Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The LSI Group Receives 2008 Best of Boise Award
U.S. Local Business Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement
WASHINGTON D.C., September 1, 2008 -- The LSI Group has been selected for
the 2008 Best of Boise Award in the Computer Software category by the
U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).
The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding
local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies
companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success
in their local community and business category. These are local
companies that enhance the positive image of small business through
service to their customers and community.
Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the
winners in each category. The 2008 USLBA Award Program focused on
quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information
gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third
parties.
About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)
U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based
organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and
small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business
through public relations, marketing and advertising.
The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in
their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business
owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce
and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to
be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business
entrepreneurs across America.
SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association
CONTACT:
U.S. Local Business Association
Email: PublicRelations@USLBA.net
MAS 500 Leads in the 1st K2 Enterprises & Accounting Research
Inc. Accounting Software Survey
K2 Enterprises and
Accounting Research Inc. announced today that the results of their first
annual accounting software survey shows MAS 500 as the overall
survey leader and also first in the Entry ERP (Enterprise Accounting Package)
category. The objective of the survey was to determine the level of satisfaction
that consultants/accountants have with the accounting software programs
that are in wide use today.
- Accounting software
was rated on ten different factors, including:
- Stability
- Performance
- Flexibility
- Ease of Use
- Feature Set
- Reporting
- Integration with
Microsoft Office
- E-Commerce
- Third Party Software
- Technical Support.
“MAS 500’s
impressive score of 4.39 out of 5.0 on the ten rating questions made it
the overall survey leader and also the leader in the Entry ERP category.”
SAGE SOFTWARE EARNS
PRESTIGIOUS SUPPORT CENTER PRACTICES (SCP) CERTIFICATION FOR MAS 500
Certification recognizes
Customer Support Center for MAS 500 as delivering highest-quality
service and support.
Irvine, California
- February 30, 2001 - SAGE Software, Inc. today announced that the MAS 500 Customer Support Center has received the highest recognition
for excellence in IT service and support under the prestigious Support
Center Practices (SCP) Certification program. SAGE Software's support
center for MAS 500 achieved certification after an extensive
audit of their Irvine, California office. SCP Certification quantifies
the effectiveness of customer support based upon a stringent set of performance
standards and represents best practices in the industry. "Receiving SCP
Certification for our MAS 500 Customer Support Center illustrates
our continued commitment and success in delivering industry-leading customer
support," said Jim Moore, vice president of customer support and information
services for SAGE Software. "It truly is an honor to be recognized for
not only meeting, but exceeding SCP guidelines in critical areas such
as response time, electronic service delivery, customer satisfaction measurement,
and productivity tools." Service Strategies Corporation conducts comprehensive
on-site audits to confirm that companies meet the requirements of more
than 100 business elements defined in the SCP program. SCP Certification
measures factors such as corporate commitment and strategic direction,
customer satisfaction, performance metrics, research and development interface,
and other strategic areas of the support operation. Certified companies
must continue to demonstrate their commitment to excellence and high-performance
standards through annual re-certification audits. "SAGE continues to demonstrate
its commitment to service excellence year after year. Attainment of SCP
Certification is a testament to this commitment," said Greg Coleman, principal
and vice president of certification for Service Strategies Corporation.
"SAGE provides an excellent example of how SCP Certification can drive
continuous improvement in support operations." SAGE Software, Inc. is
among several leading technology companies that have achieved SCP Certification.
Currently, over seventy-six companies representing approximately one hundred
and forty support centers around the world are participating in the SCP
program. "SCP Certification has established itself as the global standard
for service quality and is being rapidly adopted by leading technology
companies like SAGE Software," said Bill Rose, founder and executive director
of the SSPA. "MAS 500's SCP Certification and recent fourth
consecutive STAR Award clearly establishes the company's leadership position
among its peers in delivering service excellence." In addition to MAS 500's certification,
SAGE Software has achieved SCP Certification
twice earlier this year with the CSS Support Groups for SAGE MAS 90 and
MAS 200, and SAGE BusinessWorks. The SAGE Group plc is the world's leading
supplier of business management and accounting software. Each working
day 1,500 people worldwide become new SAGE customers. The LSI Group, LLC
in Boise is the SAGE Authorized Dealer for BusinessWorks, MAS 90 Small
Business, MAS 90, MAS 200 CS and MAS 500. They can be reached
at (800) 275-0683, (208) 375-7272 and on the World Wide Web at www.lsisystems.com.
SAGE's MAS 90 Small Business Edition provides
small business owners access to the leading business management and accounting
software product.
MAS 90 Small Business Introduces Companies
to the Functionality and Reliability of the SAGE-Selling MAS 90 Business
Management and Accounting Solution Program
IRVINE, California, January 2, 2001 - SAGE
Software, Inc., a leading provider of business management software, announced
today the release of a new small business edition of MAS 90, the number
one business management software product used by more than 75,000 customer
firms nationwide. MAS 90 Small Business combines the proven functionality
and reliability of the standard SAGE MAS 90 product in a low-cost, easy-to-use
package.
"MAS 90 Small Business is an entry-level,
cost-efficient tool that provides companies the same quality, functionality
and stability of the proven MAS 90 system," said David Butler, president
and chief operating officer of Irvine, Calif.-based SAGE Software. "As
companies grow and increase their accounting staff, they often find a
need to 'graduate' to the next accounting level or expand to the next
accounting software program, and MAS 90 Small Business is an ideal starting
point."
With MAS 90 Small Business and SAGE's MAS
90 and MAS 200, accounting professionals save time and money because each
product has the same look and feel as the others, allowing companies to
intuitively "graduate" to the next software package as business expands.
Virtually eliminating the normal learning time needed to begin working
with an entirely new product, SAGE's MAS 90 and MAS 200 products are ideal
for businesses at all levels of growth, and companies can easily switch
from MAS 90 Small Business to the full version of either product.
"SAGE has identified the core capabilities
in its MAS 90 product that are critical and appealing to new and developing
small businesses," said Butler. "In the past, smaller companies had limited
options for their business management software needs. With the growth
of their business, they would be forced to re-learn accounting packages
when their current software became obsolete. With SAGE's MAS 90 and MAS
200 products, a company can migrate to the next level of product without
worry about having to start over with a new accounting system."
Lessening the learning curve even further,
MAS 90 Small Business includes a multimedia tutorial overview designed
to help businesses get a jumpstart on using the software. Additionally,
new "Help" and "How Do I" sections are available for quick and detailed
explanations on a variety of useful topics, allowing users to complete
projects quicker, save money and provide better service to their customers.
Available in single-user or two-user bundles
as an introductory product to SAGE's MAS 90 and MAS 200 products, MAS
90 Small Business gives businesses the power and growth capabilities needed
to achieve their individual business goals. For basic accounting applications,
customers can purchase the core accounting bundle which consists of Library
Master, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger (with FRx
Desktop), and Bank Reconciliation. For inventory tracking and order entry,
customers can opt to add the distribution bundle, which includes Inventory
Management, Sales Order and Purchase Order.
With MAS 90 Small Business, smaller companies
are assured the quality and stability of the proven technology of the
MAS 90 and MAS 200 products, which SAGE has continuously expanded and
adapted for more than 12 years. With an outstanding support team that
received the prestigious Software Technical Assistance Recognition (STAR)
award for four consecutive years, small businesses are provided with fast,
accurate and friendly answers to even the most technical questions.
CPA Software News,
By Michael Roselius, CPA
MAS 500 Suited for Typical
Distribution Businesses.
The GL allows up to 100 characters and
15 account segments
MAS 500 is the new name of
the package formerly known as Acuity, published by SAGE Software, Inc.
This package is written with C++ and Visual Basic and uses Microsoft SQL
Server as the database. This open technology foundation makes customization
and integration with other applications much easier. Prerequisites for
installation include an installed SQL Server and client workstations with
Windows 9X or later.
The entire system ships on three CDs, one
for all the program files (including sample data), another for the third
party reporting tools, and a third for the online user guides. The suite
of applications includes General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable,
Inventory Manager, Inventory Replenishment, Sales Order, Purchase Order,
Multiple Currency, Cash Manager, Advanced Consolidations, and underneath
it all, the System Manager. This suite is ready to go for a typical distribution
business, lacking only payroll and other HR functions to provide a single-point
solution. (The company noted that HR and Payroll are available from SAGE
and are integrated to MAS 500.) A fully integrated manufacturing
suite is available from a third party, which has been developed using
the SAGE MAS 500 visual Basic Toolset so that the manufacturing solution
has the same interface as MAS 500.
The main screen of the user interface is
a floating window called the Launch Pad with sliding panes for each application
and a scroll window to select the active company. Selecting an application
pane opens it and displays three of four icons, which represent Maintenance,
Activities, Reports and Inquiry. Each icon contains a drop-down menu list
that takes the user to the desired screen. Multiple screens can be opened,
and each one is also a floating window. The appearance of the Launch Pad
can be changed by adding and deleting menu items and their order of appearance.
SAGE uses a consistent method for selecting
records, which begins by presenting a screen with a grid that represents
searchable fields, drop-down boxes for selecting a search method (equal
to, begins with, etc.), and a cell to enter any parameters such as the
first few letters of a vendor's name. Clicking the search button displays
the list of records selected that meet the criteria. Then, the user can
click on the desired record to enter its value into the next screen. Entering
criteria is not required; searching without will simply display all records
sorted in their natural order. Searches can also be done from included
character strings. This would allow finding all GL accounts with the word
'cash' in the description, for example.
The Maintenance function includes setup
of the current module, addition and update of master records, custom field
values, and special options. Activities functions represent the entry
of transactions for each application. Typically, transactions are grouped
into batches, which are processed immediately or held for later posting
if desired. Other typical Maintenance activities include purging of old
data and data import and export.
The Reports Menu leads to well-designed screens
where the user enters selection criteria using drop-down boxes, and then
previews the result or sends it to immediate or deferred printing. The
resulting output is presentation quality and uses the Windows print driver
for controlling destination printer and formatting. Besides record selection
criteria, the user can also specify multiple sort orders, subtotaling
and page breaks. Once the report definition is just right, it can be saved
as a named setting and run later with just a few clicks. The report preview
screen supports advanced viewing features such as zoom and a Group Tree
Pane, This is a method for quickly finding a particular page of a report,
with the subtotaled fields displayed as a tree. The user can jump directly
to the desired page and then view or print just what is needed.
From the report preview pane, the user has
many options to export the results. It can be exported in various generic
(*.CSV, *.DIF, etc.) and application specific (Lotus, Excel, etc.) formats
and sent either to a disk file or directly to a mail user. If desired,
a custom text message will print on each page, and the report selection
criteria can appear on the final page, which would be important for setting
the context for the reader of the report. Although there is a great deal
of flexibility in the record selection and sorting option, the basic layout
of these reports is not user definable. Further customization of appearance
is done by exporting to other applications. SAGE includes two industry
leading third-party reporting tools with its MAS 500: Crystal
Reports and FRx. These tools allow full user-defined report definition,
going directly against the database.
The Inquiry function provides on-screen lookup
with drill-down to the transaction detail level. For example, the AP balance
inquiry begins by selecting a vendor using the search methods described.
Then, summaries are shown based on posting periods or other user-selected
criteria. Clicking on the displayed rows will open windows that display
the entire AP voucher detail.
The GL is more generous than most in account
number setup, allowing up to 100 characters and 15 account segments. That
should be enough to please even the most micro-managing CFO. Even the
segment delimiter can be changed from a range of choices. Creating a new
GL account is quick and easy using a series of screens to select valid
values for each account segment in turn. Ranges of values can be used
making the process of creating P&L (profit & loss) accounts for a new
department or location a snap. This approach is not only quick, but it
also ensures a consistent account numbering scheme throughout. Statistical
(non-financial) accounts are also provided for, which are useable with
financial statements. There is a lot of functionality in multi-currency
and financial statement consolidation as well.
Inventory Management provides a great level
of detail and plenty of flexibility. The inventory item number is up to
30 characters, and both short and long descriptions are provided. Items
may be tracked by either lot number, serial number or both. Multiple warehouses
and bin locations support larger distribution networks. Cost can be tracked
by warehouse as average, actual, LIFO, FIFO or standard. Multiple units
of measure, commodity codes, freight class, sales tax status, item class
and substitutions are just some of the other attributes that are available
for an item. GL account codes for sales, inventory, cost of sales and
returns are also defined at the item level.
The online help screens are detailed and
easy to use and include flow charts and printable worksheets for use in
setting up the initial system parameters and master files. Flow charts
in the online help text provide a clear description of the ways to process
common transactions. Hyperlinks in the charts link to detailed descriptions
of each step. A reasonably experienced user should be able to work their
way around the system without looking at manuals. However, a full set
of printed manuals is also provided. These manuals are easy to read and
provide step by step instructions for entering common transactions. The
system comes with several sample databases, which are useful for training
new users. Internet capabilities include the Web Reports feature, which
allows any report to be viewed over a secure Internet connection using
a web browser.
MAS 500 is a solid, stable,
easy-to-use accounting and inventory management system that can serve
as a base for further customizations or be used off the shelf for most
distribution-type businesses. The open architecture also helps in making
this system a very strong player in the sky-end accounting market.
(The company noted that at the time this
review was completed, SAGE's new e-business management solution, MAS 500 5.0e, was within weeks of being released. Version 5.0e
will include the addition of a new browser-based B2B (business to business)
e-commerce module, e-customer.)
RATING = (5 out of 5 stars)
