1. Contract Pricing (Item) – This is where per customer and warehouse you define what a customer will pay for an individual item.
2. Contract Pricing (Product Price Group) – This is where per customer and warehouse you define what a customer will pay for a product price group. A product price group is assigned to an item. An item may have only one product price group.
3. Inventory Pricing (Customer Price Group) – This is where per item and warehouse you define the customer price group. A customer price group is assigned to a customer. A customer may have only one customer price group.
4. Inventory Pricing (Standalone) – This is where per item and warehouse you define the price for an inventory item.
5. Matrix Pricing by Customer Price Group (or by Product Price group) – Once the product price groups and customer price groups are established, this is where you can enter specific price information for a product price group and/or customer price group combination.
6. Product Price Group – If no matrix pricing is established, pricing options can be established when building the product price groups.
7. Customer Price Basis – On the customer record, you can define per customer how to calculate the price of the item. You choose a price base for the customer. The choices are: Average Cost, List Price, Price sheet 1, Price sheet 2, Price sheet 3, Price sheet 4, replacement cost and standard cost. You can also define a percentage to add to the base price for the customer.
8. Standard Price of the Item – If none of the above exists then the standard price of the item is used.

MAS 500 can also establish promotional pricing. Here you can establish a date range for the promotion as well as add items to the promotion. In determining the sale price if a promotion exists, MAS 500 will use the 8-step hierarchy from above and also calculate the promotional price and will return to the sales order the lower of the two prices.

When establishing pricing in the difference variations, MAS 500 gives us the ability to establish an effective date and expiration date. Besides different methods for calculating the price (Eg..Discount %, Discount Amt., Markup %, Markup amt.), MAS 500 also lets us define quantity break pricing if needed.

The different pricing features of MAS 500 allow flexibility to match your current pricing model. The key is defining how your pricing model works now. In most cases, once defined, MAS 500 has been able to fit the needs of pricing products to customers. 

By Ohio Sage MAS 500 Consultant, Jeff Steel

Socius is proud to be headquartered in Dublin, which is in the Top Seven Intelligent Community annual list of smart cities worldwide, was named as the top small city in the U.S. to start a business by both Fox Business and BusinessWeek, and was recently rated the number-two place to work in the nation in an independent National Citizen Survey. 

From our offices in the heart of the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, we have the privilege of working with some of the best and brightest companies in Dublin and across the country.  We are always delighted to celebrate the success of our clients – but we know that it doesn’t have anything to do with the “luck of the Irish”.  Our clients are leveraging their Microsoft Dynamics and Sage software solutions and reaping tremendous results!

A great example is Sarnova Inc. (formerly known as Bound Tree Medical).  This Dublin-based company is the leading distributor of emergency medical products in the nation.  Socius has worked with Sarnova to implement an end-to-end business management solution centered on Microsoft Dynamics GP.  In 2008, Bound Tree was reporting that through automating processes with GP, they were saving 50 labor hours per week.  In addition, they were able to give their remote staff real-time access to customer and inventory data, as well as provide their management with a daily snapshot of the health of the organization through enhanced Business Intelligence and reporting. 

Rhiannon Greene, Director of MIS, said, “We have a stable, efficient solution that can grow with the company.”  And boy have they ever grown since she said that!   After merging to create Sarnova in 2008, the company has continued to acquire additional organizations and new lines of business.  They have built a firm foundation for their thriving business by establishing efficient processes, making the most of their technology investments, and finding innovative ways to use their business solutions to gain a competitive advantage. 

Read the Sarnova/Bound Tree Medical Success Story!

Maval Manufacturing’s HR manager, Charla  Bissell, explained how MAS 90 is the foundation for their long-term success. 

Maval Manufacturing uses Sage MAS 90 to:

Meet Customer Demand - By leveraging integrated EDI from TrueCommerce, Maval electronically receives customer purchase orders, which become sales orders in MAS 90, and then deliver Advanced Ship Notices and invoices back to the customers as orders are processed and shipped. 

Streamline Purchasing – Maval uses the Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) module to help hone its purchasing. Additionally they leverage the business alerts module for several functions:
“The business alerts are great tools that allow us to stay proactive in managing our inventory and other aspects of the operation.”

Integrate HR and Payroll – They use Sage Abra HRMS to store detailed employee data which automatically updates the relevant information in MAS 90.  They then use the Sage MAS 90 Payroll module with Direct Deposit, along with electronic time clocks, to streamline their payroll processing.

Achieve Long-Term ROI – Maval Manufacturing and Socius have built off of the inherent flexibility of Sage MAS 90 to adjust the software to the company’s changing needs. 

The reason that happens is because the content of the data you see when clicking on the “lookup” button (or pressing the F2 key) to search for records is initially set by Sage so you don’t just get an empty screen when searching:

But, what if you want to see different information?  Maybe the “Sort Field” isn’t used but, you would like to see “City”, assigned to “SalespersonNo” or any of the other seventy-odd fields available when searching for customers.

The User Lookup Wizard is a convenient tool to change the contents of the search window in such a way to provide a consistent result when searching for records.  It allows the modification of the search inquiry screens that can be applied to specific or all users and specific or all companies. In other words, when anyone in company “ABC” clicks on the lookup button to search for customers, the result could be different from the screen above.

For example; this screen would be more useful to a credit manager or salesperson performing a customer lookup.

To Access the User Lookup Wizard – look in the Library Master – Main menu. Pick the appropriate file for lookup you wish to change.

From there you can select the companies and users for whom the lookup will apply.  Individual users, if allowed through security permissions, may still create their own personal lookups but, this provides a method for consistency and allows designated persons to be responsible for changes.

By Alan Niergarth, an Ohio Sage ERP software consultant for Socius

January
We were honored to be featured in RCP Magazine along with our partner PCMS IT Advisory Group.  The article entitled “A Tale of Two Partners” explained how we worked with PCMS to exceed the expectations of a mutual client.  This article highlighted all of the reasons that Socius and PCMS had together received Microsoft’s Partnering to Succeed Award in 2008. 

February
Instead of asking our clients and prospects to brave the Ohio winter weather to attend in-person events, we hosted many successful webinars during the month of February. 

March
In March, we were delighted to participate in two very exciting events.  First we had the pleasure of hosting over 30 of our clients at Convergence, Microsoft Dynamics’ annual conference, which took place in New Orleans.  It was an amazing time of learning and fun for us to share with our clients.  After returning home, we were pleased to participate in the launch of the new Dublin Entrepreneurial Center (DEC).  Our Dublin office is located on the third floor of the DEC.  As one of the initial tenants, it has been very exciting to see the DEC take shape and the building fill with emerging businesses.

April
Socius was once again honored to be listed prominently on the VAR 100 list produced by Accounting Technology and Web CPA.  2009 was the fourth consecutive year that we have been on this prestigious list of the top value added resellers of mid-level accounting software packages. 

May
May saw the beginning of our annual three-city tour of client education and appreciation events.  The theme of this year’s tour was “RACE for Results” and featured our newly launched Business Intelligence methodology and how it fits with our various ERP and CRM solutions.  Following each of these educational events, we enjoyed a meal and a local sporting event with our clients. 

June
June was a huge month for Socius.  First, we launched this, the Socius blog, a project that was years in the making.  Shortly after, we received word that we were one of two finalists for the 2009 worldwide Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner of the Year award.  After winning the 2008 Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner of the Year award, we are absolutely thrilled to maintain our position at the pinnacle of our industry. 

July
We followed up our Partner of the Year success by being included in the 2009 edition of Microsoft’s Inner Circle and President’s Club.  This year was the 15th year (out of 17 possible years) that Socius has been a member of Inner Circle, the top echelon of all Microsoft partners. 

August
We ended our summer by sponsoring and participating in The Summer Scurry to benefit the PMP Research Foundation, an organization founded by a Socius client who is currently battling PMP, a form of abdominal cancer. 

September
September was very busy month for Socius.  We participated in several accounting shows put on by the Ohio Society of CPAs and presented at two SpechTECHular events throughout the state.  In the midst of these events, we launched a newly redesigned website!  Our new site not only allows us to present more information in a more streamlined fashion, it also enables us to interact more via various social media channels like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

October
In mid-October, we hosted our annual client conference, Aspire at The Conference Center at NorthPointe just north of Columbus, Ohio.  This year’s event featured a keynote address by business innovation expert, Bonnie Robertson, 36 educational breakout sessions on software specific and general business concepts, presentations and exhibits by our ISV partners, and sneak-peek presentations about the future of our software products by Microsoft and Sage executives.  We also presented five of our clients with awards for innovation at the event. 

November
We traveled to Atlanta, Georgia in November with several clients to attend Summit, Sage’s annual conference.  It a was a great time of learning for all!  We returned to find out that we made the inaugural list of Bob Scott’s Insights VAR Stars.  It is a true honor to be recognized on this list. 

December
We are ending our year on a high note by receiving the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Business management consultant category by the Small Business Commerce Association.  Finally, we are privileged to make holiday donations on behalf of 200 of our clients to the American Red Cross, the Arthritis Foundation, and Autism Speaks. 

Thanks for taking this walk down memory lane with us and celebrating with us all of these great successes of 2009.  We wish you and your business a prosperous 2010!

Sage SalesLogix EasyPay enables new purchasers to spread their license, Maintenance, and Support fees over 3 years.  EasyPay customers do not pay a finance charge, nor is there a markup on the SalesLogix pricing.   However, no discounts are permitted on SalesLogix EasyPay orders. 

Here’s how it works: The first payment is the equivalent of the first and last month’s payment.  The remaining balance is then spread evenly over the next 11 quarters. 

If you are interested in learning more about Sage SalesLogix CRM software or Sage software pricing, contact Socius.  We are an Ohio Sage software partner with award-winning experience in implementing Sage SalesLogix, as well as in supporting clients across a variety of industries in their use of various CRM solutions.

Why Switch to Sage MAS 90 or MAS 200?

• Grows with you: Start with the basics and expand your system to suit your specialized business needs
• Works the way you do: User-level personalization allows you to take the complexity out of your software
• Be in the know: See up-to-the-minute, work-in-process information for assemble-to-order, engineer-to-order, or make-to-order processing
• Provide superior customer service: Maintain detailed sales histories for each customer, product, and product line
• Improve customer loyalty: Automate your shipping process for optimum delivery while cutting costs and building profits
• Track inventory even at multiple locations: Track by serial, lot, and bin, in addition to LIFO, FIFO, and Average costing
• Effective asset accounting: Manage your company’s tangible assets from purchase to disposal

Read Sage’s Making the Move: What to do When You’ve Outgrown QuickBooks

• 37 Essential Tips for Evaluating and Purchasing New Accounting Software
• How to Create an Accounting System Needs Analysis
• Features & Capabilities Comparison Chart of QuickBooks, Sage BusinessWorks, and Sage MAS 90/MAS 200
• Two Success Stories

Read the Success Story of Turning Technologies, a Socius SalesLogix and Ohio Sage ERP client who moved from QuickBooks to Ohio Sage MAS 500 software.

Additional Resources:

• A Comparison of Distribution Management Capabilities: Sage MAS 90 ERP and QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions
• A Comparison Of Business Intelligence Capabilities: Sage MAS 90 ERP and QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions
• Data Migration Spec Sheet

Contact Socius or visit the Sage MAS ERP Solutions website for complete details.  Hurry, this offer expires September 30, 2009!

* Free migration service only available with purchase of one of the following: Sage MAS 90, Sage MAS 200, Sage MAS 90 Small Business Edition, Sage MAS 90 Extended Enterprise Suite or Sage MAS 200 Extended Enterprise Suite. Free migration service applies to the conversion of a single supported version of a QuickBooks database into a single Sage MAS 90 or Sage MAS 200 database. Conversion includes providing a “test” conversion and one final “live” conversion of one database of one fiscal year of history. Additional fees apply for converting a single database a third time, converting more than one year of history, reconverting history or converting additional QuickBooks databases. Offer valid through September 30, 2009.

5 Signs You Are Outgrowing MAS 90
If you find yourself saying any of these 5 things, you may be ready to look beyond MAS 90:

1. We need more than 10 users in the system at the same time.
2. The system slows to a halt if too many users access it at the same time.
3. We’ve doubled the number of orders we are processing.
4. Daily posting practically shuts down the system.
5. Data corruption caused a system outage for a whole day.

If these complaints sound like those that affect your business, congratulations, your business is growing!

The Good News about MAS 200
While these growing pains can be discouraging and frustrating, you don’t have to live with them.  Sage offers pain free ways to move into the more robust Sage MAS 200 ERP solution:

• Sage MAS 200 uses the same database as MAS 90 – so there is no data conversion!
• Sage MAS 200 uses the same features, screens, and menus as MAS 90 – so there is no need to learn a new system!

Why Sage MAS 200?
We all know that accounting is transaction intensive.  Sage MAS 200 handles these transactions in a different way than MAS 90.  While MAS 90 transmits transaction information back and forth across the network, MAS 200 sends commands to do all of the processing on the server. This allows MAS 200 to run on low bandwidths with minimal data transmission across the network.  As a result, MAS 200 is able to:

• Support a large number of concurrent users
• Function effectively in remote access environments – With secure, Internet-based remote access built in, MAS 200 doesn’t require Terminal Services or Citrix.
• Process large transaction volumes – MAS 200’s processing time is 300% to 1000% faster than MAS 90. While MAS 90 is great for processing hundreds of transactions per day, MAS 200 is a better fit for companies processing thousands and tens of thousands of transactions per day.
• Maintain security, data integrity, and reliability – Because data and applications are on the server, they are not transferred over the network and are therefore not exposed to data corruption.
• Leverage the power of a scalable server – Storing and processing all data on the server enables more cost-effective and easier performance upgrades and helps the system continue to grow with your business into the future.

To learn more about how MAS 200 can relieve your MAS 90 growing pains, register to view the “Sage MAS 200: Moving at the Speed of Your Business” on-demand webcast.

If you are interested in making the move from Sage MAS 90 to MAS 200, contact Socius, an Ohio Sage software partner.  As Ohio Sage ERP consultants, we work with clients implementing and using Sage Abra HRMS, Sage MAS 90 and 200, and Ohio Sage MAS 500 software.

Does the idea of going through a software selection process cause you anxiety, give you nightmares, or keep you up at night?  There’s a lot to think about and a lot of systems to choose from.  But one thing to keep in mind when you’re trying to select the right software for your company is it’s equally as important to select the right software partner.  Choosing the right partner can make the difference between the success and failure of your project.  A good partnership will ensure that your business and processes are reviewed and analyzed correctly, you’re selecting the right software for your business, you have a successful implementation, you receive comprehensive training and on-going support, and you get the most out of your system.

So how do you choose the right partner?  To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of tips to guide you when making this important decision.

1. Do your research on prospective partners.  What are the partner’s qualifications?  Do they have recognized industry certifications and awards?  How long have they been in business and working with this specific software?  Do they have strong partner relationships?  Are they in close geographic proximity?  What are their areas of product and industry expertise?  You should be able to find a lot of this information on their website.
2. Conduct an interview.  Once the partner has passed the “pre-screening” process, arrange a meeting to not only further identify their qualifications and learn more about them but to determine if their organization is compatible with yours.  What are their client and employee retention rates?  What are their processes and implementation methodology?  Ask for different members of the project team to be present at this meeting.  You may even want to arrange the meeting at their office to observe their work environment and cultural atmosphere.  Does the partner fit your company’s culture and philosophy?  It’s important to choose a partner you can work with and enjoy working with as the relationship will ideally be long-term.  Does the partner listen and communicate effectively and strive to understand your business and requirements?  The primary objectives of this interview are to learn about the partner, what they can provide, and how you can benefit from them.  It should not be a “selling” session focused on the specific details and features of the software.
3. Determine training and support options and resources.  Does the partner offer on-going training and technical support and perform upgrades and maintenance?  What type of training program or approach do they employ (e.g. train-the-trainer vs. train-the-user)?  Will the support hours service your company effectively? 
4. Discuss implementation resources and availability and experience of personnel.  Does the partner have the necessary resources for the implementation to be completed on time and coincide with your project timeline?  What are the implementation team members’ certifications and expertise?  How many of the employees focus solely on the specific software, and how long have they each worked with it?
5. View a demo but not before you’re ready.  You should already have your list of requirements before viewing a demo so that you can control what features are presented.  A software product can have a lot of fancy features, but does it have all the functionality you require?  Make sure your team understands the objectives and priorities beforehand. 
6. Request an initial estimate and require revisions as requirements are determined or changed.  An experienced partner should be able to provide you with a breakdown of costs before and during the requirements phase.  As requirements are further defined and objectives change, be sure to request revisions of the estimate. 
7. Request references.  Has the partner implemented the software at companies similar to yours (industry, company size, number of employees, etc.)?  Call the customer references and ask about their relationships and experiences with the partner.  How satisfied are they with their implementation and with the support they have received?  Are billing matters dealt with fairly and accurately?
8. Steer clear of RFPs (regardless of what you’ve heard).  Some people and companies may influence you that creating an RFP is the way to find the best software and partner.  However, the RFP process is expensive and time-consuming – whether you decide to create one yourself or hire an outside firm to do it for you.  You’ll have to create the RFP, including your requirements, figure out who you want to send it to, and then wait for responses and review them, consuming substantial and valuable internal resources.  You’ll save time and money by compiling your list of must-haves, calling prospective partners, and asking if their software can fulfill those requirements.  Then you can select your finalists for the interview process.

By following these 8 tips, you can rest easy knowing you made the right decision to ensure a successful relationship.  Contact Socius to put these tips to the test!

Socius, a Microsoft Dynamics Partner and Sage Partner, provides comprehensive consulting services including Technology and Business Management consulting, in addition to their services related to Ohio ERP software, Ohio CRM software, and Ohio Business Intelligence software.