Posts Tagged reports
InsightSoftware.com’s North American User Group meeting is now in session!
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on March 22, 2010
More than 100 attendees have gathered at the Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz., for InsightSoftware.com’s North American User Group Meeting. The meeting is from March 21 through the 23.
Sessions include an overview of the all-new Insight Version 10 and business optimization solutions. Danny Graham and Julie Holmes kicked-off the meeting with an extensive overview and demonstration of Version 10. During the morning session, attendees were shown numerous Version 10 screenshots. Later, Julie and Danny took questions from the audience.
The first day will continue with sessions focusing on Forecast2Budget, Advanced Formatting, Supplier Management, Advanced Hierarchies, Report Writing, Integrated Reporting and Reconciliations.
Stay tuned to Insightful for more updates from InsightSoftware.com’s NAUG in Scottsdale.
For photos, visit our Facebook page and become a fan: http://bit.ly/d62xBj.
The “Software Tax” – Will it Cripple Colorado’s Economy?
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on February 11, 2010
I’m of the mind that taxes pretty much stink. I’m sure many agree. In cartoons and movies alike, the “Tax Collector” is always portrayed as a seedy individual who only cares for himself, his job and the state. But the other side of the coin is quite simple: Taxes pay for much needed services within a society.
Now that the United States is witnessing its worst recession since the Great Depression, budget shortfalls are numbering into the billions of dollars (ugh…and trillions). Each state – with the exception of only a few – is in the red. For example, Colorado’s education system has been greatly affected and can no longer receive cuts to its budgets. To make up for this and other state budget shortfalls, more changes are needed to fill the gap. Over 2010, the state will see massive tax hikes and the elimination of tax credits – for businesses and citizens alike.
But, when does the tax legislation begin to infringe on a society’s progress? When do those taxes begin to alter the competitive landscape for business? The Colorado government’s latest tax scheme – HB 1192 or “Software Tax” – is an example of a tax that just plain stinks; it’s bad legislation, plain and simple.
The way HB 1192 is setup is not in the best interests of Colorado’s citizens, purely because it directly affects business. It’s also being fast-tracked through legislation – already passing the first major hurdles and on its way to full-blown approval. If it does pass, it will take effect March 1.
(Maybe it has already passed and nobody has been notified. Uh-oh.)
So, what’s all the fuss about?
How this will affect companies in Colorado is still uncertain. However, one can ascertain that the use of software by businesses will be a primary target – imposing additional expense to the cost of doing business in the state.
Think of how much software a business uses on a daily, weekly and annual basis. Of course, large businesses use hundreds of different software applications. Small businesses are certainly not out of the picture either. The use of technology in Colorado and the proliferation of technology will be negatively impacted. It isn’t just a simple tax: It’s a slow bleeding of the state’s intellectual resources.
According to Su Hawk of the Colorado Technology Association (CTA), the software tax “is the most dangerous bill our organization has seen in its 16-year history because it is extraordinarily confusing, complex and costly for technology companies and technology users throughout all companies in our state.”
Interestingly enough, this new software tax will have a ripple effect – stretching from businesses to citizens, and state visitors as well. First, the legislation is very confusing and massive at the same time. This mixture usually creates more confusion and apathy among the state’s elected officials who have the power to deny passage of the changes. Their understanding of HB 1192’s power isn’t entirely understood. Why? HB 1192 isn’t the only turd being passed through the doors of the state government. There’s only so much state officials can review and fully understand. They’re only shown the dollars signs and the bottom line, which only affects the short-term situation. The long-term implications are an entirely different story (probably more depressing than I care to trudge through at this point).
None of this bodes well for those who are against the “Software Tax.” Here’s how the CTA views the problem and what it will do:
- All software that was designed for one user but then resold to a second user would become taxable
- If a company develops software and then sells its business to a third party, they then would be selling “taxable software” when the business is sold
- Taxable software includes all prewritten updates/upgrades. If these charges are not separately stated from a maintenance fee, the full charge for maintenance and update becomes taxable.
- Charges to customize “base software” could be taxable if not separately stated from the overall purchase of the software. (Thus, businesses will need to be very careful about how they invoice customers, otherwise labor will become taxable.)
- In general, all services not separately stated from the license of software could become taxable (installation, customization, maintenance . . . )
- Where software is located or how the software is transferred to a user does not change the taxability of software. As a result, the sales tax would then apply to all ASP and SaaS models or any other form of “cloud computing.”
- The language could apply to many transactions, which include a software component. For example, online banking software provided to bank customers as part of their overall fees for banking services may become taxable. Any other fees for services where a customer has access to utilize some form of software may become taxable if the charge for services and software are not carefully segregated.
- Many more…
Further down the rabbit’s hole…
Would these taxes and tax credit eliminations be necessary if the government would restrain its wasteful spending and implementing of unnecessary programs? Of course, we’re talking about the state of Colorado, but this affects the likelihood of tax programs for the nation. Taxes are necessary. When do they become unnecessary? Simple. Taxes become a problem when they enforce a burden on economic growth and forward progress. That’s counterproductive to our current state of affairs, not ideal.
Some helpful links:
Your thoughts?
Important Industry Webinars to Attend and/or View
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on January 29, 2010
It’s definitely the season for free Webinars. If you enjoy learning more about the goings-on in the Oracle world and beyond, it’s a good idea to keep reading.
On Wednesday, Feb. 3 (10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET), plan to attend the following Webinar: “JD Edwards & Oracle: The Strategic Platform for Business Growth.” Lyle Ekdahl, group vice president for JD Edwards will provide a 10-minute update on the “future of JD Edwards.”
In addition, Bill Black, chief financial officer for Arcturus Realty Corp. will join Lyle for a discussion on the ease of upgrading to 9.0 and Tools 8.98. Of course, we’re especially excited about this Webinar because Arcturus is a loyal InsightSoftware.com customer.
You will also have the opportunity to talk directly with Lyle and Bill during the Webinar’s Q&A session. Don’t miss it! To register, visit http://bit.ly/badWvo.
Recently, Oracle announced its plans to combine with Sun Microsystems. If you managed to miss all this important industry news, it’s never too late to catch up on the happenings. Oracle is offering an on-demand Webinar series called the “Oracle + Sun Product Strategy.” Learn more about the merger and what it means for you: http://bit.ly/cMaX07.
If you’re in the finance and accounting industries, you’ve probably heard a little bit about International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which are standards, interpretations and the framework adopted by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).
The United States has been slow to adopt IFRS. However, countries like Canada, India and many others are planning to adopt the standards or already have. As the pressure grows for the U.S. to use IFRS, many companies are scrambling to find out how to prepare.
The American Management Association (AMA) hosted a Webinar called “From GAAP to IFRS: How to Survive the Accounting Revolution.” The prerecorded Webinar highlights how IFRS will affect the format of financial statements and increased requirements for systems support and data tracking.
To view the Webinar, it’s required to register for a free membership with the AMA: http://bit.ly/cSvPPy.
InsightSoftware.com also has a few Webinars for your viewing pleasure – specifically the most recent Webinar, “Hierarchies – new and improved functionality in Version 9.0.3.” Check it out: http://bit.ly/aZceS6 (scroll to the bottom of the page for the most recent editions).
Having a Tough Day? Call InsightSoftware.com’s Customer Service!
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on January 21, 2010
By Stefanie Uhl
Due to a recent change in my InsightSoftware.com responsibilities, I now sit very close to our customer service team. At first I thought it would be difficult to be close to them since they do talk a great deal, but it has actually turned out to be a delight.
I think some of InsightSoftware.com’s customers call our customer support team when they are having a rough day. Not only do they solve their Insight issue quickly, they keep our customers engaged and entertained along the way. If the issue needs to be reported to development they rapidly get that done. One day I thought about calling customer support for a little cheer in the middle of a long afternoon.
Here’s the best part: They are real people working during their own time zone and speaking their native languages. Oh what I wouldn’t give for that level of support when I need to call my Internet, software or printer provider for support.
Insight customers, please add your comments and experiences with customer service (InsightSoftware and otherwise). And then go visit: http://www.insightsoftware.com/jde.
Want to go shopping?
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on January 15, 2010
By Lynda Huebsch
You could be a lucky winner and receive $100 in Best Buy gift cards. We invite you to submit your list of “Top 10 Reasons to Attend the InsightSoftware.com North American User Group (NAUG).”
We will sort through the entries and announce the winner during our opening session in Scottsdale on March 22.
Below is a top 10 list I created. I know our customers can do better. Go ahead and take the plunge – be creative and original. Good luck!
Top 10 Reasons to Attend NAUG 2010
- Be the first to hear about Insight Version 10 features and functionality
- Make your colleagues jealous: Get a sunburn in March
- Relax on a gondola while being serenaded by a gondolier
- Mix and mingle with partners under the palms
- Share success stories with other customers
- Make a co-worker happy: Bring materials back for their business function
- Earn your CPE credits while honing your Insight skills
- Impress your boss with increased efficiencies learned from “tips and tricks”
- Be an insider; InsightSoftware.com plans to share their company and product roadmap
- Take the early flight. Sunday’s welcome reception includes an open bar.
Submit “Top 10″ entries to marketing@insightsoftware.com. For more information about our NAUG, visit www.insightsoftware.com/naug.
Does Your JD Edwards Data Require Top-Notch Maid Service?
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on January 14, 2010
By Stefanie Uhl
Just like a house or office that has many wonderful features and supplies that are difficult to find or are broken (rendering them useless), your JDE data is much less valuable to you if it’s not 100 percent accurate and integral. JD Edwards’ database is a true gem packed with endless useful information, but it is only highly valuable if the data is “squeaky clean.” The JDE integrity programs are not 100 percent complete and often take a long time to run – making it frustrating to run them frequently.
Did you know that there is a solution available that provides high level, easy-to-use “maid service” for your JD Edwards data? Of course, the solution is called Insight and is available from InsightSoftware.com for both World and E1.
Insight can quickly and easily check the following, just to name a few areas:
- Are all companies in balance
- Are all required category codes filled in
- Are there accounts with the same code but different descriptions
- Does the Accounts Receivable account balance to the A/R system
- Does the Received but not Vouchered account balance reconcile to the PO system
- Does your PPV (purchase price variance ) tie to your GL
- Does your cycle count tie to your inventory
- Are you certain that your purchasing department is only using preferred vendors and thereby gaining significant savings
Here’s how I see it: Insight can help identify areas that require attention, but it can often also help resolve the issues easily. Years ago when I was a JD Edwards application consultant, I can distinctly recall spending several days trying to help a German JDE customer determine why their GL was out of balance by .01 “Pfennig.” Insight could have helped me resolve this issue in hours, if not minutes, and would have saved the customer a significant amount of time and money.
In another engagement a customer was extremely frustrated by a report where the numbers did not seem to accurately be reporting regional revenues and expenses. It took them days to finally determine that the category codes were not accurately complete on all business units. With Insight’s drill down feature, this would have been identified and resolved quickly. Insight also has a hierarchy feature where it is easy to be certain that all business units and accounts are included.
An InsightSoftware.com customer (Courtney Robinson, 4Front Assistant Controller) recently said, “I’ve used Insight to find missing tax codes and category codes, and I plan to do even more integrity checking with the solution.”
Let the story unfold: http://www.insightsoftware.com/jde.
In the year 2010…
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on January 7, 2010
It’s time, once again, to look into the future. That’s right. Let’s look to the future…all the way to the year 2010.
Are you ready? Here are some predictions:
In an effort to further bolster its enormity, Oracle will receive EU approval to purchase Sun Microsystems. Later, Oracle will become self-aware and then try to purchase itself.
Time Warner will slip into a brutal bout with depression after realizing it really misses having AOL around. Of course, AOL will move on to become more Internet-savvy and start its own blog.
Warren Buffett will “go rogue” and purchase significant shares in several penny stocks. To further his torrent of unfamiliar behavior, Buffett will demand that the A shares of Berkshire Hathaway be split multiple times – allowing it to be more affordable to average, everyday investors.
Oracle user groups from around the nation will meet to create networking opportunities and provide training seminars. User group members who attend the events will receive some great insider info that’s crucial to their daily business activities.
First up…
The NorCal OAUG will host its eighth annual training day event, on Jan. 19, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in California. The full-day conference aims to provide more than 90 presentations. And, as networking becomes the way to do real business nowadays, attendees can meet with Northern California Oracle users, consultants, vendors and Oracle employees.
For more information on NorCal OAUG, visit http://www.norcaloaug.com.
Next on the calendar…
InsightSoftware.com will host its North American User Group Meeting, March 21-23, at the Hyatt Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz. Although this is a user group for InsightSoftware.com customers, it’s certainly open to all who are interested in attending.
The meeting has been expanded to two full days, with a mixture of general sessions and four “break out tracks” tailored to each customer’s experience with Insight, area of expertise and ERP system. Here’s a look at the meeting agenda: http://bit.ly/6jCFe1.
To register (and to take advantage of early-bird rates), go to http://bit.ly/67g7EQ.
Don’t forget to collaborate…
The Independent Oracle Users Group (IOUG), the Oracle Applications Users Group (OAUG) and Quest International Users Group (Quest) will host COLLABORATE 10 – the technology and applications forum for the Oracle community. As an educational conference, COLLABORATE 10 helps users of the full family of Oracle business applications and database software gain greater value from their Oracle investments. Visit http://www.collaborate10.org.
Stay open for OpenWorld…
Save the date now for Oracle OpenWorld 2010, Sept. 19 – 23, in San Francisco. With thousands of sessions and hundreds of exhibits and demos, there’s no better place to learn how to optimize your existing systems, get an inside line on upcoming technology breakthroughs, and meet with the strategists and developers responsible for the products and services that help you get better results for your company. Visit http://www.oracle.com/us/openworld.
In the year 2010…
Managing properties? Need some help?
Posted by ryan.alford in Uncategorized on January 5, 2010
Today, InsightSoftware.com made it official: The organization launched its Property Management Module for JD Edwards.
Here’s the press release:
InsightSoftware.com, a global software provider of Business Optimization Software (BOS), releases a new Property Management module for JD Edwards (JDE). The Property Management module is part of Insight’s Real Estate solution offering increased visibility to key lease, tenant and billing information.
Insight provides pre-packaged property management templates designed for the end user. Gone are the days of relying on inadequate standard reports or time-consuming, expensive reports designed by an IT department. Property managers and accountants determine all the key information needed on reports to answer daily business questions and identify trends affecting lease profitability.
To ensure data integrity, users can create exception reports or use highlighting and stop-lighting features to proactively spot issues: “Clients can create inquiries to flag items like incomplete or inconsistent lease information,” said Tracey Lewis, account manager for InsightSoftware.com.
In addition, a user can compare and contrast their most profitable properties with Insight’s charting and graphing capabilities. Using direct links to online transaction details allows for monitoring of billing status and analyzing of payment history – organized by tenant, property or lease manager.
“Our clients purchase Insight to gain better access to their JDE property management information to improve decision making,” explains Lewis. “However, it is the ad hoc ability to research information ‘on-the-fly’ that exponentially increases their day-to-day effectiveness.”
To learn more about Insight’s Property Management module, visit: http://www.InsightSoftware.com/jde/pm.
Here’s the PitchEngine release: http://pitch.pe/39981.
Are you in the property management business? Is your company using JD Edwards? What are some ways you’re working to organize leases and tenant payments?
Integrity check, rinse, repeat
Posted by ryan.alford in Rant on December 21, 2009
It’s the same scenario every month: Company accountants and finance advisors rush to organize and close their financial statements. What’s even more frustrating – within the mass scramble – is stopping to carefully examine the data after using the financial statement generator (FSG) via Oracle’s E-Business Suite. This scenario invites a myriad of problems; without properly authenticating the statements, it can inevitably introduce GL account balances to errors and inaccuracies. In turn, this wreaks havoc on reporting features and further degrades their credibility.
So, a question to ask: If the validity of the FSG data is questioned, how will this affect the future integrity of the reporting? Like mothers conveniently say, “Always wear clean underwear!”
Oracle’s FSG solution isn’t new and many use it on a daily basis. What many users don’t understand is the likelihood of significant data decay within the statements – specifically with row sets, column sets, content sets, etc. No doubt, this all proves to be an apt time for an FSG integrity check.
A few points to keep in mind when working with unverified financial reports:
- There’s the possibility that several rows sets contain errors and are affecting the reports
- Checksums for financial reports may go unused
- Bad calculations (and a devious FSG editor) can easily ruin the outcome
- Data security becomes an afterthought when introducing Excel into the mix. Nobody likes a spreadsheet that’s irrevocably wrong.
All too often, companies invest millions of dollars into a combined ERP and BI system that emits unreliable data. In the end, what becomes the more important segment of ERP is the need for reliable reporting that has the correct functionality – not a solution that causes data integrity, security and compliance issues.
With International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) looming, data quality and security becomes a necessity rather than a luxury. Nowadays, companies trying to resolve auditing and Sarbanes-Oxley issues agree with that statement. It’s losing confidence in a multi-million dollar system that creates a gap between success and the muddy waters of noncompliance.
Again, listen to mother: “Always wear clean underwear!”
To purify that flawed report that will soon bear a signature of approval from a C-level executive, give it a good washing: http://www.insightsoftware.com/fsgchecker. Nobody likes a dirty spreadsheet. Better yet, nobody likes to see money wasted on reporting about…money. Make sense?