‘Partners Perspective’ Category

Free Introduction to Excel training at Sage University

Friday, August 27th, 2010

I don’t think there is any fee to sign up with Sage University. This particular course covers the basics of Excel 2007 and is ideal for new employees. Here is the link to Register. You may have to first register with the site:

Click ME

Here is the course description:

EOS2DIS1 – Discovering Excel Course

Anytime Learning Course
Course Level: Beginning Course Instructional Method: Self-paced Internet-based
Estimated Course Length: 7+ hours Number of Topics: 10
Course Content:

This Anytime Learning course provides an all around understanding of how Microsoft Excel works. You will learn how to develop spreadsheets using formulas and formatting and create charts ensuring you leave with a comprehensive knowledge of how to make Excel work for you.
Topics covered in ATL Topics include:

Understanding Microsoft Excel and working with Workbooks and Worksheets.
Managing and using multiple worksheets and creating multiple views.
Formatting and editing worksheets as well as printing and page setup.
Working with formulas and using functions and charts.

Schedule Id: 36557
Anytime Learning – ACS

Anytime Learning offers the convenience of Internet-based recorded sessions that are available whenever you are. All you need is a computer, speakers, and high-speed Internet connection. Anytime Learning is an ideal way to review material, acquaint new hires with basic software skills, and train your staff in remote offices.
Anytime Learning sessions offer an unlimited number of viewings during the subscription period.

Course Fee: $0.00 (USD)

Tags: ca, mas 200, mas 90, mas200, mas90, microsoft office excel, nj, ny, pa
Posted in Partners Perspective, SAGE, Tech Tips, Tips & Tricks Videos | No Comments »

Thinking of selling your business someday? You need to implement a CRM/ERP system now..

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

I came across an article in Accounting Today written by a regular columnist, Gene Marks. Gene talks about a ‘friend’ who is looking to sell his business and retire but is finding his business is worth less than he thinks. There a few common reasons mentioned including:

Non-exclusive product agreements
Non-exclusive employee agreements
No intention of staying on very long after the sale
And the most important reason? The lack of any CRM or ERP software that captures the essence of their customer relationships.

The conclusion I draw from this article is one I’ve always thought, but is now being validated by a respected media publication.

If you plan on selling your business someday, among other preparation that your CPA can assist with, you need to have software and systems in place that can help the business run like a well oiled machine when you leave. A modern ERP/CRM solution will let you know about your customers as PEOPLE. What sports they like, what beer they drink, what their holiday gift preferences are. A new owner will know about past pricing and deals on a customer by customer basis. A proper ERP/CRM solution will allow a new owner (and maybe even you!) to take a vacation and know the place can run without the need for your approval on everything.

A proper system will give significantly more comfort to the prospective buyer’s CPA that the numbers your produce are accurate and reliable. Low end solutions like Quickbooks allow for too much ‘slight of hand’ or back dating to allow for a level of comfort in your financials that are trustworthy. Higher end solutions provide the ability to audit and trace where transactions came from and give the knowledge that they couldn’t have been changed, even by the owner trying to sell the business.

The summary is that if you don’t want to invest in the business for now because you think you can maximize your personal cash flow, than do so for your retirement. A business run on a low end accounting program, sticky notes, and Excel isn’t going to fetch much in the upcoming competitive market as the baby boomers are retiring and want to sell their businesses to a shrinking post baby boom buying population.

Tags: business valuation, ca, ct, erp crm, nj, ny, pa, sell your business, tx
Posted in Industry Insights | No Comments »

Some blog articles truly are worthless

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Below is a blog article I found purporting to compare Microsoft Dynamics AX to Sage ERP X3. If you read this, it isn’t quite written by a ‘bot’ but could very well have been put together in an ‘overseas factory.’

This is either the worlds worst blog or much more likely yet another attempt to game Google and other search engines by hitting keywords.

There is virtually nothing useful in the ‘comparison’ itself that would help anybody deciding between the two systems. On that note, feel free to contact us via info@clientsfirst-us.com if you want an honest comparison between these system relative to your specific actual needs.

Here is the original blog post:

Comparison on Sage ERP X3 Vs Microsoft Dynamics AX ERP Software

The debate on Sage ERP X3 vs Microsoft Dynamics AX makes taking a decision very difficult because they are both competitive, manufacturing oriented and capable of providing effective business solutions. In order to find out which one is most suitable for a certain company, one needs to make an in depth analysis of the features and options the software provides.

(more…)

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Going Green with ERP

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

by Sheldon Kralstein

When we think about “Going Green” we tend to visualize conservation, protecting nature and our fragile environment. Businesses and technology play a very important role in the Green initiative where the definition can be extended to include:

Reduction of operating costs resulting in increased profits
Gains in efficiency and productivity
Improved customer service
Reduction of environmental stress

(more…)

Tags: AX, california, carbon emissions, ct, energy saving, epicor, global warming, mas 200, mas 500, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, nj, ny, pa, Sage MAS 90, SAP Business One, tx
Posted in Industry Insights | No Comments »

Clients First Receives Prestigious President’s Award

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Like a lot of businesses, we have been fighting hard over the last few years to maintain our business during this latest recession. And it’s paid off.

This month we were recognized with the prestigious 2010 Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club Award.

But what exactly does this mean? The President’s Club Award recognizes the top 5% of Microsoft Dynamics Partners worldwide. It honors our dedication to delivering solutions that meet our clients’ unique needs, active pursuit of product and technological advancement, and sales performance.

Already, the first six months of 2010 have been incredible for us, with a boost of new clients by 600%.

That’s not a typo – 600%. This success has come as a result of multiple factors:

Listening to your feedback and continually honing how we work with you in order to give you what you want.
Practising integrity by focusing on value to your business rather than simply trying to sell you on bells and whistles you may not need.
Keeping you educated on the latest innovations in your industries and systems, whether face-to-face or via our website.

We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our customers, new and repeat, for trusting Clients First. We could not have achieved this without you and we look forward to continuing to work with you.

Tags: ca, ct, nj, ny, pa, top partners, top var, tx
Posted in Featured, Industry Insights | No Comments »