Epicor Software (NASDAQ: EPIC) is a global leader delivering business software solutions to the manufacturing, distribution, retail, hospitality and services industries.

Clients First is a long time 90 Minds member and Mark Chinsky is also a qualified Sage MAS90, MAS200, MAS 500 consultant. His firm offers consulting for additional products including SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics Navision.

Full press release:
NJ Epicor Reseller: Clients First Business Solutions – Info

via: NJ (Holmdel) EPICOR Reseller / Consultant – Clients First

© 2010, Wayne Schulz. All rights reserved. Formed in 2005. the 90 Minds Consulting Group is a collaboration of 100 Sage partners who independently join together online in a 24 x 7 private communication network to solve difficult issues for their customers. The group is not affiliated with Sage and our collaboration provides for unparalleled member access to early warnings of bugs and other issues which members in turn are encouraged to use to provide an exceptional customer experience.

Sometimes it’s a request for something that we’re not able to do – like discount their software maintenance or undercut a bid from a local consultant. While technically I guess we probably could do those things – as a matter of practice those of us in 90 Minds tend to stay away from competing based on price and leave the discounting to the desperate consultants buying ads on Google.

Someone just sent in a request for free training. Again, we’re not able to provide services for free (just as I’m sure their company doesn’t ship out their inventory for free). However I did have a good idea.

There are many free resources that people can access to get additional help on their MAS 90 or MAS 200.

These often don’t require a maintenance plan or even a login to a special area of the web. Here are my top tips – how to access FREE MAS 90 Support Resources: 1. Sage Community – Did you know that Sage has a free community where you can visit to obtain answers to questions about MAS 90 or MAS 200 (as well as almost every add-on available). Many of the smartest consultants on the planet hang out there. Total cost?

Free. Link: http://community.sagemas.com/sagemas/?category.id=SageMAS90-200

2. Sage University – These classes aren’t free but they’re far cheaper than paying a consultant. The manuals that accompany them are top notch – and since Sage no longer provides any paper manuals with MAS 90 or MAS 200 they’re also your best bet for obtaining a little printed documentation about your system. For those who’ve just upgraded to MAS 90 or MAS 200 v4.4 there’s even a “What’s New” anytime learning class available – at no cost. Link: Sage Software University – MAS 90 & MAS 200 Division

3. Search the Sage MAS 90 Knowledge base Without Logging In - From time to time Sage has made their knowledge base searchable – to those who know the link – without requiring any login whatsoever.

If you do a quick Google Search you should be rewarded with a link. This is the officially MAS 90 and MAS 200 database. Have at it. While you’re in there you can research issues with FRX, F9, Extended Enterprise, MAS 500, PFW, etc, etc.

There you have some of my top free resources for MAS 90 and MAS 200 support. If your issue becomes more than what you want to tackle yourself — AND you’re open to hiring a consultant for assistance (or 90 MInds members are the best of the best) – head on over to our 90 Minds Member Directory of Sage MAS 90, MAS 200, MAS 500, Epicor, Accpac, Microsoft, Open Systems, Traverse and SageCRM Consultants

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© 2010, Wayne Schulz. All rights reserved. Formed in 2005. the 90 Minds Consulting Group is a collaboration of 100 Sage partners who independently join together online in a 24 x 7 private communication network to solve difficult issues for their customers. The group is not affiliated with Sage and our collaboration provides for unparalleled member access to early warnings of bugs and other issues which members in turn are encouraged to use to provide an exceptional customer experience.

Note: The following report is submitted by one of our 90Minds members. I am reposting this on their behalf.

I am at Microsoft Convergence this week.

It is pretty clear the cloud is coming. We have been working with Server Virtualization lately. The new tools from Microsoft with the virtualization technology is a “game changer” as Sage would put it. Microsoft is investing 70% of $9B R&D in Virtualization in 2010 and 90% over the next couple of years.

Sounds like Iron Mountain may offer Server VHDs with their STAAS offering. If this is the case, we may see Server OS turn to a commodity market like IIS and other Web hosting servers.

GP has been on a back burner for the last year or 2. GP 2010 is being released over the next couple of weeks. Lots of new features, workflow, roles, etc out of the box. Tight integration with Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, Exchange 2010, etc…

Unified Communication is embedded in the GP 2010 app. This may have little impact in the next 1-2 years, but we could easily see adoption as the kids enter the workforce. Instant messaging is becoming increasingly important for younger workers and will most likely become more prominent.

Management Report is FRx with a new wrapper.

Was not really impressed from all of the hype.

They made the point FRx was being retired and MR is only being released for Dynamics products several times. Seems like a stupid strategy mainly to punish other publishers to find alternative solutions. May backfire if some find/make innovative solutions.

Definitely feel Microsoft is providing a good vision much like Sage did in the Hannah/Butler days of the past.

They claim 94 million devices pulled updates for Windows 7 workstation during last release. Pretty impressive. Time to saddle up folks. Windows 7 and 64 bit is here to stay. Apps better deal with it or they will quickly be in the ‘ol DOS category. We plan to have strategic sessions with most of our clients for a migration strategy over the next 18 months.

Data Protection Manager is an excellent tool for midsize business data managment with nice tools/solutions for mobile users with infrequent connections to corporate networks.

Word on the street – Microsoft has fixed the Integration adapter between GP and CRM.

Lots of excitement and enthusiasm in the reseller base. This is users and resellers. Microsoft has 8,500 at the conference. It definitely feels like a large crowd. (ie., bathroom lines are long, exit doors are clogged and meals have a wait) There is definitely a buzz at the conference that I have not seen or felt for several years at Sage or Microsoft.

Most notable is a learning center. Microsoft has 100s if not 1,000s of online demos and hands on labs. There has to be at least 1,000 workstations with dual monitors and headsets in a large room. An impressive sight.

First time that I have been in an old Olympic venue. Big place with large conference rooms…. Cool to imagine the history.

© 2010, Wayne Schulz. All rights reserved. Formed in 2005. the 90 Minds Consulting Group is a collaboration of 100 Sage partners who independently join together online in a 24 x 7 private communication network to solve difficult issues for their customers. The group is not affiliated with Sage and our collaboration provides for unparalleled member access to early warnings of bugs and other issues which members in turn are encouraged to use to provide an exceptional customer experience.

Scott today filed this report to 90 Mind group members and I’ve asked Scott if I can reprint it verbatim to give readers an attendee’s point of view about the conference happenings.

Keep in mind that these comments are based on the first day of Convergence. There may be other announcements later in the conference and we’ll take care to update the story as additional information is released.

Microsoft Convergenge 2009 Day 1 Field Report

From: Scott Hickman
Date: Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Subject: [sageresellers] Second Day in New Orleans with Microsoft
To: sageresellers

I am in New Orleans at the Microsoft convention. There has not been anything earth shattering. The Keynote indicated that we will be “blown away” on Thursday. We shall see.

Notable items

Over 4,000 partners attending (pretty strong for Dynamics)

Beginning to develop business applications around their “surface” hardware. (ie., touchscreen Kiosk in warehouse)

50 tips on Dynamics GP in 50 minutes – great session – great idea

They are pushing green green green. No bottled watered – they gave us a refillable water bottle. Plastic cups are made of corn. Ink pens are called Vegetals. I still have not seen paperless out of the box with GP though. They want us to give our water bottles to NOLA schools. Recycle our name badges which are made from recycled material and corn.

No nightly entertainment. Sessions go until 6:00. There are a few left over snacks on the table and then you need to leave. Kind of like the last day on a cruise ship. Free beer and alchohol is also past bye-gones .

Heavily pushing CRM. CRM resellers are optimistic about their practices. Say they are recession proof. Engagements are t y pically $50K implementation, $25K software and 20 users.

CRM integration with Dynamics – GP is comparable to Sage’s solution. Just a bunch of synchronization. They are coming out with a new integration this year.

Dynamics RMS is mysterically missing.

Good NOLA band openend up before keynote. Much better than the broom stunt.

I will post the “blown away” news tomorrow if I think the group’s heart and health can take the shock.

Scott

via: Scott Hickman – ServiceWorld Computer Center – Missouri

Update - I also spotted this Microsoft Convergence update from ZDNET which mirrors all of Scott’s observations.

© 2009, Wayne Schulz. All rights reserved. Formed in 2005. the 90 Minds Consulting Group is a collaboration of 100 Sage partners who independently join together online in a 24 x 7 private communication network to solve difficult issues for their customers. The group is not affiliated with Sage and our collaboration provides for unparalleled member access to early warnings of bugs and other issues which members in turn are encouraged to use to provide an exceptional customer experience.

It will roll the analytics, dashboarding and scorecarding into the enterprise version of Sharepoint server for free.  It seems to be killing off the Planning and Reporting application that was supposed to eventually replace FRx, their Dynamics unit’s financial reporting tool that came along with the original Great Plains acquisition.

There have been rumors for a while that FRx was no longer going to be enhanced and eventually phased out.  This article essentially says FRx now lives on.

Given the huge knowledgebase of expertise out there, including among our 90minds members, this is great news for the simple and easy to utilize tool known as FRx.

via Clients First Business Solutions

© 2009, Mark Chinsky. All rights reserved. Formed in 2005. the 90 Minds Consulting Group is a collaboration of 100 Sage partners who independently join together online in a 24 x 7 private communication network to solve difficult issues for their customers. The group is not affiliated with Sage and our collaboration provides for unparalleled member access to early warnings of bugs and other issues which members in turn are encouraged to use to provide an exceptional customer experience.