Sage 100

Consulting and Upgrades

Sage 100cloud – Providex ( PVX ) vs SQL – Pros And Cons

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As Sage 100 users migrate to  Sage 100cloud we are often advising them to consider whether a move to a SQL database may be of benefit to their operations.

One of the key benefits of the Sage 100cloud subscription is the ability to use any of the following flavors of Sage 100cloud with no additional charge for changing the underlying database driving Sage 100cloud:

  1. Sage 100cloud Standard  – Providex based
  2. Sage 100cloud Advanced – Providex based – runs in a client-server type environments
  3. Sage 100cloud Premium – SQL backend – runs on Microsoft SQL server

What’s The Best Option For Sage 100cloud: Providex or SQL?

Below is a condensed version of the pros and cons of changing your Sage 100cloud to a back-end SQL database. Typically we recommend considering this switch when you:

  1. Have significant database sizes (> 500 MB) and expecting to continue growing
  2. Noticeably slow reporting – especially with externally connected reports/queries
  3. 10+ users on the system concurrently (now or expected in the future)

Your end users don’t need to know anything about SQL. About the only thing they’ll notice is if they use the SOTAMAS90 for external reporting they will have to change drivers in favor of a connection to the SQL tables.

Benefits of SQL for Sage 100 and Sage 100cloud

  • No premium for premium (a true benefit of Sage 100cloud subscription)
  • External reports based on SOTAMAS90 pretty easy to convert to Premium
  • Customers notice a speed increase in external reporting (true value added)
  • Virtually all 3rd party ISV solutions work with Premium
  • Reporting via external tools/connections can be significantly faster
  • Straightforward to set up Sage 100cloud on Premium
  • The prior penalty for SQL speeds in native Sage screens seems mostly gone
  • Data File Display & Maintenance (DFDM) goes away but you can download a free DSD SQL DFDM
  • Skilled users can use SQL tools for query/changes (recommend locking users out of write capabilities)

Disadvantages of SQL for Sage 100 and Sage 100cloud

  • Need to be comfortable setting up a SQL server
  • Some customers reluctant to invest in a new server to maintain (especially if they don’t have on-staff IT person)
  • Sage has limited info about how to configure the SQL server
  • Easy to use SQL tools to change data without Sage 100cloud which could result in lost data if not performed by a qualified person
  • WO, MRP users can’t use Premium as of December 2018 (due Q1 2019)
  • Tricks you may do with Providex such as swapping in or out single data files are difficult/impossible with Premium
  • Cannot simply insert a new license key – a system upgrade will be required which involves migrating existing data to a new installation of Sage 100cloud Premium

 

If you are considering a move to Sage 100cloud Premium ( aka SQL ) then consult our summarized guide to selecting and configuring Microsoft SQL for Sage 100 Premium.

The use of SQL is a popular selection for growing Sage 100cloud customers with significant reporting requirements now or in the future.

For more information contacts us or give your Sage 100cloud partner a call.

How to setup Hightower’s TimeKeeper using ProvideX Web Server to run as a service

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I had a client purchase Hightower Timekeeper plus their remote timekeeping solution. The client intends to use the Timekeeper software to track time for 40 members of their staff as they work on different client matters throughout the day. At the end of the reporting period they’ll generate reports from the system that provide an accurate breakout of where the employee’s have spent their time. This makes allocations (and billing back expenses) much easier and more accurate than their old method which was basically to estimate.

One of the best things about Hightower Timekeeper is the remote solution. The setup is a snap and within 30 minutes we were able to log in on the client’s network and run a Timekeeper data entry screen via the web. All data entered is updated in real time to the Timekeeper module.

The licenses for Remote Timekeeper are cheaper ($40 ea) than regular Sage MAS 90 licenses so this is a much more economical way to gather time via the web.

The one piece of the puzzle that we had to give some thought to was how to setup the Web Server so that it ran as a service. We wanted to run the server software as a service so that a user would not have to remain logged in and so that in the event of a server reboot we could be assured that the server would startup unattended.

There are two components to this. The first is the PxPlus interpreter which by default configures itself to run as a service.

Setting up the ProvideX Web Server to run as a service

Here’s the information about running ProvideX web server as a service:

Open the PVX PLUS command prompt and paste in the code from here:

http://manual.pvxplus.com/appendix/webserver_service.htm

Full Document Viewable Here

Had to remove the “CONTROL” from the last line to get it to work on windows 2000. That installs the service, worked perfectly.

Just as an FYI – here’s the pricing on Timekeeper:

HighTower Library Master – $395

TimeKeeper – $2995

35 Device Licenses – $1400 (obviously you only purchase what you need here)

Client Care – $850 (software upgrades)

Contact Us

Schulz Consulting
Connecticut Office
Phone: 860.657.8544
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We are a local branch of DSD Business Systems Connecticut.