April 2010 Newsletter

 In this Edition:
Special Convergence Issue! 

See the special section below.



I'm looking forward to seeing many of you in Atlanta for Convergence this year!  Be sure to stop by the Dynamics® SL Solutions Station (Expo Booth #127) that Plumbline is hosting this year to learn more about some great ISVs and their Microsoft Dynamics SL add-on solutions. 

We're also excited about several other things going on that are listed in the "What's New" section below (be sure to check them out!).  Plumbline will be participating again in the ISV sessions at Convergence, we are providing new add-on solutions, and are pleased that the PositivePay solution will now be available for Dynamics AX customers. 

Best Regards,

Todd Michael
Director
Plumbline Consulting
(419) 581-2973

Plumbline provides software engineering services for Microsoft Dynamics® Channel Partners and Microsoft Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). We offer software development, application support, technology and business process consulting, with a focus on delivering excellence and building lasting relationships.

Social Networking and CRM: Are you Ready?

Adam Sarner, a Gartner analyst, contends that in social networking, “CRM is where you are going to see the ROI in the business model as opposed to anywhere else. It’s all about connecting and engaging in new ways with customers.”

So, What is Social Networking?

Social networking - at a high level - is the use of internet based technologies that make it possible for individuals and your customers to easily communicate, share information, and form new communities online.  It is now common knowledge that the growth and use of social networks by individuals and consumers has been explosive.

Today there are:

·   Over 8 million Twitter users and Twitter is the fastest growing online site

·   36 million LinkedIn users

·   200+ million FaceBook users

While Social Networking is still a relatively new technology, many organizations are already realizing that they also can't ignore it.  Your organization can gain the ability to better listen to customer conversations and engage social customers on their own terms while managing and measuring your efforts to do so.  This enables your organization to get closer to a true 360-degree view of your customer so your organization can further optimize the marketing, sales and customer service efforts.

Another Gartner Research report calls social networking a “disruptive influence” on the CRM market, challenging companies to innovate and adjust.

There are some basic strategies that can help organizations better leverage social networking as part of their overall customer management and CRM strategy:

·   Treat social networking as a new channel within CRM;

·   Enhance and extend CRM through social networking;

·   Play to the strengths of both CRM and social networks.

Microsoft has a game plan to assist you in implementing “Social Networking“ as a complement to your current customer management strategy. They offer the Social Networking Accelerator for Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Accelerators for Microsoft Dynamics CRM are FREE add-on modules developed to address specific business needs. [Read More].

 

Unable to open Microsoft Dynamics SL 7.0 FP1 on a workstation running Windows 7 64 bit.

If you cannot launch Microsoft Dynamics SL 7.0 FP1 on a workstation running Windows 7 64bit with UAC enabled, there is a hot fix available to address the issue. Customers can learn more about this situation at this CustomerSource site; Partners can find the additional information here.

Negotiating tips from In Business As In Life:

Everybody loves a bargain.  The following bargains, if incorporated into your offer, are likely to leave the buyer with a higher level of satisfaction:

  • Getting what somebody else wanted.

  • Getting a better price than expected.

  • Winning a better price than was asked.

  • Reaching an agreement that had to work hard to get.

  • Being told by others that they got a good bargain.

  • Getting the service/goods when they thought they might lose them.

  • Getting a chance to look good to others in their organization later.

  • Discovering that a mistake (however small) has been made in their favor.

  • Getting something personal thrown in for goodwill.

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

Convergence 2010

 Will be held in Atlanta, GA April 24-27. 
Network with business contacts, Microsoft experts and industry leaders and learn about new products and strategies.  You can also view all sessions being offered for the SL product line by viewing the session catalog on the Convergence website. The Virtual Partner Briefing goes live on April 22nd.
Microsoft will be hosting another SL Partner breakfast at Convergence this year.

Check PartnerSource for updates on when and where this event will take place...


User Group Day at Convergence

The Microsoft Dynamics SL User Group is hosting an afternoon of activity for SL customers on Saturday, April 24th and you are invited!  Learn more about this event. 

Dynamics® SL Solutions Station at Convergence 2010 Expo

 You are invited to be part of this exciting event!  For the second year running, Plumbline is hosting a booth at Convergence 2010 to bring together ISVs that have developed SL Add-On Solutions. 

We hope that everyone attending Convergence will take a moment stop by Booth #127 to see what new solutions are available for Microsoft Dynamics SL! 

WPC
The 2010 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference will be held in Washington, D.C., from July 12 to July 16. Conference Registration is open!




Name:  Linda Contreras

Background:  Linda is a Consultant with Plumbline Consulting, where she provides consulting services and technical support, specializing in the Distribution modules. Prior to Plumbline, Linda owned a small business in the transportation/service industry, serving as a financial officer.  Before that, she worked for more than ten years in the insurance industry as a licensed property and casualty insurance agent in Ohio.

Likes best about consulting:  It's never boring! There are always lots of opportunities to learn new things and take on challenges.

Hobbies: Quilting and rollerblading (but not at the same time).

 

Here are  some interesting tidbits from Women’s Health

  • Hooked on caffeine?  You may be if you get ‘withdrawal’ headaches.  Typically, the throbbing kicks in about 12 to 14 hours after you’ve had your last cup.  Studies suggest a moderate amount of caffeine is good for overall health.  But too much can bring on headaches, long-term insomnia and increased heart rate.

  • The likelihood of catching a cold is 100 times more on an airplane than under normal, everyday circumstances.

  • In a study, women who drank two or more servings per day of artificially sweetened soda had a 30% decline in kidney function.  Regular soda had no such effect.

    •

 

 

 

 


 http://www.linkedin.com/companies/
 plumbline-consulting

 

Convergence Sessions Back by Popular Demand: Meet Your Microsoft Dynamics SL Complementary Solution Providers!

These exciting sessions offer customers with insight on a wide range of integrated solutions for Microsoft Dynamics SL. The Microsoft Dynamics SL team is hosting two "Meet Your Microsoft Dynamics SL Complementary Solution Providers" sessions at Convergence 2010 Atlanta, April 24–27, 2010. Be sure to make time for these sessions while at Convergence.

ISVs - You should have received an invitation to participate from Jeff Wallis, but if you haven’t seen it come across and are interested in participating in the session, please contact Jenny Davis at jenny@spiderandcompany.com to receive a copy of the invitation.

Plumbline creates another Proven Solution! 

Ever wish you could generate invoices in multiple currencies from transactions entered in the Service Dispatch Service screen?  Well, now you can!  Introducing our latest Plumbline Proven Solution - Multi-currency Service Invoices.

Plumbline Proven Solutions are a collection of modifications developed to simplify data entry, increase visibility of data, safeguard against procedural errors, or to increase speed/efficiency. While most of these programs provide minor changes, they can have a big impact on your company's productivity!  The entire list of solutions available can be viewed here.

PositivePay for Dynamics AX

Plumbline Solutions is very pleased to announce that we've again teamed with Sandler*Kahne Software to bring another product to the Dynamics community... this time for Dynamics AX! Positive Pay for Dynamics AX offers users the security of knowing that their bank is honoring only those checks they’ve created and authorized to be paid. This out-of-the-box solution comes complete with the bank formats needed to allow users to work with their reseller to install and implement the software quickly and start protecting themselves from check fraud right away!

Read more about this great product at http://www.sksoft.com/dynamics_ax/positive-pay.php or contact Sandler*Kahne at sales@sksoft.com. Learn more about how we've expanded our services to include Dynamics AX. 

If you plan to attend the Convergence Expo, you can also stop by Booth #332 to talk with representatives from Sandler*Kahne.

Microsoft Dynamics ERP customers in the United States and Canada who attend Convergence 2010 Atlanta can get up to a 20 percent discount when:

  • Acquiring additional users.
  • Acquiring additional modules/granules.
  • Transitioning between Microsoft Dynamics product lines, editions, or licensing models.

Read offer details on CustomerSource.

 U.S. Government Contractor Report Pack Fact Sheet for Microsoft Dynamics SL

 Microsoft Dynamics SL continues to focus on providing functionality that helps government contractors meet their DCAA auditory needs as well as provide them with the flexibility to grow their businesses as new opportunities arrive. Learn more on the U.S. Government Contractor Report Pack available for Microsoft Dynamics SL 7.0 FP1.

Get Your Customers Current: End of Support is Near

Are your customers running old versions of software? Microsoft support for the Windows XP with Service Pack 2 (SP2) operating system will end July 13, 2010, and support for the Windows Vista Release to Manufacturing (RTM) operating system will end April 13, 2010. Learn more about how you can utilize this opportunity to upgrade your customers.
 


If you have consultants in your organization that are not receiving the Plumbline Newsletter, please forward a copy of the newsletter to them and have them click on the "Subscribe me!" link in the email. Sign-up is also available on our website. We want to make sure we have these professionals “in the know” about the latest SL activities and ensure they have access to the monthly hints & tips.

To read previous issues of our newsletter click here.

 

Corporate Web Site        Our Company          Services          Case Studies          Demos          Contact

Copyright© 2006 Plumbline Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.    Privacy Policy

 

Convergence 2010 - Today|Tomorrow|Together

A special thanks to our partners who are participating in the Dynamics SL Solutions Station
(Booth #127) to highlight their integrated solutions for Dynamics SL at the Convergence Expo:



Accountable Software - Booth #639
 Bueno Software
EHTC
 effectuer Software   
JAAS Systems
Landfall Solutions
Queue Associates
Renown
 SilverBrook Systems
Unanet

Please stop by to see us!

 





 

 

Hope to see you at Convergence!