Kissinger is pleased to announce that the EDI Advantage 2010 4.50 Upgrade Release (4.50.1) is now available for customers and resellers.

This release is compatible with Sage MAS 90 and 200 Version 4.5 Product Update 3, as well as the SQL version. It includes software enhancements and program fixes, and should be installed for all customers.

New Enhancements in EDI Advantage 4.50:

• Document Forwarding

  Automatically forward documents from one trading partner to another!

• Customer Assignment

  More flexibility! Assign customers to Sales Orders by department, ship to, etc.

 
The Details
The EDI Advantage 4.50 release is available for download from the Customer Portal or Business Partner Portal on the Kissinger website. We recommend that customers contact their reseller to obtain this release and ensure their Sage Software is properly prepared.

Please review the download notes for important information. Purchasing Partner 4.50 is not included, and will appear in the next release.

If you have any questions about this release, please let us know.

This year’s Customer Appreciation Party is getting a dose of young blood with the addition of Country music darling Jake Owen!

Owen, of the #1 hit single “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” will appear alongside the legendary Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry, and Diamond Rio at Sage Presents: A Night at the Grand Ole Opry on August 15th, the most rockin’ night of Sage Summit.

While most of the evening’s stars are children of the 60′s, with an impressive host of platinum albums and country music awards between them, 30-year-old Owen’s career is just starting to take off. In 2009, the Academy of Country Music awarded him “Top New Male Vocalist,” and last year he joined crossover superstar Keith Urban on his 2011 Get Closer world tour.

Owen brings a burst of young energy to a stage packed with classics, and a bit of “bad boy” status after recent news of some Cinco de Mayo debauchery. In March, his single “Alone With You” become his second song to hit #1 on the country chart, and today marks one month since he became engaged to his girlfriend Lacey Buchanan after proposing onstage.

One thing’s for sure: this year’s Customer Appreciation Party is going to be pretty memorable. And don’t forget, these amazing headliners will have a very special opening act—the winners of the Battle of the Bands at the Sage Partner Appreciation Party!

To get ready for this foot-stompin’ good time, check out some trivia on the performers who will be tearing up the Opry floorboards:

• All but one of Trace Adkins’ studio albums have received gold or platinum certification in the US, with 2005′s Songs About Me reaching 2x Multi-Platinum status for shipping two million copies.
• Adkins is the voice of the recurring character “Elvin” on the long-running animated series King of the Hill.
• Adkins lost his left pinky finger in an accident while opening a bucket with a knife, and asked doctors to reattach it at an angle so he could continue playing the guitar.
• Country duo Montgomery Gentry is composed of two Kentucky natives, Gerald Edward Montgomery and Troy Gentry.
• Troy Gentry went solo for a period in the 1990s and won the Jim Beam National Talent Contest in 1994.
• Since the band’s formation in Nashville in 1984, Diamond Rio has been comprised of the same six members: Gene Johnson (mandolin, guitar, fiddle, tenor vocals), Jimmy Olander (lead guitar, Dobro, Danelectro, banjo), Brian Prout (drums), Marty Roe (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Dan Truman (keyboards, organ, synthesizer), and Dana Williams (bass guitar, baritone vocals).
• The name “Diamond Rio” comes from the names of two truck manufacturers, Diamond T and REO.
• A trademark of Diamond Rio’s sound is the custom-built B-Bender guitar played by Jimmy Olander. He refers to this instrument as the Taxicaster, because its yellow body and black-and-white checkered pickguard resemble a taxicab.
• Besides playing country music, Jake Owen is also well-known in model railroad circles, and has been an avid collector since childhood.

Images courtesy of: freeimageslive

I want to recommend all Sage MAS 90 and 200 (soon to be Sage 100) users to download and install the most recent Tax Table Update from Sage.

Contact your reseller for instructions on how to get this update.

Why the Update?

On June 30, 2011, the 0.2% surtax on the Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) expired. The most recent Tax Table Update from Sage will make sure your system reflects this change. The update was first made available in the Q3 2011 Tax Table Update.

FUTA is paid by employers to fund the federal unemployment benefit program. The permanent tax rate for this is 6.0%, but a temporary 0.2% surtax was added by Congress in 1976. After many extensions, the surtax expired last year amidst debt ceiling talks in Congress.

Product Updates are now available for Sage MAS 500 Version 7.40 and Version 7.30. You can find the updates in the Sage Customer Portal or contact your reseller for assistance.

There are also new Reporting Trees and Report Distribution features for Sage MAS Intelligence (*separate download)

Version 7.40 (7.40.3) Product Update:

• Enhancement to Project Accounting Credit Memos
• Modifications to Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Purchase Order, and Sales Order

Version 7.30 (7.30.9) Product Update:

• Updates to Project Accounting and Purchase Order
• Support for Microsoft Office 2010 SP1

The Read Me files and Release Notes for these Product Updates are very important. And remember to back that data up!

Sage has released Product Update 3 for Sage MAS 90 and 200 Version 4.5, and Product Update 9 for Sage MAS 90 and 200 Version 4.4.

Both are now available in the Sage Customer Portal.

Product Update 3 (4.50.3.0) highlights:

• Enhancements to Payroll and Inventory Management
• Fixes to Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Sales Order
• Additions to Library Master and Purchase Order

Product Update 9 (4.40.0.09) highlights:

• Enhancements to Payroll and Inventory Management
• Fixes to Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Library Master, Purchase Order, and Sales Order

Be sure to review the Read Me files and Release Notes on the Product Update page. That’s where you’ll see all the enhancements and corrections included in the update, as well as friendly reminders. And remember, always make a back up!

Compatibility with Kissinger Enhancements

Checking the compatibility of all your third-party software is crucial to continue smooth operation of your ERP software.

All Kissinger Enhancements are compliant as-is with the Sage 2012 941 Form Update (P/R).

ACH Direct and AIA Job Cost Billing 4.50 are compliant with Sage MAS 90/200 4.50 Product Update 3. However, there are compliance fixes for Certified Payroll and Union Automation*.

EDI Advantage 2010 4.40 (any version) and ACH Direct 4.40 are compliant with Sage MAS 90/200 4.40 Product Update 9. There are compliance fixes for AIA Job Cost Billing, Certified Payroll, and Union Automation.

*You can obtain a compliance fix by logging into Kissinger’s Customer Portal or Business Partner Portal.

Questions on Kissinger Enhancements or compatibility? Let us know!

I was initially uncertain about this Sage City thing.

I saw claims that it would “change everything” about networking. The “unexpected is expected.” Frankly, my impression was that the capital-S Social Media were being combined with in-person chatting (gasp!), and we’d all be gathering in something called Villages…I was imagining something like a Model-UN tweet-up.

So here’s what I’ve gleaned, presented in the most basic and reductive way possible.

It’s An Event

Sage City is more of a when than a where: it’s a single-evening event on the first night of Customer Days—Tuesday, August 14th from 3:30pm to 6pm.

Where You Divide Into Groups

There will be nine “villages” set up for attendees to visit in two rotations, and it sounds like you can visit as many as you’d like in the time available. The event will be divided into two halves, with food (“City Bites”) in between. Villages are devoted to common business interests and fields, dividing attendees into large groups based on shared goals and backgrounds. You’ll even get a map and instructions in a Sage City Pocket Guide.

Within each village, attendees can divide into even smaller groups, ideally 5 – 8 people, based around hot topics chosen through previous surveys or created spontaneously on site.

And Write On Whiteboards

Each topic will be listed on a chat wall, a whiteboard-style sign erected in each village. Attendees can pose questions, write their ideas and solutions, and graffiti share outcomes of their hot-topic conversations.

Customers, Partners, and Sage Employees

• In Sage’s words, “It’s all about the customer,” because they are the target attendees. Customers should see Sage City as their playground, where they can explore villages and hot topics to share their experiences and challenges with peers and group facilitators. Customers are also encouraged to share their interests before Summit by using registration surveys, social media, and Facewall – the new Sage Summit registrant directory/networking tool.
• Partners can visit villages and hot topics in the same manner as customers, or serve as a Village Host. Village Hosts facilitate discussions in hot topic areas and share their own experiences and perspectives. Village Hosts don’t even need to be experts, they just need to be friendly, engaging participants who will enjoy making introductions, encouraging conversations, and coalescing group ideas for the chat wall.
• Sage employees will be on hand to answer questions on just about anything, and Sage executives are planning to live-tweet the event. More information will be released in the coming months, including a more detailed agenda.

You Said Social Media?

Absolutely! It’s unclear how social media will tie into the in-person conversations at Sage City, but you can bet just as much action will be going on in the virtual world as in the physical one.

Hot topics will be selected through online interactions, village meet-ups can be coordinated through Twitter and Facebook, and attendees will find a myriad of ways to take advantage of the new social hub for Sage Summit, Facewall. Facewall promotes pre-event networking by offering attendees the ability to create online profiles, search for and message other registrants, and add links to their other social media sites. Facewall launches on April 19th to coincide with Early Bird registration for Summit.

The Sage Summit mobile app will also return (available for download in May), and Sage Summit 2012 will feature a Social Networking Lounge in the Delta Lobby near registration, where attendees can ask social media related questions and get help setting up accounts. Stay connected to social media news for Sage Summit by visiting their info page here.

But Most Importantly…Talking

The main thing to remember is that Sage is going the extra mile to make valuable conversations easier for customers and partners. By providing the support, structure, and real estate for Sage Summit attendees to have focused, engaging interactions, they are removing some of the mystery of that elusive conference buzzword, networking, and creating excitement and novelty around a well-worn concept.

By syncing with online interactions that are already creating communities around business interests and hot topics, Sage City will provide the time and space to make new connections and deepen pre-existing relationships face-to-face.

So start connecting now! We’d love to get to know you.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Note: The pictures above are renderings and are subject to change.

The “10 Ways to Improve Your Web Presence”
Guide from Kissinger is now available!

How will you improve your web presence this year?

• Redesign your website?
• Make your website more attractive to customers?
• Improve the way you use social media?

These are just some of the projects companies are exploring this year to do better business online.

You’ll find the top 10 (ok 11, there’s a bonus!) web projects in this free guide.

The easy-to-understand recommendations, as well as search engine optimization (SEO) considerations, will help you plan smart as you look at your 2012 web marketing strategy and goals.

Here’s a sample from the guide:

Show Suggested/Related Products in Your Online Store

Integrating your online store and business software offers many possibilities. One of the most popular is a Suggested/Related Products function for your online store.

When a customer is on a product detail page, the online store can pull items from the same product family and populate the page.

This enables you to cross market your popular items, show items that relate to a customer’s previous purchases, offer last-minute deals, and encourage customers to purchase accessories

Check out the guide, start improving your web presence, and let us know what you think in the comments!

It’s that time of year again…when Sage groupies start buzzing about what’s new and what’s coming back bigger and better than ever at Sage Summit 2012!

Of course, there are plenty of great reasons to attend Sage Summit. Face-to-face networking, enlightening sessions, hands-on workshops, peer-to-peer discussions, and engaging keynotes. But who can deny the allure of a fantastically thrown party? I know I’m not the only one who looks forward to these extra-curriculars most of all!

Last year, we were blown away by Sage’s exclusive shindig at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, where partners and customers could take in an IMAX planetarium show, rub elbows with the likes of Neil Armstrong and Amelia Earhart, and pilot a flight simulator!

Fire & Ice Party - Sage Summit 2011

Sage Summit 2011′s grand experiment with partner bands met with resounding success at the Fire & Ice Party, where 27 courageous musicians (partners, vendors, and Sage employees), formed three brand-new groups and performed live in front of an audience of more than 2,000 attendees with only a 90-minute rehearsal as preparation.

And they rocked like pros!

This year, Sage is taking it to the next level, Nashville-style. The bands are back—and this time they’re going to battle. It’ll all go down at the Sage Rocks the Block Partner Appreciation Party on Monday, August 13th. In the tradition of an election year, there will be voting.

Here’s the best part: the winning band gets an incredible prize—a performance on stage at the legendary Grand Ole Opry for an audience of thousands! A mere two days after their debut, the winning band will open for headliners Trace Adkins, Montgomery Gentry, and Diamond Rio at the annual customer bash—now that’s what I call a rock star experience!

You don’t want to miss the excitement this year, especially with this extra-special Country twist! So y’all come back now, y’hear?

Union Automation 4.50, the latest release of Kissinger’s union payroll and reporting enhancement, is now available for download.

Union Automation 4.50 is compatible with Sage MAS 90 and 200 4.50 Product Update 2 (4.50.2.0). A program fix may be required for future Sage product updates or hot fixes.

Please contact your reseller to ask about upgrading. You can also read more about Union Automation here.

How to download Union Automation 4.50*:

*Requires Kissinger Enhancement Support

1. Navigate to the Customer Portal (top right hand corner of kissingerassoc.com)
2. Enter your Username and Password
3. Click “Licensed Enhancement Software Downloads” near the bottom of the page
4. Choose Union Automation at the bottom of the enhancement list
5. Click “UAP4.50.exe”

Contact your reseller before upgrading or if you need assistance with the install process. You can download the file in an .exe or .zip format. Be sure to follow the directions on data migration, if applicable.

About Union Automation

Union Automation for Sage MAS 90 and 200 is an enhancement to the Payroll module that performs union labor calculations on wages, deductions, and fringe benefits. You also get the required reports, along with the option to generate them monthly or at every pay period.

Certified Payroll is a closely related solution for the Payroll module. Learn which solution is right for you at our Union Automation vs. Certified Payroll page.

Business Intelligence (BI) is an integral part of making business decisions. BI often utilizes key financial data, reports, and business monitoring to help executives and managers build a more cost-effective and efficient business.

With so much attention paid to analyzing data and customizing reports down to the smallest detail, business monitoring does not get as much recognition.

Business monitoring solutions watch your business data (financials, inventory counts) and communications (emails) for important business events (stock shortages, overdue invoices). Then, they sort through all that noise to pinpoint actionable items.

The best business monitoring options combine the observation aspect with automated alerts, so you know when those important events occur. Then, you can act on them quickly and run a smarter, more responsive business. Almost like you have an “invisible assistant” working for you.

Join our free Sage KnowledgeSync class to learn more about business monitoring and alerts:

March 14, 2012

10am – 11am ET (online)

Check out our website for more information on Business Intelligence for Sage MAS 90 and 200 and Sage MAS 500.

Note: Sage MAS 90 and 200 will become Sage 100. Sage MAS 500 will become Sage 500.