simPRO Tips & Tricks – March 2010

March 10th, 2010 by Curtis

Quick TipsThis month in Tips & Tricks we show you how to:

i. Invoice multiple jobs at once,

ii. Set up your client side simPRO login, and

iii. Decide on who gets a Christmas Hamper this year.

    Invoice multiple jobs at once

    Do you do heaps of smaller jobs that could be invoiced without manual intervention or checking every single one?  What about using recurring jobs or jobs from the maintenance planner that you know are already at the correct rate?  You ask “Why oh why do I need to go into each one to send the invoice?”

    Answer, you don’t.

    A really neat little feature that not many people know about is the ability to invoice any number of jobs with a single click.  Simply head over to the completed jobs list, then tick off the jobs you would like to raise an invoice for down the left hand side (if you would like all of them just tick the box at the top) then go to the bottom of the list in your completed job options and click the invoice button.  Now obviously doing it this way won’t give you the opportunity to drill into each one to check them off but if you know you don’t need to then this is an easy peasy way to get it done.

    Now let’s say you have just created 100 invoices, rather than going to each of them to print them off, why not just print them all off at once?  Head on over to Report > Sales > Invoices, filter by invoices created today then select the format you would like the invoices printed (or emailed) in and click print to drop them onto your printer, or email to send them out to everyone’s inbox.

    Job done.  Now where’s that coffee?

    Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Productivity, Tips & Tricks, simPRO, simPRO Enterprise | No Comments »

Recent simPRO Enterprise Development Highlights – March 2010

March 9th, 2010 by Curtis

simPRO as a SaaS product is constantly evolving to meet the demands of it’s massively growing client base. Due to needs of the growing number of companies choosing to implement simPRO to help them run their business more efficiently we are always coming across new and better ways to get the job done.

Here are some of the most recently development highlights:

CIS Management – UK Only

As part of HMRC’s attempts to control the taxation of the self-employed trades, CIS (Construction Industry Scheme) was introduced about 2 years ago as a means to collect tax from the primary contractor who withholds (usually) 20% of the labour component when they pay their subcontractors invoices.

As part of this months release of simPRO 10.5.0 there will be a full CIS integration giving complete control over invoice creation, amounts to withhold, reporting and calculating CIS payments due. Not to mention the most important thing – built in reminders that tell you when you need to complete your CIS paperwork and when to make your CIS payments to HMRC so you don’t get fined.

simPRO Enterprise will have full CIS integration making it suitable for both the prime contractor and subcontractor roles. simPRO Lite will have CIS integration only available for the subcontractor roles. This feature combined with the RCTI (recipient created tax invoice) feature means that you can now get into full control of your paperwork and the paperwork of your smaller (less organised) subcontractors.

It is designed to work for any business that gets caught up in the CIS system.

More details and screen shots will be released soon, but if you would like a copy of the scope of the CIS integration please let us know and we will be happy to forward you a copy and discuss how it will apply for your business.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Accounting, Updates, simPRO Enterprise | No Comments »

simPRO Digital Pen + Xero Online Accounting = The Xero Pen

March 8th, 2010 by Brad

We are very excited today to announce the release of our full integration of the simPRO Mobile Digital Pen with the online leader in accounting systems, Xero.

Put simply this new integration from the simPRO Mobile Digital Pen (that we internally nicknamed the Xero Pen) allows field based staff to complete an invoice sheet using a pen and paper and to have that instantly and electronically able to be updated into Xero.

Imagine the small trade service business completing their invoices at the clients site and having that invoice instantly available for a book keeper to update in Xero. Imagine a catering business delivering to their client and getting a signature on the invoice sheet before it is electronically sent and updated into Xero.

Delays in invoicing, late nights catching up on paper work and double entry of forms is now a thing of the past! Anyone in the business can now complete an invoice and have that available instantly for Xero.

The simPRO Mobile > Xero Digital Pen system works by utilising the Anoto based digital pen & paper technology to create invoice pages (either loose single sheets or duplicate sheets in pads) that are filled in using a digital pen. Once an invoice sheet is completed it is sent via Bluetooth to the users mobile phone and routed through the internet to the web based simPRO Mobile form portal.

In the form portal, the original invoice form is displayed in a PDF format showing all original handwriting and signatures and is also converted into a data file using powerful handwriting recognition software. The form is checked for accuracy and any errors can be fixed and additional items can be added if required. The form is then submitted which archives a copy in the simPRO Mobile form portal and then sends the data file to Xero where it is added in as a draft invoice.

simPRO to Xero Screenshot

We currently have a generic invoice form available in $, £ and € that is freely available to anyone (although it is designed to fit a service company). We plan to add other generic forms to the system over time.

Of course we can design, build and integrate any customised forms for any type of business. Forms are not just limited to invoices though, they can also be expense claims, asset registering or for any other function within Xero. And because the simPRO Mobile Digital Pen system can also send photos attached to the forms, you might be able to send copies of receipts, suppliers invoices, images of the assets being recorded etc into the simPRO form portal to accompany the forms for faster processing.

Below is a quick video showing the “Xero Pen” in action.

For any details on this, please call us:

UK & Europe – +44 2033 970 086

Australia & New Zealand – +61 7 3272 9366

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Posted in Accounting, Announcement, Digital Forms, Digital Pens, Invoicing, Technology, Xero, simPRO Mobile | No Comments »

How to Add Different Sage Tax Codes in simPRO

February 25th, 2010 by Brad

If you are running the Sage – simPRO Accounting Link, you may need different tax codes such as T0 – tax free, T1 – standard VAT or T9 – VAT Exempt so your invoices properly match up between simPRO & Sage for your VAT reporting.

Here is how you do that:

Set Up Different Tax Codes

The first thing to do is set up the tax codes in simPRO. Go to Admin > Setup > Tax Codes > View

This will show you all your current available tax codes.

To match them up with the standard Sage codes of T0, T1, T9 – create new tax codes by clicking “Add”. Name them the same as the Sage tax codes but drop the T – so “T1” will be listed as “1”, T0 as “0” etc and enter in the tax rate.

You can add in as many different codes as you need.

Choose which Tax Code you want to set as default (usually Tax Code 1 – Standard 17.5%). This code will automatically be inserted into all quotes & jobs unless changed.

See image below for example.

Add Sage Tax Codes

Add Sage Tax Codes

Choosing a Tax Code in a Quote/Job

When you create a job/quote, the tax rate will be set as the default rate (normally Tax Code 1 – 17.5%).

If you need to choose another Tax Code, simply open up the relevant department (note: it is to be changed in the department section not the job overview section) and click the drop down arrow on the Tax Code box and choose from your other available Tax Codes.

This will then apply the tax rate that you had set up in the Tax Code setup page and will match to the corresponding Sage tax code.

See image below.

Choose A Different Tax Code

Choose A Different Tax Code

Click `Update’ underneath the Tax Code when you have selected the new rate and it will apply to that section. If you have multiple sections where you need to have the different rate, make sure you adjust the tax code for each of those sections.

As always, for more details or help please call.

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Posted in Accounting, Invoicing, simPRO Enterprise | No Comments »

Full List of Updates – simPRO 10.4.0

February 9th, 2010 by Brad

The February update for simPRO Enterprise was released today, here is a full list of the new features & updates:

simPRO Version 10.4.0

Upgrades

  • Tasks can now be created for Quotes
  • Contractors can now be scheduled to Quotes
  • View estimated times in minutes or hours. New setting in employee profile.
  • Plant now supports zones
  • Debt Collection Report now has the ability to include invoices up to a date.
  • Job Search – Option for searching for jobs and quotes with no order number has been added
  • Call Centre – now has the functionality to search for and view quotes.
  • Call Centre – new button under Auto Schedule panel to show all employees able to be scheduled, rather than just employees on zone.

Fixes

  • Fixed issue with updating Description Purchase Orders.
  • Fixed issue with merging of departments within job/quote.
  • Fixed issue with charge rate on assets not saving when updating a contract.
  • Fixed issue with Tax Code not being applied when quote is converted to a job.
  • Fixed issue with Task Templates attachments

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Posted in Updates, simPRO Enterprise | No Comments »

And Now, The Google Tablet

February 4th, 2010 by Brad

Google TabletComing hot off the heels of the Apple iPad, we now have another serious contender in portable computing in the form of Google giving us their take on the tablet computer.

Using a sleek, ultra thin touch screen and running on the light weight Chrome OS, this device should really be a great thin client/web based computer.

Although there are no real specs about it yet, you will have to assume that they will go down the opposite path of Apple, meaning that it will be an open platform, will have the ability to multi task, will probably even have a USB port! Hopefully it will ship with 3G from day one.

Some of the specs that have been leaked recently say that it:

will sport a 10.1-inch TFT HD-ready multi-touch display, and would come with 64GB SSD, 2GB RAM and other bells and whistles such as WiFi, 3G, Bluetooth, Ethernet port, USB ports, webcam, 3.5mm audio jack, multi-card reader, etc.

This would be a better device than the iPad for those of us in simPRO as our whole business is web based and for e-mail, calendar, documents & chat we use Google Apps Premier – so I would make the bold assumption that they will be perfectly integrated as part of the entire system, bringing the hardware and software together in a perfect little Google ecosystem. Plus the benefit of an Ethernet port means that you patch into a network when Wifi & 3G are not available. If they add in an HDMI port as well, then it will be a ripper as it could be used for presentations etc.

We look forward to finding out more about the spec, pricing & shipping times and will keep you updated as we know more. But being a web based system, it is pretty safe to say that it would support all the simPRO systems – even the signature capture is quite likely as Google (unlike Apple) still support Flash.

See more about the Google Tablet and pictures here.

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Posted in Announcement, Technology, simPRO Mobile | No Comments »

Full List of Updates – simPRO Version 10.3.0

February 3rd, 2010 by Brad

The January update for simPRO Enterprise was released last week, here is a full list of the new features & updates:

simPRO Version 10.3.0

  • Profiles now support approval £ limits for both orders and quotes. If this option is enabled, quotes will not be able to be emailed/printed or converted to jobs unless approved. Orders will not be able to be emailed/printed unless order has been approved.
  • Profiles now support read only modes for jobs, quotes, invoices and orders. Prompting of emails for invoices, quotes, orders and jobs is also available on profiles. Please see the Online Resource for further changes to profiles.
  • Maintenance Planner – Prebuilds can now be associated to asset types. Jobs created from the maintenance planner will bill for these assets using the associated prebuilds. Contracts can be setup for clients and charge rates for these prebuilds defined. Inflation dates and amounts can also be setup on the contracts.
  • Prebuilds now support part quantities (decimals) for build items.
  • One off Items now appear like prebuild/catalogue items in the list of billable items. Ability to enter cost price, markup and sell all supported. One off items will now be marked up automatically if a new markup is entered on the overview page.
  • New report – Employee Logs. This report combines the job logs, order logs and quote logs to create an employee log. This report is useful to see what employees have been doing over a date range.
  • Schedule day view page will now show a legend of job status names / colours when “Schedule Colours” default is set to “Job Status”.
  • Run sheet icon on schedule day view page will now only print employees that show on the schedule day view page under the seleted criteria rather than all employees.
  • Prospect page – when clicking Email Prospect an email of the appointment is now sent as well for calendar import.
  • New automated status change “The deposit for the job has been completely paid” added.
  • Payroll export now exports job numbers.
  • Sales Activity report now has option ‘Quotes Due’ which will show all quotes due in the date range entered
  • Calendar appointments now compatible with Google calendar.

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Posted in Updates, simPRO Enterprise | 1 Comment »

simPRO Recent Development Highlights

February 3rd, 2010 by Brad

simPRO is constantly evolving.  Due to the growing number of companies choosing to implement simPRO to help them run their business more efficiently and with their feedback we are always coming across new and better ways to help you get the job done.

So here is a batch of new updates that were released this week in the version 10.3.0 release:

Google CalendarGoogle calendars updates

When sending calendar appointments from simPRO they are now compatible with both Outlook calendar appointments and Google calendar appointments.  Watch this space, over the coming months there will be a lot more integration work happening with various Google components (like the recently released Google maps integration) and for Google Apps.

Task upgrades

Tasks have been used by many businesses to manage the smaller jobs that need to occur within a job, or to log all support/help related enquiries from customers to process later.

Recently we have made some more enhancements to this area.   Users can now specify a completed date (which auto populates when a task is closed), a location and a contact related to the task.  This will also enhance the reporting capabilities of tasks.

simPRO also now can accept tasks on quotes.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Does simPRO Run on the Apple iPad? It Sure Does!

February 3rd, 2010 by Brad
iPad Views

iPad Views

With all the excitement over the past week about the launch of the Apple iPad we have been getting people asking us – “does simPRO work on the iPad?”

First of all, if you have been asleep for the past week, the iPad is the new tablet computer release from Apple. It has sparked a lot of renewed interest in the tablet computer that has been available in various guises for many many years.

The tablet never really took off except for a few specialised industrial uses (simPRO has been available on most of the devices often called Ultra Mobile PCs for a few years).

The iPad has sparked this renewed interest in this computer format for a number of reason:

1) It is Apple and they put their brand reputation into it and let the Apple FanBoys whip up uber excitement across the web.

2) Since it is Apple you are pretty sure that it will look good and it will work.

3) It is actually a fraction of the cost of standard Windows based UMPCs & tablets.

4) Netbooks have been around for awhile and people are open to the smaller form factor that is mostly designed to be a web browsing (thin client) style product, not an all singing all dancing power computer.

5) As it is built on the iPhone OS, it will be supporting all the existing (squillions) of apps for the iPhone.

So – where does it fit in with simPRO systems. It fits in very well actually. Considering that it is effectively a stylish touch screen portable web browser, the iPad is a perfect fit for the simPRO user.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Announcement, Web-Based Software, simPRO, simPRO Mobile | 1 Comment »

When Using Anoto Based Digital Pen & Paper

January 26th, 2010 by admin

pen & paperWhen using Anoto based digital pen & paper systems, one of the greatest benefits is the ability to output data from the handwritten form into a back-end system (ERP, patient records database, accounting package or just about any form of database).

Quite often even before I have done a demo to a potential client, the question comes up – “How do we make sure that the data going from the technician in the field into my XYZ software is going to be correct?”

That is a very good and very valid question. An electrician filling in a form at a clients site might easily write in the wrong job number, wrong client, date, billable time or materials. If that were to push straight to the accounting system for example, you would have all sorts of problems to contend with. Conversely, there might simply be an incorrectly interpreted word or number sequence from the handwriting recognition.

Photo courtesy of Anoto

Everyone is familiar with the concept of GIGO – Garbage in Garbage out, so we need to make sure that there is an opportunity to correct the forms before it gets sent to the final destination. That is why we have the Form Editor.

The form editor is our web based viewer and form correcting portal that displays the form with all the hand writing of the person who completes it. It also displays the data being pulled off from the hand writing recognition (HWR). Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted in Digital Forms, Digital Pens | 1 Comment »

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