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Accounting Software
Business & Miscellaneous Software
Software Services
Advanced Services
Why use KLH Services, Inc.?
Software packages supported:
Click on a product's name below to view the software company's
website in a new window.
Please report any
broken links to the webmaster at the e-mail address below. The products referenced herein are registered
trademarks
and property of their respective companies.
 | Accounting Software:
 | Expert skill level [I'm
either currently certified in the product and/or very proficient with
the product]:
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| Good skill level [I was
either previously certified or have had a good deal of experience with the
product]:
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| Slight skill level [I've
had limited experience with the product within the last 5 years, but
don't consider myself overly proficient]:
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| Very slight skill level [I've
worked with the package a long time
ago and I expect a lot
has changed in the meantime]:
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If you need help
with a product not referenced above, I can probably assist you with any
non-technical issues. Technical issues require contact with the vendor
or a certified consultant. While I might not have direct experience with
your package, they are all fairly similar in functionality. Learning the
nuances of a new package is relatively easy for me considering my experience
with so many other accounting packages.
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| Installation of new software...
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Some installation tips and tricks can only be learned with
experience. |
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Some installs require permanent set up decisions be made on the spot. |
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Sometimes an advanced install is better than the standard/default. |
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| Set up and Configuration...
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Decisions regarding what, if any, historical data will be
entered or migrated should be made prior to set up. |
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Set up choices aren't always clear and may have hidden
repercussions. |
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Improper configuration can lead to data corruption and data loss. |
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| Customization of Forms, Reports, and Screens...
| Forms:
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Most programs allow the user to create custom forms. |
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Customizable forms often include estimates, sales orders, invoices,
statements, purchase
orders, and checks. |
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Company logos can be added to many forms. |
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| Reports:
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Most programs allow the user to customize reports. |
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Custom reporting allows you to view only
that data you're interested in seeing, in the format you choose. |
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Crystal Reports can pull data from almost any database, so if the
report you want is not possible from within the program itself, odds are
you can create it with Crystal. |
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| Screen (GUI):
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Some programs allow the user to alter the appearance of
data entry screens or views. |
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You can usually change colors and fonts, add
or remove fields, or reorder the sequence of fields. |
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Some products allow
the addition of optional or additional fields. These fields
are specific to your company and provide the user a place to store data
that isn't stored in a default field. |
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| Implementation...
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Implementing a software package, especially an accounting
package or a database,
involves much more than installation and set-up. |
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Switching to another program should involve running concurrent systems
until it can be confirmed that the new system is bug free. |
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Rolling out the project requires a project manager that can oversee
all aspects of the implementation - from installation to coordination of
personnel to verification of data. |
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| Conversion:
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Some software packages offer automatic conversion utilities
which make it appear easy to
switch from your existing program to the new one. Too often these
utilities leave a lot to be desired - some perform a partial
conversion while others can potentially corrupt your data. If you
insist on trying a conversion utility, steps should be taken to protect
your existing data. |
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Manual conversions offer more control and
tend to be safer. They involve setting up the new software
package as if there was no existing data, then either keying or
importing (data migration) the existing data into the new package.
While this method may take a little longer, you gain total control over
what data moves over into the new program. Furthermore, it's safer
because your existing data remains intact, which allows the old
program to be run simultaneously with the new program to verify
accuracy. |
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| Data Migration:
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Moving data from one program to another can be a cumbersome task
if you rely on manual data entry. Depending on the amount of
data you have, it may be more economical and efficient to have the data
migrated from the old program into the new package. |
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Data migration involves exporting data from one program,
changing or manipulating it as necessary in an intermediary
program such as Excel, then importing it into another program. Even
if file formats are the same or similar for both programs, they
often require different fields with different attributes in different
sequences. |
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Data consistency is key to determining if data
migration is the right path for your conversion. If the existing
data is entered in a consistent manner, data migration is a relatively
simple process. An example of inconsistency would be having some
phone numbers in the contact field, some in the address field, and some
in the phone field. |
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REVISIONS: I do my best to keep my clients
apprised as to when product
revisions (a.k.a. new releases and patches) are released. Unless you use a package that
automatically checks the internet for revisions, you might not be aware that
a problem with the software was found and corrected. It's normally
safest to be on the most current revision (as opposed to version) of a
product. |
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UPGRADES: Most software companies
release a new version of their
product every year or so. Those end-users who jump right in and upgrade to the
new version often unknowingly act as "debuggers" for the software
company. In other words, the user acts as a guinea pig by helping them
uncover the bugs inherent in a new release. Assuming your company has
better ways to spend their time, I can tell you when it's
safe to upgrade. |
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TRAINING: see the "General Training"
page for more information. |
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SUPPORT: As a
rule, I don't troubleshoot operating systems or
hardware issues, but I can usually help troubleshoot software issues. Sometimes the software requires
different files or settings for different operating systems. Sometimes
there can be a conflict between two individual software packages. Using
on-line documentation, Knowledge Bases, and Technical Support from the vendor (when
available), I can normally get to the root of the problem and make
suggestions for correcting it. |
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ADD-ONS: Most
generic software packages are meant to satisfy most needs of most
businesses. Industry-specific packages are normally cost
prohibitive. The compromise exists when a company unrelated to the
maker of the generic package (a 3rd party developer) creates another program
(an add-on) that is meant to work (integrate) with the generic
package. These add-ons can add features and functionality to the
original product, making it do something you always wished it could.
They can also help tailor a product more to a specific industry by adding
fields or forms specific to that particular industry. I can make you
aware of existing add-ons that might benefit your business or notify you if
a new one is released. |
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