Alnoor Cassim to Lead Sage 100 ERP Scripting Class at 90 Minds Conference

90 Minds 2014

The 90 Minds Consulting Group annual conference in San Diego is fast approaching. Scheduled from Thursday evening February 19 through Saturday February 21, the Meeting of the Minds 2015 conference is a members-only gathering for this group of highly experienced Sage 100 ERP consultants.

This year’s conference will kick off with a two-day (Wednesday 2/18 and Thursday and 2/19) Basic Scripting class taught by xkzero Director of Technical Services, Alnoor Cassim.

The 90 Minds Consulting group is a group of independent ERP consultants located across North America focused primarily on Sage 100 ERP (formerly MAS 90/MAS 200).

The group meets daily via online private messaging to brainstorm and collaborate on more difficult client issues. The 90 Minds conference is open to members only. Find more about membership and its benefits here.

 

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Sage Summit 2015 Exhibitor Registration Is Open

Registration is open to returning exhibitors for Sage Summit 2015 from July 27-30, 2015 in New Orleans. Last year’s Summit blew away the attendance of any prior Sage North America conference. We have reason to believe this will be another record-setting year.

xkzero is already registered, and we can’t wait for July! At Sage Summit 2014, our booth was among the top 10 most visited. We weren’t at all surprised, because we know businesses are serious about taking advantage of the mobile technology we provide, to connect mobile apps to your ERP and accounting system.

General conference registration opens in March 2015. So, start polishing your party beads and we’ll see you in the Big Easy!

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Methods for Searching Sage 100 ERP with GetX

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There are numerous ways to search your Sage 100 ERP system with GetX by xkzero. Here, we illustrate simple methods to use words or numbers to find the information you need.

This quick guide shows you how to efficiently search using a keyword, phrase, wildcard, proximity or range, and how to conduct a search when you know a telephone number, numeric value, percentage or date.

Note that if you’ve installed the Sage-supplied ABC company demo data you can try these searches yourself.

GETX SEARCH METHODS—

Keyword


In the entity search field, simply type a word, just like this:

invoice

Since GetX is case insensitive, a search for invoice or Invoice or INVOICE returns the same results.

Exact Phrase


To search for an exact phrase, surround the words with quotation marks, like this:

“ruby lane”

Omit Word


To omit results containing a certain word, add the minus sign (-) OR the word “not” before the undesired word.

For example, here are two ways to search for an entity that contains “new” but not “york:”

new -york

new NOT york

Search for Required Words


To require that a word is included in the result, type a plus sign (+) or the word “and” before it.

Here are two ways to search for an entity that contains the city or state “New York,” you will need to ask GetX to find both “new” AND “york”:

+new +york

new AND york

If you would like to search for any entity that contains any of a list of words, but not necessarily grouped together, such as “american” or “business” or “futures,” search like this:

american business futures

american OR business OR futures

Wildcard


Wildcards are symbols in a search field that represent one or more occurrences of any character. You might use wildcards when unsure of the spelling of a word (ex. Smith or Smythe) or do not know if the word was initially abbreviated (ex. corp or corporation).

To perform a multiple character wildcard search use the “*” symbol.

Here’s how to search for any word that starts with “corp” in the entity, and may contain 0 or multiple characters:

corp*

This will return entities with words such as these:
Corporation” and “CORP” and “corps

To perform a single character wildcard search use the “?” symbol.

If you only want to see words with 0 or 1 additional letters, search like this:

corp?

This will return entities with words such as these:
Corp” and “Corps

but will not return entities with longer words like these:
Corporation” or “corpus

Wildcards can be used in the middle of words as well.
To request results in which one of the middle letters is unknown, search like this:

te?t

This method will return results such as these:
test” and “text” and “tent

To request results in which one or more of the middle letters is unknown, search like this:

        te*t

This method will return results such as these:
test” and “text” “tent” and “tenant

Leading Wildcards

A leading wildcard allows for the search of a word that starts with any value but ends with the specified value. Search for any word that ends with “land” like this:

*land

This will return results such as these:
Woodland” and “Oakland” and “Roland” and just “Land

IMPORTANT NOTE: Using the leading wildcard method can cause the search engine to slow down. Therefore we have added an option in the GetX Ssystem settings to turn on/off leading wildcards.

Proximity Matching


GetX finds words that are a within a specific distance away from each other within the entity.

Search for “invoices” and “american” within 10 words from each other like this:

“invoices american”~10

Exact matches are proximity zero (~0).

Word transpositions (american invoices OR invoices american) are proximity 1 (~1).

Range Queries


Range Queries let you match entities that contain values between the lower and upper bounds specified. This is especially useful when searching by date range.

Search for an entity that has a date between 1/1/2002 and 1/1/2003 like this:

[20020101 TO 20030101]

GetX INDEXING RULES


GetX takes an entire record from each entity and builds a single text data element. It then breaks up that element up into words—separating text when it encounters a space or any character that is not a letter or number. It indexes those words for each record of an entity.

Some data types are formatted in specific ways to enable standardized searches, as such:

Date Fields

Dates are formatted as YYYYMMDD.

Oct 27, 1983 is formatted like this: 19831027

Numeric Fields


Numerics are retained as absolute values (no negative sign) in the format in which they are defined in the Sage data tables. For example, most Amount fields in Sage are formatted to 2 decimal places. A FreightAmt in AR_InvoiceHeader that equals 97.6 will be indexed as 97.60.

Percentage fields and some cost fields are usually formatted to 3 decimal places. So, if the CommissionRate in AR_InvoiceHeader equals 8.5 it will be indexed as 8.500

Wildcards can be used to search numeric fields. To search for 100.20 it may be best to search for this:

100.2*

This will return for values such as 100.20 and -100.25. It will also find any text word that starts with “100.2″ such as a memo that mentions the local radio station “100.2FM.”

Telephone Fields


Telephone fields are stripped of all special characters such as these:

+ – ( ) [ ]

So, when looking for an entity by phone number, do not use special characters. Instead, search like this:

4145554787

This will result in returns for “(414) 555-4787″ as well as “414.555.4787.″

At xkzero, we believe that people perform best when they are confident, informed, and have a high level of trust in the tools they use. xkzero builds solutions designed for the best possible user experience, engineered in a flexible way to accommodate the needs of each individual and adaptable to the precise business rules that can vary industry by industry, company by company. If you ever find us failing to deliver on that, please let us know!

Contact us at info@xkzero.com or 847-416-2009 with any questions!

https://youtu.be/to-ZCo5kn4Y

FAQs: GetX Search for Sage 100 ERP

GetX Search for Sage 100 ERP
Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who should use GetX? Every Sage 100 ERP user benefits from GetX.
  • What sort of things can GetX make faster?  We’ve found at least 32 things in the Sage 100 Idea Site alone that GetX can make faster.  Read more here.
  • What is searchable by GetX? GetX indexes dozens of tables using the Sage 100 ERP business object framework, plus the Payroll Employee Masterfile. This excludes Payroll, Job Cost, Work Order, Time Card and MRP.
  • If I have 3rd party add-ons, can they be searched?  Any data field added, whether a User Defined Field or a field added by a 3rd party developer, that appends the data dictionary of a searchable table can be enabled for search.
  • What are the search methods available?   http://erpappsblog.com/methods-for-searching-sage-100-erp-with-getx/ this post describes and illustrates all of the search methods available using GetX in Sage 100.
  • Where does the indexed data reside? The GetX indexed database is created in the ..\MAS90\xxx_GX\ folder where ‘xxx’ is the company code.
  • How large is the indexed database? The indexed database will be roughly one-quarter to one-half of the size of the data files being indexed.
  • How long does it take for GetX to index the data?  At the time of installation, initial indexing could take several hours. Note that users will need to be out of the system for an extended length of time during this process. xkzero recommends installing the software after business hours.
    Subsequent indexing, however, will happen unattended and will only take minutes or seconds.
  • How frequently is the data indexed? You can control the frequency of data indexing, ranging from once per minute to once per week.
  • Where to download? Visit www.xkzero.com/ERP_search to learn more about GetX and to download the free thirty day trial!
  • What are the system requirements for running GetX, including the free trial? —Sage 100 ERP version 4.5+
  • —Server: Microsoft .NET 2.0 or higher
    —No special hardware requirements in addition to the Sage published guidelines for Sage 100 ERP
  • How do I obtain GetX support? Clients with current maintenance subscriptions, and those installing the free trial can send requests any time via email: GetXsupport@xkzero.com.
    Or, call phone support at 847-416-2009 from 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 pm CST.

We believe that people perform best when they are confident, informed, and have a high level of trust in the tools they use. xkzero builds solutions designed for the best possible user experience, engineered in a flexible way to accommodate the needs of each individual and adaptable to the precise business rules that can vary industry by industry, company by company. If you find us failing to deliver on that, please let us know!

Contact us at info@xkzero.com or 847-416-2009 with any questions!

 

 

The Only Time Universal Search Matters in Your Accounting System

People ask us when it’s a good time to use GetX, our so-called universal search tool for Sage 100 ERP.

This is what we tell them: “Use GetX when you know what you’re looking for.” Also, when what you’re looking for is not calculated data, there is a good chance GetX is the way to go.

In other words, if what you’re seeking is actually in the system (as opposed to a report or a graph that gets calculated when you run a report or a dashboard), GetX can likely provide the information, and more choices about what to do with it, faster and with less hassle than the way you’re using Sage 100 ERP today.

GetX - When You Know What You're Looking For

GetX – When You Know What You’re Looking For

It’s a whole new way of thinking about your system. A better way. Better not in the sense that every single little thing you do will be improved, but better in the way that everyone on your team, by using universal search, will be more confident with Sage 100 ERP. They will work faster, find it easier to detect and correct data errors in the system, and be more confident using the system.

Consider why we use Google in the first place. We turn to Google because when we know what we’re looking for, we likely don’t want to type this in more than once: http://www.whattheheckis07rt7thisiml00king4.com/donttryme/

The same holds true with another huge collection of data—your accounting/ERP system. Whether your Sage 100 ERP database is 255 million MB or 1.5 TB, universal search will make your system better.

While others navigate menus, folders, tasks, screens, tabs, and buttons, GetX users simply enter the data they know they are seeking and immediately start taking action.

Which do you think is faster? Which do you think is better for customer service, or internal communication? If you were training a new employee to use your Sage 100 ERP system, do you think they would gain more confidence, faster, if they could rely on a search tool similar to Google?

By comparison, traditional navigation seems a little like keeping the data behind a bolted door with 5 padlocks.

GetX Search for Sage 100 ERP by xkzero. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Contact us at info@xkzero.com or 847-416-2009 with any questions!

 We offer a no obligation, 30-day free trial. Installing GetX is a snap.  

In Customer Service, Does Speed Matter?

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To your customer, speed just might matter. In our social media-driven world, customers expect you to be able to respond immediately to their requests.

So if you’re dinking around the menus and screens of your order entry system, hunting and pecking for the information your customer needs, don’t assume they’re happy to wait.

Fortunately for users of Sage 100 ERP, you’ll be able to respond to your customers in a snap with GetX. If you haven’t had the experience of a Google-like tool in your system, you’re making your customer wait unnecessarily. Contact xkzero at info@xkzero.com or call us at 847-416-2009 for your free trial.

If you would like to learn how xkzero can help bolster your customer service department, please call us at 847-416-2009 or email us at info@xkzero.com.

Bar Code Scanning Can Be A Royal Pain

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Implementing bar code scanning can be a royal pain. It doesn’t have to be, though.

With iSales 100 Enterprise Edition, we made the process of implementing bar code scanning easy as pie.

  1. Purchase Linea Pro scanners by Infinite Peripherals. These devices can be purchased from a multitude of different sources on the web, including an active used market. At the time of purchase, please consult with us to confirm current recommended devices.
  2. Charge the device and attach it to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.
  3. Start an order in iSales 100.
  4. Scan merchandise.

Is it really that simple? Yes! Here’s a brief video where I show you how to do this:

How did xkzero make this so simple? We partnered with the finest quality maker of point-of-sale (POS) and point-of-presence (POP) devices in the world to integrate a bulletproof solution into iSales 100 designed to work correctly every time from the first plug-in.

By only working with the best partners, we’re able to keep our commitment to deliver applications that are not only flexible and powerful, but provide the reliability you need for peace of mind.

xkzero believes that people perform best when they are confident, informed, and have a high level of trust in the tools they use. Our solutions are designed for the best possible user experience, engineered in a flexible way to accommodate the needs of each individual. They are also adaptable to the precise business rules that can vary industry by industry, company by company.

If you would like to see how xkzero can help you discover a whole new dimension of selling, operations and business intelligence, we’d love to hear from you.

Call us at 847-416-2009 or email us at info@xkzero.com.

Is your B2B industry about to go mobile?

Why Mobile ERP, Why Now?

blog series by xkzero

Goodbye printed product catalogs, adios order sheets, see ya, outdated price lists. And good riddance,
“I’ll send you a quote when I get back to the office
on Monday.”

Mobile has become such a part of the way we live that our dependence upon it extends well beyond personal use. As far as business is concerned, pretty much every leading business-to-consumer brand has a mobile-based site. It’s even common to check competitor prices with a phone right from the store aisle.

We know the convenience mobile devices offer us as consumers. And while certain industries have invested heavily in mobile for years, a big change is that any and all businesses now seem to be ready.

Why now?
Mobile was once thought of as trendy, and only used by high-tech, cutting edge industries. We can thank the trailblazers for working out many of the bugs to make it easy for businesses just getting started now. Smartphone and tablet technology today is more reliable, flexible, and dependable. Luckily, increased storage space lets us install and use a variety of apps, and access off-site information. Also, Internet connectivity is available nearly everywhere—if not via WiFi, at least using cellular data.

Which industries can benefit from mobile?
Now that the early adopters have paved the path, mainstream business-to-business (B-to-B) companies are rapidly discovering the unique uses for mobile devices and apps.

Here are just a few examples of how companies in various B-to-B industries are automating processes with hand-held devices:

Commercial Landscaper
We’ve had the opportunity to work with businesses in a wide range of industries that are taking advantage of the special nature of mobile technology. We were able to help a Minnesota-based commercial landscaper conduct business from places where even a laptop would be too bulky to carry, or otherwise impractical.

Now, with our mobile tools, the company’s sales reps can order materials right from the job site. Not only are they able to enter customer quotes and orders this way, but while at client sites, they can also add photos and sketches on the spot and send them back to the ERP. This gives the installation team instant access to job requirements so they can immediately get started on plans and ask questions before the rep even leaves the site.

This saves time once needed for duplicate entry into the back office system. Also, the tablet’s camera and drawing capabilities provide team members in any location with a previously unavailable 360-degree view of the job site.

Heavy Equipment Supplier
We’ve seen a heavy equipment supplier benefit from mobile, too. A Texas-based cement truck company now deploys its sales people to customer sites using apps on their tablets to enter orders and provide price quotes. In this industry, it’s vital to submit an “all-in” price, which includes shipping costs. Our mobile shipping app helps this company get the best carrier rates—right on their smart devices. Providing an all-in price quickly allows them to close the deal faster than ever before.

Decorative Home Products Manufacturer
Smart devices are also transforming the way companies work at trade shows, where it’s increasingly becoming the norm to book a sale on the spot and not risk losing the deal later. One decorative home products company is no longer beholden to laptops or even at the mercy of spotty terminal services connections typical in many conference halls. This improvement is a result of using our mobile sales app, which can work offline, thus making booking sales at the trade show a more immediate—and much less stressful process.

More Than Just Sales
While conducting sales functions with mobile is a natural fit, automation of any aspect of the business has become a reality. This is especially true in warehouse operations, and is the case with one of our clients, a leading manufacturer of point-of-sale mobile device accessories. The company was fortunate to experience great success in product sales. Then, as demand grew, they discovered the picking, packing and shipping methods they had been using created a bottleneck. To solve this, we were able to provide an app that would automate those processes and ship thousands of orders per day—using the super-portable iPad minis.

One trend is clear. Just as 25 years ago most small and mid-sized businesses replaced paper-based systems with automated software systems, today, businesses in a wide range of industries are replacing paper-based sales and warehouse systems with mobile. Yes, that includes your industry.

Why Mobile ERP, Why Now?
blog series by xkzero
This article is part of a series based on xkzero co-founder Paul Ziliak’s talk at Sage Summit 2014 called “Why Mobile, Why Now?: A Decision Maker’s Guide to Business Success.”

Paul Ziliak, xkzero Co-Founder

Paul Ziliak, xkzero Co-Founder

Through our blog, we bring to you some of the ideas initially shared in this talk. We will also continue to add new insights about why mobile for ERP is here to stay and how you can get the jump on your competitors by incorporating everything special about mobile technology into your business now.

You may also like this story from the series: Establishing Trust with Mobile ERP.

xkzero Hires New Director for Sage 100 ERP Technical Services

Chicago, IL (December 3, 2014)—

Chicago-based software developer xkzero today announced the hiring of Alnoor Cassim as director of technical services. Cassim will serve a leadership role in xkzero Technical Services, a new initiative that provides technical services, custom software development and advanced system support for Sage 100 ERP business partners and end user customers.

Alnoor-LinkedInImage“Alnoor has an unparalleled reputation throughout the Sage community to solve complex business and technology problems,” said Paul Ziliak, xkzero co-founder.

“Beyond his high level technical acumen, Alnoor is known for his professionalism and an incredibly generous nature when working with other Sage business partners. His leadership will help companies grow by maximizing their business systems capabilities using the most advanced technologies in our industry,” said Ziliak.

Cassim will direct an experienced and growing team offering solutions and services to the Sage VAR/business partner community and end user companies. Offerings will include custom ProvideX programming, custom mobile ERP development, diagnosis, scripting, BOI, SQL programming, and system integrations with SData and xkzero Web Services, .NET and ASP web development.

“I’ve had my eye on xkzero for the last several years. I am passionate about growing businesses, identifying and creating solutions to streamline processes, improve productivity, and increase profitability. Few other companies have invested like xkzero has in the development of new technologies such as mobile, web services and universal search,” Cassim said.

Cassim said, “Having these leading edge tools along with traditional resolute services like .NET, scripting, SQL development, integrations, and hardware will unquestionably help grow Sage business partners and their customers. I’m definitely looking forward to this and very excited!”

Cassim spent nearly 15 years as Senior Customer Support Engineer for Sage North America, specializing in the Sage 100 ERP product. As a sole proprietor since 2009, Cassim has also been an integral part of the 90 Minds Consulting Group, a nationwide collective of primarily Sage 100 ERP (formerly MAS 90/200) consultants. Beyond consulting and development, he has provided classroom and webinar training on scripting, Crystal Reports, SQL Server, and advanced technical support techniques.

About xkzero:
xkzero is a mobile app developer and provides advanced technical services, programming, development, support and consulting services to other Sage Partners and resellers for Sage 100 ERP, Sage ERP X3 and Sage 500 ERP. xkzero has a long history of working well with other Sage Resellers providing outsource services to supplement their current team. xkzero’s applications include iSales 100, xkzero Mobile Commerce, GetX Search for Sage 100 ERP, and EBM 100. xkzero delivers technology solutions that are easy to deploy and have a powerfully positive impact on the bottom line of small and mid-sized businesses.