CRM UK - the official blog of the CRM specialists at TSG

New Format for Concentrix TSG's next Sage 200 User Group

Concentrix TSG's next Sage 200 User Group is on Wednesday 19th October at our offices in Mountsorrel, Loughborough. If you’re a Concentrix TSG customer that uses the Sage 200 software suite, we’d love you to come along! If you haven’t received your invite already, it should arrive in the post shortly.

As usual, we’ll be joined by experts from Concentrix TSG and Sage. We’ll be discussing ways you can further improve your business with Sage 200 and get the very best from the software, we’ll bring you up to date with news from Sage and Concentrix TSG, and provide the opportunity to network with other Sage 200 users. And of course we’d like you to stay for a buffet lunch and a chat afterwards!

Change in User Group Format

For this Sage 200 User Group, we’ve taken on board feedback from previous sessions and have changed the format slightly. This time, we’re including an ‘open forum’ in the second half of the morning. This will give you the opportunity to put questions about Sage 200 to a panel of Sage and Concentrix TSG staff, as well as an open discussion within the group.

We hope the forum will stimulate discussion in a number of areas, so we do ask that you submit questions beforehand. Questions could be about the products future development, technical issues, or ‘how to’ type queries, what's new in Sage 200 2011 – whatever you want to ask!

When you receive your invite to the Sage 200 User Group, you’ll find there’s space for questions on a Faxback form included with your invite. Please submit your questions by Friday 7th October.

Getting Started with Sage 200 CRM

As well as the open forum, a product expert from Sage will be showing how Sage 200 can increase your turnover through its CRM module, Sage 200 CRM. Front and back-office integration is one of the key strengths of Sage 200, so if you need to get started with CRM, this session will be invaluable. What's more, if you have colleagues interested in CRM (CRM software is a hot topic for Marketing, Sales and Customer Service professionals) we’d love them to come along too! If they’re interested, please add their names to your registration form (this is included with your invite).

Other Changes to the Sage 200 User Group

Here’s another change. After our Sage 200 2011 Launch Event last June, several delegates said they would like the opportunity for a chat with their Account Manager. So, if you would like a meeting after the User Group, please get in touch and we will schedule one in after lunch. Please note time is limited so these meetings will be on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. We’ll do our best to fit you in, but if we can’t fit you in on the day, we’ll arrange a meeting another time. This can either be at Concentrix TSG offices, at another TSG office local to you, or we’ll come and visit you.

How to Register

To register for the Sage 200 User Group, to submit your forum questions or arrange a meeting with your account manager, please submit the faxback included with your invite, or use the email address provided on the form. You’ll also receive an agenda with your invite, and of course if you need any further information please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We look forward to seeing you on the 19th October!

Please note these Sage 200 User Groups are currently open to Concentrix TSG customers only (space is limited so we have to give clients priority). However if you’re not a customer and this is of interest to you, please let us know – you can call us on 01509 410 500 or email [email protected].

ERP and CRM software: Moving to (and from) the Cloud.

Over the past couple of years, there’s been a lot of noise from business management software manufacturers about cloud computing and the impact of the cloud on their products and services. Especially from those that produce CRM and ERP applications.

From a business user’s point of view, whether you choose to implement your software as an on-premise solution or choose a cloud-based option will depend on your business requirements: your aims, objectives, resources, preferred costing or payment methods, and what you need from your CRM software or ERP solution.

With cloud-based CRM and ERP solutions, the application and data is held on a network of computers kept in advanced data-centres, nearly always at a number of different locations. This means your software provider takes care of the running, maintenance and security of the application and servers 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

There are a variety of reasons businesses choose cloud-based applications. With CRM and ERP, the key reasons tend to be that a business can be up and running with the software relatively quickly. There’s also less need for in-house IT staff or high levels of technical skills, and things like security and upgrades are looked after by the vendor.

Probably the most common deciding factor between cloud and on-premise is that cloud-computing makes your software an operational expense rather than a capital spend. There’s usually little or no financial outlay in terms of hardware and IT infrastructure, and you pay a monthly fee to use the product, which is based on the number of users you have. That works both ways; some businesses prefer a capital spend and to ‘own’ the software. Others prefer an operational cost, as with the cloud. For cloud-based applications, you also need a reliable internet connection, and in some sectors there can be issues with the geography in which the data is actually held.

Many mainstream business software vendors are working to transfer their traditional on-premise applications in to the cloud. From a technical point of view, however, it’s not as straightforward as it may first appear. Although, once it’s achieved, the results are arguably superior to applications that have been developed as purely cloud-based applications. Why? Because they give customers choice. Not just for the initial implementation, but as their business grows, develops and changes, it’s easier to move from or to the cloud. Businesses can also move from the public cloud to their own private cloud, with the same application.

This is one of the unique benefits of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and its cloud-based version Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. Both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online are effectively the same products; they’re built using the same code base. So it’s not that difficult to move a company that’s using the on-premise version to the cloud version, or vice versa. Compare this with many of Microsoft’s cloud-based competitors (such as SalesForce) which are cloud-only applications. Because they are cloud-only, you can’t go on-premise even if your business strategy dictates it in the future.

Although there have been a few cloud-based ERP solutions around for a while, ERP in the cloud has been taking off at a slower pace than CRM. In April 2011, nearly three-quarters of Microsoft Dynamics CRM seats were sold for the cloud version. Concentrix TSG has been offering mid-market sister product Microsoft Dynamics NAV as an on-premise solution for several years. We started offering Microsoft Dynamics NAV as a cloud or software as a service option about a year ago, and although it has generated interest among a range of customers, the on-premise version remains more popular.

In a recent independent survey commissioned by Concentrix TSG, 67% of senior finance professionals said that they have no current interest in using a cloud-based ERP solution. The same survey cited concerns about security and a lack of information and understanding about cloud technology as the main reasons organisations are staying away from cloud ERP. For the vast majority of businesses, modern commercial cloud applications provide exceptionally high levels of security, including data protection and back-up, and are usually more secure than the majority of on-premise applications.

Sage CRM, the leading mid-market CRM application from Sage, is a web-based product which has had an online version (SageCRM.com) available for a few years. Sage were ahead of many other vendors with SageCRM.com. However, Sage 200, the small and mid-market ERP solution which effectively uses Sage CRM as its CRM module, isn’t due to have a cloud version released for some time. In fact it’s currently looking like the end of 2012.

Sage 200 was built from the ground up as a client-server type application. It also has many add-on products by third-party vendors, so getting it in to the cloud is not going to be straightforward. You could argue that by taking its time getting its popular business management solution in to the cloud; Sage is going to end up playing catch up with other vendors. But according to research carried out on behalf of Concentrix TSG, until ERP buyers agree with the benefits of cloud-computing, and are more convinced of its greater security, there’s actually no real hurry.

Would you consider a cloud-based ERP solution? At Concentrix TSG we’re very interested to hear your thoughts and comments.

By Concentrix TSG – independent CRM and ERP specialists

Concentrix TSG to exhibit at LBE 2011 and iT Showcases

Here at Concentrix TSG we’re busy getting ready for some upcoming events this Autumn!

On Thursday 29th September, we’ll be exhibiting at the Leicester Business Event 2011 (LBE 11). This is a great B2B trade show where local businesses can find industry suppliers and partners all under one roof.

If you are looking to implement a CRM or ERP system, come and have an informal chat about the diverse range of solutions that we offer. We take pride in being product agnostic, and always recommend the ideal product to best suit your needs as a business. Our CRM products include Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Sage CRM. For accounting and ERP needs, we offer Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Sage 200, which also has a powerful CRM module included. The latest version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV is now able to link with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, which means you get the full benefits of CRM & ERP integration.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is available either on-premise, or in the ‘Cloud’. Both options are equally capable, but it’s up to you as to which you choose. Concentrix TSG can guide you through the options for your organisation, and give you a no-obligation demonstration. We will also be at the iT Showcase in Birmingham on 11th October, and at Doncaster on 29th November. At all three events, our friendly and experienced consultants will be on hand to answer any questions that you may have. We will also be demonstrating Sage 200 on our iPad!

The iT Showcases are free for you to attend, and attract over 10,000 visitors, so well worth a visit. Doors open at 9am until 5pm. If you can’t attend but are interested in finding out more about CRM or ERP solutions and how they can benefit your organisation, feel free to visit the Concentrix TSG website. Or, you can contact us directly.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Is CRM Right for Your Business? An Introduction to modern CRM software, Cloud Solutions and ERP Integration

The concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) has been around for many years. In its truest sense, CRM is a strategy. It’s a way of managing existing and prospective customers and building and strengthening relationships to increase sales, improve market strategy and customer satisfaction. In one form or another, a CRM system is an integral component of many, and probably most, UK businesses.

Theoretically a CRM system doesn’t need to be based on software or IT. However the phrase ‘CRM’ is today generally used to refer to software-based business processes which help run, automate and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of sales, marketing, customer service and customer support. Rightly or wrongly, the phrases CRM and CRM software are often used interchangeably throughout the UK.

Who Uses CRM?

The CRM market in the UK (and worldwide) continues to grow and most organisations now use a CRM solution of some kind. One of the findings published in a recent survey by Computing, which, among other objectives, set out to find the extent to which CRM has been deployed, was that 75% of respondents had some form of CRM system in place.

CRM software has moved from being a ‘nice to have’ business tool to a key component in the operation of modern organisations. It’s used in a wide variety of different sectors and verticals, and the full range of business sizes: small start-ups, SME’s and multinational PLC’s. For example, independent CRM specialists Concentrix TSG has customers with one-user CRM systems in small manufacturing and retail companies, a wide range of mid-market organisations with 20 to over 100 users, and some well-known national organisations with over 700 CRM system users. As well as private sector clients, we also have clients in the public sector, charities, institutes and education industries.

Increased Power and Flexibility

Over the last few years, the pace of development of CRM software has been extremely rapid. Many solutions have transformed from what would now be considered contact management systems, to highly configurable, customisable, feature and functionally rich platforms. These enable highly bespoke solutions to be developed to meet the precise process requirements of just about any business, no matter how complex these requirements are. Consequently the term ‘xRM’, where the ‘x’ stands for ‘anything’ (Anything Relationship Management) has evolved.

Despite the growth in product flexibility, power and functionality, not all businesses have highly complex business processes. Many just require ‘standard’ CRM functionality for sales, marketing and customer service. So, although highly flexible, many solutions, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Sage CRM, are also ideal for organisations that need ‘straightforward’ CRM. They enable organisations to gain sophisticated CRM functionality ‘out of the box’. Because their modern interface designs are easy to use and quick to implement, training is minimal and costs are reduced. Their design also helps to ensure high user uptake and ultimately successful CRM implementation. Plus, they can enhance and adapt their CRM system as their business grows.

Price of CRM

The price of a CRM system in terms of overall project costs is made up of user/licence costs, plus implementation, configuration, training, support and sometimes other costs. However, price no longer has to be excessive or a barrier to implementing a CRM solution, no matter how big or small an organisation is.

As CRM software has become more popular and developed both functionally and technically, many mainstream CRM solutions have become better value while at the same time offering increased power, choice, adaptability and features.

The growth of online or cloud CRM, in particular the release in the UK, of the cloud-based Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, has started to shake up the market. Some CRM providers have reviewed their pricing structure or offered competitive transfer rates. Up until the release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, ‘you get what you pay for’ was a good rule of thumb for CRM software. However, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is effectively the same product as the on-premise version, and is currently on offer in the UK for only £22.50 per user per month (even when it’s not on offer the full price will only be just £29.50 per user per month). This makes Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online a highly compelling proposition for many businesses, especially smaller organisations or those looking to trial CRM for the first time.

Cloud versus On-Premise CRM: Operational versus Capital Expenditure

One of the key features of cloud CRM deployment is that you effectively rent access to the software. This means that, once the system is up and running, you make your CRM solution an operational cost. This is opposed to the capital expenditure or ‘up front’ costs of the more traditional on-premise deployment. Often the main attraction of cloud-based CRM is that there’s generally little or no financial outlay in terms of hardware and IT infrastructure, certainly at the start of the project. Costs are also straightforward: you decide on the level of service and support and pay a monthly fee.

Having CRM software as an operational cost suits many businesses, but by no means all. There are a variety of reasons an organisation may prefer, from a financial point of view, to deploy an on-premise CRM solution. For example, they may prefer to ‘take the hit’ on the initial spend, to use a solution they ‘own’ rather than rent, and have a system that they can run, configure, secure and control on their IT infrastructure. There are other reasons why a business may choose cloud CRM over on-premise CRM or vice-versa, which tend to depend on an organisations culture, resources, size, processes and business strategy.

Integration with ERP Solutions

Integrating CRM software with accounts or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, effectively linking the front and back office functions of an organisation, can deliver significant benefits. The integration provides a full view of customer and sales value and enables organisations to make better, more informed decisions, and make them more quickly. Integration reduces procedural hurdles between departments as staff have an even more comprehensive view of customers from the centralised source of accounting as well as CRM information. It also reduces duplication of effort and the likelihood of errors, eliminating redundant data entries and making sure information in both the ERP and CRM solutions is kept up to date. A major benefit of ERP and CRM integration for marketing and sales staff is that they can quickly access detailed business information such as payment history, contracts, pricing and product availability.

Having CRM integration built-in by the ERP products manufacturer, as opposed to using third-party connector applications, has the major advantage of the product integration being supported by the vendor. Examples of mid-market ERP products which include integration with proprietary ‘best-in-breed’ CRM solutions are Sage’s mid-market business management suite Sage 200. This includes Sage 200 CRM (which is effectively their highly commended Sage CRM product), as one of its base modules.

Microsoft’s popular mid-market ERP solution Microsoft Dynamics NAV is also supplied with a CRM module. However it's important to note that the CRM functionality included with the basic licencing of Microsoft Dynamics NAV is not the same thing as Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

The CRM functionality in Microsoft Dynamics NAV is sufficient for many businesses, although it does lack some of the processes, general capabilities and flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. To overcome this, the latest version, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2009 R2 (released towards the end of 2010), includes in-built connection to Microsoft Dynamics CRM (previously this required a separate piece of software). This enables integration with both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online (note Microsoft Dynamics CRM or Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online are not included as part of Microsoft Dynamics NAV).

So Is CRM Right for Your Business?

In theory, because all businesses have customers, CRM should deliver benefits to all businesses. Realistically though, there will always be some organisations that decide not to implement CRM, at least in the form of proprietary or bespoke software. They may be content just ‘getting by’ without it, have a very small customer-base, or highly niche business model that doesn’t require a CRM solution. However, the number of businesses using proprietary CRM software will continue to increase. Organizations without a formal CRM system will soon be very much in the minority, potentially putting themselves at significant competitive disadvantage.

More information

Concentrix TSG is an independent CRM specialist that provides a variety of ‘best in breed’ CRM solutions. Because we’re independent, we’ll help you choose the right CRM software for your business requirements; matching your aims, objectives, processes, size, sector and budget.

If you’re in a UK business and need to find out more about the benefits CRM can deliver to your organization, or for advice and information about CRM, please contact Concentrix TSG.

Accounting Solutions for Small Businesses: is Microsoft Dynamics NAV a Good Fit?

With over 1 million users worldwide in around 80 000 organisations, Microsoft Dynamics NAV is an established and proven accounting and ERP solution. In the UK, it’s the most popular of the Microsoft Dynamics ERP products. However, we sometimes find there’s a misconception about Microsoft Dynamics NAV that it is strictly for medium and larger sized businesses.

There’s no denying that Microsoft Dynamics NAV’s core market is medium-sized businesses. It’s an incredibly flexible product that can be configured and implemented quickly, has a literally hundreds of configurations for specific industries and verticals, and is great for organisations with say 50 to 250 employees. It’s also used in larger organisations because, in theory, there’s no limit on the number of seats you can deploy. But that’s not to say smaller organisations looking for an accounting or ERP software solution should ignore Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

The most widely used small-business accounting product in the UK is Sage 50. A lot of businesses then graduate from Sage 50 to Sage 200. These are tried and tested products, have great functionality, and, as their popularity proves, are also both excellent accounting and ERP solutions. However, perhaps due to the common perception that it’s only for medium and large sized organisations, Microsoft Dynamics NAV often gets overlooked by small businesses.

If you’re part of a small organisation that’s looking for accounting and ERP software, you should include Microsoft Dynamics NAV in your shortlist: even if you only need one or two users. The basic (Business Essentials) licence costs are not far away from the price of Sage 50 licences, and can actually be slightly less than Sage 200. Microsoft Dynamics NAV has the familiar look and feel of other Microsoft products, and covers most requirements you need from a small business accounting solution ‘out of the box’. You can also try out a cloud version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV offered by Concentrix TSG.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV’s functionality combined with competitive pricing make it a realistic solution for many small businesses, but that’s not to say it’s for all small businesses. At Concentrix TSG we offer a range of solutions, so for help, information and advice on accounting and ERP solution for you organisation, whatever its size, please contact us.

Concentrix TSG are UK based independent Accounting, ERP and CRM software specialists.

Become part of the Concentrix TSG Professional Partnership Programme!

Here at Concentrix TSG we take a partnership approach towards all stakeholders including our customers, employees and suppliers. As a leading CRM and ERP software specialist, we have extended this approach to businesses that offer products and services complementary to those that we provide.

Our Professional Partnership Programme has been a great success, and we would now like to expand the scheme to allow members to gain greater benefits! As a Concentrix TSG partner you benefit from complementary training, discussion groups and entry to specialist events, which means you gain greater knowledge to pass on to your clients.

So, what’s in it for Concentrix TSG, I hear you ask! Well, we hope that by partnering with us that you will think of Concentrix TSG when referring clients (only if you feel that they could genuinely benefit from the products or services that we provide, of course). However there’s no pressure or obligation at all, but if you do happen to refer a client, there is a range of thank you benefits to choose from.

The Concentrix TSG PPP is free to join but only open to businesses supplying complementary products and services to those provided by us.

We’re busy planning the next range of events for our partners, with the next taking place in October. So if you’d like to join us and benefit from the programme, please contact us.

Concentrix TSG holds another successful event for Sage customers

On Wednesday 29th June 2011, Concentrix TSG held a launch for the release of Sage 200 2011. An impressive number of people showed up and the event was a great success!

The morning was held at the Highpoint Conference Centre in Leicester, which provided a lovely and unique setting.

All of the presenters did a great job, which included guests from Draycir, Clarity Software and representatives from Sage. Dave Parker, Sage Business Analyst, spoke to us about the future of Sage 200 and how Sage is progressing to the Cloud.

Some other topics included:

 - Sage 200 - Our Sage specialist Andrew Siddles highlighted the new features of Sage 200 v2011 and demonstrated it on the iPad 2!
- Debbie Clarke, Senior Sage Consultant introduced some new faces of Concentrix TSG and explained about our Sage 200 Business Intelligence course being held next week.
- Account manager Richard Bates was on hand to chat about our Infrastructure support packages.

Sarah Vickers from Sicon was also there to update everyone on the latest updates and products available to Sage users.

The launch was really beneficial for both our customers and the Concentrix TSG team. The venue was beautiful and everyone got a chance to network and find out about the new aspects of Sage 200. Thanks to the feedback, we can now look to improve our future events to make them as enjoyable and informative as possible. I can’t wait to start planning the next one!

Make sure to keep an eye out for the Sage User group in September!

If you are looking to implement a new ERP solution or want to upgrade to the 2011 version of Sage 200, please contact Concentrix TSG.

Choosing an ERP Solution: Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Sage 200

As independent ERP and CRM software providers, it’s important to us at Concentrix TSG that we listen to our customers, our potential customers, and the opinions and experiences of other professionals. Along these lines, we recently commissioned a survey to find out, among other things, why UK businesses chose their current ERP solution.

The survey put this question to 103 senior finance, senior accounting, senior IT and senior management professionals. Out of eleven possible answers, (responders could choose more than one answer and they could also add their own) there was a clear leader: at 44% (compared with the second highest response at just 14%) the most popular answer to why these businesses chose their current ERP solution was that “the product’s features and functionality would best meet their business requirements.”

Product fit and functionality are of course logical and so it was no surprise that this was the top answer in the survey. And Concentrix TSG provides two ERP solutions designed specifically to fit the business requirements of small and medium-sized organizations.

ERP Solutions which will Best Meet Your Business Needs

Concentrix TSG offers two key ‘best in breed’ mid-market ERP software solutions. These are the Sage 200 business management software suite and Microsoft’s flagship product from its Dynamics business solutions range, Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

Because these products were designed from the ground up to be adaptable to different business requirements, they’re both flexible and highly configurable. They both have clear roadmaps and plans for the short, medium and long-term future. Because they are modular systems, you can deploy just the modules you need to achieve the right functionality for each of your business areas. And as your business grows, you can add new or enhanced functionality to meet your expanding needs. So, when we deploy either Sage 200 or Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Concentrix TSG will ensure the features and functionality will best meet your business requirements both now and in the future.

Choosing between Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Sage 200

If both Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Sage 200 potentially provide a good product fit, which one is best for your business?

Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV have slightly different features, qualities and strengths. So the first stage in your ERP project is to choose which one of these two products is most appropriate to your organisation. This is usually achieved by a discussion with one of our ERP specialists, who will review your current business processes, systems, strategy and objectives and recommend the most suitable solution. But if you want a bit of background before you contact one of our consultants, here’s a (very) brief summary of the differences between Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV. You can also find a comparison of Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV on our website.

The Sage 200 Suite

Sage 200 is more of a straightforward ‘out of the box’ ERP solution than Microsoft Dynamics NAV. It’s easy to use, and made by the UK company Sage (which also makes Sage 50, the most popular small business accounting software in the UK).

Sage 200 is a popular choice with companies migrating upwards from Sage 50. Migrating to Sage 200 from Sage 50 is relatively straightforward, and because Sage 50 is extremely popular among small UK businesses, there’s also a good chance some of your staff will already be familiar with the look and feel of Sage products.

Choosing Sage 200 is not exclusive to businesses looking to upgrade from Sage 50 though; it’s also used by businesses migrating from other products as well as those installing an accounting or ERP solution for the first time. Sage 200 also has some excellent add-on programmes and gives you the assurance that there are a high number of accredited business partners and developers around the UK.

Microsoft Dynamics NAV

Microsoft Dynamics NAV is arguably a more flexible and adaptable programme than Sage 200, but with less ‘out of the box’ features. Microsoft Dynamics NAV is the most popular Microsoft ERP solution in the UK, and can be configured to meet just about any business requirement of small and medium sized businesses. In some areas it is more powerful than Sage 200, and it has literally hundreds of add-on applications and vertical solutions. It’s also of course manufactured by Microsoft so has a network of partners and developers worldwide.

ERP in the Cloud

Concentrix TSG offers Microsoft Dynamics NAV as a cloud solution, as well as offering the more traditional on-premise deployment. Sage 200 is not available ‘in the cloud’ yet but it is a key focus of Sage’s product development and a cloud version of Sage 200 should be available towards the end of 2012. Choosing between a cloud or on-premises deployment of you ERP software depends on your business strategy, IT infrastructure and several other factors. However, the choice of deployment options for Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and in the near future for Sage 200, helps further to ensure the solution best meets your business requirements

Full Range of Services Ensure a Good Fit

To implement either Sage 200 or Microsoft Dynamics NAV in your business, you will have to work with an accredited Sage Business Partner of Microsoft Business Partner such as Concentrix TSG (you won’t be able to purchase either product unless you work with a formally accredited business partner) .

Working with a business partner gives you access to trained, qualified and experienced staff. They will help you right from the early stages of your project, such as project definition, scoping and planning, through project management, implementation, training, project review and on-going support.

Both Sage 200 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV are excellent ERP software solutions that can fit the requirements of a wide variety of mid-sized businesses. To find out how they can meet the ERP requirements of your organization, please contact Concentrix TSG.

Don’t forget to attend the Concentrix TSG Launch of Sage 200 v2011!

Today is the last day to register for our Sage 200 v2011 launch on Wednesday 29th June! Over 50 of our Sage customers are coming along, and there’s still time for you to put your name on the list.

The morning will be held at the Highpoint Conference Centre in Leicester; a beautiful old convent that has managed to keep its traditional features while being delicately modernised.

The event will take you through some of the new faces here at Concentrix TSG along with a Sage update, Sage for the future and what’s new in Sage 200 version 2011. Guest speakers from Draycir, Docmail and Sicon will also be joining us to show what’s on offer to help you make the most of your Sage suite.

A real plus about the new version is that it can now be used with the iPhone, and new Time and Expense modules have been added too. It also includes built-in email marketing so you can easily create and execute high-quality, targeted and measurable marketing campaigns.

Refreshments will be served throughout the morning and a demonstration of Sage 200 in the iPad 2 will also be passed around for you to have a go on! Friday 23rd June is the last day for you to let us know that you want to attend, so simply email [email protected] to register.

If you are looking for an ERP system, such as Sage 200, please contact us or take a look at our website.

New Release of Sage 200: Features, What’s Included, Launch Event and Business Intelligence Training

The release of Sage 200 2011 is keeping us pretty busy here at Concentrix TSG. In fact, in the month that it was released (May), we had more enquiries about Sage 200 than any other ERP solution or any of our CRM software products!

Sage announced last year that it would upgrade Sage 200 annually. This is great for Sage Business Partners such as Concentrix TSG and also for clients, as it means we can all assess the product before upgrading plan ahead and schedule accordingly.  

As you would expect, there are a whole host of new features in Sage 200 2011. The main headlines are that Sage 200 now works with the iPhone as well as Blackberrys, business intelligence has been enhanced, and there’s a powerful e-marketing tool in the Sage 200 CRM module. The e-marketing tool is based on the popular Swiftpage email application, and will be a big advantage to marketing and sales staff in particular. Sage 200 2011 also includes enhancements to manufacturing and business intelligence, web-based timesheets and expenses has been rewritten, and there’s a data migration tool to help with upgrading to the product.

As one of the UK’s leading ERP software vendors, Sage listens to its customers and takes note of their comments and feedback. That’s one of the reasons we like working with them and that they develop ‘best in breed’ products. Because they listen, many of the new features and enhancements in Sage 200 2011 are the direct result of feedback from people that use the product as part of their daily work.

Sage 200 has a clear roadmap for future development. This includes producing a cloud-based version by the end of 2012. There are a number of technical challenges to overcome with this but Sage recognises these and is actively working on them.

If you’re a Concentrix TSG customer that uses Sage 200, you should have had your invite to our Sage 200 2011 launch event on 29th June. There’s still time to register but the event is getting near capacity, so if you’re thinking of coming please reserve places for you and your colleagues as soon as possible.

In Sage 200 2011, the business intelligence functionality has been extended to include data from the project accounting module. Sage 200 Business Intelligence is one of the key functions within the Sage 200 suite and we receive many enquiries about it. Because of this, we’re holding a Sage 200 Business Intelligence training course on Wednesday 6th July 2011 at our offices in Mountsorrel, near Loughborough. This is an in-depth course which will guide you through using Sage 200 Business Intelligence. It’s the second time we have run this course. We received excellent feedback last time and it is proving extremely popular once again. We keep class sizes small and classes soon fill up so please contact us to book a place as soon as possible.

Back to upgrading to Sage 200 2011 - if you’re an existing Concentrix TSG customer currently using Sage 200, the latest version of the software is free of charge. There may however be costs involved in the upgrade process and these will depend on the complexity of your system and the amount of work involved. Please don’t hesitate to contact your Concentrix TSG account manager for advice on this, or contact us for any queries. Meanwhile we hope to see you at the launch event!