Technology in Practice

A business’ success is highly dependent on its ability to act proactively and make critical decisions in a timely manner. Businesses are more complex than ever and as organization’s grow, so too does their data. This data is not only massive in volume but may also reside in a multitude of different sources. In addition to the core ERP, data is commonly housed in legacy systems and third-party applications i.e., CRMs, Payroll solutions. For this reason, organizations cannot continue to solely depend on the raw data derived from their ERP software for enterprise-wide insight. In addition, accessing and processing raw data from various sources is a time-consuming endeavor and one which can only be managed by someone with technical skills and extensive knowledge of these systems. Lastly, an organization is typically comprised of multiple departments and employees who require access to data at different levels in order to do their jobs effectively. An inability to quickly access and share information with colleagues and/or key stakeholders often results in a lack of collaboration and a siloed work environment. The importance of Business Intelligence In our data-driven world, data itself is no longer a business’ most valuable asset. The value is found in the actionable insights obtained from that data. Operating with legacy “reporting tools” or none at all results in time consuming manual work with room for error. Organizations are spending inordinate amounts of time gathering and managing their data limiting their productivity and time spent on other important tasks. Many businesses have access to their data, but do not have the tools required to actually leverage it. Business Intelligence delivers that “missing link” and is an essential proponent of an organization’s success. Winning businesses are those with the ability to easily and quickly turn enterprise-wide data- into actionable insights. Business Intelligence solutions provide users of any level, self-service access to data in a way that makes sense and facilitates decision making. But doesn’t my ERP have reporting tools? An ERP software helps organizations manage key business processes. It houses critical data but falls short with providing users an easy way to access, analyze and report on that data. Without an integrated Business Intelligence software, organizations must spend time and effort gathering and making sense of their data and are consequently missing opportunities. The ability to quickly access information through a BI’s reports and dashboards, enables businesses to act proactively and maintain a competitive edge. Do you need to have IT expertise? Business Intelligence solutions are commonly developed with the end user in mind. Many BI softwares provide users with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface allowing them to interact with data regardless of their technical level. BI provides flexibility and empowers users significantly reducing reliance on IT. So, what is the key benefit of BI? Business Intelligence provides many benefits to an organization. It reduces time spent on gathering data, eliminates manual reporting and reduces reliance on IT. The right BI solution provides a full, clear picture of an organization’s financials, operations, and overall health. It enables employees and key stakeholders to quickly react when important changes occur and base decisions on reliable information.  avoiding missed opportunities and remain proactive. Business Intelligence is no longer a “nice to have” and is a necessity for businesses who are striving for success and growth. For more information about how Business Intelligence tools can help your business, please join our Business Intelligence Bootcamp webinar series or contact us. Note: Content for this blog post was originally written by Nectari Software, Inc.

Throughout this series we’ve been looking at the habits of small and medium-sized (SMB) businesses and how they can unlock Next-Generation Technologies to unleash the power of their businesses and provide them with a definitive edge over their competitors. We’ve looked at next-generation ERP, next-generation CRM, and next-generation HR. Here, we wrap up the series by answering the question, Why Do Next-Generation SMBs Choose Managed IT Services? 1. An IT generalist can’t do it all It used to be that SMBs had an “IT guy” or gal that could do it all. They ran cable, installed software updates, backed up the server, and helped Bob in the finance department replace his keyboard after he spilled his latte on it. Those days are gone. Technology has advanced at such a pace that no one person or even a small team can effectively support an SMBs IT infrastructure. The Wall Street Journal recently argued that it’s time to get rid of the IT department entirely, asserting, “It made sense in a bygone era, when technology was separate from the business. Now it just hurts both.” Next-generation SMBs recognize that it makes sense to engage a Managed Services Provider than continue to invest in an internal IT department. MSPs employ technology experts across every capacity, including cybersecurity, optimization, disaster and recovery planning, data security, artificial intelligence, machine learning, mobile app development, and data analytics to name just a few. 2. IT pros are hard impossible to find More and more talented people are turning to tech as a career, but enterprises gobble them up before they even graduate college. The scarcity of tech talent certainly isn’t a new problem — this 2014 survey found that IT jobs are among the most difficult to fill — but pandemic and its economic fallout has certainly exacerbated it. And even if you’re lucky enough to hire an IT pro, keeping them is another challenge. A 2021 survey of IT workers published by TalentLMS and Workable found that 72% said they are thinking of quitting their jobs in the next 12 months. It distills down to this — every IT professional who wants to work is already working — the tech field has azero-percent unemployment rate! 3. Security is a full-time job Security is perhaps the primary reason why next-gen SMBs embrace Managed IT Services. We’ve covered this topic extensively in this blog, offering steps to improve data security, the importance of endpoint protection, network monitoring, email security, endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, the impact a remote workforce has on cybersecurity, and more. It is simply not feasible for an SMB to design, launch, monitor, and hone an adequate technology security initiative. MSPs make it their full-time job. 4. MSPs save them money In almost all cases, Managed Service Providers can provide technology services cheaper than what it would cost an SMB to do itself, at a higher level of quality, and with more flexibility and scalability.By bypassing the need for additional staffing costs, enterprises that embrace MSPs have experienced a42% savingsin IT budget. Along with the cost savings,Managed IT Services offer something that we’re all used to — a monthly service for a monthly fee. While different MSPs provide various services at different prices, the attraction for the executive team is clear. Fixed, predictable expenditures are easy to budget for and allow companies to perform more accurate long-range financial forecasts. MSPs can also become strategic partners to the company, attending or hosting regular technology planning sessions to plan for events such as expansions and acquisitions that may require technology changes and additions, further adding to their value proposition. 5. Downtime is too costly The Uptime Institute’s 2021 Global Data Center Survey revealed that services outages have become way more expensive. Over 60% of the respondents reported losing more than $100,000 to downtime. A 2021 report from Veeam puts the average hourly cost of downtime at a whopping $85K. Through services like continual automated backups, redundant data centers, 24/7/365 monitoring, backup continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) planning, regular software updates, and intrusion protection, MSPs make it their business to keep your business up and running. A majority of MSPs even offer an uptime guarantee in excess of 99%. Reliance on an MSP cannot eliminate the possibility for downtime — but almost.A2021 report from MarketsAndMarketsfound that Managed IT infrastructure services can reduce server and network downtime by more than 85%. Next-generation SMBs choose MSPs Next-gen SMBs recognize where to put their resources. They understand that ultimately the back-room server will vanish (if it hasn’t already) and all their business applications will run in the cloud. As a result, they are redirecting the money they used to spend employing IT staff to engage Managed Services Providers who can do more, more reliably, and at a lower cost. Rather than looking for the elusive “IT person,” companies are creating new positions for Data Analysts, Chief Data Officers, and even Cloud Vendor Liaisons. In other words, next-gen companies are outsourcing the mechanics of their technology and focusing instead on reaping its benefits. They see it as an essential part of their digital transformation, to ensure that their businesses don’t get left behind as technology developments continue to accelerate. They see it as a way to future-proof their operations. New technology advances are now almost entirely centered around cloud technologies, including SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, IoT, AI, ML — technologies that MSPs live and breathe. Companies who’ve tied their fortunes to the cloud will be those that can cash in on the benefits of these technologies right from the start.

Reporting trees help define the structure and hierarchy of your organization. A reporting tree is a cross-dimensional hierarchical structure that is based on the dimensional relationships in your financial data. It provides information at the reporting unit level and at a summary level for all units in the tree. A reporting unit can be an individual department from the financial data, or it can be a higher-level summary unit that combines information from other reporting units. Reporting trees increase the power of Sage Enterprise Intelligence (SEI)and support flexible reporting as the business structure changes. Financial reports that are not based on a reporting tree use only some of the capabilities of SEI. You can use multiple reporting tree definitions to view your organization’s data in numerous ways. Reporting Tree Best Practices Before you create a reporting tree, consider the following best practices: First determine which reporting dimensions your legal entity or company requires. Consider how you have set up your structure, and then draw an organizational chart of your company. The organizational chart will help you visualize how to group the reporting units into one or more reporting trees. Start with the lowest available level of detail, such as the departments and projects that are defined in the financial data. Add as many boxes to the level of detail as are required to show higher-level divisions or regions. Each box represents a potential reporting unit in any reporting tree that you create. You can use the reporting units that are defined in your financial data system to add reporting units to the reporting tree definition. The following diagram shows an example of a reporting tree with an organizational structure that is divided by business function.   Creating a Reporting Tree In the Administration section, click on Reporting Trees in the left pane. In the left-hand corner, click on Add New Reporting Tree. In the Reporting Tree field, enter a name for the reporting tree. In the Filter drop-down lists, select the Global Parameters you want to use as filters. There can be up to 10 filters which can include Company, Site, dimensions, and any other parameter. The global parameters you define here will be used as values when you add a Root Level Filter. Click on Confirm to finish. Adding Root Level Group and Level Filter At the Level Group, the filters you define are gathered on each level from the Root (Root Level Filter) into a group so that the hierarchy stays organized and easy to navigate. It is here that you create the Nodes that will compose your reporting tree. In the Reporting Tree list, click on the wrench icon of the reporting tree you want to apply filters to. Click on Add Root Level Group to start defining the hierarchy of your filters: In the Description field, enter a name for this group. In the second field, click on the paste icon to retrieve the value from the Description field or enter the name you want displayed in the tab of your Excel Tick the Distributable checkbox to make this node and the filters within this group available for the Distribution. Click on Save to finish the creation of your group. Click on Add filter to add filters to the group you have just created: In the Description field, enter a name for this filter. In the second field, click on the paste icon to retrieve the value from the Description field or enter the name you want to be displayed in the tab of your Excel Use the prompt to select a value in the Global Parameters. Select the Distributable option to make this node and the filters within this group available for the Distribution. Click on Save to finish creating your filter. Click on Confirm to create your structure. Using the Reporting Tree in The Excel Add-In Combined with the Excel Add-In, the reporting tree allows you to quickly and easily generate several reports based on specific nodes, all gathered in one place. To use the Reporting Tree: In the Excel file, click on Reporting Tree in the menu options to select the reporting tree from which to retrieve the node. If you are not logged in (refer to Login to SEI Excel Add-in ) a pop-up window will appear so that you may do so. Click on OK. NOTE: Only one reporting tree can be used per workbook. Select the cell in the sheet to be used as reference and click on Reporting Tree Node Selector in the menu options. Select the node from the reporting tree you want to retrieve the data. Here, we select the C4 cell and add a description in the B4 cell. Click on OK. The reference cell is the cell that contains the data specific to the nodes existing in the reporting tree. It allows you to generate data dynamically when using a formula or pivot tables or performing a data extraction. Using the Reporting Tree in Reports In the Reports tab, right-click on a report and select Properties. Under the Options section, select the Reporting Tree you defined in the drop-down list and click on OK. Once the report is loaded, click on Reporting Tree in the right pane to reveal the tree architecture. In the Reporting Tree filter panel, click on one of the nodes to retrieve data and refresh the report. If you select a Group Node, (those represented by a +/- sign), it will automatically include its children (i.e., all the sub-groups and filters inside the sub-groups below this group). Tip For the title of your report, you can use the Dynamic Variables drop-down list to select your Reporting Tree. Using variables will automatically change the main title of your report when you select different nodes. For more information on creating and using reporting trees in Sage Enterprise Intelligence, please contact us.

Earlier this year, as the world economy continued reopening, the US chemical industry was poised for a strong recovery. But just when chemical companies thought they could catch their breath, Russia sucked the air out of the room. How the conflict in Ukraine will ultimately impact US chemical manufacturers remains to be determined. But in the short-term at least, the effects are increasingly evident in the form of new supply chain disruptions, higher material costs, and rising energy costs. Chemical companies may feel a bit helpless in the face of these challenges, but there is a path forward. When companies invest in their business management software, they are better able to weather uncertainties through a combination of cost-saving efficiencies, increased agility, and insight into production costs that allow for dynamic pricing. Supply chain disruptions The chemical industry’s supply chains, already reeling from the pandemic, are receiving another blow as a result of the war in Ukraine. Many notable companies across a variety of industries are excluding themselves from the Russian market in protest of the conflict. While the closings for retailers, automobile manufacturers, energy giants, and finance companies will be painful, the chemical sector may be impacted the most. Already, major chemical companies like Dow, BASF, and Solvay are curtailing or suspending operations in Russia. For example, around 80% of all screening compounds used in drug research and development are made in either Ukraine or Russia. Prior to the war, chemical products accounted for 9% of all Ukraine’s industrial exports. An assessment performed by the Ukrainian Chemists Union in April 2022  found that  around half of all chemical companies were behind Russian lines or actively in the war zone. For those companies still operational, exporting their products to global markets is virtually impossible in the midst of the crisis. The blowback is already being felt in Europe —  the German chemical industry is predicted to fall into recession due to the war. Production stoppages, voluntary embargos, and logistics challenges all add to significant disruption to the world’s chemical supply chain. Higher raw material costs Just as supply chain challenges predated the war in Ukraine, prices were already on the rise. There are myriad factors contributing to the increases, including both of the other challenges highlighted in this article — constrained supply chains and high energy prices. Some chemical companies were predicting prices to stabilize during 2022. Those predictions were thrown out the window when Russia invaded Ukraine, as a significant portion of the raw materials used in the chemical industry are sourced from these two countries. European Union chemical manufacturers are already feeling the pinch, and it’s only a matter of time before US chemical companies feel the impact. Shortages in the supply from Ukraine will certainly drive raw material costs higher. Ukraine exports Aluminum Oxide and Hydroxide and Silicates (among many others) commonly used in by the industrial chemical, pharmaceutical, and construction industries — together a significant slice of the economy. Increasing energy prices Here too, energy prices were on the rise before Russia’s invasion, but since the war began, energy prices have increased again. As a result of trade and production disruptions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the World Bank is forecasting a 50% rise in energy prices this year. It expects the price of crude oil to reach its highest level since 2013 and an increase of more than 40% compared with 2021. Rising upstream energy prices will not only reduce consumer demand but will also reduce profit margins for chemical makers and make it difficult for chemical businesses to pass on higher expenses. What’s a chemical company to do? Successful chemical companies that survived the pandemic learned a few valuable lessons that will serve them well for the duration of this current crisis. They learned that they need rapid access to decision-making data. They closely monitored their supply chains, production costs, sales trends, and customer activity. While many raised prices, they did so strategically and immediately measured the impact. Successful chemical companies leveraged automated workflows, configured notifications and alerts, and invested in integrated best-of-breed applications including ERP, CRM, HRMS, and eCommerce platforms. Many engaged Managed IT Service providers to reduce their internal technology burden and promote secure remote access. Importantly, these successful companies also learned to make more with less. As logistical issues delayed imports and arrivals, they doubled down on resourcefulness, expanding their supplier circle and existing partnerships to shorten lead times and bridge the gap on missing components. In short, successful chemical companies that invest in next-generation technology to drive operational efficiency, agility, and both upward and downward scalability. The world is an increasingly uncertain place. Technology is essential to allow chemical companies to navigate the uncertainties and remain profitable.

The labor market is changing so frequently that even the pundits have given up trying to understand it. The volatility is likely to continue for foreseeable future. The BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) projects that a large number of open positions will remain through 2030 — which also happens to be the year when the youngest boomers will reach traditional retirement age. As employers struggle to flesh out their workforce, it is clear they have their work cut out for them. But some employers are successfully hiring and retaining a skilled workforce. What can we learn from these next-generation employers? EX is the new CX Customer Experience (CX) gets plenty of (well deserved) attention. However, we’ll go out on a limb here and say that employees are SMB’s new customers. Research shows that people who report having a positive employee experience have 16 times the engagement level of employees with a negative experience, and that they are eight times more likely to want to stay at a company. Therefore, creating an Employee Experience (EX) that attracts, engages, and retains qualified employees is job one. In fact, more than 90% of employers plan to make enhancing their employee experience a top priority in 2022. So, what is a positive employee experience and how do SMBs go about creating one? Leading with empathy, offering flexible benefits and work schedules, providing learning and advancement opportunities are commonly cited elements. McKinsey research on the subject sums it up well, “Workers are hungry for trust, social cohesion, and purpose. They want to feel that their contributions are recognized and that their team is truly collaborative. They desire clear responsibilities and opportunities to learn and grow. They expect their personal sense of purpose to align with their organization. And they want an appropriate physical and digital environment that gives them the flexibility to achieve that elusive work–life balance.” Digital natives are in charge Millennials are the largest segment in the workplace. Unfortunately, they are also the least engaged generation in the workforce. Gallup research shows that 55% of millennials are not engaged and another 15% are actively disengaged, leaving a paltry 30% saying they are engaged or actively engaged. Millennials are the last generation to remember a world without the internet and the first generation to fully embrace technology. They even have the dubious distinction of having more screen time than any other generation in history. What employers must understand in order to attract and retain millennials is that they crave technology and see it as a fundamental part of being productive on the job and an essential aid in their professional development plans. Employers that provide next-generation business management technology, including ERP and CRM, are more likely to appeal to this demographic. A recent Gallup poll found that 87% of millennials said professional development was an important part of their job. Employers that embrace and promote employee training and career planning will win the loyalty of this group. It’s worth the effort. At companies where managers show sincere interest in millennials, the organization sees an 8x improvement in agility, and a 7x increase in innovation. Hot on millennials’ heels is Generation Z. These Zoomers were babies when the iPhone was first released. As true digital natives, they are the first to grow up with access to the internet and portable technology from a very young age. Since Generation Z are just beginning to enter the workforce en masse, employers don’t yet have a definitive idea of what it will take to attract and retain them. However, job site Indeed tells us Zoomers have “adapted to a more diverse, technologically savvy and value-driven lifestyle, which they will expect to reflect in their work-life as well.”  Zoomers want to understand how technologically advanced your business is before they accept a position. They expect their workplace technology to at least be as advanced as their home and personal tech. And don’t think you can buy their loyalty, In Understanding Generation Z in the Workplace, Deloitte found that Generation Zers value salary less than every other generation. Instead, to win the hearts of these up-and-comers, employers will need to amp up the technology, promote equality and inclusion, and demonstrate their commitment to being a good global citizen. Together, millennials and Generation Z now make up nearly half (46%) of the full-time workforce in the U.S. In other words, ignore them at your business’s peril. Human Resources is having a moment Next-generation employers understand that they have to lead with HR. At next-gen companies,  Human Resources department and its professionals are in the spotlight. When talent is this hard to find, we place a high value on those charged with finding it. It’s no coincidence that LinkedIn’s top 25 jobs include >three employee-centric roles: Diversity and Inclusion Manager (#2), Talent Acquisition Specialist (#12), and Chief Human Resources Officer (#25).  HR teams need next-generation technology to keep their company competitive. Recruiting and onboarding, risk mitigation and compliance, time and attendance, training and development, employee benefits, talent management, and payroll processing are all critical tasks that technology can improve and streamline. Bringing the subject full circle, your company’s HR professionals are employees too, meaning they are looking for the same opportunities, experience, and digital enablement we’ve been talking about.  Learn from the best 47.4 million Americans voluntarily left their jobs in 2021. Companies that want to hire and retain the best and the brightest must consider how their corporate culture, values, employee experience, and technologies will appeal to a changing demographic. Next-generation employers are making the necessary investments in these areas and will outpace employers who stick with the status quo.

Have you ever watched the construction of a new house? It seems to go so slowly at first—often taking weeks (if not months) to lay the foundation, connect to a water source, bring in electricity, and so on. And then—seemingly overnight—walls appear, the roof materializes, and before you know it, doors and windows are in and the painting’s complete. That’s when the buyers appear—taking little notice of the hidden construction work that took so much time. They focus entirely on the visible finishes: the floors, woodwork, appliances, et cetera. That’s where we get a similarity to analytics software; prospective buyers focus on the visible features of Analytics (dashboards, slice-and-dice, Google-like searching) while paying little or no attention to the “plumbing” that sits beneath those eye-catching features. Many people think that you can take an analytics solution, stick it on top of a database, and—presto!— out come meaningful reports and dashboards. Unfortunately, that’s like thinking that if you drill a well for your new house, you’ll get water from your faucets. It’s not that simple. When it comes to analytics software, the “plumbing” is key. Take connectivity; some application data resides in the cloud, some on-prem. Some data is accessed via .NET provider; some via ODBC/OLEDB, and some via web service. And then there’s security: different types, different levels, and who can see what. But even those are just the tip of the plumbing iceberg. Databases—particularly ERP databases—are complex: typically with hundreds of tables and “views,” complex associations (“joins”), and enough data to choke a horse (and slow-down report & dashboard creation to a snail’s pace). So, when considering and evaluating analytics software, go ahead and be dazzled by the colorful dashboards, the easy drill-downs, and the “what-if” predictions. But after you’ve seen all that, don’t forget to ask the vendor about the plumbing behind those features. Find out how the plumbing is done, how long it takes to deploy, and how easy it is to expand. And then . . . ask the vendor to do a proof of concept. Modern analytics solutions should make it easy to connect and customize the plumbing right off the bat. Because your business truly is a “house of data”—and it’s ever-growing. If you have any questions about how to evaluate data analytics software or the value it can add to your business, please contact us. Note: Content for this blog post was originally posted on DataSelf.com March 15, 2022.

We’re living in a time of superlatives. Good is not good enough – we want the best. Fast is not fast enough – we want it now. It’s a shift that predates the pandemic, one which many trace to retailers like Amazon, Nordstrom, and Costco. These powerhouses conditioned us to expect superior service and expedited delivery. Regardless of who’s to blame (or credit), it’s the ecosystem where every small and midsized business (SMB) now finds itself swimming. We’re not being overly dramatic when we say that providing a Next Generation Customer Experience (CX) is a sink or swim choice. Will your company keep treading water — or will it take the plunge? What is Next Gen Customer Experience? In our continuing series on Next Gen technologies’ transformational capabilities, we’ve drawn a direct connection between these technologies and the Cloud. It’s not that the Cloud itself is so transformational (although we think it is), it’s that cloud-based applications are faster and more agile than legacy applications. That speed and agility permit Next Gen applications to integrate and interact seamlessly in ways never before possible. That integration is essential to providing a personalized customer experience. And personalization is at the heart of Next Gen Customer Experience. For our purposes, a personalized experience is one that recognizes, acknowledges, and respects an individual at each point of contact. It’s an experience that meets the customer where they’re at and guides them seamlessly through the interaction. It’s an experience that does not include putting them on hold repeatedly to look something up in another system or call the accounting department for an updated balance. Today’s customers demand personalized experiences. Research from Salesforce found that 84% of customers say that being treated like a person – not a number – is very important to winning their business. And speaking of Salesforce — integrating your company’s CRM with its ERP is one big step toward providing Next Gen CX. What do customers consider good and bad service? Consider these metrics from a recent global survey: Good CX is: Friendly, helpful and knowledgeable customer representatives (55% of respondents) Responsiveness and fast service (45%) Communication that informs every step of the way (35%) Bad CX is: Being transferred multiple times and having to re-explain oneself (48%) Being placed on hold (46%) Having too many steps to navigate (35%) Next Gen CX — just hype or a true marketplace advantage? Sometimes tech buzzwords gets tossed around so much that their original meaning gets lost (here’s looking at you “actionable insights”). Is Next Generation Customer Experience one of those terms, or does it provide companies with a true marketplace advantage? A recent PwC research study found that 32% of all customers would stop doing business with a brand they loved after one bad experience. Another report found that 83% of customers will switch brands because of bad customer service. Yikes. No forgiveness there. On the other hand, here’s a gem from a 2020 report by McKinsey, “Organizations that use technology to revamp the customer experience can carve out significant differentiation—increasing customer satisfaction by 15 to 20 percent, reducing cost to serve by 20 to 40 percent, and boosting conversion rates and growth by 20 percent.” The evidence surrounding the importance of providing exceptional customer service is irrefutable. Therefore, Next Gen CX is not simply a business advantage — it’s a business mandate. Unleashing the Power of Next Gen CX Unleashing the power of a Next Generation Customer Experience isn’t as simple as trying harder and being nicer. Success requires a combination of well-trained and well-intentioned people, consistent yet flexible workflows, software designed for the task, and an experienced partner than can unite the three. If your organization is considering a generational shift in its customer experience strategy, we would welcome the opportunity to assist you in selecting and unleashing the best CRM solution for your needs. In the meantime, be sure to check out the other posts in this series: The Business Imperative for Next Generation Business Management Software, Next Generation ERP, and Your Business Management Software Has a Lot to Say About You. And subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss the next article in the series where we look at Next Gen Workforce Management.

In this blog post we will show you how to create a workflow that will email log files when errors occur in either the Stock Accounting Interface or the WIP Accounting Interface. Accounting Interface errors occur when, for example, an integration interferes with the Stock or WIP interface, or an operator creates their own query that interferes with other processes in Sage X3. You will need to be a system administrator to create these workflows. First add this flag on the task you want to manage: Then create, activate, and validate the notification. You will receive an email with the log file attached: You can open the file in notepad: For more information about creating workflows for Stock Accounting Interface and WIP Account Interface errors, please contact us.

Hawks Nest Condominiums, a 61-unit condominium complex occupies a prime stretch of real estate on the Lake of the Ozarks. Each unit is part of the Hawks Nest Condominium Association, which collects dues from homeowners and manages the upkeep of the complex’s buildings and grounds. The condominium association’s accounting is handled entirely by busy volunteers who graciously give of their time. To keep finances efficient and convenient both for the volunteers and the homeowners, Hawks Nest engaged Net at Work to implement Sage 300 and Fortis, and integrated payments processing solution. Since its incorporation, the association had relied on manual workflows to bill homeowners and collect dues. Each month, the association’s treasurer had to print and mail invoices to every homeowner, a process that took hours. Then, as checks trickled in, the treasurer would manually perform a cash receipt entry in the accounting software, endorse the checks, make copies, and drive them across town to the bank. When Young took over as President, he engaged with Net at Work to implement Sage 300, a powerful yet easy to use financial management application that he knew could help the association modernize its accounting. In addition to recommending Sage 300, Net at Work consultants also introduced Hawks Nest to Fortis, a payment processing solution. “Sage and Fortis is a great solution for any organization that collects funds — big or small. We think of it as a way to future-proof our condo association, moving it along the path of digital transformation .” Net at Work engineers developed the integration between Sage 300 and Fortis, creating a cohesive, streamlined solution. Electronic payments eliminate many of the errors and glitches that slow the invoice to cash cycle. “Sage 300 and Fortis is a great solution for any organization that collects funds — big or small,” Young says. The full Hawks Nest Condominium Association story can be read below. To learn more about how Net at Work, Fortis and Sage ERP can help you improve cashflow and accelerate your digital transformation, contact us.