If you answered “never,” congratulations – you are correct. Lifelong learning is a reality in today’s global economy. The nature of the training people need will naturally change over time, as will the amount that different people need, but the need for ongoing training is a reality that is here to stay.

Government regulations, technology, and the global economy are just some of the things that contribute to the need for ongoing training. Whether you are just getting started in your chosen career or perhaps are nearing a change or retirement, the need for training never goes away. Around the turn of the millennium there was a big movement in education that emphasized the need for lifelong education. People were expected to have several careers during their lifetime and to require ongoing training for the changes they would experience.

The technology revolution, including the Internet, has made communication much more open and immediate, and has created many new career choices. New hardware and software developments require learning new processes. Training is essential to make effective use of this new technology. Fortunately the Internet has also produced more opportunity and choice when it comes to getting training.

Training is available from many sources, by many methods. Where can you get training? Try the producer or provider of your software programs. Many software producers provide training packages to help you get the most out of their software. Sometimes training is included in the purchase of the software, sometimes it is extra. Employers often either offer training to their employees or subsidize costs associated with getting training.

There are many organizations that specialize in training, and they offer the training in many different venues and formats. There are classrooms where skilled instructors offer specialized training on almost any imaginable subject, and teams that travel to provide training sessions in many locations. Online training, both real-time and pre-recorded, is available via the Internet. YouTube, for example, offers thousands of videos that provide training; but beware that the quality, both of the training and of the videos, varies tremendously.

When you are trying to choose the training option that best fits your needs, here are some factors that you should take into account:

• · What is the nature of the required training? Do you need training on a complex piece of software or business process, or do you just need to learn how to add page numbers in your favorite word processing program? The former may require a dedicated training program spread over several weeks whereas the latter may be covered by an online tutorial that takes only a few minutes.
• · How many people need to be trained? Do you have an entire team that needs training, or just one or two people? Sending a couple of people off to a remote classroom session may work fine, but the cost could be prohibitive for a larger team. On the other hand, bringing an instructor to your location could work for the larger group, but not be economically feasible for one or two. Watching pre-recorded video training can be effective, but appropriate arrangements, such as a projector or large screen, might be required for more than a couple of viewers.  Web classes and virtual classroom settings are growing in popularity and can be effective and cost efficient.
• · What will be the cost?  Don’t forget to consider the cost of lost productivity. I mentioned cost a couple of times in the consideration of the number of people who need training, and cost includes more than one factor. There is obviously the direct cost of the training, including transportation and expenses, but you also have to keep in mind that unless trainees are doing this on their own time, you must also take into account the cost of their wages and salaries while they are undergoing the training.  Conversely is the cost of the untrained employee who is either not using updated technology efficiently or is dragging down the remaining group of employees.
• · Is there someone in the organization who has the necessary expertise to offer the training to colleagues? This type of training can be very effective and efficient. The people already have a working relationship, and it may be possible to integrate the training into the organization’s schedule with minimal disruption to regular activities.

If you don’t need training right now, the odds are that you will in the near future. Today might be a good time to start thinking about the training you could use to improve your efficiency in your current position, or perhaps to prepare for a new opportunity that interests you. It’s never too early to start preparing for your training for the future.

As a computer user, you probably understand the importance of digitally securing your data.  You use anti-virus and anti-spyware removal tools to protect your system from intrusion and destruction.  You also ensure that your networking equipment is properly secured from uninvited guests who may use your Internet access to surf the net, or even worse, access your critical business data.  You feel comfortable knowing your computer equipment is in-house and accessible whenever you need to make changes or need to support your businesses IT infrastructure.

There are some questions that you, as a business owner, need to ask yourself.  Does the building and server room provide strict security measures upon entry?  Does your server room include an adequate cooling system for your equipment to prevent overheating and downtime?  Can your server room and equipment remain powered on in the event of an electrical power outage?  How safe is your geographical region from natural disasters such as earthquakes, tornado’s, fires, and hurricanes – to name a few?  Answering any of these questions with a “No” could put you and your business at risk from theft, tampering, loss of production, and/or redundancy of your critical business data.

More and more business owners across the globe are starting to realize the importance of housing critical business data and systems in a data centre.  A data centre is a highly secured facility used to host computer systems, such as servers and networking equipment. They generally include redundant or backup power supplies(which not only allows continuous data accessibility but also allows backups to complete in the event of a power failure), redundant data communication connections, environmental controls (e.g., air conditioning, fire suppression) and security devices.  The physical security of these facilities also give business owners peace of mind with 24/7 monitoring using advanced technologies such as digital video, electronic access control, biometric security, and denial of entry for anyone not authorized to access your equipment.

Once your data and systems are housed in a secure data center, accessibility is available from a workstation with a high-speed Internet connection, regardless of your physical locale in the world.  You won’t need to work from the same office everyday, and the geographical location of your staff will no longer be an issue.

Recently, you may have heard of the term “cloud computing”, or “cloud hosting”.  Substitute the word “cloud” with “Internet”, and it may start making more sense to you.   In cloud computing, your applications are provided and managed on the cloud server in a data centre and your data is also stored remotely in this cloud infrastructure. Users will no longer have to download and install applications on their own workstation as all installations are performed on your cloud server and can be accessed anytime.  The money you will save in IT costs is significant, as you will have less chargeable hardware and software support inquiries. Business owners no longer have to purchase expensive server hardware that becomes obsolete faster than my fathers Betamax home video player.  Technical support is available to you 24/7, whether it’s either a hardware or software related issue.  Your data is backed up on a daily basis, and any file can be restored back to any day or time you feel is necessary.   Not to mention the added comfort, knowing your data is safe and in good hands.

Business Performance Solutions Inc. provides small to medium sized businesses with their very own server, hosted in a secure data centre in one of the safest geographical locations in North America.  Scottsdale, Arizona is located in an area that rarely falls as a victim to natural catastrophes.  Due to its distance from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Scottsdale is well protected from hurricanes.  In addition, the region rarely experiences major earthquake and tremor activity with no deaths or injuries from earthquakes occurring in Arizona within the last century.  Having an environment for data and operations that is not likely to be negatively impacted by natural disasters is extremely important to many businesses, and if it isn’t, it should be.

Many issues in life can be prevented, and unfortunately most people ignore preventative measures until they experience and suffer from the consequences.  When it comes to your business’s network, you do not want to be one of these people, as the consequences will not only affect yourself, but also your employees and most importantly, your customers.  In this high tech world, prevention from catastrophic events is an area that needs to be looked at more seriously and most definitely needs to be a part of your business plan to success.

“Cloud Computing” eliminates the costs and complexity of purchasing, configuring, and managing hardware and software for your business by creating and deploying applications and providing safe storage of your critical data in secure data centers maintained by IT professionals.  These applications and your data are available as a service over the Internet, known in the technology world as “The Cloud”.  While working in a cloud environment, all you need is a workstation or mobile device with an Internet connection and that’s it!  Everything else is configured and maintained by a hosting provider, saving you time, money, and frustration.

Continue reading to learn more on Cloud Computing and how your business can benefit from the trends of Cloud Computing:

1. Reduced Costs

There are several ways by which costs are reduced. There are significant costs associated with purchasing hardware, whether it’s multiple servers and workstations, or networking equipment such as routers and switches. We also know how quickly computer equipment can become obsolete.  Because the IT resources and software applications are maintained and managed offsite in the cloud, businesses typically only need to pay for the services they actually need and use.  IT staff for your business would be eliminated or reduced because the majority of the maintenance is completed by your cloud computing hosting provider.  As a business owner, you can easily predict your IT budget – there will be no unexpected costs due to hardware failure.

2. Remote Accessibility

The days of driving into work to get the job done is a thing of the past for many.  Moving your applications and data to the Cloud allows any authorized user to connect to your “Virtual Office” from any location with a workstation and Internet connection.  Whether you are using the Cloud to host software, email, or your company CRM, “any place any time” access to your critical data is now possible, and in the modern global economy it’s a must.  The increased productivity and efficiency gives you the advantage over your competition that you are looking for.

3. Reduced Software Maintenance

All applications within your business require installation, deployment, and constant updating.  Hosting your applications in the Cloud, including the operating system, removes the hassle of maintaining software on a regular basis, which in turn provides your team with increased production and less headaches.  You can concentrate all your energy on running your business, not your IT infrastructure.

4. Comfort

Hosting applications and your critical data in the Cloud provides you with peace of mind that any business owner can appreciate.  Your data is stored in a state-of–the-art fireproof facility that offers power redundancy, 99.99% uptime, and daily backups.  Data centers offer a level of physical security that no business can match in-house, and IT Support is only a phone call or email away when required.  Moving your business to the Cloud will eliminate unnecessary stress and allow you to spend that extra time being more productive for your team and your clients.   

5. Scalability

Another major benefit of Cloud Computing lies in the flexibility to scale your IT infrastructure up or down, depending on your business needs. This means that your business does not have to provision for future requirements, and the IT infrastructure your business needs can be set up in minimal time.  If you require more resources such as RAM, hard drive space, or CPUs, they can be added very quickly, often in just a matter of a few minutes.  Downgrading your IT environment resources are just as easy.

6. Increased Security

Data security is a major concern for many businesses.  Moving critical data and applications to the Cloud allows authorized users to easily access this information online.  As part of the Cloud hosting providers’ service level agreement, extra precautions such as greater security measures must be practiced in order to keep your valuable information protected from intrusion or theft. Cloud Computing best practices therefore include higher levels of password protection, additional levels of physical security at the hosting site, and other advanced security measures designed to protect the sensitive financial information of your business.

7. Mobile Accessibility

Mobile computing allows users to access the Internet on the go, and is now almost integral to every day life.  While most of these portable devices, such as smart phones, tablets, and netbooks, are less powerful than your average workstation, hosting in the Cloud allows these devices to match the performance of your workstation as most of the processing is performed on the Cloud server and not on the device itself.  Mobile access supplies you with the tools needed to communicate and collaborate with your team.

There is no question that Cloud Computing is here to stay.  The added benefits of hosting your critical applications and data in the Cloud will not only save you and your business money, but will also provide you with increased security and scalability of your network infrastructure.  Remote accessibility will provide your team with enhanced productivity, added convenience, and less frustration.  Leave IT troubles for your hosting provider to worry about, and use the extra time and energy you will gain for improving your business processes and revenue.

More and more companies are searching for better more cost effective alternatives. Cloud computing can save you up to 65% of your computer costs and improve the protection of your data. Usually based on a low per user cost, your cash flow is matched to the growth of the company, thus avoiding high initial investments in technology and cash flow commitments for ongoing support.

Learn more about your options by reading our free article on the 7 Key Trends on Cloud computing on Business Performance Solutions Inc website or send a reply to tatehams@jasmith.com with your contact information.

The Lowdown on Microsoft’s Communication and Collaboration Tool

In the past few years SharePoint has become much more well-known, but many people who have heard of SharePoint really do not have a very good idea about what it is. In this overview we will cover the basics of what SharePoint is all about and what it might be able to do for you.

What is SharePoint? In simplest terms, SharePoint is software used to build web sites. There is a lot of software that can be used to build web sites, so what sets SharePoint apart? Why has it gone from zero to millions of users in a decade?

Overview of SharePoint’s communication and collaboration facilities

 SharePoint provides a framework for developing business solutions that help people work together and find and share information. It has been speculated that the name SharePoint is very applicable because the product provides a single point from which to share information.

Document control

In addition to enabling document sharing, SharePoint provides powerful document control features that make managing and accessing volumes of data easier.

Security and Access control

 Most organizations deal with information that is proprietary or sensitive in nature, and any system that they use must protect that information. SharePoint provides a very powerful, yet easy-to-use, security system that restricts access to the information stored in its powerful database. Access to stored information can be regulated in a very flexible manner, from an entire library of documents to a single document. Users can be given different levels of access to documents depending on their need. Some users may only have the ability to read documents, while others can create, edit, and delete documents.

End users can also be given the ability to create new structures, such as web sites, web pages and document libraries within a SharePoint system.

Ability to work with Office programs

SharePoint is programmed to work well with all Microsoft Office programs and it understands their document types. Of course documents in a SharePoint application do not have to be Microsoft Office documents. Virtually any type of files can be stored in SharePoint libraries. SharePoint even has a special library type for storing images.

Synchronization with Outlook

 SharePoint provides automatic two-way synchronization with Microsoft Outlook. This means that you can make contact and task lists, calendars, and even documents that are stored in SharePoint, available to work with in Outlook. You can even take this information offline with a laptop computer and make changes while you are not connected to SharePoint. When the laptop is connected again, Outlook and SharePoint will synchronize the changes so that the content is consistent.

Teamwork

Just some of the ways teams can work together are as follows:  sharing calendars, documents, tasks and discussion forums. People seldom work in isolation these days, and most have a need to coordinate activities and share information with their colleagues and customers. SharePoint has features that make it easy to share calendars among members of a group. It is easy to work collaboratively on documents, without transferring the documents as email attachments. SharePoint’s discussion forums can help to reduce email among group members and provide a complete record of the discussions about a project. This makes it easier for anyone to get the big picture quickly and helps to reduce email clutter.

For more information about how SharePoint can help you, contact Business Performance Solutions, a company that specializes in the design, training and delivery of SharePoint systems.

A BPSi representative will contact you to answer any questions that you may have. We are excited to see if any of our services are right for you.

To speak with us right away, please call 1.888.447.5902.

An Intranet is like a private INTERNET, a way of distributing information within your firm. It is usually web-based and allows your team to share common information while still allowing security for confidential documents.  It moves users beyond disconnected applications, and is easily customizable.

Intranets have been around since the early 1990s, but until recently they were so expensive that only governments and large corporations could afford them.  Intranet systems can now be set up for even the smallest size of business at a fraction of the cost of only a few years ago.

Why would a company or organization use an Intranet system?   The core business reason is to share common information in a secure site and the elimination of the duplication of effort by various individuals in an organization creating different versions of the same document or template.  Intranets break down the individual silos of knowledge found within any organization and allow an easy way to obtain that knowledge. That knowledge becomes accessible to you regardless where you are in the world.

By having the knowledge of the company in one central area, easily obtained, updated and secure for all employees of a firm, the firm can save incredible amounts of  time and money.

Here are some savings that an Intranet can provide:

• Eliminate multiple databases of client information
• Reduce training time for new employees
• Minimize errors since the final document is always the most current document
• Reduce e-mails—by posting information on team sites or making announcements on the intranet, e-mails can be reduced by as much as 75%
• Lessen travel time since access to all firm information is as simple as a turning on your home computer people can work collaboratively, even when physically distant from one another
• Increase capacity—streamlining business processes allows more to be done with fewer employees. Employees then  have the knowledge of how and what they need to do their job
• Automate  reoccurring business processes through the use of work flow rules.
• Aid in succession planning by organizing all key information in a central location, allowing anyone to transition more easily into a position.

Turnkey intranet systems can be purchased that are set up with hundreds of preloaded how-to instructions, forms and templates all hyperlinked together to from the Knowledge Management section of your businesses intranet.

The most common problem is the shortage of time to manage the wide range of issues that small and medium sized businesses face. Owner/managers rated the following seven items as those that consume the majority of their management time:

Despite the problems of not having enough time, most business owners know what needs to be done. An overwhelming 97 percent say their number one goal is to improve customer relations, yet most managers find their time is spread so thin they are rarely effective in accomplishing this goal. They are usually too busy putting out fires: literally, they are too busy to see the forest for the trees most days.

Small and medium sized businesses have all the administrative, sales and production headaches that large businesses have but without the army of well equipped and trained executives. It is a wonder sometimes how any small and medium businesses survive, given the huge demands on the owner/managers time which takes away from the primary need to service their clients (who, incidentally, pay the bills). Yet despite all the problems, small and medium businesses are the largest growing sector in our economy; however, there are not many business owners who can match the net take home pay of an executive in a large business with comparable duties and skill.

How can owners of small and medium businesses become more successful? Their success is based on their ability to create the time to better serve their customers. The company has to have a customer-oriented culture. A customer-oriented company must be the mandate of not only the owner/manager, but of each and every employee and supplier working for the company. The manager needs to delegate problems that rob precious time from this primary purpose. Success means creating an organization that has systems and structures that maintain themselves without constant reinforcement of the owner/manager. A truly successful company works for the customer, employee, supplier and manager. Success motivates more success.

The following table compares how much time typical owners or managers spend vs. the time spent by the most efficient companies:

Clearly small business owner/managers need help, and a carefully-implemented intranet system may be the answer. The centralized store of easily-accessed information, along with mechanisms for communication and collaboration can help pave the way to new efficiencies. This can eliminate a good deal of that administrative burden and allow other areas of the business to receive the attention they so clearly need and deserve.

Through its integrated family of construction and real estate management solutions, Sage Timberline Office construction software gives you highly developed cross-functional capabilities to pull everything together for streamlined, single-source control.

Accounting

Eliminate obstacles between accounting and business operations. Sage Timberline Office construction software moves information smoothly between different departments in your company to streamline your processes. From payroll and job costing, to receivables and cash flow, Sage Timberline Office construction software automatically tracks the facts.

Estimating

Save time, curb risk, and maximize profits by automating your estimating. Sage Timberline Office estimating software give you multiple take-off options, industry-specific pricing databases, and integration with our accounting modules. With Sage Timberline Office estimating software you have the tools to build winning estimates and profitability into each job.

Procurement

Take control of your procurement as you generate RFQs from estimates, select vendors, and start the purchasing process. Data flows into other Sage Timberline Office construction software modules including Job Cost, Equipment Cost, Accounts Payable, and Billing.

Production Management

Construction software designed specifically to help production builders control construction costs, efficiently produce and manage high volumes of purchase orders, coordinate job site activity, and share information with sales centers and other departments in your company.

Project Management

Know exactly where you stand at any moment. With all the facts in one central database, and inquiries and reports that are easy to customize, you can quickly identify project issues before they grow into problems. Manage your subcontracts and change orders. Compare actual costs against budgets. Streamline your RFIs, submittals, and more.

Real Estate Management

Whether you’re a property owner, fee manager, developer, or managing real estate some other way, you know that every property is unique and different Sage Timberline Office real estate management software offers improved communications, flexible lease management and the ability to manage a wide variety of properties.

Reporting and Productivity Tools

Spend less time managing and more time growing your business. The Sage Timberline Office construction software suite of reporting and productivity tools provides access to the data you need precisely when you need it. The intuitive desktop, customizable reports, and interactive inquiries give you instant onscreen access to actionable information.

Service Management

With our Service Management software, you’re able to streamline dispatch, automate billing, fine-tune inventory, and improve communication with customers, suppliers, subs and technicians. This complete system puts you in control of field purchasing, service agreements, and warranties, as well as preventive maintenance.

Timberline Hosting Service Benefits:

Timberline Hosting service allows users to access Timberline accounting software anytime from anywhere as a local desktop interface would provide. With guaranteed uptime and high speed access, it provides for real-time simultaneous remote access to the Timberline software and data files. The key benefit of Timberline Hosting service is the ability to increase revenue by serving more customers, in more locations, with less travel time and travel expense. Most importantly, Timberline Hosting service enables the conduct of the business in the most optimized way, as it not only allows you to serve more clients but at the same time handle them effectively and efficiently. It is also a great solution for any size business that has multiple offices and/or staff working remotely.

Timberline Hosting Services – Anytime Anywhere Access:

Timberline Hosting allow you to access your file(s) from multiple locations as well as by many users simultaneously thus providing a truly collaborative experience. This makes you independent of your local network as far as access is concerned. The most obvious benefit of remote service is the high speed online response of the Timberline application. This is because the application is installed and running on our latest highly optimized servers allowing you to access the files from anywhere.

Benefits of Timberline Hosting service are:

• Anytime anywhere access
• Instant connectivity
• High speed connectivity
• Full featured remote access
• Multi-user access

Reduce IT Infrastructure Costs with Timberline Hosting Service:

With Timberline Hosting Services you do not have to install any versions of the Timberline on any of your systems, as they are installed and run on the terminal servers. (You do need to own a license of Timberline) Timberline Hosting on the Terminal Servers makes it independent of the local computer system requirements, you need not invest in continually upgrading your IT infrastructure. My Accounting Cloud application hosting services uses the latest Microsoft Windows Server 2008 for Timberline Hosting, which provides you the highest uptime and ease of access.

My Accounting Cloud Timberline Hosting service allows you to:

• Host all versions of Timberline
• No additional IT infrastructure needed
• High access speed as compared to your local network

Access full featured Timberline:

Timberline Hosting on our Timberline Terminal Servers enable you to access full features of the latest Timberline application and for any version of the program you might have installed. Also you might be running various versions of the Timberline software which My Accounting Cloud can support in a hosted environment. Hosting not only saves on the time and effort of the installation and technicalities for different users, all of them can be run on just one hosted system. Since we host the same version that you are normally using and licensed to use, you do not have to learn anything new for online and remote access.

Timberline Hosting with My Accounting Cloud helps you to:

• Use the latest version of Timberline or prior versions
• No feature loss while moving to hosted applications
• No additional learning on your part
• Latest updates automatically incorporated

My Accounting Cloud hosting supports:

• All major Add-ons
• More security as Add-on also hosted on the terminal servers
• Easy and trouble free integration of various versions of Timberline with latest Add-ons

Security And Reliability with Timberline Hosting Service:

Security of your data and files is unquestionably most essential to your business. Threat to data security can occur either due to laxity in data transfer in the network or threat to the server storage features. Data backed up locally may suffer if the data lost accidently or due to spywares or viruses. Timberline hosting service allow the storage of data in the safest way possible. The data of your application is saved in our highly protected data centers regularly as well as there is multiple backups of your files. Besides that, data transfer is also safe as it is enabled through highly encrypted data transfer protocol. Further, you have the reliability of My Accounting Cloud heavily protected data centers as well as confidentiality that your data is only accessed by you.

Services that comes with Timberline Hosting Service are:

• Always on monitoring
• Multiple backups
• Daily backup for increased data safety
• Highly protected data centers
• Password Protected Access
• Remote support

Timberline Hosting Service comes with a proactive 24/7 system monitoring and customer support service to help you troubleshoot any problems being faced by you. Your call or message for support is responded to within seconds.

Timberline Remote access allows you to have:

• Domestic United States support
• Contact through telephone, email or online chat
• Prompt response and troubleshooting