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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In this post, “Playing Nice in the Sandbox”, our own local New England tech guru, John Dooley, answers these questions.

Just as a refesher, Office 365 offers a range of services from to email via Exchange, to Lync to SharePoint Online in the Cloud. What is Office 365?  Microsoft Dynamics GP is full featured financial management/ERP software built on the affordable and highly-scalable platform of Microsoft technologies. What is Microsoft Dynamics GP?

It all started when John saw a simple demo of expense management in Excel 2010 with SharePoint Online (Office 365).  But asked, how do you pay the employee for the expense report? With Dynamics ERP software (for example Dynamics GP). This is the tool to use to manage AP invoices and pay employee expenses. But how can you enable that expense report “in the cloud” with an on premise Dynamics GP system? And how can we get from the online version of SharePoint in Office 365 to Dynamics GP?

He solves this dilemma with two simple techniques to “bridge” between SharePoint Online and his Dynamics ERP on premise. According to his post:

1. The first technique is to use Excel both as a tool to complete the expense report in the cloud and as well as a conduit to my intranet.  Once I open an Excel workbook from SharePoint Online on my local machine, I now have access to resources behind the firewall, thus providing an easy and secure way to access to local resources like a web service that can link to my on premise Dynamics ERP without all the complexity of the sandbox Silverlight callouts.  Basically thru bringing the document and data on premise thru Excel.
2. The second technique is to leverage SharePoint Online workflow and email integration.  By triggering a SharePoint Online workflow via a task approval event in SharePoint Online I can have workflow send email to an on premise process or folder in a SharePoint on premise server that enables me to action the expense report at a data level where information like Vendor Id, Document Number, Invoice Amount can move from the spreadsheet to/thru a process to a web service that handles the create/post to Dynamics ERP.  This technique uses the DIP (Office Document Information Panel) to move values from Excel into SharePoint Online.

Watch John’s demo of the 2 scenarios to Connect Office 365 SharePoint Online and Dynamics ERP.

Pretty cool stuff John! If you are a New England company looking to integrate Office 365, SharePoint Online with Microsoft Dynamics GP, call CAL Business Solutions at 860-485-0910. We can even get you in touch with John Dooley himself!

By Anya Ciecierski, CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics ERP Partner

Can You Connect Office 365 SharePoint Online with Dynamics GP ERP Software? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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A recent survey reported on by ComputerWorld suggests that some employees who have used complicated ERP systems are even willing to switch jobs just to get away from them. Others take less drastic but still damaging approaches, such as opting for Excel spreadsheets or even free cloud-based spreadsheet apps rather than using their overwhelmingly complicated ERP systems.

The truth is, many of these workers are not just being rebellious. Plenty of them truly do not understand how to use their ERP software, nor do they see the benefits. For the executives who hired them, it is a bit disturbing, especially considering how much money they have invested in ERP. It also creates risk when employees are working outside of the established system.

Far too many employees also develop elaborate workarounds to cope with ERP systems that are inadequate and incapable of doing the tasks that need work. These workarounds often cost organizations time and money that could be better spent.

For an ERP system to be effective, usability must be a primary concern. An ERP system with a multitude of flashy tech features does users little good if it is too complicated for them to use. On the other hand, ERP that is familiar to employees who use applications like Excel, makes training easier and provides users with proven usability to keep them engaged.

Microsoft Dynamics ERP products are easy to learn and easy to use – because they look and feel like Microsoft products you use every day. Plus Dynamics ERP products have the tightest integration to Microsoft Office (including Excel) so your workers can still use the applications they love.

Don’t take our word for it, check out our case study of an Avon, Connecticut based professional services company using Microsoft Dynamics GP. Their controller said, “When we hire someone new, I don’t make Dynamics GP experience a pre-requisite because it’s so easy to learn; we can just train the right person. It’s intuitive and user friendly.”

Don’t lose your best employees because of complicated ERP software. Choose Microsoft Dynamics GP.

By CAL Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner in Connecticut

Study Suggests Younger Execs Would Rather Quit Than Work With Complicated ERP Software is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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 1.        9 Interview Questions to Choose the Right ERP Software Data Center Hosting Provider

2,185 Views | 3 Comments | June 17, 2010

The latest buzz in the ERP software world is “cloud computing” (aka “software as a service/SAAS”  or “hosting”).  Basically this means that a data center, separate from your location, installs and maintains your software on their servers and you access it securely over the Internet.  There are a lot of companies out there that are eager to host your Microsoft Dynamics GP software – but who can you really trust with this precious system that is really the backbone of your business?  Here are 9 interview questions you can ask a potential data center/hosting partner to separate the good from the not so good…

 2.        Big Bang, Phased Rollout, Or Parallel Adoption – Tell Us What Flavor Of ERP Implementation Works For You!

1,777 Views | 3 Comments | March 18, 2010

Have you been involved in an ERP implementation? Was it successful? Our fellow blogger, Houston Neal from Software Advice for Manufacturing, wants to hear from you! He is hosting a survey to find out which implementation strategies are the most popular and most successful. He will collect results over the next two weeks and we will present his findings towards the end of the month. 

 3.        4 Simple Steps to Calculate ROI and Justify The Cost of New Accounting Software

1,560 Views | 4 Comments | September 1, 2009

How much does accounting software cost and can you prove the ROI?  How many times have you been asked that question but really have no idea how to calculate specific ROI numbers?  In his post called “CRM Customization ROI Calculator” Mitch Milam outlines a simple but effective equation to show how to calculate ROI. He is using it to justify that a client needs customization changes in CRM, but the same principle applies to ERP software.  And you can perform the 4 steps to analyze your own team…

 4.        How Much Does New Accounting Software Cost?

1,385 Views | 4 Comments | June 2, 2009

When a company decides that it is time to upgrade from accounting software like QuickBooks, the first question is: “How much does it cost?” It’s not as easy as finding a price tag on the bottom of the box.  There are many variables – ways you can save money, waste money, and lots of hidden costs to avoid – that all factor into your total project price…

 5.        How many companies use Microsoft Dynamics GP and more fun Microsoft Dynamics Trivia

1,380 Views | 2 Comments | May 24, 2010

Do you know how many companies use Microsoft Dynamics GP? Or which countries can use Microsoft Dynamics CRM?  How about the number of NFL teams who use Dynamics GP?  Find out all that and more and submit your own random Dynamics trivia.

 6.        35 Features Microsoft Dynamics GP Has that QuickBooks Forgot

1,045 Views | 6 Comments | June 12, 2009

 I read an excellent research report done by J. Carlton Collins, the famous CPA, called “Practical Advice for Companies Outgrowing QuickBooks”. It is rare to actually see exact comparison statistics but J. Carlton Collins is well known in the industry and a power user of both systems so I trust his opinion.

 7.        A Guide to Microsoft Acronyms from the Dynamics GP 2010 Launch Event

965 Views | 3 Comments | March 25, 2010

At a recent Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 launch event for Microsoft partners I heard this clear statement, “If you do a LMT from MBL to BRL in GP, BP becomes DCO in AM but not BE”. Say what??

 8.        3 Tips to Save Money When Buying Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP Software – Users, Editions and Maintenance Fees

883 Views | 0 Comments | April 7, 2011

When a company decides to upgrade their ERP/Accounting software to a package like Microsoft Dynamics GP, the first question that comes to everyone’s minds is, “How much does Microsoft Dynamics GP software cost?” Unlike other purchases it is not as easy as finding a price tag on a box…

9.        Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 (Release 2) Scheduled for First Half of 2011

840 Views | 0 Comments | November 18, 2010

A November 18, 2010 Microsoft press release focuses on the success of Microsoft Dynamics GP and announces the upcoming release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 R2 (Release 2).  It does not actually give a date but says that it is scheduled for general availability in the first half of 2011.  So companies that are looking at purchasing a new ERP solution now have this as an option…

 10.     Why Do So Many ERP Projects Go Over Budget?

680 Views | 2 Comments | June 8, 2009

The most common reason accounting software implementation projects go over budget is because the Partner is spending time working on things not included in the original quote.  This work is called “out of scope”.  Here are a few examples of how this can happen…

What will be the most important blog topics for ERP software buyers in 2012? Keep reading!

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

CAL Business Solutions – Top Ten ERP Blog Posts for 2011 is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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To make matters worse, many residents feel the response from Connecticut Light & Power was too slow, forcing many of them to go more than a week without utilities. According to the Hartford Business Journal, in response to the problems and complaints, Northeast Utilities, the parent company of CL&P has setup a $10 million fund to assist residents who may have suffered losses as a result of the power outages.

When disaster strikes, it is not only residents who are affected. Businesses often take a severe hit as well. When your business is without power, it is quite possible to find yourself in a situation where you cannot  get work done, but for businesses that were already thinking outside of the box, there is always a Plan B.

 In a power outage, a hosted deployment of Microsoft Dynamics GP is not affected. If you can find a local coffee shop or even fast food restaurant that still has power and Wi-Fi, you can get securely connected to your ERP system and continue business as usual. It is not an ideal situation, but it is certainly better than losing business.

If you are looking for a maintenance-free solution for your ERP system, contact us to learn more about the pros and cons of a hosted Microsoft Dynamics GP deployment at 860-485-0910.  Or download the white paper “35 Questions Every CFO Must Ask About ERP Software In the Cloud.”

Even when the lights go out, Microsoft Dynamics GP can still work for you.

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

What Lesson Can ERP Software Buyers Learn From the Hartford CT Power Outage of 2011? 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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Here is the experience of one client who was pleased with how smooth the upgrade from Dynamics GP Version 10.0 to Version 2010 was with the help of CAL Business Solutions and a few lessons you can learn from their story.

Women’s Health USA is a large managed services organization that partners with doctors’ offices to provide back office services such as HR, billing, collections, and legal services. Dana Northey, Accounting Manager at Women’s Health USA, discusses their upgrade experience:

Strong Project Management: “For the first time, we assigned a dedicated project manager on our team to work with the project manager at CAL Business Solutions. This really helped to keep our team on point and on schedule. Our CAL project manager was fantastic. I can’t say enough good things about him. Strong project management was essential to the success of our upgrade.”

Focused Testing Period: “Together with CAL, we did extensive testing of our system prior to the upgrade including a complete test upgrade environment. We arranged for our team to make testing a priority, so it could be done quickly and in an organized way. This allowed us to identify and fix issues without losing focus. In the past, testing was done over an extended period of time, which was inefficient. This time, we were able to go live immediately after the testing period.”

CAL Developers Fixed Custom Code: “We have several third party/ISV products and custom applications. CAL helped us to thoroughly test each of these to confirm that they would function properly after the upgrade. In one instance, a program had a code that was not compatible with GP 2010. Because CAL has its own development team on staff, it was able to fix the custom code for us without having to involve another programming company.”

You can read the full case study of this story at: Women’s Health USA Finds the Right Microsoft Dynamics® GP Software Partner to Handle Complex Project Requirements

This experience shows you 3 questions you should ask before you buy to prepare for a smooth Dynamics GP upgrade later:

1. Does the ERP software partner have project management skills?
2. Does the ERP software partner have a large client base so upgrades are familiar and organized?
3. Does the ERP software partner have their own development team?

If you purchase Microsoft Dynamics GP from CAL Business Solutions the answer is yes, yes, yes. Check out our Four Step Plan to buying Microsoft Dynamics GP.

By CAL Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner in Connecticut

3 Questions To Ask Now Before You Buy Microsoft Dynamics GP to Prepare for a Smooth Upgrade Later is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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 In 2005 Women’s Health decided to replace their outdated Lawson ERP system with Microsoft Dynamics GP. Although they experienced immediate increases in efficiency with the new system, they realized they needed a Dynamics VAR that could handle the complexity of their business before they fully realized the benefits.

Women’s Health turned to CAL Business Solutions, a Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP partner that works with the professional services industry.

 “We love working with CAL Business Solutions, everyone is very responsive and friendly…I feel CAL has the skill level to handle a complicated organization like ours,” comments Jennifer Decker, In Vitro Sciences Controller, Women’s Health USA

Women’s Health now has an up-to-date Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP system that is intuitive and easy to use, resulting in substantial time savings each month. After looking for the right partner to support their system for long term growth, Women’s Health feels that CAL Business Solutions has the resources and experience needed to work with large clients with complex requirements.

“Clients like Women’s Health are leaders in their field and they rely on CAL to keep their ERP systems functioning at a high level so they can continue to grow and innovate,” says George Mackiewicz, President CAL Business Solutions

Want to know more about this story? You can read the full case study at Women’s Health USA Finds the Right Microsoft Dynamics® GP Software Partner to Handle Complex Project Requirements

If you are a Connecticut company using Microsoft Dynamics GP and need training and support, contact CAL Business Solutions. 860-485-0910 x102.

 By CAL Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner in Connecticut

Connecticut Professional Services Company Finds the Right Microsoft Dynamics GP Software Partner to Handle Complex Project Requirements is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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The WHA runs 317 rental units in low to moderate-income areas and has an annual budget of $1.5 million. Some of that money comes from state grants and federal assistance programs, which could mean criminal charges and possible removal of executive director, Stephen Nere, whose salary is $100,000 a year. He has been the WHA director for 26 years.

When I read this article it made me wonder if such a disaster could have been avoided if they had been using Microsoft Dynamics GP as their ERP system? Maybe not, because even with the best ERP systems, there is always room for human “error”. But Microsoft Dynamics GP does have strict GAAP compliant audit trailsthat make it easy to trace which entries are made by whom and when. And unlike some other systems, you cannot simply delete records from Microsoft Dynamics GP. A complete audit trail is kept showing the original record and the adjustment made.

If there is no activity in the general ledger that probably means someone chose not to use it. When receivables and payables were entered into the sub ledger they likely didn’t get posted all the way through to the General Ledger. Sounds fishy to me but I personally could not say why this would happen (although I guess the auditors in this case will find out.)

We recommend to our clients a tool called The Closer by Reporting Central. This tool looks for entries that don’t balance between the sub ledger and the general ledger. So if the Wallingford Housing Authority had been using this tool, they would at least have been alerted to the problem earlier.

I have no idea what kind of accounting software the Wallingford Housing Authority uses. My guess is that it is some kind of complicated industry specific software or something designed for government/municipality needs. But Microsoft Dynamics GP with Binary Stream Property Site Management is a great software solution for Housing Authorities.

This would not be the first time a company or government organization has faced the heat because of its inability to account for missing funds and other big problems with their financial records. With a good ERP system like Microsoft Dynamics GP, companies can often avoid an embarrassing and costly debacle.

If you are looking for a strong ERP system with strict audit controls, contact CAL Business Solutions to evaluate Microsoft Dynamics GP.

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Could the Wallingford CT Housing Authority Audit Disaster Have Been Avoided If They Used Microsoft Dynamics GP? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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For a single user, pricing for Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Essentials (BE) solution starts at $2,250. The other option is Microsoft Dynamics GP Advanced Management (AM) solution. The prices may vary for both solutions depending on the options and the Microsoft partner you purchase your licenses from. Each partner is supposed to charge the same license fees, but the cost of implementation services vary greatly.  For more info download “Beyond Software: How to Estimate the Cost of ERP Implementation Services” or request an Instant Dynamics ERP Quote for price estimate of software, maintenance, implementation, and deployment.

One of our earlier posts may help you Compare Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Essentials versus Advanced Management: When Is The Advanced Management Edition Worth the Higher Price?

Most price variations reflect the wide range of deployment options and the amount of functionality you purchase for your Dynamics ERP solution. Microsoft Dynamics GP is available for Business Ready Licensing, which is for one solution, not one server. In other words, you could use multiple servers so long as you have a license that covers all of the users. Licenses for other necessary solutions, such as Microsoft SQL Server, are sold separately.

Licensing also dictates the type and amount of access. There three primary types of access:

 1. Full User – This requires a full user license. These users can access the Dynamics ERP system directly through the Windows-based rich client user interface (UI) or indirectly through another method, such as a web portal.

 2. Light User – These users can access Dynamics ERP systems indirectly through the web UI, SharePoint portal, Microsoft Office application, or a third party app.

 3. Employee Self Service (ESS) – These users access Dynamics through the rich client UI but use it for employee administration, time and attendance, travel, and expenses.

 For more information about Microsoft Dynamics ERP licensing options and details, you should download a new guide published by Microsoft called the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Licensing Guide. You can use this information to improve your understanding of how to license Microsoft Dynamics ERP solutions. 

The guide includes:

Overview of Licensing Requirements,

• Licensing Access to the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Licensing
• Licensing the Microsoft Dynamics ERP Solution
• Business Ready Enhancement Plan (BREP)
• Additional Licensing Requirements
• Five Steps to Counting Licenses for BRL

Note: Microsoft says this guide is NOT intended to help you in choosing Microsoft Dynamics products and services.  The examples presented in this guide are illustrative. If you want help determining the right ERP/accounting software solution for your organization, including the license requirements for a specific product or scenario contact us at CAL Business Solutions

Another helpful guide is: “30 Questions Every CFO Must Ask About the Cost of Accounting Software” available at www.calszone.com/30questions

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Microsoft Offers Guide to Microsoft Dynamics GP Licensing; Download the Guide and Request a Quote is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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