NextLevel Newsletters

NextLevel distributes a quarterly newsletter containing helpful information on Sage solutions, industry-specific news, and important announcements. If you’d like to be added to our distribution list, please contact us.

The latest publication is displayed below, and you can access past copies under "Archives" to the right.

June 2009

Make Your Opinion Count

Last year, Sage Software conducted a "Customer Loyalty" survey and asked our clients a few questions about your level of satisfaction with Sage software, and the level of service you receive from NextLevel. For those of you who participated, thank you. We sincerely appreciate your anonymous feedback, and have strived to make your experience with NextLevel a positive one. We anticipate that Sage will conduct a similar campaign this year.

To ensure we continue to provide you with exceptional service, NextLevel is preparing to contact each client directly to get your opinions about what Sage could do to improve Accpac and what NextLevel could do to improve our level of service. Over the next several months, Joan Alexander will be contacting you by phone to ask a series of questions to ensure we have a good understanding of how you're using Accpac and NextLevel, as well as who in your organization is using it. Helping your organization to save time and money to make your business more successful is our mission. Your willingness to participate in this phone survey will help us ensure we are delivering exceptional value to your company through our products and services.

In addition, you may have noticed a survey that comes up inside Accpac. This is a very brief online survey that Sage uses to drive a number of their business decisions. In fact, during Sage's Business Partner conference this year, we were surprised by the frequency with which they discussed the information gathered from this effort. So the next time you're inside Accpac and see the Sage survey pop up, please take a few moments to answer the questions - we really are listening to your suggestions and welcome the feedback.

Please contact us if you have any questions, comments or concerns about this process.

New to NextLevel

Dennis Colon

Dennis is originally from Pennsylvania, and moved to the Tampa area 3 years ago. He attended Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania and brings with him more than 10 years of experience in the IT and Distribution industries. A Microsoft Certified professional, Dennis specialized in computer software & hardware education at a certified Microsoft IT Academy before joining the NextLevel - Tampa team. His extensive background in business operations, customer service, and logistics for the distribution industry helped to prepare him for his new role at NextLevel. Dennis will be providing our clients with excellent training and support on Accpac core modules. Welcome to NextLevel, Dennis!

Free Brain Food

NextLevel Information Solutions is pleased to offer our existing clients a FREE copy of Sage Accpac ERP manuals from Red Maple Press, Inc. NextLevel subscribes to Red Maple Press, Inc. so that we may provide you with the most up-to-date and detailed user guides available for Accpac ERP. These manuals serve as a good complement to the existing set of manuals that are installed with your software and to the help files that are accessible on each screen.

Red Maple's training guides provide a detailed table of contents, index, and tips & tricks in each manual to make using Sage Accpac ERP easier and more productive. The manuals are presented by module, focusing on how to perform functions within each defined area. Designed to supplement Sage Accpac User Guides, Red Maple manuals provide the additional "how" and "why" for a full reference on how to get the most out of your accounting system. Complete with screen shots and step-by-step instructions, Red Maple manuals are delivered in convenient PDF format, so you can share them with your entire staff. If you attended this year's NextLevel Customer Conference in April, you already have a full set of Red Maple manuals on the flash drive you received at the conference. If you were unable to attend this year's conference, please contact us for your FREE electronic copy of the manuals.

Protect Your Sage Accpac Investment

Sage Software Assurance (SA) is a maintenance plan for businesses that want to keep their systems running with the latest software features and functionality - without paying full price for upgrades. Every time Sage releases a product update or a new version of Sage Accpac ERP, it is automatically made available to clients who are current on SA.

In addition to accessing product updates and upgrades, companies current on SA also receive one FREE "Anytime Learning" session, and a 25% discount off Anytime Learning subscription packages. Anytime Learning is an online training session on Sage Accpac modules and is available on-demand to suit your schedule. To view classes available, please visit Sage Software University.

With today's ever-changing technology platforms, keeping your SA current is a must to protect your investment in Sage Accpac ERP. Save money up front, simplify your budgeting, and lock in today's pricing by renewing your SA with a discounted multi-year subscription term. You'll save 5% on a 2-year renewal, 10% on a 3-year renewal, and 15% on a 5-year renewal. Sage does impart a "reinstatement fee"for anyone who's Software Assurance has lapsed. So if your renewal date is approaching, don't delay, renew your SA today.

If you are unsure if your subscription is current, please contact us. We can let you know if you are current, and help you determine a renewal path if your subscription has expired.

Save Money & Increase Security with PrintBoss

PrintBoss by Wellspring Software, Inc. is a forms printing solution designed to allow your checks to be printed on blank check stock and your accounting documents on blank white paper. PrintBoss eliminates the need to order different checks for each bank account and/or company in Accpac by providing you with high-security blank check stock and state-of-the-art software. With the latest feature of PrintBoss, you can even print checks on pressure seal stock.

How Does it Work?

Seamlessly integrated with Sage Accpac ERP, PrintBoss is designed to capture your banking and check data and combine that data with digital forms. Using magnetic toner, most laser printers can print your customized format onto the blank check stock including the MICR strip, company logo, and optionally, your signature (with proper security). Protect your company by using Wellspring Software's high-quality 24-pound check stock as your first defense against forgery, counterfeiting, alteration, erasure, toner removal and photocopying. All Wellspring Software check stock includes the following standard security features with user-defined security levels:

Void Pantograph	Rainbow Background
Micro Printing	True Watermark
Endorsement Box	Fluorescent Fibers

In addition to printing checks, PrintBoss eliminates the need for pre-printed forms, including invoices, statements, picking slips, order confirmations and more. And each form can be printed:

• On multi-part paper.
• With multiple copies - each with their own tag (Customer Copy).
• To email or fax.
• On Pressure Seal forms

Eliminate your inventory of check stock and pre-printed forms and save up to 80% on printing costs.

With pressure seal forms, the "print to mail" process is reduced by up to 90%. This means that the standard process of printing, folding, stuffing and sealing forms to send them out is reduced to simply printing and then running the forms through a folding machine. For both checks and invoices/statements, you can eliminate the need for envelopes and the laborious task of stuffing and sealing documents in an envelope.

For more information on PrintBoss and how you can streamline your forms & check printing, please contact us.

IFRS and Sage Accpac ERP

Planning for the IFRS Conversion:

There’s no longer any doubt that International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) are coming your way. The business and accounting press are full of news about IFRS and businesses are now realizing they need to pay attention. Companies preparing for the switch from GAAP to IFRS will need to focus on technical accounting issues, the differences between GAAP and IFRS, and the specifics of adopting different definitions, conventions, approaches, and accounting policies.

IFRS is a single set of global accounting standards that require transparent and comparable information in general purpose financial statements to achieve convergence in accounting standards throughout the world. Although IFRS is typically required for publicly accountable organizations, the definition is extending. According to Deloitte US, GAAP will eventually disappear, leaving IFRS as the only standard. So it’s not really a question of whether to adopt, but rather when.

Converting to IFRS will present a number of challenges for your company. It is prudent to work closely with your external accountants to determine if, when and how you should change your financial reporting to confirm to IFRS rules.

In addition to preparing your staff, a key component of preparing for IFRS is to ensure that your accounting system is capable and ready for the change. If your company uses Sage Accpac ERP, you are in luck. Sage Accpac has features & functionality that will support your transition to IFRS. As a matter of fact, Sage Accpac has over 13,000 clients currently operating in IFRS jurisdictions.

As an owner or manager of a small or medium-sized company, you’re probably uncertain about if, when, and how you should adopt the new requirements. contact us today to receive a free White Paper designed to be a helpful guide for those planning for the IFRS changeover.

Increase Your Sales by 15-50%

Did you know that Sage Software is now offering an integrated credit & debit card processing service? You can now get all the merchant services you need to accept electronic payments in their one-stop solution - Sage Payment Services. Offering your customers the opportunity to pay with a credit or debit card makes it easier for them to buy. Studies show that accepting credit cards increases sales by 15-50%, and now with Sage Payment Services with Accpac ERP integration, you can:

• Enter credit card information into Order Entry
• Process AR against credit cards
• Process recurring monthly billing payments.

Using Sage Payment Services with Accpac ERP reduces manual entry of credit card and payment information, and stores credit card information in an offsite Gateway Vault. Sage Payment Services works in concert with Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, JCB, Debit/ATM, and private label cards for retail, mail order/telephone sales and internet business. Value added and optional services offered with credit card processing include merchant account origination, ACH payments, gift card processing, 24 hour customer support, equipment and supplies, voice authorization, and both paper and online statements.

If you are currently using Iciniti for eCommerce, Sage Payment Services is offering discounted processing fees with no upfront costs - for a limited time only.

We know that one size does NOT fit all when it comes to payment processing. So, Sage is offering a free savings analysis to anyone wanting to compare their current credit card merchant account to Sage Payment Services. For more information, or to request a free analysis, please contact us.