Version 11.2 is Here

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Brad H

11-2What does this mean?

We implemented a list of requested features from the Feature Request category in the simPRO Community Forum, from clients visited in the field and from staff. Our staff are equipped with the industry experience and software knowledge needed to identify the features that will benefit our customers the most.

The features in this release have been divided into two categories: major features, which will affect all clients, and minor features, which may make an enormous impact to some clients but are not as significant to the simPRO community as a whole.

For a detailed explanation of each new feature, see the Version 11.2 Release Notes. It is recommended that your product champion reads the documentation to see what new features may be of assistance to you.

The upgrade occurred Saturday night at 9pm and your staff had access to the new and enhanced features when they started work on Monday morning. simPRO will continue to improve behind the scenes and roll out new features in automatic upgrades.

IMPORTANT NOTE RE: Accounting Link

Your accounting links require an update to continue working with the newly released v11.2. It is essential that you accept the update when prompted. Xero links will be updated automatically.

You’ll find a list of all v11.2 related links on our User Guide home page →

Webinars

We hosted a series of Version 11.2 Q&A sessions via webinar. A video recording of the webinar can be viewed online here →

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Cityfire & Electrical Services Ltd – Case Study

Posted on April 23, 2013 by simPRO Admin

city-fire

Cityfire is a UK-based fire maintenance company that services over 1000 sites. They provide fire systems, emergency lighting, access control, general maintenance and servicing.

Paul, the owner of Cityfire & Electrical Services Ltd, discusses how simPRO has changed their business processes and enhanced their workflow efficiency.

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Cetnaj Lighting, Electrical & Data – Case Study

Posted on April 16, 2013 by simPRO Admin

Cetnaj are a 100% Australian owned lighting, electrical and data wholesaler. Gareth Young, the Information Technology Manager, discusses how their customers introduced them to simPRO.

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Software Update Terminology Explained

Posted on April 9, 2013 by simPRO Admin

As a software company, we are continuously working to enhance our products to give customers the best possible user experience. We get our ideas for improvement from a variety of sources including the simPRO Community Forum from which we gather user feedback.

In order to implement these constant improvements, the software must be updated. There are a few different types of updates that have been a source of confusion for some in the past so we thought we’d help clarify:

Point Release (Patch)
Our developers are continually working behind the scenes to fix any bugs that occur in the software. A bug fix is a patch applied to the software to improve the stability of the product but does not introduce any new features to the product.

This does not require any action by the user – they are applied automatically and in most cases the end user is not affected and would generally be unaware of these taking place.

Incremental Release
(Minor Version)
An update to an existing major release (such as the upcoming 11.2 release) refers to the addition of new features & enhancements to the software. This is a cumulative update that also includes all point releases generated between this release and the previous incremental release.

This does not require any action by the user – new features are automatically added to the software and appear the next time the user logs in.

Major Release
(Major Version)
A major release usually includes significant updates to the software look & feel, major new features and a range of operational changes. This type of software update can often also include architectural changes to the way product operates based on inclusion of new software technologies.

This type of software update usually requires Users to go through a training process prior to updating their system. Major releases are communicated and planned in advance with clients so that the relevant changes of operation, workflow and interface can be disseminated to Users prior to the update taking place.

NOTE: Our last major release (Version 11) required existing users to go through a migration process to update to the new version. This will no longer be the case with subsequent major releases as we’ve now updated the software framework for a more seamless update process.

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Where is the Money?

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Lynelle Hills

hidden-moneyFollowing on from our previous article discussing the process of automating cashflow, we’re now going to look at how cashflow can be measured.

Typically in a service business there are four major components to your current assets (cash or items soon to be turned to cash):

  • Cash at Bank
  • Stock on Hand
  • Work in Progress
  • Accounts Receivable (Debtors)

Put simply, if you aren’t measuring the above items accurately, not only will your profit and loss be incorrect, but your cashflow is also compromised as you cannot measure where your current assets are.

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Introducing Our New Support System

Posted on March 26, 2013 by simPRO Admin

kayako-home

We are pleased to announce the introduction of a new support system which allows us to provide an improved support experience and better resolve your queries.

To date, we’ve run separate support systems which were created in-house for tickets and live chats. As we continue to grow, we’re finding these systems are not able to keep up with our requirements in providing the support you need & expect and the ongoing maintenance of such systems takes away valuable development resource time from our engineering team.

After a 6 month review process we have settled on a system called Kayako. This is fully integrated commercial help desk software used by companies like Virgin, Skype, DHL, Sony and many more.

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simPRO Connect Version 2.1 Release

Posted on March 18, 2013 by simPRO Admin

connect-logoWe’re pleased to announce that simPRO Connect Version 2.1 is here with a bunch of great new features we know you’ve been waiting for:

Audits

Are used to assist with workplace safety compliance. Field technicians fill out JSAs, SWMS or QAs in Connect using check boxes or text as required. Upon completion, a PDF version is attached to the job.

Visit http://help11.simpro.co/?page_id=22628 for more information on how to set up audits in Connect.

Stock Purchase Orders

The purchase order functionality has been improved by adding stock purchase orders to Connect. Stock purchase orders are specifically designed to allow technicians to restock their storage device when in the field.

Continue reading →

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Automate Your Cashflow System

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Gerard

Cashflow ImageMoney is critical to all businesses. It influences the satisfaction of operating, the feeling of security, the freedom of business choices and the future of the business. You’ve heard it before… “Cash is King”. Everyone understands the importance of cashflow, a business without cash won’t be in business for long so protecting money and the overall cashflow in any business warrants strict processes.

In trade contracting, business income comes from invoicing jobs. Your terminology may be different but these jobs normally take the form of:

  1. Service Jobs (invoiced on time and materials or small quoted amounts)
  2. Maintenance Jobs (invoiced at recurring intervals on contracted/agreed rates)
  3. Project Jobs (invoiced based on a claim for works completed as a percentage of the total quoted amount, plus invoiced variations to the original quoted amount)

The purpose of this article is not to discuss how to maximise the invoiced revenue of job types (that’s for another article), this article is about securing cash payments for invoices generated.

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Discounts: The true cost to your business

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Gerard

Every contractor wants to make a profit. While it’s not the published objective of many businesses, turning a profit is at the core of every one and is the number one factor in most critical decisions made, behind cashflow. When assessing the direction of your business and deciding what jobs to bid for, or deciding on what rates to charge for your service work, you need to consider the impact of discounting.

The average business incurs many fixed costs such as overheads, rent, power, vehicles and wages, which don’t change irrespective of the amount of work it’s doing. When discounting, very few contractors appreciate the true cost of the discount or how it will impact their bottom line. Costs don’t change, it will still cost the same amount to complete the job but the net revenue will decrease when a discount is given.

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Ignite Business Consultants – Case Study

Posted on January 17, 2013 by simPRO Admin

Ray Hodge is the Director of Ignite Business Consulting. Ray has coached and provided consulting services to leaders and teams for over 20 years. His key strengths in consulting include crafting efficient business processes, optimising human resources, aligning the business with the buyer and delivering results-based work through strategic planning and measurements.

Ray sat down with us to discuss the benefits of streamlining a business with simPRO Software.

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