Sage MAS 500 Newsletter: 1st Quarter 2008
Contents:
Get Ready for Sage MAS 500 Version 7.2
Keeping Summary Fields In Synch
VAR2: A Growing Team!
Get Ready for Sage MAS 500 Version 7.2
Sage Software has announced the upcoming release of Sage MAS 500 version 7.2, which continues its strong tradition as an open SQL Server and Visual Basic platform for integration and customization. Scheduled for availability in March 2008, MAS 500 Version 7.2 strengthens its technology leadership position by providing two new Microsoft .Net solutions, support for Microsoft Vista, and overall improved workflow and the user interface. In this article, we’ll focus on a couple of significant improvements and help you determine whether an upgrade to version 7.2 would yield benefit to your business.
New Web-Based Dashboard Solution
A new web-based Business Insights Dashboard will be introduced and is a free benefit to all MAS 500 customers on a current maintenance/support plan. Business Insights Dashboard is a decision-making tool that consolidates important metrics, MAS 500 data, and even external information such as industry news and competitive intelligence into a single web-based graphical dashboard view. The data views are completely secure allowing Administrators to assign access to information based on a user’s role in the organization. As an added benefit, Business Insights Dashboard can access Business Insights Explorer directly through a web browser which will take your analysis to a more detailed level with the powerful sorting, filtering, grouping and drill-down capabilities you’re already familiar with.
Data Import Manager
The new Data Import Manager introduces a simplified interface for data mapping and data import. Built with .NET and SQL Server 2005 SSIS technology, database administrators can now configure one-time or regular scheduled imports into a wide variety of Sage MAS 500 transaction formats through a powerful mapping wizard. Using the Wizard, you can establish direct feeds from ASCII, Delimited, Microsoft Access, Excel, SQL, and XML data sources. Data Import Manager also leverages technology of the ever-popular and widely-used Visual Integrator module of MAS 500’s sister product MAS 90 and MAS 200. Data Import Manager will be licensed as a separate module and is expected to be priced at $2,500.
Other Enhancements
Warehouse Automation – new flexible picking options allow you to pick based on a Sales Order number or Shipment number. A new Email Notification feature provides instant feedback to key personnel as transactions are processed from a handheld device which will streamline workflow.
Sage MAS 500 Office Update – Memo Management enhancements and improvements to Office Templates will make it easier than ever to attach customer and vendor correspondence, internal task instructions, and various other documents associated with a given MAS 500 procedure or record. In addition, the MAS 500 Office template creation and merge functionality has been completely redesigned to better leverage embedded features within Microsoft Word and Excel.
Contact Us to request the Sage MAS 500 Version 7.2 Pre-Release Guide if you would like more detailed information.
Keeping Summary Fields In Synch
Support receives quite a few questions on the Recalc QtyOn job that is placed in SQL Jobs during the MAS 500 installation. For you and your customers, we attempt to answer a few typical questions below.
What is the QtyOn SQL Job?
Using summary fields such as “Qty On..” to store information is a normal data architecture for optimal performance. In a multi-user system, summary fields such as the “Qty On..” can get out of sync. Many places in the system update these summary fields and most are integration points for add-on or third party products. If integration points do not consistently update summary fields, they get out of sync. Other causes: interruptions while processing and direct data changes. The QtyOn Job provides a flexible, timed way to ensure that summary fields are kept in-sync.
How Does It Work?
The SQL job 'MAS500_appQtyOn' was added in version 6.30 to ensure the summarized (aggregated) quantities for PO, IM, and SO transactions stored in timInventory and other tables are correct. The job is created when the databases are created, or it is recreated when missing if the databases are synchronized using the Database Synchronization Utility.
The default configuration for v.6.3, 7.0, and 7.05 creates the job to run every minute (with installation of the v.7.05 Service Pack 3 it will default to Daily if the every minute default was never overridden), but this can be configured to run as often as you like, depending on how much inventory data is manipulated in the course of a day. Since the summarized data is not typically incorrect, the job could be run once an hour or just a couple of times a day.
Note: Only items that are changed in the course of daily activities are recalculated when the job is run.
Where is More Info about QtyOn?
For more technical details regarding the job, please refer to the following linked article posted in the Sage MAS 500 knowledgebase .
VAR2: A Growing Team!
As VAR2 expands and grows we have been able to add some great folks to our team to best serve our current and prospective clients. With the growth comes the welcome addition of Dave Pratt. Dave will be the account executive for most of our new ERP and CRM clients. He has been involved in the software industry for over 20 years. In addition to his deep software knowledge, he has also been involved in the manufacturing, resource management, forest products, distribution, and finance (Dave is a former CPA) industries.
Many of you have may have already had the pleasure to talk to Dave as he becomes acquainted with our client base. We encourage you to give him a call if you have any needs or questions, even if it is to chat about his passion for motorcycle racing, competitive shooting, or his grandkids. We are all very pleased to welcome Dave Pratt to the team!
