“What could go wrong?” I ask. Three hours, two do-overs, and a desperate appeal to the software gods later I get the answer. I didn’t carefully read all of the instructions and supporting material and guessed wrong when I wasn’t sure.

I’m the kind of person who frequently gets into trouble when following instructions. Assembling household items rarely goes right for me the first time. Often it’s because I fail to clarify a vague or confusing instruction. Other times I simply assume that I know what I’m doing and find out later that I don’t.

Even though I’m not an expert on Sage Timberline Office, I’d like to help you avoid unnecessary pain and suffering. Judging by the complexity of the “9.8.0 Update 2” instructions, here’s what I would probably do wrong:

Make an incorrect assumption - I assume that Update 1 is a prerequisite to Update 2. Later I read the “Release Notes for 9.8 Updates” and find out that I could have skipped Update 1. That’s a few hours of my life that I will never get back.

Do it the hard way - After spending 7 hours updating the 14 workstations in the office, I go back and read the “Notes” near the top of the page and find: “you can use Sage Installation Manager to streamline the installation of updates on your Accounting server and workstations.” Arrrgh!

Misinterpret the big warning - Instruction 4 clearly states “Double-click 980AccUpdate2.exe only once.” In spite of the warning, I start the update application twice, either because the server is set to use single-click, or by realizing too late that the note to instruction 6 is a repeat of the instruction 4 warning.

Not allow enough time - Things would go wrong then I wouldn’t get the software back up before it’s needed by others.

No one likes to experience problems with an update. Here are three things you can do to avoid making mistakes like the above:

1. Read all of the instructions and notes before you begin. Just like in the sixth grade exercise where the last instruction tells you to do only the first of several complex instructions, reading everything is probably the best way to avoid pain and embarrassment.
2. Ask for clarification of vague instructions (even if you are male).
3. Don’t blindly follow someone else. Ask why a colleague or support person’s directions differ from the written instructions and be sure you are doing it correctly before proceeding.

If you still get into trouble, call Sage Support or one of Ledgerwood’s excellent consultants
who have many years of experience with the software behind them.

Good luck with the Update.

What do you do to avoid these kinds of problems with an update?

Last week I traveled the 120 miles from Phoenix to Tucson to attend the CFMA 2011 Tax Update presented by Beach Fleischman, a Tucson accounting firm. Although taxes are important, I have to admit I wasn’t crazy about the topic.  Tax seminars are comically used as an example of dull and uninteresting, but to my liking, the session was engaging and informative.  I was amazed by the volumes of information construction companies are expected to know about taxes.

Kim Paskal, the presenter from Beach Fleischman, covered more than 60 changes in the tax code including tax credits for employees hired in 2010; 2011 expense rules for SUV’s, Trucks and Vans; and an increase in the Social Security wage base for 2012; all of which  could impact a construction company’s bottom line.

Personally, I found the lengthy discussion on cancellation of real property business debt to be very helpful, having experienced my share of real estate investments gone south.

Ms. Paskal was well prepared and knowledgeable.   Having been a business owner myself, I know that relying on a tax expert like Kim is essential, especially if you are in a complex industry like construction.  It could mean real savings in your tax bill.

Talk to your tax advisor to get more details about how recent tax law changes might affect your business. If you need a good tax accountant I recommend calling Beach Fleischman.

For more information on this topic contact Ledgerwood Associates, the #1 Sage Timberline Business Partner in the Southwest!

You fear that your worst nightmare as an estimator is about to come true. 

Management is siding with a small group of estimators who want to throw away your estimating software and standardize the production of all estimates using only spreadsheets.  They believe that it’s an easier and cheaper solution.  You know they are taking 2 steps backwards to get 1 doubtful step forward. How can you convince them that estimating software is better than using spreadsheets?

Here’s some ammunition to help you win the fight and win more bids:

Accuracy Minimizes Risk: Estimating software separates the database from the estimating functions.  No more complicated, hard to remember formulas inside of your database.  Forgetting to include a formula, item or decimal point on a bid can be a costly mistake. Estimating software standardizes the bid process across multiple estimators without forfeiting individual styles and flexibility.

A Knowledgebase to Share:  A common database of materials, pricing and productivity rates can be shared and used by the entire company.  You can build the intelligence of your most Senior Estimator into the estimating database and have less experienced estimators create the same fast and accurate bids by accessing that intelligence with the software.

Better Organization:  Estimating software organizes the entire estimating function better than any spreadsheet can, making it easier to schedule, communicate and confirm all project details across your team. Data can be shared across estimating, job cost, and accounting functions – with no data re-entry.

Greater Speed:  Takeoff time is slashed by 50% or more compared to spreadsheet methods. Built-in efficiency tools like smart assemblies, reports and markup tables can generate estimates faster and more accurately for getting more work with the same number of estimators. Final proposals and reports are produced in seconds.

If these reasons are not enough to convince skeptics that an estimating program is worth the investment in time and money, a simple return on investment model will reveal how inefficient spreadsheets can be when compared to using an estimating program. 

If you need to dig a little deeper, send me a reply.  I would be glad to help.  

Daren Baldwin

For more information on this topic contact Ledgerwood Associates, the #1 Sage Timberline Business Partner in the Southwest!

“Not today!” you exclaim as your email goes down right in the middle of sending your bid to a big developer. You see profits disappearing into cyberspace while productivity in the office grinds to a halt.

Fortunately, a call to your trusted IT support person, your nephew, will get the email fixed. You are lucky to have someone like that. Or, are you?

The profits and productivity lost from using a POP3 or IMAP4 email connection could be substantial when you add up the $75 per hour you pay your nephew and the opportunities and productivity lost to down time.

The better alternative to POP email is hosted Microsoft Exchange. The cost is minimal, $10-$12 per user, per month. It works great with Timberline Office and even better with Outlook. The combination of Outlook and Exchange lets you: 

• Securely access email remotely – via the Web or mobile device
• Manage and access your contact information anytime
• View and manage one calendar that is always synced from any computer or smartphone
• Share documents, your calendar and contacts with team members
• Relax knowing your data is secure, backed-up, and available with guaranteed uptime

Here’s what a growing design-build firm said about moving their email to hosted Exchange:

“The email is fabulous! I didn’t have any idea what we were giving up using our POP server, but the difference is night and day, especially when you’ve got smart phones.”

So, ask about moving your email to Exchange and your Timberline applications to TimberCloud. Then, say goodbye to email emergencies with their lost opportunities and productivity slowdowns. And, say goodbye to your nephew until the next family reunion. He’ll find a better job.

Do you have any concerns about hosted Exchange for email? Please share them with us.

For more information about this and other topics discussed in this forum please contact Kent Sorensen or visit Ledgerwood Associates online.

The boss is glaring at you, the controller, and says, “Cut the IT budget for next year or we’re out of business!” “How in the world am I going to cut IT costs and worse, tell the boss he needs new servers?” you say under your breath.

Don’t despair. There IS a way to reduce your IT budget AND avoid the costly server upgrade. It’s called “Hosting”, a variation of Cloud computing. Hosting is where you put your construction software and data offsite on another company’s servers and access it from anywhere you have an internet connection. Moving your software and data to the Cloud by hosting is like using other people’s money, only it’s other people’s servers.

With hosting, you get the benefits of new servers without the big investment and ongoing costs of server maintenance. You don’t change software. There is no costly conversion. There is nothing new to learn.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

• Reduced investment – Someone else buys the servers
• Reduced IT costs – All you pay is a low monthly fee
• Reduced Headaches – Someone else does the backups and fixes problems

Here’s what a local design-build company told me after moving their software and data to the Cloud.

“Putting our Timberline applications on the cloud saves us money and eliminates all of the usual IT problems… [and] the data security of the cloud means I can sleep at night.”

The construction company owner above once ran into a burning building to rescue his server. Now his software and data are housed in a secure data center.

Moving your applications and data to the Cloud with hosting can be done at any time. Just make sure it gets into the budget for next year. The benefits, lower IT costs and fewer headaches, make it a no-brainer. And, you can be a hero:

Budgeting Hero Checklist

• Do I need to upgrade my servers next year?
• Do I want to reduce my total IT costs?
• Do I want fewer IT headaches so I can focus more on what I do best?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, hosting can solve the boss’s budget crisis and make you a budgeting hero.

Click here for more information about Timberline Hosting, or call me, Kent Sorensen, at 480-423-8300.

I want to know what you think. What are some of your concerns about hosting?

A Free Learning Opportunity…

Client Skill Savor Luncheon

Sage Timberline Office 9.8 Release Training

Who: If you are looking to stay up-to-date on Sage Timberline Office, here’s an opportunity to sharpen your skills while you savor a tasty meal (a free lunch no less).

What: Learn about the changes and enhancements in Sage Timberline Office Version 9.8 that will affect most users.

Cost: Tuition is free, but space is limited. Sign up early!

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Date: November 16, 2011

Where: Ledgerwood Associates Training Facility in Scottsdale, AZ

Changes and enhancements in Sage Timberline Office Version 9.8

Credit Card Management – Do you make purchases or pay open invoices with credit cards? With this release, credit card management has been streamlined into a smooth process that will save you loads of time. Now it’s easier to enter and reconcile credit card payments and statements.  Plus you can record an open invoice as paid via electronic funds transfer.

Workforce Management – You asked for enhancements that would improve the way you manage workers. You got them. This release includes 70 customizable human resources forms to help manage hiring, discipline, evaluations, and more.

Software Performance – Applications and tasks start up significantly faster.  Added stability across Sage Timberline Office will help keep your system running at peak performance.

Usability and Administration – Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference for your organization. This release includes loads of these “little things,” including a live support chat link, improved upgrade process for Document Management, Estimating line item attachments, a server migration tool, journal auto-filing and optimized printing, installation improvements, enhanced inquiries,

Summary materials will be emailed to participants after the luncheon. Don’t miss this opportunity to network with other Timberline clients and consultants.

Register Now

For more information on this topic contact Ledgerwood Associates, the #1 Sage Timberline Business Partner in the Southwest!

Version 17 of Sage Master Builder was shipped to users just a couple of months ago. If you haven’t done so already, here’s a good reason to upgrade. Sage announced that you must upgrade to the latest version, “Release 17,” to get all of the updated tax tables and forms for government filings for the year-end 2011. Version 17 is considered to be a stable release with no reported problems.

For more information on this topic contact Ledgerwood Associates, the #1 Sage Timberline Business Partner in the Southwest!

Responding to customer service calls effectively and managing resources in multiple locations are required to maintain a high degree of customer satisfaction.

With increased competition and fewer jobs, effective estimating, cost management and budgeting are all essential to success. Sage Timberline Enterprise is an all-in-one software solution that provides everything a service and specialty business need to more effectively manage daily operations with more visibility and insight into the finances of your business.

Advanced integration across Purchasing, Inventory, Service Management, Accounting, and other modules provides superior access to data with improved workflow, accuracy, and the ability to communicate with ease. Enterprise helps everything fall into place by improving the way you provide service and manage your business.

For more information on this topic contact Ledgerwood Associates, the #1 Sage Timberline Business Partner in the Southwest!

Helpful information for Sage Timberline Office users to get you through the coming 2011 year-end closing.

For the 2011 year-end release, Sage is supporting the two most recent major versions for Sage Timberline Office, versions 9.7.0 and 9.8.0 only. In order to complete 2011 year-end processing, you will need to upgrade to 9.7.0 or 9.8.0. Sage Timberline Office 9.8.0 is scheduled to ship in Fall 2011.

Follow this schedule to be ready for Year-End:

October

Contact Ledgerwood Associates for assistance with upgrading to 9.7.0 or 9.8.0 now; then schedule an appointment later in the year with your consultant for any assistance with year-end processing.

Learn more about eFiling with Aatrix or order your 2011 year-end tax forms.

November
Review your 2011 Year-End Procedures Guide (available in early November).

December
Attend the Year-end Procedures Class in Scottsdale, AZ on December 14 or 15^th.  Install the 2011 year-end update (available for download in early December).

January 2012
After you have installed the 2011 year-end update and run your final payroll for the year, download the payroll tax updates for 2012.

For more information on this topic contact Ledgerwood Associates, the #1 Sage Timberline Business Partner in the Southwest!

“Sage Master Builder gives smaller construction companies a way to manage their businesses in a more productive way without having to invest in a larger, higher priced and more complex software suite,” said Jon Witty, general manager of Sage Construction and Real Estate.  “With Version 17, Sage Master Builder includes new”mailt enhancements that companies need to take service management, reporting, and business analysis to the next level.”

Sage Master Builder integrates estimating, production, scheduling, accounting, service management and analysis in one convenient and easy-to-access system.  For construction companies and service/specialty contractors outgrowing off-the-shelf accounting software, it is the ideal solution to get the information they need, when they need it and in the right format.

In an industry highly sensitive to scheduling and costs, the need for integrated software that enhances visibility and control of business operations and projects has never been greater. Sage Master Builder allows companies to see and command their business like never before.