Simply From the Corner Office

Are you a great multi-tasker? I know that I can do many things at once but none of them well when doing them all at the same time.

Until a few months ago I would inadvertently send out one incomplete email out about 6 times per year - half written, not proof read and embarrassing to say the least.

Often working on replies to a few at the same time, with 2 or 3 Simply databases open and a half a dozen Excel spreadsheets open, it would happen.  It happens like this - a client emails requesting some info, you press Reply and then go off and open their Simply file and perhaps a spreadsheet or two; the phone rings and another client needs some info - you open their database and look up their request; then another client calls.... you get the picture. While talking on the phone you check the email you were working on (bad move) and press Send - just a reflex or something....

Now I know all the rules of avoiding this - start an email, type the email, proof the email, attach any files and THEN enter the recipient's address.

However, when replying to an email, the recipient's email automatically is inserted into the To line and that's where I run into trouble.

Here's a little trick that I discovered by accident to avoid sending out those emails before its time to do so - in the CC: line press and briefly hold down the 'z' key (or any other key);  the result is the email address 'zzzzzzzzzzzzzz' now in the CC: line  When you hit Send accidentally , the email program will give you an error message stating that an address is incorrect.

If the email is not ready to be sent, breathe a sigh of relief and go back to 'multi-tasking'. If the email is truly ready to go, just delete the 'zzz...' address and press Send again.

I know the title of this post sounds like a bit of a scam but yes you can get paid instantly!

With today's global business and remote assistance capabilities, many of us consult over the phone and often never meet our clients.  New clients from across the country telephone or email and need instant support.  So how do you get paid?  You can accept credit cards or use an online payment system which entails giving up two and a half percentage points or more. Not to mention possibly having to pay a monthly rental/service fee to a merchant credit card provider.

We used to send out an invoice and hope to get paid. I must say that most clients pay on a timely basis but from time to time we all get burned when we extend credit to unknown clients.

I have found an excellent alternative.

First of all you and your client must use online banking.  More and more people and businesses are using online banking to do business these days, so this method is becoming quite acceptable.

The payment method that I am referring to is Interac Email Money Transfers (all the major Canadian banks participate along with other institutions - here is a list). 

The client logs onto their own online banking site and clicks on 'Pay Bills' which in turn expands and displays a sub heading 'Interac Email Money Transfer'.  They follow instructions including setting a password which they need to give to you, and an email arrives in your inbox in short order.  You click on the link in the email and it takes you through a process that allows you to deposit the funds in your account in real time. The entire process is as secure as online banking can be and the client feels comfortable that they are not giving out credit card information over the telephone or internet. 

Your client has to pay $1.50 and the amount of the transfer is limited to their access card daily/weekly limits.  By the way, $1.50 is about the cost of mailing a cheque and the related bank fees.  This process works great for small value transactions.  You can also use this method to pay certain vendors that require a depoist, etc. on goods and services.

And yes, you do get paid instantly and it does not cost you dime.

One of the biggest battles that I have with clients is getting them to track mileage for personal use of a company automobile. Our clients can never say that we haven't warned them when CRA comes knocking. And, trust me, use of an automobile benefit is one item that CRA almost always looks at during an audit.

I agree that it is a pain to track mileage, add it up monthly or yearly and then figure out out business versus personal useage. I must admit I am always on the lookout for ways to make it easier.

For years, I have tracked mileage in a spreadsheet on my phone and synched it with my desktop so as to not lose any data over time.  In the spreadsheet, there are columns for the date, description of  business destination, start and stop mileage and a calculation column. At the top, is a summary and even a spot for the next oil change based on mileage. For some this is even a burden but it it is a very necessary responsibility.  Keeping mileage up to date also makes for peace of mind and minimal work at December 31st to calculate the taxable benefit. 

You can also search the internet for a mileage tracker. I have tested a few and the best one that I have seen so far is called VQ Mileage Tracker for Blackberry and Nokia smartphones.  You can completely automate your mileage tracking with this app and the GPS on your phone. You  will still have to seperate the personal and business mileage when you get the log back to your desktop.

This BDO tax bulletin is a very good resource for how and what to track as well as what type of mileage qualifies.  The CRA website now has an online Automobile Benefits calculator that is easy to use for determining the taxable benefit.

A simplified log book was announced in the 2008 Federal budget and apparently unveiled last month according to this National Post article. Reference to this new simplification is made on this CRA page about documenting the use of a vehicle.

Here is a link to the mileage spreasheet that I use - it is a demo, so please make sure that you verify the formulas and become familiar with it before using. It may or may not suit you particular tax situation.

No matter what, please make sure that you maintain a mileage log.  I don't want to have to say 'I told you so'.

As I walked out of the store I felt the vibration. It was a weird feeling thinking that I'd never experienced something this great before.....

I checked the screen and I was hooked.

The screen with its vibrant colours indicated that a couple of emails had already arrived. The first thing that blew me away was the fact the company logo in the sender's email was there intact and in full colour. I clicked on the pdf attachment and read it immediately. Wow! What connectivity! What a business tool!

By now, you may have guessed, I am talking about my new BlackBerry. I have the 9700 Bold model which has the QWERTY keyboard and optical trackpad.

A little history first - I have had a smartphone for the last five (5) plus years. Yes, back when they were draconian and operating on the old 1x cellular speeds.  I always had a Windows based smartphone mainly because it had the capability of editing Excel files as well as connecting to Simply Mobile. Responding to email in a timely fashion while out of the office was another reason that I owned a smartphone. AND it was dreadfully slow.

However no mobile that I have owned in the past compares to this new piece of technology though. It is a excellent example of engineering - it's easy and intuitive to use.  With downloaded apps, I track mileage in an Excel spreadsheet, access my bank account, pay bills, receive emails and faxes and stay in contact with my colleagues. As a newspaper junkie, I can even check out headlines and stories during a short break.

One of the best features I like is BlackBerry Messenger(BBM). It's an instant messenger for BB users only and its free worldwide. On a recent project that I was involved with, the principals used BBM to stay up to date, discuss ideas and solve problems. Faster than email and more convenient than telephone when everyone is hard pressed to coordinate schedules, it was a first-rate communication tool.  We use it in our business to relay phone messages and get quick answers on client files (and take coffee or lunch orders when heading back to the office).

It's no wonder it is called a CrackBerry. You find yourself reaching for it to make sure it's present at all times - kind of like an old gunslinger from the west.

I think I'm addicted!

This post is about calculating HST for NPOs and Charitable Organizations. If you are not involved with these types of organizations, you may not want to read this post any further.

I always tell my new clients that I am the laziest person they will ever meet. The reason for saying this is that I hate doing things twice or doing any more work than I have to to get a job done.

Along this theme, I like to have Simply do calculations for me without having to resort to a calculator. In this post, I would like to tell you how you can save a bunch of time when those invoices with the HST start to roll in after July 1st. Let Simply do the work for you!

A bit of background first - NPOs, School Boards, Hospitals, Charitable Organizations, etc have been able to claim GST input credits in Ontario using various percentages ranging from 50% of the GST and up depending on the sector.  Now, these same organizations will have to calculate a different rate on the Ontario portion of the HST.

For example, if your organization is an Ontario non-profit that used to claim 50% of the GST on every invoice, you will now have to calculate the 50% on the Federal portion and 82% on the Provincial portion.  On a $100 purchase with 13%HST that would work out to 50% of $5.00 + 82% of $8.00 for a total of $9.06. The accounting entry will be $103.94 for expenses and $9.06 for HST.

Can you imagine trying to calculate this on every single invoice? This is where my efficiencies (laziness) kick(s) in - I just don't want to spend the time on the calculator.

In Simply, set up a new HST Tax code using the method in this link. The rate to use in the Tax Code Details form is 8.7167%, the Tax is included in the price and is refundable. Note - this rate works for this example only; other rates are necessary for other combinations of input credits.

Test the solution and you will see that Simply can eliminate a lot of work for you.  Enter the full amount of your invoice and select the new HST tax code that you have set up.  Simply will split the expense and HST correctly.

I do strongly recommend that you consult your accountant to determine the rate that your province allows for your organization.

I am sure that most of you in Ontario and B.C. are well aware that HST is being implemented on July 01 2010.

The transition process is a bit complicated and I hope that most of you have discussed implications with your accountant to determine any special rules that may affect your business.

There is lots of good info under the Support Hub blog on how to set up the new taxes.  Simply 2010 Release B has an excellent HST wizard under the Maintenance menu to help set up taxes and vendor and customer changes.  I think that Simply has done a great job on this change that will effect many of us. 

For most service providers, the new HST should be fairly easy to implement. If you charged only GST on your services prior to HST, you will only have to use the new HST at 13%. 

Special situations to watch -

Retailers - you may need two HST rates - full HST at 12 or 13% depending on your province and then HST @ 5% for goods that are exempt from the Provincial portion. POS terminals will need to be reprogrammed on July 01 2010.

Businesses with out-of-province customers - if you supply goods and/or services out of province there new rules for you; goods and services must be taxed in the province they are supplied to NOT the location of the supplier.  This a major change to tax rules - check out this KPMG site for more info.

Public service bodies, Charitable and Non-profit organizations - there are different rules for each province.  In Ontario, where I am familiar with these organizations, there are actually going to be two (2) different percentages applied to the HST - a percentage applied to the GST portion and a different percentage to the Provincial portion. 

If you need to find out how to make these changes work in Simply, ask your questions on the User Forum or call your Simply Accounting Certified Consultant.

Many of these oncoming changes require consultation with an accounting professional and I highly recommend it!

Recently I had the opportunity to analyze and assess the Sage Payment Solution that is imbedded in Simply for a client.

Our client has a low volume of credit card transactions with a fairly high ticket value   - 20 transactions a month at an average ticket value of $700 each.  We compared a leading Canadian payment provider to the Sage Solution using quoted prices from each provider. We found that the Sage Payment Solution was more competetive in three different cases using the $700 value - zero (0) transactions per month, ten(10) transactions per month and twenty (20) per month.  We tried a number of other cases and for the most part Sage came out on top cost wise in practically every instance.

There are other things to consider when choosing a vendor for credit card processing. Certain trade associations may allow you to get deeper discounts on the merchant credit card rates. Sage takes 24 - 48 hours to deposit the funds rather than overnight like most processors.  Also note that the Sage solution is better suited to lower volumes as you have to key in your client's card number for each payment transaction. Simply does not store the customer's credit card number which is a good practice.

In the end, our client decided on Sage which uses a virtual terminal that allows online access to process actual payments if desired as well as processing the end of day procedures.  An internet connection is all that is needed. No physical swipe terminal or extra phone line is required.

The entire process is integrated with Simply - process an invoice using a credit card payment and the payment is authorized in seconds on your desktop.  Our client loves it and finds that it provides yet another way for customers to settle their regular monthly accounts.  It is also very effective method for collecting on outstanding receivables.  The process is very easy to learn and use.

If you are considering accepting credit cards I suggest that you take a serious look at this option for your needs - it could save you some money and make your credit card processing easier. I think it is a relatively unknown part of Simply that is very robust as well as useful.

 Note - Kim Creamore wrote a piece about this back in 2008 on this site and explains the actual process inside Simply very well.

Wow where has all the time gone?

I was talking with a colleague with a CA firm this afternoon and as we chatted about how busy things seem to get I had to agree. This year more than ever Q1  just seemed to fly by.  Some projects slipped and there never seemed to be any time for leisure.  We both agreed that it seems that we are increasingly inundated with the need for more details for everything from government forms to internal reporting and client needs, etc. Time just slips away.

My business partner (who is also my spouse) and I were able to get away for a lengthy vacation in April (we don't do taxes) and have survived the deluge of paperwork that greeted us upon return.

During the past two months I have had the opportunity to Beta test Simply 2011 - a featured filled version with very few problems - I can't say a lot more until later in the summer. 

A new imbedded reporting tool in Simply is coming out in June with the tax table update for Simply 2010.  I have spent the past couple of months working with this very powerful tool and will talk about it in a later blog. It is called Simply Accounting Intelligence.

HST is on its' way in Ontario and B.C. and Simply version 2010 included a great tool in the Maintenance Menu (with Jan 2010 tax update) to allow users to change the tax codes for vendor and customers at the click of a button.

In my previous blog I talked about getting a scanner and ridding our office of the photcopier. We have the scanner, it works great and we use the photocopier about 3 times a month now (and no, we have not replaced that $400 toner drum).

For years I have used a smartphone that was Windows based namely because I wanted to use and test the Simply Mobile version. Simply has dropped the mobile version so I recently went over to the Blackberry side.  I wish that I had done it sooner; these devices are such a fantastic productivity tool - another topic that I want to discuss in an upcoming blog.

That's it for now and I promise that I will be back soon!

Umm, it's time to buy yet another $225 toner cartridge for the copier; and the toner drum sounds like it is scraping away too - another $350.

First of all, we do not do a lot of copying in our office. By that I mean we do not send out 100 copies of 20 page reports every day. We probably make about 5,000 copies a year.  A lot of the former copying jobs are now delegated to the printer - Want 20 copies of that? Press print. Paper and toner costs for printers is another story - I'll talk about that another time.

Over the past few months, we've been scanning more and more documents (on our copier which doubles as a decent scanner) and storing them digitally rather versus paper files. In fact during 2009, we did not send a single fax or piece of paper to our clients' accountants for year-end processing.  All year-end documents and working papers are scanned and along with the Simply Accounting database are emailed or uploaded via a file transfer service to the accountants.

You might say well it's quicker to copy the document and then fax it out. But seriously I would argue that point because I still have to make up a fax cover sheet and then file that along with the document for the client file.  You can scan the document to the appropriate area on your computer or server; then email it before you have a cover letter finished.  Effectively, you have digitally stored the document (filed it) and then emailed with a record of the date sent now stored in your email program such as Outlook.

My research so far on dedicated scanners tells me that I can set the scanner to copy or print directly to a network printer. Plus, last time I checked, scanners don't use toner although they do not some replacement parts eventually. So for about $500 - $600, I am hoping to eliminate some costs along the way as well as reduce even more paper usage. The overall goal is to reduce paper usage and its' related costs which include the actual paper, disposal of paper waste, toner replacement and file storage costs.

This week we ordered a decent scanner - one that just scans and I'll let you know how it goes in another month or so.

Most people reading this are involved in accounting for their business in one way or another. To all of us, severe panic sets in if we cannot access our accounting data, spreadsheets and the like. Unfortunately there is no insurance provider in the world that will get your data back if it is damaged. If your office is destroyed, they'll replace it but they just 'don't do data'.

Most importantly, we can protect ourselves from data loss by backing up regularly and having offsite storage of backups. One of the leading contributors to data damage is power surges.

I am really amazed at the number of users that I meet that do not use an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) or at the very least, a surge protection device.  A UPS can cost around $100 and give you a lot of piece of mind. UPS devices include surge protection as well as eliminate those annoying power outages that last for about a half a second but invariably shut all the computers off in your office.

Make sure that the wall outlet that you plug the UPS into is properly grounded and if you are unsure, have an electrician test it for you. It is important to also have your cable and phone lines as well as your modem plugged into the UPS too. Remember, you're protecting one of your company's most important assets.

UPS units can be purchased for as little as $100 from most office supply retailers - I have no manufacturer preference. When choosing which one suits your needs, consider the number of minutes that they will operate when the power is totally lost so that you have time to backup and/or shut down your computer properly. Other options include the number of outlets and phone connections.

Before UPS units became popular, our office was plagued by a minimum of one power blip per month and invariably I would be working on a spreadsheet that hadn't been saved for 2 hours(I know there is an auto save feature in Excel, but....). Learning slowing, that became enough of a motivator to purchase a UPS for each computer.

So interrupt me with phone calls and emails, but please don't interrupt my power supply.

 Have you ever had to trace a cable back to your router? Or figure out which cable runs to the networked printer?

There it sits somewhere in a jumble of cords and cables at the back of the router.  I've always tried to keep cables organized and 'off the floor' but they sometimes still end up being a mess as others plug and unplug and re-route different cables around the office.

One of the best tricks that I have used over the years is to label the end of each cable with either a number or name. This allows you to easily identify each cable quickly - it really helps when you are trying to troubleshoot a network issue.

To keep cables off the floor or organized, you can purchase short velcro strips at your electronics or office supply store; these are even available in different colours.  You can use these to bundle and/or suspend cabling.

Now you might say, well I use wireless so it doesn't matter. The fact of the matter is that wireless is still a lot slower than cabled connections and programs like Simply show a lot better performance on a wired network.

Now I just have to tackle that mess of jumbled wires attached to the TV, DVD player, home theatre and gaming systems.....

Have you ever had to fill out a form that you have downloaded from a website.  Forms such as a bid proposals and applications that need to be filled out and have to be signed cannot be filled out online.  Depending on the form, you may need to have them look as professional as possible. Sometimes the space given on forms won't even allow the neatest of writers with the tiniest handwritng the opportunity to legibly complete the form.

Unless you have a typewriter (typewriters were mechanical devices used in the 20th century), the completion of these kinds of forms is generally hand-written. The employee with the best hand writing skills get elected to complete the form.

The Nitro PDF Software site has a PDFtoWord converter that converts pdfs to Word or Excel online for free and the outcome is quite acceptable.  Your converted file is emailed to you in minutes! Open the file and fill in the blanks.

Last week I attended the Simply Accounting training course for Certified Consultants. It was a three day course packed full of information and ideas for consultants.  The training sessions also provided an opportunity to network with other consultants that possess a wide variety of skills and expertise. 

The purpose of this training is to provide CCs with the tools and knowledge to enable them to serve their clients well. Prior to this Spring, a prospective consultant wrote an exam, paid a yearly fee and became a Certified Consultant for life, so to speak. 

Now all Partners that wish to continue as CCs must update their knowledge and write an exam annually.

Sage has established these new qualifications so that when end users contact a Certified Consultant, the user can be assured that they are going to receive the very best support from a professional who truly knows the product line.

At present the highest level attainable is Gold, which I was able to accomplish.  I am looking forward to reaching the next and highest level, Platnium, when it becomes available.

I've must confess, I love technology and things techie.

My favourite places to shop are camera shops, electronics stores and office supply places. The computers and laptops in our household outnumber the inhabitants and TVs run a close second. A couple of years ago our son yelled up the hall that Mom could just come down and talk rather than using MSN - funny, but you get the picture. My partner refers to my computer as my mistress "Miss Chips".  Yes, I love technology but I also like it to work properly.

Office equipment that saves time and causes NO frustration is very important in our office. Productivity is constantly reviewed and output must be of the highest quality. Professional looking reports and correspondence go a long way to establishing and maintaining credibility with clients.

In our office we make sure that all correspondence is proof read, reports look absolutely professional and mailings are first class. We believe in consistency to stay organized, Client files are organized in a certain seqence and always labelled. It makes the office less chaotic and it all kind of makes sense when you think about it.

For years, we have fed sheets of labels in a laser printer, fought paper jams, thrown out countless label sheets with a dozen or so unused labels in the centre, messed up countless envelopes due to incorrect settings, worn out printers and worst of all wasted a lot of time.  

Okay, you say, I must have a problem - this guy's way too particular. I disagree, its all about image and meeting your clients expectations.

About a year ago, we purchased a Dymo Turbo 400 label printer and it has got to be one of the most beautiful pieces of equipment I have used. It works every time and it is fast. it works with Simply, Outlook, Word and even address tables in Excel.  Besides mailings and file labels, we have since found other production uses for our clients.  Barcoding, product labelling and shipping labels are but a few uses that you can perform, often utilizing Simply as the data source.

We have found that we can do most labelling jobs with two label sizes so spend the extra bit to buy a model with dual spools so that you don't have to constantly switch sizes.

Finally, I cannot recall ever being frustrated with it - definitely my favourite!

Sometimes printers can be the most frustrating piece of equipment in the office. Why is it that when you are on your way out the door to a meeting and running tight for time, the printer decides to not work? Hint - it's connected to a PC.

A number of years ago, I owned a state of the art, latest and greatest, widest (12" feed)) colour inkjet printer.  That $1,200 printer caused me so much grief - often taking 10 minutes to cancel a print job - that I gave it to a local school to sell at a garage sale. Asking price was $25.00! 

I know that lots of Simply users have printing problems because there are over 600 posts on the Forum about printing and printers. Some issues are program based but more often than not they are related to printer settings. The Forum is a great source for troubleshooting printer problems as well as the Knowledge Base.

One of the most common complaints that we see with Simply is the slow displaying of reports on the user's desktop. This often happens when the printer that is chosen under the Reports menu is connected to a computer other than the user's. The display function in Simply attempts to display the report that you have requested in the layout that you have set up on the chosen printer. Simply communicates with the printer, gets its' settings and then displays the report. 

You can test to see if that is what is causing the issue by Adding a New Printer under Printers & Faxes on your Start Menu. Choose the Generic/Text Only printer and test the reports with it. Usually the display is instant.  This test will let you know that the little inkjet on the other side of the office along with your current network hardware is just not up to the task.  Another option is to physically connect the printer you are trying to use directly to the user's machine.

Remember that it is not necessarily a Simply issue; run a few tests, check your actual printer settings and your frustration level with printers might just get a bit more bearable.