According to a report I heard on NPR, a new rule that goes into effect later this month will require airlines to include government taxes and fees — along with any mandatory charges — in their advertised fares. The consumer has the right to know the final price they will pay upfront.

As a frequent traveler I think this is a great rule! But I think it should apply to ALL purchases in life. Even ERP software. Of course, buying and installing accounting/ERP software is not a point A to point B trip. But there are some “hidden costs” that you should make sure you ask about up front.

1. Does the quote include travel time? This is a common hidden cost that can rack up quickly. Each time the consultant comes to your office during the installation they may charge you. Is mileage/travel time included in the quote? Does that partner have technology to do work remotely, thus avoiding travel costs altogether?

2. What is the hourly rate? Make sure you know the hourly rate you will be charged not just the total project cost. Any “out of scope” or unanticipated work, will be charged at the hourly rate, and it could be higher than you think.

3. Did the system you saw in the demo include any ISV or add on products? That feature that you loved in the demo, that you assume is part of the core system, might turn out to be an add on product for the core ERP software. Even something simple like enhanced search functionality. If you want it, make sure the price is included upfront.

4. How much training is included in your quote? You might assume that you will receive adequate training but find out later that the Partner only included 2 hours of training, and will charge more when this proves to be insufficient (which it will). Insist that your quote include a detailed breakdown of how much time is estimated for each step of the implementation process, not just a lump sum of hours.

5. What level of data conversion is included? You might think that full data conversion is included but find out later that this is an extra cost. Or perhaps you expected detailed history and the partner only quoted time for summary history.

6. Are there any support calls included in the quote or annual maintenance plan? If not, what is the Partner’s billing policy? When you call for support, will you be billed for a full hour or in 15-minute increments?

You can find more ways to save money on ERP software and avoid hidden costs in our popular white paper “30 Questions Every CFO Must Ask About the Cost of Accounting Software.” Download at www.calszone.com/30questions.

And if you are looking for an honest partner, who discloses the total cost of Microsoft Dynamics GP upfront, contact CAL Business Solutions at 860-485-0910.

By Anya Ciecierski, CAL Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner serving Connecticut and Southern New England

New Law Compels Airlines to Disclose Full Fees, 6 Ways to Make Sure ERP Software Partners Do the Same is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Do you know about the Section 179 deduction that includes “off the shelf software”? Here are the details at a glance:

Section 179 for 2011 at a glance

• 2011 Deduction Limit – $500,000 (up from $250k previously). Good on new and used equipment, including new software.
• 2011 Limit on equipment purchases – $2 Million Dollars (up from $800k previously).
• “Bonus” Depreciation – 100% (taken after the $500k deduction limit is reached). Note, bonus depreciation is only for new equipment. This can also be taken by businesses that exceed $2 million in capital equipment purchases.

The above is an overall, “simplified” view of the Section 179 Deduction for 2011. For more details on limits and qualifying equipment, as well as Section 179 Qualified Financing, please visit www.section179.org or consult your tax professional.

The provision, established by the U.S. government’s Economic Stimulus Package, allows companies that purchase computer software assets to accelerate depreciation of those assets as long as they are acquired and put into use before December 31, 2011. This can potentially reduce a company’s taxable income.

Using Microsoft Financing to buy Microsoft Dynamics GP, companies can also defer actual payments of ERP software until 2012, subject to credit approval. They may even be able to include additional non-Microsoft products in the financing agreement.

Whether you are dipping your toe into the ERP waters for the first time or diving in for a much-needed upgrade, now might be an ideal time to consider purchasing a Microsoft Dynamics ERP product. It may help you save big in the coming year, both in taxes and in your company’s management and performance.

Interested in the cost of Microsoft Dynamics GP? Check out our quick and easy Microsoft Dynamics GP Quick Quote Tool for an estimated cost of licenses, maintenance and implementation.

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Purchase New ERP Software Before the End of the Year for Tax Savings With Section 179 Deductions is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Give Me 5

Very straight forward offer from Microsoft.  Buy 5 user licenses of Microsoft Dynamics GP – Business Essentials OR Advanced Management – for only $3000.  Exactly how much money are you saving?  I’ll do the math for you.  Absent the promotion, 5 users of Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Essentials would cost you $11,250.  By taking advantage of the Give Me 5 offer, you save $8,250.  Absent the promotion, 5 users of Microsoft Dynamics GP Advanced Management would cost you $19,900.  By taking advantage of the Give Me 5 offer, you save a whopping $16,900.

So now you own the software at an incredibly low price.  But it’s not up and running yet.  Which brings us to…

Give Me 5 in the Cloud

This is a bit less straight forward because different partners have come up with their own varied offers.  In our case, Altico Advisors has designed a quick start program with a monthly cost of only $875 for all 5 users.

Of course, there are still some set up and implementation costs as well as annual service fees.  But the point is, no matter how you slice it, you’ve just saved thousands of dollars on the software.

Top 5 reasons why you would want to invest in new software

#1 It’s too hard to find out what’s really happening across your business right now
#2 You spend too much time re-entering and reconciling data across systems
#3 You’re losing sales because you can’t get information fast enough
#4 You do more of your accounting outside of our accounting system than in it!
#5 You spend too much time worrying about technology vs. focusing on business results

Top 4 advantages of Give Me 5 in the Cloud

#1 Quick deployment; get up and running immediately
#2 No hardware to maintain
#3 You own the software
#4 Move the system in house whenever you want

What should you do next?

Contact Altico Advisors for more information.

By Mike Kean, Altico AdvisorsMicrosoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

Current Microsoft Dynamics GP Offers – Too good to be true? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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3. What if you could replace your Enterprise ERP system—Oracle, JD Edwards , SAP, etc— with Microsoft Dynamics, for less than your current ERP’s yearly maintenance?

With this offer customers can save 20% off the list price of the new user licenses for Dynamics GP, SL or NAV. What’s more, in order to qualify for this offer customers only need to purchase two additional user licenses. However, if your needs are a little bit more extensive, this promotional pricing can be applied to the purchase of up to 20 user licenses.

This offer is valid now through the end of business on December 22, 2011 for customers in the US and Canada. Other terms associated with this offer to be aware of include:

• This offer cannot be applied to Dynamics AX or CRM license purchases
• Customers must have purchased their ERP solution at least 120 days prior to buying additional licenses with this offer, be on module base licensing or business ready licensing and on a current enhancement plan

To learn more, please review the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Holiday Season Offer complete terms and conditions.

If you’d like to give your business the gift of increased efficiency and productivity this holiday season, please feel free to contact us today! We’d love to help you take advantage of this great offer.

Or, if you’re not yet a Dynamics customer, but are interested in becoming one, call us at 336-315-3935 so that we can assess your needs and discuss your options.  Hurry, the sooner you take that step, the sooner you’ll be able to take advantage of great offers like this one!

by Laura Heinbockel, Intelligent Technologies, Inc.–A South Carolina Microsoft Partner

Save 20% on Dynamics ERP Licenses with the Holiday Season Offer from Microsoft is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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There are a few things you should know about Microsoft Dynamics: 

• Microsoft Dynamics has been in the ERP business for 10 years and publishes regular product roadmaps demonstrating their ongoing commitment and product innovation
• Microsoft invests over $9 billion in Research and Development annually
• Microsoft Dynamics ERP products including Microsoft Dynamics GP look and feel like Microsoft Office, making adoption easy
• Microsoft offers both on premise and cloud solutions available today and remains committed to offering both to allow customers to choose which option works best for them
• Getting the solution in place is less expensive than you think – Microsoft has an offer in market that will give you the first 5 seats for $3,000, which is up to 85% off the license price.

It’s not too late to make a change! Interested in learning more? Contact the Microsoft Dynamics ERP experts at Borek Business Solutions for all the details.

By Roger Borek, Borek Business Solutions, an Oregon-based Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner.

Now’s a Great Time to Save and Upgrade Your ERP Software is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Following are the top three reasons companies are making the leap:

1. Economics.  Business leaders understand that the benefits of cloud computing begin with the bottom line.  Instead of purchasing expensive, large-scale hardware and employing numerous IT staffers to manage it, executives are paying much less by essentially renting software and space to store data.  Gone are upfront costs and maintenance fees but the benefits of the business management software remain.
2. Improved Processes.  Many business owners are convinced that cloud computing will offer their organization the best features and processes available.  Because cloud-based solutions are updated continually, new innovations, tools, and business features are available to subscribers as they come on the market.  ERP in the cloud therefore is always up to date and modern, without the costs of having to upgrade.
3. Agility and strategic benefits.  Nowhere is the ability to shift business models and strategies more malleable than in the cloud.  Business leaders see it as a venue in which they can fundamentally make changes to their business practices, reporting strategies, and the integration of all organization sectors.  It is often seen as a way to gain a competitive edge on competition.

SSi Consulting, a certified Microsoft Dynamics® SL and Microsoft Dynamics® GP partner, specializes in business management software solutions in the cloud.  Contact SSi Consulting when you wish to tap the improved processes, agility, and strategic benefits of cloud computing.

By Karen Riordan, SSi Consulting a Maryland Microsoft Partner that offers SaaS for Microsoft Dynamics GP and SL.

Economics, Improved Processes, Agility: Why Now Is the Time for ERP in the Cloud is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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RoseASP  is now offering HOSTING ONLY pricing for the “Give Me 5″ promotion. Our Give Me 5 in the Cloud offer includes a special reduced $900 install and $900 per month hosting fee (includes all 5 users).  Customers can now take advantage of the best on-premise pricing coupled with a hosted solution!!!

To allow you to take full advantage of the “Give Me 5” promotion from Microsoft, RoseASP offers hosting-only packages that allow you to sell to the customer the Dynamics license, but yet host it at RoseASP.  This also includes any ISV solutions that the customer may want to purchase in the process.  No SQL licenses need to be purchased as part of this offer. The customer can continue to work with their Microsoft Dynamics Partner of choice but then turn to RoseASP who has been hosting Microsoft Dynamics solutions since 2000.

Hosted customers receive the following benefits:

• 24/7/365 support for connectivity and printing
• 99.5% uptime guarantee of their software
• Retain the rights of the software and the ownership of the data
• Receive software updates and services packs at no additional charge. (The customer must remain current on the annual enhancement package.)
• Daily, weekly, month and annual backups that are kept for seven years
• The ability to customize their application and still remain in the cloud
• SOX compliant and SAS 70 Type II Audit reports available

The current month hosting offer is good for 12 months, after which monthly hosting fees are $195 per user/month.

By RoseASP.com,  the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Cloud Partner of the Year – U.S. 2011

Give Me 5 in the Cloud – Hosting Only Pricing for the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Promotion is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Offer Details:

With the ‘Give Me 5′ offer, you get 5 users of Microsoft Dynamics ERP (Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics SL or Microsoft Dynamics NAV) for one low price of $3,000 — up to an 85% discount off the regular license price!  The offer is available to all new customers and is effective October 3, 2011 through June 22, 2012.

TRICK-

• One caveat of the promotion is you are required to purchase a one year Business Ready Enhancement Plan (BREP). The enhancement/support plan fee will be calculated on the system list price of all users and components based on the regular Microsoft Dynamics price list.
• Another requirement is you must buy at least 5 users to get the discount.  Orders with fewer than 5 users will be licensed per regular Microsoft Dynamics price list prices. So if your company only needs a few users, you’ll still have to purchase some that you might not use.
• The promotion is not available for Microsoft Dynamics AX. 
• The offer can’t be combined with other promotions.

-OR-TREAT:

• The greatest benefit of this promotion is that it provides an extremely low cost of entry for an advanced system.  In our experience working with companies evaluating new ERP systems, price is often a barrier. There is a substantial price jump from entry-level accounting systems like QuickBooks, to moving to an ERP system like Microsoft Dynamics GP. There isn’t much available at a price point in-between the two, making it too big of a leap for some companies to make.  Therefore, many companies postpone moving to a new ERP system even though they are in dire need of one.  The ‘Give Me 5’ promotion helps remove the price barrier and allows companies to move to a new system faster, fostering growth rather than waiting until their existing system is so painful that they can’t properly run their business and are forced to switch.
• Another treat is that the offer is available for both the Business Essentials and Advanced Management editions, so even if you have more advanced needs, you can still utilize this offer.  The $3,000 price is the same for both editions.
• The promotion is available longer (through June 22, 2012), allowing you time to evaluate Microsoft Dynamics thoroughly and to make sure it is a good fit for your business needs.  Historically, Microsoft promotions for ERP have been shorter in length, making it difficult to take advantage of the offer without making a rash decision.  That said; make sure you start your evaluation now as it usually takes longer than you think to evaluate a new business system.
• The offer is also available for a Cloud ERP deployment.  If you prefer a hosted model instead of on-premise, you can still take advantage of this offer.  It is a little different than the typical hosting purchase as you would need to purchase the users up front to get the promotion price,  then pay a monthly fee for the hosting.  This means you would own the licenses rather than rent them and also get the benefits of ERP in the Cloud.

Overall I think the ‘treats’ outweigh the ‘tricks’ of this offer.  The discounted price is such a great deal and one of the best offers I’ve seen in the 9 years I’ve been working in the industry. View this ‘Give me 5’ Promotion flyer for further details, or contact The Resource Group to learn more.

By Ann Haucke, The Resource Group – Seattle, Washington Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Microsoft’s ‘Give Me 5’ Promotion – Trick or Treat? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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 Are you an existing Microsoft Dynamics GP customer still on Module Based Licensing?  Microsoft has their biggest discounts yet available through 12/22/11 to move to Business Ready Licensing (BRL).

Talk to Collins Computing, or your existing Microsoft Business Solutions partner today to take advantage of the best transition price since BRL was announced.  See this Microsoft Dynamics GP product capabilities and module guide to see a complete description of the breakdown in licensing levels.

If you are not yet utlizing Microsoft Dynamics to help you run your business, contact Collins Computing to see your options for operating successfully with a Microsoft ERP and/or CRM system, which modules you need for your specific business, and whether to implement on-site or in the cloud.

By Abra Gilman, Senior Consultant, Collins Computing, Microsoft Dynamics Gold Certified Partner

Existing Microsoft Dynamics GP Customers: Ready to move to Business Ready Licensing at 90% Off? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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The result? They compromise the efficiency of many processes by letting the software dictate their procedures through limited setup options and configuration. *big sigh from me*

When I ask about the 5 year plan and how they see the company growing, I can see the disappointment when it’s realized QuickBooks won’t meet their future growth and simply will not cut it much longer. *big sigh from client*

Today I’m telling you, perhaps asking you, not to feel pressured to use other accounting software just because ”it’s cheap”. You can afford a long term solution that will scale with your business and give you room to grow.

Here. It Is.

Pay $3,000 and get 5 Microsoft Dynamics GP Licenses. Microsoft is offering the same pricing as QuickBooks . Yes, I found it on QB’s website. To be 100% clear, the only difference is, they include the first year of support/upgrades in that price. DFC provides support and we have support plans.

Why throw away time and money implementing a solution that is forcing you to compromise from the very beginning? Start planning now for the future of your business and acquire a solution that fits around you. We can guide you through the process from sales to implementation to training and support.

DFC is a Microsoft partner, with over 22 years of experience implementing, selling, and supporting Microsoft Dynamics GP. Please call DFC Consultants, at 800-277-5561 or find us at www.dfcconsultants.com.

One more thing. DFC Consultants specializes in the training for Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft CRM. We are the only Microsoft Certified Training Center in North Dakota and one of the largest in the Midwest teaching over 20 classes in the past 12 months. We have five Microsoft Certified Trainers that provide classroom training in a structured, hands-on, question-and-answer environment. View our training schedule to plan for your future today.

By Sarah Mueller, Business Development, DFC Consultants, North Dakota Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Microsoft Dynamics GP Competes with QuickBooks Pricing is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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