Posts Tagged ‘ Training ’

Experimenting with Sage 50

If you use Sage 50, and have used it for a while, you probably have used it the same way for years.  Even if you have upgraded through to the latest version, currently Sage 50 2012 (Version 18) there are probably lots of buttons which you don’t even notice, or things that you would like to learn about but just don’t have the time.

That is where the Silicon Bullet refresher training comes in; Alison can come out to your site and show you what all the new bells and whistles do in your Sage 50, and help you apply the new functionality to your business.

But what if you just want play around in Sage yourself and learn how the new features work?

Select File > Open > Demo Data

Every Sage installation of Sage 50 and Sage Instant has a demonstration company built in, and you can play around with this with no fear of messing up your real company data. It comes with data in the form of the fictitious company “Stationery & Computer Mart UK” and allows you to try most of the functionality you would have in the main program.  Some things are not allowed, such as Transaction Email, Backup and Restore so you can’t run this as a full 2nd company.

To access the demonstration data, from the menu bar select File>Open>Demo Data, then if prompted to log in use the default user name of MANAGER with no password.  You return to your own company data by going to File>Open>Open Company Data at any time, and switch freely between the two. You can experiment in this demonstration company with no danger of influencing your real accounts.

There is also a practice mode which can be accessed in a similar way by choosing Open Practice Data – this is a completely clean installation of the software with no  customers or suppliers showing, so you can see how things work starting from a blank page.  It can be a good place to gain confidence in navigating round the software if you are new to Sage.  Again, data cannot be moved over to your real company and nothing you do here will affect your real data . Each time you open the practice data, you get the choice of continuing with the previous practice session or starting again with a blank sheet.

An Index Search within Sage Accounts Help

Remember, when you are learning new features, Sage has comprehensive in-built help files which you can access by pressing F1 from anywhere in the program;  support for the page you are in will then appear in a separate Help window.  By using the Index or Search functions within Help you can look up how to do anything you are unsure of.

If you need to put a manual together – for example for a new starter, then relevant help pages can be printed out  in order to reference later as your own bespoke manual.

So, with these tools you can start to make your Sage 50 Accounts or Sage Instant software really work for you by making use of all the excellent features which appear as standard in the software.

If you have found this blog useful and would like to read other hints and tips for Sage users, follow this link for more Sage articles.

2011
12/01
CATEGORY
Sage
Sage 50
Sage Instant Accounts
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Who should use a CRM System?

CRM means customer relationship management, but what does this really mean and who in your company should use the software? CRM software, such as ACT! by Sage, keeps track of all your interactions with your customers or prospects, but only works if everyone in your company who has direct contact with the outside world embraces it and uses it.

Sage ACT

The training in ACT! that I have given recently has brought home to me that installing and learning what the software does is only the first part of the story. ACT! will, if used properly, record a history of emails sent and received through Microsoft Outlook, synch with your Outlook or Google calendar, record E-marketing campaigns sent and the responses from them, and give easy access to customer-specific documents.

ACT Keyword Search

Using the keyword searches and lookup features, it is also excellent for deciding who should receive your various e-mailshot campaigns, and custom fields mean you can subdivide your customer and prospect list easily in order to manage your contact with them.

This is only on condition, though, that all your staff record their interactions with your customers in the system. If some staff opt out and use their own methods, like Excel lists for mailshots, and private calendars to record meetings, then you will only ever get half the story.

In a company where they make the most of Customer Relationship Management, the CRM software is the first thing staff open in the morning, and the last thing they close at night – and is the first place people think of to look up contact details during the working day.

So when you are looking at introducing a CRM system into your company, make sure you think about how all your staff should use the system, even the most senior personnel who have direct links with external contacts, otherwise you may find there is no point in having a CRM system installed. Make sure you not only train staff in how they should use the system, but WHY they should use it too.

2011
11/14
CATEGORY
Sage ACT!
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