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August 30, 2005

More on WinFS

Microsoft has some more information on the new WinFS system. Click here to watch a video about it. A demo of WinFS starts about 11 minutes into the video. The full video runs about an hour in length.

I have watched about half of the video and I’m not sure I fully understand all the ramifications of WinFS. It looks like a totally new way of looking at what is on your computer. In the past I have always through about files and where they are located. It looks like WinFS sort of takes files apart and lets you see not only what’s inside but to find data there too. It’s sort like a database system that sits on top of the current file storage system.

I would guess it’s going to expand how much space everything takes on a hard drive. But it should make it much easier to find data you are looking for.

Take a view of the video and see if you can figure out what it does and is it a step or leap forward?

Posted by Ted at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)

August 29, 2005

Microsoft Releases WinFS Beta

Microsoft, in a surprise move, just released the WinFS file system in beta for users to test. WinFS had been one of the selling points for Longhorn – later called Windows Vista. But Microsoft said that Windows Vista would not have the WinFS files system. It seems they had encountered technical difficulties and could not release it in time. Apparently they resolved some issues to release it now.

I know practically nothing about WinFS except the hype. From what I read it appears to be a smart file storage system for your data. It allows you to more easily and quickly retrieve data from your computer. The WinFS is supposed to be available for both Windows XP and the Windows 2003 servers.

From what I read, it supposed to be the next best thing to sliced bread, but so far I know few details. If it’s as good as they claim, it could be a real blow to Mac.

Posted by Ted at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)

August 26, 2005

Microsoft Great Plains - V9.0 New Features

Here are some of the new features for version 9.0 of Microsoft Great Plains.

• Home Pages Based on Industry Roles: Customizable role-based home pages provide employees in professional services, distribution, retail, and public sector companies with a dashboard tailored to their daily tasks—including reminders, KPIS, and links to specific reports, feature guides, windows, or SmartLists. Microsoft Great Plains 9.0 includes more than 20 customizable roles, ranging from Accounting Manager to Order Processor, IT Operations Manager to Dispatcher. (Ed. Note: I’m not sure how this will play out. It looks like you will need to be running the Business Portal for this to work. The Business Portal requires SharePoint Services. SharePoint Services requires you have IIS and ASP installed – sigh. One thing leads to another. To repeat myself, when I get my hands on a CD I can better evaluate different features.)

• SQL Reporting Services: Deepen analytics capabilities with the ability to extend data formats and access SQL reports from within Great Plains. SQL Reporting Services are compatible with Microsoft SQL Server™ 2005. (Ed. Note: I expect Great Plains to be using SQL Reporting Services more in the future. I anticipate they will eventually use it to replace the aging Report Writer module. Letting the user run SQL reports from inside Great Plains is the camel’s nose under the tent.)

• Simplified Report Navigation: Help eliminate the need to chase down reports from across your system with the Report List, which includes Great Plains Report Writer reports, SmartLists, and SQL Reporting Services reports. Users can quickly find and launch the reports they need, with options to find, restrict, and perform multiple actions for reports contained in the list. (Ed. Note: This sounds good, but until I see it I don’t know how it’s going to play out. Finding the report you’re looking for has always been a challenge in Great Plains. I would offer a solution, but I don’t know what I would do.)

• My Reports: Designed to give users personalized access to the reporting options they use most often, My Reports enables users to select reports from the Report List—including SQL Services Reports--customize them as needed, and then store them for one-click access. (Ed. Note: If this is what I think it is, it’s an excellent idea. Giving each user a customizable list of frequently run reports will really improve the usability of Great Plains.)

• SmartList Integration with Letter Writing Wizard: Make full use of the powerful query capabilities of SmartList by exporting specific customer lists and records to Microsoft Word to quickly create letters and reports with the Letter Writing Wizard. (Ed. Note: This sounds pretty cool. With SmartList you can select a list of customer, vendors, or employees you want to send a form letter to and then merge it into Microsoft Word. Very cool.)

Posted by Ted at 08:01 AM | Comments (0)

August 25, 2005

Great Plains System Manager - V9.0 New Features

Here are some of the new features for version 9.0 for the Microsoft Great Plains System Manager.

• Mass Deployment: With Release 9.0, system implementers can easily create an installation package for a customized, configured version upgrade that can be installed by running a single file. Partners and IT staff can then use the tools and applications they are familiar with to push the deployment out to all clients, eliminating the cumbersome process of installing the Great Plains client on individual workstations. (Ed. Note: You can already create an installation template, but you have to run the template at each station that runs Great Plains. This looks like you can have the installation install itself automatically. I will be interested to see how this works.)

• Automatic Client Updates: Ensure that all client workstations stay up to date with the correct service packs. Release 9.0 enables administrators to select, approve, and post Service Packs for automatic deployment across all client workstations at a site. When an update is posted, users receive an e-mail alert.(Ed. Note: I like this idea. I take it that I can simply install a new service pack or such on the server and it will automatically update the stations. If that works, that is sweet.)

• Setup Checklists: Simplify and improve accuracy and efficiency for setup. We’ve enhanced Microsoft Great Plains setup windows with a clearly defined set up structure, a suggested order for completing setup steps, and the ability to assign windows or groups of windows to users for completion. (Ed. Note: This could be very helpful or not. It depends on just how good their suggested steps are. The proof in this pudding will be the eating of it.)

• Small Business Server Integration: Microsoft Great Plains Standard now integrates with Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 ensuring quick setup and one-click installation.

Ed. Note: The Microsoft Small Business server (SBS) is a really good deal for clients – with an exception. Your asking a lot of the hardware to run everything that comes on the SBS. Microsoft Exchange is a pig. SQL Server is too, but at least I can limit how much memory it uses. If you’re going to run SBS, put in at least 4GB of RAM. You would also be well served with a couple of Xeon processors too.

Although you can run Great Plains on the MSDE database, that is not my preference. The MSDE database gives you none of the SQL tools that full fledged SQL Server do. That limits how much I can help the client.

Posted by Ted at 08:05 AM | Comments (0)

August 24, 2005

The Thieves Never Rest

Here's something that happens that I never even thought about. Someone can hijack your web address. Here's a scenario that's very troubling . . .

you begin the day as an e-merchant doing business online at 'www.onlineseller.example.com.' At 2:15 p.m. that afternoon, your visitor traffic and merchant transactions disappear. You investigate and discover someone’s impersonated your company’s administrative contact, transferred your domain name to a different registrar, and modified the DNS. Visitors to your domain name land at a hoax Web site that impersonates your virtual store. Improbable? It happened to Hushmail in April of this year.

Here's the article in Information Week. They recommend how to protect yourself.

Posted by Ted at 04:29 PM | Comments (0)

IBM Needs 20,000 Mainframe People

I seems that IBM needs to hire 20,000 people over the next few years to service their mainfram computers and they don't know where to get them. Although I remember the IBM Mainframe 360 computer, I never really worked with like I do PC's. I just rather amazed by this. Information Week has all the details.

Posted by Ted at 03:17 PM | Comments (0)

Sales Order Processing (Order Entry) - V9.0 New Features

Here are some of the new features for version 9.0 in the Microsoft Great Plains Sales Order Processing (Order Entry) module.

• More Targeted Order Lookup: Locate orders more quickly by limiting your search to specific order types. (Ed. Note: While this has some value, I find that most users already know the order number they’re looking for. Still, until I actually see it, I can’t make a good judgment)

• Line Items Override: Remove or replace line items quickly and easily and without special editing actions by simply retyping over the current line. (Ed. Note: I think this is pretty cool. As of now, when you type in a wrong item number, you have to click the Delete Line Item button, put the cursor back to the item number field and re-enter the correct item number. I gather, from this description, you can now just type right over the previously entered item number. That’s nice and I can imagine the programmers had to jump through more than a couple of hoops to make it work.)

Posted by Ted at 01:01 PM | Comments (0)

August 22, 2005

Inventory Control - V9.0 New Features

Here are some of the new features for version 9.0 in the Microsoft Great Plains Inventory module.

• Inventory Usage Enhancements: Gain visibility into exactly where inventory is used to help you analyze sales, transfers, and materials used for manufacturing. A new Quantity Sold Inquiry window will help you drill-down to see the details of each transaction that reduced inventory, including accounts that have been debited and credited. (Ed. Note: This sounds real wiz-bang, but I’m unsure just how useful it will be. As I keep saying, until I get my hands on a copy, all I can do is regurgitate what they tell me)

• Real-time Calculation of Moving Average Cost: For inventory that uses the Average Perpetual valuation method, Microsoft Great Plains can calculate the item’s Current (Average) Cost—as many times as the purchase receipt changes—and then simultaneously generate general ledger adjustments. (Ed. Note: I have one client that uses Moving Average Costing. Wait make that two clients. This is another of those, until I see I can’t figure out what they’re talking about.)

• Stock Status Report: Gain visibility into positive stock in your warehouse with an optional report that excludes zero or negative inventory. (Ed. Note: I think you can already do that. On the Stock Status report screen there is a check-box to include zero or negative quantities. Perhaps this has been changed to two check boxes. One to include zero quantities and one to include negative quantities. That would be a help as I usually wind up modifying the report to include negative quantities but not zero ones.)

• Stock Count and Discrepancy Alerts: Maintain an accurate stock count schedule with system alerts that remind you when items are due for stock count. Investigate stock discrepancies quickly with system notifications that help you to resolve differences between an item’s reported status and physical presence in the warehouse. (Ed. Note: I wish I could get more clients to do regular stock counts. Perhaps this will help.)

• Inbound Logistics: Simplify item receipt of inbound inventory by moving items into a specific bin in a single step. Quickly determine which bin to use based on bin priorities and maximum capacities and accept or override system recommendations. (Ed. Note: This could be a help where clients have multi-bin turned on. That’s where you can track how much is in each bin location. One drawback has been that you can ONLY receive to one bin. This tells me you can set up a receipt bin for each item and receive directly to that bin. That could be a time saver.)

Posted by Ted at 10:03 AM | Comments (0)

August 19, 2005

Collections Management - V9.0 New Features

Here are some of the new features for the Microsoft Great Plains Collections Management module.

• Custom Collection Letters in Microsoft Word: Write collection letters tailored to your customers using Microsoft Office Word 2003.

• Invoice Queries: Query invoices that contain a partial payment or no payment applied.

• System Reminders: System prompts alert employees to next steps and unfinished tasks.

I like the idea of using Word for the collections letters instead of the editor in the Collections Module.

Until I see it, I’m not sure what they are talking about in the Invoice Query.

The System Reminders are a good idea. I need all the reminders possible just to make it through the day without dropping too many plates.

Posted by Ted at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)

August 18, 2005

Adobe Patches An Acrobat Security Hole

CRN has a post about a hole in Adobe Acrobat that Adobe is patching. It seems this vulnerability allows people to insert some malicious code into an Acrobat document. Then when you open that document, the nasty code is released to do its damage.

Sheesh! Is nothing safe?

Make sure you Acrobat is up to date.

Posted by Ted at 03:22 PM | Comments (0)

Bank Reconciliation - V9.0 New Features

New Features for the Microsoft Great Plains Bank Reconciliation Module include the following:

• Cut Checks on the Fly: Keep balances up-to-date with the flexibility to cut checks immediately as you need them.

• Void Date Check Reconciliation: Voided checks show as unreconciled until the void date is reached rather than at the transaction date for better control of your cash flow.

• Reconciliation Reports: Improve efficiencies for the reconciliation process with automated prompts for outstanding checks reports.

CAVEAT: I do not have the software yet. These are just bullet points I get from the Microsoft Business Solutions website.

Posted by Ted at 09:19 AM | Comments (0)

August 17, 2005

Microsoft Great Plains 8.5 Now 9.0

I see that Microsoft Great Plains 8.5 has been rechristened Microsoft Great Plains 9.0. It is expected to ship in the fourth quarter of 2005. Last I heard that would likely be this October.

Here are the highlights of this release.

• Expanded, flexible automation and online capabilities improve speed and accuracy for completing business tasks across the full range of your operations, with the assurance that your solution can adapt quickly to processes for distribution, manufacturing, project management, field service, HR/Payroll, and financial management

• With centralized setup, installation, and upgrade functionality, Microsoft Great Plains 9.0 can significantly reduce IT administration, minimize installation disruptions, and help ensure that your system stays up to date across all client workstations.

• Personalized report navigation enables easy sharing of information in multiple formats and delivery methods. Enhanced viewing, drilldown, and inquiries for financial, manufacturing, and distribution information equip employees to better serve customers, make smart task decisions today, and plan more effectively for tomorrow.

• Employees now have access to industry-specific, relevant visibility into information and applications with role-based home pages that can serve as a dashboard of information for professional services, distribution, retail, and public sector companies.

• With Microsoft Business Portal 3.0, you can take advantage of the latest technologies to set up extranet deployments that give customers security-enhanced, role-based views of critical information, as well as the ability to create their own extranet and intranet pages.

I’ll flesh out more details in the future.

Posted by Ted at 02:03 PM | Comments (0)

August 16, 2005

A Trucking Company?

I received a call from a prospect. They apparently got our name from the yellow pages in the phone book. Wow, the phone book. I think that’s the first real hit from the phone book in five years – or more.

The prospect apparently hauls propane and they want to track all the pending trips. Currently they are using Excel spreadsheets for this. It sounds somewhat confusing.

I’m not sure they are a good fit for our business, but being the database geek I am, I feel compelled to look at their challenge. The good news is they are only about a mile from my office.

Posted by Ted at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)

August 15, 2005

Client Is Back Up and Running

I received a call from a client Friday afternoon. Their server had gone down and their hardware guy had been working all day to get it back up and running. The problem had something to do with the SCSI-RAID adapter. They had been unable to enter anything at all on Friday.

Over the weekend I suddenly had self doubts. Had I set up the SQL Server backups? I could not remember setting them up.

This morning I showed up. The server was back up and running, but Great Plains would not run. That was to be expected. The first thing I did was to look in my backup folder to see if my SQL backups were there. There were! Breath sigh of relief.

Great Plains was already installed and would run IF I could get SQL running. I uninstalled SQL Sever and then re-installed it and then patched it the SP3A. My thought was to create the Dynamics and company databases and then restore from backup to them. The most current backup was from Wednesday night. That meant they would need to re-enter all of Thursday’s work.

After creating the Dynamics and company databases, I looked in the folder I had pointed them to and there were the database files from the previous install. This was very good news. Not only as the original data there, but the dates on the files showed them to be from Thursday evening.

I used the SQL Query Analyzer to detach both databases (sp_detach_db). Then I used it to re-attach (sp_attach_db) both debases only this time pointing to the existing database files. The SQL Sever Books Online was a big help with this.

After performing this, I ran a couple of queries to see if I could read the tables and data. I could! Excellent!

One last issue was user logins. Although the users were in the Dynamics database, they were NOT in the SQL Server Logins database. I had on my thumb drive and script with documentation that I had used for a client that had his sever stolen. I reviewed the docs and ran the script. All the users were good to go, except their passwords were set to blank.

I had the users log in and set their passwords and the client was back in business.

Posted by Ted at 04:48 PM | Comments (0)

August 10, 2005

Windows Vista Guided Tour

Information Week has an guided tour of Windows Vista. Click here to read the tour.

I think Windows Vista looks pretty cool.

Posted by Ted at 04:46 PM | Comments (0)