2011 Fall - AXUG Magazine

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» User Member Showcases with New Sunshine LLC and Lazydays RV Center

» Summit 2011 Preview See you There!

» A Member in Action BLACKHAWK!

» Welcome to our New Members

Fall 2011 • www.axug.com 1045 Broadway Fargo, ND 58102

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User Memb er Showcase s with New Sunshin e LLC and Lazyda ys RV Center

Summit 201 1 Preview See you The re!

A Member in Action BLACKHAW K!

Welcome to our New Memb ers

In Every Issue From the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Fall 2011 •

www.axug

.com

1045 Broadwa y Fargo, ND 58102

Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Word Find . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Find the Logo Contest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Welcome to Our New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Academy Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Name That Photo Contest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

The List, from The Partner Channel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Features Microsoft Member Showcase Pepijn Richter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Leadership The 40% Factor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

The 40% Factor

Illustration by John Holland for The Partner Channel

Meet the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Telling Your Employees to “Stop It” May be the Best Thing You Can Do

Leadership The Brilliance of Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Brilliance Balance of

Illustration by John Petersen for The Partner Channel

When Differences Make a Difference

16

PROMINENT POSITION

by Bonnie Robertson

W

hen it comes to leadership of companies, do opposites attract or just irritate? Is it helpful to have a diversity of thought and decision making – or does it just take longer to get anything done? Can differences drag down a company, or are they essential to healthy growth and balance?

If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us remember a time or two when we thought work would be a lot easier if others around us were more like us. We would prefer to not have to explain and justify our approach and decisions. Resolving differences can be time-consuming and annoying.

Typically, clichés and cute sayings are not something I find inspirational. Then again, a plaque that sat on the desk of a client of mine, a CEO, from years ago occasionally pops into my head. Sitting in a prominent position was a wood sign with black letters etched on a gold plate that stated, “If you and I think alike all the time – then one of us is not needed.” Maybe it stuck with me because I knew he meant it. His entrepreneurial brilliance was enhanced by the variation of thought processes and talents of his small – but mighty – management team. Differences can be tricky and troublesome. So why did it work for this company?

Changing this entrepreneur’s mind was never an easy task for anyone, including his managers. He encouraged – more so, he expected – them to bring their varied patterns of thought and decision making to the table. Clearly, he valued diversity, but not for the sake of diversity since political correctness was not his strong suit. The value of diversity in this company was in the positive results it generated. The differences within this management team enabled them to effectively flush out opportunities, analyze problems and generate innovative solutions. Sometimes it was noisy and messy. Management meetings could occasionally take a chaotic turn, fueled by heated discussions.

All of this fussing and debate was only useful because of his leadership capability to eventually bring it all to a common endpoint and an actionable close. One day, after an exhausting dialogue around a strategy, he proudly informed me that when it came to his management team, “we are still more alike than different when it comes to the important stuff.” Ah…the important stuff. Company-wide awareness of “the important stuff ” coupled with diversity of skills and points of view is needed in the ever changing market place and economy.

Have the “Important Stuff ” in Common When our role model entrepreneur said his management team was alike about the “important stuff,” he was referring to core principles and common beliefs. Without the commonality of this “important stuff,” a leadership team with diverse approaches can implode or become politically suffocated, draining the company of energy and focus.

Shared core principles (and yes, it is just another word for values) are foundational to a leadership team and the company as a whole.

The AXUG Magazine

WAS A WOOD SIGN WITH BLACK LETTERS ETCHED ON A GOLD PLATE THAT STATED, “IF YOU AND I THINK ALIKE ALL THE TIME  NOT NEEDED.”

Where Differences Can be Helpful Strategy Versus Execution Companies need to consider future opportunities and risks while simultaneously solving the problems of today. A lack of leadership focus and strength in both strategy and execution puts a company at risk of not adapting or evolving.

Data Versus Intuition The proof is in the results. Numbers, metrics and quantification are the tools of good managers. Data is used to assess situations and make decisions. While data gives us a picture of the past, which can be learned from, it does not always suffice for capturing the opportunities of the future. That is where intuitive decision makers come into play. Having a sense for what are possible and potential changes on the horizon is essential for the mix of leadership capability.

Clarity of common key principles with a diversity of leadership approaches and skills can give our companies and teams innovative advantages in a changing market. The brilliance is in awareness and balance.

AXUG

Fall 2011

have a theory, and I’d like you to help me prove or disprove it. I believe that in most organizations, a significant percentage of routine activity—up to 40 percent, in my estimation—could be eliminated without anyone even noticing.

I’m not talking about important time spent with customers or time spent designing software to streamline business processes.

I’m talking about routine tasks that we’ve never really examined on the “value to the organization” scale. Here are some examples: Email Excess When used judiciously, email is a helpful productivity tool.

As a recovering “email-aholic,” I’m here to warn you that it can quickly turn into a time-waster. Do you frequently get annoyed by those seemingly helpful folks who overuse “Reply All” just to agree with popular opinions? Do you spend too much time scrolling to the bottom of endless email threads in which nothing gets decided because the issues are muddled or the wrong people are on the “To:” list? Do you ever get replies that indicate your receivers didn’t take time to actually read the simple question you posed? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Email might waste more time than it saves in your organization.

Status Reports and/or Status Meetings Operating in an environment where everyone who needs to know what’s going on actually does know and also knows where they fit in is a very good thing. However, as someone who has spent way too many hours sitting in status meetings where nothing new is uncovered, much less discussed, I’ve come to the conclusion that we all could benefit from spending less time talking about what we’ve done and more time actually doing what needs to be done. If your status meetings are reluctantly attended, or have become a platform for posturing and finger-pointing, it’s probably time to revamp them.

Agenda-Free Meetings Sometimes, we all just need a little camaraderie. Casual conversation and a little bit of joking around can go a long way to relieving stress and opening the door for idea-sharing. This shouldn’t be the norm, though, for your meetings. If you don’t

THEN ONE OF US IS One key core principle for this model company was the balance of service for others versus individual achievement or financial gain. Company cultures that are based upon a service mission require leaders that share a sense of service and take action in alignment with this core belief.

This is not to ignore the importance of profit or targeted business results. Without profit and economic advancement, companies do not survive, and most people cannot afford to “volunteer” their careers without a financial return. Leadership teams that have polarized beliefs of baseline priorities – such as economic return or relationship trust – will pull a company apart. This company was service-oriented, and the result was a consistent profit.

Simply stating company principles does not make them occur. A stated key principle of this company was “mutual respect,” and they demonstrated that they could walk the talk. The principle was evidenced by this management team’s ability to disagree as well as actively listen to team members and customers.

I

Gathering Unused Data I’m a big fan of having rich data that provides insight into what your customers need. Most of the time, though, we lack the systems and discipline needed to fully reap the true value of deep customer data. Complete a quick assessment by rounding up all your data-collection forms and routines. Do you use every piece of data you gather to analyze your business or uncover new opportunities? Do you have enough responses to provide at least a minimum level of statistical validity? If not, you may want to adopt the “less is more” mentality to steer your data-gathering efforts. Invest the time saved in deeply analyzing and drawing valuable insight from the data you already have.

SITTING IN A

the

by Tracy Faleide

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The AXUG Magazine

have a clear objective for what’s to be decided or discussed in a meeting, you shouldn’t have the meeting. Even one-on-one meetings can be time-wasters if each person doesn’t leave the meeting having learned, decided, or resolved something useful.

Task Forces Sometime in the 90s, committees grew up and became task forces. No matter what you call them, task forces often are huge time-wasters. It’s not for lack of passion or worthwhile causes. Quite simply, it’s because the person who should be in charge of doing what the task force is asked to do either isn’t willing or able. I boldly predict that in almost every task force meeting being held this week, at least 20 minutes are wasted by the participants trying to figure out who’s in charge. If you feel you need a task force, take a hard look around until you find the person who really should be driving whatever it is you need to get done. Get him/her to take accountability, or find someone else to. Period.

Suspect Initiatives For a brief time after college, I worked as an advertising copywriter at a newspaper. Essentially, I typed ad copy into a typesetting program and lived in fear of the gruff old guys in the layout room. One of my co-workers was continually distracted by her rather dramatic high school love life, so she made a lot of errors. This greatly annoyed the fearsome layout guys who put pressure on the ad copy supervisor to take action. Instead of directly addressing the issue with said drama queen, our supervisor gave us “pop typing tests,” touted as useful tools to keep our skills sharp. This was one of the first times I experienced an avoidance tactic disguised as an initiative. How many times is mandatory sensitivity training all about one person who can’t get along with anyone? Before launching any initiative, ask yourself if what you really need is a simple and direct path for addressing a competency or attitudinal issue in your organization. By all means, take the path less wasteful.

Being Too Hasty How many times do decisions get re-hashed in your organization? This can happen when the wrong people or data sets are involved in decisions. This also can happen when the right people don’t take enough time to fully analyze the data, the situation, the risks, and the potential outcomes. Avoid continual re-hashing by ensuring everyone involved has a firm grasp of the issue at hand, and that you’ve played out enough scenarios to be sure you’ve thought things through.

All these 40% Factor contributors started out with good intent. Each of them, when used with purity of purpose, can once again retain its usefulness in your organization. You have to provide the careful attention these factors need to reach their full productivity potential, lest they stray further down the time-wasting trail. The simplest weapon you have against The 40% Factor taking hold in your organization is asking this question. “Do we really need to be doing this?”

AXUG

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Member in Action Shannon Taylor, BLACKHAWK! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Summit Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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User Member Showcase New Sunshine LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

VAR Member Showcase Green Beacon Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

ISV Member Showcase RF-SMART. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

User Member Showcase Lazydays RV Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

contents Fall 2011

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Pitch the the paper clips.

Go beyond the electronic file cabinet and experience the amazing efficiencies of Paperless ERP from MetaViewer. From AP to AR and HR to the CFO—everyone can share the efficiencies of 100% paperless transactions. MetaViewer gives you paperless invoice and order capture with OCR, automated workflow, real-time visibility and full Microsoft Dynamics ® ERP integration. In Paperless ERP, nothing compares to MetaViewer. So pitch the paper clips and visit www.metaviewer.com.

AX • GP • SL • NAV

from the director

summer2011 www.axug.com

Hello from AXUG ®!

Frank Vukovits, Jr.

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elcome to the second issue of the AXUG magazine! We have lots of great things happening in the Microsoft Dynamics® AX User Group (AXUG) community. Plans are being finalized for the biggest and best AXUG Summit ever. If you have not attended or heard of AXUG Summit before, it is the largest conference in the world dedicated to only the Microsoft Dynamics AX community. Users, Partners, and Microsoft team Members gather every fall for three days of networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. AXUG Summit 2011 – scheduled for November 8-11 in Las Vegas – promises to be the biggest and best Summit yet! If you haven’t registered yet, there is still time. The lineup of amazing roundtables, workshops, How2, Customer showcases, and Partner showcase theatre sessions makes for a perfect “21” at the blackjack table! And remember, the knowledge, solutions, and networking connections you make at Summit won’t stay in Vegas: all the great information goes home with you, and you and your company can take immediate action As predicted earlier, the year 2011 started as – and continues to be – a big year in the Microsoft Dynamics AX community. By now you’ve most likely read or heard about the new version, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, that launched over the summer; you might have been one of the thousands of Members that participated in the virtual launch event in early September. If you missed the event, you can view the playback as well as additional recorded sessions at the launch site: www.microsoft.com/dynamics/ax2012launch. AXUG is committed to providing tips and tricks that support your Microsoft Dynamics AX investment, and in the case of the latest release, this launch site is one of the best places to learn more about the nextgeneration ERP solution.

2011 has also been a year of continued growth for AXUG. Undoubtedly many of you have attended a regional chapter meeting.

One of the objectives set by the AXUG Board last spring was to grow membership globally; I’m happy to report that this is exactly what has happened. We now have chapters in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. If your company has operations in multiple countries, remember that your AXUG membership applies to everyone in your company, regardless of location. For ex-

ample, an accountant from your UK office can attend a chapter meeting in London while your database administrator in Los Angeles can attend the AXUG SoCal chapter meetings. This is just one example of the importance of maximizing your company’s AXUG membership across your entire organization. Many Members have found that the AXUG Academy provides an excellent opportunity for utilizing membership benefits since its courses are offered online. If you haven’t yet tapped into this great benefit, I encourage you to visit the Academy section of the website to learn more.

I have a request for AXUG Members. Please, please, please, take the time to update your contact and company profile on AXUG.com.

The AXUG directory is only as good as the data it contains, so it is incredibly important for everyone to keep their information up to date.

Doing so enables AXUG Premium Members to truly use the directory as a resource for finding other Users in their city, other companies in their industry, and other companies that might be running the same ISV package, as well as companies that have taken the step to upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012. The directory can be such a rich resource, but it starts with Members updating their contact and company profiles.

As the AXUG 2011 year heads into the home stretch, my hope is that you have taken the challenge I issued earlier: become involved in the Microsoft Dynamics AX community. Whether it was taking a more active involvement in AXUG, better leveraging Microsoft’s online resources such as CustomerSource or the Dynamics Online Community, or working with your Partner to identify additional opportunities for gaining knowledge and networking with your peers, community involvement is the key to maximizing and leveraging the investment you and your company have made in Microsoft Dynamics AX. Simply put, being involved in communities makes good sense.

I look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas for the seventh annual (has it really been seven years?!), AXUG Summit, and remember: what happens at Summit does not have to stay at Summit!

Frank Vukovits, Jr. AXUG Director of Programming

This label only applies to the text stock.

Fall 2011

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2011 Microsoft Dynamics

ISV of the Year Asia Pacific

meet the board Chairman Paul G. Sems

Company: Vitamix | Location: Cleveland, OH Email: psems@vitamix.com | Title: Director, Information Technology Board Member since: 2011 | AXUG® Member since: 2006 | Microsoft Dynamics® AX User since: 2004 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? I benefit by networking with other Customers, Partners, and Microsoft team Members who all share common goals.

Company: New Sunshine, LLC | Location: Indianapolis, IN Email: christian.fordham@newsunshinellc.com | Title: Director of Business Applications Board Member since: 2009 | AXUG Member since: 2004 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2003 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG®?

The greatest benefit I have received from being a Member of the AXUG is the ability to network with peers and colleagues. This has provided opportunities to get honest and open reviews and references for features and products relating to Microsoft Dynamics® AX.

Gerry Wise

Company: Harman Management Corporation | Location: Murray, UT Email: gerryw@harmans.com | Title: Development Services Manager Board Member since: 2009 | AXUG Member since: 2008 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2008 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? There are many benefits, but the one that helped me the most was the ability to discuss my Microsoft Dynamics AX issues with other Users. AXUG has many great educational opportunities, webinars, classes, Users’ discussions, and so on that also help me every day as a User. AXUG Summit is an extremely valuable tool for all Users.

Company: ATK – BLACKHAWK! | Location: Norfolk, VA Email: grant.wilson@atk.com | Title: Senior Business Applications Manager Board Member since: 2010 | AXUG Member since: 2006 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2005 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? Meeting, sharing, and discussing challenges, issues, and success stories with other Users.

Howard C. Shen

Christian Fordham

Grant E. Wilson

Company: Hampton Products International | Location: Foothill Ranch, CA Email: hshen@hamptonproducts.com | Title: IT Manager Board Member since: 2009 | AXUG Member since: 2007 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2009 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? The greatest benefit of being in AXUG is to hear all the success stories of our peers and to see how far people have taken Microsoft Dynamics AX in their organizations. It is great to see and meet all the people who have made the solution work for them and their companies.

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Company: Microsemi Corporation | Location: Aliso Viejo, CA Email: jthorpe@microsemi.com | Title: Director, Enterprise Applications and Development Board Member since: 2009 | AXUG Member since: 2004 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2003 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? Collaboration and information sharing with other AXUG Members as well as the open exchange of ideas between Customers, Partners, and Microsoft in the AXUG context.

Jennifer Salinas

Company: Driscoll’s | Location: Watsonville, CA Email: jennifer.salinas@driscolls.com | Title: Application Support Manager Board Member since: 2010 | AXUG Member since: 2004 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2004 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? I have found AXUG very valuable for our organization; it helps facilitate the sharing of knowledge between Microsoft Dynamics AX Users, and it connects Users in similar industries or those experiencing similar problems they are trying to solve. Every time I talk to another AXUG Member I learn something new!

Company: Lazydays RV | Location: Seffner, FL | Email: jwiley@lazydays.com Title: CIO | Board Member since: Founding Member | AXUG Member since: Founding Member Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2006 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? The association with like-minded professionals all working to improve business processes and value in their organizations.

Mike Cook

What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? Networking and being able to solve some of my Microsoft Dynamics AX issues with other AXUG Members.

What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? That I’ve talked to other Microsoft Dynamics AX Users and found out the solutions they applied to some of the same problems I’ve had to deal with. There is a lot of information to be shared with the AXUG groups. You don’t have to struggle with Microsoft Dynamics AX issues; there is always some Member who has gone through the same issues or is willing to brainstorm with you.

The AXUG Magazine

Joe Wiley

Company: Schuck and Sons Construction | Location: Glendale, AZ Email: mcook@schuckaz.com | Title: IT Director Board Member since: 2007 | AXUG Member since: 2006 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2006

Company: Kapstone Paper & Packaging | Location: Northbrook, IL Email: pattie.wurm@kapstonepaper.com | Title: Business Analyst Board Member since: 2011 | AXUG Member since: 2010 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2008

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Jason Thorpe

Pattie Wurm

meet the board Paul Davis

Company: Spring Air | Locations: Tampa, FL and Chelsea, MA Email: pdavis@springair.com | Title: CIO Board Member since: 2008 | AXUG Member since: 2007 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2007 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? The sense of community surrounding AXUG is phenomenal. Working with a group of people who are willing to share their ideas, solutions, and experiences is invaluable. Besides working together on issues and solutions, it is a group of people who work jointly with Microsoft to improve the product going forward.

Company: Teekay Shipping | Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Email: zvika.rimalt@teekay.com | Title: Functional Lead - Finance Board Member since: 2010 | AXUG Member since: 2008 | Microsoft Dynamics AX User since: 2007 What has been your greatest personal benefit from being a Member of AXUG? Networking and exchanging knowledge both online and in the regional chapter meetings.

Andrea Jordan Company: Gibsons Energy

Andrew Gatensby Company: Maple Lodge Farms

Garnett Gilchrest Company: Curves

Zvika Rimalt

Karen Rhinehardt Company: Chanel

Fall 2011

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Need Help Navigating Microsoft Dynamics™ AX 2012?

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Webinars

More information and session recordings available at www.axug.com

October 2011 SIG: Retail October 18, 1:00pm ET

Partner Showcase: Green Beacon Solutions October 19, 2:00pm ET Workshop: AX Performance October 20, 2:00pm ET Roundtable: Ask the Expert Friday October 21, 12:00pm ET Partner Showcase: TBD October 25, 2:00pm ET Workshop: AXUG Summit 2011 Preview October 26, 3:00pm ET Roundtable: Inventory Friday October 28, 1:30pm ET Partner Showcase: TBD October 31, 1:00pm ET

November 2011 Workshop: UGIO November 1, 3:00pm ET

Workshop: Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012 UTH Integrations November 2, 3:00pm ET AXUG Academy Pre-Summit Training November 7, 8:00am ET AXUG Academy Pre-Summit Training November 8, 8:00am ET

Live Events

AXUG Summit November 9-11 Las Vegas, NV

Regional Chapter Meetings October 20 – Minnesota December 15 – Minnesota

events Fall 2011

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Do you need real-time invoice visibility & reduced processing cycles?

Get Transform™ AP for Microsoft Dynamics AX ®

Transform AP is uniquely designed for Microsoft Dynamics AX providing seamless integration and visibility for everyday accounts payable users. We protect your investment in AX while helping you realize the benefits of automated invoice processing.

Paper invoices are the enemy of efficiency in the AP Department.

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More than an invoicing solution, transform AP is an integrated solution.

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For more information visit www.bottomline.com or call 1-800-472-1321

Coming Soon: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Launch Symposium and Workshop

T

he Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012 Symposium and Upgrade Workshop, hosted by AXUG®, will allow Users to “go deep” with the new version of the enterprise resource planning system (ERP).

The events will take place Monday, November 7 and Tuesday, November 8, immediately preceding the AXUG Summit 2011 in Las Vegas.

Microsoft is committed to continuously delivering powerful, agile, easy-to-use solutions that add value across organizations. With more than 1,000 new features and enhancements across core ERP and industry capabilities, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 provides more business value faster, enables agility and insight into organizations, and helps drive faster adoption, broader usage, and easier maintenance and upgrade through a continued emphasis on simplicity.

The Symposium, which is on Monday, November 7, will educate and prepare decision makers and Users on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 as related to the product, functionality, and upgrade drivers.

Attendees will hear from Microsoft and Partner subject matter experts as well from early adopter Users.

The Upgrade Workshop will be an event geared to decision makers and Users interested in pragmatically learning more about Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and getting educated on why and how to upgrade. Attendees will hear from Microsoft subject matter experts as well as independent implementation experts. Early adopter User companies will discuss their experiences during the upgrade project as well as the benefits they’ve begun to realize.

The Workshop will feature two tracks: Building a Business Case for a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Upgrade – “The ROI Workshop” Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Upgrade Project Workplan Development Building a Business Case for a Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Upgrade – “The ROI Workshop”– In this challenging economic climate, organizations need to be smarter than ever in how they approach an upgrade project. Gone are the days where a company can simply base a decision to upgrade on nice new features and technology. Companies should focus on economic justification in order to make the investment and realize a positive return in a relatively short period of time.

This workshop will provide attendees with methods to develop an economic justification model and will include a brief overview of key new functionalities added to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012; an eco-

nomic justification model that helps to gather and present the information needed to create an economic justification case. It focuses on labor productivity increases, working capital decreases, error probability decreases, Customer satisfaction increases, and IT cost-optimization benefits and values; an easy-to-use upgrade ROI template; finally, a valuable investment and benefits calculation summary – in other words, the formalized ROI presentation to build internal consensus for the project.

It is NOT a forgone conclusion that every company in every case will find justification to proceed with an upgrade project at the conclusion of the ROI Workshop. Should the results indicate that the time is not right for an upgrade project, the model will help the companies point to the most likely places for making business changes in order to realize the benefits anticipated. This session is geared towards project managers and decision makers of companies contemplating an upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 within the next two years.

Workshop II - AX 2012 Upgrade Project Workplan Development “On-schedule” and “On-budget” are music to good project managers’ ears! The Workplan Development Workshop will hone your competency for developing a thorough project plan, thus increasing the probability of all-around success in an upgrade project.

As everyone who’s ever done an ERP project knows, these are major undertakings. Most problems occur due to the lack of proper planning. This workshop will minimize that threat. The day’s sessions will include lessons on best practices from professional project managers. Each student will be given a workplan template starting point from a proven methodology that includes the universe of aspects that must be considered during the upgrade project. Students will interact with Users who have treaded this path before. The Workshop will feature labs to develop your company’s project plan in real time. Expert proctors and veteran Users will be leaning over your shoulder to help you leave with the optimal plan to take back to your company.

If your company is looking at upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, don’t miss this unique two-day event. Come out to Las Vegas on Monday and Tuesday, November 7 and 8, to learn about the next generation of ERP, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, and then remain for AXUG Summit where you can address your current version needs and requirements.

AXUG

news Fall 2011

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Microsoft® Dynamics

AX

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XUG® recently sat down with Pepijn Richter, product marketing manager, Microsoft Dynamics AX, to talk about the latest and greatest from Microsoft Dynamics® AX. This is a huge fall for the Microsoft Dynamics AX community with the release of Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012, a product that has been called a game changer up and down the industry for the last couple of years.

AXUG: What is the value proposition of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 to existing Users?

Pepijn Richter (PR): In the past, upgrades were a big bang, all or nothing, where the entire organization had to participate and it was a long, big, risky project. What we’ve seen with the early adopters of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 is that the philosophy has changed to smaller, more incremental changes.

The first step is to deploy a modern development technology platform.

It doesn’t extend the ERP, but keeps the same business processes, just upgrading the technology. With this modern development technology platform we’ve seen that Users are able to reduce the number of customizations or add-on solutions they use significantly.

AXUG: What are some of the key features of Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012?

PR: There are over 1,000 enhancements in this product. Since each organization is different, what one organization would find valuable might not apply to another. For example, Customers with multiple sites will be able to run Microsoft Dynamics AX on a single instance.

A global address book and the new product information management support these organizations and ease the definition and maintenance of products and services. Now you can filter to a higher level and do that across your multi-site organizations. We’re doing the same thing with General Ledger, making it easier on a global level. Now if you want to change it by organization, you can. It’s easier to run a simplified ERP with Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012.

Another feature would be pervasive interoperability, which will help existing Customers drive down costs. We integrated with Microsoft SharePoint® 2010, which has the ribbon that you know from Microsoft

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Office. We also embraced that version and now there is almost no visual difference between the look and feel of SharePoint and the ERP client. Also, if you use the SharePoint search, it will now also search your Microsoft Dynamics AX database, where it previously only searched SharePoint.

We’re also using the Microsoft Business Intelligence solution with SQL as an engine and Office and SharePoint as a distribution mechanism for Users. All the production reports in Microsoft Dynamics AX, about 800 standard reports, are ported to SQL Server reports, enabling Customers who have SQL to use it to access Microsoft Dynamics AX as well.

We also have an integration with Microsoft Visual Studio® that makes it possible to code in Visual Studio and use its tools with the metadata of Microsoft Dynamics AX. This helps Visual Studio developers ramp up on Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 so much quicker.

AXUG: Those are impressive changes – and quite a lot to look forward to. How will the new release benefit Users?

PR: The second step is to extend Microsoft Dynamics AX to new business processes, which is where some of the new features really come in. For example, there is a new procurement module that is a self-service, SharePoint-based portal where employees can go in and order their office supplies. They’ll be able to connect Microsoft Dynamics AX directly to the supplier, for instance Zones, and order directly from their website and Microsoft Dynamics AX will handle the entire back end of the transaction.

We also have a financial management module that introduces budgetary control, unlimited financial dimensions (a new way of reporting on transactions), and an audit work bench.

Also, our role-tailored User interface has been enhanced in this release, with text boxes and previews that make it easier for Users to see relevant information for their role. Our developers actually had a guideline to enable Users to get to information within two clicks.

AXUG: When will the product be available for purchase?

PR: The product is available now. General availability was on August 1, 2011, in 25 countries and 23 languages.

showcase microsoft member

Need training?

In addition to the training that AXUG and the Academy offer at www.axug.com and http://Academy.AXUG.com, you can read more about Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 on the following websites: »» Microsoft Dynamics Community site: https://community.dynamics.com »» Inside Microsoft Dynamics AX, the Microsoft Dynamics AX product team blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dax/ »» CustomerSource: www.microsoft.com/dynamics/customer/en-us/access-customersource

AXUG: Is Microsoft providing any training or resources for Users who are evaluating an upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012?

PR: CustomerSource is the first place to start. We have an eLearning component that includes many courses across all aspects of the product. Customers can also check out the “What’s New” documentation and training to review detailed documentation. We’re still rolling out the instructor-led training, and the next iteration of SureStep will have updated upgrade information.

AXUG: When did Microsoft start working on this release?

PR: The development team plans many releases at the same time, so if you look at the AX 4.0, 2009, and 2012 releases, you can see the progression to where we are now. The full R&D (research and development) organization has been working specifically on this release since the launch of Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2009, which was in June 2008.

AXUG: Do you have any stats into the amount of User feedback that went into the development of this release?

PR: In the early adoption program, nearly 6,000 official requests were submitted by Customers into Connect. This is a pretty cool statistic. In addition to those feature requests, we have regular channels through AXUG, our Microsoft User Experience (UX) team, and Partner/Customer advisory boards. One of the most intensive advisory

boards we had was within the technology adoption program (TAP).

TAP ran multiple programs with 35 Customers and over 100 ISVs and Partners for three years, so we have a large volume of product feedback from that one program.

AXUG: Are there any launch activities this fall for Users?

PR: We have four activities as part of the launch. Our virtual launch took place on September 8, and Users can check out that content at www.microsoft.com/dynamics/ax2012launch for the next year. We’ll also have over 100 in-person events throughout the world, as well as a large presence at the AXUG Summit, including a pre-conference on the Monday and Tuesday before Summit. Finally, we’re holding a Technical Conference November 14-16 in Nice, France, which is more for our European Customers.

AXUG: We’re glad to collaborate with you and get information about the new release out to our Members.

PR: As are we. It’s an ongoing collaboration and has been beneficial as we get input from your Members for what they’d like to see at events such as Convergence. This year at Summit there will be a lot of R&D, product management, and other team members to share information about Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, as well to take feedback from Customers.

AXUG

The eBanking SuiTe for microSofT dynamicS ax changeS The way you do BuSineSS by providing automation and improved security to your organization’s banking operations.

The eBanking Suite Modules available include: • Electronic Bank Reconciliation • Positive Pay • Lockbox Processing • Advanced EFT and wire functionality coming soon

Available for AX2009 and AX2012 Demo Videos & Data Sheets at www.sksoft.com Come by our booth at the AXUG Summit Expo!

Fall 2011

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the

Brilliance Balance of

Illustration by John Petersen for The Partner Channel

When Differences Make a Difference

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Sitting in a prominent position

by Bonnie Robertson

W

hen it comes to leadership of companies, do opposites attract or just irritate? Is it helpful to have a diversity of thought and decision making – or does it just take longer to get anything done? Can differences drag down a company, or are they essential to healthy growth and balance?

If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us remember a time or two when we thought work would be a lot easier if others around us were more like us. We would prefer to not have to explain and justify our approach and decisions. Resolving differences can be time-consuming and annoying.

Typically, clichés and cute sayings are not something I find inspirational. Then again, a plaque that sat on the desk of a client of mine, a CEO, from years ago occasionally pops into my head. Sitting in a prominent position was a wood sign with black letters etched on a gold plate that stated, “If you and I think alike all the time – then one of us is not needed.” Maybe it stuck with me because I knew he meant it. His entrepreneurial brilliance was enhanced by the variation of thought processes and talents of his small – but mighty – management team. Differences can be tricky and troublesome. So why did it work for this company?

Changing this entrepreneur’s mind was never an easy task for anyone, including his managers. He encouraged – more so, he expected – them to bring their varied patterns of thought and decision making to the table. Clearly, he valued diversity, but not for the sake of diversity since political correctness was not his strong suit. The value of diversity in this company was in the positive results it generated. The differences within this management team enabled them to effectively flush out opportunities, analyze problems and generate innovative solutions. Sometimes it was noisy and messy. Management meetings could occasionally take a chaotic turn, fueled by heated discussions.

All of this fussing and debate was only useful because of his leadership capability to eventually bring it all to a common endpoint and an actionable close. One day, after an exhausting dialogue around a strategy, he proudly informed me that when it came to his management team, “we are still more alike than different when it comes to the important stuff.” Ah…the important stuff. Company-wide awareness of “the important stuff ” coupled with diversity of skills and points of view is needed in the ever changing market place and economy.

Have the “Important Stuff” in Common When our role model entrepreneur said his management team was alike about the “important stuff,” he was referring to core principles and common beliefs. Without the commonality of this “important stuff,” a leadership team with diverse approaches can implode or become politically suffocated, draining the company of energy and focus.

Shared core principles (and yes, it is just another word for values) are foundational to a leadership team and the company as a whole.

was a wood sign with black letters etched on a gold plate that stated, “If you and I think alike all the time – then one of us is One key core principle for this model company was the balance of service for others versus individual achievement or financial gain. Company cultures that are based upon a service mission require leaders that share a sense of service and take action in alignment with this core belief.

This is not to ignore the importance of profit or targeted business results. Without profit and economic advancement, companies do not survive, and most people cannot afford to “volunteer” their careers without a financial return. Leadership teams that have polarized beliefs of baseline priorities – such as economic return or relationship trust – will pull a company apart. This company was service-oriented, and the result was a consistent profit.

Simply stating company principles does not make them occur. A stated key principle of this company was “mutual respect,” and they demonstrated that they could walk the talk. The principle was evidenced by this management team’s ability to disagree as well as actively listen to team members and customers.

not needed.”

Where Differences Can be Helpful Strategy Versus Execution Companies need to consider future opportunities and risks while simultaneously solving the problems of today. A lack of leadership focus and strength in both strategy and execution puts a company at risk of not adapting or evolving.

Data Versus Intuition The proof is in the results. Numbers, metrics and quantification are the tools of good managers. Data is used to assess situations and make decisions. While data gives us a picture of the past, which can be learned from, it does not always suffice for capturing the opportunities of the future. That is where intuitive decision makers come into play. Having a sense for what are possible and potential changes on the horizon is essential for the mix of leadership capability.

Clarity of common key principles with a diversity of leadership approaches and skills can give our companies and teams innovative advantages in a changing market. The brilliance is in awareness and balance.

AXUG

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Christian Fordham

Company: New Sunshine LLC

Interviewee: Christian Fordham, director of business applications

Headquarters: Indianapolis, Indiana

Email: Christian.Fordham@ newsunshinellc.com

Website: www.newsunshinellc.com or www.australiangold.com

Established: 1985

Microsoft Dynamics® AX User Since: 2003

AXUG® Member Since: 2007

Number of Employees: 250

Number of Users: 110

E

ven in the dead of winter, Indianapolisbased New Sunshine, LLC has a radiant glow. With its family of LLC companies – Australian Gold, Designer Skin, California Tan, and Helios – New Sunshine manufactures and distributes tanning and sunscreen products, as well as develops salon management software to help tanning salons across the U.S. manage their financials and customer relationship management needs.

Microsoft Dynamics® AX was chosen by New Sunshine to keep track of the companies’ purchasing, sales, service, accounts payable, accounts receivable, warehouse, shipping, receiving, and manufacturing processes.

In addition to the basic implementation, New Sunshine’s developer team created integrations for address validation and standardization, credit card authorization and settlement, tax calculation and reporting, and freight rating and shipping. Less than a year ago, New Sunshine began work with Accellos to implement an integrated vSync EDI solution and replaced its inhouse developed solution.

All together, New Sunshine has created a one-stop-shop application that keeps the busi-

ness humming, allowing its team members to focus less on the books and more on their Customers’ tans.

Joining AXUG® was a natural decision for Christian Fordham, director of business applications at New Sunshine. Frank Vukovits, AXUG’s director, served as Christian’s boss before making the move to lead the AXUG group as part of Dynamic Communities® and left a good impression on Christian.

“We were looking for the opportunity to collaborate with people who were doing the same thing as us,” says Christian. “The problems that we run into are the same as other businesses, and we were looking for others that had the same headaches and issues, and to hopefully help people so they don’t go through the same mistakes we made.”

AXUG also contributed to finding the EDI solution that’s working so well for New Sunshine.

“Originally we developed our own solution as there were only a couple of Partners with it at the time,” says Christian. “We wanted to look at a full EDI solution and went to AXUG to see what others were using. We received some very good feedback and were able to make the right

decision to go with Accellos and vSync.”

Christian jumped into a planning role with Frank, facilitating the development track at the inaugural AXUG Summit and helping with session development for Convergence, the Microsoft Dynamics® Customer conference.

“I focus more on the development and upgrade topics,” says Christian. “And our Partner, AXmentor, has started to get involved as well, which has been a great thing for us to do together.”

Christian has also served on the AXUG board for the last several years and serves as the chair for Indiana’s regional chapter, which is an opportunity for more members of his team to get involved with AXUG since New Sunshine regularly hosts chapter meetings.

These regional chapter meetings and other AXUG events are also a good way for Christian to evangelize the benefits of AXUG to potential Members.

“I encourage people to look into the resources available,” says Christian. “AXUG has benefited us, and I think there are few businesses out there that wouldn’t benefit by leveraging those resources within their own organization to better utilize the tools they have.”

AXUG

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find the logo contest

Hidden somewhere between the covers of this magazine is our AXUG Summit logo.

Can you find it?

While our AXUG logo shows up throughout the magazine, the AXUG Summit logo appears in only one place.

(And here’s a hint:

it’s not hidden on page 29.

That would be WAY too easy.)

When you’ve found it, send an email to

logocontest@axug.com with an

explanation of where and on what page it’s at. We’ll choose a winner at random and will highlight

him/her in the next edition of the magazine.

Good Luck!

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AC

Academy Corner Interview We caught up with

Tom Weaver, financial systems manager, and discussed his experiences in taking training at Summit.

AXUG: You signed up for two classes at Summit last year; how were they?

Tom Weaver (TW): Well, first of all, the detailed instructions to prepare my laptop for these classes were easy to follow. The sessions were so incredibly helpful and such a great value. One of the unexpected benefits was the opportunity to form a relationship with the instructors, and subsequently, I’ve been able to get some great advice from them over the past year on a couple of key issues for us.

AXUG: Are you taking any training at Summit this year?

TW: I had a difficult time selecting one session this year with so many great classes to choose from! I can’t wait to get there and am still hoping that I can find some funds to take more classes.

AXUG: Why should folks coming to Summit sign up for classes?

TW: I think it’s just a natural fit – you’re there already, so why not extend your stay by a day or two and really dive deep? The instructors are so knowledgeable;

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they’re really subject matter experts, so I like taking advantage of this opportunity because I have confidence that it’s going to be a great class. What I’ve discovered is that I get to know others in my classes that first day, and with that jump start, I continue networking with them the rest of the week, really forming relationships and sharing ideas and solutions. You simply cannot put a price on that!

AXUG: So you think it’s a good value?

TW: It’s a great value. The classes are cheaper than other classes I’ve found in the market, the instructors are approachable, and the hands-on environment is great. It’s so much easier than taking a separate trip at some other time just for a class.

AXUG: Any tips for Vegas first-timers?

TW: Always double down and play 27 red. Seriously, bring a camera – it’s pretty amazing.

AXUG: Thanks very much for taking the time to speak with us, Tom. TW: My pleasure.

AXUG ACADEMY

L

ooking for cost-effective, information-packed, expert-led Microsoft Dynamics® AX classes? Join us in Vegas for Summit 2011 and our pre-conference training classes!

Once again this year we’re featuring a variety of half- and full-day classes, taught by experts in Microsoft Dynamics AX and the related tools. You’ll benefit immediately from: »» Instructor-led classroom training; instructors are experts in both the solution and in the tools »» Targeted content »» Hands-on training environment »» Lower priced than traditional in-person classes »» Discounts for AXUG Premium Members and Microsoft Service Plan Members Check out these titles:

»» AX Security 101 »» Introduction to Microsoft Forecaster »» Inventory Costing and Valuation »» Managing your Dynamics AX implementation/Upgrade Project Using Microsoft Sure Step Tools & Concepts

»» Introduction to Management Reporter »» Expense Management in AX 2009 Using Enterprise Portal and Client

»» AX 2009 Production Scheduling and Capacity Planning »» Dynamics AX Performance Optimization »» Introduction to Microsoft FRx »» Leveraging SharePoint as Your Business Intelligence Platform

»» Business Intelligence: Build Your Own AX Data Warehouse

»» X++ Development Methodologies and Techniques »» Master Planning in AX »» Setup and Use of SSRS with AX »» Financial Consolidations and Eliminations in AX 2009 »» Advanced Microsoft FRx »» Improving Your Business Processes with SharePoint Workflow

You don’t even need to register for Summit to take the classes. Visit www.axug.com for more information. AXUG

CONVERGENCE 2012 ©

A World of Opportunity

As the premier event for the Microsoft Dynamics® Customer and Partner business community, Convergence is where opportunity and innovation meet to deliver real business value.

Active learning. Networking opportunities. Solution optimization.

What’s in it for you?

• Discover how to maximize the full capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics solutions.

• Stay up-to-date on the latest Microsoft products and technologies.

• Make key business connections with peers, industry experts and Microsoft representatives.

• Explore the strategy and future plans for Microsoft Dynamics software.

• Develop sales opportunities with new and existing customers.

Visit the Convergence website for more details: www.microsoft.com/dynamics/convergence

March 18-21, 2012

George R. Brown Convention Center | Houston, TX

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“RF-SMART is the best, most stable ISV solution in our AX environment. I would recommend it to anyone who has a warehouse and uses Microsoft Dynamics AX.”

– CGT

“They understand logistics, our ERP, and their software inside and out. It made us comfortable knowing that their expertise was on-hand at any time.”

Company: RF-SMART

Interviewee: Pete Palazzolo, director of product strategy

Headquarters: Jacksonville, Florida

Phone: 904-399-8500

Email: info@rfsmart.com

Website: www.ax.rfsmart.com

Established: 1992

AXUG® Partner Member since: 2006

AXUG: Tell me about your company’s background.

Pete Palazzolo (PP): RF-SMART’s parent company, ICS, Inc., was founded in 1982 and implemented enterprise-level software for wholesale distributors and expanded to manufacturers as the company grew. In 1992 a Customer asked us to RF-enable a specific transaction, and we said yes. The transaction set grew and resulted in RF-SMART®. Word spread and by 2000, we had more than 100 RF-SMART Customers in addition to ICS’ Customer base.

Nearly 20 years later, RF-SMART is a leading automated data collection solution for Microsoft Dynamics® AX and has tens of thousands of users in more than 30 countries.

AXUG: Share a little about what RF-SMART does for Customers.

PP: The genre of handheld software solutions for scanning, like the ones you see in grocery stores, is referred to as data collection. Our expertise in data collection is in manufacturing, distribution, and retail inventory management. In those areas, we extend and enhance the functionality of Microsoft Dynamics® AX through those mobile devices to workers performing the physical tasks associated with distribution, manufacturing, and retail inventory.

There’s a lot of complexity to ERP and what we do is simplify what a worker sees so he or she can be really accurate and efficient doing his or her work. While being able to scan barcodes in the warehouse and on the shop floor is great, we do a little more than that…in fact a lot more than that.

No ERP system does everything, so we’ve developed advanced logistics functionality that adds value to Microsoft Dynamics AX. For example, most companies pick products off the shelf, pack the orders, and send them out. Microsoft Dynamics AX doesn’t

– LINPAC offer a packing transaction, so we’ve added a workflow that gives companies carton packing capability.

Another example is cross-dock functionality. If a company has an item on backorder and receives a shipment of that product, RF-SMART alerts workers of those open orders so they can avoid putting away items get those orders out right away.

These types of advanced logistics workflows provide companies with more complex inventory management and fulfillment requirements, which is a great alternative to buying an external warehouse management solution that could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. For those with more standard or basic data collection needs, Customers have purchased, implemented and gone live with RF-SMART in as few as 18 days.

AXUG: What do you have coming up for Customers?

PP: We have new releases coming out for RF-SMART for Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012 and Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2009. Our focus is always on adding more standard and advanced logistics functionality, and for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 we’ll add new management tools and dashboards to our line-up.

AXUG: What makes RF-SMART different from its competitors?

PP: First, we have great functionality. Functionality is what solves business problems and RF-SMART comes with more than 70 workflows. The second thing is our people. As much as we take pride in our product, our people are the “X” factor. We constantly hear from Customers and VARs that it’s fantastic to work with people who “get it.” What we mean by “get it” is that we really understand how Microsoft Dynamics AX works and, because we’ve been around, we share supply chain best practice

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“Their team is very professional. They met our deadlines and RF-SMART does exactly what they said it would do for us.”

– BTD Manufacturing, Inc.

“RF-SMART is a strong application that is tightly integrated with Microsoft Dynamics AX. The RF-SMART consultants took time to understand our business process and were able to seamlessly integrate the software and technology to meet our specific business process requirements.” – Ohio Gratings, Inc. information that Customers can put to work.

We’ve been doing this a long time and have a track record of success that we’re really proud of. Customers and Partners can count on us to stay around, support them, and add value through future versions and releases.

AXUG: We’re glad to have you as part of AXUG. What’s been the most beneficial aspect of your membership?

PP: AXUG has been terrific for building relationships across the Microsoft Dynamics AX community. The more we support AXUG and help them grow, the more of an audience we help create with which to share our message.

Becoming a Premium Member is something we’ve found to be tremendously advantageous to our business. With it, we get free or reduced rates for training and events as well as access to online forums, webinars, and blogs – all of which our people find very valuable.

AXUG: I know that many RF-SMART Customers are also AXUG Members. What do they find beneficial?

PP: Peer-to-peer networking always seems to bubble to the top. They’re able to get information from their peers that they’re not going to get from a software publisher. At events like the AXUG Summit, they’re able to meet with multiple ISV solution vendors at the same place, so there’s a convenience factor.

On a personal level, it’s been great to form relationships with the folks at AXUG. AXUG has done a great job of keeping a family feel to its events, which is really appealing to people.

AXUG: What do you like most about the Microsoft Dynamics AX community?

PP: The fact that it’s a win-win-win. How many places in business do you find where everyone wins big? The user community gets Customers and Partners; and we as a Partner get to share our expertise with the market and stay visible to the Microsoft Dynamics AX community.

AXUG Fall 2011

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Illustration by John Holland for The Partner Channel

The 40% Factor Telling Your Employees to “Stop It” May be the Best Thing You Can Do

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by Tracy Faleide

I

have a theory, and I’d like you to help me prove or disprove it. I believe that in most organizations, a significant percentage of routine activity—up to 40 percent, in my estimation—could be eliminated without anyone even noticing.

I’m not talking about important time spent with customers or time spent designing software to streamline business processes.

I’m talking about routine tasks that we’ve never really examined on the “value to the organization” scale. Here are some examples: Email Excess When used judiciously, email is a helpful productivity tool.

As a recovering “email-aholic,” I’m here to warn you that it can quickly turn into a time-waster. Do you frequently get annoyed by those seemingly helpful folks who overuse “Reply All” just to agree with popular opinions? Do you spend too much time scrolling to the bottom of endless email threads in which nothing gets decided because the issues are muddled or the wrong people are on the “To:” list? Do you ever get replies that indicate your receivers didn’t take time to actually read the simple question you posed? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, Email might waste more time than it saves in your organization.

Status Reports and/or Status Meetings Operating in an environment where everyone who needs to know what’s going on actually does know and also knows where they fit in is a very good thing. However, as someone who has spent way too many hours sitting in status meetings where nothing new is uncovered, much less discussed, I’ve come to the conclusion that we all could benefit from spending less time talking about what we’ve done and more time actually doing what needs to be done. If your status meetings are reluctantly attended, or have become a platform for posturing and finger-pointing, it’s probably time to revamp them.

Gathering Unused Data I’m a big fan of having rich data that provides insight into what your customers need. Most of the time, though, we lack the systems and discipline needed to fully reap the true value of deep customer data. Complete a quick assessment by rounding up all your data-collection forms and routines. Do you use every piece of data you gather to analyze your business or uncover new opportunities? Do you have enough responses to provide at least a minimum level of statistical validity? If not, you may want to adopt the “less is more” mentality to steer your data-gathering efforts. Invest the time saved in deeply analyzing and drawing valuable insight from the data you already have.

Agenda-Free Meetings Sometimes, we all just need a little camaraderie. Casual conversation and a little bit of joking around can go a long way to relieving stress and opening the door for idea-sharing. This shouldn’t be the norm, though, for your meetings. If you don’t

have a clear objective for what’s to be decided or discussed in a meeting, you shouldn’t have the meeting. Even one-on-one meetings can be time-wasters if each person doesn’t leave the meeting having learned, decided, or resolved something useful.

Task Forces Sometime in the 90s, committees grew up and became task forces. No matter what you call them, task forces often are huge time-wasters. It’s not for lack of passion or worthwhile causes. Quite simply, it’s because the person who should be in charge of doing what the task force is asked to do either isn’t willing or able. I boldly predict that in almost every task force meeting being held this week, at least 20 minutes are wasted by the participants trying to figure out who’s in charge. If you feel you need a task force, take a hard look around until you find the person who really should be driving whatever it is you need to get done. Get him/her to take accountability, or find someone else to. Period.

Suspect Initiatives For a brief time after college, I worked as an advertising copywriter at a newspaper. Essentially, I typed ad copy into a typesetting program and lived in fear of the gruff old guys in the layout room. One of my co-workers was continually distracted by her rather dramatic high school love life, so she made a lot of errors. This greatly annoyed the fearsome layout guys who put pressure on the ad copy supervisor to take action. Instead of directly addressing the issue with said drama queen, our supervisor gave us “pop typing tests,” touted as useful tools to keep our skills sharp. This was one of the first times I experienced an avoidance tactic disguised as an initiative. How many times is mandatory sensitivity training all about one person who can’t get along with anyone? Before launching any initiative, ask yourself if what you really need is a simple and direct path for addressing a competency or attitudinal issue in your organization. By all means, take the path less wasteful.

Being Too Hasty How many times do decisions get re-hashed in your organization? This can happen when the wrong people or data sets are involved in decisions. This also can happen when the right people don’t take enough time to fully analyze the data, the situation, the risks, and the potential outcomes. Avoid continual re-hashing by ensuring everyone involved has a firm grasp of the issue at hand, and that you’ve played out enough scenarios to be sure you’ve thought things through.

All these 40% Factor contributors started out with good intent. Each of them, when used with purity of purpose, can once again retain its usefulness in your organization. You have to provide the careful attention these factors need to reach their full productivity potential, lest they stray further down the time-wasting trail. The simplest weapon you have against The 40% Factor taking hold in your organization is asking this question. “Do we really need to be doing this?”

AXUG

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Giving to One

by Patrick Collins

S

hannon Taylor serves as the fire and EMS coordinator for BLACKHAWK! (w w w.blackhawk . com), a leading manufacturer and distributor of military, outdoor, first responder, and lawenforcement products. But her mission is to support the motto of the company, which is “Honor as a way of life.” For Taylor, that means providing the highest level of service possible. “We stand up for the law enforcement officer, the military member, the rugged outdoorsman, and the first responders,” she says. “We stand up for them by manufacturing and selling products with a lot of integrity.

That’s important to all of us.”

The importance of reliable equipment made to the highest performance standards is the genesis of BLACKHAWK!, which was formed by Mike Noell who, as a Navy SEAL, was in a minefield when his government-issued pack broke and fell very close to an explosive. “He was determined to raise the bar,” Taylor says.

BLACKHAWK!, a subsidiary of Alliant Techsystems (known as ATK), employs 300 people. Taylor is based at the Norfolk, Virginia location; the company also operates facilities in Idaho, Montana, and North Carolina. Taylor works in BLACKHAWK!’s sales department, building and supporting the fire and EMS section, which offers a product line that includes trauma bags based on Navy SEAL design specifications, composite-toe boots, rescue tools, tools for entering buildings under a range of circumstances – from attempting to capture an active shooter to breaching a burning building, for example – and Knox Stocks, a device that attaches to the receiving end of a firearm to reduce the perceived recoil and allow the firearm to be held in a different manner.

To provide a level of service that exceeds Customers’ expectations and keeps them coming back, BLACKHAWK! uses Microsoft Dynamics® AX. “We take a ‘one team, one fight’ approach to everything,” Taylor says. “We pride ourselves on both delivering the best products and also on superior Customer service. What we give to one call we give to them all, and the more features we utilize, the more proficient everyone becomes.”

While Taylor does not participate directly in the local Microsoft Dynamics AX User Group, a colleague does. “Everything is tracked by the help desk, so we’re all part of it, and we’ve received valuable information as a result of the company’s participation,” she says. The value of knowledge gleaned from the User group was underscored by an upgrade completed in March.

With the upgrade behind them, Taylor reports that BLACKHAWK! is using the solution in several ways. Her familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics AX dates back to her early days at BLACKHAWK! as a temp at the front desk. “I used it to clean up profiles that were missing information,” she says.

Today, her use of the technology is more complex. “We use it for almost everything, including order entry, Customer quotes, purchase orders, backorder reports, and trend line reports on how well an item is selling,” she says.

Transaction data helps her with marketing efforts. “If we have an item on sale, I go in and pull its history, which shows me which accounts will be more interested in that particular item,” she says. “Since we work primarily with dealers, I can send the items on sale to the dealers most likely to sell it.”

There is also a CRM angle to BLACKHAWK!’s use of Microsoft Dynamics AX. “When an individual Customer is required to have a certain credential for a product – armor or dynamic entry tools, for example – they can send us their photo ID, which we scan and attach to the Customer record,” she says. “We also save emails into Customer files and on a sales order so we don’t have to ask Customers for information they’ve already provided.”

That capability, she says, supports the motto and the mission. “My co-workers pick up the ball exactly where I left off and assist from that point to conclusion,” she says. “It’s part of the sense of pride we all have here, our sense of security that we are delivering our very best.” AXUG

member in

action Fall 2011

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AXUG Summit 2011 Preview

W

hat happens in Vegas at the AXUG Summit doesn’t stay in Vegas. That’s the theme for this year as the seventh annual AXUG Summit takes place in Las Vegas at Caesars Palace, November 8 – 11. The AXUG Summit is the largest conference in the world solely dedicated to the Microsoft Dynamics® AX community. Users from around the globe gather annually for three days of networking and information sharing.

The agenda for the AXUG Summit 2011 is packed with great content again this year. Exciting functional, technical, and operational content across more than 15 different tracks will be the heart of the conference. Each of these tracks will have a variety of different session types, providing attendees the opportunity to gather more Microsoft Dynamics AX knowledge.

There will be the traditional roundtable sessions. These are the bread and butter of the User group, sitting around with fellow Users and subject matter experts as you listen, learn, and share your experiences. Roundtables provide an excellent opportunity to learn and share tips and tricks. Presentation sessions will be led by subject matter experts and will include deep dives into the product, demonstrating best practices and techniques that Users can immediately apply to their own installations. The How2 sessions, introduced last year to rave reviews, are back this year. Each How2 session is designed to give attendees specific instructions or checklists that they can follow after the AXUG Summit. How2 sessions are a great way to learn the same steps experts follow in managing, developing, and using their Microsoft Dynamics AX environment.

Users won’t want to miss the opportunity to provide feedback directly to Microsoft via the conduit sessions. Conduits are open discussions with the Microsoft R&D team around functional needs Users have and how Microsoft Dynamics AX can be designed to meet these needs. Past conduit sessions have led to new functionality being designed into the solution, so when you learn more about Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 at Summit, rest assured that some of the new functionality came from conduit sessions.

Users always want to learn more about the different products and services in the Microsoft Dynamics AX marketplace, and Partner Showcase Theatre (PST) sessions provide this opportunity. There are 30 PSTs scheduled, and each one will include topical and product demonstrations. Sit back and listen, and if you like what you hear, follow up with the Partners after their sessions or visit them in the Expo Hall. Last year Customer Showcase Theatres (CST) were added to the Summit agenda; because of great feedback, they’re on the agenda again this year. The CSTs are a great chance to hear fellow Users share their experiences and success with Microsoft Dynamics AX. In closing, AXUG Summit will provide three days of great content and valuable networking. If you still want more, remember the optional pre-Summit training offered through the AXUG Academy.

Twenty different four- or eight-hour courses are being offered by Academy instructors.

AXUG Summit 2011 will be the biggest and best Summit ever. Last year more than 500 people attended Summit in Orlando; will you be part of the 2011 crowd in Las Vegas? For more information and/or to register, visit www.AXUG.com.

AXUG

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Company: Green Beacon Solutions LLC

Interviewee: Benjamin A. Holtz, president and CEO

Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts

Email: bholtz@greenbeacon.com

Website: www.greenbeacon.com

Established: 2001

AXUG® Partner Member Since: 2007

O

ctober 2001 was not an ideal time to start a business, especially on the East Coast of the United States.

Yet less than a month after the tragedies of September 11, 2001, Green Beacon Solutions got its start in Ben Holtz’s home as a consulting and managed services company.

What started with Ben and three other founders has grown to more than 50 people in 10 years, so while the timing may not have been opportune, the business need was there.

Green Beacon works with its Customers short-term, near-term, and long-term so that they can achieve success with their ERP and CRM implementations.

“Sometimes VAR is a four letter word, since some seem to just focus on system installations and then move on to the next opportunity,” says Ben. “While we do implement software for our clients, we’re much more focused on the client getting good value from the solution. I’m trying to redefine what a VAR is through the approach that we take during the entire project because I want to have that Customer relationship forever.”

In addition to designing, developing, and implementing Microsoft Dynamics® AX solutions, Green Beacon also provides Microsoft Dynamics® CRM solutions and has recently taken the initiative to create webinar content to train Users on integrating the two products as well as the overall value that’s provided by each.

“We’re extremely proficient at integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM with Microsoft Dynamics AX, providing turnkey value to clients because we are experts in both solutions,” says Ben. “Integrating them is a natural and seamless fit, which is a critical differentiator for us in the AX marketplace.”

This differentiation has led Green Beacon to want to share its expertise with the Microsoft Dynamics AX community through AXUG®.

“We wanted to be part of the community as we saw a tremendous opportunity to help add value to other businesses whether or not they are our Customers,” says Ben. “Green Beacon’s mission is to provide value and real content, and we want to ensure that what we deliver addresses the needs of all of our clients.”

Due in part to Green Beacon’s interest in supporting the Microsoft Dynamics AX community, almost all of its Customers have joined AXUG. “Our Customers like AXUG because it’s a venue for getting targeted information about the application(s) they run,” says Ben. “The AXUG Summit is highly successful because it’s designed with the actual Users in mind. I’ve had Customers tell me that it’s the best conference they go to because they not only receive current value-added content, but they’re also able to network and interact with product Users who share similar experiences.”

Ben especially appreciates this positive mentality as he experienced a much different community in a previous career at Epicor.

“Most of the Epicor Users look at the group as a means for getting information and less of a shared community for conversation,” reflects Ben. “AXUG is a true ‘User community’ that collaborates for Users’ own mutual benefit. Throughout the years, we have proudly sponsored several AXUG regional chapter meetings, and it’s interesting to see them get together and have conversations and get value.”

In addition to the fruitful conversations AXUG Members have with each other, Green Beacon has benefited because as a Sponsor, they’re able to meet with Users, understand their businesses, and learn more about how they use Microsoft Dynamics AX. This enables Green Beacon to utilize this information to improve their delivery capabilities and ensure that clients receive the most value from their solutions.

Ben sees AXUG as a critical component to maintaining the value of Green Beacon to its Customers.

“Being an active participant in AXUG keeps us engaged and up-to-date on the product and market trends from the valuable perspective of the actual Users. This is critical for us since they are ‘the community’,” says Ben. “With the launch of Microsoft Dynamics® AX 2012, I almost forecast that there will be a swell in attendance for AXUG as the product is going to be more User-friendly,” says Ben. “And with that swell will be the opportunity for Users and Partners to realize an even greater level of value, and we don’t plan on being left behind.”

AXUG

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The AXUG Magazine

showcase

AXUG

contest

name that photo

W

e have so many great photos from our events, and we’re so glad that we can now share them with you! This photo of Bill Blythe, CIO of Old Castle, holding court was taken during a cocktail reception at the AXUG® Manufacturing FOCUS event.

What would you name this photo? Simply email your submission to captioncontest@axug.com; all submissions will be printed in the magazine’s next edition.

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Company: Lazydays RV Center

Interviewees: Joe Wiley, CIO, and Judy Bolton, executive administrator

Headquarters: Tampa, Florida

Email: jwiley@lazydays.com and jbolton@lazydays.com

Website: www.lazydays.com

Established: 1976

Microsoft Dynamics® AX User Since: 2006

AXUG® Member Since: 2007

Number of Employees: 525

Number of Users: 525

F

or Lazydays RV Center, vacations are a way of life.

The Tampa-based dealership sells and services recreational vehicles (RV), from pop-up campers to luxury vehicles, to people from all over the country who are looking for their next great American road trip.

Operating on 125 acres of property, Lazydays is the largest RV dealership in the world, both physically and in terms of annual sales and service volume as over 250,000 RVers visit Lazydays each year.

With a business this robust, Lazydays needed a system that could keep up with demand and help them create joy for their customers.

“We investigated Axapta (now Microsoft Dynamics® AX) and were very excited to see what it had to offer,” says Judy Bolton, executive administrator at Lazydays. “We started preparations for our implementation in 2004 and went live a year and a half later with heavy product customizations.”

Every function of the business runs on Microsoft Dynamics AX, including time collection, RV service, RV sales, and financials. The current focus is

on improving workflow in the service department and building more robust business intelligence capabilities. The company also recently purchased a dealership in Tucson, Arizona and will simply extend what they’ve done in Tampa out west.

Implementing such a system requires an ability to learn from and interact with others more experienced, and Joe Wiley, CIO at Lazydays, knew exactly where to go.

While working for a previous company, Joe collaborated with other SAP Users, including Andy Hafer, who was working to create a local SAP User Group. When Joe and Andy became involved with Microsoft Dynamics AX, once again a User group was born: this time it was AXUG®, founded by Andy who soon had a new career as director of Dynamic Communities®.

“AXUG was born out of the need for collaboration from User to User, as opposed to vendor to User or Microsoft to User,” says Joe. “It’s beneficial to learn how others with similar business processes use the system, and we’ve been able to bring some of those ideas into our business, incorporating them into what we do.”

From a meeting via their regional chapter, Joe and his team had the opportunity to visit Caterpillar®. Although they’re in different industries and have differing processes, seeing Caterpillar’s parts system enabled Lazydays to generate some ideas for how they could better their internal processes.

“We had several conversations after the fact and were also able to share with them things about our parts and receiving process that they’re able to use in their business,” says Joe. In addition to this experience, the Lazydays team has received great benefit from their AXUG membership, as have three of their manufacturers who also run Microsoft Dynamics AX and with whom they’re exploring integrations.

“It’s easy to be consumed with what we’re doing and say there isn’t time to do it,” says Judy. “You need to make the time. With every meeting, you will come away with something that you can take home and use.”

“AXUG doesn’t require a significant time commitment,” adds Joe. “If you’re thinking that something like this might be useful to you, it is very easy to get in and try it out.”

AXUG

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The AXUG Magazine

Have You Unlocked Your Full Potential?

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AXug

Word

S

it back and relax with your favorite pen to complete the AXUG速 Word Find. Posted below are 25 words that relate to the topics and themes included in this edition of The AXUG Magazine. These words can be found in the grid horizontally, vertically, diagonally, backwards, and forwards.

You can submit your completed word find for a chance to win a gift certificate. Simply scan and email your entry to wordfind@axug.com.

find A C A D E M I E S A T I O L C O M M U N I T I E S

C E R T I F I R C S N J N E H M G N I N I A R T H

R O L N E M E Y O C L S A A A E A S O A C H S A A

O O M D R T C A M I I U W R P S I Q P C L N O R R

U A U M P A A L M M S M A E S U O R R L O T L L I

Academy Answers Association AXUG Certification

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The AXUG Magazine

S S A A U E E W U A T M T O R N E M E I E N E O N

E U H C C N T L N N E I C D T M U I S N N T D T G

M C M I A A I P T Y N I N E I R C S H H A H I U L

Chapters Community Conduit Discussions Global

S E C M X S D T T D A T V U E T U R A P A E V T I

N V M R I A I S Y T S A M Y R C H A P T E R L A D

O E A B U I A I I F R L U C S U M M I E T A E E C

R G S A E G T O A O G A L I K N O W L R I V A E E

I E A I E R N E W S R L D S S D Y N E S C S R P T

Growth Knowledge Las Vegas Learn Listen

N L S V C O S S A O I E O A E A V S N E A T D E S

T E S O G R O W T R S G N B C L O E J Y I R E T I

A A W T U R O U N C A R O G A U B L E F R W E N L

L G I R G R L E D I X Y I U R A E A I L E A R D A

C A R N E D C S T M M S S C G S E C T I U D N O C

I T O O S L A E A E C U E A R R A X U D G G U X A

F I U S W A E B D I S S I Q O T O X W E N R U O C

I M N R G T S A G L O B A L I U S W U S E U C S A

Member Microsoft Dynamics New Release Premium Resources

T M D E E A C L S U E X A O M E M B T U E R O E D

R U T T V A S A L E G A N E W R E L E H G A S R E

E S A P A H C E C R U O S E R E G D E L W O N K M

C A B A N S W E R S D I S C U S S I O N V S A L I

Roundtables Share SIG Summit Training

Welcome to Our

New Members AXUG® is adding new Members (with new Microsoft Dynamics® AX expertise) every day! To date in 2011, we have added 286 Members to the AXUG community, bringing the group’s grand total of Member organizations to 1,520. Welcome to our new Members, and to all Members, thank you for your participation and continued support! Each new Member organization adds value not only to their own company, but also to the entire community as they share their knowledge and experiences.

We want to recognize those Members who have invested in AXUG Premium membership in 2011 as well as our Premium Partner Members. Thank you! Please note that these organizations have given AXUG permission to share their name publicly.

Premium Members - 2011 AB Agri

Kempe Corporate

Regency Media Pty Ltd.

Amtrol, Inc.

Administration Pty Ltd.

Rockler Companies

Astor

Lancer Corporation

Roskam Baking Company

Bernina of America

Management Concepts, Inc.

Britax

Marc Jacobs International

Sadler, Breen, Morasch & Colby, P.S.

CMC ICOS Biologics

Mattress Firm

Datafrond LC

Micro Beef Technologies

Dealer.com

National Cable Satellite Corporation d/b/a C-SPAN

Display Pack, Inc. Elite Technologies, LLC

Nonin Medical Inc.

Southern Fulfillment Services Sutphen Corporation The Aagard Group, LLC Trading Technologies UWEO Professional and Continuing Education

Gerawan Farming, Inc.

NORMA GROUP Holding GmbH

HF Management Services, LLC

Nuplex Industries

WIL Research

Hitachi Power Tools Australia

Pace Farm Pty Ltd.

Xenon Arc

IMERYS USA, Inc.

PC Mall, Inc.

Zones

WH Williams Pty Ltd.

Premium Partners - 2011 5Pillars Corp.

Collins Computing, Inc.

IconAX

WatServ

Client Strategy Group

enVista Corporation

Loki Systems, Inc.

Zap

Again, thank you for your contributions, and welcome to AXUG! If you, too, want to explore the benefits of AXUG Premium Membership and take advantage of membership opportunities, simply visit www.AXUG.com > Join AXUG. Our Premium Members are the lifeblood of our organization and enable us to continue to provide valuable networking, educational events, and solution-specific programming.

Fall 2011

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Altec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Arbela Technologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26,36 Bottomline Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Fastpath Solutions, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Green Beacon Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 IconAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Junction Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Metafile Information Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Sandler*Kahne Software, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Tribridge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 WatServ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

advertiser

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36

The AXUG Magazine

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