Technology in Practice

The Specialty & Custom Chemicals America conference took place this week at Omni Fort Worth Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. This bi-annual conference is primarily focused on the chemical technologies and products that have applications across a diverse range of specialty chemical uses, including: coatings, cosmetics, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, plastics, polymers, soaps, textiles, and more. In partnership with the trade association SOCMA (Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates) the 4-day conference offered a general session program highlighting key chemical industry trends with topics centered on a global trade update, keys to recruiting & retaining top talent, and best practices for outsourcing custom & toll manufacturing. The conference aims to “change the game” of how industry trade shows help connect suppliers and customers, by delivering a higher-quality business networking opportunity to specialty chemical manufacturers. Once again, Net at Work was present as a sponsor and exhibitor, with our Sage X3 specialists there firsthand to interact with fellow attendees and highlight how our Chem at Work solution for Sage X3 addresses the unique requirements of chemical manufacturers. One of the consistent themes that came up in our conversations was around the increase in consolidation occurring in the industry, and many challenges regarding regulations and international business. This led to well-received demonstrations illustrating how Chem at Work and Sage X3 can address these challenges and help firms remain competitive in an ever-changing landscape. The Chemicals America events are always a great opportunity to spend time with our clients and engage with other manufacturers and suppliers. The insights from the conference at-large, and those of the manufacturing professionals we speak with are invaluable to our chemicals industry team and the enhancements we continue to make to our solution. We’re already looking forward to the July conference in South Carolina! For more information about the Specialty & Custom Chemicals America show, visit their website: www.texas.chemicalsamerica.com. To learn more, browse the resources below and see how with the right chemical management software, your chemical enterprise can streamline processes, increase profitability, and gain a competitive edge: Chemicals 4.0: A 3-Step Master Plan for Chemical Digital Transformation Digitization trends in the chemical industry Winning in The Chemical Marketplace: Integrating eCommerce & Chemical ERP Digitalization in the Chemical Industry: Choosing the Right ERP Solution as an Enabler of Growth Why Sage X3 is The Choice for Chemical ERP The 3 Steps to Successful Chemical Inventory Control Chemical Industry Technology Checklist Prepared to Meet the Global Harmonization Standard?

A Windows security update planned by Microsoft to be available in March 2020 will enable LDAP channel binding and LDAP signing hardening for Active Directory. For more information about this update see the official Microsoft announcement. Sage X3 environments configured to connect to Active Directory with LDAPS for user authentication or synchronization will continue to work normally. However Sage X3 environments configured to connect to Active Directory with simple LDAP binding will encounter the following error once the security update is in effect: 'Connection error: StrongAuthRequiredError: 00002028: LdapErr: DSID-0C090200, comment: The server requires binds to turn on integrity checking if SSLTLS are not already active on the connection, data 0, v3839' For supported Sage X3 versions (U9, V11, V12), updating the Sage X3 configuration to use LDAPS instead of LDAP and avoid this error is described below: Obtain the Active Directory CA certificate For example from the host holding the ADCS role open the ‘Certificates’ snap-in in the Microsoft Management Console (mmc), then export the AD CA certificate from Personal/Certificates of the local computer. The certificate must be in base-64 format and not contain the private key. In Sage X3 go to ‘Administration > Administration > Certificates > Certificates of Certification Authorities’ Select ‘Actions > New CA Certificate’ Enter a name, description and upload the CA certificate exported previously Select ‘Actions > Save’ Go to ‘Administration > Administration > Authentication > LDAP Servers’ Click on the connection to edit Select ‘Actions > Edit’ Set the correct protocol (ldaps) and port (636 or 3269) in the URL Click on the looking glass icon under ‘CA certificates of LDAP server for TLS’ Select the CA certificate created previously, and then OK Select ‘Actions > Save’ Selecting ‘Actions > Connection test’ should say ‘Connection OK’ For unsupported Sage X3 versions with LDAPS functionality (between V7P11 and U9), we advise to set up a test environment to check the compatibility of Sage X3 and the new security parameters described in the Microsoft announcement. Sage X3 versions prior to V7P11 do not support LDAPS. In this case the only way to keep Sage X3 connected to Active Directory will be to configure the new security parameters described in the Microsoft announcement back to their previous values. This is not recommended and we encourage you to upgrade to a more recent Sage X3 version instead. Need Help? If you have any questions, or if you require assistance, please contact us or call the Net at Work HelpDesk: 888-494-9479.

eCommerce has become a core requirement to any successful B2B business. In fact, numerous studies show that the majority of B2B purchase decisions begin with a Google search and that the majority of the buying process happens before a user engages with a potential vendor. B2B businesses without an effective B2B eCommerce strategy will be at a competitive disadvantage. Utilizing online tools to research buying decisions, B2B buyers are increasingly choosing to complete purchase transactions online. Simply having a rich informational site is no longer enough. B2B buyers expect to be able to purchase when they want, quickly and conveniently. There are clear benefits to allowing B2B buyers to purchase products on your web site because the average online order value is higher than an offline order by as much as 31%. Doing ERP Integration the Right Way 60% of B2B executives state integration with ERP is a key technology priority We know real-time consistency between the back office and a B2B eCommerce website is a foundational requirement to any successful B2B strategy. Traditionally this has required the need for a standalone eCommerce shopping cart to utilize web services to connect to the ERP to access pricing, order history and inventory. But there are inherent risks and performance challenges with this approach. A connection may not be available, the ERP system will not be configured to support hundreds of simultaneous price look ups, and not to mention inherent security risks.   Watch Recorded Webinar: Getting an Edge on Your Competition with eCommerce Watch Now Real-time, bi-directional data replication and duplication business logic This is why your eCommerce platform needs to be architected to replicate both your ERP data as well as your   ERP’s business logic, including duplicating the pricing engine. Through leveraging the same data and the same business logic, your eCommerce platform will automatically support customer specific pricing and can display real-time information including all sales orders, AR transactions and inventory all with no requirement to reach into your ERP system via web services. Instead the business logic is executed within the site itself. Convenience 76% of buyers say that making it easy to find what they want is most important to site design B2B buyers are on your site because they need to buy something, not necessarily because they want to buy something. It’s critical to make the buying process as quick and easy as possible. On site search must be fast, must provide relevant results and must allow the buyer the option to drill into the results based on their criteria. Site navigation must be simple and intuitive, and ideally will present the most popular products on the first page. In addition, great B2B eCommerce sites provide buyers with multiple ordering options, such as quick order, order templates, re-order options and fast checkout. 40% of buyers state real-time access to information relevant to them as a critical want At Net at Work the solutions we recommend are so tightly integrated with your back end ERP solutions, it is very simple to create a highly personalized experience, which can include a catalog that can dynamically change based on a user login and the ability to change many elements of site look and feel. Personalized Experience B2B buyers will gravitate to sites that are easy to navigate and tailored to them B2B buyers are accustomed to the convenience of researching and buying online for their personal needs and they expect the same experience when using a vendor’s eCommerce web site. But more than that, B2B buyers expect a personalized experience that includes an easy-to-navigate catalog of products at their negotiated prices, access to accurate real-time inventory information, access to a consolidated view of their account including sales order status, transaction details and the option to use a variety of payment methods.

One of the great features of Sage X3 is that it comes with various methods to fetch the very specific reporting information you need. There are three types of tools you can use to create reports: 1. Requester Tool This includes the Standard Requester, Graphical Requester and SQL Requester. All of the Requesters function by using the temporary extraction of data in a table and running a query on the table. 2. Crystal Reports Can be used to create simple reports such as displaying lists of records from tables to complex or specialized reports that are customer or vendor facing. 3. Inquiries Each module of Sage X3 has its own set of inquiries that allow you search and filter predefined data collections using a variety of prebuilt parameters. In this blog post, we will show you how to use inquiries and how to get the most out of them. One of the advantages of using inquiries over Crystal reports is that they allow you to jump to the particular transactions by way of right clicking on the Options menu of the line that interests you. You can navigate to sub-menus for inquiries for each module of the application. Purchasing will have its own dedicated submodule, and so will Sales and so on and so forth. Here is an example of the inquiries found in the menu for Sage X3 v12: Please note that new inquiries are added when new functionality is released. For example, new Inquiries were released with the Shipments submodule in purchasing that came out with v7. Most inquiries are arranged in pairs: In the example above, found in Purchasing > Inquiries > Orders, the ‘List of orders’ will point to the document header information while the ‘Order lines’ inquiry will display line item data. Both will allow you to drill down to the detail by clicking the Options menu (dots) for each line presented. Unless it is a graphical inquiry, like ‘Orders by period’ shown below, which prompts you for the parameters or filters prior to displaying the graphical representation, each inquiry will show in the same manner. You will first be asked to enter the selection parameters in the header and then the lines will be displayed after clicking the Search button in the top right corner. Please note that the default dates shown in the Start date and End date fields are managed in the code of the particular inquiry. Below is an example of the results returned after changing the date range: Adding the company as the filter and clicking the Search button again returns a fresh set of results: One of the features that often is overlooked is the ability to use other available search criteria. Since these criteria are not as common as the ones in the header, they are placed in another section called ‘Criteria’ in the top right corner of your screen in v12: Being able to filter by statistical group is one of these criteria. It is extremely useful to reduce the number of values displayed in the lines. You can easily imagine a situation where you would only want to see a subcategory of your item master and only show those purchase order lines. By simply selecting it in the list, you can now concentrate on those SKUs and see who you purchased them from for a given time period. As an example, we can select our IT product from our product list: After clicking OK, we are now displaying only those items from the database. Note that these criteria can be saved and memorized using the ‘Memo’ option in the top right corner of the criteria window. One of the other capabilities that is not used often is the ability to add/remove columns based on configurations. Before modifying the order or adding/removing columns, you will need to know which inquiry code to change. To determine the inquiry code, hover over the inquiry link on your menu. The function code will appear. The last three letters of the function code will be the inquiry code. In our example, the function code for ‘Order lines’ is CONSCPP. Therefore, the inquiry code is CPP. The inquiries can be modified here: You can create as many versions of the inquiry screen as desired. All inquiries come with two standard screen versions—an ALL with most/all fields turned on, and a STD with a few already pre-selected. Please note that the ALL screen code typically required ADMIN access and might not be available to all users. You can decide how many lines to display when you click the Search button. After that number of lines is reached, you will need to click the Next button to display the next number of lines defined. You can also define how many columns will be frozen when you scroll to the right. In the screenshot above, only the ‘Order’ number will remain static. You can decide to remove a column by clearing out the numbers in the Order column. If a column hasn’t been selected yet (there is no number in the Order column, it appears after all numbered columns), all you need to do for it to be available next time you open the inquiry is to add a number in the Order column at the right place. Finally, if you are a superuser of the system and you need to understand which screen code is used by default on an inquiry, you will need to see it in the development section: You can create your own version of the screen and default it for all users. If no screen is selected, the system will display ALL fields defined at the screen level. In our case the STD version is defaulted: Please note that you can change the screen code provided that you have the ADMIN access code. You can do this at the Criteria level on the Inquiry. The default code is STD when you open the CPP inquiry for ‘Order lines’. You can change the default screen code to ALL to display all fields. Please note that you can also choose the Sort order. If you need additional columns, feel free to reach out to Net at Work and we will be happy to help you make adjustments to Inquiries.

There’s no doubt that now is the time to upgrade your organization to Windows 10: Microsoft will end technical assistance and no longer provide security updates for Windows 7 from January 14, 2020 onward. The clock is also ticking on Windows 8, with Microsoft set to discontinue all support and security updates in January 2023. So if you’re still running Windows 7 or Windows 8, you’ll need to plan your Windows 10 transition. Failing to do so will expose your organization to a range of security threats and potential downtime. Failing to upgrade will expose your organization to a range of security threats and potential downtime. The good news is that Windows 10 has continued to improve since it was launched in 2015. It features a long list of up-to-the-minute security features, such as stronger malware protection with Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. You’ll also get safer web browsing with Windows Defender Application Guard (available in Windows 10 Enterprise and Professional). But it’s not just about better security. Windows 10 also comes with a suite of productivity features that will make life easier for your IT team. The Unified Update Platform (UUP), for example, makes updates much faster, and Windows Autopilot lets you download system configurations from the cloud. And with a good deployment plan in place, you don’t have to worry about major disruptions to your organization during a Windows 10 implementation. Follow these three steps to set up your company for a successful – and stress-free – Windows 10 upgrade: 1. Create a plan Planning is everything when it comes to achieving a smooth deployment. Creating a deployment timeline will help you manage a phased upgrade to limit disruption, and a communications schedule will ensure you’re keeping all internal stakeholders up to speed. Deployment timeline You don’t want to tackle an organization-wide Windows 10 deployment in one swing. Rather, split the deployment up into a series of staggered phases. Each phase should target a cross-section of your employee base across departments to limit disruption caused by any unforeseen issues. Begin each phase with a personalized email to users that explains the deployment details. Begin each phase with a personalized email to users that explains the deployment details, and set an opt-out deadline for any employees who have a business need to stay on your existing operating system. Then provide a voluntary update window when your people can upgrade at their convenience, and end each phase with a mandatory install date. Readiness-communications schedule The strength of your communications strategy with make or break your Windows 10 deployment. This is where a readiness-communications schedule is vital. It should clearly set out the communication assets you’ll be sending out to all internal stakeholders before, during and after the launch. For example, you might choose to begin with readiness memos sent to IT staff who will be supporting field employees during the deployment, then follow up with an enterprise-wide announcement, deployment invite and a series of intranet, email and social communications. These could include anything from informational emails to deployment-readiness kits and internal promos. Communications assets Fortunately, Microsoft has produced a series of free content templates you can use to create your communication assets. These include customizable digital signage for your intranet, an announcement/overview email and a personalized install invitation. 2. Deploy the software There are several different deployment scenarios you can choose from when it comes to getting Windows 10 up and running. Deployment methods generally fall into one of the following three categories: Modern deployment This is the recommended deployment method for most organizations. The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) and the System Center Configuration Manager support modern deployment scenarios for a more guided approach. You can choose to use Windows Autopilot to deploy Windows 10 with apps and settings already configured, or select an in-place upgrade to use Windows Setup to migrate your existing apps and settings. Dynamic deployment A dynamic deployment gives you greater control over app configurations and settings. This is particularly useful if you’re dealing with specific use cases across your organization. Use Windows 10 Subscription Activation to upgrade Windows 10 Pro to Windows 10 Enterprise with no keys or reboots required. Or choose Azure Active Directory integration to automatically enroll devices in a mobile device management (MDM) solution with no additional input required from your users. Traditional deployment Traditional deployment mechanisms are generally used for bare-metal deployments on new computers, refreshes and replacement migrations. Refreshes (also known as wipe-and-load) usually require user data and settings to be backed up and restored later as part of the deployment process. Replacement migrations also tend to require user data and settings to be backed up, then installed on the new machine as part of a bare-metal deployment. Preventing deployment failures Once you’ve selected your deployment scenario, Desktop Analytics can keep your deployment on track and protected from productivity loss caused by deployment failures due to issues such as app compatibility, driver malfunctions and hardware errors. It provides hardware, app and driver inventory, guided workflows and insights into your organization’s upgrade readiness so you can identify – and resolve – any issues before they impact your deployment. 3. Get support Windows 10 is packed with new tools and services, and your users may need a little help to get up to speed. Provide opportunities for your employees to learn at their own speed in a way that is relevant to their role. The “Getting Started” app gives users a simple guided tour of Windows 10 and points out some important new features. The “Getting Started” app is a good jumping-off point. It gives users a simple guided tour of Windows 10 and points out some important new features. A “Tips” app is included in Windows 10 and your people can use it to browse support topics as needed. Microsoft has also produced a series of helpful PDF “quick start” guides that you can make available to staff:   Quick start: Microsoft Store Quick start: Windows Defender Quick start: Maps app Quick start: Photos app Quick start: Movies & TV app Quick start: Your Desktop Quick start: Connect to a network printer Quick start: Bring your own device Quick start: Microsoft Edge Rest assured that Windows upgrades are no longer as difficult – nor as disruptive – as they once were. Keep organization-wide staff in the loop with a communications strategy that clearly instructs them in what they need to do, and when. Choose a deployment scenario that best suits your needs, and take advantage of Microsoft’s support assets to give your people a head start on the new system features.

As the internet of things (IoT) revolution gains momentum, and our homes, devices, and workplaces become increasingly interconnected, what can we expect from the market in 2020? One certainty is that the potential is there for small and medium businesses (SMBs) to benefit as the sector evolves, grows and matures. Here’s what to look out for in the year ahead, and beyond. IoT security Despite the sector’s rapid growth, governments around the world have been slow to respond to the IoT and its challenges, and the industry has not self-regulated. However, moves are afoot, and the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has spurred action globally. With provisions applying to any company, in any country, that handles EU citizens’ data, IoT makers and users must ensure their devices’ security. Voice control and the IoT With sales of voice-activated devices booming – Amazon has reportedly sold 100 million Alexa units, with Google shipping 50 million units of its Home controller – we can expect to see significant conversations around voice security. We can also expect to see device sales boom, as voice-activated, internet-connected devices, such as thermostats, speakers, clocks, fridges, toasters and more become part of the modern home. The wearables market is expected to reach $6.3B by 2020. Wearables and the IoT With the market expected to reach $6.3B by 2020, we’re on the verge of the wearables boom. Monitors for fitness and healthcare are likely to see a tremendous uptake, with devices for measuring metrics such as heart rate and blood pressure providing users with a breadth of data. Similar devices are likely to become familiar in gaming. Expect to see the rise of wearables in business, especially in industrial and manufacturing. In China, two-thirds of online payments and one-third of in-store payments are now made using online wallets. IoT and payments In China, two-thirds of online payments and one-third of in-store payments are now made using online wallets. With China’s explosive growth in the sector and Sweden aiming to go cashless as soon as 2023, the world is moving to replace its cash sooner than you think. For SMBs, this is a positive development, with improvements in customer service and reduced costs associated with financial transactions. Kids and the IoT Today’s children will live their lives in a world of IoT. Beyond connected baby monitors and toys, we can expect to see more educational IoT tools, which are already helping kids learn languages and coding. Expandable platforms such as Raspberry Pi will develop even more modules, allowing children to develop and use the devices to make music and build toys – and whatever their imagination will create next. What does this all mean? For SMBs, it means that the time to start investigating the IoT is now. Whether it’s to add functionality or improve business processes, develop new products or anticipate competition, three things are certain: the IoT is here, it’s big, and it’s only going to get bigger.

Extended support for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 will end on January 14, 2020 – which greatly exposes your vulnerability to security attacks as Microsoft halts their maintenance and security patches. If you are still running Windows Server 2008 (or earlier) for your business applications, Net at Work has recorded a webcast where you can learn why now is the opportune time to evaluate new options that will help you innovate, modernize and save using cloud technology.   Watch Recorded Webinar: Windows Server 2008 End of Support: Why Now is the Time to Consider a Migration to the Cloud Watch Now Our recent webcast covered what End of Support for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 & SQL means for you and other topics including: Why Migrate to the Cloud? How operating in the cloud has a positive impact on: Redundancy & Disaster Recovery System Performance Security Consistency of Data and Reporting What Cloud hosting options look like: Pricing models Architecture Design The Cloud at Work options available from Net at Work, including: Moving Sage 300 or your current systems to the cloud, or Migrating your Sage 300 or on-premise solution to a per-employee-per-month pricing model.

The looming end of support for Windows 7 should be enough to prompt any business to accelerate migration to Windows 10. But fear of being marooned on an insecure operating system isn’t the only reason to make the move – there are many strong business reasons to upgrade to Windows 10 that will deliver real value to your staff and the company as a whole. Migration shouldn’t be seen as a necessary evil, but an unmissable opportunity to make your IT better. Here are some of the many reasons why Windows 10 will better your business. Avoiding the password pain Any IT department will be familiar with the pain of supporting employees who can’t remember their Windows logins. Windows 10 and a generation of new hardware that supports biometric identification makes the pain of forgotten passwords almost vanish.   Watch Recorded Webinar: Windows Server 2008 End of Support Watch Now Windows Hello allows users to log in to their computer using either facial recognition, iris scanning or fingerprint readers. It instantly eradicates the need to remember passwords every time the employee attempts to log in and makes the sign-in process faster. This makes it more likely that employees will lock their system when away from their desk, improving overall security. Windows Hello is built into Windows 10, but companies looking to roll out the technology will need to make sure that cameras, fingerprint readers and other biometric accessories are Windows Hello compatible. Protection from ransomware Ransomware is the kind of threat that gives IT managers restless nights. Coming in to find the company’s PCs have been locked by rogues demanding a ransom is nobody’s idea of fun. Windows 10 has beefed up ransomware protection, making an attack much less likely to succeed. The first part of this is the optional controlled folder access. This prevents unfamiliar apps from gaining access to key folders such as Documents and Windows system folders, making it harder for ransomware to surreptitiously encrypt a user’s files. Ransomware data recovery is also provided by OneDrive, which is baked into Windows 10. Premium OneDrive accounts allow users to recover previous versions of files, meaning that even if the worst should happen, users should be able to turn back the clock and recover encrypted data. Run Linux in Windows Migrating to Windows 10 doesn’t give you just one operating system, but two or even more! Windows 10 Hyper-V Manager allows you to install and run Linux distributions such as Ubuntu as a virtual machine from within Windows itself. This is hugely convenient for employees such as web developers, who no longer need to run a separate machine nor install dedicated virtualization tools to switch between environments. You can be up and running with your chosen Linux distro within minutes. You can also create different virtual machines for different purposes/projects, and simply scrap the VM when you’re done with it. The virtual machine runs just like any other Windows application, meaning you can cut and paste data between Windows and Linux desktops, for example. Better update management No employee has installing Windows updates at the top of their to-do list… which is why you’ll occasionally hear yelps of despair when an employee steps away from their desk for ten minutes to find that Windows has applied an update in their absence, taking all their unsaved work with it. Update management has been vastly improved with Windows 10. First, any restart to apply an update will be applied outside of the default ‘active hours’ of 8am to 5pm, unless otherwise specified. IT admins can set updates to be applied at a specific time so as to avoid any unnecessary disturbances. Users are now also given clear warnings when updates are pending, avoiding the shock of returning to your system to find an update has been automatically applied. Updates should also be applied more quickly thanks to the new Unified Update Platform. This vastly reduces the download size of update files, containing only the changes that have been made since the last update rather than downloading an entire new build. That means less load on the company network and less time until employees get essential updates. Get devices ready with Autopilot Another pain point for IT departments is preparing devices for new users. A PC passing from one employee to another may need to be wiped and re-imaged, potentially leading to delays before a new employee can be handed a computer. Similarly, new equipment arriving in the company faces a lengthy wait before it can be put into employees’ hands. Windows Autopilot removes many of these headaches. It can take the OEM version of Windows or an employee’s existing machine and put it into a ‘business-ready’ state by applying policies, installing apps, or applying company-specific settings to the Windows 10 PC. It can even adapt the version of Windows 10 the PC is using, moving from Windows 10 Pro to Enterprise edition, for example. A new update with Windows 10 version 1903 means that companies can pre-configure new PCs before they are even delivered from partners or suppliers, so that they are business-ready from the moment they arrive in the building. Work across virtual desktops We mentioned above how you could run multiple operating systems from within Windows 10. Well, you can also run multiple versions of Windows 10 within Windows 10! Virtual desktops allow employees to create different desktops for different purposes. A member of the sales team might have one desktop that contains the company’s CRM app, PowerPoint and Skype, so that they can focus on chasing leads. On a separate desktop, they may have a web browser, Microsoft Teams and email for times when they want to focus on team communication. It’s easy to flip between the two different desktops – you simply press the Task View button next to the search bar or use the Windows + Tab keyboard shortcut. Virtual desktops let staff keep their focus where it needs to be, rather than constantly flitting between different tasks. A safer way to surf There are times when we’ve all clicked on links we’re not sure about or visited web apps that we can’t be 100% sure are trustworthy. Windows Defender Application Guard provides a safe way for staff to access risky sites without compromising the rest of their PC. This optional feature allows you to create a new Application Guard window from within the Edge browser – it’s marked with a little shield in the taskbar, so that you can be sure you’re in a safe browsing environment. Application Guard acts as a container that’s totally separate from the rest of the PC – anything you access in that browser window cannot infect the rest of the PC. So, whether it’s better security, enhanced productivity, more flexibility or new opportunities to communicate and work together you’re after, Windows 10 has plenty of benefits to offer your company. And, by combining a migration to Windows 10 with new hardware, you’re on the road to transforming your IT.

I distinctly remember reading the entry-level job description for Business Analyst at Net at Work for the First Year Associate (FYA) Program. I had just returned from an early morning economics class and had decided to continue my job search rather than go on a trail-run – a tough decision considering it was a warm spring day in a normally freezing Wyoming, my home state. I read the job description in full and phrases like, “client services as our highest priority; full year of dedicated onboarding; rotations to various selected business units; operate as a team for much of the initial training” and my personal favorite, “periodic team events [like] lunches, outings and travel to client sites,” had me jumping up and down. I secured an apartment in Washington Heights about one month after graduating from college and accepting the position. This was shortly followed by packing up my belongings (lots of downsizing required) and driving the 31 long, grueling hours to New York City, alongside my boyfriend and two-year-old Yellow Lab, one week prior to my start date. Imagine that just a week prior I was filling my break with trail runs, hiking, and fishing and was now living in arguably the best city in the world surrounded by millions of people and numerous cultures and activities with no mountains in sight. The excitement was tangible, yet my nerves were running high leading up to my first day at Net at Work. On that day, I woke up an hour before my alarm, relaxed at a coffee shop, and survived floods of people at numerous crosswalks and on the subway before heading to the office, where I was warmly greeted with breakfast, lunch, and orientation meetings. The first rotation felt somewhat like beginning a new job in a traditional job placement, made easier by the fact that my fellow first-years were in the same position in their own rotations and I already understood some of the basic applications. I experienced my first client onsite visit during this time where we conducted a business process review. It was an educational experience because I learned more about what exactly a business process review is and got practice interacting with the client. Soon, the first rotation ended, and the next training week began, followed by the second rotation. By the second and the third rotation, I was growing more comfortable with my role. My permanent placement is with the Sage X3 team and I am just so excited for my future here. My time in NYC has been the longest time I’ve ever been away from home. As I get ready to board the plane home for the holiday, I’ve had some time to reflect on my First Year Associate experience: Growth Happens Outside of Your Comfort Zone The trainings were designed to ensure that first years have the proper knowledge and tools to succeed in their rotations and thereafter, but part of this requires acceptance of lack of knowledge on my part so that I can work with others to fill in those knowledge gaps. This deliberate openness was difficult for me; like other new hires, I wanted to prove myself quickly, but I needed to accept the fact that its going to take time. And the willingness to be in many new situations with brand new concepts. At Net at Work, Teamwork Makes the Dream Work Starting a new rotation can be nerve racking. Acquainting yourself with a new team and new products can be overwhelming. Yet, I always felt that I could reach out to managers, teammates and my peers for assistance.  During one instance where I was confused on a new concept the project manager encouraged me to ask questions because my success helps Net at Work.  It’s that type of culture that is so encouraging and welcoming to all employees, regardless of seniority level, that makes Net at Work so great. Team Outings are Fun, Connecting with Co-workers is Even more Fun Our first team outing included a surprise trip to Brooklyn where we enjoyed a tour of Brooklyn Heights and a walk across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan. The outings included a trip to the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue where we enjoyed an authentic Italian cuisine and a visit to the Bronx Zoo, as well as a visit to the Museum of the Moving Image and Greek lunch in Astoria, Queens. These outings provided an awesome opportunity to step away from the office and enjoy fun activities, but more importantly, they taught us the importance of connecting with those you work with. I’ve grown immensely in the last five months. I’ve worked with so many people at Net at Work, grown closer with my first-year associates, and learned so much about real-world business applications and processes. And so, I traded trail runs for jogs in Central Park, became addicted to Halal food and bagels, overcame my fear of public transportation and sold my car. I’ve gone thrift shopping in Brooklyn, brunched all over Manhattan, lost my voice at a Yankees semifinals game. I’ve learned that crosswalk lights are just suggestions and eating pizza does not require a table. I wake up every day to the amazing NYC skyline and some of the most warm-hearted, interesting and unique people of this city. This week will be the longest time ever away from my new home. There’s still a lot of growing and learning to be done and I’m so happy that Net at Work will be there alongside that journey with me.