HAPPY NEW YEAR!

All of the guys and gals at MISys wish all of our friends, clients and partners a very happy New Year! Without all of you we wouldn't be the company we are today. So a hearty Thank You is also in order. See you next year!

MISys Update Newsletter

After many years of publishing a regular MISys Update Newsletter, we are changing the format and schedule of the emails we send to our business partners and customers. We want to be in touch with you whenever we have something important to tell you, not just because it is Tuesday once again. New technology available to us will allow us to focus on separate segments of our reader base -- sending information and updates to our MISys SBM users which most likely will be different from the information we send to our MISys SAE users, or our business partners.

With so much extraneous information appearing in our email inboxes every day, we hope this change will mean that the communications you receive from MISys will contain information that you can use to get more value from your investment in our software, or will help you do a better job selling and installing our software.

If there are questions or issues you have in the interim, please remember that the MISys Customer Service Department is standing by to offer you personalized service. They can be reached Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm (holidays excepted) at 802/457-4600.

MISys Website Refurbishment

Over the coming weeks, and continuing into the new year, the MISys website at www.misysinc.com will be undergoing a major refurbishment which will focus it on providing relevant and detailed information to prospective users of our software.

Because the website serves as a valuable resource center for business partners and existing customers, the new home page will provide links to a partner information portal and a customer information portal.

During the refurbishment project, we are working hard not to disturb any of the content currently available on our website. From either the partner or customer portal, you will continue to have access to the content on which you depend today, although the menu mechanics are scheduled to change significantly.

While we will make every effort not to break anything, disruptions are bound to happen. The good news is that we usually fix our goofs quickly. Your patience is appreciated.

MISys Holiday Schedule
The MISys offices will be closed Thursday afternoon, December 17, for our annual holiday party. We will be open for business again the next morning, but will close for the Christmas holiday on December 24th and 25th. The offices will be closed on New Year's Day, January 1, 2010.

Dateline Woodstock
The holiday season is off to a bang here in Woodstock with every store on Main Street decorated with candles and twinkling lights. Shop windows are aglow with their holiday offerings and there is hardly a place to walk for the throngs of tourists who have made our town a must-see stop on their way through New England. On Friday night, the Woodstock Inn was host to the Medieval Court gala, a 7-course meal punctuated by a live performance from King Arthur and his court. Nearly a foot of snow fell overnight blanketing the town and the hills around with a reminder that real winter weather is not far away and the tourists will be heading over to Killington, the major ski area just 10 miles to our west. All Saturday, stately homes ringing the Village opened their doors to the public for house tours and eggnog tastings. Just before noon, Officer Obie (remember Officer Obie?) set out his traffic cones to prevent people from parking anywhere around The Green. By 1:30pm the sidewalks of Main Street were bursting with tourists and locals flowing out into the road. At the stroke of 2:00, barricades were erected to stop all traffic on Highway 4 as a dazzling array of horse-drawn carriages set out from the Billings Farm for two turns around The Green. Single riders on Morgans, Appaloosas, Percherons, and mixed breeds hollered "Merry Christmas" and tossed candy to the children anxiously lining the curb. These riders were followed by brightly decorated sleighs and wagons and finally the Farm's remarkable Clydesdales driven 4 in hand. As soon as the parade had disappeared back down the Farm Road, throngs of observers moved onto The Green where the town fathers had set up a bonfire not far from the Woodstock Memory Tree. Traditionally, townspeople purchase lights on the Memory Tree to commemorate departed family and friends. The Reverend Goodrow led the group in a brief prayer and then proclaimed the lighting of the Tree. Minutes later the bonfire sprang to life along with rousing choruses of "Joy To The World" and other seasonal favorites. Just about dark, with the bonfire and voices still going strong, the Farm's wagon reappeared, this time filled with nearly 150 glowing luminarias. These were distributed every few feet around The Green to greet people just arriving in time for the 8:00pm performance of Dickens Christmas Carol. As patrons poured out of the doors of the Woodstock Town Theatre just before the bell tower's strike of 11:00, a few luminarias still flickered in the cold night. Greetings from Woodstock. It's Christmas!

MISys Manufacturing Development Roadmap
Users of MISys SAE are reminded of the MISys Development Roadmap announced last month. Although future development of MISys SAE is focused on maintaining compatibility with Accpac ERP, users are assured of continuing technical support for version 5.4, 5.5, and (soon) 5.6.

Free MISys SBM Crossgrade Available Now
Users running the current version of MISys SAE are invited to crossgrade to the new MISys SBM platform. A built-in utility will import data from your existing database so it is feasible to run both systems side-by-side while you develop confidence in the new software. Click here to see what you get and what you give up by moving to MISys SBM.

Accpac ERP v5.6 Released - MISys Close Behind

The MISys engineers are completing work on MISys SAE version 5.6 for release early in the new year. This new release will insure compatibility with Sage Accpac ERP version 5.6. Users who own an Upgrade Subscription Plan will receive the new software automatically as soon as it is released. If you don't have an Upgrade Subscription, please contact MISys Customer Service at 802/457-4600 right away.

Sleeter Names MISys SBM SFC Awesome Add-on
Doug Sleeter, founder of The Sleeter Group, the country's premier organization of QuickBooks consultants, has named MISys SBM Shop Floor Control a 2010 Awsome Add-on for QuickBooks.

The official presentation will take place at Sleeter's Conference in Orlando, Florida this week, but in a pre-conference press release, Sleeter commented:
"The award recognizes MISys SBM Shop Floor Control as one of the most productive and effective technologies that enhance the world's most popular business management software. MISys SBM Shop Floor Control is 'awesome' because it fills a niche that many QuickBooks users in the manufacturing industry need."Click here to read the complete story.

Peachtree Quantum Manufacturing
Since inking a deal with Sage Software which made MISys SBM the manufacturing solution of choice for users of Peachtree Quantum accounting, Peachtree consultants have been busy training on the new software, registering leads, and closing sales of the new Quantum Manufacturing Edition (QME). Over 50 Certified Consultants completed 3 days of QME training last summer and they have closed more deals in the last few months than in all of last year.

"Peachtree's Atlanta staff has done a fantastic job getting everyone up to speed on this new software, and rolling out programs to help their partners develop the expertise needed to effectively sell and install QME." commented Terry Merrill, MISys' Director of Strategic Partnerships. "Their investment is already paying off in many new dealer sales." he added.

Manufacturing By-products
When we met our friend and MISys SBM guru Jim Hargreaves for our regular chat over the back fence, Jim told us about a fellow user who was having a bit of trouble creating by-products from a manufacturing order. Convinced that it should work as described, Jim tried it using the MISys SBM sample data. "I created a manufacturing order for 100 I50 desk lamps." Jim replied. "Then I added another line for negative ten (-10.0) I05s. I checked the quantity in stock at location LOC01 as 1655. Next I released and completed the order. Rechecking the stock of I05, it was 1665. Just as predicted!"

If you ever have the need to create a by-product resulting from some production activity, just follow Jim's suggestion. It works just as well for MISys SBM work orders.

FREE MISys SBM Crossgrade
Users of our MISys SAE manufacturing system who have a current Upgrade Supscription Plan are eligible to crossgrade to MISys SBM for no additional cost. Visit the Official Crossgrade Webpage for details on which MISys SAE levels (1, 2, and 3) convert to corresponding modules in MISys SBM.

After installing MISys SBM, you can import your MISys SAE data and be up and running in no time at all. Even your complete transaction history will be imported.

Because the import leaves your MISys SAE database unaffected, you can run both systems side-by-side while you develop confidence in the new software. If you want to take advantage of this free offer, please contact your MISys Business Partner or MISys Customer Service at 802/457-4600.

Dateline Woodstock
Every so often Woodchucks (the Woodstock locals) like to embark on a town project. This year we've been doing a lot of good thinking about ways to make our town and its economy sustainable; isolated to an extent from the ups and downs of the rest of the world. Our friend and neighbor Charlie Shackleton came up with a brilliant idea of building tables from solid Vermont sugar maple harvested sustainably from our local forests. His vision of sustainability focussed on a kitchen table that would be the center of many home activities, sturdy enough to be passed down from generation to generation. Earlier this year, Charlie contacted his friend and neighbor Pat, the State Forester for assistance locating the required timber. As it turned out, Pat's friend and neighbor Harold had several hundred prime maple trees nearing the peak of their production, more than enough to build a first batch of tables. As luck would have it, Harold's friend and neighbor Jared was cutting firewood in a nearby woodlot and offered to fell the trees for the project. Jared's friend Mark runs a trucking operation and volunteered to haul the logs to Mark's friend and neighbor Doug who owns a sawmill. Doug debarked and ripped the logs and delivered them to his neighbor Harry who was able to squeeze them into his kiln (no time to let them air dry). While they were drying, Kevin O'Connor heard about the project and offered to mill the logs and create all legs, skirts, and tops necessary for an initial run of 50 tables. Kevin and his family worked through several days and nights to get all the parts necessary for the project. Kevin and his wife Jane have a friend and neighbor Edwin who started a Vermont company that makes high quality natural wood finishing products out of locally derived dairy by-products (especially whey). When Edwin heard about the town project, he immediately volunteered to donate enough Vermont-made wood finish to protect the tables from the ravages of country life. Last month, we completed the town project by gathering in Charlie's workshop to assemble and finish our individual tables. The next day, all the builders and their friends enjoyed a hearty banquet with 50 tables stretched end to end across the Woodstock Covered Bridge. With the help of Pat the Forester, each participant in the project tagged a young maple sapling in Harold's woodlot and was photographed holding a sign bearing the precise GPS coordinates of "their" tree -- so that the next generation of Woodchucks will be able to locate their family maple tree in another 80 years when it is ready for harvest. And that, dear friends, is the saga of the Woodstock Naked Table Project.

Click here to learn more about the activities of Sustainable Woodstock.

MISys Training Always Available

Many of our MISys customers and business partners have been to our MISys training webcasts. But did you know that MISys has ongoing training webcasts every month? These cover almost all of the MISys modules and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your office or home to particpate. Book mark the MISys training agenda and signup page here: http://www.misysinc.com/misbm/training.php

MISys SBM Users and Counting
When sizing a MISys SBM manufacturing system, do you know how many user licenses you need? Since MISys SBM user licenses are for "concurrent" users, not named users, you don't need one for every employee! You just need one for every person who will want to be sharing the MISys SBM database at any given instant. Putting it another way, if you own 5 user licenses, then five people can log into the MISys SBM database simultaneously. If another person wishes to log in, then he or she will have to wait until one of the currently logged-in users logs out.

If your business grows, and logging in and out for other users gets cumbersome, then you know it is time to contact MISys Customer Service and have them add a user. They can have you up and running in just a few minutes.

Dateline Woodstock
Now that November is almost upon us, only the oak trees on our mountain-top still hang on to their leaves, the tour busses have headed south, many Woodstock shops and restaurants have been shuttered, waiting the return of the skiers mid-December. The Vermont Department of Miscellaneous Information (VDMI) tells us that, on average, there are 28 cloudy days in November, so most Vermonters spend the month hunkering down, gathering nuts, and getting ready for winter. For a town that is usually abuzz with tourist activity, Woodstock takes a breather in November as local residents catch up on the things they should have done over the summer and earlier in the fall. George Doton, head of the Woodstock Highway Department, and his helper Tuck have been busy running the Giant Leaf Vacuum up and down Main Street sucking up the last vestiges of Foliage Season. At the Woodstock Selectboard meeting last night, George reported he had also recovered 13 cell phones, 6 sets of car keys, 7 miscellaneous articles of attire (including one pink bra, size 36D, submitted to the Board by Tuck as Article of Evidence #1), and one large stuffed bunny. Tuck always wanted to be a lawyer, but since he never graduated from high school, he now makes a living driving the Town Vacuum or the Town Grader and, whenever possible, submitting Articles of Evidence to the Selectboard. From the front page report in today's Vermont Standard (our weekly newspaper) the Articles will be combined with like items recovered when the snow melts next May and sold at the annual Town Auction. Proceeds from the Auction are donated to the Visiting Nurse Association, the volunteer Fire Department, and Freedom House (formerly the Woodstock Home for Wayward Mothers). All worthy causes they be. Both the VDMI and the Old Farmer's Almanac are predicting a snowstorm around Thanksgiving, with other snowy periods in mid- and late December and mid- and late January, so Woodstock residents have just a few weeks to get the lawn furniture gathered up, the last of the woodpile stocked and covered, and the John Deere fueled with winter-weight diesel. When the VDMI tells you that the average temperature in Woodstock is 60 degrees, they fail to mention that it actually ranges from -20 to +100. With winter coming, you want to be sure the tractor will start on any day.

Free videos of the MISys features and functions
If you think you think you know all the features and functions of MISys you might be surprised at what you don't know. Got a minute or two or three? Go to the MISys video page and signup to view any of many videos showing all the functions MISys has to offer. MISys Videos.

Simplifying MISys SBM Menus

When we added a good number of new entries to the menus for MISys SBM version 4.0, we started to think that users whose jobs required them to access only a few functions might appreciate the ability to hide the menu selections they would never use. So we added this new feature -- one that you might never discover unless we pointed you to it.

In the Administration panel where you establish User Security Groups, the Security Groups window has been replaced by a new multi-tabbed notebook. By selecting a particular Security Group and clicking on the Menu tab, you will see a tree view of the existing MISys SBM menu. By default, all the menu selections are checked, meaning that they all display. To hide a menu, just uncheck its box, save the result, and close the window. The next time a user belonging to that Security Group logs in, only the checked menus will be displayed.

Dateline Woodstock
The snow came to Woodstock last night. This annual event should not be a surprise, but it always seems to catch us unawares -- with plenty of outdoor work yet to accomplish: window boxes to put away, garden hoses to roll up, carrots to pull, and wood to stack. In these parts, Winter, Spring, and Summer are reasonably predictable and consistent. Each year, sometime between August 15th and the 29th, you can wake to find the distinct feel and smell of Summer missing. Instead, the air is crisp, the sky is cloudless and dark blue, and the chirp of junebug has been replaced by a throaty "who cooks for you" emanating from a forest full of barred owls. On a day like this, Vermonters enter a state of denial: that sunny days spent swimming at the mill pond are coming to an end, that harvest suppers will soon replace after-dinner trips to the creemee stand, that huddling under the deck umbrella will soon give way to huddling around the parlor woodstove. Its not that Vermonters dislike winter weather and the lifestyle changes that come with it. After all, we choose to live here, instead of in a place where the sun shines 300+ days a year and 3 feet of snow overnight is unheard of. The problem with Autumn in Vermont is that it comes in the middle of summer, and uninvited. And the problem with letting Autumn get an early foothold, is that Winter will set in early, too - often in the middle of Autumn. It's behavior like this that gets Woodstock a blanket of snow even before the last of the leaf-peepers and other tourists have boarded their busses and headed south.

FREE TRIAL Of MISys SBM

If you've been reading about the Wonders of MISys SBM these many months and you haven't yielded to the tempatation to download a Trial Copy for yourself, don't wait any longer. Just click here and we'll take you to the download page so you can try out this remarkable product for yourself.

Dateline Woodstock
More than a few readers out there have asked when we would be posting the current link to the Vermont Foliage Cam. There's good news and bad. The good news is that very colorful foliage is progressing southward from the northeastern corner of Vermont (aka the Northeast Kingdom, or just The Kingdom) about a 2 ½ hour drive towards Woodstock. Most years, peak foliage hits Woodstock on October 12th and there's no reason to think that this year will be any different. What makes one foliage year better than another is the condition of the trees about the time Mother Nature is telling them "STOP -- go into hibernation." This year we had a very wet June and July so the leaves (mostly sugar maples in the hills around Woodstock) grew to be very dense. A few years ago, we suffered a significant summer drought so the maple leaves were very brittle and thin. When the first wind and rain of Autumn hit around mid-September, the leaves came tumbling down, leaving at least 42 busloads of tourists scouring the naked branches of sugar maples, usually ablaze with an intense display of yellow, orange, and red. Not Autumn 2009 however. Judging from the fact that you can't find a place to park anywhere on Main Street after 8:30am, we'd say that the town is buzzing with tourist activity - which makes the merchants of Woodstock very happy, but sometimes aggravates the townspeople who sometimes tend to forget who pays the rent. Foliage season does require some readjustment of our lives however. For example, there's only a very narrow window of time when you can get anywhere near the Post Office in downtown Woodstock. Most likely where you live, the Postal Service actually delivers mail. Here, we have to go fetch it because, if the postmaster were required to deliver mail, then he would have to lock the Post Office while he was out making his rounds. We're not certain of this, but we guess there is some Post Office Regulation that requires a Postmaster to lock the Post Office when no one is there. Doesn't that sound like a regulation that the US Postal Service would have come up with sometime in its 234 year history? We're sure that more than a few Woodchucks eschew picking up their mail until after the tourists are back on their busses and life in Woodstock settles back to its normal solitary state, that is, until Ski Season cranks up about mid-December. A recent study by the American Association of Junk Mail Producers (AAJMP) indicates that the mail contains 82% bills, 15% catalogs, and 2% pre-approved credit card applications. So what's the hurry, they figure? The bad news? Oh, the foliage cam got eaten by a porcupine last week. Sorry.

The MISys guys have just returned from exhibiting at the Intuit ISP Summit in Chicago. With over 500 Intuit Enterprise resellers attending the MISys guys had their hands full answering questions and demonstrating MISys SBM for QuickBooks. The guys also showed off the new MISys SBM Shop Floor Control module http://www.misysinc.com/misbm/shop_floor.php. If you missed us in Chicago plan to attend the Next Generation Accounting Solutions Conference Nov 9-12 in Orlando, FL http://www.sleeterconference.com/. We'll be exhibiting at the conference and look forward to seeing you.

MISys SAE Training Scheduled
Users of our legacy manufacturing system MISys SAE should mark their calendars for the comprehensive training workshops starting October 19-23. If you don't think you're getting the most benefit from your investment in this software, or if you have hired new staff members who have never been trained on every aspect of the program, don't miss this opportunity to get everyone trained for one low fee. For a detailed agenda, contact MISys Customer Service at 802/457-4600 or click here to register online.

New Labor Tracker Released
Anyone who needs to capture the exact amount of labor spent of their production jobs should be interested in the new Labor Tracking module for MISys SBM version 4.0. Click here to view or print a fact sheet on this new product. If you like what you see, you can download a free trial to use with your MISys SBM 4.0 sample data. Just click the link that is displayed in the InfoCenter panel the next time you log into MISys SBM.

Visit MISys at Intuit Summit 2009
QuickBooks consultants and resellers who are planning to visit the Intuit Solution Providers Summit 2009 in Chicago next month should make the MISys booth a "must see" to learn why MISys SBM is the hands-down choice for manufacturers who run their businesses with QuickBooks. Ask to see version 4.0 which adds market-beating shop floor control capabilities to QuickBooks.

MISys will be at the Next Generation Accounting Solutions Conference Nov 9-12 in Orlando, FL http://www.sleeterconference.com/. Come see us in the Exhbitors hall and don't forget your Mickey Mouse ears!

QuickBooks consultants and resellers who are planning to visit the Intuit Solution Providers Summit 2009 in Chicago next month should make the MISys booth a "must see" to learn why MISys SBM is the hands-down choice for manufacturers who run their businesses with QuickBooks. Ask to see version 4.0 which adds market-beating shop floor control capabilities to QuickBooks.

There is a special promotion for MISys SAE users and MISys Business Partners going on now at: http://www.misysinc.com/bpartners/promos.php. Check it out!

MISys SBM Menus Simplified

With all the new features introduced in MISys SBM 3.0, and even more in MISys SBM 4.0, the program's menu structure was looking a little bloated. Users who had an early look at version 4.0 asked if there wasn't a way to simplify the menus so that finding the function you wanted wouldn't be such a daunting task.

Our development team came up with a scheme to show or hide certain menu elements based on the security group to which any user belongs. Since you can create up to 4 billion security groups, it is likely that each user in your company can have his or her own simplified menu - custom configured to match the tasks they perform.

You can read all about this new feature in the MISys SBM User Guide. Just navigate to the Administration panel and choose Security Groups. Edit or create a new Security Group and click on the Menu tab. Press the F1 key to learn about configuring the MISys SBM menu for members of this Group.

Dateline Woodstock
Our town is fairly abuzz with early tourists headed north in busses and cars intent on experiencing Autumn in Vermont. Of course it will be another 3-4 weeks before the midlands (where we live) reach peak color. But the harvest festivals are in full swing with farm gardens pouring forth their bounty and the real possibility of a killing frost ever on the minds of home gardeners. Every Wednesday afternoon on the Woodstock Town Green through mid-October you can purchase all manner of fresh veggies including carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, beets, green beans, sweet corn, and squash. If you're anxious to see the largest Vermont-grown pumpkin or the tallest ox, then head on up to the Tunbridge Fair this weekend, just a few miles north of MISys World Headquarters. Like many country fair across the nation, the Tunbridge Fair features a huge 4H exhibit, tractor pulls, a demolition derby, a Tilt-a-Whirl and other carnival amusements. Tunbrdge was created on September 3, 1761 by way of a royal charter which King George III of England issued to Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. The name Tunbridge was chosen by Wentworth and most likely in honor of (or to gain favor with), the English noble William Henry Nassau de Zuylestein (1717-1781), fourth Earl of Rochford, Viscount Tunbridge, Baron Enfield and Colchester. De Zuylstein's secondary title is derived from the old "royal borough" of Tunbridge Wells (sometimes Royal Tunbridge Wells) in England. Just before dawn on October 16, 1780 the town line of Tunbridge and Royalton was witness to the last major raid of the Revolutionary War in New England, after which the Yankees retired to the Tunbridge fairgrounds for the now famous and ever-popular pig races.

Free MISys SBM 4.0 - SFC Webinar

If you haven't already registered, there are just a few seats left for a free webinar introducing the basics of the new Shop Floor Control module for MISys SBM version 4.0.

We'll have a close look at Tools, Work Centers, Shifts, Routings, and Bills of Manufacturing. When we're done, you'll have a good insight into the many benefits of this remarkable new module.

Join us on September 22 @ 2:00pm EDT

REGISTER TODAY!

Peachtree Quantum Manufacturing

Since announcing our partnership on July 1, MISys and Sage have been working together to educate Peachtree's Atlanta staff and Peachtree's North American consultants on the best ways to sell and support Peachtree Quantum Manufacturing Edition (QME). In case you missed it, QME is the recently introduced bundle of Peachtree Quantum Accounting and MISys SBM Manufacturing. For manufacturers looking for an industrial-strength manufacturing business management system, QME is a hands-down winner in its market segment. Click here for detailed information about the components of QME. Contact Sage Software at 1-877-495-9904 for the name of a Peachtree Quantum consultant near you.

Customizable Welcome Screen

To be truthful, it isn't a new feature in MISys SBM but, as revealed in a recent survey, one that few users seem to know about: the ability to customize the MISys SBM welcome screen with your company name, pictures of the founding fathers, etc., etc.

When you install MISys SBM version 4.0, click the "Customize" link just below the title Sample Company, Inc. If you have headphones or speakers attached to your computer, you're set to watch a streaming video explaining two different methods for customizing the screen.

We're experimenting with using more video as a means to educate our users. If you have an opinion or suggestion you'd care to share, please email customerservice@misysinc.com. Thank you!

Compatibility with Quantum 2010
Since MISys SBM became the key manufacturing component of Sage Peachtree Quantum a few months ago, we've been working on upgrades to MISys SBM so that the product would be fully compatible with the recently released Quantum 2010.

We are happy to report that, with the release of version 4.0, MISys SBM is now seamlessly compatible with both Quantum 2009 and Quantum 2010.

Read the official press release here.

MISys SBM 4.0 Just Released!

Just a few hours ago, MISys released version 4.0 of its Small Business Manufacturing System.

Read the official press release here.

Those of you who have logged in to MISys SBM no doubt received an invitation to upgrade to version 4.0. We hope you will upgrade soon. It isn't difficult to make the switch to v4.0. You can click here to read the Upgrade Instructions right now.
In case you're wondering whether the upgrade is worth the cost, let us remind you that EVERY licensed MISys SBM users gets the new version free of charge. So, if it doesn't cost anything, why not do it? There are lots of cool new features -- click here to read What's New In MISys SBM v4.0.

New Shop Floor Control Module

Introduced with MISys Small Business Manufacturing version 4.0 is a new Shop Floor Control module that puts a cap on the terrific range of functionality available to manufacturing firms using Sage, Intuit, and Microsoft accounting software.

Shop Floor Control was patterned after MISys SAE Level 3, but taking advantage of the Microsoft .NET-based capabilities now available to us. Users and business partners who have seen a preview of the new Shop Floor Control module have called it "Level 3 on steroids." Well, we can assure you that no steroids were used and no animals were harmed in the creation of MISys SBM Shop Floor Control, but we really did push the envelope to do many of the things we dreamed about in MISys SAE Level 3. It is an amazing product!

You can read more about Shop Floor Control online at www.misysinc.com or print a detailed fact sheet from our documents library.

If you currently use MISys SBM, the new functionality is fully enabled for Sample Company, Inc. (the sample database). Upgrade to version 4.0 and give it a spin. (Hint: have a close look at the Bill of Materials for item R50.)

If you're not currently a MISys SBM user, you can download a free trial copy here.

Free MISys SBM 4.0 - SFC Webinar

Register for a free webinar introducing the basics of the new Shop Floor Control module for MISys SBM version 4.0.

We'll have a close look at Tools, Work Centers, Shifts, Routings, and Bills of Manufacturing. When we're done, you'll have a good insight into the many benefits of this remarkable new module.

Join us on September 22 @ 2:00pm EDT

Get a sneak preview of what the new Shop Floor Control module for MISys SBM does by clicking here:
http://www.misysinc.com/misbm/shop_floor.php
Stay posted to our blog and web site for the release of this new addtion to the MISys manufacturing system, coming very soon!

MISys SBM Now Available Internationally
Beginning August 1st, MISys SBM is now available to manufacturers outside North American. For the last 20 years MISys has been the Accpac manufacturing software of choice in Australia, Asia, India, Africa, the United Kingdom, and parts of western Europe. Since we released MISys SBM a few years ago, fully integrated with QuickBooks and a number of Sage accounting products, we have been going slow, developing confidence in the reliability of the product, and testing the product in selected markets. With a good chunk of inquiries coming from manufacturers outside the US and Canada, we are now ready to respond to them with a product that is proven to be reliable, cost effective, and an appropriate solution for small- to medium-sized firms.

That said, MISys SBM does NOT work with non-US versions of famous accounting products (where, sometimes, a brand name is licensed to a local software developer) and MISys SBM can only be guaranteed to work with US versions of the Windows OS and MS SQL database engine. Also, since our support technicians sleep when others are awake, and they are limited to their ability speak foreign languages, there are some restrictions regarding technical support.

MISys SBM is now running successfully in some very-far-away parts of the world. If you'd like to give it a try in your plant, you can download a free trial copy to install today! .

MISys SBM Survey Results

Our recent surveys of the MISys community have yielded some interesting and valuable results. Looking at the end user surveys, we're seeing three types of responses: 1) suggestions that we do things we already do, 2) suggestions that we do the impossible, and 3) suggestions that we do some really dumb things.

The first group illustrates that we need to do a better job communicating the many features of the MISys software, encouraging users to take advantage of our online training, and urging them to attend our weekly User Group meetings were perceived shortcomings are discussed. For example, if you think it would be nice if MISys SBM integrated with Accpac, or you wish you could have a hard-copy of the MISys User Guide, make it your business to take advantage of the educational benefits available to you.

Suggestions for the impossible are also valuable to us because, even though we can't provide the exact solution as described, it tells us there is a problem out there that needs attention. Lots of times we can answer "We can't do exactly that, but what if... Would that be OK?" So even the most off-the-wall suggestions sometimes spur us to make meaningful improvements to the product.

The "really dumb" category reflects less on our users' intelligence and much more on their ability to extend their personal (somewhat limited) view of manufacturing to the larger world of manufacturing. Over the years we've learned that good programmers build reliable programs -- but GREAT programmers build programs that prevent people from doing dumb things. So the final category of suggestions can most often be answered "That may sound good, but if we allowed that, you could cause really bad things to happen."

Overall, all feedback is valuable to MISys because it helps us better understand how our customers are engaging our company. We're committed to being the best software company you've ever dealt with. To succeed in this mission, we need to hear from you. If we aren't currently running an online survey, don't hesitate to contact our Customer Service department at 802/457-4600, or even our company president Dave Brown, whose direct extension is 232. Dave is passionate about understanding the needs of our customers and partners. You'll find he's always attentive to your concerns.

Dateline Woodstock
Several months ago, we wrote to you about Jacob Hammond and his brother Jeb who have been discussing ways to reduce the cost of air travel. It may interest you to know that the Hammond boys have decided to join forces and start their own airline. Their inspiration came from a television show on The Discovery Channel describing the vast supply of military aircraft languishing in the desert just outside Phoenix, Arizona. According to the plan, JJ Air (as they plan to call their new venture) will employ a fleet of planes utilizing state-of-the-art US Defense Department technology, thus rendering them -- and this is a critical element to the plan -- invisible to radar. Jake and Jeb figure a stealth airline can perform in ways not even industry-leader Southwest can match. Speaking from a upturned apple crate at Woodstock's Squat and Gobble (our local eatery) Jeb explained that the big problem with commercial aviation today is that conventional planes! can be detected by Air Traffic Control, which if you have watched CBS Sixty Minutes you know is run by severely overstressed people sitting in gloomy rooms drinking coffee from Styrofoam cups and staring at little radar dots. Naturally, air traffic controllers get grumpy, which is why they routinely order the daily Burlington VT to Boston MA flight to circle Mexico City just out of spite. They won't be able to do that stuff with JJ Air. They won't even be aware that a JJ Air flight is in the vicinity until one comes screaming past the control tower at Mach 2, requesting an emergency landing. Jake and Jeb plan to remove the restrooms from each plane to make room for an expanded wet-bar, so they figure that over 93% of all JJ Air flights will require an emergency landing. According to their initial press release, the details of the new air service will be revealed on CNN's Larry King Live show, or in case of a scheduling conflict with the next Michael Jackson Special, Woodstock Community Cablevision. If you can't catch WCC on your cable TV system, let us know and we'll report the results to you in a future issue.

Printing MISys User Manuals
In our recent user surveys, we've spotted a common theme indicating that more than a few users of our software are not aware that they can print the documentation for their own internal use. Now, mind you, that a printed manual can't be searched electronically the way the hypertext-based User Guide can, but we suppose it is possible that some MISys users want to curl up in bed with a few thousand pages explaining how to create and use a master production schedule among other things.

Start by opening the User Guide (click on Help Contents while you are running the program) then click the Print button. Following the instructions, you'll discover you can print and individual topic, or an entire chapter.

If you want to try it out, experiment by printing the Theory of Operation. In case you haven't already read this chapter, we think you'll find it a valuable overview of what the system does and how you use it.

MISys SBM 30-day Trial (Not!)

Rumor has it that a 30-day trial copy of MISys SBM can be downloaded from the MISys web site. Actually, that's a half-truth.

Fact is, a fully functional copy of MISys SBM can indeed be downloaded from the MISys web site. Contrary to popular belief, the Trial Copy is not limited to 30 days.

Maybe it's because so many other software companies of trial copies that implode after 30 days, people think that the MISys SBM trial must be the same.

Anyone who wants to have a look at MISys SBM (especially someone who wants to compare it to MISys SAE) is welcome to download the software and install it on their PC free of charge. The Trial Copy is limited to a single user and can only accommodate 100 inventory items but otherwise, it's the real deal. And it won't expire after 30 days!

If you've been reading this column all these many months and getting just a tiny bit curious about MISys SBM, why not download a copy today? Just click here to get the ball rolling.

Physical Inventory Faux Pas
A common mistake made by MISys SBM users when creating a Physical Inventory Batch is to enter the inventory count in both the Counted and Recorded fields.
Counted was intended to represent the quantity you counted (1, 2, 3, 4, 5...) during the physical inventory stock take. Recorded represents the quantity the system "thinks" you have in stock. MISys SBM uses a "net change" physical inventory system so that when the inventory is posted, the quantity in stock is adjusted by the difference between Counted and Recorded. This explains why posting a physical inventory batch with the same value in each field has absolutely no effect.

In MISys SBM version 4.0, the Recorded field can be hidden so you won't be tempted to enter a value there, but until the new version is released -- please take note.

Dateline Woodstock
Here in Woodstock this summer, the conversation at our favorite lunch counter, the Woodstock Squat and Gobble, has focussed on two subjects: 1) trying to figure out exactly how a governor of a state could "fight even harder for its people" by resigning the office, and 2) trying to come up with the best solution to health insurance reform. Having given up on Question #1, the boys over at the S&G are testing a plan they think most people can relate to. According to Buster Foley, owner of the S&G, the whole problem can be laid at the feet of doctors who get paid for the most complex solution they can dish out. Buster says he noticed, a few months back, that one side of his tongue was swollen. He tried all his home remedies -- asprin, nasal spray, beer, more beer -- but his tongue was still swollen. So he went to see the doctor. The receptionist began his treatment by parking him in a waiting room where he was asked to read a therapeutic article in the October 1981 issue of National Geographic. After 63 minutes of Treatment #1, the nurse moved Buster to a little examining room with a paper-covered table, which evidently emitted some kind of invisible healing rays because Treatment #2 had him sit there alone for an additional 43 minutes. To culminate the treatment, the actual doctor took a few moments from his busy schedule of renewing his subscription to National Geographic and renting more space for people to wait in came right into the room with Buster and actually looked at his tongue. After two minutes and 30 seconds together, the doctor told Buster that his problem was two Latin words that he later figured out meant swollen tongue. The doc asked Buster to come back in a week if his tongue wasn't any better. Buster considered suggesting that since he had already been there in treatment for a total of 108 minutes, maybe he should just spend the rest of the week in the examination room, but he was afraid this would anger the doc who might retaliate by sending Buster to the hospital for tests. Buster didn't want to go to the hospital because he says, from his experience, as soon as they get your Blue Cross number, they pounce on you with needles the size of turkey basters. We think Buster may be exaggerating a bit, but it does seem like those are the two most popular doctor options: tell you to come back in a week, or go to the hospital for tests. From an insurance point of view, the boys at the S&G think coming back in a week has its merits. They point out that, by and large, that option has worked fairly well for the last thousand years. And no one complained about health insurance premiums back then.

MISys SBM UX Survey Continues

MISys SBM users can be in the running for a $50 Home Depot gift card by answering 4 brief questions related to the usability of this software. Our development team is studying ways to make the software easier to learn, easier to navigate, and easier to use. Your comments and suggestions are most valuable to them. The next time you log in, just click the link in the InfoCenter pane which will launch the survey in your browser.

MISys SBM Maintenance Updates
We are frequently asked how much we charge for maintenance updates for our MISys Small Business Manufacturing software, how often we release maintenance updates -- and what if customers don't want to purchase maintenance.

In no particular order, we release updates for MISys SBM when we feel we have accumulated a sufficient number of bug fixes, or when those fixes can materially impact our customers every-day use of the software. For this reason, there is no set maintenance schedule.

Every currently licensed MISys SBM user receives notice of the availability of a maintenance update for which there is NO CHARGE. That makes mute the question regarding users who don't want to purchase maintenance.

We know there are users who choose not to install an available update, but we never quite understand why someone would favor using software with known bugs over an improved version in which those bugs have been fixed -- for free! There is nothing that forces a user to install available program updates, except that if you install an update on one client PC, you must install it on all client machines.

MISys SBM Pricing Model

In order to keep the entry cost as low as possible for start-ups or other small manufacturing firms who are considering MISys Small Business Manufacturing, the license fee for this software has been broken into two parts.

The first part is a one-time fee assessed for each module or concurrent user license.
The second part is an annually renewing license fee based on the MSRP of the currently licensed modules and users. (You can think of this cost structure as being similar to that of owning and operating a car. You need to purchase or lease the automobile, but you must also renew your driver's license each year if you want to leave the driveway.)
By spreading out the cost of ownership over several years, MISys has been able to successfully market to very small companies and to those with very small budgets -- but very big needs.

MISys SBM users are encouraged to lodge a major credit card with MISys Customer Service so the annual license renewal fee can be charged automatically, avoiding any potential lapse in service. Alternatively, users are urged to pay their renewal fee by check within 30 days of their license expiration.

MISys SAE Training Workshops
Dates have been established for the next round of training on MISys Manufacturing for Sage Accpac ERP (MISys SAE).

Basic Training, which covers all the functionality of MISys SAE Level 1 will be held each afternoon from October 19 - 23.
Advanced Training, which includes MISys SAE Level 2 and Level 3 will be held each afternoon from November 2 - 6.

If you have new staff members who need to learn how to use this software, or existing members who can benefit from a brush-up on some of the powerful but less conspicuous features of MISys SAE, please contact MISys Customer Service at 802/457-4600 for details.

Dateline Woodstock
Vermonters have a cheerful respect for people from New Jersey -- just check the traffic on Main Street in Woodstock any summer day and you'll see more than a fair representation of yellow license plates. But an incident last week set some residents teeth on edge. From what we can tell, Jersey Doors is one of the largest engineering and construction companies in the country. According to their brochure, their formula for success is simple: aggressive management and strict employee discipline -- and, what is not mentioned, a relentless commitment to cheating. From what was reported in the Woodstock Standard (our weekly newspaper), Jersey Doors lied extravagantly about its technical qualifications, and submitted absurdly unrealistic lowball quotes in order to get government contracts. JD was so good at landing contracts that they couldn't actually build anything. Apparently a reputation like this is priceless in New Jersey. The problem came to roost in Vermont when JD won a contract using Federal Stimulus Money to equip the Woodstock Jail with a high-tech state-of-the-art security door system. What actually got installed was a semi-random collection of hardware which included, as a central element, garage door openers purchased on sale at Sears for $99 a piece. The result was that during a bad electric storm (like the one that visited Woodstock early last week) a number of key doors simply opened themselves, leaving it up to the prisoners to decide, on the honor system, whether they wished to remain in jail. Mind you that the Honor System is as healthy in Vermont as anywhere, but there are limits to any system. As it happened, 32
prisoners out of 37 decided that they did not want to remain in jail. It was a huge story here in Vermont (OK, so it didn't make it all the way to CNN) what with a horde of criminals, some of them petty thieves and DUI offenders, running loose in the streets of Woodstock, pursued by a frantic posse of police and media. One escapee, apprehended at his home in the midst of making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with extra peanut butter, was asked by Sheriff Brady "Who masterminded the escape?" as he was being hustled into a police cruiser. "Ain't nobody mastermind nothin'" the prisoner shouted back. "The mufuh doors just opened."

Sage Peachtree Certified Consultants Complete MISys SBM Training
Thursday concluded three days of training for more than 70 Sage Peachtree Certififed Consultants on the new Sage Peachtree Quantum Manufacturing Edition which combines MISys Small Business Manufacturing with Sage Peachtree Quantum Accounting. Consultants learned about the SBM Basic Manufacturing Module, it's integration to Quantum, and the optional SBM modules which included Advanced Purchasing, Advanced Production, Material Requirements Planning (MRP), Bin Tracking, Serial/Lot Tracking, Shop Floor Control, Labor Tracking and Bar Coding. Consultants are now prepared to start selling and supporting the Quantum Manufacturing Edition to their current and future customers. More information is available from Sage Peachtree or at: http://www.misysinc.com/misbm/peachtree/index.php

MISys SBE to SBM Conversion
Since announcing the retirement of MISys SAE Small Business Edition on June 1, we have received a number of inquiries from users wondering about their upgrade options. The easiest, and certainly the most economical option, is to crossgrade to MISys SBM. Assuming your Upgrade Subscription Plan is up to date, you can crossgrade at no cost, paying only the next year's Subscription Plan. For complete information and confirmed pricing, contact MISys Customer Service at 802/457-4600.


MISys SAE 5.5 Service Pack #2
A Service Pack for MISys Manufacturing for Sage Accpac ERP version 5.5 (MISys SAE) was released last week. This Service Pack fixes the sinister "Field Name Not Known" problem and a number of minor bugs. Service Pack #2 should be installed ASAP to ensure compatibility with Accpac ERP v5.5.

New Shop Floor Control Module

One of the major features to be released along with MISys Small Business Manufacturing version 4.0 later this summer is a new Shop Floor Control (SFC) module.

With SFC enabled, you are able to define production tools, work centers, and bill of material routing details. Routing details define the operations you must perform in order to make an assembled item.

Once MISys SBM knows what to do with the components identified in a bill of material, how fast production work centers can operate, and when they are open for business, the program can very accurately predict how long any production will take and how much it will cost.

The new SFC module adds functionality to MISys SBM that is roughly equivalent to that of MISys SAE Level 3. You're going to love it!

If you are a MISys SBM user, or MISys Business Partner and would like to attend a sneak peek webcast on MISys SBM SFC, click here

Dateline Woodstock
With the Independence Day holiday upon us this coming Saturday, July 4th, the Town of Woodstock is preparing its traditional celebration with parades, concerts, and a massive (by Vermont standards) fireworks display down at the Football Field. Again this year, the local arts council is sponsoring the Woodstock Patriotic Tableau. Those who remember this news item from last year, will know that Woodstock town residents are invited to assemble in the Football Field to form a giant American flag tableau, each person holding a card over his/her head while standing on a specifically marked "X" on the field. (You can imagine this as being similar to the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, but not quite as spectacular.) One by one, participants are allowed to leave the display and hike up nearby Mount Tom (named after Aubrey Mount, one of the early settlers of Woodstock, and his son Tom). From that vantage point far above the Woodstock Football Field, an impressive view of the giant flag can be had. According to tradition (which is an important part of the Vermont culture), after viewing the flag tableau from the top of Mount Tom, one is required to holler out to those below "Hey -- cool!" before heading down the mountain and replacing someone else eager for the trip up. As you can imagine this event takes most of the day, but after 28 years, has become a permanent part of Woodstock's 4th of July celebration. New this year (but highly anticipated) is the Hey Cow event co-sponsored by the Woodstock Farmer's Market and Jim's Small Engine Repair. Jim, a full time dairy farmer and part time engine tinkerer, has lent his herd of Holsteins and the Market has organized 10 teams of elementary, middle school, and high school students who, one by one, will be required to yell "Hey cow!" at the top of their collective lungs. According to the somewhat complex rules, the team that gets the largest number of Holsteins to look up from what Holsteins normally do on the 4th of July, wins the prize: a $100 gift certificate for the local Ben & Jerry's ice cream store.
Have a great holiday!

MISys SBE to SBM Conversion
Since announcing the retirement of MISys SAE Small Business Edition on June 1, we have received a number of inquiries from users wondering about their upgrade options. The easiest, and certainly the most economical option, is to crossgrade to MISys SBM. Assuming your Upgrade Subscription Plan is up to date, you can crossgrade at no cost, paying only the next year's Subscription Plan. For complete information and confirmed pricing, contact MISys Customer Service at 802/457-4600.

MISys SBM Functional Comparison

Because more and more people have been learning about the enhanced functionality built into MISys SBM, we've been fielding questions such as "What do I get if I switch to Small Business Manufacturing?" To help you understand what you get (and what you give up) we've published what we hope will be a handy comparison to MISys SAE. Check it out!

MISys Adopts NPS Methodology

Although MISys, Inc. has enjoyed steady revenue growth year after year, we have never felt that counting dollars was a good measure of our success as a company. Since we want to be the best software company you've ever done business with, your opinion of our product and services provides our management with a more meaningful guage of our progress.

Earlier this year we distributed a survey which asked the question "How likely are you to recommend our products and services to a friend or colleague." Some of you may recognize this question as The Ultimate Question devised by Dr. Fred Reichheld to produce what is known as a Net Promoter Score. The answer revealed that MISys has a great many promoters, but the real value in asking is being able to track the growth of the NPS over time. So take this as fair warning, that from time to time, we will be surveying our customers to measure our progress and to ascertain ways to improve the value of the products and services we deliver to you. We will try not to be obtrusive. Your participation is always appreciated.

PS: If you ever have a thought, a comment, suggestion, or gripe, don't hesitate to contact our President and CEO, Dave Brown, at 802/457-4600 x232.

MISys SBM Advanced Purchasing
As you probably know, the Advanced Purchasing module for MISys SBM is an extra-cost component that allows you to create, track, and process purchase orders. Since most people already have the ability to create purchase orders, whether from within an accounting system or by hand-writing paper forms, it may surprise you to learn that over 90% of users purchase this module within 60 days of implementing MISys SBM.

The reason may be that functionality included in Advanced Purchasing (but missing from other systems) plays a key role in helping you purchase just the right material at just the right time. And that leads to cost savings that can easily justify the purchase of the entire MISys SBM system in just the first year of operation.

Because Advanced Purchasing was designed specifically to service the purchasing needs of a manufacturing firm, you may still need your accounting system's PO module to service to sales side of the house.

Accounting Solutions Conference
If you are an accounting professional, computer consultant, or software reseller, keeping up to date with the latest technology trends is critical to providing value to your client services. One of the best ways we know to learn best practices, network with colleagues, and update your understanding of new technologies is to attend this year's Next Generation Accounting Solutions Conference, November 9-12 in Orlando, Florida.
November may seem a long way away for planning your travels, but this is such an important conference we thought, by mentioning it now, you'd be more likely to include it in your plans. MISys has already registered to exhibit our Small Business Manufacturing software and to be hosting one of the key conference workshops. Take advantage of Early Bird Pricing and sign up today.

Dateline Woodstock
Woodstock residents are waiting for next week's town meeting where we are slated to hear a proposal from Greg and Bobby Underhill, two local real estate developers, on the subject of building what they are calling Woodstock International Airport. It is generally agreed that the chances of Woodstock (a town of 2800 residents and 14 paved roads) ever having an international airport is mighty slim. Nevertheless, we expect Town Hall to be packed on Tuesday night, whether they be friends or foes of the Underhill boys. Town residents are mindful that the last major development organized by Greg and Bobby was never even submitted to the Woodstock Development Board, but resulted in a 2x3-foot Information Booth being installed on the Town Green somewhere, according to Police Reports, between 2 and 4am on June 5, 2001. Many are suspect that the Underhills will use the same stealth tactics to slip an International Airport in under the radar of the Development Board. Excuse us for editorializing for a moment, but we think there are at least two reasons (maybe more) why this is an unlikely scenario. First is that when MISys first relocated to Woodstock, the Great Debate, consuming many hours of heated discussion among Townspeople of every sort, centered on whether the Prosper Village road should be paved. We can tell you that 22 years later, the road is still unpaved, although the subject consumes at least 20 minutes of debate during Town Meeting each March. Second, the largest city in Vermont (well, OK, the only city in Vermont) is home to Burlington International Airport (BTV) and those of you who are adept at locating cheap air travel to anywhere can confirm that you cannot actually go anywhere outside the United States of America from Burlington, Vermont. Although the MISys guys are frequent air travelers, we rarely ever patronize Burlington International Airport because, from what we can tell, the only place to can actually go from there is Philadelphia. And, no disrespect to any Philadelphians (3 of whom use our software), we have never determined that a stop in Philadelphia would enhance any trip we might make. So, we're going to show up at next Tuesday's meeting, just to see what the Underhill brothers have in mind, but we think that direct 747 service from Bejing to Woodstock is a long, long way off.

Track labor by the hour or job
Have you seen our Labor tracker module? many of our customers have asked us for this feature rich component for years. Check it out on our web page at: http://www.misysinc.com/misbm/labortracker.php

If you haven't been to one of the MISys training webcasts then you probably don't know about all the features and functions of MISys. When our customers take a training webcast the first thing they usually say is, "Wow I didn't know MISys did that". Don't miss out. Check out the training dates and MISys courses offerred monthly at: http://www.misysinc.com/misbm/training.php

MISys SBM works with Accpac ERP

I know we have mentioned this before but there are many Accpac ERP users that still don't know that MISys Small Business Manufacturing (SBM) now works with Accpac. Same great integration as MISys SAE. Check it out on this web site: www.misysinc.com

MISys SBE Officially Retired
The Small Business Edition of MISys Manufacturing for Sage Accpac ERP (MISys SAE) is no longer available. Resellers and end-users looking for a cost-effective manufacturing control system that integrates with Sage Accpac ERP should look instead at MISys Small Business Manufacturing. Although MISys SBM does not install inside the Accpac System Manager as did its predecessor, the new software actually has more functionality than Small Business Edition and requires only one Sage Accpac LanPak for multi-user operation, making MISys SBM a much more affordable solution. Users of MISys SAE can crossgrade very inexpensively to MISys SBM and have their data converted automatically. Click here to read the complete press release.

Quantum Manufacturing Edition Orientation
Last week we completed -- with a huge turn-out -- the second of two online workshops designed to introduce sellers of Peachtree Quantum accounting software to the wonderful world of manufacturing.

In the first session, we surveyed the market of small- to medium-sized manufacturing firms, discussing their needs and how Peachtree Quantum (with the addition of MISys SBM) now offers industrial-strength functionality.

In the second session, we explored the features of MISys SBM that are included in the core Quantum Manufacturing Edition: multiple locations, raw material and WIP inventory control, multi-level bills of material, revision control, stock check, stock transfers, work order processing, physical inventory, and period end processing.

In a third, so-far unscheduled, session we might have a look at the modules that can be added on to QME to meet the needs of manufacturing firms who demand more advanced features.

If you are a Peachtree partner and think you would benefit from a session on the advanced and extra-cost modules available for QME, please contact MISys Customer Service at 802/457-4600 or email customerservice@misysinc.com.

MISys SBM Training Abounds
Now that Spring has come Vermont, MISys University is busting out all over with new online training workshops on various aspects of MISys Small Business Manufacturing. Start with the special 2-day workshop on MISys SBM Basic Operations, then move on to more advanced topics such as Advanced Purchasing, Advanced Production, Material Requirements Planning, and even Serial/Lot Tracking. For those of you with a special interest in accounting, don't miss the Accounting Tutorial slated for June 23.

Except for Basic Operations which repeats every month, these workshops are scheduled on a demand-driven basis. If the workshop you wish to attend is not currently scheduled, be sure to click the "Add To Wait List" button and add your name to our waitlist. There's no obligation. When a sufficient number of people have been waitlisted for a workshop, they will be contacted by MISys Customer Service to see if they are still interested.

Can you think of an SBM topic not covered at MISys University? MISys Customer Service is always happy to receive your suggestions.

Dateline Woodstock
Jim Clifford, the fellow who sells advertising for the Woodstock Standard, our weekly newspaper, stopped by MISys World Headquarters the other day -- just checking in, as he said. But based on the litany of questions that followed, we rather suspect that Jim was setting us up for a full page color spread. That visit reminded us that, in what seems like a previous life, we advertised our software in numerous magazines ranging from PC World to Manufacturing Today. In this online age, those magazines have either disappeared entirely or been reduced to a front and back cover and a handful of pages. According to a recent study sponsored cooperatively by The Gartner Group and the Vermont Maple Syrup Producers Association, there are now a total of 13 Vermonters who promote their commercial interests on various "social networks." Until recently, most of the social networking that happened around Woodstock took place down at the Squat and Gobble (our local diner). Now a few of us have been experimenting with LinkedIn and Facebook and Twitter. Most of us have pretty much given up on LinkedIn because it seems to focus on keeping in touch with people in your past. We don't know about you, but a great many Vermonters are here to be freed of the people in their past. So LinkedIn is a non-starter. Facebook seems to be aimed at kids who find tales of college-aged debauchery and explicit hip-hop lyrics to be compelling content. The jury is still out on Twitter, but since Tweets are limited to 140 characters, the concept seems to be more consistent with what Vermonters call "the simple life." Don't look at other people's Tweets for examples of good content -- even the Twitter sites of companies we work with and admire most: Sage, Intuit, and Microsoft. If you believe the emails that arrive daily, there is a webinar you can attend (for a small fee, no doubt) that will reveal the magic in using Twitter as a means for promoting your goods and services. Right now, it seems like Twitter is the playground for people with excess time on their hands -- posting messages about things that, in the pre-Twitter era, used to pass un-noticed. Perhaps we'll wake up to the true value of social networking one of these days. In the meantime, suffice it to say "MISys is on Twitter."
Read the front page of the Woodstock Standard this morning.

FREE Help!
MISys SAE and SBM have extensive online help. Just hit the F1 key when you are in a MISys feature or function. Not only is the help extensive and valuable to getting you the information you need but the author has hidden his Key lime Pie recipe too. Can you find it?

Free guide for Accountants
Famous author Dave Brown (also one of the MISys guys) has penned an extraodinary Accountant's Guide to choosing the Right Manufacturing Software. Based on Dave's decades long experience with manufacturing and manufacturing software from the early days of DOS and Windows to today's modern and sometimes complex manufactring needs, the Guide takes you through what manufacturing questions you should be asking about operational and accounting procedures and how you can solve those procedures with the right manufacturing software. The first section is software brand agnostic to present an unbiased view. The second part of the Guide gets more software specific. It's FREE! Order yours here: http://www.misysinc.com/cpaguide/

MISys Inks Peachtree Deal
Last week MISys and Sage North America announced a deal which allows Sage to co-market MISys SBM as part of the Peachtree Quantum Manufacturing Edition (QME). The base Peachtree QME configuration includes MISys SBM Basic Manufacturing (which integrates seamlessly with Peachtree Quantum 2009) and 2 user licenses. Additional MISys SBM modules are available at extra cost. Peachtree QME will be available from Peachtree Quantum resellers this summer. Peachtree resellers who have an immediate need for an integrated manufacturing business management system should contact their Sage account representative, or the MISys Sales Office at 802/457-4600. Click here to read the official press release.

MISys Announces Version 4.0
At the Sage Insights 2009 Conference in Nashville last week, MISys announced that it is completing work on a new version of its MISys Small Business Manufacturing System called MISys SBM v4.0. This version presents a new Shop Floor Control module which offers a number of new features including tool maintenance, work centers, bill of material routings, and a very clever shop floor planning tool. Priced at $1500, the Shop Floor Control module is expected to be popular with manufacturers who need to know the precise material, labor, and overhead components of their product and the costs associated with them. The module allows them to collect actual material, labor, and overhead and to compare those costs to the projected values. When v4.0 is released later this summer, MISys SBM and MISys SAE will have comparable functionality.

MISys SAE Data Dictionary
The Data Dictionary for MISys SAE version 5.5 is now available. This updated edition includes all the new tables that were added since version 5.2.

Although the Data Dictionary is far too complex to qualify for the NY Times Best Seller list -- and it was rejected soundly by amazon.com -- the Dictionary is a valuable tool for MISys Business Partners and end-users who are writing complex custom reports. There is no charge for the Data Dictionary, but in order to receive a copy, you must contact the MISys Customer Service Department.

MISys SBM Pricing Model

In order to keep the cost of MISys Small Business Manufacturing within reach of cash-strapped manufacturing firms, MISys has adopted a 2-part pricing model which is described in the MISys SBM EULA. One part is an initial license fee and the other part is an annual subscription fee which must be renewed each year, just like your driver's license.
For maximum convenience, users are urged to provide MISys with a current credit card so the annual renewal can be processed seamlessly, without interruption. Users who prefer to pay by check will see a reminder each time they log in, starting 30 days before the license expiration date. No billing statements are sent, so to avoid disappointment, please heed the message.

Sales Lead Registration

MISys provides an important service to our business partners that allows them to register the names of any sales prospects they are following up. Because some prospective customers may consult with more than one business partner, the timestamp on each lead registration serves to resolve any potential "ownership" conflicts.

Now that content related to MISys Manufacturing for Sage Accpac ERP has moved to a new home on the web at www.accpacmfg.com partners wishing to register leads for MISys SAE are urged to go to
www.accpacmfg.com/bpartners/leadreg.php

Partners who wish to register leads for MISys Small Business Manufacturing (the new one that works with a number of different accounting products including Sage Accpac ERP) should instead go to www.misysinc.com/bpartners/leadreg.php

New Email Service
Starting with this issue of the MISys Update Newsletter, we are using a new broadcast email service which has necesssitated a few changes in the way our newsletter appears and is delivered.

First, our service provider strongly recommends limiting the width of the newsletter to 600px instead of our customary 1000px format. Determined to keep the 2-column format that has worked so well these many years, everything had to shrink, including the type size. We hope in doing so that we won't lose too many middle-aged readers.

In order to conform with the spirit and letter of anti-spamming laws, we had accumulated a list of customers who asked to be unsubscribed. We have painstakenly ported the old list over to the new service so, hopefully, we won't mail to anyone who doesn't wish to hear from us. If we fail anywhere along the line, please accept our sincere apology and click the UNSUBSCRIBE button that appears at the bottom of this page.

Your feedback about the new look and feel of our newsletter is always welcome.

Dateline Woodstock
We know that for many readers, April is a month to enjoy the Spring. Here in Vermont, April is still a winter month with an indication that Spring may be just hiding. Lately signs have indicated that the Solstace is inching its way northward. Last week marked the official Ice Out over at Joe's Pond. In case you didn't hear about this event on the evening news (it probably didn't make the cut) let us remind you that the good folks over at Harry's Hardware in Cabot; Joe's Pond Country Store and Hasting's Store, Dente's Market, Hope Cemetery, Barre Optical, Berg, Carmolli and Kent, and Yankee Clipper Barber Shop sell tickets to people who guess when the ice will melt. Proceeds from the campaign go to local charities. Determining the exact moment of ice melt was always an imprecise science until some clever Vermonters decided to rig an electric clock and an extension cord to a chair placed out on the ice. When the chair plunges through the ice, the cord is pulled out of the electric wall socket, and the clock stops. When the cord is retrieved and the clock raised, the official "ice out" time is announced to the world. When we called Fred Brown to find out how the ice was holding up he told us "There is still ice on the pond, but the rule is the ice out time is determined by the time the clock stops. That occurred in an unusual way this year: the winds were strong enough last night to push the mass of ice north; the flag and the block on which the flag sits moved with the ice and broke the electrical connection, and that stopped the clock. If you pass by the pond, you will see that the flag is still standing! My neighbor Homer said he doesn't think it has ever happened quite this way before."
So, that's the story of Joe's Pond for this year. Tickets will be on sale beginning in July.

Whew! I can't remember when we took so long to post to the MISys blog. Must be because the MISys Guys are so busy putting out great products! There is one item I'd like to remind all our MISys business partners about and that is the upcoming pre-conference training on MISys SBM which occurs on May 10th and 11th in Nashville. If you are going to Sage Insights this year you should take advantage of our pre-conference training which starts just before the Insights conference itself.

Take a moment to review the agenda along with completing the online registration form.

This workshop is being held exclusively for Sage Certified Consultants and Business Partners who wish to learn all about MISys SBM and get a better understanding of what types of manufacturing companies can benefit from MISys SBM and learn how you can get involved in a very lucrative industry. The session will conclude on May 11th with plenty of time to get to the Executive Keynote Address.

We encourage you to attend this training workshop to learn more about this awesome opportunity!