Timberline Forum

It’s a good thing we are all still drunk from the intoxicating security enhancements Timberline served us in the last version, 9.5, because it makes this 9.6 tap water taste soo much better.  Since the scarcity of enhancements in 9.6 are pretty sobering, let’s revisit the party days of 9.5.  Here’s what that version gave us…

• ScanQueue Security – You can now secure scan queues for private or group use.
• Document Type Security – You now have the ability to grant permissions for users or groups to selected document types, both default and custom documents.
• Document Security – You can secure selected documents or batched for confidential access.
• Type Security - You are able to limit access to main Document Management tasks Inquiry and Query.

Remember, you still have to upgrade Document Management to version 9.6 if you decide to upgrade the rest of your Timberline applications.  It will not be compatitble.

If you are planning to upgrade please know that you do not need to upgrade to 9.5. You can skip right over it. Don’t worry about missing out on any enhancements by doing so – you won’t. What you will do is save a nice amount of time.

So what are you getting from 9.6?

• 64-Bit Compatibility
• Easier General Ledger Transaction Maintenance
• Estimate with Multi-Currency
• Seamless Integration between Estimating and Project Management
• Enjoy a New Project Management Wizard that lets you move jobs to archive folders
• without any drama
• Crystal Reports that let you pick value ranges from a list
• Address Book Integration from Sage CRM

  Don’t forget!!  if you plan on upgrading from 9.4 to 9.6 SKIP upgrading to 9.5 altogether.  If you have any questions or need some help all you gotta do is ask! We’d love to help.

Here are some of the highlights how construction management software has improved.  Now you can move jobs in the project management module… Pretty cool, job cost is no longer over-worked having to do all the heavy lifting.   

You can upgrade your database and estimates on the fly; that means you don’t have to set aside time to wait for the entire construction management software to adjust to the newest version all at once.

Oh yea, estimating supports multi-currency.  Now what construction management software can say that?

In payroll, you can delete checks and address book can integrate with Sage CRM software.  CRM is the acronym for customer relationship management.  This is good news for roofing and asphalt companies, since sales and contact databases are a big part of their office procedures.  Good construction management software is one that can handle most of your office tasks in one place.

Daren doin' his thing!

Daren and I really enjoyed the opportunity to attend the 2009 Construction Technology Fair offered by the New Mexico Chapter of American Subcontractors Association. We also enjoyed making the drive to Albuquerque because it gave us a chance to get out of the office and take a road trip!

It also allowed us to visit with many of our clients face-to-face, which is becoming way less common these days. It also provided people withthe opportunity to talk to us about some of the reasons they would like to upgrade to Sage Timberline Accounting Software.

One Controller I spoke with would dearly love to have the option to drill down into invoices and purchase orders. Of course Timberline does that beautifully. It is, according to her, one of the main reasons she wants to convert to Timberline.

Something else on her wish list — she would like to be able to lock in a purchase order. Once written she wants NO one else to be able to enter and change it. It’s a situation that has caused her more than one headache in the past. Sage Timberline Accounting Software also offers that option. With a few security settings she can lock everyone but herself out, ensuring people can only read and not change the Purchase Order.

The only question left is – how soon does she want us to install her new software?

When Quickbooks is no longer good enough…

The view from our booth!

We also spoke to a business owner who is moving into commercial construction. He has outgrown Quickbooks and wants to upgrade – Timberline Software Accounting is what he’d like to move up to.

It makes complete sense, especially in today’s economy. This is the time to tightly track your works in progress, aggressively control your costs, build precise bids that will not only be awarded but come in profitable and of course there’s always the added benefit of providing peace of mind.

Sage Timberline is the best way to ensure you reach your business goals and your personal goals. Your business is a means-to-an end, right? It’s what provides for you and your family so that you can enjoy life. In the end Sage Timberline is way cheaper than therapy and is exactly what you need to sleep better at night.  Daren and I look forward to the next Trade Show. We hope to see you there!!  

The ladies who made it all happen!

Timberline just released new Advanced Assembly Databases that have current manufacturing prices and items.  These databases are comprehensive with 51000 items and 7400 formulas.   John Fredley of Advanced Assemblies Database Inc. spent 10 years creating these databases to fit a variety of estimating styles.

95% of the assemblies support both “man-hour,” and “unit-pricing,” estimating.  You can take off self-performed and sub-contract work.  It makes it easy to produce “quantity,” and well as “bill of materials.”  Included are Work Breakdown Codes (WBS) for every construction trade.

These databases have an incredible amount of knowledge built in.  If you need a good estimating system up and running fast, you should check it out. 

Here is the list of new Advanced Assembly Databases:  Composite includes all of the following individual databases:  Residential, Sitework, Concrete and Masonry and a Starter database.

It’s no secret that the construction unemployment rate is high, 20 % compared to the national rate of 8.5%.  Over the last year, 1.3 million construction workers have lost their jobs.  However, some experts are saying we should soon see a substantial drop in that all-too-high number.  The reason — the unprecedented  economic stimulus package unveiled in February.

On Friday, National Public Radio reported how the current economic conditions are affecting the Construction Industry.  With some of the bidding for stimulus projects set to start this month and Arizona slated to receive hundreds of million of dollars – there certainly will be some serious bidding wars going on.

CEO of the Associated General Contractors of America, Steve Sandherr told NPR, “We’re looking at April as kind of being a bellwether month. The weather’s improving in the northern states, the funding for the stimulus projects should be going out in April at a quicker pace and we’re optimistic that we’re going to see an uptick in construction employment this month.”

Another trend – many contractors who would normally stick to the private sector are now bidding on the public jobs being generated by the stimulus.  It turns out, bids are coming in lower than expected which could mean there will be more money available for added projects.

One way to ensure your bids are air tight is to use a power house tool like Timberline Estimating.  Timberline understands construction estimating has never been more important.  With newly updated databases it gives you the edge you need to outbid the next guy.  Every bid is vital so why take a chance?  It’s a minor investment compared to what there is to lose.

Don’t get me wrong.  No one has a Pollyanna view of the construction industry’s immediate future.  Certainly no one is getting carried away.  At best construction will see a moderate year but many believe that without the economic stimulus  it certainly would have been much worse. 

If you’d like to hear the NPR report click here. 

Landscaping companies  may want to pay special attention to this post.  The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services made a major change to its I-9.  Although it’s been a couple of weeks since the change happened, I thought I should post it here just in case it slipped by you.

Last year the USCIS decided it needed to update the list of acceptable documents for Employment Eligibility Verification.  As of April 2009, expired documents are no longer acceptable.  The government reasons that expired documents make it a whole lot harder to verify a person’s true identity.

The government has outlined it in great detail and put it in an easy-to-read 65 page PDF for your reading pleasure!  You can find the revised list and the listed changes by clicking here…

Wednesday, I spoke with a controller who would like to start using Sage Timberline Accounting Software. She’s been flirting with the idea. Then the economy happened. Now, they’ve had to let some people go and she herself is working only three days a week. She’s doing double the work in half the time. She is not alone.

Daren and I hear this a lot from our customers. We spend a lot of time talking about our customers and the way the economy is affecting them. Believe me we’re feeling it too. At this time, Daren and I are striving to find a way to continue providing top quality services to our customers at the most reasonable price.

We spend time watching consumer trends. We understand people are changing the way they do EVERYTHING. Many pack lunches, brown baggin’ it is back in style. Some now buy their jeans at Wal Mart. Others fired their landscapers and are doing it themselves. Trimming the fat. Removing the luxuries one can easily live without.

These are BIG changes. People are changing inherently. Rethinking the way they live, their needs, the way they spend. Buying just the necessities. Dissecting their lives, analyzing their basic requirements and deciding what niceties can go.

Daren and I feel the same way. We are direct. We will tell you exactly what you need. We won’t oversell you. We take a good hard look at your business. We make an honest assessment and tell you exactly what we think you need to achieve your goals.

We’re so not into smoke and mirrors. You need to track your money. Track your jobs. Watch the money that comes in. Make sure your equipment and inventory don’t walk out the door. The basics. We can do that. In fact we’re VERY good at that.

While the economy has many companies coming back to basics – we never left. We take care of our customers. We have loyal clients and take great pride in that. Confidence is earned. A fact we never forget.

The economy will come back around. Until then, we’re here to make sure you’re still around to see it come full circle.

This Spring you can learn new Sage Timberline Office Skills and save your boss some cash.  If you sign up before May 31, 2009 you can get the lessons you want for $100 less.

Beef up your reports by taking Report Designer or Crystal Reports lessons or pump up your payroll skills with Payroll Power Pack.

The nice thing about Realtime Learning is that you can sit at your own desk, use your own computer and still get to work with a live instructor.  Not only can you interact with the instructor you can also interact with others taking the online class. You’ll save $100 off the cost of your registration.

You can sign up for the class at http://www.sageu.com/.  Don’t forget to enter promo code SAP053109.  Deadline for the $100 savings is May 31, 2009.  Happy Learning!