News From The Suntower!

'The Electronic Newsletter For Users
of Simple Accounting for Forms Experts!'

Volume X #1
01/07/08

IN THIS
ISSUE:
  • Happy New Year!
  • SAFE/X Is Coming!
  • Ciaràn's Corner: Different Bread, Same Sandwich?
    •

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E-News is edited by Maireàd Ni Dhonnellaigh
The views expressed herein are solely those of Suntower Systems

Copyright © 2008 Suntower Systems

Happy New Year!
We certainly hope that 2008 is a great year for you all. We have great plans for the coming year and we certainly hope they will be as exciting for you as for us.

First up is our official notice of a new version of SAFE. Yep it's true. Like taxes and a new season of American Idol, it's inevitable. What will SAFE/X look like? Well, that depends on which version of Windows you're using. If you're still using Windows XP and SQL Server 2000, the answer is 'not much different from SAFE7'. However, if you're using Vista and SQL Server 2008 the interface will look new, clean and mean.

And, as always, thanks for your consideration during Christmas Week. Despite rumours to the contrary, Christmas week is not a chance for us to slip off to the Islands. What it is,  rather, is an intense period of concentration since, for some of us, it is our first look at The Big Picture of any new SAFE release. Of course, each of us has looked at or worked on various bits, but the past week was an opportunity to see how it all fits together and to come up with a teaching plan so that we not only understand it's inner workings ourselves, but can explain it effectively to our user-base. So in a very real way, this is our most important week of the year and your patience benefits all of us greatly.
 

SAFE/X Is Coming!
On March 17, 2008 Suntower Systems will ship the tenth major release of SAFE: Simple Accounting for Forms Experts Version 10. SAFE/X for short. This release will include many new features and full support for Windows Vista and SQL Server 2008.

Emphasis
We had four main goals for SAFE/X

1. Support for the new Windows platforms: Windows Vista and SQL Server 2008.

2. Better 'Undoability' and Audit Trails. Although most of SAFE has very thorough audit trails, there were still some spots where it was difficult to 'undo' data entry errors; or where it could be difficult to determine a precise sequences of data entry events.

3. Better purchasing workflow. Many of you have lobbied long and hard for a true system for managing multi-phase jobs. The trick was always, how to do it within the SAFE order entry paradigm. We think you'll agree that the new system is a great fit.

4. Incorporating dynamic content into SAFE's day to day processing. You'll see this in the new forms which let you incorporate your promotional content into customer invoices, packing slips and statements. For many of you, this may seem like 'the undiscovered country', but combining targeted advertising with business documents is nothing new (just ask your credit card company.) We're just giving you the same opportunity to turn your routine business interactions into a new opportunity.

So, without further ado, here's a list of the major improvements. Some things may be added later--you can always find the latest info at www.suntowersystems.com/whatnext.htm

General Improvements

SAFE/Pocket PC

 SAFE is now available in a 100% Windows Compact format. This means you can now run the entire SAFE application on any Windows Pocket PC computer! Transactions entered into your Pocket PC are synched to your main SAFE application when you dock with your desktop PC.

Note that this is a separate product from SAFE PDAExtensions. PDAExtensions is, as ever, a small subset of SAFE functions which is highly optimized for on site inventory control and order history using the small screens of PDAs.

SAFE/PDA is best suited for users of true 'Pocket Computers' with complete keyboards and users who want to take all of SAFE's functionality with them wherever they go.

SAFE Licensees will be authorized to run one instance of SAFE/PocketPC. Additional licenses will be available for $299 per machine.

Full Support For SQL Server 2008

 SAFE/X will fully support Microsoft SQL Server 2008. Many of the features will be of interest to those interested in better performance and security from hackers.

Yes, we know that many of you haven't even gotten around to upgrading from SQL Server 2000! But there are a couple of reasons to consider this update.

  • The performance of SQL Server 2008 is even better than SQL 2005 which is quite a bit better than SQL Server 2000. So if speed is an issue
  • As we've said many times, new features integrated into SAFE can only function if you are using SQL Server 2005 or 2008. The longer you stick with SQL Server 2000, the further behind the curve you get with SAFE.
  • SQL 2000 is now scheduled as an 'end of life' product. Support has not been cancelled yet, but it's a comin'.

Full Support For Windows Vista/32 and 64

 SAFE/X is now 100% certified for use with Vista--both in 32 and 64 bit versions. This includes optimizations for the newer dual and quad-core processors. What this means to you is speed and security. Vista is acknowledged to have much better basic security than Windows XP. And Windows Vista/64 runs even faster with it's larger memory address space. On top of that are SAFE/X's new code optimizations which allow it to run even faster on PCs with 2 or more processors.

Added up, these 'under the hood' improvements will yield faster performance and more security at the desktop.

Trans-Promo
Forms!

 There is a lot of talk in the PSDA about Transpromotional Items. Well, some of you have had great success with this type of item in your own business, so we're now including this capability on many standard forms, including customer statements and invoices. You can include any images or text which will be dynamically formatted for each customer. Examples might include:
  • A second page for each customer invoice consisting of targeted monthly specials.
  • A targeted advertisement image on each customer statement describing additional services of interest to the customer.

 

pURLs and e-Forms!

 This is an extension of the 'transpromotional' form. You can now include dynamic HTML code into any e-mail form generated from SAFE. Examples might include:
  • Links to ordering web site(s) (like Ollie).
     
  • Links to an e-payment site for reminder invoices or customer statements. (You might be surprised how many late bills will get paid instantly if you have a site to collect credit card payments in this manner.)
     
  • Images with targeted products on sales order acknowledgements.

cc and BCC Options In E-Mails!

 And while we're talking about e-mails, all e-mailed forms may now include optional lists of cc and Bcc addresses (form-specific.) For example, you can specify that the primary salesperson on any purchase order automatically get a cc, or that a billing manager get a cc on every customer statement.

*Bar Coded Forms Now Standard!

 Our standard forms can now include bar codes for various identifiers such as invoice numbers and customer ids. Again, this is something a number of our customers have had great success with. Some applications:
  • A bar code is included on the return portion of the standard customer invoice. When customers send in their payments, the return portion of the invoice is scanned and the payment applied with no manual data entry.
     
  • A bar code is included on each line item of the standard customer statement. When customers send in their payments, the statement is scanned for each invoice they are paying and payments are again applied with no manual data entry.
     
  • A bar code is included on each line item of the standard customer packing slip. If an item needs to be returned, the packing slip is scanned for the returned item(s) and the F/M adjustment is made with no manual data entry.

Sales Orders And Accounts Receivable

New Line Item Type!

 There is now a 'Memo' line item type. Use this to add line items to a Sales Order which are strictly notes to the customer and will have no accounting significance. Added bonus: these line items may also be 'blind' so that the notes will only print internally but not on any external (customer viewable) forms.

New Line Item Options!

 

 There is now an 'Ignore Inventory' order status for sales order line items. This allows you to specify that the line item should not affect inventory--even if it is designated as an inventoried item. This feature is in response to requests to more easily handle situations where items that are usually managed are ordered and delivered outside of the normal workflow.

*Customers Now Support Multiple Billing Addresses!

 You may now store and utilize multiple active billing addresses for each customer for all transaction types.

Additionally, all changes to addresses may be 'versioned', ie. stored as separate addresses for historical recall. This will allow for re-printing older documents 'at a point in time', including invoices, etc.

Actually, this is an expansion of the existing function. The difference is that, you now have access to these on screen addresses and may use any number of them simultaneously. In past versions, older addresses were simply available for historical review.

Invoice Batch Print Undo!

 There is now an 'Undo Run' function for invoicing. This is similar to the Undo Run function when printing A/P Checks.

Immediately after printing invoices, you are presented with a dialog box with options to Update Customer Aging and whether or not you wish to confirm the printing. If you answer 'Undo', the entire printing is rolled back. In other words, it's as if it did not happen.

Note: once you have confirmed the print run, there is no further 'undo' capability. At that point, you must void and clone the invoice as a new sales order.

Credit And Payment Mistakes Are Now Fully Undoable!

 At long last! Any customer payment, credit or refund initiated by the Apply Credit function is now fully 'undoable'. This actually covers a few functional changes, but since they all fall under the same general task of 'handling credits', we'll lump them together with some examples of what has changed:
  • You issue a refund check to a customer, but then the customer changes their mind and returns the check and keeps the merchandise. Voiding the check in the check register now automatically re-opens the customer invoice and 'undoes' the Apply Credit.
     
  • You mistakenly apply a credit to the wrong customer invoice. Now, simply go to that credit and click on the Payment/Credit History button. Select the invoice you mis-applied the credit, right click and select 'Undo'. A new line item is created which reverses the Apply Credit and the customer invoice is re-opened.
     
  • Your customer has two open invoices for the same amount and you mistakenly apply a payment to the wrong one. There is no longer any need to void the entire deposit in the check register. Now, you can go to the check register, open the deposit, right click on the incorrect invoice and select 'Undo'. A window will open, allowing you to select other invoices to apply that amount to. Select one or more invoices and the original (wrong) invoice is re-opened. You can even leave the credit amount open as a new open credit if you're not sure which invoice to apply the amount to.

Accounts Payable And General Ledger

*Vendors Now Support Multiple Billing Addresses!

 You may now store and utilize multiple active billing addresses for each vendor for all transaction types.

Additionally, all changes to addresses may be 'versioned', ie. stored as separate addresses for historical recall. This will allow for re-printing older documents 'at a point in time', including checks and purchase orders.

Actually, this is an expansion of the existing function. The difference is that, you now have access to these on screen addresses and may use any number of them simultaneously. In past versions, older addresses were simply available for historical review.

*Split Vendor Invoices Into Multiple Checks!

 If you select multiple invoices for a particular vendor you can now tag that these vendor invoices to be split into separate checks.

Warnings Before Period Update!

 When performing a Period Update, you are now warned before being allowed to proceed if there are:
  • Any unposted G/L Entries
     
  • The totals for the period are out of balance

You may still proceed with the update however.

Batch G/L Transaction Move/Clone!

 You can now tag multiple G/L transactions and copy or move them into another period with a single keystroke. If you find that you have a whole slew of transactions that were improperly entered into Period 8, but really should have been applied to Period 9? Just tag 'em all; hit the Clone button; select 'Move'; then 'Period 9', and you're done.

Tip: You can select the transactions you need in the Query tab and then hit 'Tag All' to instantly tag all transactions matching the Query.

Inventory

*Batch RFQ Printing!

 Vendor Requests For Quote (RFQs) now have a new numbering system. A unique RFQ number is generated when the RFQ is printed. This is independent of the RFQ's Transaction ID and the numbering scheme may be user specified. The system is similar to how customer invoice numbers are generated. So what?

This now allows you to 'gang' Vendor Requests For Quote (RFQs) in a number of ways.

  • By vendor. You can tag multiple RFQs and have a single RFQ Number for all products to the same vendor.
     
  • By customer. You can tag multiple RFQs and have a single RFQ Number for all products to the same customer.
     
  • By product. You can tag multiple RFQs and have a single RFQ Number for all RFQs using the same original product id, regardless of vendor or customer.
     
  • Some combination of all three (Product, Vendor, Customer.) This makes it possible to, for example, generate a unique  RFQ Number for all RFQs of a single product for one particular customer.

Batch RFQ/Sales Order Converter!

 Using the new Numbering System, Vendor Requests For Quote (RFQs) may now be converted to 'ganged' sales orders in a number of new ways.
  • The traditional way -- one RFQ/Product converted to a single sales order.
     
  • Ganged by RFQ number and customer. All tagged RFQs sharing the same RFQ number and customer id, will be combined into a single sales order with separate line items for each product.
     
  • Ganged by customer. All tagged RFQs sharing the same customer id, will be combined into a single sales order with  separate line items for each product.

New
Multi-Phase Job System!

 We've dramatically improved the process of multi-phase jobs, such as occurs with complex printed pieces where one company may provide the base stock which is then sent onto a second shop for printing, then to a third house for embossing and final shipment to the customer. This has been accomplished through the same Sales Order screen you know and love using a new Job Phase Window. This window contains a list of all phases of the line item. Each of these phases is really just a standard Purchase Order. The trick is that, as you enter each phase, the POs are automatically entered for you and then linked together in their proper order along with new fields for tracking the Start Date and Completion Date for each phase.

Sales Orders: When you enter the initial Ship To Address for each line item, you can then specify that the item is a part of a multi-phase order and then enter the remaining phases as linked Purchase Orders at the same time in a pop-up window. If there are multiple line items, you can drag and drop these onto the same POs. In short--you control which line items are ganged onto Vendor POs.

Purchase Orders: As items are acknowledged as received by each vendor in the chain, the next Purchase Order in the chain is automatically updated.

Example:
1. Enter a sales order for a complex piece--say 500 restaurant menus. You enter the Sales Order Line Item (Menu) as a finished good for your customer.

2. On the line item, enter the initial vendor (the base stock) as the ship from. Enter the next vendor (the printer) as the ship to. Click the new 'Add Phase' button. A new Job Purchase Orders window appears asking if you would like to create a new PO or assign this to an existing one. Select 'New'.

3. Fill out the PO screen. The Ship From information (the printer) and quantity is included for you. Fill out the Ship To (the company providing the embossed covers). Note the new Scheduled Start and End Date fields. Fill these out as well and save. You're now returned to the Job Purchase Orders window. Again, click on the 'Add Phase'.

4. Again, fill out the PO screen. This time, the Ship From is the embossed covers shop. Select the customer address and change the quantity to ship to 250.

5. Now click the 'Insert' button on the PO. The remaining 250 appear in the Ship Quantity field. Change the Ship To Address to your 3rd party warehouse and save the PO.

6. You're now back at the Job Purchase Orders window. Close this window. You're now back at the Sales Order Line Item window. Your Sites/Quantities are filled in with icons showing the links between each phase and their POs.

7. Print out the POs from the Sales Order.

Important Notes
Costs: As job phases are completed, the costs are automatically totaled back to the sales order. And these phases may be managed at any point in the sales cycle--even after customer invoicing. (IOW: you can bill your customer before all job phases are complete---costs added into each PO automatically flow back to the Sales Order.

Tracking: You can also track each phase in the Purchase Orders Browse. You can view or print items which are scheduled to start, but haven't yet, or those which are started but past their scheduled complete date and not moved to the next phase.

Inventory: In the above example, the menus are split ship with half going to the customer and the remainder put into the warehouse for later release. You could easily extend this to as many Ship Tos as you like. Inventory is managed in exactly the same manner as previous versions of SAFE.

Summary
This system provides easy to manage support for even the most complex multi-phase jobs and also complete provides job tracking for each of these phases. SAFE uses the same system of POs as before, but now automatically creates the needed POs and links each together to make the sales order line item into a true single 'job'.

WebSAFE/Ollie

PayPal® Interface!

 We're proud to announce a partnership with Paypal to include a complete payment interface as standard for Ollie. Paypal is the free (mostly) service that processes payments from customers electronically. When users go to their shopping cart, they can have the option to pay immediately via Paypal---either with their credit card or Paypal bank account.

Paypal has grown so large now that it is now common place even in many traditional web storefronts that support traditional credit card payments. Why? It's easy--for you and your customers! Customers who might not want to fill out a credit app, or who don't have a corporate credit card can pay you safely and you can be assured of payment because of Paypal's excellent seller protections. So, even though the seller fees are higher than a traditional credit card processor, accepting a Paypal payment can be less risky.
*The items marked with an asterisk will require a form re-design if you are using a custom version of the affected form. Each form re-design charge is typically 1 hour of billed labour and is charged at 50% the standard rate. Again, if you are using the standard forms, you will receive the new version at no charge.

Do I Have To Upgrade To SQL Server 2008?
Of course, the first question amongst you hard-nosed, cost conscious, don't fix it if it ain't broke types will be 'do I gotta get SQL 2008?' Nope. You do not. SAFE/X will still be 100% compatible with good old SQL2k. However, as we've been saying for two years now, many of the new features in SAFE simply will not be available. In other words, if you upgrade to SAFE/X and don't see a feature we've advertised here, it's because you are still using SQL2k. So it will come down to whether or not the new features matter to you.

Where Can I Learn More?
Well, first of all, we'll be having lots more discussions on SQL2008 in the months ahead as we roll out SAFE/X. In the meantime, a great place to send the propellor0heads in your company might be: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/default.mspx where there is a plethora of info on the various editions, examples of benefits, costs, and how to upgrade. If you need even more? Just drop us a note, of course.

Til Next Time!
 

Ciaran's Corner: Different Bread, Same Sandwich?
On October 10th of 2007, like many of you, we received an e-mail informing us that our organization had undergone an immediate name change. Following this move, the DMIA (...er... 'PSDA') mailing list had several members who praised the move. We were in a very small, but vocal minority who complained mightily at the undemocratic nature of it all. After all, it was done by the leadership with no vote taken by members. But overall, I suspect that the silent majority is simply reacting with a typical, 'ho hum.'

As you may know, we have many times shaken our heads at the actions (or lack thereof) of NBFA/DMIA/PSDA. And I gotta say that, despite numerous sincere attempts to try and 'feel' this as a step forward, sadly I just can't quite yet do it. It seems like yet another attempt to re-package the wrapper without changing what's inside. That's what we call in Ireland: 'different bread; same sandwich.' I can't really blaim the leaders of the organization. Fundamentally, most of you are sales and marketing guys. So changing to a nicer outer bread comes naturally. (Now watch me stretch this metaphor one step further!) What bothers us is that the 'meat' is what needs updating. The industry is changing faster than ever and many distributors simply aren't adapting fast enough. The leadership recognises this and is trying it's best to encourage it's members to move with the times.

Now back at the end of the last millenium when the organization changed from NBFA to Document Management Information Association many of you thought it was a bit 'high-falutin'. To us, it was a great name change because it represented where we thought the industry should head: towards helping clients manage information and document systems. Fast forward to 2008 and guess what? Many of you are actually doing that: managing whole systems of documents and products across web sites, warehouses and desktops. In short: you're managing the entire brand face of your clients. Fantastic! So, why the name change? Why call yourselves the 'Print Services Distribution Association'? This seems to be a step back towards a far more limited vision---right when we're starting towards a far broader goal. Aside from the few bucks that it costs members for the new logos and marketing materials, it just seems to be a mis-focus. I know the leadership is well-intentioned, but a name change won't help kick start the membership into new markets and new ways of doing business.

So What's The Answer?
We sound like a broken record, but we'd like to see one simple change that we've been asking for for many years.

1. Once and for all: A unified XML standard ordering interface by member distributors and vendors for all jobs. That way, any distributor can easily send out the same RFQ or PO to any shop electronically. No more proprietary interfaces that try to lock you into 'relationships' with specific vendors simply because it requires re-inventing the digital wheel to connect with a new vendor. DMIA/PSDA has already spent a lot of money on 'studying' how to do this with Adobe's JDF format. Enough study. Now's the time to lobby manufacturers, software makers and you distributors to accept it--as has happened in many industries decades ago.

 2. A de-emphasis on 'Printing' as the raison d'etre of the organization. You are all much more than that. You all must be much more than that. Yes, most all of you started out as 'forms guys', but the world really is much larger than 'printing.' Most of you are doing so much more than printed items, even if they still represent the lion's share of your sales. The organization needs to work much harder to help it's membership leverage and develop related opportunities outside of traditional printed items as we believe that these will eventually come to be the primary revenue generators. Even if you aren't yet sure what they are for you.

It's a time of great change in this industry. It seems like it's always been that way (at least since we got into this game in 1988.) And the pace of change has only accelerated with each passing year. If you are a member of PSDA I hope you will encourage the leadership to make the changes on the inside that we feel are so important to helping the membership succeed. Changing a name can be a good thing--it reflects a desire to make a fresh start. But that name change must be coupled with substantial changes in emphasis. Otherwise, it's just a different bread on the same sandwich.

Til Next Time!

Ciaràn Marron
Technical Support Manager
cm@suntowersystems.com

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End of E-News From The Suntower, Volume X #1