you in on a secret. There’s a way to get around that limitation.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Are you feeling accomplished by the time you head out of the office? Or is there usually that one little task you just couldn’t get to? There’s a way to boost your in-office productivity so that you can feel truly accomplished when you leave your workspace, and it’s all thanks to Microsoft Office 365.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Paper cuts, stepping on Legos, or even the stomach flu all seem preferable than going through a technology audit, right? This is especially the case if halfway through, you find a discrepancy in your licensing.
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If you’re managing expenses for several companies in one ERP system, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. With a few simple steps, combined with some custom programming, you can start managing your multi-company expenses in a fraction of the time.
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Year end procedures can be a big hassle if you discover a discrepancy. Here's a quick, easy guide for fixing or adjusting a 1099 vendor code or amount.
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According to a 2017 survey of Sage customers, accounts payable automation was the most requested new functionality. So it should come as no surprise that Sage recently introduced Sage AP Automation powered by Beanworks. Let’s take a look at this new suite of AP automation features now available for Sage 300c.
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When you’re immersed in running your business day to day – particularly when the cash register is ringing – it’s easy to put network security on the back burner. Who wants to worry over a cyber attack that might not even happen? Do you think your small business won’t ever be the victim of a cyber attack? Think again. While big businesses like Yahoo, Target and Equifax have suffered breaches, hackers have small businesses in their crosshairs, too. The numbers don’t lie. Check out these (alarming) statistics: 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses 60% of small businesses that suffer a major breach end up going out of business 50% of small businesses have been the victim of a data breach Unfortunately, it’s not a matter of IF your business will be the victim of a cyber attack, but WHEN.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Networking
You’re a little skeptical, right? You’ve received a call or email from someone claiming to be from Microsoft and they want to peek into all your software licensing.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Networking
Today, it’s common to hear someone say that their movies, music, file storage and everything else is “in the cloud.” But what really is “the cloud”? Your data is not floating in midair like it may sound, but rather it is readily available with minimal management required.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
Our team has come across a slew of phishing attacks designed to steal your email credentials. We’re calling one particular scam “The DocuSign Desperado.” Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself – and your business.
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Today’s employees are used to having a world of information available at their fingertips – whether that’s at home on the couch or at the beach on a mobile device. Why, then, is it so difficult to locate and process information in the office? Most are accustomed to the daily routine of hunting down or recreating lost documents, digging through file shares (for incorrectly named files) and reminding coworkers to review past-due invoices. We expect our phones to give us what we want within minutes; why have we lowered our expectations at work?
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Construction & Real Estate | Networking
If you have trouble keeping up with the latest technology tools, you’re in good company. With a business to manage, it’s hard to find the time to figure out which tools you should invest in. Last week I spoke at a seminar hosted by the Maryland Construction Network. At the seminar we looked at five tried and tested technology trends and tools that aren’t going away. Let’s take a look at the tools you simply can’t ignore, and the benefits that each will offer to your construction business.
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Construction & Real Estate | Networking
Many construction contractors believe that being hacked means they’ll get a mysterious call from a person with a grisly, threatening tone, or they’ll get a pop-up message on their computer that says, “you’ve been hacked.” The truth is, you can get these kinds of messages, but the real danger is when hackers monitor your computer activity and steal your information without you even knowing about it. The reality is that infiltrations of construction companies' computer networks are on the rise. In this infographic, you'll learn the red flags that indicate whether there's a hacker secretly stealing your information.
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Could your construction company be hacked without you even knowing it? Watch our networking guru, Bill Walter, as he explains the tell-tale signs that your computer activity is being secretly monitored by a hacker.
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Construction & Real Estate | Networking
Imagine logging into your computer first thing in the morning and nothing works. You and your coworkers can’t open your software or files on the server, bringing essential tasks like payroll processing to a screeching halt. Then, a pop up appears on your screen that says you need to pay to release your files.
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The past few days have been life-changing for Texas residents. The historic flooding from Hurricane Harvey has displaced thousands of residents and left a path of destruction in its wake. Like many companies, our team here at Gross Mendelsohn has collaborated on the ways we can help with the relief efforts.
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Construction & Real Estate | Networking
Viruses, worms, phishing emails, and ransomware attacks like WannaCry and Petya wreak havoc on businesses every day. But if you’re like most business owners, you’ve heard of and maybe know a thing or two about these cyber threats, but most likely haven’t taken steps to fully protect your business against these very real dangers. [Spoiler alert: antivirus software alone is no longer enough to protect your business from cyber threats.]
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Construction & Real Estate | Networking
The good news is that eight out of ten Maryland construction contractors are using mobile technology in their business. The bad news is that two out of ten contractors aren’t.
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This year’s edition of Sage Summit was all about hitting the road. Instead of one large-scale event, like last year in Chicago, Sage decided to hit the road and visited multiple locations in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. CEO Steven Kelly cut to the chase in his presentation of Sage’s top three goals for the year:
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If you’re in customer service or accounts receivable, we know there are certain parts of your job that cause headaches. While we know you love your job, we also know you would love to alleviate just a few of those daily pain points. So, we’re playing doctor for the day to give you a prescription that’ll help you get through your day-to-day tasks, without ibuprofen.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
We’ve all been there. You’re in the midst of crafting an important document for that Monday morning meeting and — blip — the power goes out. All that work, lost. Next step, you scramble your thoughts together from the past hour of work you forgot to save. Thanks to auto-save and battery protection, you’ve only lost an extra hour of work and only a few strands of hair you’ve ripped out in frustration. What if your work never came back? Or even worse, what if all your data on your computer was corrupt and possibly useless? That’s what it’s like to experience a server failure due to power irregularity — information corruption to the company database.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems
Have you found your pot of gold in a construction accounting software package? Or are you still struggling with repetitive daily data entry from off-the-shelf accounting software that only gets you so far? Having accounting software that’s made specifically for the construction industry can offer you many benefits. Here are the three reasons why we think choosing accounting software based on your industry needs is going to get you the biggest pot o’ gold.
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Sometimes technology doesn’t work the way you expect. Here are some common errors that Sage 300 customers have reported, along with instructions to resolve them.
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We live in a world where consumers are wary about internet security, and rightfully so. Consumers trust certain websites and if there’s any suspicion of a scam or virus, they’ll close it and run for the hills. Web browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are stepping up their game when it comes to security. They’re essentially declaring a war on the standard HTTP websites. If your website isn’t secured and stamped as HTTPS, it could cause your business major problems.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems
According to a recent Maryland construction industry survey, the number one concern among construction company owners is finding and retaining good employees. So how can a project management software system help with that?
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Before you sit down to a romantic dinner and a glass of wine with your valentine tonight, think about this: when is the last time you really appreciated your accounting system? Do you love your accounting system? Or, are you finding your accounting system to be a burden on you and your fellow employees?
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We’re living in a world where virtual reality is a new, exciting household term and that’s pretty darn cool. But in the networking world, we’ve been setting up virtual environments for our computers for years.
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Construction & Real Estate | Networking
When selecting accounting or project management software for your construction company, there’s a lot you have to consider. It can be difficult to figure out the right package that suits your needs. How do you choose the right one? If you’re looking for something to simplify and expedite the daily processes in your construction company, we recommend looking at accounting systems that also have project management capabilities. Some popular software options can even offer both. Once you identify the software that’s best for your company, you’ll need to decide whether you’re going to purchase or lease it, and where “it will live.” Let’s look at three typical options and the upsides of each.
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Welcome to 2017: a fresh start for people to come up with crazy resolutions they will stick to for about three weeks before giving up and falling back into their old habits. Has it already happened to you? Most resolutions deal with self-improvement: losing weight, eating healthier or learning something new. Here’s a thought: how about making 2017 about improving your business? Antiquated accounting systems take a ton of time to manage and can be frustrating to work with. A new ERP system can help you get things done faster to help you spend more of your time with family and friends. Are you ready to toss out your old accounting system to make way for an ERP system that will make your daily business processes easier and faster? Let's consider some signs that you might be ready for a new system.
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A marquee feature of the Sage 300 2016 release last year was the new web screens. With the more recent Sage 300 2017 release in July of this year, even more web screens were rolled out. Now that they’ve become more prevalent in the software, we thought we’d answer your burning Sage 300 (Accpac) web screen questions.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Manufacturing & Distribution
Inventory experts share what they’ve learned over decades of working on the problems of optimal replenishment. After working with thousands of companies over decades, the team behind Sage Inventory Advisor has learned these three fundamental truths about inventory planning.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
In the IT world, managed services are when you carve out the pieces of your business's infrastructure that you don’t have the expertise to manage on your own and have them supported by an outside vendor. You hear about this anytime you look for IT support. Many IT providers offer their expansive services at a flat monthly fee. But what happens when the fee is not in line with the service promised or received?
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Investigating and deciding upon a new accounting or project management software can be a long process. Once you’ve weighed your options and signed on the dotted line, you expect that everything will be smooth sailing, right? Depending on your post-purchase support, it can mean a world of new problems.
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Sage has announced that as of December 1, 2016, they will offer the latest version of their powerful ERP system, Sage 300 2017.1. The updated features reflect a more modern design with easy to use components that make daily processes even easier.
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Excel is an amazingly powerful tool used by accounting and financial departments everywhere, but as awesome as Excel is, an automated expense system will benefit any organization and forever change your accounting workflow. In fact, a recent study concluded that companies using an automated expense entry system spend 67 percent less per expense report than their manual entry counterparts (Runzheimer International, 2014). With the variety of capabilities available in an automated expense system, it’s a no-brainer that it’s the way to go over using Excel. Here are five reasons why using Excel bogs down your productivity when it comes to expense tracking.
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The scene is you at your computer, ordering another item off a random search on a site you have not been to before. You have up-to-date antivirus software and security patches installed. Then it happens, a pop-up that states “Your computer is infected with the Armageddon virus! Please call (866) 555-1234 and we will remove it and restore your files.”
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[Please note that no end users were harmed in this experiment.] Pizza. It’s cheesy and delicious, but it can be dangerous to your company data. Huh? Gross, Mendelsohn & Associates: 5 Clicks Away From an Attack That’s right. We were the victims of a free pizza scam — but rest easy. Our own lead network security professional was 100% behind it. If you’ve read You Are The #1 Threat To Your Business’ Network Security, you understand how your employees put you at risk for a massive network attack. That’s why we conducted a top secret phishing test on our entire staff to see just how well our 100+ person team would respond. Let's find out.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Manufacturing & Distribution
Sage recently announced that Sage Inventory Advisor Basics is now included with select Sage 300c bundles at no additional cost. Read on to learn about this enhancement to Sage 300c and what it means for inventory management.
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As a seasoned consultant, I have zero tolerance for an ERP system that isn’t helping you or your business. That’s why it’s essential to build the perfect ERP system that meets your needs from the get-go. How does that happen? Communication BEFORE the implementation process begins.
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Sage recently announced the release and availability of Sage 300 version 2017. Let’s take a look at some of the most important changes and new features.
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Sage sure does know how to host a conference. That was my thought as I boarded the plane bound for Sage Summit 2016. Building off my experience at Sage Summit 2015 in New Orleans, I was eager to get to Chicago knowing I’d get to hear from some of the greatest business minds and even some celebrities. I knew Sage Summit 2016 would not disappoint and here’s why.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
Microsoft listened to the needs of the end user and developed new additions to their already powerful ERP system in their latest release, Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016. By adding extensions to these capabilities, Microsoft improved usability with a new web client, broadened their reporting functionality and reduced processing time by allowing users to attach documents directly to Dynamics GP. Let’s take a closer look at these marvelous new features.
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Construction & Real Estate | ERP and CRM Systems
It’s no secret that construction company owners, project managers and superintendents must use technology tools to keep their businesses running smoothly. Just having a basic accounting and project management system no longer cuts it. Integrations between systems along with customized reporting offer contractors real-time information for better decision-making.
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The answer is no. Antivirus applications may take down weak threats, but with sophisticated technology comes sophisticated hackers. As technology continues to evolve, there are additional protection measures you need to take to ensure the safety of you and your company’s information. (Psst! That's exactly why we offer a free assessment of your network! Schedule your assessment today to check the health and security of your network.) Antivirus software used to be an extremely effective way to protect against malware or viral code intended to harm your computer. These programs had an easy job at first. There were only a handful of malicious software threats to deal with. Programs were able to find, block and remedy the issues effortlessly. The software would compare the websites users visited with a list of known malicious threats. Through this examination, the application was able to target threats by identifying dangerous sites and preemptively sweeping for that code. That's all changed.
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Mark your calendars: the biggest software conference of the summer is almost here!
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
The release of Product Update 1 (PU1) for Sage 300 Version 2016 introduced some interesting enhancements to the new Sage 300c platform. Let's take a look at those snazzy enhancements.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
By now, you’ve probably heard of Sage Intelligence. But lately, you may also be hearing about a newer Sage “Enterprise” Intelligence option. While both products provide business intelligence (BI) reporting tools that work hand-in-hand with Sage 300, each differs a bit in the functionality they provide. In this article, we’ll explore those differences.
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Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Networking | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
If asked, many business owners would probably say the biggest threat to their computer network is an outside attacker. You’re probably imagining him now – a hooded character, hiding his face in the shadows as he hacks into your system, mining for private and confidential data. In reality, the biggest threat to your system is more likely sitting in the next cubicle, down the hall or even at your desk. The biggest threat to your business’s network is your users, which includes – you guessed it – you.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
With the release of Sage 300 2016, the Sage Intelligence Reporting component received several enhancements. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what the changes are and how they benefit you as a Sage 300 customer.
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Concurrent with the release of Sage 300 2106 a couple months ago, Sage also launched a new product called Sage 300c. In this article, we'll provide answers to some frequently asked questions about this newest addition to the Sage 300 product family. What is Sage 300c Exactly? It’s easiest to think of Sage 300c as a new deluxe version of the same core Sage 300 software — formerly known as Sage Accpac — that has been available for decades. Existing customers of the “traditional” Sage 300 product would discover that features, workflow, and functionality in Sage 300c are nearly identical.
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Even if your computer network is running smoothly today, it might be vulnerable to attacks that could bring down your entire network tomorrow. Do you know what your network’s weaknesses are? Most of the attacks you hear about in the news start with an employee inadvertently clicking a link or installing something that appears harmless. That “innocent” link or installation can quickly take over everything the employee has access to. Network equipment like workstations, servers, switches and firewalls that are not properly updated can be penetrated by malicious software or attackers. One simple click can bring your organization’s productivity to a grinding, screeching halt. Even worse, you could lose data or have to pay to get it back.
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Follow these easy steps for a successful year end in Sage 300.
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Payroll tax updates are an important part of year end processing. Here are the steps to download and install them in your Sage 300 system.
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Year-end processing in Sage 300 (formerly Accpac) is designed to be fairly straightforward. But understanding how to coordinate the process within each of the modules and in the proper sequence is important. It also requires a bit of judgment based on your specific system configuration and business processes. Our Sage 300 gurus put together two year-end checklists: one for general period-end and another for year-end closing processes.
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Sage 300 2016 was released and is now available for download. Here’s a look at a few of the most significant changes and new features introduced with this latest version.
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With the release of Windows 10, many clients are asking “Should I upgrade?” My answer is, "It depends." As with any new software, there is some due diligence that needs to be done before deciding if the application is right for you.
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Microsoft just unveiled the new capabilities it will deliver later this calendar year in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016. Here’s a glimpse of what’s to come with this new release that some are calling the most comprehensive upgrade ever for Dynamics CRM.
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With the release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2015 R2 in June, Purchasing was the first area to get a new and innovative All-in-One Document Viewer. Let's take a closer look at the new Purchasing All-in-One View that displays all purchasing documents for a specific vendor in a single screen.
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During his keynote speech at Sage Summit in July, Himanshu Palsule, chief technology officer at Sage, announced the launch of a completely modernized web-based version of Sage 300 that they are calling Sage 300c. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at this new technology that’s scheduled to launch with the upcoming release of Sage 300 2016 in October.
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Sage recently announced they are dropping the acronym “ERP” from many of their product names. For instance, the former Sage 300 ERP is simply Sage 300 now.
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With the upcoming release of Sage 300 2016 later this year, Sage will release version 7.2 of the Payroll module. Effective January 2016, support for previous Payroll versions will be discontinued and tax updates for these versions will be discontinued.
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If you didn’t make it to New Orleans for Sage Summit 2015, you can still catch highlights of keynote speeches, inspirational talks and featured conversations from some of the “big names” who participated this year. Ken Glenn of our Technology Solutions Group attended Sage Summit for the first time. Read about his experience here. You can watch replay videos from past Sage Summits here.
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There has been a surge of "ransomware" emails making their way to inboxes everywhere. The ransomware, known as CryptoWall, will encrypt your data files, making them impossible to open without paying a fee. The latest ransomware attack is disguised as a resume.
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How many times have you heard or said the phrase “There just aren’t enough hours in the day”? Thanks to the folks at Rockton Software, if you are a Microsoft Dynamics GP user you may be able to get some of that precious time back. Gross Mendelsohn and Rockton Software hosted a webinar that showed all of Rockton Software’s time-saving products so you can work faster in your Dynamics GP ERP system. Their tagline is “Work Simpler & Easier” and their software helps any Dynamics GP user do just that!
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Laissez les bon temps rouler at Sage Summit! My French may not be as good as it once was but I still know a few choice phrases, including the tagline for the city of New Orleans — home of the Sage Summit 2015 conference. Sage Summit is an annual conference for Sage customers and partners to discuss trends, experience new technologies, learn best practices and more. I’ll share my experiences from the week and give you some reasons why you should consider attending a future Sage Summit.
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Microsoft Dynamics GP 2015 R2 offers key updates and incremental new features that build on the core Dynamics GP 2015 release. This latest R2 version is focused on improved ease of use, faster deployment and deeper interoperability with Microsoft Azure. Let’s take a quick look some of the notable enhancements.
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Did you know there are three types of Microsoft Dynamics GP user licenses available under the perpetual licensing model? You can purchase Full, Limited, or Self-Serve licenses. Sometimes, a Limited or Self-Serve license can be a good, and lower cost, alternative for users who only need to perform a limited range of tasks. Let’s take a closer look at these options so you can balance your needs with costs.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
The popularity of business intelligence (BI) reporting has been on the rise, and for good reason. The graphs, charts and number-crunching power that BI tools provide help you get the upper hand on all that data stored in your ERP system so you can make “intelligent” business decisions. Many of you have already made, or are planning to make, a transition from the older Financial Reporter (FR) over to the new Sage Intelligence Reporting in Sage 300, formerly known as Accpac. So here’s a look at some of the frequently-asked questions about Sage Intelligence.
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Did you know that Sage 300 (formerly known as Sage Accpac) has an "Ideas Portal" where customers can submit ideas and new feature requests directly to Sage product management? Lots of Sage 300 users aren't aware of this feature, so we wanted to share it with you. Here's what it is and how it works.
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Product Update 3 for Sage 300 2014 is now available for download. In addition to the bug fixes that are typically included in product updates, PU3 also includes a number of new features and enhancements in Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Purchase Orders and Inventory Control.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
As a Sage business partner, we are noticing that as users become more technologically savvy, they want to create their own Sage 300Cloud custom reports and pull data into Excel for analysis. The roadblock that these users encounter is, “Which tables and which fields do I need?” This question can be so overwhelming that some users give up. What most users don’t realize is that Sage gives us the tool we need to determine the right tables and fields to use. That tool is installed with Sage 300Cloud (formerly known as Accpac) and is readily available — if you just know where to look.
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At our last Sage 300 User Group meeting, someone asked a question about speeding up the entry of AP invoices. I found that no one in the group was familiar with the little used feature that could help, so I thought a blog post might be in order to share with others. The question was, "When entering an invoice in Accounts Payable that has multiple detail lines, I often want the description of each line to be the same. Is there an easy way to do this? Right now I'm copying and pasting. There must be a faster way." There were nods from everyone in the room. There MUST be a faster way. Indeed there is. It's hidden, but it's there.
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A few weeks ago, I attended Microsoft Convergence 2015 in Atlanta, GA. The purpose of this conference is to bring together Microsoft partners and customers to learn about new technology and get the most out of your Microsoft solution. Here's the latest news about Dynamics GP 2015.
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Microsoft introduced the ability to paste journal entries to Microsoft Dynamics GP from Excel in GP 2013 R2. This process eliminates the need to use Integration Manager to import journal entries from Excel. To use this feature, follow these simple steps.
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Modern technology like Microsoft Dynamics CRM can help your sales, service and support teams deliver a consistent customer experience, resolve issues faster, and improve customer satisfaction and retention. Let’s take a look at some of the new customer service features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015.
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The release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2015 introduced us to a bunch of great new core financial features that just about every company can benefit from. Let's take a closer look at some of these new financial features and explain what they mean for your business.
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If you own accounting software or an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or even a CRM system, chances are you pay an annual support or maintenance fee to the software developer. This fee can be anywhere between 15 and 25% of the suggested retail price.
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This year Sage Summit is headed to New Orleans for the annual gathering of Sage customers and partners.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Networking
One of my favorite movies is “Cool Hand Luke” and one of its greatest lines is “What we have here is a failure to communicate.” We’ve all experienced communication failures, but if you’ve ever used tech support of any kind, it’s almost a given.
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Windows Server 2003 has been around since, you guessed it, 2003. Since the release of Windows 2003 we have seen four major server versions released (2008, 2008 R2, 2012, and 2012 R2), each version improving on the last, with another major release ("Windows Server Next") due sometime in 2015. Windows Server 2003 has been a solid operating system, which is one of the reasons people are still using it. Even though the newer versions of Windows offer better performance, more capability and more scalability, the pain and upfront cost of a migration didn't seem worth it.
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You have an ERP system in place. You’ve invested a lot of money into that system and it should do everything you want it to do right? Not necessarily.
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Designed to break down data silos between sales and marketing, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 delivers an integrated experience your team will love. Let’s take a look at the new features you can find in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015.
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Many new and exciting features were added to the recently released Microsoft Dynamics GP 2015. In accordance with Microsoft’s new bi-annual release schedule, this latest version offers some new system-wide features, or "big rocks"as Microsoft calls them. Let’s take a closer look.
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Here’s a collection of Sage 300 tips, document downloads and video tutorials that we think will help you with a smooth year-end closing process and to get you ready for a fresh start in 2015.
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Payroll tax updates are an important part of year-end processing. That's why our Sage 300 experts put together this step-by-step guide for downloading and installing the updates.
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Year-end processing in Sage 300 (formerly Accpac) is designed to be fairly straightforward. But understanding how to coordinate the process within each of the modules and in the proper sequence is important. It also requires a bit of judgment based on your specific system configuration and business processes. Our Sage 300 gurus put together this handy checklist for general period end and year-end closing processes.
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When most people think of CRM (customer relationship management) software, they think of it only as a sales tool. CRM is a great sales tool. It provides a central location for all customer and project contact information. A good CRM program also provides a way to monitor your communications with prospective and existing customers, track opportunities and forecast revenue. The problem is, if you’re looking at CRM as only a sales tool, you’re missing out on some great benefits to the rest of your company. Any employee with direct or indirect contact with your customers can benefit from CRM.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration
Ever find that you get some weird things like Synchronization Log emails in your Unread Mail search folder in Outlook? Well, it’s because by default that folder will look for any unread mail anywhere in your mailbox. Those Synchronization Log emails generally don’t indicate an issue and definitely don’t need to show up in the Unread Mail search folder.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Networking
While a move to the cloud can mean major IT savings and improved performance, the shift of enterprise systems and infrastructure from traditional to cloud environments needs to be planned carefully to ensure a real payoff and minimize risk. If you are considering a cloud migration, the process of migration requires an analysis of business, technical and operational considerations as well as an understanding of emerging cloud technologies and architectures.
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In February, Avecto published a paper with the catchy title Microsoft Vulnerabilities Study: Mitigating Risk by Removing User Privileges. It advises what we’ve already been advising: don’t use an admin account. Numbers Tell the Story But, what makes this report interesting is the numbers. 92% of all Microsoft critical vulnerabilities are mitigated by removing admin rights.
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Removing your admin rights might be the best way to protect yourself from malware. But it means you’ll need to use another account when you need to make system wide changes, install or update your application which can be a bit inconvenient. However, it's well worth it as your system will stay running better longer and your information will be safer. Follow these steps to remove admin rights on your personal computers. If you have a company computer, talk to your administrator about removing admin rights.
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Removing your admin rights might be the best way to protect yourself from malware. It does mean you’ll need to use another account when you need to make system wide changes, install, or update your application which can be a bit inconvenient. But it is well worth it as your system will stay running better longer and your information will be safer.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems
A business intelligence (BI) dashboard provides up to the minute operational information at a glance. The information displayed on a dashboard helps you monitor your organization’s current status and is used to make informed decisions that affect the future of your business. Just as you wouldn’t risk driving a $60,000 automobile without knowing that its dashboard was operational and well-tuned, you shouldn’t place your organization’s dashboard into unqualified hands. A qualified business intelligence consultant can help you streamline decision making. Let's take a closer look.
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Business Intelligence and Reporting | ERP and CRM Systems | Manufacturing & Distribution
Dashboards are nothing new. We encounter them almost every day in one form or another. We see them on the cars we drive. On our phones, tablets and computers we see them but rarely even recognize them. In one sense, we even carry primitive dashboards on our wrists in the form of watches.
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A proactive monitoring strategy is crucial to ensure the availability and performance of your network. By monitoring your system regularly, you will be able to identify and correct any problems before they escalate into major problems down the road. Don’t forget to include Microsoft SQL Server in that strategy. At the very minimum, the following three items should be incorporated into your SQL monitoring plan to ensure it’s operating at peak performance.
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There's a new breed of malware emerging. And, it’s more insidious and effective than before. It's a well-written piece of software. Its name is CryptoLocker.
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Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Service Pack 2 (SP2) has been released and is available for download. There are many new features to Dynamics GP 2013.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Construction & Real Estate | Healthcare | Manufacturing & Distribution | Nonprofit | Service Businesses
By now, everyone has heard of Microsoft Office 365. It’s Microsoft’s offering of all of the applications you have been using for years (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.) hosted in the cloud. In addition to these applications, Microsoft offers services such as Exchange Online and SharePoint Online for even more ways your employees can stay connected and productive. But, you may still be wondering how Office 365 can help your business.
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A frequent question with the Payables Management module in Microsoft Dynamics GP is how to generate one check per invoice for certain vendors while maintaining a summary check for all other vendors. While not really intuitive, the process is relatively simple. Let's dive in.
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You have chosen the right ERP system for your business. Now it’s time to create a general ledger chart of accounts as you implement the new system. Your general ledger chart of accounts is a critical part of your ERP systemimp, so there are a number of important things to consider.
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By now, you've probably heard the term "virtualization" and may be wondering how it's being used for business. There are so many options out there it's difficult, at best, to figure out how or if your company can benefit. I don't think it's a question of IF you can use virtualization for your business, it's WHEN.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development
A large area of inefficiency that I often see is manually entering transactions that have occurred in other systems. For example, you may have a billing system that generates invoices during the month and then you manually enter the revenue into the general ledger system at each month end. Or even more time consuming, you are entering each invoice manually into the AR and collection system. Another example is a company that outsources its payroll. Each pay cycle, they make a manual journal entry to record the payroll expense, taxes and withholdings. Not only do these entries cost a company time, but they could also result in errors in the company's data. Each line of a manually entered journal entry presents an opportunity to key an account number or amount incorrectly.
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It seems like the main use for computers these days is to connect to the internet. Whether browsing websites, getting email or gaming, most, if not all, activity requires connecting to the internet.
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December is here, and that means the busiest time of the year for accountants and accounting departments is just around the corner. One of the scariest year end functions for most of our clients who use Sage 300 (formerly known as Accpac) is the “Create New Year” function in the General Ledger.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Networking
By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard the term “cloud” used in reference to computers. You might have an idea what that means or you might wonder what stratocumuli have to do with the internet. What is the cloud? And more importantly, how is it useful for business?
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I see every new ERP implementation as a challenge to find the best possible solution. No matter how many times I install accounting software, I always learn something new. My favorite part of an ERP system implementation is gathering more knowledge to use and share. I am always learning and working with the latest technologies — you may not be aware of just how powerful an ERP system can be. Sometimes, I think I get more excited than the end users!
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration
If yours is like most businesses, you have all kinds of processes. If you’ve been in business for a while, you have probably honed these activities so everything runs so smoothly that you never give them a second thought. And then it happens ... a situation that is a little out of the ordinary. Maybe an item was missing from an order. Or a check got lost on the way to the bank. Or a customer you thought was gone forever came back into your commercial life. And then you needed information. You needed to find that letter or order or contract that was supposed to be filed. You needed to break into your process and run it backwards to find the information, but you found it impossible. When the paper trail starts breaking down, business owners realize that there must be a better way.
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Recently I had the opportunity to participate in a CRM panel discussion. I was shocked when I heard another panelist say, “Look – you’re not going to know how you want to use your CRM system until you start using it. You’ll change and tweak your processes over time.” Those may not have been her exact words but that was the gist of it and I had to jump in and politely disagree because she was simply WRONG. Here's why.
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That’s right! As a Microsoft Dynamics GP user, you are now entitled to a free set of tools known as the Professional Services Tools Library (PSTL), which consists of a bunch of useful utilities not otherwise found in the standard GP product. In the past, the majority of these were available for purchase, but now Microsoft has made them available for free to both new and existing users.
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Server virtualization has been getting more and more prevalent. It used to be that only large enterprises had the means and the need to virtualize. Nowadays you can find benefits for a one-server shop to implement some form of virtualization.
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ERP and CRM Systems | Integrations and Development
You don’t have to be a business owner with an MBA to know that giving your salespeople free access to your accounting system is unwise. Nothing against salespeople, but they just don’t understand the importance of debits and credits. And quite frankly, they don’t have to. It’s not their job. Their job is to sell. That being said, it is important for a salesperson to have access to sales data and key metrics for their customers. Why Give Your Sales Team Access To Your Financial Data? Your salespeople need to know who bought what, when and for how much. They also need to know who pays and, more importantly, who doesn’t pay their invoices. All of this data resides in the ERP (enterprise resource planning) system, AKA the accounting system.
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Cloud Productivity and Collaboration | Networking
You hear everyone talking about cloud services. Business owners, managers and peers talk about how the cloud is benefiting them. Maybe you have asked yourself “How could the cloud help me?” While many of the benefits are covered in each service provider's sales documentation, some benefits are hidden behind the scenes but included with almost every cloud service out there.
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When do you want to find out your server has failed? This isn't a trick question. If you don’t use something to monitor the health of your equipment, anything can take it down. Look at the medical facility that once lost one-third of the world’s genetic material for finding the cause, and possible cure, for autism. A simple, redundant thermometer with real-time notification could have saved priceless physical data.
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Imagine the following scenario. A customer service rep, or CSR, gets a call from a good customer. The customer is upset about something that’s gone wrong with the latest sale transaction and wants to speak with someone who can resolve the issue. The CSR promises the customer will get a call shortly. The CSR emails her manager about the situation, puts a note on the manager’s desk, or calls the manager to inform him of the problem. The email gets inadvertently deleted by the manager, or the note gets lost in the mess on his desk, or after the phone call the manager simply forgets to follow up. These things happen, right? We’re all human. The problem, though, is that the customer won’t be happy with the “we’re only human” explanation. How can you make sure something like this never happens in your company? Use workflows.
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