Quantifying the cost of doing nothing

A recent client meeting reminded me that we often focus on the cost a project and its ROI yet forget the cost of doing nothing at all. 

For example, I received a request from a customer to estimate the cost for their customers to order online, check on inventory availability, pricing, etc.  For their environment and needs, I determined the cost to be approximately $15,000 to implement the technology to allow their customers to have this "self service" capability. 

$15,000 may or may not initially sound like a lot of money to spend on this type of project.  But is it?  In their case, they didn't feel they would have enough of an increase in sales to justify the ROI.

A fair question is: what is the cost of doing nothing?

If one of their customers that annually purchases $250,000 of their product at a margin of 20% leaves them for a competitor who has the 'self service' capability, the cost of doing nothing is $50,000.  Additionally, instead of needing four customer service personnel to handle the incoming calls from customers they could reduce that to three, increasing the 'cost of doing nothing' $30,000 to $40,000 plus benefits.

Whenever you determine the cost of doing any project in your company, be sure to consider the cost of doing nothing in your ROI.  Many times it is a forgotten and significant portion of the equation.

Selecting a New System Success Stories

Chortek LLP's Technology Consulting team recently completed system selection engagements for two of our clients.  The first was for an existing client using Sage 100 which had looked at a service industry enhancement five years ago as well as an industry specific solution that was deemed too expensive.  After evaluating the options and return on investment, they recently chose the industry specific solution since it met all of their needs. It was designed specifically for their industry verses trying to make an add-on work for them at a lower cost.
In the second engagement, the client initially had a good grasp on the solution they were going to choose but after careful documentation of requirements and evaluation of various manufacturing specific software vendors, they found a different solution that best fits the way they do business.  The process allowed them to see their real needs, the options available and while many manufacturing software exists, only a few met their specific needs and one clearly stood out as the best fit.

Chortek LLP's Technology Consulting team specializes in helping businesses find the right software for their needs.  Contact us or visit our website for more information on selecting a new ERP system.

Recent SageCRM project: workflow automates complex sales process

Chortek recently helped a client create a workflow in their SageCRM system to automate and manage a complicated sales and customer service process. 

The client gave us a handwritten sketch on a piece of paper that outlined their process for handling a custom fabricated part:

1. Ordering a sample from a fabricator
2. Quality checking the sample against the customer's specifications
3. Returning it to the vendor or shipping it to the customer based on the pass/fail
4. Once the customer approves the sample, ordering the production parts from the vendor and ultimately shipping the parts to the customer.

Working interactively with our client, we built a workflow in SageCRM that guides their employees through the process, notifies the relevent team members when appropriate, and gives everyone visability of 'where things stand' at any point in time, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks.

Contact us today to discuss how we can help you automate your business processes!

AICPA 2013 Top Technology Initatives

The AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) has released the results of the 2013 Top Technology Initiatives Survey:

1. Managing and retaining data
2. Securing the IT environment
3. Managing IT risk and compliance
4. Ensuring privacy
5. Managing system implementation
6. Preventing and responding to computer fraud
7. Enabling decision support and analytics
8. Governing and managing IT investment/spending
9. Leveraging emerging technologies
10. Managing vendors and service providers

If you have any concerns in your organization regarding these items, Chortek LLP's Technology Consultants can assist you with addressing your needs.

SData with Sage 100 ERP 2013

Background

Sage 100 ERP version 2013 now supports SData. 

SData is a Sage standard for exchanging information with Sage applications.  Typical uses of SData include displaying data from a Sage application in another application, web page/portal, etc. or editing/updating existing data.

To date there has been very little information available about the Sage 100-specific implementation of SData.  In this brief post I will share the prerequisites for SData with Sage 100 ERP and explain how to configure an SData ‘widget’ in SageCRM that displays information from Sage 100 ERP.

To begin, SData needs to be installed and configured per the Sage 100 Install Guide; it is a separate install listed as “Productivity Application” under the main Sage 100 ERP installer.  Once installed, within Sage 100 ERP, in System Configuration, check the “Enable Native SData Provider and Access within Role Maintenance” box. In Company Maintenance, check the “Allow External Access” box for companies you wish to access via SData.  Finally, be sure to set SData permissions within at least one Role and verify that your test user is a member of that Role.  (Note: as you move beyond ‘testing’, be careful about how you setup security.)

 

Test Sage 100 ERP 2013 SData URL

Once you have completed the setup steps, you should be able to verify that SData is working by opening the following URL in a browser, replacing ‘servername’ with the name of your server or IP address. 

http://Servername/sdata/masapp/MasContract/ABX/$schema   

You should be prompted for a name/password and then your browser should load a very long page listing the entire Sage 100 ERP schema.

A few notes about the URL:

·        If using https: (SSL) be sure that your certificate matches the server name you are using/testing.

·        The string “ABX” refers to the Sage 100 ERP company code that you previously configured to “Allow External Access”.

·        The string “$schema” will return all the tables from Sage 100 ERP. 

Here is an example of another URL and the resulting screenshot I receive:

http://192.168.0.191/sdata/MasApp/MasContract/ABX/AR_Customer/$schema

In the above example, notice that the URL includes the additional string “AR_Customer” which is a primary customer table.

Technical note: If the Sage 100 ERP data schema gets altered, perhaps by adding a User Defined Field, the ‘Contract’ that SData uses to send/receive information is automatically regenerated, so an SData feed should always reflect the ‘live’ Sage 100 ERP schema.  Fundamentally, the list of tables/fields/etc., i.e. schema, available from Sage 100 via SData is the same schema that is available via ODBC, with a few exceptions (additions) to address parent/child tables.  (An explanation of how that works is outside the scope of this post.)

Simple SData widget within SageCRM

To create a widget on the SageCRM interactive dashboard using the above Sage 100 ERP 2013 SData feed, follow these steps:

1.      Within the interactive dashboard, select Template, SData Feed Template. 

2.      Click new.  On the Feed Properties tab, fill out the fields similar to the following screenshot (using the full URL from above, replacing with your server name).  Note: if you leave the user name and password fields blank, SageCRM users will be prompted for a name/password, or, they can save one when they add the widget to their dashboard.

 

3.      Click the Assigned Users tab to assign/make available this specific ‘SData feed’ to teams/users.  Don’t forget this step!!  Click Save.

4.      Within the interactive dashboard again, select New Gadget, Create Gadget.  Choose SData List.

5.      Choose ‘Use pre-configured SData feed’ and select the SData feed you saved above.  Click next.

6.      You should be able to select ‘AR_Customer’ as the entity.  Click next.

7.      Select all or certain fields using the checkboxes.  Click next.

8.      Optionally add a filter.  (In my example, I set ‘include data where PriceLevel is Equal to 1’ to only get a subset of customers.  Note that this filter is saved with the SageCRM user’s dashboard, so a different user may use the same SData feed but with different filters.

9.      Last step: give it a name and optionally a description.  I named mine “Customer – Price Level 1”.  See below for a screenshot of the resulting widget.

I hope this helps you begin experimenting and thinking about how you can utilize SData with Sage 100 ERP.  I’ll post more examples in the future.

Rick

 

New planned Sage 100 ERP 2014 Features

Sage recently announced some new features planned for their upcoming release, Sage 100 ERP 2014. This version is planned out later this year in November.

• Auto-completion for lookup entries
• "Keep window open" settings available for custom reports and G/L financials
• Sage Mobile Sales
• Sage Mobile Service
• Account Billing and Payment
• Online self-service payroll history
• Sage Inventory Advisor

We will be writing more about these features in future blog posts.  All features described are also subject to change before the final Sage 100 ERP 2014 is released.

Rebranding in process: C&G Consulting --> Chortek LLP

Over the past couple of months, we have been analyzing the brand message of the firm and our position within the marketplace.

After extensive research and analysis of our brand message and evaluation of our firm's name, we are very excited to announce that C&G Consulting and Chortek & Gottschalk have officially changed its name to Chortek LLP.

We decided to roll C&G Consulting, our Technology Consulting division, into one unified firm incorporating our tax, accounting, forensic accounting, and merger & acquisition services. We are all officially Chortek LLP.

The name change is a result of the research we conducted and our objective to remain firmly planted by the roots of our founder, Sam Chortek, while also strengthening our position as a firm that is forward-thinking in our approach to client service.

This announcement of our new firm name marks the beginning of a multi-month project to analyze our brand and how the firm needs to be positioned within the marketplace. Over the next few months, you’ll move through this process with us as you begin to see the transformation of Chortek & Gottschalk into Chortek LLP.

We welcome you on this journey and appreciate any feedback you share with us.

Recent project: Importing cash receipts from bank is saving hours per day

C&G recently assisted a customer with importing large volumes of cash receipts from their bank, freeing up hundreds of hours per year.

The customer's bank receives payments in a lockbox and sends scanned copies of checks to our customer.  In the past, our customer used the check images as their source to manually enter the cash receipts into Sage 100, typically requiring one full day to complete on a high volume day.  (Deposits range from approximately $50,000 - $300,000 per day.)

The bank was able to provide a file of this data (customer, invoice, check number, amount, distribution, etc.) and C&G developed a 'smart' validation/import process for this file.  The validation process attempts to "clean up" data from the bank's data entry personnel and matches invoices to customer IDs even if the customer did not provide their ID on the check stub.

The customer now only spends time cleaning up miscellaneous issues from customer payments and they are saving hours every day with their streamlined cash receipts process.

Sage 100 Enhancement Requests and Sage 2014

There are over 1,400 ideas submitted to date on Sage's Ideas site for Sage 100 ERP:

https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200

The site collects feedback on what users would like to see in future versions of the product. 

C&G recently sat in on a PAC (Product Advisory Council) webinar with Sage personnel to assist with planning some new features to be added to the Sage 100 ERP 2014 product.  What's noteworthy is that many of potential new features came directly from feedback submitted on the site

Here are some ideas posted to the feedback site as examples of Ideas that users have voted on in large numbers:

Provide the Option to Eliminate the Pop-Up "Remove Invoices from Printer"
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200/Idea/Detail/2852

Perform Receipt of Invoice Against Multiple POs
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200/Idea/Detail/549

Add a Flashlight Icon in AP Invoicing to view Entries Created
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200/Idea/Detail/974

Ability to Set the Default for 'Print Full Comments'
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200/Idea/Detail/933

Ability to Group Emails by Customer from Paperless Office
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200/Idea/Detail/1026

Leave Purchase Order Open After Quick Print
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200/Idea/Detail/2176

Add 'Keep Window Open After Print/Preview' to Custom Reports
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200/Idea/Detail/1041



Visit the site today to share your feedback!
https://www11.v1ideas.com/SageERP/MAS90and200

Sage CRM project: 6.2 to 7.0 upgrade

C&G recently assisted a customer with their upgrade from Sage CRM version 6.2 to version 7.0.  The 7.0 version brings the new feature of interactive dashboards.  This upgrade also prepares the customer for their eventual upgrade to version 7.1 when they upgrade Sage 100 to Version 2013.

Sage 100 Version 2013 is compatible with Sage CRM version 7.1 SP2.  This version brings with it many new features:

• Exchange Integration
• Seamless, server-side syncing
• Add external attendees to CRM meetings.
• Outlook plug-in for filing emails and adding new contacts
• E-marketing
• Scheduled email blasts
• Open and click metrics
• Customizable template library
• Marketing module enhancements
• Modify contact details from the call handling screen
• Clone campaigns
• View lead conversion statistics
• Attach global and contextual documents to emails
• Interactive dashboard enhancements
• User and administrator welcome dashboards
• Set up multi-linking gadgets
• Link third-party gadgets to Sage CRM gadgets
• Enhanced report charts
• Animated and interactive charts
• Ability to add-in free components from Sage:
• Sage 100 Integration: Collections Management
• Sage 100 Integration: ERP Query
• Mapping
• Tablet and iPhone templates

Sage 100 project: Company split

One of C&G's customers decided to split one of their companies into two legal entities.  C&G assisted the customer with developing a plan for the split, including the financial aspects (GL trial balances, accounts receivable customer open invoices and accounts payable open invoices) to the distribution and manufacturing aspects (work order operation codes, bills of materials, part numbers and open quantity balances on items).  The process went smoothly with the work being divided up between the customer and C&G. 

Sage 100 customer project: Simplify pricing

C&G recently assisted a customer by dramatically simplifying the pricing rules in their Sage 100 ERP system. 

Over the years, pricing records had been added at periodic intervals and had become cumbersome to maintain on a consistent basis.  Taking a different approach to their pricing model and leveraging powerful capabilities with the system, we helped our customer translate their written pricing practices into Sage 100 pricing rules, reducing the number of pricing records they needed to maintain from 7000 down to only 5.

C&G Consulting Named to Bob Scott’s VAR Stars 2012

C&G Consulting has been selected as a member of the Bob Scott’s VAR Stars for 2012, a group of 100 organizations honored for their accomplishments in the field of mid-market financial software. "This is exciting news for our firm and we are honored to be recognized for helping small and mid-size businesses with their technology needs.” said Rick Sovitzky, partner.

C&G Consulting was selected based on factors such as growth, industry leadership and recognition, and innovation. “Each year, 100 VAR Stars are picked from the best organizations that market financial software. It is always an honor to recognize those who contribute to the development of our business,”said Bob Scott, executive editor.

For close to 20 years, C&G Consulting has been helping businesses throughout southeastern Wisconsin and the nation manage their technology investments. Our team of professionals includes Microsoft Certified System Engineers, Certified Public Accountants, and Certified Forensic Analysts.

As a leading technology services firm in the Midwest, C&G Consulting actively participates in and serves on the board of many industry associations, including Alliott Group, Information Technology Alliance (ITA), and the Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP).

Bob Scott has been informing and entertaining the mid-market financial software community via his email newsletters for 13 years. He has published this information via the “Bob Scott’s Insights” newsletter and website since 2009. He has covered this market for 21 years through print and electronic publications, first as technology editor of Accounting Today and then as the Editor of Accounting Technology from 1997 through 2009. He has covered the traditional tax and accounting profession during the same time and has continued to address that market as executive editor of the Progressive Accountant since 2009.

Updated 2013 Q1 Tax Tables for Sage 100 ERP

Sage has released a new update to the Sage 100 ERP (formerly MAS 90 / MAS 200) payroll tax tables for the first quarter of 2013.  This update contains the new Federal withholding tables released by the IRS last week as well as the federal dependent exemption increase to $3,900.  Changes were also made to various state tax tables (including Illinois).

To download these new tax tables, log into the Sage Customer Portal at https://customers.sagenorthamerica.com.  On the left side, under the Download Product Updates section, click the Tax Table Update link.  To verify that the new tax table update was installed successfully, preview the Installed Modules Listing under Library Master>Reports and verify that the 2013-Q1 Tax Tables show a release date of 1/4/2013.

The Federal tax tables for 2013 also include the following:

• an increase in the employee Social Security tax rate from 4.2% to 6.2%
• an increase in the Social Security wage base for both employees and employers to $113,700
• a calculation for an additional employee Medicare tax of .9% on wages over $200,000

For additional assistance with installing this update, give us a call at 877-526-8226 or email support@c-gconsulting.com.