Posted by Plus Sales on Fri, Aug 27, 2010 @ 11:46 AM
by Mitch McNicol, mitch@plus.ca
Does your business use paper, of course it does, but does it use too much of it? Have you ever wished you could reduce the amount of paper that flows through your office, piles up on your desk, or gets lost at the water cooler?
Do you want to streamline your purchasing and payment approval process without having to print everything out, and wait for approval from your management team? Do you think you could reduce overhead costs in certain departments with a reduction in printing?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you might want to take a look at Altec Enterprise Document Management (Doc-Link).
What is Doc-Link?
- doc-link™ software is an integrated document management system (IDMS) that is interfaced with your business system to effectively eliminate paper from your office.
- doc-link enables you to archive, process through workflow, retrieve and research document transactions from the desktop. Increase company productivity while enhancing communication to customers, vendors and employees.
- doc-link connects you with remote locations and business partners by automating the exchange and processing of data.
- doc-link reduces data input and automates the processing of incoming documents.
- doc-link automatically captures, transforms and delivers your enterprise transactions to recipients in a variety of formats and distribution methods. Outgoing documents can be transformed and delivered to your recipients in a usable format along with secondary supporting documentation.
The overall impact of processing, handling and storing paper documents in the workplace is astounding from a financial, environmental and resource perspective. Not only can the inefficiencies attendant with paper-based bottlenecks be cumbersome on day-to-day operations, but the improper storage or loss of these documents can cripple or devastate a business.
Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery
- 90% of critical business information exists only on paper.
- 90% of documents that are consulted daily are handled without any appropriate management.
- 70% of today’s businesses would fail within three weeks if they suffered a catastrophic loss of paper-based records due to fire or flood.
* Coopers & Lybrand
- 1 in 4 businesses will suffer a catastrophic loss
* U.S. department of labor
Cost Savings/Productivity Enhancement
- Professionals spend 50 percent of their time searching for information, and take 18 minutes to locate each document on average.
* Gartner Research
- $14,000 worth of productivity is lost per worker per year due to their inability to find the data they require to do their job.
* IDC Canada
- 90% of typical office tasks still revolve around the gathering and distribution of paper documents.
- 15% of all papers are lost, 30% of our time is used trying to find these lost documents.
- Companies on average spend $25,000 to fill a typical four-drawer file cabinet, $2,000 to maintain it annually.
- Over its life-span, a single sheet of paper ends up costing an average of $30.
* Delphi Group
- US companies spend approximately $20 on labor costs in order to file a document, $120 on the labor required to find a misfiled document and $220 to reproduce a lost document.
- For companies that manage their own files, employees spend between 20-40% of their time searching for documents manually.
- For lost documents, companies pay a cost of searching, 6 times the value of the original document.
- Companies that need to redo documents pay 11 times more than the cost of the original document.
- Out of all documents generated, up to 7% are lost.
- The average document is copied 19 times.
* Coopers & Lybrand
- Companies typically misfile up to 20 percent of their records - thus losing them forever.
* ARMA International
- Each day one billion photocopies are made.
* AIIM, Forrester, Star Securities, US Department of Labor
Environmental/Social Responsibility – Go Green!
- The average American office worker is estimated to use a sheet of paper every 12 minutes, and is responsible for the disposal of 100-200 pounds of paper every year.
* Hawken, Lovins & Lovins. Natural Capitalism
- Paper files are doubling every 3.5 years..
* Coopers & Lybrand
- The paper industry is the 4th largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among United States manufacturing industries, and contributes 9% of the manufacturing sector’s carbon emissions.
- If the United States cut office paper use by just 10%, it would prevent the emission of 1.6 million tons of greenhouse gases – the equivalent of taking 280,000 cars off the road.
* Environmental Paper Network
Learn more at http://www.altec-inc.com/products/doc-link/doc_about.htm or contact our office for details at info@plus.ca
Posted by Alison Boons on Tue, Aug 24, 2010 @ 03:23 PM
by Geoff Williams (smallbusiness.aol.com)
Sure, some businesses are cash-only and do just fine - the local ice cream parlor, the greasy spoon diner down the street, the flea market that's been around for a century. But these days, in a nation where floating on credit is as American as apple pie, you've got to take plastic.
While they require some infrastructure upgrades & come with annoying fees, it has become increasingly difficult to run a full-fledged business --especially in retail-- without accepting credit & debit cards. But despite the drawbacks, the added convenience for customers could lead to bigger purchases at the register. "You want to be accessible, and you want to broaden your opportunity to close the sale," says Greg Hammermaster, president of Sage Payment Solutions, which helps more than 140,000 business & organizations accept electronic payments, including credit and debit cards, electronic checks, gift cards & automatic recurring payments.
So how can you make your business credit card-friendly? Here are five things you need to know.
1) Apply for Merchant Status - What is merchant status? The term means you can be entrusted to allow customers to pay you with a MasterCard, Visa, American Express and the like. So why shouldn't they trust you?
To read the rest of the article, visit; http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/07/05/how-to-accept-credit-cards/
To find out more how Sage Payment Solutions can benefit you & your business, contact us today at sales@plus.ca for more information.
Posted by Glen Mund on Tue, Jul 13, 2010 @ 02:29 PM
When I speak to clients and prospects in the distribution sector, and ask about their inventory problems, the most common response is the lack of inventory accuracy. Most often this means the quantity of inventory on the warehouse floor does not match the records in the ERP or other system. Obviously this is very critical functionality that an ERP system can provide but the functionality requirements should not end here.
Other critical inventory accuracy functionality that should be expected from your ERP software are:
Inventory Value
- Obsolescence : What is the value of obsolete inventory? This reporting assists with the determination of how well an organization manages its inventory and how accurate the existing demand forecasts are. Perhaps product quality is poor. An ERP system should help make this type of assessment.
Check out the rest of my lastest article on the Sage ERP blog at; http://blog.sageerpsolutions.com/inventory-accuracy/
Posted by Alistair Hill on Mon, Jul 12, 2010 @ 01:59 PM
SageCRM is probably one of the most poorly named products in the Sage lineup. While being straight to the point as far as identifying what the product is, it also paints the product into a corner as to what it can really do. CRM stands for "Customer relationship management", which out of the box is most certainly a function of SageCRM, but it absolutely does not stop there.
Where the C in CRM stands for customer, there is the implication of accounts receivables. Because your customers are in AR, right? Sure, but what if you only have AP? SageCRM applies the same logic to your vendors as it does your customers and thus making it also a VRM, although a quick Internet search shows that VRM is general not a typical acronym in this context.
We've added V, but what else can we do? Let's add a few fields to the user record, like birthday, hire date etc, and now we've added H for Human Resources. We can customize the appointment interface a bit and now we have scheduling. Another customization to send details to an Accpac invoice and now we have Time and Billing.
So what are we up to? C for Customer, V for Vendor, H for human, and TBS for Time and Billing. Not your typical CRM software and we're not even done yet. Right out of the box, SageCRM has a Cases module. Lets rename Cases to Workorders (cause you can do that), and now you have Service Management software.
There is almost no limit to the information that you can track in SageCRM; it is not just limited to Customers. With a little imagination, you can change that C to almost any letter combination you want.
Posted by Alison Boons on Mon, Jul 05, 2010 @ 01:18 PM
As you are all aware, the HST arrived on July 01, 2010. Some of you may have noticed the difference on your purchases over the weekend, some may have not. Either way, it is here!
Have you not changed all your systems over, or are unsure what you should be charging HST on? The CRA still has HST sessions available & Plus is still offering our fixed fee services to help you implement the HST.
If you are still stuck, 5 days in to the new tax, give us a call today! We are here to help!
Posted by Plus Consultants on Wed, Jun 23, 2010 @ 12:01 PM
by TK Haran (tk@plus.ca)
1. What is Accpac Intelligence?
Organizations are increasingly suffering from information frustration. Having to manage large volumes of data, and needing to report from several databases and using inflexible reporting tools. Information delivery and user empowerment is increasingly taking centre stage in all enterprises with a resulting growth in the end user query and reporting (EUQR) category of the business intelligence market.
Sage Accpac Intelligence is an innovative software reporting solution that offers users, in organizations of all sizes, a powerful and intuitive reporting tool to take control of their own reports. It introduces a revolutionary approach to leveraging the reporting power of Microsoft Excel and protects and extends organizations existing IT skills and investment.
2. What Components does it have?
- Report Viewer
- Security Manager
- Report Manager
- Connector
- Analysis
- License Manager
3. Description of above components
- Report Viewer-This is used to view or to run the standard/shipped reports.
- Security manager- The Security Manager is an Administration tool that lets you (as System Administrator) manage Roles (User Groups) and assign Users and Reports to each Role. When security is enabled the User will be required to login and then will only have access to the Reports selected for the Role that User belongs to.
- Report manager- The Report Manager Interface allows users to design and manage their own reports and to display results in Microsoft Excel.
- Connector- The Connector allows an organization's system administrator to make a connection to their database in order to access the relevant tables for reporting purposes. It also allows an organization's system administrator to configure the metadata to empower the users to create their own reports.
- Analysis- An OLAP (On Line Analytical Processing) database allows business decision makers to analyze data that has been sorted into hierarchical structures. The data is static, so all mathematical aggregations can be built into the database query, thereby providing a more efficient and resource friendly means of reporting. This data warehouse can then be pulled into a pivot table within Excel, where the user is able to drill down into the report, using the hierarchical dimensions built into the query.
- License Manager- The License Manager provides a snapshot of your Sage Accpac Intelligence licenses and module configuration.
4. What Components come with a standard Accpac 5.6 installation?
- Report Viewer (1 user license)
- Report manager (1 user license)
- Security manager
5. Benefits of "AI"
- Works with a standard Microsoft windows look and feel.
- Reduces the need for IT department intervention.
- Reduces the need for custom complicated report creation by hired consultants.
- Consistent format (MS Excel) for reporting across multiple data sources.
- Business intelligence can become a standard desktop tool.
- Avoids inefficiencies in the report development life cycle thereby improving productivity.
- Empowers the user, thereby improving overall productivity.
- Optimizes return on investment by leveraging your existing IT infrastructure.
- Extends MS Excel skills rather than requiring learning of a new set of software skills.
6. Is there standard report/s available?
Yes and the shipped reports are as follows,
- Financials- Financial Report S, Financial Report D, Financial Report SB,
- Dashboard Analysis, Financial Trend Analysis
- Sales Master, Purchase Master, Inventory Master
Posted by Alison Boons on Fri, Jun 18, 2010 @ 02:27 PM
HST, HST, HST...that is all we are hearing these days as July 01, 2010 is right around the corner. Besides dealing with the fact that the year is half over, we now have this looming new tax banging at our door with only 12 days to go.
For more information about the HST, check out the article that Glen Mund (President of Plus) recently posted on the Sage ERP Solutions blog.
Click here to visit;
http://blog.sageerpsolutions.com/the-hst-is-on-your-doorstep-are-you-ready-to-welcome-it-in/
Still concerned about how this change is going to affect you, don't delay any longer, contact our office NOW!
Posted by Dee Dutton on Mon, Jun 07, 2010 @ 12:08 PM
Hubpages.com, by Ritz
The following is an excerpt of the "90/10 Principle of Stephen Covey". This is an incredibly simple and amazing concept. You can apply it in every level of your life whether personal, business or other. Consider the various situations where this could work - traffic, losing a job, delayed flights, work deadlines. Give it a try!
"90/10 Principle of Stephen Covey
Discover the 90/10 Principle. It will change your life : (at least the way you react to situations).
What is this principle?
10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react. What does this mean?
We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us. We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%.
The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%. How? By your reaction. You cannot control a red light., but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.
Let's take an example. You are eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just what happened. What happens next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit. After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to coming home, When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daughter. Why? Because of how you reacted in the morning. Why did you have a bad day?
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
The answer is "D".
You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day. Here is what could have and should have happened. Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say," It's ok honey, you just need, to be more careful next time". Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having. Notice the difference? Two different scenarios.
Both started the same.
Both ended different.
Why? Because of how you REACTED. You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction."
To read the rest of the article, visit; http://hubpages.com/hub/change-your-life-with-90-10-priciple
Recognized as one of Time magazine's 25 most influential Americans, Stephen R. Covey has dedicated his life to demonstrating how every person can truly control their destiny with profound, yet straightforward guidance. As an an internationally respected leadership authority, family expert, teacher, organizational consultant, and author, his advice has given insight to millions. Be sure to visit his site: http://www.stephencovey.com/
Posted by Plus Sales on Fri, Jun 04, 2010 @ 01:00 PM
The economy is slowly recovering. So, will everything just go back to "business as usual"?
You've managed to stay afloat through one of toughest economies ever. Now signs are pointing toward a recovery. But will everything just go back to the way it was before the recession? Not likely. The post-downturn economy will redefine how businesses operate and compete.
Welcome to the "New Normal"
The current downturn is not simply part of a regular business cycle; it's part of a "new normal."
Recovery will happen-albeit slowly-but business has fundamentally changed.
Customers have adjusted their attitudes and shifted their expectations-and these changes are becoming entrenched. Doing more with less-cost-cutting, downsizing, improving efficiencies-is here to stay. The competitive landscape has also dramatically shifted. The recession caused a competitive shakeout, and only the strongest have survived. Your competition is leaner, hungrier, and wiser than before.
But uncertain times can be an ideal time for bold companies smart enough to take advantage of opportunity. While others are waiting the recession out, you can get a head start on the competition and watch your sales soar and your costs decrease.
To thrive, not just survive-you need to get ahead of the curve.
Read More...
Posted by Glen Mund on Mon, May 03, 2010 @ 05:14 PM
I am now a contributing blog author to the The Business Management Blog sponsored by Sage. Please check out my first article "Have Your Outgrown Your Current Accounting Software". I would love your feedback and your experiences.
http://blog.sageerpsolutions.com/have-you-outgrown-your-current-software-solution/