Archives January 2017

Microsoft Dynamics GP fits to mid-size and larger businesses in Southern California: Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego.  Our company serves you locally from the office in Carlsbad, north of San Diego and just South of Orange County.  Great Plains implementation methodology review:

1.       GP software licenses sale.  You can only purchase Dynamics GP licenses through GP VAR or certified partner.  Each GP partner or ISV has unique set of skills and specializations, so you should do your MBS partner selection appropriately.  If your company is local business in Southern CA, then the first criteria might be finding local Microsoft Great Plains Reseller.  However if your ERP implementation requires custom logic and complex integration, you can make technical expertise more important in selection

2.       Implementation phases.  Typical implementation is divided into several phases: GP installation, initial data conversion or entering beginning balances, user training (often precise, as your business processes dictate), switching to production mode (sometimes customers prefer running legacy accounting and newly implemented GP in parallel for one month to compare results)

3.       Integrations and EDI.  As new ERP should coexist with your remaining legacy applications, integrating often is a plan.  In GP you have following integration tools: GP Integration Manager, eConnect, SQL Stored Procedures, Great Plains Dexterity (which is also one of the major tolls for customizations).  Simple Electronic Document Interchange could be realized via SQL Stored Procedures with precise field formatting

4.       Alba Spectrum specialization.  Our company is strong in technology challenging projects, where you need advanced custom programming, cross- platform integrations and reporting.  We also carry strong industry expertise and advise on ERP platform selection: GP, SAP Business One, MS CRM, etc.  For Southern CA area, our local consultants are bilingual and speak English and Spanish, meaning that we are good fit if you are doing business across the border in Maquiladora manufacturing belt or downstate Mexico

Source by Andrew Karasev

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) – meaning delivering software as a service over the web – is increasingly popular for its ability to simplify deployment and reduce customer acquisition costs; it also allows developers to support many customers with a single version of a product. SaaS is also often associated with a “pay as you go” subscription licensing model. It has some demerits too. Customer cannot customize the software as per his requirement. They have to run business process as per the software service.

SaaS comprises a wide spectrum of software services. Sometimes these software services provide stand-alone application functionality, and sometimes they are used as building blocks for more complex services. They can either provide core infrastructural capabilities, application functionality, or enhancements to existing functionality on servers and clients. Microsoft provides a range of services that can be leveraged to build your Software-as-a-Service solutions.

Core Services offered by Microsoft

Windows Live and Microsoft AdCenter

End-User Services offered by Microsoft

Windows Live OneCare, Digital Locker, Xbox Live, and Media Center

Business Services offered by Microsoft

Microsoft Office Live Small Business, Hosted Exchange and Exchange Hosted Services, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live, and Hosted CRM/Dynamics

With SaaS an entire finished software application can be available on-demand from some SaaS service provider. The application exists in the cloud and can be consumed from any browser. Therefore, the customer of a SaaS service provider is the end user. SaaS service provider is not only offering an entire application to the end user but that the SaaS service provider is also responsible for providing the compute power, storage, and networking infrastructure necessary to run the application. The software application may be implemented in such a way that it directly consumes resources without the need for third party infrastructure services or platform services. As a matter of fact, most of the popular SaaS offerings today are built in this fashion.

Benefits of SaaS Technology for Small Business

1. There is no need to install software. This is because the software comes to you through your internet browser. Your printer also works with the software without any installation or doing modifications.

2. The main benefit of SaaS is that the software is always up to date. The provider makes all the software updates on servers, so you don’t have to do anything.

3. You will never have to pay for software updates any more. No matter if SaaS provider update or bug-fix, you will never have to pay for them as it is all part of the service.

4. It is fully compatible with any operating system (OS) such as Linux, Mac, Windows and others – you login and use it.

5. This technology allows you to work with your colleagues, accountant, virtual assistants and others in real-time.

There are many more benefits of using this technology. It helps you to concentrate on your business and makes your business more mobile and competitive while saving you time and money.

Copyright © Ryan Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Source by Ryan Mutt

Microsoft Dynamics GP has the whole set of various reporting tools: FRx Financial Reporting, SQL Server Reporting Services, GP Report Writer, Crystal Reports, Microsoft Excel, Smart List. Dynamics GP reporting tools selection for specific case is subject of this small publication:

1. FRx. If what you need is pure financial reporting: Profit & Loss Statement (P&L), Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flow, plus consolidated versions of these statements – then on the first place consider FRx. FRx has connector to Dynamics GP General Ledger: summary tables, posted and unposted transactions. If you would consider generic reporting tool, such as Crystal Reports – GL link has to be designed in Crystal from scratch, and this is not as simple as you may expect. Dynamics GP GL has Period summary tables, open transactions (for open year), historical transactions to give you some information for consideration. FRx connectors do all mentioned above. FRx consolidated reporting – if in Dynamics GP you have multiple companies, FRx reporting tree allow you to consolidate BS, P&L, SCF. If you need international consolidation, FRx supports multicurrency, plus you can export your overseas subsidiary GL into Excel Spreadsheet (from SAP Business One, for example) and consolidate international branches with Dynamics GP headquarters on MS Excel level

2. Great Plains ReportWriter reporting. Here you typically modify existing forms: SOP Blank Invoice form, GL Trial Balance, RM Historical Aging, Fixed Assets Depreciation Ledger, etc.. If Dynamics GP RW doesn’t have report that you need, consider SSRS or Crystal Reports

3. Crystal Reports. Here you typically create non-financial reports: Sales, Purchasing, Inventory, Manufacturing, Payroll custom reports, often combining data with External data sources: Oracle, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Access, Warehouse Management Databases to give you few examples. CR can combine data from multiple Dynamics GP companies, as well as from Heterogeneous Databases on ODBC connection level as well as using native DB drivers. Before you dive into Crystal Reports design sea, we recommend you to review available reports for SSRS (Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services) for Microsoft Dynamics GP. In Crystal Report design we recommend you to separate DB records selection login from CR itself: consider work out report selection in SQL Server Stored Procedure (where procedure parameters translate into CR parameters) or SQL View. Horrible stories about Crystal Report records duplications are typically associated with the fact that CR designer tried to use Crystal Reports Wizard (which does ad-hoc queries from Crystal directly to DB tables) – all these you can avoid by separating CR design from DB query (in SQL stored procedure or view)

4. If you need further help, feel free to call or email us, we are experienced Great Plains Consultants, Programmers and Developers

Source by Andrew Karasev

A non-profit organization is primarily set-up for a variety of humanitarian, environment, or social purposes and services and is not intended to make a profit for the organization or its members. However, in order to ensure its existence and financial stability, the organization still needs to generate income – from grants, donations and fundraising campaigns – and to manage where these funds go as well as their operational expenses.  The method of accounting used for non-profit services is basically the same to that of any other business or profit-oriented establishments particularly in the areas related to bookkeeping, cash-flow management, filing of taxes, and financial audits from third-party sources.    

The Non-Profit Accounting Structure

The following describes the accounting structure that every non-profit organization should have and maintain. This includes:

• Chart of Accounts — this is important to manage balances for the organization’s bank accounts. If the organization maintains credit cards, it should also be included in these charts

• Chart of Liability Accounts — everything that the non-profit organization owes is considered liability and should be tracked and managed like payroll taxes. Planned future loans and other foreseen liabilities should be anticipated and included

• Customer Charts — in the accounting for non profit organization point of view, donors and other fund providers are considered customers. All donations should be tracked each year and these are reflected on the organization’s tax return. If the organization is classified as 501(c)(3) by the IRS, receipts should be given to customers as their donations are considered tax-deductible based on the Internal Revenue Code.

• Chart for Vendors — all cash flow on expenses and payments paid to suppliers and vendors should be properly tracked and reported as part of accounting for non profit organization, particularly if the organization received federal stimulus funding

Other things to consider include maintaining duplicate and accurate copies of all documents and records in preparation for future audits. All expenses should have the proper approval sign loop and all checks issued and received should be properly documented and duplicated. Lastly, reports should be maintained on a monthly basis for a stress-free nonprofit fund accounting.

Source by Tom Hope

With the advent of cloud computing, business is able to efficiently install software systems without any capital outlay to implement. Cloud-based systems can achieve businesses considerable savings from the outset.

Because the cloud software will use the very latest cloud-based technology and be delivered as “software as a service”, the delivery method is very different to the traditional “on-premise” model of hosting. Using the cloud doesn’t require expensive on-premise hardware. So rather than traditional arrangements where you would purchase hardware and software, cloud-based software would be leased which saves on capital outlay.

Subscription-based pricing

Because you purchase cloud-based software on a licence, the price model in place would invariably be subscription-based pricing. So you would only pay for the amount of software as a service you require. Or simply, you’d only pay for the amount of server space you would require in the cloud.

What is the cloud?

Being “in the cloud” or using cloud-based technology means that the software and your data would be hosted in a highly resilient and secure data centre, managed by your software supplier.

 Because it is hosted by your software supplier you would get continual upgrades to systems and should receive best-of-breed security measures. Hosting will often be in a Tier 3 data centre, a bullet proof environment for your data where it could not be compromised in any way.

So as a business you would only be leasing the software on subscription, and the kind of deal that can often be arranged also means that savings can be made on day-to-day running of the software, as well as efficiencies found because of free updates and upgrades.

What about security?

Some businesses may want reassurances about a solution that is based in the cloud. But the software and associated data would be hosted centrally and securely in a data centre designed to prevent unauthorised access and to keep your data save.

Your date would be made accessible from anywhere with an internet connection, as long as the person is authorised to access and has the correct login and password.

Because you would often what is know as a “private cloud”, the arrangement would be that your business has its own server, with arrangements made for back-up servers in the unlikely event of an accident or disaster, which would only be accessible to you and your authorised people.

All in all the cloud offers news ways to store and manage data efficiently without capital outlay and in a save and secure environment, where only the amount of server space you need can be purchased on subscription. Now, that’s truly scalable and an efficient way for your systems to grow as you grow as a business.

Source by Sebastian Street

Software as a service (SaaS) is a software application delivery model where the vendor develops as well as operates the software application for use by its customers via the internet. Although SaaS is not limited to business applications only, it is typically considered an economical way for businesses to gain the same benefits of commercially licensed, internally operated software, without taking on the associated complexity and high initial cost that would normally go with purchasing software.

The SaaS model is well suited to many types of software. This is important since most customers may have little interest or capability in software operation, but do have considerable computing requirements. For example some applications such as Customer Relations Management, Accounting and Email, Video Conferencing as well as Human Resources are just a tip of the iceberg when looking at the original markets showing success in the SaaS field.

Although there were earlier applications delivered over the internet, the distinction between SaaS and those earlier applications is that SaaS solutions were developed exclusively to power web technologies such as the browser. The term "SaaS" was coined by John Koenig for the SDForum Software as a Service Conference in March of 2005 and has become the industry adopted reference term, generally replacing the earlier terms "On-Demand" and "ASP" (Application Service Provider).

SaaS – Reasons to adopt Software as a Service

For the reason that many companies prefer to keep their information technology operations under internal control, SaaS was originally considered a potential security and operational risk. Nonetheless, the professionals operating SaaS applications may have much better security and redundancy tools available to them, and therefore in many cases the level of service may be of better-quality.

In the past years SaaS vendors have made great progress, with both customization and publication of their programming interfaces. The availability of open source applications, inexpensive hardware and low cost bandwidth combine to offer convincing economic reasons for businesses to operate their own software applications, particularly as open source solutions have greatly improved in quality and much simpler to install.

Since software is sold and downloadable from the Internet at the touch of a button, there are vendors who offer sophisticated code protection, packaging, licensing and pricing functionality for software companies. This enables more efficient software distribution and protection while lowering overhead for developers. To learn more about SaaS take a look at www.SecureLM.net

Source by Shelly S

How will Cloud Computing affect IT Support Services.

In the 80’s it was Home Computing, in the 90’s it was Internet Computing, the 00’s was wireless computing. What’s next?????????

Cloud Computing is looking to be the way forward.

Cloud Computing, similarly to home computing and the internet will revolutionize the way people interact and use technology. Cloud computing will change the way you live.

By Definition Cloud Computing is style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure in the “cloud” that supports them.

Any Clearer?

Cloud Computing essentially will remove capital expenditure for the consumer treating the use of a computer as a service rather than a physical purchase as the computing power will be pooled in “the cloud” allowing maximum processing power shared across many systems and infrastructures.

The server infrastructure is therefore integral to the effectiveness of cloud computing and the “virtualization” of its resources to supply the demand of the cloud users. The cloud with be able to be accessed virtually through an internet connection, the server will contain open source and or registered software which can be accessed online and used by the user from any computer with an internet connection. The virtualization of server and client hardware can be distributed to fit the demand.

Where does this put IT support?

Some of the best IT Support Companies in the world rely on maintaining client hardware issues as well as infrastructure problems and software glitches, this could all change with cloud computing as companies will have infrastructures based solely within the cloud, thus removing the need for a complex hard wired network.

IT Support Companies therefore need to identify the need to support server virtualization in order to benefit from the change to cloud computing. When companies adopt a cloud structure they’ll want an IT Support company to be able to provide adequate IT support. Those who focus on server consolidation and flexibility will be those who come out on top.

Source by Thebigblogger

Raleigh, NC –February 17, 2009 –The Business Leader of the Year awards are given annually to top performing business executives in North Carolina. This year, for the first time, the awards were determined by a public vote. More than 7,000 people visited the Triangle Business Leader website to vote for winners over the last month.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized,” said Lee. “There are some incredibly talented leaders in this state, representing very impressive businesses. To be named as ‘Business Leader of the Year’ from such an esteemed group is wonderful. The fact that this award was determined by votes from my peers, customers, partners and others in the community makes it even more special. ”

This award follows an extremely strong year for Hosted Solutions. In April, the company was acquired by Boston-based private equity firm ABRY Partners for $144 million. The company has had great momentum since then with significant growth in both customers and employees. New customers included Belk, Atlanta Falcons, UNC Charlotte and Britax Child Safety, who joined a prestigious list of existing blue chip customers like Krispy Kreme, Carolina Panthers, McClatchey Broadcasting, Capitol Broadcasting and Lowe’s Motor Speedway. In addition, the employee base doubled since Q4 of 2007.

“Our business continues to prosper even in a tough market because we’re offering our customers intelligent IT infrastructure and expertise that allows them to conserve capital, drive growth and improve productivity,” Lee added. “IT is tremendous expense for most companies. We can help to alleviate some of that and allow companies to operate more efficiently. For some customers, we serve as their IT department – they outsource all aspects of IT to us. For others, we’re an extension of their IT department – providing managed hosting, virtual dedicated hosting or professional services. Customers love it because they can use us as their business ramps up or down, allowing them to remain competitive in a dynamic market. Last year was a great year for us and 2009 is shaping up to be even better.”

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About Hosted Solutions

Hosted Solutions’ high quality Data Center and Managed Hosting services maintain and protect customers’ mission-critical IT systems and applications, enabling them to reduce operating costs, lower the risk of downtime, focus on core competencies, and achieve their top business objectives. The company operates SAS 70 Type II Certified facilities in Boston MA, Charlotte NC, Raleigh NC, and Cary NC providing best-of-breed data center operations with hardened physical infrastructure, the highest level of security, and a complete managed services portfolio. Hosted Solutions was acquired by Boston-based private equity firm ABRY Partners in April 2008 for $144 million. For more information please visit www.hostedsolutions.com.

About Business Leader

Business Leader magazine’s Triangle edition is a monthly publication focused on covering the companies, leaders and business happenings in the Triangle region of North Carolina. Published in the Triangle since 1989, the magazine features profiles of Triangle businesses and business leaders, as well as feature stories and expert columns on the trends affecting the Triangle business community. The magazine includes quarterly specialty magazines featuring women in business, local real estate and the local tech community, as well as an annual relocation and newcomer’s guide for the area.

Source by Matt Vaughan

Some companies find that managing document management systems in-house isn’t the best option for their particular needs. They may be under pressure to comply with industry-related or governmental regulations but don’t have the initial cash that if often required for a state-of-the-art document management system.

These companies may find it useful to consider having a state-of-the-art document management system that is hosted remotely. The benefits of doing so include less cash upfront and a system that is even more powerful and more secure than the systems that can be afforded in-house. This type of option, often referred to as Software as a Service (or SAAS) may be the right option for many companies that can’t currently place their priorities on the revenue or manpower required to install and operate a state-of-the-art document management system.

SAAS Document Management Systems: A Few Considerations
Once a company has decided that SAAS document management systems are the systems that can meet their needs it’s important to consider the reliability, cost, securities, and maintenance plans that will accompany the solution.

Reliability
The reliability of document management systems is of obvious importance. Internet access time and availability must be important concerns since SAAS document management systems are often (by necessity) web-based. When looking for a solution you can ask yourself if the provider allows for more than one upstream bandwidth path and how they eliminate online traffic interruptions. Ask what security appliances they use (Cisco Pix, etc.) and if they provide primary and secondary DNS (Domain Name System) services. How they power their electricity supply is also of the utmost importance. Is the supply an uninterrupted power supply and do they provide fire suppression systems?

Cost
When it comes to cost, users can really benefit from a SAAS solution. Users should look for a SAAS solution that has only small to nothing upfront costs and reasonable monthly fees. Make sure the monthly fees are fixed and get that in writing!

Securities
Responsible software providers/hosters wouldn’t dream of hosting sensitive documentation without state-of-the-art securities but make sure your potential host has a private network and firewalls that are monitored around the clock. Firewall logs should also be audited regularly and intrusion detection service is valuable. Make sure to talk with other customers who currently use the SAAS document management systems you are considering. See if the provider’s document management systems have ever been seriously compromised.

Maintenance
All system maintenance should obviously be provided by the host. Make sure that document management systems maintenance include software installation, configuration, application upgrades, anti-virus protection, system patches and network backups (on a daily basis). The host should obviously monitor hardware and software environments for connectivity, performance and uptime.

Conclusion
Many companies can benefit far more from the benefits provided by SAAS document management systems hosted remotely than they could benefit from an in-house system. These companies need to really conduct their due diligence however in finding the right host. Trusting sensitive documentation to another company isn’t easy; the ultimate decision should be based on the facts.

Source by Marci Lynn Crane

Monitor Network and Control bandwidth usage

Why Use network monitoring?

Network monitoring allows a company to find out how internet is being accessed by employees. Almost all internet activity can be monitored AND recorded —with BNS’ complete network monitoring solution.

Network Monitoring benefits:

Bandwith hogs.
Want to know who among your employees are spending the most time surfing web sites? Which employees chat the most? You can even ’see’ the transcript of the chat conversation! Find out who is sending the most emails with attachments?

Latecomers and Idle workers.
Who is arriving to work late and leaving early? What times are they active? What times are they idle on the keyboard? What are my employees searching for on the Internet? Possible! These are just few of what our monitoring system solution has to offer, which level of detail is so precise that you can see what an employee does each and every second.

Prevent data leakage.
BNS network monitoring system lists the users that extract data from your network. Did they send out the mailing list? Did they copy sensitive information over to the thumb drive? Did they burn to CD or DVD or download to iPod your company’s proprietary information?

Network monitoring systems uncover Internet abuse,  improve office productivity, protect against leakages of confidential information. It highlights inappropriate activities by users that may expose a company such as yours to avoidable financial, legal and other preventable risks.

For your questions, please send us an email at team[at]bnshosting.net. Or visit this link http://www.bnshosting.net/?p=357 for more information.

Source by BNS Hosting