1st Quarter - Jan/Feb/March - 2012 Newsletter   Convergence 2012 - Houston, Texas Convergence 2012 is only a few months away, so now's the time to register.  This year it will be held March 18-21 in Houston, Texas.  Keynote speakers include Microsoft COO - Kevin Turner and President of Business Solutions - Kirill Tatarinov.  Attend sessions to learn what's ahead in future versions of their products, discover best practices, tips and tricks for current versions and visit the hands-on labs to try some of the latest functionality.  To register and/or learn more:   http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/convergence/houston12/   Business Ready Licensing - Are You Onboard? If you bought your Microsoft Dynamics GP software more than 3 years ago, you are on either GP Standard or GP Professional.  Licensing for GP has changed since then and it is now purchased under the Business Ready Licensing (BRL) program as Business Essentials or Advanced Management.  Those on Standard or Professional have the option of transferring to one of the newer BRL packages for a flat fee.  There are many functionality benefits to making this transition as well as some significant financial savings.  If you are interested in learning more about how it might work for you, please contact Amy Coddington at amy@softsolgrp.com for a free on-site consultation.   Webinar - Mekorma: MICR Payables & US Payroll - Feb. 14th Learn about Mekorma MICR - the best-selling check printing enhancement for Microsoft Dynamics GP. Mekorma MICR makes managing multiple checking accounts secure and easy, offers multiple signatures and password options, and allows you to configure your check format to fit your needs. New features discussed will include Check Image Archiving, Automatic PDF Check Copies and Security by GP User ID. Mekorma MICR works with Purchasing, U.S. Payroll, Canadian Payroll and Miscellaneous Checks. If you'd like to access our webinar on Tuesday, Feb. 14th at 1pm, please contact Amy Coddington at amy@softsolgrp.com   Socializing with the Customer: Strategy or Obligation? Our world has gone Social. We can learn how a friend’s meal tastes across the world before they take a second bite. Demand for a product can explode in minutes because of a tweet, blog, or online video. But what does it mean for businesses?    In a culture that has encouraged “squeaky wheels” to voice their displeasure for services, products, and processes in order to receive recompense, attention on social media outlets often spells trouble for companies. So how should organizations leverage social media so they are beneficial? Simply, by socializing with customers.   By providing an online vehicle for customers and business leaders to discuss ideas, business services, and product development, customers will feel more like equals in the process, and perhaps feel less moved to post a rant about something that irritated them about your organization.   Another way to get to know your customers is with Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions. By tracking customer engagements, predicting customer needs, and supplying your front-line employees with relevant customer information, your customers will sense their importance to you and your business.    Visit our website at www.softsolgrp.com for other recent news, events and special offers. Helpful Tips/Overview  - Year-End Close Visit the homepage of our website to access a document that covers typical procedures involved in closing Microsoft Dynamics GP 10 and GP2010.  (Note that further detailed documentation can be accessed through CustomerSource.)   www.softsolgrp.com   This includes: Financials Receivables Mgmt. Payables Mgmt. Inventory   Helpful Tips -   Inventory Reduction: The Hows and Whys of Cutting Stock In these economic times, many companies have been forced to reduce inventory in order to increase cash flow. But cutting stock is much more complicated than slashing a few items here and there. There is a science to reducing inventory without impeding your ability to meet product demand and customer satisfaction.    Following are three places to start when engaging in intelligent inventory reduction. 1.      Anything earmarked for sale outside of the next six months. If you won’t sell it before then, get rid of it. 2.      Excess units of slow-moving products. If you only sell one every other month, then only keep 5 in stock. 3.      Your steadiest, most predictably selling item. If more cash flow is needed, reduce your stock of what you sell most consistently and reorder more frequently, so you can reduce without supply interruption.  Inventory management, including reduction, is streamlined with the powerful software of Microsoft Dynamics GP.  Contact us for more information about how we can assist you with your inventory needs.