Business is booming, revenue is growing and new customers are pouring in. However success can often bring another series of operational challenges – can the rest of the business keep up? A growing customer base and increased order volume can overwhelm an accounting department that is plagued with excessive, and often duplicate, data entry and manual tasks. As your business grows, so does the need for integration between departments and computer systems. Most mid-sized businesses make initial software purchases at the departmental level. A variety of factors influence these purchasing decisions, most notably price and ease of use. In smaller companies, integration does not often factor into the equation because communication flows easily between departments in close proximity and with smaller staff that are familiar with one another. The Growth Challenge During periods of growth, staff size increases and in some cases necessitates the addition of multiple business locations. Verbal communication or e-mail messages will not suffice to move larger quantities of data across the business. Vital information becomes trapped within disparate software systems or external spreadsheets, unable to flow between departments, and efficiency & accuracy suffer. Operating in this fashion, companies will see productivity decline as the IT department and other staff struggle to create a temporary fix. Integration between software systems eliminates these “data silos” to create a single view of the entire business. Integration Provides the Solution As an existing Sage Software customer, there are numerous solutions that are integrated and designed to work exclusively with your Sage MAS 90 or MAS 200 system to bridge the communication gap between departments or locations. In previous newsletters we’ve provided detailed information about some of these solutions that include Act! By Sage, Abra Human Resource Management and Payroll, and many other “add on” modules. When planning for new technology to accommodate business growth, integration should be a top consideration in your strategy. These integrated software solutions allow you to take advantage of seamless communication between systems, departments and locations which will save your company time and money as the business transforms. At Partners In Technology, our staff of business advisors and technology professionals are experts in business systems integration. Contact us to discuss your changing needs and how a solution that is integrated with your MAS 90 or MAS 200 system can improve efficiency and profitability across the company. Integration - The Key to Efficiency Gains MAS 90 and MAS 200 Newsletter Integration - The Key to Efficiency Gains MAS 90 Beats NetSuite in Software Review Preparing for Year-End - Payroll Processing & Compliance Tax Table Updates for Q4 2006 In This Issue: MAS 90 Beats NetSuite in Annual Software Review Year-end payroll processing, reconciliation and tax compliance can be a grueling experience for many small and mid-sized companies. Staff resources stretch thin during year-end processing and the extra time needed for such a large task necessitates either excessive overtime or adding temporary staff to accommodate the additional work. As administrators endeavor to start payroll processes for the new year, they are still creating, reviewing and submitting tax returns for the prior year. Adding to the stress, missed deadlines expose a company to penalties and interest charges. As such, many companies consider outsourcing payroll processing, year-end tax filing, or both, in order to alleviate staff burden. In considering these options, a company should establish an accurate baseline for the total cost of ownership of in-house processing, in order to compare these costs with outsourcing bids. Benefits of Outsourcing – Processing vs. Compliance Some companies process payroll in-house and choose only to outsource year-end compliance which relieves a business of calculating, preparing and sending payments and tax returns. Outsourced service providers submit reports to their customers that prove correct amounts were paid on time. This step alone can provide welcomed relieve to your payroll and accounting staff at year-end. On the other hand, payroll processing throughout the year is a commonly outsourced function for many small and mid-sized businesses. Initial interest in outsourcing payroll processing and tax filing often arises as part of a corporate effort to lower costs. But there are also less tangible considerations such as reducing the level of stress among staff, raising morale and having additional time to focus on more strategic business objectives which can add to the outsourcing value proposition. The Key is to Compare Total Cost of Ownership When facing a decision about outsourcing, companies should start by comparing the total cost of ownership of in-house payroll processing and tax compliance versus outsourcing the tasks. Considerations must extend beyond a simple tally of staff hours required to fulfill these duties. A thorough assessment of cost should also include expenses associated with hiring, recurring compliance training and resources such as hardware, software and administrative assistance. Documenting these costs will help ease the task of comparing these quantitative figures to quotes received from outsourcing providers. For some companies, the time and staff resources required to meet the challenge of in-house processing is simply not cost-effective and they elect to outsource these functions. Other companies manage the payroll process in-house and rely on a service provider for year-end compliance only. Sage Software offers solutions for both in-house and outsourced payroll processing and compliance that are integrated with your MAS 90 or MAS 200 system. Contact us to discuss the options that are available to meet your specific needs. Tax Table Updates for Q4 2006 The 2006 Q4 Tax Table Update (TTU) is available for download. It applies to Sage MAS 90, Sage MAS 200, and MAS 200 – SQL Server Edition, versions 3.71–4.10. Installing the TTU will update tax codes for states across the nation. The link above provides access to a complete description of the tax codes affected. Nov - Dec 2006 Sage Software, Sage Software logos, and Sage Software product names and services mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Other product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. If you no longer wish to receive beneficial announcements via email, please reply to this email message with “REMOVE” in the subject line Contact Us With Any Questions (630) 462-7190 x277 or mvz@partners-in-tech.com www.Partners-In-Tech.com 104 E. Roosevelt Rd. Wheaton, IL 60517 It’s official —and published in the September issue of The CPA Technology Advisor, Sage MAS 90 version 4.1, has been awarded five out of five stars overall in the publication’s annual “mid-range” accounting software review, beating NetSuite, Cougar Mountain, Red Wing, and others in this comparison of nine different mid-range accounting systems! Not only did Sage Software’s flagship ERP product win, it received PERFECT SCORES in all six review categories: Ease of Use/Transaction Entry, Modules & Notable Features, Integration/Import/Export, Reporting, Support/Training/Help System, and Relative Value. Preparing for Year-End Is Outsourcing Payroll Processing and Compliance a Good Option?