Great Plains is a brand of business software that was purchased by Microsoft in 2001. Since then Microsoft has rebranded the software to Microsoft Dynamics and has discontinued support for the system. However, Great Plains was a popular program in its day and many people still use it. While this system is spoken of highly by many of its users, all software has its flaws. Here are some of the most common pet peeves of people who are using Great Plains for accounting today.

A Lack of Support

Because Microsoft stopped offering support for Great Plains Accounting in 2008, it can be difficult to find solutions for your problems. If you have been using the software for a while, you may be able to figure new problems out for yourself. However, if you are coming into a new job without any prior knowledge of the program you can easily find yourself lost. This is especially true if no one else in your office is familiar with the program. Trial and error may be your only option, which can become downright panic-inducing if it is taking place during the end of the fiscal year. Upgrading can be pricy, but if you find yourself in this position it may be your best solution.

Default User Dates

Every time a person logs into a company on Great Plains, the user date defaults to the current day. This is understandable, but it can also lead to some snarls. The most common is when a user gets the message “the user date falls within a fiscal year that hasn’t been set up.” This is most likely to occur when trying to print out a report for a different year.  The problem can be corrected by changing the user date on the toolbar to the year of the desired report. However, this has to be done every time you log in.

Lack of Intuitive Solutions

With experience Great Plains can be easy to use, but when starting out users often find that the solutions they seek do not easily spring to mind. This can relate to formatting issues or when trying to correct information that the system has automatically added. Options may be grayed out without explanation or boxes unchecked for no apparent reason. These issues tend to be more prominent on older versions of the program, but many users find that it difficult to find a solution to their problems through trial and error. The best way for a Great Plains user to find answer to a problem of this nature is to talk to someone who has used the program before or to find a forum online to talk with other users.

Problems with Language Settings

Great Plains has some sensitivities to the default language settings that can result in frustrating or seemingly unexplained errors. A common message you may see is “all call stacks are in use. Cannot stat script,” when opening the Transaction Entry window in the General Ledger. You may also have difficulty with login or starting the program. The problem can be resolved by changing your computer’s language setting to United States English and disabling the “perform translation for character data” option in the ODBC configuration.  If this does not work, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the program.

Great Plains Accounting is a popular and highly regarded form of software. While some users may experience problems, many do not. It can be frustrating to start using the program without much support, but with time most of the common pet peeves associated with this program will become less and less of a problem.

Sarah Jackson is a freelance writer and editor who remembers when Great Plains was a little more great by comparison, but does greatly appreciate many oher fine offerings from Microsoft.

Share to Explore !!

Facebook

Digg

Pinterest

Twitter

Reddit

Linkedin

StumbleUpon

Tumblr

Print

email

Yummly

Buffer

Since 1869, the Suez Canal has served as one of the world’s most important waterways, allowing convoys of large freights to travel easily between Asia and Europe without navigating around the African continent. The 193-mile artificial waterway took a decade to build and has seen multiple enlargements over the years. Today the canal supports 8% of the world’s shipping traffic and is used by the world’s largest shipping companies to transport goods. Of course, such convenience comes at a price, and it’s just been announced that the cost of transit on the Suez Canal will now rise by as much as 5%.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) in Egypt has implemented the following increases in tolls:

• 5% for ships carrying oil and petroleum products
• 2% for container ships and vessels transporting cars
• 3% for all other ships

Strengthening the Suez

The increase follows a number of recent studies conducted by the SCA, which took a close look at marine traffic on the Suez Canal as well as the waterway’s toll revenues; findings revealed that in 2012, the canal was used by a total of 17 252 ships and 932.43 million tonnes of cargo – ultimately yielding revenues of $5 129 600 000. With the Suez Canal accounting for a significant part of Egypt’s GDP, and a major source of foreign currency, the Government hopes that the toll increases will help to further boost toll revenues and avert a currency crisis. The worldwide effect on trade and shipping traffic remains to be seen in the coming months, but the increase could see more freight owners choosing alternative routes or weighing the cost of the Panama Canal against the Suez.

Rail and Road Links

The Government has also announced that plans are underway to build three tunnels under the canal; two of these 3km long, 12.2m wide) will be used for road links and one longer tunnel (5km long, 12.2m wide) will be dedicated to a rail transport project. This move is part of a larger regional development plan. Hatem Abdel Latif, Egyptian Minister for Transport, told press that the tunnels will contribute to expansion in North Sinai and complete the extension of the coastal road between Rafah and Nuweiba.

As Egypt’s foreign currency reserves begin to dwindle, it is vital that the Government protect this valuable source of foreign income, and look at innovative projects like the Suez Canal rail and road tunnel construction in order to strengthen the country’s economy and trade connections alike.

Share to Explore !!

Facebook

Digg

Pinterest

Twitter

Reddit

Linkedin

StumbleUpon

Tumblr

Print

email

Yummly

Buffer

If you have a business that relies on a variety of heavy-duty equipment to carry out day-to-day activities, then you will not want to have them break down. Purchasing most of the business equipment is not cheap and many businesses usually end up folding when they find themselves in this predicament. You should however, be aware that there is hope in form of equipment financing options that exist in the world today. It is necessary for you to make sure that you access an equipment finance option that is right for your needs if you are to avoid making mistakes that may cost you your livelihood.

Below are some of the factors that you should consider before selecting equipment financing option for your business:

Affordability

Each equipment finance company that you contact will give you a quote that is unique depending on the products and services you are going to get. Business equipment is never cheap but with research, you can access a company that will provide you with competitively priced financing options. Getting great value for your money in the long term should be your ultimate goal. As long as you will have access to the equipment your business needs to make money, paying it off should not be a problem if the prices are fair.

Types of Equipment Provided

The service provider you select should provide you with the type of equipment you will need. Different industries have different equipment requirements and getting a leading service provider will assure you of the best deals available. The education, medical, construction, energy, and mining industries are just an example of the sectors that require heavy equipment and having a company that provides for a wide range of these options should be your aim. This way you can purchase all the products you need from one supplier, which may end up being cheaper in the long term.

Range of Financing Options Available

It is important for you to ensure you have some wiggle room as far as the equipment finance options are concerned. Leading financing companies allow for flexibility when it comes to financial payment arrangements to ensure that majority of their clients can pay for their equipment they obtain from them. Some of these include lease purchases, fixed loans, floating term loans, lease lines of credit and so on. Having flexible financing options ensures that you will not default on payments and lose your business.

Terms of Payments

When it comes to doing business, never work with an equipment finance company that does not have transparent dealings. Ensure that you select a service provider who gives you clear terms regarding your expected payment period, interest rates, monthly payments, sell and lease conditions etc. At the end of the day, it is your business on the line, so you must practice caution.

Share to Explore !!

Facebook

Digg

Pinterest

Twitter

Reddit

Linkedin

StumbleUpon

Tumblr

Print

email

Yummly

Buffer

Whether you are just out of college trying to buy your first home or you are refinancing after your children have grown and moved out, you should have a copy of your credit score. Knowing your score puts you ahead of the creditors. Knowing that your report is free of errors and that anything negative has been disputed, gives you peace of mind.

When shopping for a credit report it can be overwhelming. Commercials will advertise free reports. However, once you log on to obtain your report there is a catch. Do not let the business of credit reports get you. You can get a free credit report. In fact, you are entitled to one.

Fair Credit Reporting Act

The Federal Trade Commission has a mandate known as the Free Credit Reporting Act. In this act you are entitled to a free credit report once a year from the big three credit companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The FCRA mentions that you should only request your credit report through annualcreditreport.com.

Common Requested Information

When filing for a free credit report one worry can be that you will have to give out personal information. With all the stories about identity theft this is a tough issue. Under the FCRA you will have to give your name, address, social security number and date of birth. You do not have to give a credit card number. If a site asks you for a credit card number, be aware that this is a red flag for a scam.

Many sites will say that they are issuing a free credit report when you sign up for a free trial service. However, they will ask for your credit card number at the time you sign up. If you opt for this service make sure that you read the fine print and cancel the trial before the deadline or you may get charged.

Another Option for a Free Report

Under the FCRA if you are denied a loan or application of some kind, you are entitled to ask for a copy of your report within 60 days of said action. You should receive an Adverse Action Notice which will state that you were denied credit, the reasons why and that you are entitled to a free credit report.

If you were approved for a loan, but your credit score affected the rate at which your loan was given in a negative way, as compared to other consumers, you will receive a Risk-Based Pricing Notice. If you do receive this you will find information about your score and what factors contributed to the negative risk that is associated with you as a client. Additionally, you will receive information on how to obtain a free credit report.

Some companies will send out a Credit Disclosure Notice, which will give you information about your credit score and how it was used in the approval process of your credit application.

Knowing Credit Score Factors

Your credit may change every day. Some of the items that affect your credit score are:

• How often you move
• How often you r payments are on time or late
• How often creditors or banks pull your credit report
• Whether you have disputed items

With these factors in mind it is important to know your score when you are looking for a loan or applying for a job. CreditKarma.com is a website that provides your score free. This site bases the score off of your TransUnion credit report. They will not charge for this service and you can keep an eye on your score.

What About the FICO Score?

There is one other score that may be looked at when you apply for credit or a mortgage, which is the FICO score. This score was once the do all to end all score. This is no longer the case. The FICO score is actually one of many scores that a company may or may not look at. It appears as if companies are now looking at your VantageScore, your credit report and other factors they determine in house.

When struggling with credit issues, know that you are entitled to a free credit report.

The author who contributed this article is Chase Sagum, Financial and Business blogger. Check out more of his content at www.lexingtonlaw.com.

Share to Explore !!

Facebook

Digg

Pinterest

Twitter

Reddit

Linkedin

StumbleUpon

Tumblr

Print

email

Yummly

Buffer

The insurance industry is footing an ever increasing bill for the devastation being caused to thousands of homes and vehicles across the UK as a result of climate change. The huge rise in payouts over the past decade or so for risks such as floods could render the insurance industry unsustainable if the current trends continue.

The insurance industry is being urged by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) to step up their efforts to engage the government and policymakers on the issue and increase awareness of the dangers climate change poses. It is feared that without swift action insurers will be unable to offer cover to residents in high risk areas of the UK as well as oversees.

The CII recently published the third in their series of reports looking closely at the impact climate change is having on the insurance industry. The report put forward three visions of the future, devised by leading climate change and insurance experts, and the risks each posed for insurers and society as a whole.

Best case scenario

This favourable scenario looks at the future in a world that has managed to harness renewable sources of energy effectively and successfully minimise the amount of green house gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels. Governments across the world have been able to develop infrastructure sufficiently to ensure there are early warning systems in place to allow them to counter any climate risks without the destructive consequences such events bring today. In this scenario insurers encourage the development of sustainable practices by incentivising their customers financially.

The middle ground

In much the way the insurance industry is headed at present, this scenario bases its premise on a limited endeavour to introduce sustainable practices and sporadic efforts by governments to increase the use of renewable energy sources. In this scenario the insurance industry would be left with little choice but to withdraw cover from high risk locations prone to extreme weather conditions.

Worst case scenario

In this scenario only very little effort is made to increase the use of renewable energy sources. This would push the climate of the earth beyond the point of redemption, whereby efforts to increase sustainability in the future would be essential, but their implementation would be extremely costly and would only have limited success. The insurance industry would be unable to meet the costs of such an increasingly turbulent natural environment, with freak weather events and localised devastation becoming commonplace.

Although these scenarios are future predictions and far from definitive, they have been created based on detailed analysis of current and historical trends. The consequences of neglecting to act now and allowing our climate to become increasingly tempestuous are clearly severe, and potentially irreversible.

Claire White is an employee of ConstructaQuote, one of the UK’s leading insurance comparison sites, working with some of the UK’s leading insurers to find businesses and private customers alike great prices on a wide range of insurance products .

Share to Explore !!

Facebook

Digg

Pinterest

Twitter

Reddit

Linkedin

StumbleUpon

Tumblr

Print

email

Yummly

Buffer