The Steps:

1. We want to create a custom AP Aging report which will incorporate outstanding invoices for multiple (3) companies in Sage 300. Create the 3 folders, one for each of the companies to be included in the custom AP Aging report, within the Reporting Manager. (This tip doesn’t cover the necessary setup of the connector module in order to get the report to work)

2. Once the folders are created, we need to create 1 report to utilize the information in the connector module. Click Add Report, and select Standard Report.

3. We name report and tell it which connection to use. We also select which columns to use in the report, any filters, parameters or sort fields.

4. Once the report has been configured and it runs and returns the data we require, we need to export the report. Select Tools then Export Report and determine where the exported report will reside.

5. Now we need to import the report into the other two company folders, COMP02, COMP03. Click on Tools, Import Report, select the report to import.

6. Verify the Target Connection and Report Destination then click Import.

7. We recommend creating a special folder under home to hold all of the “consolidation” type of intelligence reports you may create. This will help you easily identify a report when you are looking for a “combined” report or an individual company report.

8. Now we want to combine the reports for COMP01, COMP02, and COMP03 into 1 report in the COMP99 folder. Clic on Add Report and select Union Report.

9. You must select each of the reports from the other folders. You can usually do this by the ID field and selecting the latest ones you just created or else you will have to know the report name.

10. Once you have added the report you can generate the report and then built your report templates. For example, if you just wanted to see open payables by company and by week, the pivot table below could suffice. You have as many options as you can possibly think of and you can report on.

The post How to Create Custom AP Aging Report using Sage 300 appeared first on Mindover Software.

Error Summary:

The following message may occur on a Windows 2008 R2 or Windows 2012 server when printing reports to preview:

Sage 300 ERP UI Container has stopped working

When you click on the drop down arrow to View problem details, the following message is displayed:

Assertion failed!

Program: C:AppsAccpacRUNTIMEA4WCONTAINERXP.EXE
File: repcmd.c
Line: 227

Expression: NULL == record->pCrystalObjectHandle

For information on how your program can cause an assertion failure, see Visual C++ documentation on asserts

Resolution:

Note: Must be logged in to the server or workstation as administrator or account with admin rights.

• Run command prompt as administrator
• From command line enter this command, C:WindowsMicrosoft.NETFrameworkv4.0.30319regasm /register [sage300runtimefolder]a4wcrinterop.dll.
  • where [sage300runtimefolder] is the location where Sage 300 ERP is installed. (i.e. –  C:WindowsMicrosoft.NETFrameworkv4.0.30319regasm /register “C:SageSage 300 ERPruntimea4wcrinterop.dll”)
  • modify as necessary (per path to runtime folder)
• If the registration fails, ensure that the Crystal Runtime Engine is installed properly by viewing the files in “C:Program FilesSAP BusinessObjectsCrystal Reports for .NET Framework 4.0CommonSAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0win32_x86” (for 32bit computers) or “C:Program Files(x86)SAP BusinessObjectsCrystal Reports for .NET Framework 4.0CommonSAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0win32_x86” (for 64 bit computers).
• For Windows 2012/2012 R2 and Windows 8/8.1, ensure that .NET Framework 3.5 Features in enabled.

Windows 2012/2012 R2

If the above steps do not resolve the problem, uninstall and reinstall system manager as a local administrator and apply the latest product update for the installed version of Sage 300. Ensure the Windows Updates are current if you are using a Windows XP workstation.

• Reinstall the Sage 300 program or workstation setup.

Note:
Substitute [sage300runtimefolder] with actual location of RUNTIME folder (local drive or UNC). If path to runtime is long, enclose the path with double quotes.

Important:
The error can also occur if you have multiple versions of crystal runtime files. This can occur if you have another application that is using a different crystal runtime engines. If you have another application that uses a different runtime engine, you will need to uninstall the application and install it on a separate machine. To identify if you have multiple versions of crystal runtime files:

1. Go to Control Panel, Programs and Features.
2. Look for installed software with names like “Seagate Crystal” or “Crystal Decisions“. Any existence of these old Crystal components would create conflicts with the Crystal .NET runtime used by Sage 300 ERP.

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Finding records in Sage 300 ERP is simple, but there are some tricks that can get you to what you need faster and with less keystrokes. In this example, we’ll look at how to best find a customer.

Customer Window

Click on the finder icon or the F5 key as a shortcut.  You can even start typing the customer number if you know part of it before hitting F5 and that will bring you directly to the records close to what you are looking for.

Once you have the finder open, click the “find by” dropdown:

You can switch this to whatever parameter you would like to search for. If what you want is not there, click on the settings menu and then columns.

The right hand side represents fields available for you to find on. If you would like to find using another field, you can choose to include any of the fields on the left by selecting them and clicking the “include” button. You can also change the order those findable fields appear by clicking the up and down arrows on the right. Note the preferences you choose here are specific to your own user id, so other users can have completely different preferences.

The post Finding Records with Sage 300 ERP appeared first on Mindover Software.

Error Summary:

• User may get the following error when manually registering the a4wcinterop.dll
• “RegAsm : error RA0000 : Could not load file or assembly ‘CrystalDecisions.Shared, Version=13.0.2000.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=692fbea5521e1304’ or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified”
• User may also get “Assertion Failed” Error message when printing to preview

Resolution:

Check that Microsoft .Net is installed, and all applicable Windows Updates are successfully completed.

Rerun the Sage 300 ERP installation.

Manually register a4wcrinterop.dll according to instructions in KB 18397.

If still not printing then:

Download and install the standalone version of the Crystal Runtime Engine located on the page below. Currently we advise to install, Support Pack 8 – 32 Bit MSI for Sage 300 ERP 2012, or Support Pack 14 – 32 Bit MSI for Sage 300 ERP 2016, or .

http://scn.sap.com/docs/DOC-7824

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Many times we find ourselves needing to “know” which modules are installed and in use for a particular company. This information lets us know if we should install any new product updates or need to activate a new module. In this example, we’ll show how to do this.

Sage 300 System Information

1. Login to Sage 300 and click on the Help link on the top toolbar.

2. Click on the System Information option.

3.Select the Target Database, which should the new database you just set up. Click the next button

The information in the System Manager Version box lets us know the version of Sage installed, plus the current product update. Each red check by the accounting module informs us the module is active for the current company you are logged into. If there are multiple companies, login to each company to see what modules are active.

The post Sage 300 Tips and Tricks: Determining Current Version appeared first on Mindover Software.

Do you ever feel like you are a day late and a dollar short?  Many manufacturers feel this way with their warehouse and distribution operations.  You need the product today, but it wasn’t in the warehouse. You are often late in making shipments. Perhaps you find that you aren’t meeting your margins. There is new technology out there can solve many of these concerns.  With Sage 300 and Acumatica inventory software, you can manage all of your warehousing and distribution needs.

Real-Time information Is Key

Having accurate information from all points of the supply chain can provide timely data for decision-making. Managing costs, reducing downtime and inventory excess, as well as demand forecasting, requires access to data from throughout the entire supply chain. Without it, you may miss something important, leading to bad forecasts and poor judgment.

Real-time visibility, along with collaboration from all points of the supply chain, provides you with the information that you need to stay on top of the daily changes in your business. Information is power, and with the right system at work for your manufacturing operation, you can use that power to grow your revenues.

Better Business Decisions Made Easy

Data, not guesswork, undergirds important business decisions. When your entire supply chain receives real-time data, you’ve got the information you need that eliminates guesswork.

Better business decisions are based on accurate, timely data. With such data, you can:

• Manage inventory better
• Optimize turns
• Reduce overhead
• Control the order process
• Communicate order status
• Procure materials quickly
• Reduce excess production and related costs
• Identify and correct inefficiencies
• Improve staffing by moving workers to key demand spots

All of these benefits are like separate roads leading to one goal: revenue growth.  By reducing costs, selling more, and better managing inventory and shipments, you’ll improve inventory management, order fulfillment, and customer satisfaction. This can lead to repeat business, lowered costs and higher profits. It’s a winning proposition.

Help Your Managers with the Right Data

Data by itself, however, is just raw information. It requires interpretation and evaluation before action can be taken. First you need to get that information into the hands of the right people in your organization. Managers who are empowered with data can act quickly and make decisions that can positively impact operations and productivity.

Managing with Confidence

Another benefit from investing in new supply chain management and ERP software is the ability to manage and respond to potential problems with confidence. Recall notice? Not a problem. A centralized system can alert all parts of the supply chain that products must be pulled from inventory and replaced. The same with issues such as product defects, mistakes in packaging, and other typical manufacturing problems.

It’s not whether or not problems will occur, it’s how you handle them when they do occur. But you can’t handle what you don’t know. With the right software communicating throughout your supply chain to managers and other key employees, you can both manage and respond to problems swiftly and efficiently.

Learn More About How Acumatica and Sage 300 Can Improve Supply Chain Management

Learn more about how Mindover Software solutions can help you grow your business. From supply chain management to people management, our technology solutions can make your business more efficient and effective.

Interested in learning how you can start improving your inventory management today?  We would like to invite you to download our free whitepaper.  In this paper, you’ll learn how to transform your inventory management using enterprise software and best practices.

If you are looking for expert insights into inventory control products, Mindover Software can help. Our products such as Acumatica and Sage 300 are helping many types of businesses resolve their inventory control issues. We can recommend the best software solutions to fit your business and to help you achieve your goals. Contact us today.

The post Streamline Warehousing and Distribution Woes with Acumatica and Sage 300 appeared first on Mindover Software.

If a typical day finds you calling around the company looking for the last widget because once again your warehouse is out of stock, something is amiss in your warehousing and distribution system. A combination of improved warehouse management systems and financial and ERP tools such as Sage 100, Sage 300, or Acumatica—integrated and accessible throughout the company— may prevent those pesky out of stock messages.

Predicting the Demand Curve and Order Cycle

It can be difficult to predict your company’s demand curve without historical data. Some industries find that orders fluctuate greatly from year to year, seasonally, or even monthly. That’s where having accurate, real-time data really comes in handy.

With Sage 100, Sage 300, or Acumatica ERP integrated into your warehouse management system, you’ll be able to run reports on sales to assess the demand curve and predict future orders. The order cycle can be assessed and analyzed, too, and changes made in your stock levels based on predictions derived from data. These systems use accurate, timely data, so you are always accessing the latest information. It makes predicting demand much easier throughout the organization.

Technology to Use the Three M’s: Monitor, Measure, and Manage

Warehousing and distribution managers talk about the “three M’s”: monitoring stock levels, measuring current stock and forecast demand, and managing supplies according to that demand level.

With the right data at your fingertips, each element among the three M’s becomes easier to address. Real-time data accessed through cloud-based systems helps you monitor stock levels and react swiftly to increased demand, marketing pushes that create demand, and other situations that may increase orders and necessitate reorders.

Measuring exiting inventory is also easier. Accurate data, transmitted through the swipe of a barcode reader or even via smartphone scan, helps you get a complete picture of what is available within your warehouse.

Managing inventory is also easier with the right systems in place. Stock can be moved from one location to another to fulfill pending orders. Managing bin locations, shelf areas, and other tasks related to warehouse management can also be accomplished quickly with the right data at hand.

Knowledge Is Power

When it comes to warehouse management, knowledge—specifically, accurate, timely data on your stock situation—is power. Without it, your work is based on guesses.

Accurate and timely data helps you run a more efficient and effective warehouse. Knowing what is in stock, how much is left, how long it will take to replenish key items, and where items may be housed within the company is critical. Warehouse management systems, coupled with good business software like Sage 100, Sag 300, or Acumatica ERP make the task easier by synthesizing and collating data from numerous parts of the organization. Access via web-based interfaces ensures that no matter where you are, you can see at a glance the information that will help you run your business. It’s powerful knowledge that will help you manage inventory levels so you rarely run low on anything again.

Mindover Software for Better Warehouse Management

Mindover Software provides consulting and services to warehousing and distribution companies throughout Texas, Idaho, and Hartford, CT. We can help your warehouse run more efficiently and provide you with the right tools to gather accurate and timely data. With the right data, you can better manage your business. Learn more on our website or contact us today.

The post Warehousing and Distribution Woes: Are You Always Running Out of Products? appeared first on Mindover Software.

Sage 100, Sage 300, and Acumatica ERP Warehouse Management Tools Can Help You Avoid Cutting Deeply into Margins

Warehousing and distribution companies often face a dilemma. If there are too many items in the warehouse, they are often tempted to run sales or specials to move older stock out and make room for the new. Such sales can clear the warehouse floor, but at what cost?

Other companies find that their field sales reps are offering too-generous discounts to current customers in order to boost their own sales reports. These reps may have quotas to achieve that are based on gross figures rather than a web of interconnecting goals to be evaluated and assessed. When the gross sales are all that’s being analyzed, sales people will do anything to boost their big figures and neglect other company-specific goals. The results may be sales that cut too deeply into margins.

Both of these problems are typical among manufacturers and other industries. They are, however, problems that can be avoided with the right management and data.

Know Your Profit Margin

First, it’s important to know your profit margin. Tools such as Sage 100, Sage 300 and Acumatica can help you analyze the profit margin of each product and make sound decisions on discounts and sales that won’t cut deeply into margins.

These tools can also be used to set organization-wide pricing and discounting policies. By establishing company policies nationwide, you avoid having one regional representative or one particular sales manager steeply discounting products just to help his team achieve sales.

Reward Good Customers to Engender Loyalty

Another tool, like Sage CRM, can help you track customer loyalty and longevity. Such customers can be rewarded with sales or bulk discounts. Integrating your CRM system with Sage software or Acumatica ERP can keep you from discounting products too steeply and cutting too much into your margin. It can also help you establish customer parameters for sales that won’t undercut your profits but will help boost the bottom line.

Adjust Sales Goals to Reflect Several Objectives

You certainly want to assess your sales team on how well they sell—that’s a given. But when the focus is solely on the overall sales figures, without consideration of how those figures are achieved, it leaves the process open to interpretation and tactics that may cut deeply into your margins.

Align sales goals with both performance-based objectives and company-wide objectives. Sage CRM can help you with this task by assessing customer loyalty and retention. These metrics point to satisfied, happy customers, which are also good customers more likely to recommend your business to others. Such customers are more valuable than those “bargain hunting” and for whom cutting deeply into the margins may not be enough over time. You may end up discounting such customers’ orders so much that it’s not even worth pursuing their business.

Profitability Starts with Good Data

At the heart of managing your margins is accurate data. It is only when you know precisely how much the costs of goods are and how much a discount affects the margin that you can make sound decisions. Data derived from systems such as Sage 100, Sage 300, and Acumatica ERP can go a long way in helping your business remain profitable without sacrificing margin.

Mindover Software for Better Warehousing and Distribution Management

With the right data, you can better manage your business. Mindover Software provides consulting and software such as Sage 100, Sage 300, Acumatica ERP and many others to help you manage your accounting and business data needs. Learn more on our website or contact us today.

The post Warehousing and Distribution Woes: The Dangers of Selling Under the Required Margin appeared first on Mindover Software.

Sage 300 Tops the List as a Fantastic QuickBooks Replacement

Have your outgrown your accounting software, but have no clue where to start looking?  With 4,000 QuickBooks replacement reviews at your fingertips, looking can be an overwhelming task. Sifting through the thousands of reviews and knowing what to believe is tricky.  We can make that task a bit simpler for you.  We found a breakdown of the most popular QuickBooks replacements based on reviews made by actual users. The reviewers considered over 500 product options before they gave their opinions.  Does this sound easier than hours of Internet searching?  I hope so; this is the tidbit that really caught our attention:

Sage 300 was identified as one of the top three ERP systems to choose from when moving beyond QuickBooks.

Are you doing the same thing over and over again in your software and expecting to get a different result? Join us for our webinar, Getting ERP Perspective, and learn how to get the results you want out of your ERP system. Register here.

Why Make the Change from QuickBooks

You may wonder why you should switch from QuickBooks when it has long been the industry standard for accounting solutions for small businesses.  Well, it’s simple; your company has outgrown it in some vital way. It’s hard to see what’s out there when we are comfortable with what we have.  The same pastry and coffee each morning is comfortable, but try a latte and pumpkin bread and you may never switch back.  The same goes with QuickBooks; it’s easy and you know how to use it, but when you look at what you may be missing, it’s easier to think of making a change.  Here are just a few of the reasons some companies are switching:

1. The need for customizable reporting
2. The need for stronger security
3. The need for larger files
4. The ability for multiple users to be on the software at the same time
5. The need for a product that will grow with the company
6. The need for more product support

This doesn’t mean QuickBooks is a bad product. In fact, some say no other business software has offered as much value to so many small businesses at such a low price as QuickBooks has.  It just means it’s time for a change to grow as your business does.

To help you with the process of replacing QuickBooks, we would like to offer you a free whitepaper. Download ERP Checklist-6 Critical Questions for Financial Leaders.

Sage 300 Can Take You to the Next Level

If you’ve outgrown QuickBooks, take advantage of the freedom to do ERP your way. Designed from the ground up to meet the demanding needs of diverse business environments, Sage 300 ERP gives you unprecedented flexibility to select from three powerful editions (Standard, Advanced, or Premium); a robust suite of modules; comprehensive customization and scalability; and instant, seamless integration to a full set of end-to-end business management software applications.  This software can take you to the next level.

Sage 300 is a great accounting and business management solution to replace QuickBooks. This software, once known as Sage ERP Accpac, has a history of proven results and user satisfaction. Because of its expansive functionality, Sage 300 is popular across a wide variety of businesses. One of the main reasons for switching to Sage 300 is that Sage is devoted to making changes to the software to keep up with the times. There is no need to constantly switch software as you outgrow it. Sage listens and updates the software when it is needed and asked for.  In fact, they just released Sage 300 2017, which is the newest version.

In the newest version, Sage introduced redesigned web screens that improve workflow and efficiency. Productivity-enhancing updates were applied to web screens in Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Order Entry, so you see more data and scroll less often, which saves time. They added completely new web screens for tax, bank, and administrative services, which adds security.

Sage 300 2017 features new screens and buttons that make credit card processing even faster and easier—including a new Quick Charge functionality that will process payments with just one click.  With new features like the ones we mentioned, as well as some awesome previous features, there is no reason not to take a look and see what Sage 300 can do for your business.

Contact Mindover

Contact Mindover Software today to learn more. Visit us online or call 512-251-8992.

The post Have You Outgrown QuickBooks? Take a Peek at Sage 300 appeared first on Mindover Software.

We all know that cash flow can make or break a business.  A strong cash flow will allow your business to prosper, but a cash flow shortage can stop growth in its tracks.  You can improve your cash flow by effectively using the resources offered within your ERP system.  If you aren’t sure what that means or where to start, we are going to make it easy and tell you about it.

What Is an ERP System?

ERP is short for enterprise resource planning. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is business process management software that allows an organization to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate many back office functions related to technology, services and human resources. ERP systems such as Acumatica, Sage 300, and Sage 100 ERP are great choices when it comes to implementing an ERP system into your business.

Are you doing the same thing over and over again in your software and expecting to get a different result? Join us for our webinar, Getting ERP Perspective, and learn how to get the results you want out of your ERP system. Register here.

Cash Flow Problems? Your ERP Can Help with That

The key to understanding how an ERP system can help with cash flow problems is to think about what it does best: automate and integrate. It can automate routine tasks such as billing and invoicing—and integrate with systems such as accounting and finance—to run reports on unpaid invoices, past due invoices, cash flow, and much more.

Your ERP system can help you improve your cash flow in the following ways:

• Report late purchase orders: Orders may not be shipping out of your warehouse because only partial orders arrived. With late purchase order reports, you can see at a glance what you may be missing to fulfill orders. You can then follow up, improving both cash flow and customer service.
• Run purchasing and planning reports: Purchasing and planning reports can help you plan your inventory more effectively. Businesses often have most of their capital tied up in inventory purchases, and any excess inventory merely takes up space and bogs down money that could be spent elsewhere. Purchasing and planning reports can help you decide what to restock and when to order it. It helps you plan more efficiently and effectively for the future to keep stock levels sufficient, without creating overages.
• Streamline workflows: Improving efficiencies can save you time and money. Remember that an ERP system automates as well as integrates. What processes are you doing manually now that can be easily automated in the ERP system? Many of these processes, once automated, can save considerable time, thus freeing up personnel for other tasks.
• Follow up on past-due invoices: Another benefit to an integrated system is that you can easily see which invoices are past due. Following up on open invoices can add cash back into the cash flow and close out some past due accounts. It is easy to see these open invoices on an ERP system.
• Know your cash flow: ERP systems provide you with accurate, real-time reports. These reports can help you keep a close eye on your cash flow. Many companies now struggle to understand their cash flow simply because they lack data on specific transactions, patterns, and more. With easy-to-run reports, you can quickly review your current cash flow situations. More importantly, you can get to know your cash flow and how it fluctuates on a daily, weekly, or quarterly basis. It’s the start of regaining control over your cash flow.

An ERP that’s Right for Your Business

Acumatica is a complete and adaptable cloud based integrated accounting, CRM and business management suite, offering the deep functionality finance executives need to automate and streamline financials and project accounting. Ideal for small and midsized businesses, Acumatica Cloud ERP’s browser-based software offers many choices in deployment, licensing, integration, and customization – making it easy and affordable to implement.

Sage 100 has helped small businesses streamline business processes for years. This modular ERP helps businesses to enhance workflows, manage finances and increase productivity.

Sage 300 is an ERP system that is available both on-premises and in the Cloud. With a full 360-degree view of your business and a variety of modules designed to work with your accounting solution, Sage 300 can help you achieve your business goals.

To learn more download our free whitepaper Tips for Maximizing the Return on your ERP Investment.

Mindover Software offers enterprise resource planning systems that can help you improve cash flow and grow your business. Contact us to learn more about our ERP solutions, like Acumatica Cloud ERP, Sage 100 and Sage 300.

The post Improving Your Cash Flow with an ERP System appeared first on Mindover Software.

Unless you live on a deserted island, I bet you have heard of the cloud. You can’t go anywhere without seeing someone on a smartphone or tablet. It’s also become a must have in many offices. Most software, including Acumatica Cloud ERP, Sage 300 and Sage 100 is either cloud-based or available in a cloud-based version. These cloud ERP systems add powerful resources to today’s office technology.

Download our whitepaper, Benefits of the Cloud to learn more. We also have a live webinar, What You Need to Know About the Cloud, scheduled for Tuesday, Jan 17, 2017 from 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM CST. This webinar is free but you do need to register. Join us to learn what you need to know about cloud computing to make informed decisions about your IT deployment and infrastructure.

Here is what will be new in 2017 in the world of cloud computing:

Businesses are Moving to the Cloud

Despite the prevalence of cloud-based software, some businesses still aren’t in the cloud. As more businesses catch on to the many benefits of the cloud-based approach—better data access, real time analytics, less cost—more will join the cloud. Fortunately, the cloud can expand to accommodate these and many more businesses. Shared servers, easier partitioning, and other cloud resources will help fit these late adopters onto the cloud along with the others already reaping the benefits.

Security, Automation, and Legacy Systems Remain Challenging

Throughout the cloud computing world, three areas have consistently remained challenging: security, automation, and legacy systems.

Security remains the top concern for cloud computing providers. They take great care to secure their clients’ data, but sophisticated hackers continue their work, too. New security measures continue to grow out of the challenges faced by cloud companies.

Automation is also important. Automating tasks, especially routine tasks, can save businesses a great deal of time. Automated backups, for example, can ensure that your data is safely stored in case of system failures or other problems. These and other automated tasks can add great value to your cloud system.

Legacy systems aren’t as much of an issue for Sage customers as the software company has committed to regular updates that bring the latest technology to existing systems.

Hybrid Cloud

In the past, companies touted an all or nothing approach that focused on an all-cloud strategy. Today, many cloud computing companies recognize that some businesses still need to keep one foot in legacy systems and one in the cloud. These so-called hybrid systems blend traditional technology with cloud solutions so that businesses achieve a flexible model that suits their needs. Gartner predicted that 50% of all companies will use a hybrid cloud model by 2017.

Growth of the Public Cloud

Clouds are divided into public and private spaces. Private clouds are hosted by companies (usually large companies) to provide cloud-based software to their own users. Public clouds are those shared by many users. A good example of a public cloud is Google Docs; this storage facility welcomes millions daily to work on documents and store them in a public cloud.

The public cloud is expected to continue to grow throughout 2017, with both businesses and individuals driving demand for cloud space.

Are you keeping up with cloud technology?

We can see that cloud computing offers countless benefits and is constantly changing to keep up with the times. When you have made the decision to move to Cloud ERP, Mindover Software has the products and systems you need to be successful. Acumatica Cloud ERP is an easy-to-use and powerful cloud ERP solution available for small and midsized businesses.

We also offer Sage ERP software including Sage 300 and Sage 100, designed for businesses looking to improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability with one solution. These options are available both on-premises and in the cloud. If you already have a Sage ERP implementation, we can work with you to add web capabilities to your software.

It’s time to explore the benefits of moving your ERP software to the cloud and see for yourself how Mindover Software can position your company for success. If you are ready to make a move to the cloud, contact us.

The post Are You Loving Cloud ERP? See What’s New for 2017 appeared first on Mindover Software.

Developing a World-Class Supply Chain by Looking to the Past

Industry Week featured an interesting op-ed piece called, The Case for Supplier Development. Top manufacturing consultant Paul Ericksen stated, in order to have a world-class supply chain you need to return to the roots of good manufacturing. He believes you can achieve this by the development of a world-class supply chain.

Ericksen, who started in the world of manufacturing and supply chain development 20 years ago, remembers how when he began his professional career, companies cultivated and nurtured relationships with their suppliers. These relationships led to long-term contracts, good prices, and quality materials, which in turn led to thriving warehousing and distribution.

However, starting in the 1990s, upper management pushed for outsourcing supply chains to India and China, where cheaper prices and salaries meant lower prices and increased profits for manufacturers. If you can get the costs down in your supply chain, you can increase profits.

The pendulum has swung again in the opposite direction, according to Ericksen.  Problems inherent in the overseas model include lengthy MCTs (manufacturing critical-path times) which can lead to delays in receiving goods. The “90 day” firm delivery date is laughable when many overseas companies deliver in six months plus six weeks of shipping time. Building up inventory is one solution, but that can be costly, both to build and house.

Enter the Role of Supplier-Developer

Ericksen suggests the role of supplier-developer added to warehousing and distribution businesses. The supplier-developer finds both global and national suppliers who can provide products at the lowest cost, but potentially long lead-time, as well as local suppliers, who may be able to turn around an order quickly but must charge higher rates. Cultivating relationships with both can ensure uninterrupted delivery of materials, albeit with some price variations. If the price variations aren’t too extreme, they can be smoothed out and averaged without too much of a hit to profits.

Benefits of Supplier Networks

Price is just one aspect of the supplier-developer network. Building a world-class supply chain also ensures that the quality of the finished products is superior to those produced by competitors. When the best components are added into the manufacturing of a product, the end result can be better others’ results.

Timely delivery also means a lot to customers. Customers who are kept waiting for weeks or months because you are still waiting for a shipment from China may take their business elsewhere. Having a local supplier, willing to work with you on timelines, may help you meet unexpected demand.

Returning to Supply Chain’s Roots May Be the Future

We often look to the future as if the success of a business relies upon the next, best, greatest invention. Sometimes, however, returning to the roots of manufacturing may be the answer. Within those roots is the role of supply chain development, of cultivating long-lasting relationships with trusted partners. The benefits of such relationships extend to your own customers, who can then rely on you to fill orders promptly and accurately.

There is no need to completely eliminate worldwide companies.  There is still a place for low prices. If a worldwide company can provide low prices on your terms then there is no reason to terminate the relationship. It just seems that a mixed model of both local and global suppliers, along with a supply chain developer, is proving to be best for developing a successful supply chain.

Mindover Software is Here to Answer Your Warehousing and Distribution Questions 

Learn more about how Mindover Software solutions can help you grow your business. From supply chain management to people management, our technology solutions can make your business more efficient and effective.

Interested in learning how you can start improving your inventory management?  We would like to invite you to download our free whitepaper, 5 Tools for Inventory Management.  In this paper, you’ll learn about some tools that can and should be integrated with your inventory management system to support efficient warehousing and distribution operations.

If you are looking for expert insights into how to improve your supply chain, Mindover Software can help. Our products such as Acumatica and Sage 300 can help you build a profitable supply chain. We can recommend the best software solutions to fit your business and to help you achieve your goals. Contact us today.

The post You May Find the Future of Your Warehousing and Distribution System Behind You appeared first on Mindover Software.

We all want our projects to be successful, and the same is true for the implementation of Sage software or Acumatica Cloud ERP. A new ERP implementation works best when it coincides with organizational change. Yet some managers suggest that waiting until post-ERP implementation for organization change is the right way to go. Who is right, and why?

Organizational change is critical for the successful implementation of Acumatica or Sage ERP software. Many ERP consultants agree that projects without organizational change baked into them from the start are doomed to fail. That’s because ERP, by its very nature, forces some level of organizational change over an institution. It may be significant change or solidifying a gradual change, but at some level, things must change.

If you’re facing a skeptical senior management team who believes that organizational change is merely a set of “soft skills” activities intended to make people feel good, the following information can arm you so that you can push for real change. Organizational change is more than patting each other on the back and saying “job well done.” It involves training, systematic improvement, and much more.

Three Steps to Convince the Skeptics

Arm yourself with these three logical reasons to add organization change to your ERP implementation:

1. Prepare with facts: Facts can persuade even the most hardened skeptic into a believer. Research the facts about what makes a successful ERP implementation. Research shows consistently that successful ERP projects do include change management and organizational change. Facts that might be persuasive include facts about operational disruption. It’s a fact, for example, that about 50% of all organizations that implement an ERP system experience some form of operational disruption. About 44% of organizations experience a week of disruption, while 21% experience two to four weeks of disruption. It is facts such as these that may persuade senior management to accept the need for organizational change as part of your Sage 100 ERP implementation project.
2. Define organizational change: Management’s rejection of organizational change may stem from preconceived notions about what organizational change really means. They may have experienced poorly defined training, for example, and then conclude that all training is ill-defined with nebulous goals. However, organizational training isn’t about soft skills or feel-good group sessions. Instead, it should include an organizational assessment, communications, goal alignment, change impact and design, benefits realizations and KPIs, a training strategy, and accountability with potential workforce restructuring. In other words, it’s a series of clearly defined activities linked back to measurable metrics.
3. Fit organization change to corporate culture: The list above represents a comprehensive list of activities related to organizational change, but not every activity may be needed in an organization. Some organizations have excellent communications but lack an understanding of change impact. Conducting an organizational assessment early in the ERP project will help you understand the dynamics at play as well as the strengths and weaknesses of the organization. This, in turn, will help you build a comprehensive plan that aligns with your corporate culture rather than fights against it.

Building Towards ERP Implementation

Implementing Acumatica Cloud ERP, Sage 300, or Sage 100 ERP is an exciting time for any organization. But, without planning and a careful, considered implementation, the project may get off to a rocky start; or worse, fail and require the intervention of a consultant. If you can do any one action to get your ERP project off to a strong start, consider the need for and impact of organizational change on your implementation program.

Mindover Software

Mindover Software provides business software and solutions to companies big and small. We welcome your inquiry and can assist you with your ERP, BI, and warehouse management software needs. Contact us today.

The post Investing in Organization Change Essential to ERP Implementation Success appeared first on Mindover Software.

In 2016, Sage Corporation, the parent company of Sage 100 and Sage 300, released “Peggy.” Peggy is a chatbot. She’s liked a super virtual assistant who never tires of your needs and questions. Sage’s Peggy can respond to simple commands such as, “How many invoices are past due in our accounts this month?” and “Which customers have paid their bills as of today?”

Did you ever think that Sage 100 and Sage 300 might have something as helpful as “Peggy” behind them? She’s not available quite yet, but she’s getting to the point where soon she may be greeting you in the office.

If you could have predicted the future of technology 50 years ago, it’s unlikely you could have predicted how technology has evolved. A telephone, camera, video recorder, and worldwide encyclopedia that fits in your pocket? You have that and more on your smartphone. Small airplanes that can fly over any landscape and take pictures and films day or night? Welcome to the world of drones. It seems like technology grows into new ideas, new shapes, and new forms with every passing moment.

The minds behind Sage 100 and Sage 300 have put together their list of the hottest technology innovations to watch today. These ideas, concepts, and developments are all in the works now. It’s only a question of time before they reach a viable stage for mass rollout and implementation. Which ones appeal to you for your business needs?

1. Blockchain technology: Once the purview of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, the algorithms behind blockchain are being explored by banks, financial institutions, real estate companies, and insurance brokers for their ability to encrypt and automate transactions. Blockchain enables secure, traceable lineages for transactions. Real estate companies are exploring blockchain as a way to finish closings without the need for cumbersome paperwork, and the technology appeals to banks looking for better ways to secure their customers’ financial information. Blockchain is a hot new technology that may one day change the face of how we handle and view money.
2. Chatbots: Like Peggy launched by Sage, chatbots and autonomous interfaces may also change the business world as it stands today. Typing questions to a faceless AI may seem strange until you realize that you’ve probably already held such conversations with robots. Many AI systems and chatbots now power the help desks for big companies. When you need an answer, the chatbots are there to help. They can handle common questions, simple problems, and routing complicated problems to human operators.
3. Artificial intelligence and data collection: The Internet of Things (IoT) has generated increasing amounts of data. There’s so much data being collected now that complex machines and artificial intelligence systems are needed to analyze it all. Such systems can look across multiple data streams and find commonalities and links where human operators might struggle.
4. Automated money transfers: We’ve all grown used to ATM machines, but money transfers have become increasingly complex. Now you can conduct online banking, open virtual bank accounts that pay greater interest than bricks and mortar accounts, and conduct most of your investments over the internet. Sage is especially interested in options like one-click bill payments and invoices which can help small business clients of Sage 100 and Sage 300 issue and collect invoices quickly and easily.

There are more technological marvels on the horizon today than listed here, of course, but these are four hot technologies that the minds at Sage believe are worth noticing. Not too long ago, resources such as Sage 100 and Sage 300 were just a hint of what might be. Today, businesses use these powerful tools for competitive advantage. Today, chatbots like Peggy seem surreal, but tomorrow, who knows? Peggy may be joined by other AI “sisters” who will do everything for us but take out the trash. Perhaps that will happen as well. Who knows? It’s certainly a great time to be in business with technology as the untiring partner who can help us succeed.

Mindover Software

Mindover Software provides business software and solutions to companies big and small. We welcome your inquiry and can assist you with your ERP, BI, and warehouse management software needs. Contact us today.

The post Hot New Technologies to Watch – Where Sage 100 and Sage 300 May Be Heading Next appeared first on Mindover Software.

If someone asked you, “Who is the most important person in your company?,” how would you answer?

Most people would say, “The CEO.” Someone a bit cleverer might add, “The payroll person because they make sure we all get paid!”

Yet, neither answer is correct. The most important person at your company isn’t an employee. It’s your customers. Manufacturers who stay close to their customers, understand their wants and needs, and adjust their business practices to suit their customers, end up coming out on top. Sage ERP software can help companies do this.

A KPMG survey found that keeping close to customers is directly related to innovation, thought leadership, and profitability.

With 49% percent of manufacturing CEOs who responded to the study agreeing that their business will change dramatically over the next three years, it’s smart to pay close attention to your customers. Your customers wants, needs, and desires will lead the way to your next best-selling product and important innovation.

Moving from a Product-Centered Mindset to a Customer-Focused Approach

Manufacturers have traditionally featured a product-focused approach to business. Because they rely on the actual creation and production of products, much of their emphasis has been on improving production.

Customer-centric models can feel odd to manufacturers who aren’t used to them, and it may take some adjustment to multiple business practices to put the customer first. Greater emphasis on research and development, databases, software such as Sage 100, Sage 300, and other tools that can help you track and respond to customer demands are all important in a customer-centric environment.

The point of a customer-centric method is to understand what your customers want and need so that you’ll produce more of what they want—and in turn, sell more.

Dealer Networks May Be In—or Out—of the Big Picture

Another hurdle for manufacturers seeking to understand customer needs is the current system for product sales. Dealerships and dealer networks can add a layer between the manufacturer and customer that prevents the free and easy flow of information.

Although you may choose to maintain a dealer network or a dealer network may be an integral part of your business and industry model, the ability to meet with and learn from customers directly can now be shared among both dealers and manufacturers. It’s less of a dealer monopoly and more of a democracy among all who seek to serve customers.

Long-Term Success Considerations

To enact a customer-centric model, consider the following long-term strategies.

1. Focus on niches: Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, focus on being everything to someone. In other words, focus on niche customer groups, special needs, or other things that set groups apart. This can help you build out a relationship with customers to help you become indispensable to them. By focusing on a smaller subset of customers, you can get to know them better. Using Sage 100 or Sage 300 to see which customer groups are most profitable for your business is one way to find a niche.
2. Adjust business relationship expectations: New technology such as social media has made it easier for customers to contact manufacturers directly. Customers don’t want to work through cumbersome dealer networks to talk to you. They want access today to someone at the manufacturing company to voice concerns, complaints, or suggestions. It’s vital to adjust your expectations for how customer relationships function to take into account this new world of open communications via social media, email, and more.
3. Use customer service for competitive advantage: Customer service can set your manufacturing firm apart, and it’s especially important in customer-centric models. Make sure that your service staff is trained to respond quickly and confidently to customer inquiries. Make them easy to reach. If you continue to maintain a dealer network, ensure that the service staff updates and communicates with the dealers so that issues, problems, and resolution information can be shared among all.

The manufacturing industry has gone through many great upheavals over the years and weathered them all. Manufacturers will always be needed to produce valuable goods and services.  Now, however, those manufacturers likely to succeed in the future are those willing to meet the customer halfway, listen, and respond accordingly. Software such as Sage 100 or Sage 300 can help you become more competitive. The customer, it seems, is always king in any business—including manufacturing.

Mindover Software

Mindover Software provides business software and solutions to companies big and small. We welcome your inquiry and can assist you with your manufacturing software needs. Contact us.

The post Sage ERP Software Helps You Move Closer to Your Customers appeared first on Mindover Software.

Sage 300 Tops the List as a Fantastic QuickBooks Replacement

Have your outgrown your accounting software, but have no clue where to start looking?  With 4,000 QuickBooks replacement reviews at your fingertips, looking can be an overwhelming task. Sifting through the thousands of reviews and knowing what to believe is tricky.  We can make that task a bit simpler for you.  We found a breakdown of the most popular QuickBooks replacements based on reviews made by actual users. The reviewers considered over 500 product options before they gave their opinions.  Does this sound easier than hours of Internet searching?  I hope so; this is the tidbit that really caught our attention:

Sage 300 was identified as one of the top three ERP systems to choose from when moving beyond QuickBooks.

Are you doing the same thing over and over again in your software and expecting to get a different result? Join us for our webinar, Getting ERP Perspective, and learn how to get the results you want out of your ERP system. Register here.

Why Make the Change from QuickBooks

You may wonder why you should switch from QuickBooks when it has long been the industry standard for accounting solutions for small businesses.  Well, it’s simple; your company has outgrown it in some vital way. It’s hard to see what’s out there when we are comfortable with what we have.  The same pastry and coffee each morning is comfortable, but try a latte and pumpkin bread and you may never switch back.  The same goes with QuickBooks; it’s easy and you know how to use it, but when you look at what you may be missing, it’s easier to think of making a change.  Here are just a few of the reasons some companies are switching:

1. The need for customizable reporting
2. The need for stronger security
3. The need for larger files
4. The ability for multiple users to be on the software at the same time
5. The need for a product that will grow with the company
6. The need for more product support

This doesn’t mean QuickBooks is a bad product. In fact, some say no other business software has offered as much value to so many small businesses at such a low price as QuickBooks has.  It just means it’s time for a change to grow as your business does.

To help you with the process of replacing QuickBooks, we would like to offer you a free whitepaper. Download ERP Checklist-6 Critical Questions for Financial Leaders.

Sage 300 Can Take You to the Next Level

If you’ve outgrown QuickBooks, take advantage of the freedom to do ERP your way. Designed from the ground up to meet the demanding needs of diverse business environments, Sage 300 ERP gives you unprecedented flexibility to select from three powerful editions (Standard, Advanced, or Premium); a robust suite of modules; comprehensive customization and scalability; and instant, seamless integration to a full set of end-to-end business management software applications.  This software can take you to the next level.

Sage 300 is a great accounting and business management solution to replace QuickBooks. This software, once known as Sage ERP Accpac, has a history of proven results and user satisfaction. Because of its expansive functionality, Sage 300 is popular across a wide variety of businesses. One of the main reasons for switching to Sage 300 is that Sage is devoted to making changes to the software to keep up with the times. There is no need to constantly switch software as you outgrow it. Sage listens and updates the software when it is needed and asked for.  In fact, they just released Sage 300 2017, which is the newest version.

In the newest version, Sage introduced redesigned web screens that improve workflow and efficiency. Productivity-enhancing updates were applied to web screens in Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Order Entry, so you see more data and scroll less often, which saves time. They added completely new web screens for tax, bank, and administrative services, which adds security.

Sage 300 2017 features new screens and buttons that make credit card processing even faster and easier—including a new Quick Charge functionality that will process payments with just one click.  With new features like the ones we mentioned, as well as some awesome previous features, there is no reason not to take a look and see what Sage 300 can do for your business.

Contact Mindover

Contact Mindover Software today to learn more. Visit us online or call 512-251-8992.

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