Timberline Forum

Welcome to our Sage Timberline Forum!  My name is Myrna and I am the Director of Marketing for Ledgerwood Associates, Inc. (LAI).  This is the blog you can count on to find information on all things related to Sage Timberline Office.  Updates, new releases, complementary products and much more.  This is also the place you can come to if you are looking for advice or need some help troubleshooting a particular issue.  If  you do not want to post a comment or question here, feel free to send me an email.  Thanks for stopping by!

Summers’ end will see some nice improvements for Sage Timberline Office.   New features will allow greater flexibility and improved integration features.  Some enhancements to look forward to include:

1.  You will be able to send Attachments (Change Orders, RFI’s, Submittals, and more) directly to the DocuVault in Document Management.
2.  Use Rules-based Routing in Document Management to simplify and automate the selection of routing lists, using criteria such as document type.
3.  You will be able to import an estimate change into Job Cost.
4.  A number of window sizes will be optimized for easier data entry, viewing and usability.
5.  It will be easier to look up or edit an existing Change Order or Change Request.
6.  You will be able to automate the estimate creation or update process by linking OnScreen Takeoff conditions with Estimating Items and Assemblies.

As the release date gets closer –  I will sure to update you and let you know how soon you can expect to enjoy these new and exciting enhancements.

Many Sage Timberline users received the following error today
“The instruction at #### reference memory ####. The memory could not be read.”

The culprit is a Microsoft Automatic Update.   Here’s how you can fix it…

Special Considerations or Warnings
Defect ID: 530799

Solution or Workaround

Turn off automatic updates and remove the updates with add/remove programs.

To turn off automatic updates:

1. From the Start menu, select Run, type sysdm.cpl and the press Enter.
2. On the Automatic Updates tab, select the option Turn off Automatic Updates.
3. Click OK.

To uninstall updates

1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel.
2. Select Add or Remove Programs.
3. Select the box to Show Updates.
4. Sort updates by date.
5. Remove the following updates, if installed:

• KB976576
• KB956250
• KB982519

1. This will require a reboot.

Hope this helps!

We’ve got great news for Estimating Standard and Extended customers! The Sage Construction and Real Estate group has entered into an agreement with Tech Unlimited, Inc., to distribute PlanSwift and PlanSwift for Sage 2D construction takeoff solutions. Tech Unlimited, Inc. is a leading provider of electronic plan takeoff for construction industry professionals.

PlanSwift allows builders to calculate and takeoff dimensions electronically using digital plans. PlanSwift for Sage, offered only through Sage, integrates exclusively with Sage’s Estimating Standard and Extended products to provide you with enhanced productivity and cost-savings.

Learn more about PlanSwift by clicking here. 

I am posting the press release issued by Sage Corporate.  If you would like to know more please contact Ed Ledgerwood or Daren Baldwin.

Sage Timberline Office Estimating and PlanSwift, Help Builders Swiftly Streamline Processes
Integrated solution helps builders improve efficiency, enhance collaboration and control construction costsAtlanta, Ga., June 8, 2010 – Sage North America announced today its Construction and Real Estate group has entered into an agreement with Tech Unlimited, Inc., to distribute PlanSwift and PlanSwift for Sage 2D construction takeoff solutions.  PlanSwift allows builders to calculate and takeoff dimensions electronically using digital plans.  PlanSwift for Sage, offered only through Sage, integrates exclusively with Sage’s Estimating Standard and Extended products giving Sage customers enhanced productivity and cost-savings.  Tech Unlimited, Inc. is a leading provider of electronic plan takeoff for construction industry professionals.  Sage Construction and Real Estate product lines have been recognized as the most widely used applications for construction estimating, job costing, accounting, payroll, and project management, according to the Construction Financial Management Association’s (CFMA) 2010 Information Technology Survey for the Construction Industry.

“As the construction industry fights to regain its lost footing from the economic downturn, builders need every opportunity to drive efficiency into the business. The combination of  PlanSwift and Sage’s Estimating Standard and Extended products creates a powerful offering that provides builders with an easy to use, cost effective and streamlined process from plans to estimate”, said Jim Walter, vice president of development, Sage Construction and Real Estate. “Today’s announcement further communicates our commitment to the construction industry by offering a wide range of estimating tools designed to help increase accuracy and productivity.”

PlanSwift and PlanSwift for Sage help construction industry professionals:

• Save time and increase productivity using electronic plans and digital takeoff tools
• Reduce costs by eliminating the cost of duplicating and shipping paper plans
• Improve collaboration using comparative overlays and the ability to share and email plans and supporting job details

“Our customers continue to look for ways to leverage technology to cost-effectively and efficiently address industry challenges,” said Jon Newsom of Contractor Business Solutions NW, a Sage CRE Business Partner. “The integration of PlanSwift and Sage’s suite of construction-specific solutions allows us to present a unique offering to our customers that will empower them to bid projects faster, more accurately and take their estimating processes to the next level.”

By offering PlanSwift and PlanSwift for Sage, Sage Construction and Real Estate continues its commitment to provide construction industry professionals cost-effective solutions that support mission-critical operations such as estimating. These powerful tools help estimators bid and win more work without adding overhead.

“At PlanSwift, our number one objective is to streamline the estimating process and we feel that our ultra tight integration with Sage Timberline Office Estimating provides contractors with the complete solution,” said James Purpura, PlanSwift’s President/COO.

Spring 2010 Enhancements:  Simplify your day…every day  

You should have already received your update.  If you haven’t or need help installing the updates please feel free to contact us.  Myrna@LedgerwoodAssociatesUSA.com.  We’d love to help.

Here’s a look at what those enhancements are…

We all know, the more efficiently your business management system allows your team to locate and act upon key information, the faster and easier they can do their jobs. That’s why we’ve enhanced Sage Timberline Office to provide everyone on your team with a wide range of automation, workflow and process improvements to make it easier to get more done in less time, including:

1. Simplified reporting and data analysis with new tools that are familiar and easy to use.
2. A higher degree of work process automation so your team  has the freedom to focus on other tasks
3. Easier ways to share documents and manage internal approval processes making your entire team (and business) more efficient.

Simplified Installation
Why waste hours of your personal time upgrading workstations?

Laying the groundwork for future updates, the new Sage Installation Manager will make the task of installing and updating accounting workstations much more efficient. Getting your team up and running on the latest software advances for Sage Timberline Office will be quicker and easier than ever. That’s because the process is easily administered from a central location saving you unnecessary legwork and the need to manually install on individual workstations. The result is a dramatic reduction in the time you spend performing workstation installs and updates.

Document Management Rules-based Routing
Now you can ensure documents are reviewed by the right people in the right sequence every time with Document Management Rules-based Routing.

1.  Should all reviewers receive a document simultaneously or should documents be sent to reviewers sequentially?
2.  Would you like to designate an alternate recipient if the original reviewer is unavailable?
3.  Who should be notified when a process is completed?

These are just a few of the processes that Rules-based Routing can automate for you. And, the flexibility doesn’t end there! A number of other conditions are possible including:
1.  Which recipients can approve, reject, or forward documents.
2.  The types of documents recipients can approve (e.g. invoices, purchase orders, . . .).
3.  The dollar amounts (min and max) each recipient is allowed to approve.
4.  How many days are allowed for document routing.
5.  Due dates and alerts for documents.

Document Management Rules-Based Routing
Now you can ensure documents are reviewed by the right people in the right sequence every time with Document Management Rules-based Routing. Rules-based Routing also lets you automate the routing and approval processes that best suit your particular business needs. This means increased productivity and accountability. Avoid unnecessary delays, mistakes, and get paperwork approved faster. The best part is it’s all electronic.

Technology Updates
Keeping current with the latest technology, Sage Timberline Office now supports Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and includes an upgraded Pervasive 10 database. Our goal is to ensure your investment stays current and competitive as well as support the requirements most used by our customers.

More Comprehensive Tax Filing Capabilities & Improved Payroll Management
Now with over 250 additional US State and Federal government forms included, you’ll be able to complete tax filings, new hire reports, and more. Electronic forms are pre-filled using data from your Sage Timberline Office software.  You can then review, edit, or fill-in more completely if desired. And, to automate the process even further, we’ve partnered with Aatrix Software* offering you a number of additional services, including the option to eFile your forms. Of course, you’ll still have the option to print and mail the forms as you always have if you prefer. All new forms are printable as part of your regular service plan.  However, should you choose to take advantage of the eFiling capabilities, those services are offered for a modest fee through our partnership with Aatrix.

BIM–Estimating Quantity Takeoff Integration
With this release, estimators can now take full advantage of both 2D and 3D Building Information Models (BIM) when creating estimates. Thanks to our partnership and development work with Autodesk, estimators can enjoy powerful integration between Estimating and Autodesk’s Quantity Takeoff 2010 product. Using Autodesk’s Revit platform for BIM, object quantities and dimensions for items such as doors, windows, and walls can be stored within the Model and then extracted using AutoDesk’s Quantity Takeoff. Then, simply drag and drop items to map the Model objects and their dimensions to the estimating database for a one-time integration setup.

Advanced Assembly Databases
Databases are some of the most complete Estimating databases we’ve ever offered. Are you not yet taking advantage of Sage Timberline Office estimating? Or, are you interested in bidding different types of work outside of the normal types of projects you do? If so, these databases will significantly reduce the amount of time you spend getting your estimating system up and running or bidding new types of projects. The latest versions include a significant increase in the number of items with the ability to price labor in three different ways: turn-key, man-hour, or labor-only unit price. Plus, assembly items are now organized by trade with over 60 trade specific labor costs supported.

Excel-based Reporting—Office Connector Starter for Sage
Do you wish you had an easier way to analyze and report on data in a familiar format? Now you can leverage the benefits of Microsoft Excel to work with your Sage Timberline Office data using Office Connector Starter for Sage, included as part of your maintenance and service update.** Developed by Event 1 Software, Office Connector Starter for Sage is a reporting and analysis tool that allows you to use workbook templates created in Excel to key data housed within Sage Timberline Office. It provides you with a fast and easy way to look at your Sage Timberline Office data in a whole new light. Extract and perform analysis on a wide range of data through six workbook templates, including:

1. Sage Timberline Office Dashboard
View high-level summary totals from different Sage Timberline Office applications on one worksheet. This includes a financial summary, summary of jobs in-progress, summary of Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Property Management, and Billing. The Dashboard also allows you to identify a number of un-posted entries by application.

2. Sage Timberline Office Search
This helpful report lets you quickly find items in Sage Timberline Office based on arbitrary pieces of information you may have, such as a fragment of the description, number, date range, or amount. A separate worksheet also shows you the results returned from each application. Sage Timberline Office Spring 2010 Enhancements

3. Account Ledger with Detail
This report provides you with an excellent auditing tool. Identify a specific account, a set of accounts (using an account mask), or report all accounts. Select a desired date range and other criteria, such as whether to include entries associated with closing the fiscal year. And for each account, a summary of information that shows the beginning balance for the date range, net activity, and ending balance for the date range can also be included.

4. Cost To Complete
Simply specify which job, and this useful report lets you quickly produce a cost to complete worksheet that includes the estimate values, commitments, and actual cost to date. A data-entry column is included where you can record your expected cost to complete. And, calculated columns show you the resulting cost at completion and over/under values in real-time.

5. Job List with Maps & Weather
View a simple list of open jobs that can be quickly filtered or searched, which include two columns with hyperlinks. One takes you to Google Maps providing you with a map of the job location; the other takes you to Weather.com so you can easily see weather conditions at the job site.

6. Lease Expiration List
See every lease that’s about to expire within a timeframe that you identify. You can select all properties or a specific property, enter a cut-off date, and number of days until lease expiration. You can also quickly filter and sort the list using auto-filter and sorting features within Excel.  Customers on a current service plan receiving the Office Connector Starter for Sage will also be granted “a 5-day trial access period” to the full version of Office Connector. The full version includes an additional 20 standard reports/templates and the ability to create your own custom reports and templates using the Designer Tool should you decide to upgrade.

Also, as a special bonus, the trial version of Office Connector Starter for Sage also includes a FREE Anytime Learning session offered on Sage University. This short, online presentation describes the products functionality as well as a number of useful tips and tricks.

For more information or details on purchasing the full version of Office Connector, click here.
Download this  information in a printable PDF format.

ASA-NM Trade Show

For the second year in a row, Ledgerwood Associate’s Daren Baldwin spent the day in Albuquerque attending the American Subcontractors Association of New Mexico Annual Trade Show. One of our clients, Yearout Mechanical invited us to attend and how can we say no to them? 

This year it was held at the Sandia Resort and Casino.  Despite the current economy, New Mexico seems to be somewhat sheltered from the downturn.  Daren says he spoke with plenty of attendees and said he thought the event was well-attended.  He even got to play Santa Claus by giving away an iPod to one lucky visitor.

Daren loves going to New Mexico because it gives him an opportunity to see our many New Mexican clients and chat with them in a relaxed environment.  If you didn’t make it out there this year, don’t worry we already plan on sending Daren out there again next year!

1.  Are you facing high costs to buy a new server or upgrade your existing one? 
2.  Do your job sites and other remote locations experience connectivity issues due to slow internet coming from your office?
3.  Are you thinking about upgrading to Sage Timberline Enterprise, but your current server doesn’t meet the specifications to run it? 
4.  Are you looking to save money on IT costs, and consolidate services ?

Consider hosting your Sage Timberline applications with Arogo.net, a Las Vegas-based internet service provider and application hosting company.  All data, including the application itself, is stored and hosted from a centralized location.  This solution  removes the burden of maintenance, support, software upgrades and equipment from the end users, as well as consolidates multiple associated expenses into one low monthly price.

When making the choice between On-Premise Products and Hosted Solutions, business and I.T. decision-makers should use the following questions to determine which is best suited to meet the needs of their organization:

1.  Do you have the financial resources to withstand the upfront capital costs of acquiring the hardware and software to support your business requirements?
2.  Do you have the internal skills to select the right hardware and software to meet your business objectives?
3.  Do you have sufficient resources to successfully deploy and keep your hardware and software up and running?
4.  Do you know if you are getting the best performance and greatest value from your hardware and software investments?
5.  Do you have the expertise and experience to combat today’s escalating security threats?
6.  Would you rather focus your limited financial and staff resources on your core business?

Arogo.net offers two options for hosting your applications:  You can use 100% of their equipment and they will ensure that your system is always upgraded to the required specifications to provide optimum service for you and your users.  However, if you already own a server, but want to take advantage of the faster connectivity offered by Arogo.net, you can send them your server and they will install it in their racks and their internet lines (collocation).  They can provide the hands on labor necessary to make hardware changes and upgrades, and you will be charged for labor and parts.  Either option includes Exchange hosting and each Timberline user will receive a free Exchange account.  

About Arogo.Net
Arogo.net is financially stable and owns all of their hosting equipment… nothing is leased or purchased on payment plans.  They are also 100% US-based.  When you become a client of Arogo.net, you will speak to your account manager, the same person you always talk to when discussing your system.  You won’t have to worry about getting passed to various call centers throughout the world until you reach the right person who can help with your system.  They pride themselves on providing personalized customer service.  Arogo.net staff is also very familiar with Timberline applications, so you will receive the benefit of their knowledge and experience.

Arogo.net has been in business since 2002 and has provided their clients with the utmost in reliability, security and super fast network connectivity.  Arogo.net customers enjoy all of the benefits that this Las Vegas data center has to offer. 

• RAID arrays on servers – give you high performance, scalability and immunity from disk failure.
• Multiple/Redundant  fiber optic connections to the internet backbone ensure that plenty of bandwidth is available. 
• The data center itself is temperature controlled and contains seismically secured equipment racks.  It also offers a high level of security including state-of-the-art smoke detection and fire suppression systems, motion sensors and 24×7 secured access, as well a video camera surveillance and security breach alarms.

Contact Karen Mierta at  KarenM@Arogo.Net for more information.

One of our clients recently needed help with the following question: 
“I used to have a run command I could type in and it would show me who was in which files and I could kick people out of Timberline if I needed to. It was something like WM3075V?? Does anyone there have the code or a better way to check active users?”

Our LAI consultant Gary Jacobson  provided the following answer:
On the Timberline server use the Pervasive Monitor Utility (W3MONV75) and select “Microkernal -  Users” to find out who has data files open in Timberline, and click “Delete User” (after highlighting the user) to free up the files as needed (but make sure the person is not really actively using Timberline before that is done)

If a module still shows in use after doing the above, then on the Timberline Server, right click on “My Computer” and go to System Tools –  Shared Folders – Open Files, and look for any of the application files with XX.lck file names (where XX = the application abbreviation) , such as “AP.LCK”, and right click and select “Disconnect Open File” (or whatever that option is called)

As always – we here at LAI take great pride in being able to assist our clients in any way possible in order to ensure they always have a positive experience with Sage Timberline Office.  Is there something you might need help with?  If so, please do not hesitate to contact us. We are glad to help!

In Utah, those annoying orange traffic cones and all those construction slow-downs and rerouting as a result of heavy highway street improvements are getting a different reception.  They are actually making a lot of people SMILE.  Why?  They’re the reason many construction companies are able to keep their doors open and their employees busy.  With today’s economic climate, more and more construction companies are heading into unfamiliar territory of government-funded stimulus jobs.

LAI consultant Gary Jacobson was in UTAH last week to provide Sage Timberline Project Management training to a company that will be working on the $1.7 billion expansion to include all-purpose auxiliary and express lanes and interchange construction.  Construction will take place along Intestate 15 in Utah County.

Gary spent several days training Project Managers on ways to make the most of their Sage Timberline system and ensure that not only do the projects stay on time and on budget but that they also keep the meticulous documentation the Federal Government is demanding of all companies working on Stimulus projects.  The government has promised to audit any and all companies using funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  It’s promise of unprecedented transparency requires extremely detailed records be kept by those companies working on ARRA projects.

Want to more about Sage Timberline and how it can help you with your government-funded projects?  Email Daren@LedgerwoodAssociatesUSA.com.  He’d be glad to help.

To read more about the I-15 expansion project, click here.

Thursday, the Valley of the Sun Construction Financial Management Association held its monthly luncheon. Street Transportation Director for the city of Phoenx, Wylie Beaurup was the guest speaker.

He spoke to a packed house for more than 30 minutes about the city’s use of Construction Manager at Risk with Price Competition used by the state to dole out federally funded projects.  Beaurup is responsible for executing nearly $6 billion, 5-year capital improvement program.

Beaurup explained in order to be able to take advantage of the millions of dollars assigned to Arizona by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, state legislators had to change the language which outlines Requests for Proposals in Arizona.  In 2000, the state began using Construction Manager at Risk guidelines which do not allow for a project to be awarded by price.  It must strictly be awarded through qualifications.  S0, recently the state came up with the Construction Manager at Risk with Price Competition in order to begin using federally-funded stimulus projects.

Someone wanted to know if BIM requirements are going to be considered anytime soon when it comes to qualifying General Contractors for projects.  Beaurup’s answer was not really. At this time BIM knowledge might be advantageous but there are many more qualifications to be considered.  So at this time lack of BIM will not be used to disqualify those bidding for projects.

Bearup expressed his satisfaction with the Construction Manager at Risk model stating it ensures the most qualified contractor is chosen, not the cheapest.  It creates better relationships among team members, the contractor is involved for the duration of the project and makes for true value engineering.

 When asked if there were soon to be any RFP’s for Stimulus jobs, Beaurup told the crowd not anytime in the near future.

Sage Timberline recently made some upgrades to  Estimaing.  The question is, are you using them to help you get the maximum juice out of your Estimating system?  If, after reading the following enhancements you find you are not using them please feel free to contact Daren.  He’s the guy in the know.  Without further adieu, here are the upgrades we want you to take advantag of!

1.  Upgrade individual estimating files on the fly.  Why spend hours upgrading all your estimates at once each time a new release comes out? That can take hours. So, now when you need to restore archived estimates from an earlier version of your software, you won’t need to upgrade all estimates and/or database files all at the same time. The system automatically identifies the files that need to be upgraded on a file-by-file basis so your estimating files get updated as you work. Now, that’s a time-saver.

2. Create new version of existing assemblies with ease.  Ready to save even more time? We’ve enhanced the “copy assembly” feature. In previous versions when copying an assembly from one location to another, the items would copy, but you would lose the assembly detail. Meaning, you wouldn’t have the variables (i.e. length, width, depth, etc). Now when you copy the assembly from one location to another, it shows up as an assembly and allows you to see the variables that were used to calculate the assembly.

3.  Streamline your RFQ and Buyout process.  In the past, you’ve always had a place to enter the subcontractor amount and name as well as material, but no place to record the material vendor name. With Version 9.6, you’ll be able to log and display both as well as pass this information to the Buyout module, so your entire RFQ, vendor assignment, and Buyout process runs more efficiently than ever.

4.  Select values from numeric columns that automatically display totals in the status bar.  The auto sum has been enhanced so you can view display totals at a glance.