Darcy Boerio

5 Things Your Cloud Host Isn’t Telling You

March 12, 2019 by Darcy Boerio

Making the decision to move to a cloud host seems like it should be a simple thing. In most cases, it is. Unless you’ve overlooked these five key questions.

Cloud hosting requirements are often more complex than you may initially believe. Once you move your server outside the walls of your company office there are many important things you should consider.

Here are 5 important questions to ask your cloud hosting provider

How Frequently Do You Backup?

You’ll want to have at least a week’s worth of daily backups just in case a file needs to be recovered.

Some cloud hosts charge a fee for recovering files. If you need to frequently recover deleted files it’s best to find out the policy up front.

Ask how quickly your files can be recovered. Is support available after-hours and on weekends?

What Security Is Available For My Login

Two-factor or multi-factor authentication is one of the best ways to secure a login. Instead of just a password to login, what multi-factor uses is both something you know (your password) and something you have – typically an authentication tool which generates a one-time use code.

Combine that code with your password and you have security which a hacker cannot easily breach.

There are many different multi-factor tools available. Be sure to ask which toll your cloud provider works with.

Am I Sharing Server Space With Other Companies?

In many cases dozens of companies can be hosted on the same server. Multiple users on the same computer can cause issues in a few ways.

Performance slowdowns
Security risks from virus or crypto malware
Increased risk of downtime

Are You SSAE 18 Certified?

Many organizations such as nonprofit organizations, government entities, financial service companies, IT, transportation companies, health care providers, construction companies, insurance agencies, manufacturing, real estate, and trucking now require statements of compliance for their auditors.

Make sure you first ask your auditors what their requirements are before choosing a hosting provider.

Do You Support VPN (Virtual Private Networks)?

A VPN encrypts your Internet traffic from point to point. This means that even if someone were snooping in on your data, the information would be fully encrypted and unusable.

Some companies, especially those in highly secure industries such as finance or healthcare, require that all employees use a VPN when connecting to their servers remotely.

The team at Summit Hosting have been hosting Sage 100 and most of the popular third-party add-ons for over 10 years. If you’re considering moving Sage 100 / Sage 100cloud to the cloud, contact Summit Hosting to learn more. Don’t forget to mention “Schulz Says” for special pricing!

Meeting Of The Minds 2019 Wrapup

March 7, 2019 by Darcy Boerio

Who Are The 90 Minds?

The 90 Minds Group is a non-profit trade association of over 200 North American Sage 100 consultants and independent software vendors ( ISVs ).

The group, formed in 2005, strives to provide mutual support to their Sage 100 consultant members.

Annually the group has a two-day meeting where they trade best-practices and share knowledge used for supporting their Sage 100 customers.

Meeting Of The Minds 2019

8th Annual Meeting of the Minds – San Diego, February 2019

The 2019 Meeting of the Minds was held February 28, 2019 to March 2, 2019 in San Diego, California.

Approximately 150 consultants and ISVs attended the 2.5 day conference. The majority of the conference content was focused on providing an update about the next release of Sage 100cloud.

Additional updates were provided by various ISVs who delivered updates about their integrations and any new features.

A Full Two-Day Sage 100 Conference Agenda

What’s Coming In Sage 100cloud 2019?

The main topic of conversation for this conference was the upcoming release of Sage 100cloud version 2019.

First up was Sage North American. Timothy Harfield, VP of Marketing and Linda Cade, Product Manager for Sage 100 delivered a look ahead to the expected features in the next few releases of Sage 100cloud.

Sage North America Executives Provided An Update on Sage 100

Sage 100cloud version 2019 is expected April 2, 2019. The major new feature for this release will be the upgrading of Work Order and MRP modules to the latest programming framework.

These are the last two modules which Sage had been working to bring up to their latest programming standards. This new programming standard allows for certain types of user defined fields, scripting and data import to be more easily implemented.

Having these the last two modules at framework also means that all users of Sage 100cloud now have the ability to move to Sage 100cloud Premium aka SQL.

Sage 100 Production Management – Coming in 2019

This new module, available for both Sage 100 and Sage 100cloud, will replace the Work Order and MRP module which will stop being sold as of March 2019 with support ceasing in 2022.

Some of the expected features include:

On framework ( SQL / Sage 100cloud Premium compatible )
Extended field lengths for work order numbers & steps
Work order templates and revisions
One-click purchase order for outside processing
Import materials from bill of material or flat file
Simplified transaction workflow

Three New Manufacturing Extensions for Sage 100 & Sage 100cloud

In addition to Sage 100cloud Production Management, there are expected to be three additional manufacturing extensions.

Make to Order – formerly Sage 100cloud Manufacturing
Enhanced Scheduling
Product Configurator

Less Costly Manufacturing Licenses

New to Sage 100cloud 2019 is the availability of two types of licensing for Production Management

Standard Users – Access to all tasks
Shop floor users – Transactional tasks only

Rather than purchase expensive full Sage 100cloud licenses you will now have the ability to purchase limited licenses which are less costly and provide access to only the manufacturing functionality required.

Additional New Sage 100cloud Features

The following enhancements were also discussed. Some of these features may appear in a product update issued after the April release of Sage 100cloud 2019.

Paperless Office

Electronic delivery messages – additional merge fields
HTML email
File attachments
cc and bcc email addresses
Email copies to salesperson

Grad Caps

In the lower left corner of several modules, you will now find an image similar to a graduation cap. Clicking that image will take you to additional training resources relevant to the particular task.

Payroll Enhancements

Default bank code
Payroll advance checks
Reprint employer’s expense report
Tax payment checks
Tax rate inquiry
Expand department number
Include employer contribution on check / DD stub
Check reversal outside current quarter (security option)

General Enhancements

Improved System Activity Log
Data File Display and Maintenance for Sage 100 Premium ( SQL )
Paya click to pay functionality ( 2019.x )
Payroll reports enhanced for portrait layout ( Data Entry Report, Employers Expense Report and Check Register)

Sage 100cloud ISV Updates

During this meeting several ISVs provided updates on their product lines. Listed below are three enhancements and a list of what’s new and available for these solutions.

Warehouse Management for Sage 100cloud: Scanforce

In their session, ScanForce reviewed case studies of several large manufacturing and distribution companies using their mobile data capture technology to streamline warehouse operations. They also cited examples of some pretty big names using their technology, MTV and Whirlpool, to name a few.

In addition, they announced enhanced capabilities for pallets:

Pick to Pallet – Group items together at SO Picking/Staging and printing of Pallet tag from within mobile program. User is able to scan/select the Pallet ID at SF Pallet Shipping rather than each item/qty/lot/serial.
Pallet Tracking/License Plating (avail. Q2) – Detailed grouping of items and item info tied back to an ID Tag/Pallet Tag. Allows easy data capture/entry by scan/entry of an ID or Pallet Tag (sometimes referred to as a License Plate).

The attendees got a kick out of their Million Record Challenge, which compared the speed to retrieve one million item records from Sage 100 using various technologies.

Cloud Hosting for Sage 100cloud: Summit Hosting

Putting the ‘cloud’ in Sage 100cloud by putting Sage 100cloud in the cloud.”

Summit Hosting offers private cloud hosting for Sage 100 / Sage 100cloud. Each hosting customer has a dedicated server – no shared environments.

They offer 2-Factor Authentication (aka Secure Sign-On), an added layer of security that is no longer a “nice to have”, but a “must” for any cloud environment.

In addition to the free admin login every partner receives when their customers host with Summit, Summit Hosting also announced some partner program benefits exclusively for 90 Minds members.

Integrated Credit Card and ACH for Sage 100cloud: APS

APS Payments displayed their new ClickToPay for Sage 100cloud, a secure way for Sage 100cloud users to use eInvoicing and have invoices paid by their customers with one easy click.

They also highlighted the workflow efficiencies that can be achieved by using DSD Business Systems’ InstaDocs, an embedded document management solution, in conjunction with ClickToPay. Using these solutions together lets Sage 100 users automatically eInvoice their customer a copy of the invoice, plus all related documents stored in InstaDocs. The customer receives the email with all the attachments and a link to quickly and easily make a payment, which then flows into Sage 100.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYFQEEwlCnQ

APS Payments also announced support for DSD’s multi-currency and master invoice, further illustrating their connection to so many of the tools Sage 100 users need.

Sage Summit Atlanta – May 13-15, 2019

The next event on Sage’s calendar is their Sage Summit conference in Atlanta May 13-15, 2019.

Summit Atlanta will be a good opportunity for an update on the new Sage 100 release which will have been released by that time.

Is Sage 100 cloud hosting right for you?

February 12, 2019 by Darcy Boerio

Sage 100 and Sage 100cloud (despite its name) are not inherently cloud-based. A server, whether physically located on-premise in your office or at a hosting facility, is required to run these products.

Historically, many Sage 100 users have had to incur the costs and headaches associated with maintaining their own local server in order to use Sage 100. But over time, more and more users have chosen to outsource this effort to a cloud hosting partner.

Seven benefits of Sage private cloud hosting with Summit Hosting:

- Security –Keeping up with the latest security technology can be a full-time job. Are you doing all you can to prevent ransomware attacks like CryptoLocker and the like that can easily take down your entire business for days or weeks and cost tens of thousands of dollars? Encrypted logins, Two-Factor Authentication, and storage in a secure monitored data center are just a few of the measures Summit Hosting offers to keep your data secure.
- Backups – Many Sage 100 users say backups are a source of stress for them. Hosting takes the burden off you by backing up your data daily and retaining backups for 15 days (or longer if needed).
- Continuity – Summit Hosting customers enjoy 99.99% uptime of their servers.
- Convenience – Access Sage 100 remotely from just about anywhere, on any device without being tied down to a traditional desktop in the office.
- Disaster avoidance – No need to worry about the elements damaging your equipment. If your office experiences a disaster (flood, fire, robbery, power outage) your server will remain operable and accessible, so you can continue to run your business.
- Reduced IT expense – IT hardware and labor can be costly, especially when your equipment fails. With hosting, there are no surprise capital expenditures, just predictable, cost-effective monthly payments.
- Expert support – It’s important to be able to have your questions answered or hiccups resolved as quickly as possible. Summit Hosting provides 24/7/365 tech support – even on holidays and weekends – with a 97% satisfaction rating.

For over 10 years, Summit Hosting has been providing exceptional private cloud hosting to Sage 100 users on dedicated servers. We support all the major Sage 100 add-ons such as ScanForce, StarShip, Sage Inventory Advisor, CIMcloud by Website Pipeline, and more.

Contact us today with any questions or to receive a quote to move your Sage 100 solution to the cloud – we’re always happy to help!

Cloud Hosting – Additional ERP and Integrated Applications Supported

In addition to Sage 100, Summit Hosting can also provide hosting services for a wide variety of accounting systems.

If you are using Sage with one or more integrations (shipping, warehouse, reporting, EDI, etc) those can usually all be accommodated on a hosted platform.

Sage 50
Sage 50cloud
Sage 300
Sage 300cloud
Sage 500
Sage Enterprise Management ( Sage X3)
Sage 100 Contractor
Sage 300 Contruction and Real Estate
SageCRM
Sage Fixed Assets ( FAS )
Sage BusinessWorks
Sage HRMS

What is Sage 100cloud Multi-Bin Management, and do I need it?

February 5, 2019 by Darcy Boerio

Who can benefit from a Multi-Bin System? Just about any business who carries inventory.”

– Nicole Ronchetti, DSD Business Systems

For businesses who manage inventory, Sage 100 has much to offer. But one historical shortcoming has been the lack of Multi-Bin Management. Enter Sage 100cloud, where DSD/ScanForce Multi-Bin Basic comes free with your subscription!

Traditional Sage 100cloud allows for one bin location per item per warehouse.

With the free Sage 100cloud Multi-Bin enhancement, you can expand to multiple bins per item per warehouse – all fully compatible with the ScanForce Warehouse Management solutions for Sage100cloud.

What is Sage 100cloud Multi-Bin Management?

Multi-Bin Management allows you to track items across multiple bin locations in Sage without having to use clunky workarounds like creating “dummy” warehouses.

READ: Why did Sage add a “Warehouse Status” field in Sage 100?

At the surface, it’s a rather simple idea. Sometimes your inventory won’t fit in one particular bin location and needs to be stored in multiple physical locations within the warehouse. DSD/ScanForce Multi-Bin Basic makes incorporating bin location details right within Sage 100cloud seamless.

If that’s not enough reason for you to start using your free Sage 100cloud Multi-Bin tool, read on.

Don’t have items in multiple bins? That doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from Multi-Bin Management. There are numerous other practical uses in the warehouse.

From tracking items that need inspection before being put on the shelves to storing stock that is reserved for certain customers (i.e. Amazon or Wal-mart), there are many ways that warehouses can take advantage of this technology that gives them greater visibility into their inventory.

Sage 100cloud has the robust functionality of Multi-Bin Basic included, with an option to upgrade to more advanced features for those who need it.

To learn more about why you might want to try Multi-Bin Basic and which Multi-Bin tool is right for you, read: Which Multi-Bin is Right for You?

Want to get started with better inventory visibility through Multi-Bin Management? Contact your Sage partner or visit ScanForce.com.

10 Ways Mobile Sales for Sage 100 can improve your bottom line

January 8, 2019 by Darcy Boerio

It’s no secret that empowering your reps to complete sales transactions in the field will help them sell more, thereby increasing revenue. And a Sage-integrated Mobile Sales solution can also save you time (and therefore, money) by automating many of the time-consuming and error-prone tasks associated with the sales cycle.

Keep reading below for 10 ways that Mobile Sales for Sage 100 helps you improve your bottom line by making it easy to sell while streamlining operations.

Allowing your reps to view real-time information such a customer-specific pricing, quantity on hand, and order history will allow them to increase customer satisfaction by ensuring that they are selling the right products at the right price.
Sales tax is hard. With a Mobile Sales tool that’s integrated with Avalara, you don’t have to worry about your reps spending their time trying to calculate sales tax (and still maybe not getting it right). They can get real-time sales tax calculations for accurate invoicing at the point of sale.
Collecting payments on the spot is great for cash flow and AR. Mobile Sales tools that integrate with secure credit card processors like American Payment Solutions let you do just that.
Eliminate the paper chase by capturing signatures in the field digitally and storing them in Sage.
Receipts can be emailed or printed on the spot from the mobile device to close out the transaction.
Buy only the devices you need. A good Mobile Sales tool will work on just about any device – from rugged barcode scanning computers to smart phones, tablets and full-sized laptops.
There’s no need for your reps to learn how to use Sage to complete transactions. They have all the tools they need to close the deal at their fingertips with one easy to use app that optimized for mobility.
Speaking of Sage, you don’t need additional Sage licenses or modules to use most Mobile Sales tools.
You don’t need an internet connection to use Mobile Sales. Solutions like ScanForce Mobile Sales can operate with the latest synced data from Sage. Entries can be synced back to Sage when a connection becomes available.
Mobile Sales isn’t just for field sales reps. Put them at the counter, in the showroom, on the tradeshow floor, wherever your customers are when they’re ready to buy!

There are many options for Mobile Sales tools. ScanForce Mobile Sales is the only Mobile Sales solution for Sage 100 that offers all this functionality and more.

Read: What Makes ScanForce Mobile Sales Different?

To learn more, contact your Sage partner or visit the ScanForce website.