May, 2004 Issue
 

In this edition
Best News
Events

Promotions

Tip of the Month

The Training Center
Industry News

Product Spotlight
MCG Customer News
About MCG

 

What's coming in 2004/2005 for MAS 90 and MAS 200?  MAS 90 and MAS 200 Version 4.05 will be released in late 2004. This release will provide payroll and 1099 updates, and other maintenance enhancements. It will also incorporate selected Extended Solutions for additional benefit to customers. Best Software’s next major release of MAS 90 and MAS 200, Version 4.1, is scheduled for summer 2005. This release is now expected to include significant architectural enhancements to five modules: Accounts Receivable, Sales Order, RMA, Bank Reconciliation and eBusiness Manager. These architectural enhancements include the powerful grid-based user interface design first introduced in the 4.0 General Ledger, and the powerful programming object model for developers.  Other enhancements planned for the release include an expanded integration between the Sales Order and Job Cost modules, and significant additional flexibility in Sales Order Shipping Data Entry. A prerelease guide will be made available soon with complete details on this release.

As announced previously, MAS 200 for SQL Server will be following an exclusive release schedule, independent of the releases outlined above.  The next release of MAS 200 for SQL Server is version 3.72, currently scheduled for the last quarter of 2004. This release will include several functional enhancements specifically for our MAS 200 for SQL Server
customers, as well as any federally mandated year-end Payroll, Accounts Payable and Magnetic Media changes.

The PowerPoint Presentation from MCG's March 25 Customer Event featuring MAS Version 4.0 is now available on our website at www.mcginc.com. Visit this site for comprehensive info about the features of 4.0 and the upgrade process. Take advantage of this BIG benefit of your Subscription Plan and put the exciting new features of 4.0 to work in your business!

June 10 - 13, 2004 Insights, Best Software's Annual Business Partner Conference, Orlando, FL.

June 24, 2004, 8:30am - Noon Sign up now for MCG's Second Quarter Customer Event featuring Front Office Solutions. We'll review Best Software's CRM offerings, including ACT! and SalesLogix, and "show-and-tell" how these solutions, integrated with MAS 90, MAS 200, or MAS 500, can help you improve your customer sales and support.  Register by phone at 404.841.6240, extension 204, or email alicia@mcginc.com.

August 25 & 26, 2004
MCG will be participating in the 2004 Georgia Society of CPA's Southeastern Accounting Show (SEAS). Please visit us at booth number 608 during the show. If you are attending the show please be sure to hear MCG's Director, Mike Augello, speaking at the event on the topic of:
"Growing the Business: Getting the Right Information."
September 23, 2004
Don’t miss the FRx Express, the traveling FRx Software product and training road show, coming soon to Tampa, FL.
 
This day-long event will center around helpful FRx Software tips, tricks and product demonstrations, and a product Q & A forum, created to help you save time and get the most out of your FRx Software product.  Now you can load up on timely information on every angle of financial reporting and budgeting, from the basics to the newest product functionality and features, all at one free event.  The FRx Express can make your job easier! Click here for more information or to register.

 

November 2 - 5, 2004 Best Software 2004 MIP User Conference, Austin, Texas.

 

The Spring promotions are here, but only until June 30, 2004! Contact MCG today at info@mcginc.com for more information or pricing, and keep an eye on current promotions at www.mcginc.com.

  MAS 90 and MAS 200 Promotions
Receive a $150 rebate with the purchase of the Inventory Management Module.
15% Off FRx Forecaster (plus a free end-user training tutorial!), the web-based budgeting and planning application designed to help medium-sized companies create and execute accurate and realistic budgets.
20% Discount on FAS Nonprofit - Introductory Offer!
$400 discount per existing MAS 90 user when you upgrade to MAS 200.
Up to $200 rebate when you upgrade your Best Subscription Plan to a Support Plan.
   
  MAS 500 Promotions
Buy either Project Accounting or TimeSheet Professional and take 10% off...OR buy both, and take 15% off!
Take 15% off the price of Alerts.
Receive a 15% discount on FRx Forecaster - plus a FREE end-user training tutorial (a $50 value).
10% discount on Starship.
From TechFlash:  "FAS Backup Tips and Recommendations" By Best Software Customer Support Analyst Eric Richard.

It is very important to make sure you have a good backup policy in place in order to protect both your data and the time investment you've spent maintaining it. Everyone hears the horrible stories about people losing critical data after some unfortunate incident such as hurricanes, fire, and/or power surges. A good backup policy can prevent, or at least greatly reduce, the number of hours spent recovering or re-entering data.

As a Customer Support Analyst, it is always a heart-wrenching experience when someone calls in with one of these unfortunate scenarios and then to learn they did not have a backup. I cannot stress enough the importance of having good, frequent backups of all critical data. If you don't have a backup policy in place, don't delay, start one today!

Email MCG at info@mcginc.com for some general tips about making good data backups. These tips can be applied to both FAS data or any other critical data you may have on your system.

Sign-up for Free FAS Newsletters like TechFlash, a customer newsletter sent periodically via email from Best "Techies" with helpful information about getting the most out of your entire solution. To receive TechFlash on a regular basis, simply send an email to: subscribe-fas-tech-flash@list.bestsoftware.com.

Best Software, Inc. recently announced that Information Systems Marketing Inc. (ISM), a CRM consulting firm providing comprehensive advice and CRM software evaluations, has named SalesLogix among its Top 15 Small and Medium Business CRM Software Packages for 2004. The award, which serves as a standard for the CRM industry, was presented at the DCI CRM Conference & Exhibition in Chicago, IL by Barton Goldenberg, co-founder and co-chairman of the conference and president of ISM.

SalesLogix was chosen as a top CRM software solution after the ISM Software Lab put a field of CRM packages through intensive testing. Each CRM package was evaluated on 202 selection criteria, including 105 business functions, 47 technical features, 33 implementation capabilities and 17 user-support features.

Learn to understand your sales team's needs, plan for their future requirements and find a CRM solution that can help you get all your users on board - sign up for a free SalesLogix webinar at www.saleslogix.com.

T  
Have you heard about The Training Center's new half-day classes on "Processing In..." various MAS 90 and MAS 200 modules? Choose from Processing in General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Payroll. These 4-hour classes ($250 each) are for the system user who needs help with basic navigation and daily tasks like processing payments, reconciling to the General Ledger, and finding appropriate reports when needed.

For more information about these and other Best-authorized Training Center courses, contact MCG at 404.841.6240, extension 207, or visit our website at www.mcginc.com for complete schedules and a registration form.

MIP Endowment Management is a complete solution that helps foundations and nonprofits with planned giving programs manage complex financial details of numerous funds and donor information from a single information source. MIP Endowment Management integrates seamlessly with the general ledger of the MIP Fund Accounting solutions, as well as other accounting products.

MIP Endowment Management enables foundations and other organizations to administer, review, and manage the details of complex endowment funds, including philanthropic funds, donor-advised funds, Charitable Remainder Trusts (CRATs and CRUTs), and Charitable Gift Annuities from the same data source. From endowment set-up and rule establishment, to asset pool tracking, purposes, grant requests and disbursements, contributions, and report and check processing, nonprofits can use MIP Endowment Management to:

• Instantly access financial data and other details in a variety of views;
• Track and manage all endowment actions effectively, recording each disbursement, fee, contribution and adjustment in detail;
• Facilitate solicitation strategies to maximize fundraising efforts by focusing on major donors; and
• Streamline operational processes through automatic communication with donors and sponsors.

Call (404.841.6240) or email MCG (info@mcginc.com), or visit www.mip.com/software/fund_raising.htm for more information about MIP Endowment Management.

Visit www.bestsoftwareinc.com to see Best's latest MAS 200 Success Story, highlighting MCG customer Atlanta Oriental Foods Wholesale Company. Thanks again, AOFWC!

 

MCG is currently planning the next Customer Advisory Board meeting. Are you interested in networking with peers, providing valuable feedback about your software and related services, or a free lunch? Let us know SOON at info@mcginc.com.  Customers are the center of our business, and Advisory Board provides us with an opportunity to hear suggestions about how MCG can improve its events, communications, services, and methodologies.

 

Welcome new customers! S & J Sports DBA Play It Again Sports, The Guardian Foundation.

Architects Solutions

Macdonald Consulting Group
5605 Glenridge Drive, Suite 500
Atlanta, Georgia 30342
404.841.6240 - 404.841.6243 fax

Best Software
MAS 90 • MAS 200 • MAS 500
MIP | Abra | FAS | SalesLogix
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