Help with the MMREF format for Virginia Employment Commision

By Tunesia Winn

Have you received a notice from The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) stating that as of 1/1/09 if you have more than 100 employees you are required to electronically file magnetic media and the wage information must be in the MMREF format for the quarterly VEC report?

If so you among hundreds of others getting this notification. The VEC is now mandating this and taking actions on those not in compliance. We’ve received emails and calls for quite a few clients in regards to whether it can be accomplished within MS Dynamics GP. While GP does not have the capability to complete the task, MS works with a 3rd party vendor, Greenshades that has a product to suit your needs. It’s called the State Filing Package and its cost is dependent upon the # of states in which you file.

Because of the high # of inquires we’ve received, we have reached out to Greenshades to provide discount pricing. They have approved a 15% discount on all State Filing Packages for BroadPoint clients only.

Please let me know if you would like more information and we can setup a time to chat.

Mobile Express for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0

By Todd Fleming, BroadPoint Technologies Senior Consultant

Mobile Express for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 extends the standard toolset of Microsoft Dynamics CRM to any mobile browser for online data access. The release is

· Compatible with any HTML device

· Browser independent

· Managed with metadata

· Delivers information in a dynamics, role-based UI

Mobile Express for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 is an important part of the Power of Choice message Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers customers and is ideal for mobile scenarios in businesses with always connected environments, high speed networks and occasional access, and broad CRM usage.

This release has been built, tested, and now is supported by Microsoft.

Entities Available in Mobile Express

The following list describes the complete set of Microsoft Dynamics CRM entities that may be available in Mobile Express and how you can work with them in Mobile Express:

· Accounts: Enter a new account or review an existing account, which contains information about companies that do business with your organization.

· Addresses: Enter a new address or look up information for an existing account or contact.

· Appointments: Review existing appointments. An appointment does not include service activities or check for conflicts, and you cannot search for available times.

· Campaigns: Review existing campaigns.

· Cases: Review existing cases.

· Competitors: Review existing competitors.

· Contacts: Enter a new contact or review an existing contact.

· Contracts: Review existing contracts.

· E-mail Messages: Review sent, received, and pending e-mail messages.

· Faxes: Review faxes that have been entered into the system.

· Invoice Products: Review products associated with an invoice.

· Invoices: Review existing invoices.

· Leads: Enter a new lead or review existing leads.

· Letters: Track when a letter has been sent or received.

· Marketing Lists: Review existing marketing lists.

· Notes: Add a new note to an activity or a record, or review an existing note.

· Opportunities: Enter a new opportunity or review an existing opportunity.

· Order Products: Review products associated with an order.

· Orders: Review existing orders.

· Phone Calls: Track when phone calls have been received or made. You cannot dial a phone number directly from this form.

· Quote Products: Review products associated with a quote.

· Quotes: Review existing quotes for opportunities, accounts, or contacts.

· Service Activities: Review service activities.

· Tasks: Create a new task or review an existing task.

· Users: Review or search for people who have an active user account in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Referral Program offers customers $50 AMEX Gift Cards

Our BroadPoint Referral Program has kicked off this week!

You remember what it was like not to have instant access to information through Smartlists, how long it took to close the books each month and how many clicks it took get to the transaction.

You probably have friends and associates that are still struggling with those same issues that are looking for solutions.

If you want to help your connections enjoy the same benefits that you do, we’ll thank you for a referral with a $50 AMEX gift certificate. If they are not currently a BroadPoint client and are interested in talking to us, you will have 50 thank you’s to spend.

If you have a contact that would benefit from working with BroadPoint Technologies, then let us know at www.Broadpoint.net/connections. We'll contact you & if your contact is interested in hearing from us then we will thank you with a $50 AMEX Gift Card.

Microsoft announces service extension

As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, BroadPoint is excited to share news of service pack extension dates.

Microsoft is extending the service pack support policy for Microsoft Dynamics SL, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics AX, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM to 24 months of support for a previous service pack, when a new service pack is released.

Some current service packs are being extended and new service packs will now be for 24 months versus the usual 12. For more information and to see if you are eligible call us or see the Microsoft announcement here.

New iMIS Discounts available

Technorati Tags: iMIS,News

In recognition of the significant and unique economic challenges facing our customers this year, BroadPoint would like to inform you of several discounts that ASI is offering through September 30, 2009.

Now is the time to upgrade to iMIS 15, purchase additional modules and users, and host your iMIS system at a secure reliable facility. This is a one-time, can’t miss opportunity to invest in your iMIS system and infrastructure! A variety of discounts are being offered through September 30, 2009.

· Upgrade to version 15.1 and receive a discount on additional users (Full/Casual or Public) up to 60% and get the new iCreate Advanced Tools for free! If you are already on 15.0 you can still add users at a discount.

· Purchase multiple iMIS modules as part of the same sale and receive a discount of up to 20%.

· Host your iMIS 15 system with ASI and save up to 20% on hosting fees!

· Have you fallen behind on your Software Update fees? Get caught up and save 15%.

To take advantage of these discounts contact:

· Huan Mitchell, 301-634-2428, hmitchell@broadpoint.net

· Allison Brown, 301-634-2420, abrown@broadpoint.net

BroadPoint co-hosts panel at the Microsoft Not for Profit Summit

Yesterday BroadPoint attended the Not For Profit Summit at the Ronald Reagan building in D.C. Tina Featheringham of BroadPoint organized a panel for the event. Entitled Non profit doesn't mean no profit the panel was moderated by Mark Bisnow of the popular online publication, Bisnow.

Speaking on the panel were American Association of Blood Banks CFO Mark Conheady, Search for Common Ground CFO Jack Deeds, Association of Public Health Laboratories COO Carol Clark, and American Israel Public Affairs Committee CFO Chrystal Kern.

The audience was encouraged to learn from their peers how they are making changes in their organization to not only survive this economy, but to prosper. This includes giving financial visibility to every level of your organization, holding your employees accountable, and cutting the fat!

For more see the coverage on Bisnow!

BroadPoint is one of the founding members of the ERP Software Blog

BroadPoint announced today that it is part of a brand new exciting blog. The erpsoftwareblog.com is compilled of ERP solution providers. Specifically each of the founding members of the blog is a Microsoft Dynamics GP provider and a Microsoft Partner.

We are very excited to be part of this exciting and dynamic group of thinkers! Visitors to the blog can recieve tips and news on how to select an ERP system and what kind of modules, programs, and ad ons different organizations should consider.

The blog is already off to a running start with accolades on many tech sites and Microsoft itself.

Check it out!

Recent awards from ASI

BroadPoint was recently awarded the Chairman’s Circle and New Sales Leader of the Year at ASI’s Annual iNNOVATIONS Partner Conference.

We work hard to get recognized as an outstanding organization whenver possible. This is a great honor for us and we are very excited to announce. For the whole story click here.

BroadPoint Technologies and CCH partner to help manage State Sales and Use Tax Compliance

In a healthy economy most state and local tax revenue will usually increase and go a long way in helping to fund the needs of a state and the given localities; however, when economic conditions change to the downward side, such as we are currently seeing, state and local governments are forced to take measures to help them deal with their own tax revenue shortfall. It is a safe bet to assume that audit activity is already on the increase nationwide. Desperate times require desperate measures, and like any other functioning entity, state and local governments also will have to do whatever they can to generate the additional needed revenue that is required to run the state.

Broadpoint Technologies in partnership CCH helps to solve the grueling experience of sales tax compliance, monthly tax processing and sales tax audits. With solutions that are directly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics GP and SL, CCH helps companies cut the cost of sales tax compliance, reduce your audit risk, and streamline your operations. CCH can help teach what's new with automating sales tax and Dynamics GP and how to eliminate manual calculation, address verification, and preparation of returns.

BroadPoint is currently the 4th highest fundraiser for the AIDS Walk of Washington 2009!

Check out BroadPoint's Team Page for the upcoming AIDS Walk of Washington.

BroadPoint's Bethesda office is participating in the race and has made some great fundraising goals!

AIDS Walk Washington is a 5K fundraising walk and timed run benefiting and produced by Whitman-Walker Clinic. Whitman-Walker Clinic is a non-profit community-based health organization which provides dependable, high-quality, comprehensive and accessible health care to those infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS.

In Washington D.C. 1 in 20 people has HIV. BroadPoint is proud to join the community in raising funds and awareness!


You can help us reach our goal!
.

We made the cut!

BroadPoint Technologies Ranks Number 17 on Top 100 VAR

Accounting Technology, a trade publication ranks the top value added resellers for accounting soluitons each year and this year BroadPoint made number 17.

Check out the full article here.

Todd Hager appointed as Treasurer of DC IAMCP

 

Todd Hager is Vice President of BroadPoint Technologies and a frequent contributor to our blog! He is also involved in the Washington DC International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners (IAMCP). Most recently Todd was nominated and appointed to the position of treasurer for the IAMCP.

 

IAMCP exists to help Microsoft Partners Grow. With an ever growing membership of the areas top Microsoft Partners our Chapter is dedicated to helping Microsoft Partners Grow. As treasurer, Todd will be responsible for annual financials and reporting for the DC local chapter.

 

The IAMCP DC Chapter holds specialized events, parties, and seminars to enable better partnering opportunities within the Microsoft Partner community. 

 

Check out their website: http://www.iamcp.org/washingtondc

 

 

Who's your Source on That? Creating Source Control for CRM Customizations

Please meet Michael Dodd, BroadPoint CRM Consultant, he will be posting often to provide insights into CRM and Tips and Tricks for users.

Part 1 of 2: Suggestions for CRM Customization Versioning in Team Development

By Michael Dodd

One of my newest CRM books is called "CRM as a Rapid Development Platform" by David Yack. The book is probably the first CRM 4.0 book that only covers CRM Development. The book's focus is on using MS CRM 4.0 as a platform for Line of Business applications. In doing so, Mr. Yack touches upon some of the pain points experienced with CRM 4.0 Team Development. The top 2 pain points will be the focus of this 2-part blog post:

1. No Versioning/Source Control in the CRM Entity Customization UI (10 out of a possible 10)
2. No Intellisense for Client Side (JScript) Coding (9.5 out of a possible 10).
   

No Versioning/Source Control

This is most evident in developing client side (JScript) code for a given entity, whereby developers can over-write someone's code with their own revisions and publish these changes without ever knowing they were stepping on the other developer's toes. As you may or may not know, this will all change with CRM 5.0, where they have finally departed with the quick-to-deploy, yet “versionless”, customization UI and added a new "Solution Deployment" UI, which will not only include files for Source Control, but native versioning and roll-back features.

I have created my "Top 5 Ways We Can Improve CRM Team Development" below.

1. Do all CRM Customizations & Development on a Shared Environment - This is possible the most obvious yet most ignored step to improving team development. If the client does not have a development environment, we should create a shared virtual environment that everyone can access (and have local access to via diff disks). This would contain all the necessary development tools (CRM, VS, SQL, SRS, Scribe) as well as an instance of Visual SourceSafe.

2. Treat CRM Customization Files as Source Code - First, all CRM Customization should be done against a Blank Solution in Visual Studio. Next, create separate folders for each Entity being customized. Finally, you must keep each Customization.xml file and all supporting JScript (as .js files) for each CRM Entity being customized (and checked into SourceSafe) in the appropriate entity folder. This will allow for some semblance versioning for each CRM Entities, Workflows, Sitemap and ISV configurations. It will also provide (albeit somewhat flawed) roll-back capability.

3. Standardize Naming Conventions for Customization files

4. Have a Scheduled Deployment of CRM Customizations - Whether it is nightly of weekly, developers must be in sync with the team's changes. one of the biggest reasons we step on each other code is because of a lack of organized deployment of code to the "Master" (or Testing/QA) environment. This will also keep "quick changes" from messing up your code

5. Use Descriptive Comments in your JScript Code

Way to go Ann and Serguei!

We are very excited because two of our consultants, Ann Lehew, and Serguei Popovski have received certification for the Dynamics GP distribution module. They are both already master certified in Microsoft Dynamics GP 10 in general but went for a more specific certificate with the distribution module. The distribution exam is specific to all the distribution modules and extends their Dynamics GP 10 expertise to be more inclusive of all modules. This is beneficial for our clients as they will then have comfort in Ann and Serguei providing knowledgeable and efficient support so that they can have more efficient operations.