Category Cloud Hosting Updates

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

When you want to reset your computer modifications to the factory default or remove trail versions but face the problem of “Bootstrapper has stopped working” or “Error 40” then here are the possible solutions to fix it.

If “Data Execution Prevention” (DEP) is turned on for all program and services with Windows Vista or Windows 2003, that might be the cause of the problem. If you check your DEP settings to make it turned on for the selected programs and services, that might help you to resolve this problem.

In order to change the settings for DEP, you have to follow the following steps. Go to the control panel and click on the system icon. In the left pane click Advance system settings; you will get a popup window, prompting you to verify that you want to continue, click on yes. Then go to the settings, a button under performance on the advanced tab of the system properties screen that is displayed.

Check if the box is selected for “turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select”, then you need to change the setting to “turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services”. If that does not work then go to the same properties again and add “autorun.exe” to the exception list. To add “autorun.exe” to the list, you have to click add button at the bottom of the screen. You will find an Open dialogue where you have to navigate to the folder that has “autosun.exe” and select the program.

Once you have either selected the different box for DEP or added “autorun.exe” to the list click OK button. You will have to restart Windows to let the changes takes effect. These steps should allow the installation to run the boot system software. After doing these steps and installation is complete, don’t forget to remove the “autorun.exe” from the list, added to the list above, as it creates a security hazard.

Source by Celly Kayser

In a hectic tax season, managing the client’s data and filing the tax return within the time frame is one of the complexed tasks for a tax preparer. First searching for the appropriate professional tax software which suits our requirements needs thorough market research and then the professional is required to manage the client’s data in secured environment. Well ATX tax professional software has come up with the solution of first issue with its advanced and improved features which takes care of user convenience to the upmost. And hosting can provide the solution of the second problem as most of the application hosting service provider claims to provide secured environment to place the client’s data. Let’s discuss first why ATX tax software should be preferred on other professional tax software.

ATX tax software is user friendly professional tax software created by CCH Small Firm Services. Keeping in mind the user’s convenience, ATX tax software is specially designed for those people who want to work faster and want the features like hassle free data import, easy integration with the data from different sources to improve the efficiency. Not only this, ATX tax software is also providing flexibility and customization of financial statements.

It is also providing the optional new ATX scan and fill function which will help the tax preparers to avoid the time spent on entering the data by finding the financial information automatically from scanned w-2 or 1099 form. As it recognize the forms or documents at the time of scanning in 66 different formats. ATX also takes the help of OCR process which converts the form content to XML data which is transferable to the tax software automatically. ATX tax software also provides the high level of integration with the client’s data. Once the “Lookup tax data” is pushed, it automatically populates the client information with the DMS.

All these advantages can be improved, once ATX tax software being hosted on cloud servers. So rather than deploying it on the desktop, one can host it on Terminal servers and enjoy the benefits of always accessible ATX files. There are other benefits which can be enjoyed by the tax preparer:-

• Saves cost: – ATX tax software can be installed and run on the terminal servers and users can access the application similar to local desktop interface. That means hosting removes the requirement of maintaining high IT infrastructure at the end of the user. Hosting also removes the necessity of high upfront investment in setting up and maintenance of Local network, security features and data backup. Even they need not to purchase the costly servers or the workstations as they get the services on monthly subscription basis. ATX tax software hosting also allows the clients to avoid the system up-gradation which is very much required in case of local installation of ATX tax software requiring minimum of 2 GB ram. While hosting allows the users to work with any edition and version of the tax application hosting without bothering the user about minimum software requirement.

• Highly secure software and data access:- Data stored locally is less secure as compared to data which is backed up remotely. As there is no option of automatic data backup in local computer or one cannot afford to install the latest data security tools. Moreover, Database also require constant monitoring for security concerns which demands dedicated technical staff which increases the non operational cost. Hosting resolves this issue as most of the application hosting service provider claims to provide dual data backup of all the important data at multiple locations to combat any kind of disastrous circumstances and user will not lose the single data because of this. Apart from that their network uses the latest firewalls and security tools to ensure secured and authenticated access to make the data more secured as compared to local data backup.

Apart from that hosting removes the location barriers as one can access the application and data without bothering about location.

• Other benefits: – ATX software hosting provides some other benefits to the users like multiuser access which means more than one user can work simultaneously which improves the collaboration which results into faster and error free tax preparation. Apart from that, application hosting comes up with 24*7*365 days free technical support which means one need not to wait to get the issue resolved in case of facing hassles while accessing the application.

At the end, one can rely on the ATX tax software and file the error free tax return properly. At the same time financial professional can convert this hectic task into an easier task while get it hosted on cloud servers or cloud environment.

Source by williamsmith

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

In a hectic tax season, managing the client’s data and filing the tax return within the time frame is one of the complexed tasks for a tax preparer. First searching for the appropriate professional tax software which suits our requirements needs thorough market research and then the professional is required to manage the client’s data in secured environment. Well ATX tax professional software has come up with the solution of first issue with its advanced and improved features which takes care of user convenience to the upmost. And hosting can provide the solution of the second problem as most of the application hosting service provider claims to provide secured environment to place the client’s data. Let’s discuss first why ATX tax software should be preferred on other professional tax software.

ATX tax software is user friendly professional tax software created by CCH Small Firm Services. Keeping in mind the user’s convenience, ATX tax software is specially designed for those people who want to work faster and want the features like hassle free data import, easy integration with the data from different sources to improve the efficiency. Not only this, ATX tax software is also providing flexibility and customization of financial statements.

It is also providing the optional new ATX scan and fill function which will help the tax preparers to avoid the time spent on entering the data by finding the financial information automatically from scanned w-2 or 1099 form. As it recognize the forms or documents at the time of scanning in 66 different formats. ATX also takes the help of OCR process which converts the form content to XML data which is transferable to the tax software automatically. ATX tax software also provides the high level of integration with the client’s data. Once the “Lookup tax data” is pushed, it automatically populates the client information with the DMS.

All these advantages can be improved, once ATX tax software being hosted on cloud servers. So rather than deploying it on the desktop, one can host it on Terminal servers and enjoy the benefits of always accessible ATX files. There are other benefits which can be enjoyed by the tax preparer:-

• Saves cost: – ATX tax software can be installed and run on the terminal servers and users can access the application similar to local desktop interface. That means hosting removes the requirement of maintaining high IT infrastructure at the end of the user. Hosting also removes the necessity of high upfront investment in setting up and maintenance of Local network, security features and data backup. Even they need not to purchase the costly servers or the workstations as they get the services on monthly subscription basis. ATX tax software hosting also allows the clients to avoid the system up-gradation which is very much required in case of local installation of ATX tax software requiring minimum of 2 GB ram. While hosting allows the users to work with any edition and version of the tax application hosting without bothering the user about minimum software requirement.

• Highly secure software and data access:- Data stored locally is less secure as compared to data which is backed up remotely. As there is no option of automatic data backup in local computer or one cannot afford to install the latest data security tools. Moreover, Database also require constant monitoring for security concerns which demands dedicated technical staff which increases the non operational cost. Hosting resolves this issue as most of the application hosting service provider claims to provide dual data backup of all the important data at multiple locations to combat any kind of disastrous circumstances and user will not lose the single data because of this. Apart from that their network uses the latest firewalls and security tools to ensure secured and authenticated access to make the data more secured as compared to local data backup.

Apart from that hosting removes the location barriers as one can access the application and data without bothering about location.

• Other benefits: – ATX software hosting provides some other benefits to the users like multiuser access which means more than one user can work simultaneously which improves the collaboration which results into faster and error free tax preparation. Apart from that, application hosting comes up with 24*7*365 days free technical support which means one need not to wait to get the issue resolved in case of facing hassles while accessing the application.

At the end, one can rely on the ATX tax software and file the error free tax return properly. At the same time financial professional can convert this hectic task into an easier task while get it hosted on cloud servers or cloud environment.

Source by williamsmith

Continued economic pressures are persuading enterprises to choose purpose built solutions. This is true for small to medium sized businesses that operate on razor thin margins as compared to their larger counterparts. Amidst such a scenario, SaaS providers are coming up with a bevy of wares geared towards customers looking for ready to go preconfigured solutions that can reduce impact on capital budgets.

Instead of buying software and paying for troubleshooting and upgrades, the user pays for software incrementally, based on the actual usage levels. However, SaaS models differ fundamentally from traditional enterprise application delivery. To successfully implement your SaaS environment, you must evaluate every facet of your SaaS enablement program.

Following are the three most significant components of a successful SaaS Enablement Program:

SaaS Analysis Tool: This is the first phase of your SaaS enablement program wherein the vendor’s business consultants accumulate extensive information about your product line as well as your SaaS requirements. The data helps them in conducting an operational analysis and develop an effective business model required to successfully deliver best of breed SaaS solutions.

SaaS Enablement Consulting: The second phase of the program takes you through a detailed assessment process resulting in an effective roadmap, followed by formal presentation of recommendations to help you make the most of your mission critical software, improve time to market, and reduce your total cost of ownership. It will also give you a clear understanding of the key areas like the kind of technology to be used for your SaaS solutions. It would also be helpful to engage in a more thorough discussion of Application Architecture, Platform Scalability, Data and Security Needs.

SaaS Test Environment: Finally yet importantly, you can test your migration strategy to SaaS delivery. Accordingly, you can ask the vendor to make changes, if required. Deciding what SaaS services, products and features you need can be highly useful for you to leverage the maximum benefits of your SaaS Enablement Program.  And of course! It’s worth your money too.  

Once you agree upon the kind of services offered, other things to discuss are Licensing Requirements, Compliancy Requirements, Security Management, SLA etc.

The SaaS enablement program developed by NaviSite meets all your business needs, by providing a comprehensive range of SaaS services supported by cutting edge hardware, software and infrastructure technologies. Whether you are an established SaaS provider, a new ISV, or an enterprise shifting to a SaaS model, NaviSite can support all your SaaS initiatives efficiently and effectively.

Learn more about SaaS Services offered by NaviSite at http://www.navisite.com/saas-services/

Source by Saumya Aggarwal

Adding custom fonts to your website has for a time been very difficult. You get you site looking pretty and then upload it to the server and low and behold it looks great on your PC but looks absolutely terrible on everyone elses. The reason for this is that every one only has a few core fonts in common and if you add non-core fonts to your site those without them cant see them.

Now it has changed it’s much easier to add custom fonts to your webpages with cufon. Cufon is a javascript that replaces default fonts with the font stored in a javascript file and its included with the theme so everyone can see them.

The plugin for wordpress can be found in the wordpress.org/extend achieves called wp-cufon. Just upload the plugin to your plugins folder and create a fonts folder in the plugins folder  wp-content/plugins/fonts. The fonts folder is where you can upload your custom fonts to.

Your fonts will need to be changed into a format recognized by cufon to use. Thankfully there is an online utility that will do that for you. Cufon font utility. Currently only TrueType (TTF), OpenType (OTF), Printer Font Binary (PFB) and PostScript fonts are supported for conversion. Make sure that you use royalty free fonts or that you have the right to use it. The page for the conversion is very self explanatory.

I normally tick the following boxes.

Uppercase Lowercase Numerals Punctuation WordPress punctuation Basic Latin

and add my website address in the security area to limit where the fonts can be used and leave the rest as are and press the Lets do this button.

Save the file and upload it to the wp-content/plugins/fonts folder on your server. Open the plugin settings page on your wordpress installation http://YOURDOMAIN/wp-admin/themes.php?page=wp-cufon.php or go to plugins and in the plugin activation area there is a link beside the plugin to that page.

When using the wp-cufon plugin the font should be showing in the Your Fonts area of the settings page.The font name is usually the first word of the file name but if for some reason it doesn’t work when you implement the replacements below, you can check the name by opening the yourfont.js file that you uploaded to the wp-content/plugins/fonts folder. Just search for something like this near the top or on the first line

cufon.registerFont({“w”:205,”face”:{“font-family”:”Vegur Bold“, …

the bold part here is the font name.

To change the fonts all you need to do now it add code to the Please enter your source for the replacements: text box and save.

A quick cufon example image

In this example I have used the font called ADVENTURE to replace the logo text and all <h2> formatted text. The command

Cufon.replace(‘h2,#header #logo’, { fontFamily: ‘Adventure’ });

could also have been used to group the two pieces together. On the settings page are a number of examples of how to change part or all of your text to certain fonts. You can use firefox firebug plugin to find the id’s or classes of the .css elements to change or look in you themes style.css file.

Source by Collaborate

SB1 accelerates in getting is ERP and MRP market share.  If you are in small business manufacturing, light assembly, picking and packing, transportation and logistics, shipping and receiving, collection management, inventory control, consignment, warehouse management business. International midsize business, you should include SAP B1 into your accounting application research list.  Plus SAP BO is open through SAP Business One SDK and Data Transformation Workbench to simple and complex integration and data conversion projects, including CSV Excel templates and ODBC data source (such as Microsoft SQL Server Views).  If you are facing technical challenge of SB1 implementation, modification, data massage, EDI, and if your current SAP Business One Reseller, consultant or Technology partner doesn’t fit to your increasing programming requirements, you should launch your search to locate new VAR.  In this small publication we would like to introduce Alba Spectrum and help you with SAP Business One Partner selection:

1.       ERP and MRP common features for small businesses.  It is not a big secret, that around the beginning of XXI-st century Microsoft, Oracle, SAP and other MRP vendors launched the program of converging ERP functionality into building blocks, that should be easily integrated (assuming that you are sticking to the same vendor) for all you subsidiaries, branches and legal companies

2.       Service Industry and SB1.  Here we have excellent fit, typically not available through other small and midsize ERP software vendors – SAP B1 covers service warranty contracts with serial number linking functionality, scheduling, alerts, timecards (for your technicians to go onsite and have expenses in the form of parts, travel, lodging).  If you are growing small service oriented business, and if you are having fields technicians – SAP B1 if must to consider in the ERP system switch from legacy to the future one

3.       Intuition – either Microsoft Office Outlook or SAP Business One intuitive interface.  If you compare SB1 with Microsoft Dynamics family of ERP applications: Dynamics GP, AX, SL, NAV, CRM, you will quickly realize that Microsoft is moving its ERP apps toward the integration with Microsoft Office, Excel, Powerpoint, Word, Sharepoint (Business Portal for Axapta, Great Plains).  SAP Business One has good potential in this direction as it has robust cooperation with Microsoft in MS Office integration (email, faxing, exporting to Word, Excel. etc).  In our opinion Microsoft future ERP intuition as well as SAP Business One intuitive interface are coming in synch and to the same MRP future development direction

Source by Andrew Karasev

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