Tool of the Month

Posted on March 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

If you like working with your keyboard, a number of hot keys are available to make it quicker and easier for you to perform certain tasks in the system. Different hotkeys are available in different CRM screens. You can identify the availability of a hotkey when you see that the first letter of the action button name is underlined. Selecting Alt plus the letter that is underlined performs that action. For example if letter T is underlined on the New Task action button on the current screen, selecting Alt and T creates a new task

The complete list of hotkeys that are available are:

General

  • Alt + A: Creates a new appointment within the Calendar / Tasks or Communications tab.
  • Alt + T: Creates a new task within the Calendar / Tasks or Communications tab.
  • Alt + E: Creates a new E-mail within the Calendar / Tasks or Communications tab.
  • Alt + V: Switches between Calendar and List view within the Calendar / Tasks or Communications tab.
  • Alt + F: Filters a list according to the criteria you specified.
  • Alt + N: Creates a new entity in the current context.
  • Alt + C: Lets you exit from some screens.
  • Alt + S: Saves records.

Drop Down Lists

Drop-down lists provide predefined lists of selections. They help increase the accuracy of data entry and make filtering and reporting on data much easier. Drop-down lists can be accessed by selecting the drop-down arrow with the mouse, or ALT +! on the keyboard.

Checkboxes

Checkboxes can be toggled on or off by clicking in the checkbox. An example of a checkbox is the Private field of a communication (task or appointment). You can also toggle the checkbox using the Spacebar on the keyboard.

Posted in March 2006, Newsletter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Defining Customer Intelligence Requirements By Dr. Nancy Rauseo

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

Implementing a physical CRM software solution is the easy
part. Figuring out what information to capture in the CRM solution and
how to use it are the more difficult tasks. Before thinking about a CRM
software solution, companies first need to identify the required data
and manage their use in customer-related activities. This article will
focus on conducting an inventory of the customer data available in your
company and identifying the gap between the required and the available
data.

Customer intelligence is on a continuum that begins with data. It is
important to distinguish between the terms data, information, knowledge
and intelligence. Data are simply sets of discrete, objective facts about
events or people. Alone, they don’t mean anything. Information is data
that has meaning and makes a difference. It sends a message. Knowledge
is a fluid mix of experiences, values and insights that provide a framework
for evaluating and incorporating new experiences. Intelligence is the
capacity to acquire and apply knowledge. Each of these terms is a prerequisite
of the previous one on the continuum. You can’t attain intelligence without
first capturing the right data, turning them into information, and transforming
them into knowledge.

A solid customer intelligence plan begins with a vision of CRM in your
company, i.e. what do you want your customer relationships to look like
in the future? Establishing a CRM vision statement allows you to stay
focused on the type of intelligence you will require in order to attain
that vision.
Another consideration is the type of customers you do business with. Are
they consumers, businesses, government organizations, internal departments
or all of these? Each customer type will require a different CRM vision
and customer intelligence requirements.

Identifying customer intelligence begins with a general assessment of
your current situation. This assessment should be a collaborative, cross-functional
effort. Your assessment team should be able to answer these three questions,
using your CRM vision as a benchmark.

• What do you currently know about your customers?
• What don’t you know about your customers?
• What do you think you need to know about your customers?

Once you have a general idea of your required intelligence, you can begin
to drill down into the specifics. The outcome of this drilling down is
a data requirements document. Customer intelligence can be categorized
into four main areas: contact, demographic, transactional, and behavioral.

Contact Data

The simplest form of customer intelligence is contact data. Here are
some sample questions these data should address:

• Who are my customers?
• How can I contact them?
• Who is involved in the buying process?

Contact data includes full names, addresses (both street and delivery),
phone numbers, emails, fax numbers, etc. For business customers, you should
also identify the position and role of each person in the decision-making
process within that company, such as buyer, influencer, approver, gatekeeper,
etc.

Demographic Data

This type of data encompasses characteristics and attributes about each
customer. For consumers, such data can include age, gender, occupational
status, household size, marital status, educational level, household income,
stage of family lifecycle, ethnic origin, and religion. For business customers,
these data can consist of the standard classification code (SIC), geographic
dispersion, size (according to your criteria), account status, buying
style, propensity to switch, and account value.

Transactional Data

This type of data focuses on historical events and outcomes. Below is
a list of some sample questions this information should answer for your
company:

• What interactions has your company had with the customer?
• How has your company interacted with the customer? Through what areas/departments?
What have the main touch points been?
• What products or services has the customer purchased from your company
and when?
• What has been offered to the customer but not been purchased?
• What is the customer’s payment history? How much have they purchased
from your company?
• How frequently does the customer contact your company?
• When was the last time the customer contacted your company?

Behavioral Data

This type of data helps us to understand the intentions, preferences,
needs, motivations and expectations of a customer. While the transactional
data addresses the past, behavioral data concentrates more on predicting
the future. For example, in order to better serve customers based on their
preferences, a company must know what those preferences are. Preferences
may encompass many activities throughout the company. A customer preference
consists of more than just one data field – it’s a collection of data
nuggets that collectively represent preference knowledge of that customer.
These nuggets must be collected across various business processes and
departments. A company must then understand those processes and the type
of information that is exchanged with customers at specific touch points.

Here are some sample questions that should be addressed under this category
of data:

• What does the customer intend to buy from your company? Attaching probabilities
is helpful.
• What chance does your company have of closing a particular deal?
• What are the requirements of a particular social or demographic segment?
• Why do customers do business with you? What motivates them?
• What do they like about your company? What don’t they like?
• What are your customers’ reasons for buying your products? What problems
are the customers trying to solve? Identify their problems, not your products.
• What is your customer’s ideal of excellent service?
• What does your customer think they deserve in relation to service?
• How are customers influenced by others through word-of-mouth?
• Do your customers refer your company to others?

Your company may find that you don’t have the answers to many of these
questions. If the answers are critical to attaining your CRM vision, they
become requirements for your customer intelligence. The exercise of identifying
current and future customer intelligence needs should not be limited to
the questions above, which are provided as a guide.

Dr. Nancy Rauseo is on the faculty of Florida International University’s
College of Business Administration where she teaches marketing. Nancy
holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University
and an M.B.A and Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to her
teaching career, she held various senior management positions for over
20 years in the areas of sales, marketing and technology implementation.
Dr. Rauseo is also Instructor for FIU’s Professional Certification Program
in CRM. The next program runs on three (3) consecutive Fridays – February
24, March 3, and March 10. For more information, visit: http://cba.fiu.edu/web/ope/crm.htm

Posted in February 2006, Newsletter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are RFID or custom label requirements impacting your company?

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

In today’s market, several vendors are impacted on a daily
basis by mandates being imposed by the industry giants. These mandates
have been placed on manufactures for years that have produced “private-label”
products. Now these requirements are affecting almost every company that
delivers products today. They vary from specialty packaging labels requiring
the customer’s specific item number and bar-code fonts on the merchandise
being sold so that it arrives labeled and ready for the customer’s shelves.
Other requirements are placed on the packaging that these items are being
shipped in. Most large customers require that specific information such
as the customer purchase order, quantity, item number appear on the carton
label. Others, who utilize distribution centers, require distribution
center, cross-docking information, delivery store information. RFID News
& Solutions reported in their August 30, 2005 publication that “Nearly
half of consumer goods makers, a third of food and beverage makers, and
a quarter of textile and apparel manufacturers that responded to the survey
are implementing RFID because of Wal-Mart’s mandate.” To implement and
keep up with this information is extremely complicated with out a Warehouse
Management Software solution.

We have all seen the UPS commercial where the truck is stopped in the
desert by an individual standing in the street “because the package told
them that they were lost” So we ask what is the difference between a bar
code and a RFID tag?

Bar code is the short name for a UPC Bar Code. "UPC" stands
for Universal Product Code. UPC bar codes were originally created to help
grocery stores speed up the checkout process and keep better track of
inventory, but the system quickly spread to all other retail products
because it was so successful. UPC’s originate with a company called the
Uniform Code Council (UCC). A manufacturer applies to the UCC for permission
to enter the UPC system. The manufacturer pays an annual fee for the privilege.
In return, the UCC issues the manufacturer a six-digit manufacturer identification
number and provides guidelines on how to use it.

RFID is the acronym for radio frequency identification. Industry analyst
believe that when the UPC bar code is replaced by smart labels, also called
radio frequency identification (RFID) tags long lines at stores will be
eliminated. RFID tags are intelligent bar codes that can talk to a networked
system to track every product that you put in your shopping cart. RFID
tags, a technology once limited to tracking animals, will soon be tracking
trillions of consumer products worldwide. Manufacturers will know the
location of each product they make from the time it’s made until it’s
used and tossed in the recycle bin or trash can. In this article, you’ll
learn about the types of RFID tags in development and how these smart
labels will be tracked through the entire supply chain.

Gartner, Inc. is the world’s largest Information Technology research
and advisory company. They have provided the following insights on the
future of bar coding and RFID’s. "Just because bar codes are used
extensively in distribution centers does not mean RFID will be,"
said Jeff Woods, research vice president at Gartner. "Businesses
are beginning to discover business value in places where they cannot use
bar coding, which will be the force that moves RFID forward. As the innovators’
trials become public, broader deployments across emerging sectors, not
just consumer goods and retail, will become evident in 2006 and 2007."
"For the most part, bar codes are better at collecting data in highly
structured and engineered processes, such as warehouses, and this will
likely continue for the next five to seven years," Mr. Woods said.
"However, RFID tags will be used for data collection of mobile assets
and in largely chaotic or unstructured business processes, ranging from
retail environments to hospitals, enabling these environments that lack
sophisticated process engineering or controls to be systematically managed."
Gartner analysts said companies should not think of RFID tags as a replacement
for bar codes. The two technologies will coexist with users applying the
right data collection technology for the right process situation.

As you consider the requirements being placed on your company there are
several things that you should consider when implementing a UPC bar code
or RFID system. Manufacturing Insights suggests the “Options” approach.

“The Options approach involves three steps:

1. Recognize and Create Options for RFID Investment: Identify organizational
options, risk factors and uncertainties using a needs-focused analysis
of business processes, systems architecture and resource capabilities.
Explains Mike Witty, Manufacturing Insights program director, demand management
strategies, “Companies have put blinders on. They’ve been asked to comply
and so they’ve taken the least-cost approach, rather than looking at RFID
as a strategy and saying that for it to be successful it must be incorporated
into overall business processes.” The longer-term view would say “invest
today in a little bit more of an infrastructure that allows you to take
advantage of these other options when they become viable,” Witty says,
including more collaboration with more trading partners to improve efficiency
in distribution. “In the cold chain, it might be the ability to understand
when a unit is above temperature and all the food is going to spoil.”

2. Value the Options: Place a systematic, accepted value on each option.
This requires considering unknowns, such as when a drug chain partner
might adopt RFID, and assigning a potential future value. There is “more
risk today but greater value in the future,” Witty says. It means that
an RFID investment today “is not a throw-away cost that then causes you
to have to invest all over again” to realize that future value.

3. Extract Value From IT Project Options: Establish checkpoints to manage
the options approach successfully. For instance, Witty says, a company
may determine that when “five more retailers have adopted RFID, it will
be easier to roll out (an existing solution) than to set up five more
stand-alone solutions. Or that it will be time to move from passive to
active tags, or to add temperature sensing.”

If your company is currently facing these compliance issues and needs
assistance with implementing a warehouse management, UPC bar coding or
RFID system please feel free to contact us for more information at info@axisglobalpartners.com

Posted in February 2006, Newsletter | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Effectively Communicating Employee Benefits

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

Companies today spend thousands of dollars on benefit
packages to attract and retain good employees. These benefits range from
pension, 401k, and other retirement packages to medical, dental, life
and disability insurance packages to name a few. Effectively communicating
these benefits to employees in a timely and consistent manner is difficult
when most of management’s focus is spent on operational issues. This may
put your organization at the risk of losing key employees whom do not
know or do not understand what benefits are being provided to them. Helping
employees understand their total compensation packages including benefits
enables them to make the proper comparisons when contemplating other opportunities.

This issue is difficult to resolve for many companies in the SMB market
place. There are many options that can be used to educate employees. They
range from:

1. Providing employees with documentation to read and make decisions
(publication are costly to employers and need replaced on a frequent basis).
2. Having agents from the pension or insurance companies speak to employees
at company meetings (costs of shutting down operations for meetings along
with the payroll dollars consumed can be very costly).
3. Having employees’ access information through the internet (can prove
to be unreliable unless directed through a company website or portal).

At Axis, we recommend that employers utilize a combination of all three.
Sage Accpac HRMS offers a component which allows employees to access company
information over the internet. Benefits can be introduced in company meetings
but employees can research and enroll in those benefits at their leisure
over the internet. This component is called Sage Accpac HRMS Self Service.

With Sage Accpac HRMS Self Service, employers can empower their employees with
all the information at their finger tips. They can see which benefits
they are eligible. Select and enroll in those benefits. Download electronic
handbooks, link to provider’s websites, select doctors and assign beneficiaries.
This is portal that provides instant access and can fulfill employees’
needs for benefit research, education and selection. Additionally, since
manuals, enrollment forms, insurance booklets, etc., can be maintained
electronically and updated frequently, it proves to be one of the most
economical methods of communicating benefits to employees.

If your company would like more information on Sage Accpac HRMS Self Service,
please contact us at info@axisglobalpartners.com.

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The Top 5 Questions To Assess Your Returns Processes

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

No one wants to deal with returned goods. It means something
went wrong. The wrong item was shipped, a part was missing or faulty,
the customer was sold the wrong product or they changed their mind.

If you’re dealing with returns or repairs and wondering if it’s possible
to handle the logistical and financial implications more effectively,
ask yourself the following 5 questions to identify whether your processes
could benefit from automation.

Can we effectively control which inventory items get authorized
for returns and/or repairs?

For starters, your system should be able to document your policies for
handling returned items and whether you allow returns against all inventory
items or only some. If you do allow returns is it only for a specific
period after the date of sale or does the return policy last for the life
of the product?

The other aspect you need to control is how, when and where the customer
can return the item and how long it takes for the customer to return the
item. Good systems provide return instruction documents which provide
all relevant information to help your customer return items quickly and
efficiently prior to a predetermined deadline date. If the items are not
returned by the deadline date, the RMA will expire and the customer will
have to make another RMA request.

While it is important to have consistent policies to maintain control
over what items can be returned, it is also important to allow for exceptions
to those policies when an important customer calls and the situation warrants
an exception to the rule. In these cases, managers need the ability to
authorize returns by overriding the system-based return policies. This
is all part of good customer service.

Can we effectively communicate the status of our returns process
when customers call?

The returns process is primarily a management process that requires a
series of pre-defined steps or tasks (what can be called a workflow) in
order to ensure that returns are handled properly. In many cases, an RMA
needs to be created, items shipped back, received and inspected before
any accounting transaction is generated. All of these steps need to be
documented so our customer service representatives can communicate effectively
with customers if and when they call. Having happy customers is really
about setting realistic expectations and then managing their expectations
through timely communication. Customers are usually reasonable if they
know we are managing the process and can provide accurate information
as to the status of returned or repaired goods. If you can set up a workflow
of steps that documents your returns and repairs processes, you will handle
these internal processes more efficiently and be better equipped to communicate
the status and results of these processes with your customers.

Can we identify recurring problems with stock items and pinpoint
the types of issues we are having if we need to go back to our suppliers
for restitution?

A good system can identify and document the reasons for returns and repairs
which will lead to improvements that save time and money. If a supplier
is providing faulty products or missing parts we need to know this before
it affects our reputation with customers. If items are being damaged in-transit,
we need to know whether our shipper is at fault for improper packaging
of items or whether the freight forwarder is causing the damage. It is
also useful to have reports from the system which highlight return rates
by items and by customers so it is easy to spot a high incidence of returns.
We may find that customers are taking advantage of generous returns policies
as a way to “test-drive” products with no intention of keeping them.

Can we generate Replacement Orders and/or Credit Notes for customers
on a timely basis and update our accounting system without re-keying data?

The ideal RMA system is tightly integrated with Sales Order processing
and Inventory Control so any transactions that result from our returns
and repairs processes are seamlessly updated in the accounting system.
This level of integration allows creation of immediate Replacement Orders
in the Sales Order system to replace items that were damaged in-transit
or may be critical to our customers. This also allows other items to be
added to the order if there are other pending sales orders for the same
customer.

In this scenario, processing of Credit Notes can be delayed until after
the item has been returned and inspected. When a Credit Note is created,
it will automatically put the item back into stock or place it in a designated
“quarantine” area for refurbishment or repair before being put back into
resalable stock.

Having the ability to designate stock to a designated “quarantine” area
in the warehouse as part of the Inventory Control system provides information
on the quantity and dollar value of returned items to be refurbished so
we can see how much money is tied up in returned inventory at any one
time.

Can we determine how long it takes to complete the returns/repairs
process?

Since handling returns and repairs is a management process that can involve
significant resources, we need to streamline the process as much as possible.
An RMA system will document the time between creation and completion of
RMA’s so we can see where any bottlenecks in our processes are. By recording
when items were received from our customers or third party repair depots,
we can also see whether time lags are due to processes outside of the
company that are influencing the time it takes to create and complete
returns and repairs.

Automating your returns and repairs processes will improve customer satisfaction,
reduce inventory handling costs and eliminate redundant data.

If you have needs in this area of your business, please ask us about
the RMA solution for SAGE ACCPAC ERP by e-mailing your request to info@axisglobalpartners.com.

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Featured CRM Component: Sage ACCPAC ERP 5.3 National Accounts Integration for SageCRM 5.7

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

The National Account component for SageCRM 5.7 will integrate
all the National Accounts from Sage ACCPAC ERP 5.3 as Companies in CRM.
It also links the National Account’s subsidiary Companies from Sage ACCPAC
ERP in CRM and displays them under a new tab called Subsidiaries. Additional
functionality includes the ability to link a Company in CRM to a National
Account in Sage ACCPAC ERP during the Promote to Customer process as well
as view the National Account’s Credit Info in CRM To learn more click
here or contact info@axisglobalpartners.com

Posted in February 2006, Newsletter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Frequently Asked Questions

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Site Administrator
Sage
Accpac ERP

Q – How do you set up recurring charges in the
General Ledger?

A – The first step is to create a schedule in Common Services.

The second step is to create a Recurring Entry under General Ledger Setup
and attach the schedule to the recurring entry.

When its time to process the recurring entry, click on the Create Recurring
Entries Batch icon under General Ledger Periodic Processing.

A Recurring Entries Batch is then created in the General Ledger batch
list for you to review and post.

Q – What happens to historical data when you use the General
Ledger Create New Year function?

A – The Create New Year function deletes all fiscal set and transaction
detail historical data beyond the number of years specified in the General
Ledger Setup Options window as seen below. You may also review this window
to determine what the oldest year of fiscal set and transaction detail
you are keeping.

Note: You may only keep five years of historical data in the Sage Accpac
ERP Corporate Edition and two years in the Small Business Edition. Please
contact us for options if you would like to keep historical data beyond
these limitations.
Sage Accpac
CRM

Q: Can I change the size of the grid on my screen?
A: Yes. In My CRM under the Preferences tab there is a field called “Grid
Size”. This allows you to change the size of the grid. Your options are
to have 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 lines display per page of your grid.

Q: Every time I mouse over my recent list, it appears and doesn’t
go away until I click somewhere else. Can I change this so it doesn’t
automatically appear when I mouse over the recent button?
A: Yes. In My CRM under the Preferences tab there is a field called “Pop
Out List activation by”. This allows you to select where you want your
recent list to appear when you mouse over the recent button or click on
the recent button.

Q: It’s difficult to find communication I need when researching
a case. Is there a better way?
A: Yes, by linking a communication to a case you can view communication
referencing that specific case. This is also true for opportunities. When
filing a communication through CRM or through Outlook, fill in the regarding
field with the appropriate opportunity or case. When you open that case
or opportunity, you can click on the communication tab to see a list of
communications linked to this case or opportunity.
Sage Pro
ERP

Q: What are the limitations of the import/export
feature in System Manager?

A: Sage Pro ERP 7.3 (Formerly ACCPAC Pro Series) introduces new features
that greatly enhance the capabilities of the import and export processes.
Exported companies from prior versions can now be imported into Pro 7.3.
Microsoft SQL versions of Pro 7.3 now also have the option to import or
export companies in Microsoft SQL or Microsoft Visual FoxPro backend.

These new features are especially useful for:

• Demonstrating the latest product features using customer companies.
• Demonstrating product for different database types.
• Comparing database types for functionality, etc.
• Helping with testing and support needs (i.e. Importing companies into
a clean test environment to rule out program modifications or side-by-side
test conversions).

The following are the supported combinations of these new features and
should apply for future
versions (be sure to confirm in System Manager documentation for any future
versions):

1. Pro 7.3 Visual FoxPro version – Can import exported Visual FoxPro
companies from Pro 6.5 through Pro 7.3.

2. Pro 7.3 Microsoft SQL version – Can import exported Microsoft SQL
companies from Pro 7.0 through 7.3. It can also import exported Microsoft
Visual FoxPro companies from Pro 7.3 (and must be same Build if future
Builds of Pro 7.3 are released).

Additional notes:

1. The Pro 7.3 Microsoft SQL version now has the option when exporting
to export to either a Microsoft Visual FoxPro or Microsoft SQL database
type. If exported using Microsoft Visual FoxPro, it can then be imported
into Pro 7.3 Microsoft Visual FoxPro version.

2. The Pro 7.3 Microsoft SQL version now has the option when importing
to import from either a Microsoft Visual FoxPro or Microsoft SQL database
type. Importing from Microsoft Visual FoxPro must be the same version
and Build.

3. If the user would like to import companies from prior versions using
Microsoft Visual FoxPro into Pro 7.3 using Microsoft SQL, this can be
achieved in three steps. First, import into a Pro 7.3 using Visual FoxPro.
Export that Pro 7.3 company when complete. Now import that company into
Pro 7.3 using Microsoft SQL by choosing the option to import from Microsoft
Visual FoxPro backend when prompted.

4. Please review the System Manager documentation regarding importing/exporting
for limitations concerning customized forms, reports, and physical files
that have been created.

5. The Export/Import feature should not be used for live (production)
companies due to possible limitations.

Q: How can you restore a user license?

A: The user license no longer allows all users to login; this may occur
even if all users were previously able to login. The following message
may appear when attempting to login:

Check User License

This issue is normally associated with a corrupted user key that results
in reduced number of user licenses. In most cases, reentering the activation
key for the user license resolves this issue.

The text that follows discusses the options available if the solution
mentioned above does not resolve this issue.

Note: The following should only be done by an ACCPAC Certified Consultant
or Business
Partner. Create a full and verified backup before proceeding. This should
first be attempted in a test installation and the results should be fully
verified before implementing in a live system.

Solution 1
Restore from backup.

Solution 2
Replace the SYCINST and SYDAPPL tables from a previous working backup.

Solution 3
1. Delete the values in the SYCINST.Usernum and SYDAPPL.Usernum fields.
2. Reenter the Activation Key for the user license.

Q: When should I create a backup copy of my data?

A: It is strongly recommended to consult a Business Partner to establish
regular backup routines and procedures for Pro Series. Saving a current
backup can reduce down time and prevent the cost data repair work in the
event of an emergency.

The following are some points to consider when creating backup routines
and procedures:

• Backup data every day or intervals appropriate to your company’s own
risk management policies.
• Do not overwrite backups; create separate backups as deemed appropriate.
This avoids the possibility of overwriting the only backup with bad data.
• Create a backup of program files any time there is a change.
• Store at least one backup of both program and data files off-site.
• Regularly test backups to ensure proper function and restore procedures.

There are also situations where it is advised to create a backup of all
data. Refer to the
following list for the many common processes that should only be conducted
after creating a
proper backup:

• Closing the Period or Year for a module
• Closing the Quarter for Payroll
• Printing checks
• Data edits
• Key Changes
• Recalculating Application Balances and choosing the option to Update
Records
• Choosing the option to Fix when using Check Table Integrity or Validate
Database
• Using any import or export feature
• Adding GL segments
• Update from Data Dictionary
• Applying Service Packs, Patches, or Hot Fixes (data and program backups)
• Apply the Payroll Updates (data and program backups)
• Adding modules or user licenses (data and program backups)
• Conversions (data and program backups)
Sage Accpac
HR

Q: The HR Department has been entering applicants
into the HR system for a few years and would like to remove the un-hired
applicants that are over a year old from the drop down lists. However,
the departments does not want to loose the information collected on these
individuals incase they re-apply for a job. Is this possible?

The answer: Yes. This is possible by using the feature of “Archiving
an Applicant.”

If you decide not to hire a particular applicant and wish to remove the
applicant from the Applicant Finder, you can either delete that applicant
or archive their information. Archived applicants no longer show up anywhere
in Applicant Manager or on reports, but they can be restored at any time.
Deleted applicants cannot be recovered.

To archive an applicant, you will need to open Setup Manager, make sure
the company selected is "Applicant," click on "Utilities",then
choose "Archive Applicants"

Select the applicants you wish to archive from the list to the left,
then press the archive button and the applicant’s name will be moved to
the right side of the window.

Note: Once you archive an applicant, the information
is no longer accessible in Applicant Manager unless the applicant is restored.

To restore an applicant, highlight the name on the right of the window,
then click the restore button. The applicant will be moved to the left
of the window and the information will be accessible for use.

Q: The HR Department has been keeping information on employees
in an excel spreadsheet for years. They are currently considering purchasing
an HR system. Can this information be imported from the excel spreadsheets?

The answer: Yes. This is possible by using the feature in Sage Accpac HRMS called
the QuickStart Data Import Utility

The QuickStart Data Import Utility can be used to import employee and
applicant data from an external data source into HR Series. This external
source can be Microsoft Excel, or any program that can create Delimited
Text Files or .XLS files.

You must set up all your Company Information, Benefit Plans, Attendance,
and Custom Fields before attempting you use the QuickStart Import Utility.
You will also need to complete the required fields on the Company tab
in the Company Information window in Setup Manager. This must include
the default pay period and default deduction period, as these are used
as defaults when importing compensation.

After you have installed HR Series, be sure to complete the First Login,
as you will need to have your User ID and Password to run this import
utility.

• If you are currently evaluating HR Series, you can import as many employees
as you would like.
• If you have purchased HR Series, make sure to check your employee license
before running the QuickStart Data Import Utility. If you try to import
more employees than your license allows, the import will be completed
only for the amount of employees on your license. For instructions on
how to upgrade your license, see the section on "License Information."
• You are able to import an unlimited number of applicants into Applicant
Manager.

{Warning: Please note that although information can be imported into
the system at any time, it is recommended when using a working system
that items such as pay grade increases, raises, and job duty changes be
manually entered into each employee’s individual record. The Sage Accpac HRMS
system is designed to track these changes and if you use the import utility
in a working system to import a mass pay increase the old rate will be
updated and replaced with the new rate. This can cause improper calculations
for benefits such as Life Insurance, 401K, Retirement, etc. that are based
on annualized rates of pay.}

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Posted in February 2006, Newsletter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tool of the Month

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

Function Keys

Function keys are very useful in Pro Series. They can be used in all
applications and are for a variety of purposes.

• F1 key brings up the Doc on Disk (the help information).

• F2 is a lookup when in screens and reports. You can use this key instead
of clicking on the picklist.

• F3 activates the Data Driller.

• F4 is for technical information such as version of Pro Series, user
license, etc.

• F5 brings up a list of users currently active on the system.

• F8 is the business status report.

• F9 is the calculator

Give these a try and see how much easier navigation becomes in Pro Series.

Posted in February 2006, Newsletter | Tagged | Leave a comment

A Message from AXIS

Posted on January 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

As we begin a new year filled with high expectations, Axis Global Partners is ready to assist you and your companies face the challenges that lie ahead together. Whether it is finding ways of increasing customer satisfaction, staying competitive, trimming corporate expenses, integrating fragmented business applications or increasing productivity, we can help.

Our newsletter will be focused on informing you of opportunities and solutions we identify that will empower your companies to leverage technology to reduce costs, create new revenue streams and increase profits. May 2006 bring health, happiness and prosperity to you and yours.

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The Financial Impact of CRM: The Real Story (Part 3)

Posted on January 14, 2006 by Site Administrator

This article is the third of a series of articles focusing
on the financial impact of CRM on an organization. The article centers
on the CRM benefits associated with improved efficiencies. We will discuss
some practices used by successful companies to reduce expenses while realizing
CRM effectiveness.

Before we begin, let’s clarify the difference between efficiency and
effectiveness. Effectiveness is doing the right things,
i.e. making the right strategic decisions. Efficiency is doing
things right, which means being as productive as you can be with
the resources you have available to you. Many companies embrace CRM technology
to increase efficiency, reduce costs, standardize processes and better
leverage their legacy systems.

Efficiencies not only lead to reduced expenses but also to better data
quality and customer knowledge. In CRM, efficiencies can be realized in
the areas of sales, marketing, service and operations. Here are just some
of the most commonly experienced efficiencies in sales, marketing and
service:

Sales Efficiencies
• Increased productivity of sales people
• Reduced cost per sales contact
• Reduced cost per sale
• Reduced cost per salesperson
• Faster lead generation cycle and better management of the cycle
• Improved ability to track and measure sales performance

Marketing Efficiencies
• Reduced cost per marketing campaign or customer contact
• Improved selection of target customers through better knowledge
• Improved response rates through better positioning and offers
• Improved ability to track and measure marketing efforts
• Increased customer loyalty due to more personalized offerings

Service Efficiencies
• Reduced cost per service call or encounter
• Less service problems or errors
• Faster resolution of service call due to better customer knowledge and
processes
• Improved ability to measure service representative performance
• Increased customer loyalty due to more personalized service encounters

The primary contributor to improved efficiency is well-designed business
processes. Many CRM technology initiatives fail because companies implement
the technology first and then realize that they need to design the processes
to fit the technology. This is backwards. The focus is not on sales, marketing
or service automation per se – the focus is on value creation for customers.
Technology only facilitates this value creation. Designing interactive
and well-defined workflows prior to software implementation can facilitate
automated and manual process activities, decision points and business
rules, as well as manage process exceptions.

Effective CRM initiatives complete the design of business processes or
workflows first, based on the customer’s needs and expectations – processes
that create value at all customer touch points – using process maps, experience
blueprints, touch point maps and other tools. Processes should be customer-interactive
or customer-centric so that they provide unmatched features and ease of
use to improve efficiencies throughout an organization.

The benefits of well-designed workflows or processes can include:

• Improved efficiency through the elimination of unnecessary and redundant
steps and standardization of operating processes, as long as they create
value for your customers;
• Improved data quality;
• Better process control for future improvements through the use of audit
trails and standardized work methods;
• Improved customer service and relationship-building due to increased
process consistency and predictability;
• Ability to modify or adapt (flexibility) processes quickly and accurately
when they must be re-designed as business needs change;
• Improved employee productivity because employees work faster and smarter
– they know what is expected of them in terms of actions and skills;
• More effective training and faster adoption of CRM technology because
technology use is linked to business processes, leading to reduced training
time and errors;
• Reduced operating expenses in system and data maintenance costs; and
• Reduced operating expenses in access and sharing of customer information.

One of the key components of efficient CRM systems is the ability to
increase a company’s knowledge of its customers. Our current business
environment is no longer transaction-based – it is knowledge-based. An
IDC study revealed that "knowledge workers spend 15-20 percent of
their time actively looking for specific information; however, these searches
are successful less than 50 percent of the time." Considering time
spent on unsuccessful searches, IDC’s study found that these unsuccessful
searches could cost a company approximately $6,000 per worker, per year.
A small business with ten knowledge workers could lose $60,000 per year
while a larger organization employing 1,000 knowledge workers could lose
$6 million per year.

Learning organizations constantly strive to learn more about their customers
through effective and efficient interactions. With the right marketing
strategies, customer-centric processes and technology, a company can realize
increased revenues, improved efficiencies, and an unmatched competitive
position in the marketplace. CRM is for the taking – it’s not a question
of why; it’s a question of how.

For more information on the CRM certification programs offered by FIU,
see http://cba.fiu.edu/web/ope/crm.htm

Dr. Nancy Rauseo is on the faculty of Florida International University’s
College of Business Administration where she teaches marketing. Nancy
holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University
and an M.B.A and Ph.D. from Nova Southeastern University. She is also
IBM-certified as an e-Business Solutions Advisor. Prior to her teaching
career, she held various senior management positions for over 20 years
in the areas of sales, marketing and technology implementation.

Dr. Rauseo is also Instructor for FIU’s Professional Certification
Program in CRM. The next program runs from January 27th through February
24th, meeting on Fridays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at FIU’s campus. For
more information, visit: http://cba.fiu.edu/web/ope/crm.htm

Posted in January 2006, Newsletter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment