Getting Ready For Year-End

That dreaded time of year for most of our Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate clients is quickly approaching and will be here before you know it. One key to running a successful year-end is proper planning. Preparation is critical and part of the prepping is making sure you have the proper resources in place. Establishing a timetable or a having "to-do" list in place is helpful:

October: Schedule time with your consultant for year-end processing help. 

Early November: 
1) (Year-End Procedures Guide available )
2) Order your 2013 Tax forms at http://cpatechnologyforms.com  (25% discount if ordered by November 8, 2013)
Early-Mid November:   Enroll in Aatrix services
December: (Year-end updates available per download) Attend a year-end training class.
Late December: (2013 payroll tax update available)

Another key is making sure your key employees who are involved in the process commit to year-long education and training. Attending some of the many quality webinars, free breakfast meetings and classes that we offer help our clients achieve successful year-end processing.  CPA Technology offers hands-on, interactive year-end training where participants can upload their own data and leave with “their finished product.” (Register here) Another important and necessary part of year-end preparation is ensuring your software is up-to-date (version 9.8 or later) and supports the 2013 year-end updates. With that being said, there are two important points which involve upgrading your year-end software that are often overlooked which could spell disaster in the end:

1)    Not reading the release notes from Sage
We strongly recommend against aimlessly installing your software upgrade without going over any critical issues specified in the release notes from Sage and placing you company data at risk. Sage does a decent job in delineating any changes in database or file structures. It’s always crucial to backup your data.  (Test your backups by restoring them to test folders.  Periodic testing of your backup system is important because backup media has a limited life, backup devices may malfunction, and the backup software settings may have changed).  In case of a mistake or a computer failure during the upgrading procedures, you can quickly restore your data and perform the procedures again, saving valuable time and headaches.

2)   Not hiring a Certified Consultant

Don’t lose sight of the big picture. A fair amount of customers think they will save money by attempting an upgrade themselves by not bringing a Certified Consultant in to help. For an upgrade, this is penny wise, penny foolish.  Certified Consultants are well-versed on the pitfalls during the upgrade process and knowledgeable in navigating around a potential pricey setback. Getting the upgrade done correctly the first time will avoid more costly problems (and necessary fixes) down the road.

A year end resource page with helpful tips & tricks will be on our website shortly at www.cpatechnology.net. Year end can be a potentially smooth and trouble-free process with proper planning and year-end training.  Now is the time to get started!

Sage Construction Anywhere - 2.3 Release Now Available

Sage Construction Anywhere just became even more robust with the newest capabilities added to the recent 2.3 release.  In addition to performance and usability enhancements, supervisors now have a more efficient way to collect and track time through a brand-new Cost Code view within the Time service.  Project Files have also been added to the Sage Construction mobile app giving field personnel greater flexibility in accessing vital project documents on iOS, and soon Android, mobile devices.  The efficiency of employees communicating from the field increases with these new features:

Cost Code View—An Efficient New Way to Record and Track Time

The new Cost Code view within the Time service provides supervisors and time approvers several new capabilities. They can enter, review, approve, and modify submitted time for a group of employees on a single screen, without the need to switch between multiple windows. The Cost Code view expedites the time collection and approval process, freeing staff from administrative tasks and allowing them to focus on other high-priority items. Furthermore, time worked can now be filtered for viewing by specific cost codes to alert supervisors to the potential for labor overages on the job.

Sage Construction Mobile App Now Includes Project Files

The addition of Project Files to the Sage Construction mobile app makes it quick and easy for field personnel to upload and access vital project documents directly from their iOS, and soon Android, devices while at the job site. For example, a field employee can take a picture of the job site with their iPhone and immediately upload it using the intuitive Sage Construction app, giving the team at the office instant access to the latest project updates. Conversely, this on-the-spot access at the job site provides foremen and superintendents the details they need from the office to ensure the work is done correctly, the first time. To further streamline field-to-office communication, the Sage Construction app has also been enhanced with additional functionality to make dialing, emailing, or texting project contacts easy—right from the app.”

• The Payroll Time Review page includes usability enhancements that improve the review and approval process
• Time Entry Review widgets on the Home Page are improved
• Status names for time entries now better describe the current entry status
• Licensing terminology is simplified to "Basic" and "Advanced"
• The site has additional user interface improvements

 If this is a solution that would benefit your business, CPA Technology can help. Contact Fred Gaasche at (610) 862-0039.

Top Ten Reasons To Upgrade to Sage 100 ERP 2013

In a recent blog post, we listed for our readers the top ten reasons why Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate users should upgrade their software, so it’s only fair we did the same thing for Sage 100 ERP (formerly Sage MAS 90) users. To those who are still running under a previous version (4.4 or 4.5), Sage is recommending those users to upgrade to start utilizing the benefits in Sage 100 ERP 2013 with the new connected services and add-on solutions. Substantial value is provided in the newest release through new additional usability enhancements such as Visual Process Flows, delivering on top enhancement requests, simplifying application of Sage 100 ERP Product Updates via Auto Updates, enhanced Credit Card Processing using Sage Exchange, and much more. 

And, as late night talk show host, David Letterman would say, “now presenting tonight’s top ten list of why you should upgrade to Sage 100 ERP 2013, ladies and gentleman; here we go – Number 10: 

10- Reduce time navigating through your system using Visual Process Flows, which you can customize for our business, and by user role. 

 9-  Simplify the process of matching vendor invoices by using expanded Accounts Payable Invoice Number field. 

8-  Experience increased flexibility of credit card processing through Sage Exchange including card-swipe capabilities, charges for repetitive invoices and Accounts Receivable invoices, and more. 

7-  Efficiently designate customers and vendors as Inactive without losing historical information. 

6- Streamline bank reconciliation by viewing relevant bank information in convenient places, such as cleared checks in Accounts Payable Vendor Maintenance. 

5- Easily design new reports and modify existing ones using new Intelligence Reporting Report Designer enhancements. 

 4- Align multiple ERP companies or divisions to a single CRM database. 

 3- Process Sage 100 ERP quotes and orders in the familiar Sage CRM environment through Quick Order Entry screens without installing Sage 100 ERP on the workstation. 

 2- Efficiently and cost effectively manage your shipping process and streamline rate shopping. 

 1- Simplify your software update process using the new Sage Advisor Update console.

What's New in Sage 100 ERP 2013 (Download brochure)

CPA Technology Newsletter - 2013 Spring/Summer Edition

April showers bring May flowers and warmer temperatures.  Hot off the press is the Spring/Summer edition of CPA Technology’s newsletter chock full of important information regarding recent updates, new products and upcoming events.  

Take a look!

Click to read

Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade Your Sage 300 Software

Now that Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate 2013 (formerly Timberline Office) has been released, many of you are deciding whether or not it’s time to make the jump. CPA Technology wants our customers to get the most from their software investment. Besides CPA Technology’s continuing training and Certified Sage Consulting services, the features and capabilities of the software itself is key to making your operations run smoothly. The enhancements incorporated in this newest release will help simplify your tasks and help you work more efficiently saving valuable time. Compiled is a list of the top reasons why you should upgrade to Sage 300 CRE 2013:

1. Modern, sleek menu styling and improved screen design enhances the user experience. Some windows such as AP Select to Pay windows support re-sizing for better usability
   
2.  Starting up tasks and reports run significantly faster
   
3. The system provides a more proactive way to track and manage critical subcontractor and vendor compliance items (including lien wavers, weekly certified reports, insurance certificates and more)
   
4. Initiate electronic payment of vendor invoices using AP (you can also choose to pay vendors by check or electronic payment)
   
   Sharing information across systems is easier: 
5. When you’re in an Inquiry, you can now copy all your information into an Excel spreadsheet
   
6. Capability of dragging and dropping MS Outlook emails and attachments into any attachment window within Sage 300 CRE has been added
   
7. You can now send purchase orders, invoices and inventory costs directly to Job Cost and Accounts Payable, eliminating the previously required manual import routine
   
8. Office Connector report templates can now be added to the Sage 300 CRE report menu, providing easier access and an improved method for viewing/working with your data in Excel
   
9. You are now able to deactivate vendors you no longer work with in a single click. Doing this, they will no longer appear in the software’s drop-down lists. Easily reactivate a vendor at any time with a single click.
   
10. With integrated online access to guaranteed compliant state and federal forms, you’ll have access to the most current forms. Built-in integration to eFile services through Aatrix simplifies your tax filing process. 

Download a Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate whitepaper

Sage Construction Anywhere Enhanced Capabilities - Coming Soon

With a new monthly subscription fee-based model on the horizon for Sage Construction Anywhere customers, Sage is paving the way for businesses to leverage the efficiency of the cloud in their organizations.  Beginning in March of 2013, Sage Construction Anywhere will be offering two new valuable services:  Time and Project Files. (Now Available!)

Time – Tackles one of the most common areas of opportunity for construction companies; visibility to labor costs and profitability.  By strengthening field-to-office communication and offering new capabilities to collect, review and approve employee timecard information, Sage will address this challenge with this newest enhancement.  Employees and supervisors can use an iPhone or Android app to quickly and easily submit employee time worked on a project and link it to activities performed (cost codes).  Submitted time can then be reviewed and approved using the mobile app or online in Sage Construction Anywhere.  Once finalized, the Payroll department can share the approved time with Sage CRE Payroll and Job Cost.  Automating time collection and approval speeds up companies access to accurate, complete Payroll information, and to the Job Costing information needed to spot potential labor issues and profit erosion sooner.

Project Files – Makes it effortless to provide project teams online access to share and retrieve project documents, drawing and photos.  With a central location for sharing and storing all files, everyone has access to the latest information available when planning and acting, including field staff.  Foremen and superintendent have on-the-spot access while at the site ensuring they have all the details needed to make sure the work is done correctly the first time.

See Sage Construction Anywhere in action:




With the existing Project Reports service, Sage Construction Anywhere users can access Sage 300 project reports through any mobile device or PC.  Integrating these newest enhancements, Sage 300 is dedicated to helping customers take their business to the next level.  For more information Sage Construction Anywhere, call CPA Technology and talk to Fred at 610-862-0039.

CPA Technology will hold its 100th Breakfast Meeting this March!

For those of you who are familiar with CPA Technology's monthly user groups, aka, "Breakfast Meetings", you know that they are a valuable service for our customers that give you "free access" to a Certified Sage Consultant to answer any questions you may have on the given topic for that particular session.  As a free service to our clients, CPA Technology holds these Breakfast Meetings each month at their Sage Authorized Training Center for Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (formerly Timberline Office) users with a different topic for each session.

On March 12, 2013, CPA Technology will be celebrating their 100th Breakfast Meeting with an extended event (3 hours, instead of their normal 2), from 8 AM - 11 AM. There will be fantastic door prizes (must be in attendance at the training center!), a special breakfast and all of our Certified Consultants will be on hand to answer questions.  This event is being held in conjunction with the release of Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate 2013. Software enhancements will be discussed along with customizing the Desktop, ACH capabilities in Accounts Payable, Purchasing & Inventory's integration with Job Cost and an introduction to Sage Construction Anywhere in the Cloud.

If you are interested in attending, registration is required:
REGISTER HERE