Do you use it? That long, 60-character Purpose field in SchoolBooks

We’ve always prided ourselves for being responsive to our users and adding requested enhancements on a fairly regular basis. In an attempt to keep our software up-to-date and fresh, we usually add new features, new sorting options, new reports, or something fun (you name it) about once a year. Then every once in a while, we come back and check to see who is actually using the new stuff we added.

In May 2008, one of the Version 5.9 changes was the lengthening of the Purpose (Description) field from 30 to 60 characters. We increased the length in Purchase Orders, Invoice Entry, Receipting/Bank Deposits – in short, everywhere throughout the software. Users had been telling us for years that they needed more room for longer and more detailed descriptions. We had held off for quite a while because it was a major change, requiring us to modify almost every data file, several of the screens, and to change the layouts on many of the reports. But we did it and that longer Purpose field has been out there in the world now for a year and a half.

So – here’s the question: How many of you out there regularly use more than the old 30 characters in your Purpose fields? Who out there is taking advantage of all that space to enter long, detailed descriptions of the transaction? Please comment and let me know. All feedback will be appreciated.

New Update Available for SchoolBooks WEB - Version 2.0

A new update is available for SchoolBooks WEB.

If you are a SchoolBooks WEB Customer, you should have received an email earlier today with the release notes. The list of release notes is VERY long because there were so many bug fixes and enhancements included. I would recommend you get it as soon as possible.

Here is my "Top Ten" list of highlights included in version 2.0:

• Tabbing in all screens has been enhanced so that you can use the Enter key to get to the next field.
• New Enhanced Reporting Engine that will allow multiple users to print reports and journals at the same time without errors.
• Improved scrolling on Bank Reconciliation screen.
• Added Receipt update window to create Bank Deposits from Receipts allowing the user to change the import type (summary or detail), date of deposit, and deposit bank.
• Added ability to choose which lines of a Purchase Order you want to pull onto an Invoice.
• Added ability to void Opening Bank Checks in Manual/Void Check Entry.
• Added new “Deposit Correction” type adjustment to the Adjustment Wizard.
• Added an “Address" tab for Purchase Order and Street Addresses in Vendor Maintenance. This means you can have a different address to print on your Purchase Orders for those vendors that have multiple addresses.
• Added Consolidated Vendor Check History Reports.
• Fixed the memo printing on Computer Checks.

Need a Refresher About Doing Year End?

Try these links to our "How To" Videos:

For Tracks: This video reviews hw to load your new students for 2009/2010, clear out last year's history and more - http://www.activeeducate.com/take-a-tour/dr-download-video.htm

For SchoolBooks: This video has everything you need to know about doing year end - http://www.activeeducate.com/take-a-tour/school-books-year-end-video.htm

Emergency? Who ya gonna call?

It’s 6pm and you’re almost finished with a very long day. You’ve installed the Tracks software on your laptop because you need an extra workstation for registration tomorrow, but now you discover something’s wrong. You click on Tracks and nothing happens. Yikes! What do you do? Who ya gonna call?

No, this isn’t a job for the Ghostbusters! And please - don’t just email your Account Manager – he/she may not see your email until morning. It’s time to remember that we have after hours support for emergencies – and that’s 24/7. How do you contact them? It’s easy. Call our regular support line at 1-888-490-1555. Listen to the message and you’ll hear the option to contact Emergency Support from that menu. Follow the directions and an actual live person (one of our senior support analysts) will call you back – in real time. We understand that sometimes challenges with software and equipment happen outside normal business hours – and we’re there to support you if and when it does. If you have an emergency – any emergency (picture a line of 300 students waiting restlessly) and you’re stuck, please call us and go to that emergency line. We’ll be there for you - we promise!

On that same note, our Support Team continues to maintain impressive low average wait times even here in the middle of August (typically our busiest phone season). Wait times for the How-To Queue are approximately 2-3 minutes and about 10-15 minutes for the Data Repair/Error Queue. It's not surprising that we’re getting lots of compliments from users about the short waits and we appreciate every single one of them. Thanks for being vocal about your approval!

So remember – if you have a problem or question, call or email Support. But if you have an emergency, don't email! Pick up the phone - no matter what time it is. We’ll be there to help!

New Update Available for Tracks and SchoolBooks Desktop - Version 6.05.18.619

A new update is available for SchoolBooks and Tracks Desktop.

This release installs an update to Crystal Reports to ensure compatibility on newer versions of Windows and some fixes for Client/Server systems. Check out the release notes for more information.

Be the Best YOU you can be!

With the coming rush of Fall Registration and all that Back to School entails, it’s easy to get caught up in an overwhelming feeling of frustration and self-blame because you can’t always be all things to all people. You may be thinking “There aren’t enough hours in the day” or “I’ll never get it all done” or “I can’t believe we’re going to actually do this with as few people as we have.” And you may allow yourself to feel badly because of those negative thoughts.

But wait! There’s another way. Why not take just a moment and appreciate the wonderful person you are? Be thankful that you have the skills and abilities you have. If you’re reading this, you’re probably somehow associated with software and accounting, so you have the opportunity to use that fantastic brain of yours every day – and that keeps the juices flowing.

So bottomline: Don’t beat yourself up if it doesn’t all get done. Do the best you can, try to be nice to your co-workers, the students, and yes, even their parents. Look around yourself and realize that in one way or another, every single person is doing the best he or she can. They may not be as bright, or as talented, or even as motivated as you’d like them to be, but there they are. They deserve your respect and your patience, even at the end of a long day of endless lines, countless questions, and innumerable interruptions.

You are special. There is only one of you. Be good to yourself. When you look at yourself in the mirror, look right into your eyes and smile at that beautiful face and say “I love you. You’re a marvelous being!” That may sound a little odd, but it’s wonderfully powerful. When I was growing up and we’d leave for school in the morning, my mother would lean down and say, “Be the best YOU you can be today. You don’t have to be better than anyone else or worry about anyone else. Just be the very best YOU!” So during these times that get a bit challenging with hectic schedules and conflicting demands, I encourage you to take care of yourself – and be the best YOU you can be! You are worth it!

New Update Available - Version 6.05.17.615

A new update is available for SchoolBooks and Tracks Desktop.

We recommend you go to Help / Get Updates to download this update especially if you have a WebStore and have started selling your item that can move students to Price Level B (Ex: ASB Card, Gold Gold, Student Body Card, etc.) to make sure they are all set to the correct Price Level.

Update Release Notes Version 6.05.17.615 - August 5, 2009

Tracks

1. Fixed an issue in Student Update where in a small number of instances, the birth date did not import correctly.
2. Fixed an issue with WebStore integration where in some circumstances when a student purchased a Student Body Card on the WebStore, the Student was not subsequently changed to Price Level B on the WebStore. To make sure all data is correct, this update also converts all students who have purchased the "Price Level B" item after May 15, 2009 to Price Level B.

No changes were made to SchoolBooks.

Happy new school year!

Enhancements to Improve Your Audits: Feedback Needed

I’m reviewing Tracks and SchoolBooks enhancement requests that pertain to audits. These are either requests you’ve made because your auditor asked for them or things you think would help you have an easier time with the whole audit process. We get a lot of compliments on our SchoolBooks Audit Selection Report, but I think we could do more. I would appreciate your feedback: Are your auditors requesting different types of information than they were a couple years ago? Are there any reports that need one more function added to be just perfect for you and them? Is there something else we could give you that would make your audit go more smoothly?

I’m listing the current enhancement requests that contain the word “audit” so you can comment and tell me whether these are important to you or if you have something completely new to add. Whatever we discover together, I’ll report it back here.

SchoolBooks:

• Audit Selection Report – Add option to print all deposits over X amount. Add option to print all receipts over X amount.
• Add option to summarize accounts on the Balance Sheet. She got an exception on her audit because they saw sub-accounts on her Balance Sheet and didn’t like that some of them had negative balances.
• Master Audit Report – Needs to show changes and additions to User Codes.
• New audit report to show changes to master files – like Vendor Maintenance and GL Account Maintenance.
• New consolidated report - Vendor Check History for 1099 vendors only across all schools.
• New consolidated report - Consolidated Category Report across all schools.

Tracks:

• Master Audit Report – display all WebStore sales under ” WebStore” User Code.
• Importing transactions. When using Import Manager, auditors want to see a list of imported sales listed by receipt number.
• Add option to Sales by Receipt Report – allow for grouping/selection by Payment Type (so she can get a separate list of all credit card sales).