With today’s economy, businesses have to make difficult choices as to where they will spend their hard earned dollars.  For anyone who attended the Scaling New Heights Conference in Atlanta last week, I strongly feel it was money well spent.  This conference gave attendees a very unique opportunity to learn Intuit products, prepare for Intuit certification exams and interact with various ProAdvisors and Intuit Solution Providers.  If that wasn’t enough, attendees at the conference received hands-on training from some of the top trainers of Intuit products like Joe Woodard, Laura Madeira and Mario Nowogrodzki just to name a few!

I feel extremely privileged that Joe allowed me to join the Scaling New Heights team last week, seeing as only 2 IDN products were invited to the conference.  On Day 1, I led a class during the lunchtime break session, focusing on using Method for CRM (Customer Relationship Management).  It was nice to see some familiar faces in a packed classroom.  If anyone is like me, my stomach starts to feel a little funny when doing training sessions or presentations, but this time, it was also because I didn’t have a chance to touch my lunch.  I was being pulled left, right and center by people wanting to have a few questions answered regarding Method.  The training session went off without a hitch and for many people in the room, this was their first exposure to this product called “Method”. 

This set the tone for the rest of the day on Monday, leading up to Tuesday when I helped Joe with presenting Method as one of his top 5 IDN (Intuit Developer Network) picks for 2009.  I focused my presentation on 10 problems that could be solved by using Method.  For anyone who is interested, Joe is offering a simulcast package with 5 of the classes that were at the Scaling New Heights Conference.  For more information, please visit http://www.scalingnewheights.com

Scaling New Heights also marked the beginning of our Solution Providers Pilot Program which is going to help empower both Certified Consultants and Certified Account Managers with extensive Method product knowledge starting this week! 

This was Joe’s first conference and was a major success.  I look forward to attending Scaling New Heights 2010!  Nicely done Joe!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

As I leaked out earlier this week in my blog post The future of web apps: end-user web platforms, Method Warehouse is now available!  If you are already a user of Method Full Blown Edition, the news is even better: Method Warehouse is included in your monthly subscription (yes.....even the Method MRP Calculation!).   All you need to do is go to Customize > My Account, and add the Method Warehouse app.

Method Warehouse is an app that solves the inventory problems faced by QuickBooks users.  More importantly, it has been carefully designed to solve these problems in the most streamlined and useful manner possible.

QuickBooks users who maintain inventory need inventory tracking outside of what QuickBooks itself currently offers. Whether they are distributor with multiple locations, a retail store that needs real time knowledge of which store has what inventory available, or a manufacturer that needs to know how much inventory to purchase and build – Method Warehouse is the missing piece of the puzzle.

When we embarked on creating an inventory app for Method, we decided to first firmly establish what core problems an inventory app should be solving:

• Companies that have multiple locations need to be able separate their QuickBooks inventory by location, and by sublocation.
• Reorder / Build Points in QuickBooks are not sufficient for companies with multiple locations. They need to be able to set different Reorder / Build Points per location.
• Inventory must be able to be grouped and tracked by lot number, expiration date or revision level.
• Inventory must be able to be tracked by serial number from the moment it enters the door to the moment it leaves, and leave a breadcrumb trail along the way.
• Companies that manufacture goods needed a solid MRP (Material Requirements Planning) calculator that looks at existing inventory, forecasted demand, inventory lead times and existing pending transactions in order to tell manufacturers how much to purchase, how much build, and when to do it.

We think existing inventory solutions for QuickBooks are too complicated, cumbersome and bloated.  So, next we set out to find out exactly why this was the case to avoid running into the same perils ourselves.   After investigation, we came to the conclusion that they were loaded with unnecessary features – unnecessary because most of the screens in the existing inventory solutions duplicated what already exists within QuickBooks.  The existing solutions out there all require you to move all inventory control outside out of QuickBooks and into their solutions, thereby requiring you to enter inventory-related transactions in their solutions only. 

However, when building Method Warehouse, we were fortunate to have a powerful, patent-pending, Method sync engine at our disposal that listens to everything that happens in QuickBooks and shuttles changes back and forth with the Method web server.  We reasoned that the only way to create a streamlined inventory app was to do what the other inventory solutions couldn’t do, and that was to leverage the Method sync engine to allow users to keep their inventory control in QuickBooks.  This allowed us to streamline the Method Warehouse interface to be just a few small screens.

This was no small accomplishment for our sync engine.  For example, when a QuickBooks user enters an Item Receipt directly in QuickBooks, the sync engine has to "hear" this Item Receipt, check to see if there are inventory items listed on it, and then figure out which location and inventory bin to move those items to.  But what happens when the QuickBooks user later changes the item quantity of one of the items on the Item Receipt? Well, the sync engine has to know that there is an existing transfer order to an inventory bin, and then update that inventory bin with the new quantity.  Now, what if the QuickBooks user changes the Item Receipt by using a different item instead of the previous item?  Well, the sync engine has to remove the quantity from the previous bin, and then move inventory into a different bin belonging to the different inventory item.  And what if the item receipt is deleted altogether?  Well….you get the idea.  Moral of the story: There is a reason why other inventory solutions require you to move inventory out of QuickBooks!!   

Here's a few screen shots of the interface:

 
Inventory Control Monitor - Automatic alert levels per location, per inventory item

Inventory Locations - Multiple inventory locations, with sublocations

Inventory Control Bins

Inventory Control Transfer Orders

We felt it was a challenge worth choosing – and after you use the streamlined interface, we think you’ll agree it was a good choice. 

Want to spread the news? Click here to Digg this article.

'till next time,

Paul

Since the launch of Method, I'm asked more and more for my thoughts on what the future holds for small business software.   You might be surprised that I respond that the future of small business software isn't software at all!  The future is customizable web apps, built on end-user web platforms.
 
During the last 10 years, I have had the pleasure of working with thousands of companies, learning about their needs, as well as the software they depend on. 
 
When it comes to my thoughts on which business technology will push to the forefront in the years to come, my nod goes to developers that can truly (I mean truly) satisfy the demands of small business. Sound like a cliché?  Of course it is. Especially when you look at what small businesses actually want.
 
So, what does every small business want?  Across the board it's actually the same.  They want something simple their staff can use.  But they don't want to sacrifice on the features they need.  Oh, and did I forget?  It's got to be very affordable and it's got to be today!  In other words they want to have their cake and eat it too…..and it should be no more than 0 calories, and it can't cause a tummy ache.
 
Wait, wait!  Don't despair software developers…...there is hope! Those of us who have started to get their hands dirty with end-user web platforms can report back: "We've seen the future, and the future is friendly."
 
Let's do a short history lesson.
 
Desktop Software Programs
The 1980's and 1990's saw desktop software jump on the scene.  The model was simple: find a core problem for similar companies in an industry, and sell as many one-size-fits-all products as possible.  For small businesses, it was certainly a lot cheaper and painless than getting a custom program made. But with desktop programs the famous Henry Ford quote comes to mind when selling his Model T car: "Pick any color - so long as it's black".  Contrary to the desktop software model, companies in the same industry are not all that similar.  So, in order to sell more products, developers over-complicate their programs by jamming in as many features as they can in an effort to say "yes" as often as possible.  Ironically, this gave them the illusion of being useful, but ended up having the opposite effect.
 
Web 2.0 apps
In the 2000's, business apps started moving to the web, in the push towards Web 2.0. The big "ahh-ha" for web apps was that it became completely acceptable to produce a simple solution and stay simple.  In fact web apps proved that smart, streamlined design made systems more useful than complicated desktop software.  The best example, and a company I'm a big fan of, is 37Signals.  They built an incredibly successful company on the idea of creating products that "do less than the competition — intentionally".  Web apps were made to be simple partly from necessity: browser-based websites using html and JavaScript just have a hard time doing the fancy things a desktop program can do.  So rather than try to mimic the desktop, successful web apps focused on being the opposite of everything desktop programs stood for, and used the browser based constraints to their advantage. 

The other reason the web apps were successful was that they had the advantage of learning from the mistakes of desktop programs - since web apps are sold on monthly subscriptions they don't have to jam in features to justify selling annual upgrades. Companies like Salesforce.com built empires on being the "anti-software" based on this reason.
 
End-user web platforms
A shortcoming of Web 2.0's model of keeping it simple, though, is that a well disciplined web developer must say "no" much more often than "yes" to features requests, and must turn away users who start to outgrow their apps - otherwise they'll fall into the tangled feature trap that desktop programs fell into.  This, of course creates friction with end users who justifiably can't be expected to appreciate the bigger vision that developers have for their apps, and get frustrated from hearing "no" to most of their feature requests.
 
Web 2.0 apps have taken us a long way.  But they are no match for the next generation technology I refer to as end-user web platforms. Imagine you are an end-user and you have two, nearly identical apps to choose from.  Which of the following would you choose?

• Web App A: Developed by a programmer using code.  Updates are made by feature requests only.
• Web App B: Developed by a non-programmer on a platform. Updates can be made by users using drag and drop tools.

Of course you would choose Web App B!  The platform app would always win.  Web App A is a simple, useful app that solves today's core problems.  But Web App B is a simple, useful app that not only solves today's core problems; it also imposes no limitations on solving tomorrow's problems - whatever they may be.  Perfect for small business! It's like taking Henry Ford's Model T, clicking a button on the production line to paint it red, and then a month later clicking another button to add a sunroof, and then the following month clicking another button to add a rear spoiler!  Who wouldn't want that?
 
I'm going to clarify what I mean by an end-user web platform.  Unlike regular web-platforms, which are designed to be used by programmers, in an end-user web platform the user must be able to design and create a system themselves, without any programming knowledge. Users must have the same tools available to them as the developer that built the app.   In other words, here’s the big test: it must be possible for end users to re-create an entire web app themselves from scratch using drag and drop tools.  No coding.
 
Now, that's a whole new way of thinking isn't it?
 
Method Integration - Suite of Apps
When we created Method, we weren't trying to start a revolution.  We actually stumbled upon the idea of creating an end-user web platform.  At first, it was a platform we created for ourselves so that we could create a suite of simple QuickBooks apps that enabled users to develop and share their own features.  It was our solution for not having to put new features into our desktop software every year, thereby preventing it from getting more and more complex!  So for the problem we were trying to solve, the solution that later became known as "Method" just made sense.   We had to create our own end-user web platform since, at the time, such a thing in the web world didn't exist.
 
Now that we have a platform, we can rapidly churn out useful, integrated apps for QuickBooks. Later this week, we'll be putting out Method Warehouse, which is an inventory management app for QuickBooks.  It's amazing how simple inventory management can be when you strip it down to its core.  It's all about knowing where your inventory is (locations and bins), how they got there (transfer orders), and how much material you need to build and purchase in order to meet finished good deadlines (MRP).  The entire app is in one single "Warehouse Center" tab within Method.  How were we able to make it so simple?  Because the Web 2.0 world taught us to strip the problem to the core, solve the problem and nothing else.   But since it is built on an end-user web platform, users can keep it simple by adding only the features they need as they need them. Nothing less, nothing more.
 

 

Given the optimal solution provided to small businesses, tomorrow's web apps will be built more and more on end-user web platforms, so my advice to everyone is to hop on early and enjoy the ride.

Want to spread the news? Click here to Digg this article.

'till next time,

Paul

…just can’t wait to get on the road again.  Oh come on now, who hasn’t heard the classic Willie Nelson song?  Truth be told, I actually had to Google the lyrics to find out who sang it.  I also had to verify with Katie that I wasn’t the only one that could recognize that song.  Lucky for me, she was an avid fan, with this song being an iPod favorite! (Joking)

Anyway, as you might have gathered from my reference to Willie’s song, the Method Team is starting its tour across the USA this May.  I love conference shows and seminars, as they give a unique opportunity to speak with potential and current users of Method.  Not to mention, there is nothing better than in person interaction and showing off what Method has to offer. 

Listed below are all the conferences we are currently scheduled to attend.

Scaling New Heights – presented by Joe Woodard
Dates – May 18 – 19, 2009
Location – Atlanta, Georgia
Conference details - http://www.scalingnewheights.com/

2009 California Accounting & Business Show
Dates – June 1 – 2, 2009
Location – Los Angeles, California
Conference details - http://www.flaggmgmt.com/ca/

2009 AICPA Tech Conference
Dates – June 15 – 17, 2009
Location – Las Vegas, Nevada
Conference details - http://infotech.aicpa.org/

2009 Midwest Accounting & Finance Showcase
Dates – August 25 – 26, 2009
Location – Rosemont, Illinois
Conference details - http://www.flaggmgmt.com/icpas/default.htm

2009 The Sleeter Group Conference
Dates – November 9 – 12, 2009
Location – Orlando, Florida
Conference details - http://www.sleeter.com/events/conferences

So, if you’re attending any of these conferences, be sure to stop by, say hello and enjoy an espresso at the Method café.  If you aren’t planning on attending any of the conferences listed, perhaps our presence there might change your mind.  Just sayin’!

Cheers,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Anyone who runs a company knows that a typical day is made up of putting out fires, attending too many meetings, and finding time for mundane tasks that you still haven't figured out how to delegate.  If you are lucky you can dedicate a tiny sliver of your day to work on “what's next”, i.e. those changes your team can make that will take the company to the next level and jump miles above customer expectations.

Luckily, we have a really great staff here at Method who can put out their own fires, a consistent team vision that stamps out unnecessary meetings, and mundane tasks are nearly none-existent due to our infatuation with internal systems.  What does this mean?  We have time to be very nimble - the kind of nimble that big software companies can only dream of.  This gives us the opportunity to take user feedback and make huge improvements in a very short amount of time.

Today when you log into Method you're going to notice a massive update has been unleashed.  It's so big that your head is going to spin.  Yes, all your feedback really was being listened to!  Here are the highlights:

• QuickBooks Reports.  This is big.  If you are an administrator or accountant and want to limit the number of staff who need to have access to QuickBooks......this is even bigger.  If you are sick of staff constantly asking you to pull updated reports....this is massive.  We have developed a super-slick reporting feature for Method that actually lets you schedule and display QuickBooks reports from within a Method app.  For example, an administrator can say “I want to generate a daily ‘Sales By Rep’ report and deliver it to my sales team".  When each sales staff signs into Method each morning they can see an HTML version of their personalized sales report.  Throughout the day, they can even click a “regenerate” button, which sends a request back to the computer with QuickBooks on it and within 10 seconds have a refreshed report delivered back to them via the web.
  
  
  
  
• File Attachments. Method apps now have full-on document management capabilities.  It handles the uploading, storing, sharing, and display-on-demand of PDFs, Html, images, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Zip files.  To use this feature, simply: (1) create a new field in any table with the data type “File Attachment”, (2) drag this new field onto your customized screen; and (3) publish your screen. 
  
  
  
  
• New Method Grids. All standard grids have been replaced with our own specialized "Method Grids" that take advantage of some hard-core web technology we developed last year.  They are now blazingly quick compared to the old grids when it comes to filtering, paging, and initial load time.  You no longer have to wait for the “Loading….” symbol to disappear before you can use the screen, the grids are available for use immediately.
• Multi-line edits on grids.  A major change in the grid is the ability to update and insert multiple lines at once. Before you would have to click Edit, then Update, Edit then Update a number of times to enter a transaction like an invoice.  Now it can all be done in one go.  In fact, I personally now find it faster to enter an invoice in Method than I do in QuickBooks directly.
• New Method Dropdown Lists. All standard dropdown lists have been replaced with our own specialized “Method Dropdown Lists”.  Like before, they grab the first 50 records from the server and display them, but what is remarkable is that as you start typing, the list is quickly filtered in real time by communicating back and forth between the web page and the server – making it lightening fast.
• Screen load time. The big benefit of using Method Grids and Method Dropdown Lists is that they have a dramatic impact on a screen’s load time.  No more waiting for screens to open when you sign in each day.  They now load in 1/3rd of the time.
• Buttons………well they do the same thing as before, but you have to admit just look way cooler now!
  
  

That's a lot of features for this month's update, isn't it?  On top of all that we have several other big announcements coming in the next couple weeks about other projects we have been working on.

We appreciate all the feedback you, our Method die-hards, have given us.  Keep your ideas coming, we are all ears.

Paul

You know it’s a sure sign of spring when you hear birds chirping in the morning on the way to work.  For those of you who don’t know, spring officially started on March 20th, although here in Toronto, it doesn’t feel that way just yet!

Besides the birds, what’s all this “twittering” about?  Well if you haven’t heard about Twitter, I’d be very surprised.  It’s all over the web, news, blogs and forums.  Twitter is a social networking tool that is catching on very quickly by the web community. 

Twitter does a great job explaining what they do on their site, so no point in me trying.  Click the link below to visit the Twitter site and then click the red button on the right side of the screen called “Watch a video”. 

http://twitter.com/

Method has joined the Twitter world, so follow us by visiting:

http://twitter.com/FollowMethod

By the way, there are some very cool apps that make your twittering life even easier.  2 of the apps I personally use are the Windows Gadget named “Chirpr” and iPhone app called “TwitterFon”.  Guess what, they are free! 

Happy tweeting!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Last month on our blog, I announced that I will be heading to Atlanta to participate in the Scaling New Heights Conference being hosted by Joe Woodard. If you haven’t heard about this conference yet, you should read my blog post from last month by clicking here.

Joe is actually offering a series of FREE webinars, leading up to the conference.  I participated in one of the webinars last Wednesday and it is available for your viewing pleasure. Click the link below to view it.

Introduction to Method
brought to you by Scaling New Heights - Joe Woodard

If you haven’t taken a look at Method yet and want to see what all the fuss is about, check out this webinar.  If you’re a current Method user, you may learn a thing or two after seeing it. 

I do want to give a big “Thank You” to Joe for allowing me to show Method to the group.  I am really looking forward to seeing everyone in May.

Enjoy!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

I love my gadgets.   I really do.  So when we started talking about making a connector that would allow Xora users to integrate with Method and of course QuickBooks, I was pretty pumped. 

Haven’t heard of Xora before?  Well, Xora is an alien creature from a distant plant named…..just kidding!  Okay, all jokes aside, if you haven’t heard of Xora yet, it’s time you did. 

Xora is a mobile workforce management solution used by more than 8000 companies.  So how does Xora help you to track and manage your workers?

• You can see exactly where your workers are, in real-time and what they are up to.
• Workers can easily enter their time through their phone devices, and guess what?  They can’t change the times they enter in, so you know it will be accurate.
• Xora helps your company to be more “green” by eliminating paperwork since all time and job entries can be entered into the phone.  We like “green”.
• Want to learn more about Xora features?  Speak to the experts at Xora by clicking the link below:
  http://www.xora.com

So how does the Method Xora Connector fit in?  The Method Team is all about making applications that seamlessly work with QuickBooks and solve your business needs.  The Method Xora Connector does just that!

The Method Xora Connector is a bridge that connects QuickBooks with Xora for the purpose of sending start & stop times from Xora to the QuickBooks Timesheet.  With this Method Xora Connector bridge, Xora Jobs and Users are paired with QuickBooks Customer:Jobs and Employees/Subcontractors.  All job and shift times entered into Xora are then pulled into the Method Xora Connector, which in turn posts them to QuickBooks for payroll and/or billable time.

So how much does it cost?  If you’re already a Method Full Blown Edition user, it’s free!  Just go to your “My Account” tab in your Method account and add the app.

Not a Method user?  The Method Xora Connector subscription is just $20.00 per month with an initial setup fee of $75.00.  The setup fee includes a 30 – 45 minute installation and training session with a connector guru.  To sign-up for the Method Xora Connector, click the link below.

Method Xora Connector Sign-up

Not a Xora user?  Setup a demo with a Xora representative by visiting their website below:

http://www.xora.com

Kudos’s to Richard from our development team who has been working very hard on getting this app to where it is today.  It’s awesome!

Cheers,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

If you’ve been keeping up to date with our blogs, email announcements, or have spoken to any of the members of the Method Team, you know how busy we are right now.  I’ll be honest; it’s a little nutty, crazy and exciting, all at the same time. 

At times, I’d like to think of myself as a “human octopus”, with multiple arms that can be pulled in different directions, all at once.  At least that’s what it feels like now and again.    So, the time has come for us to find some added help!

We’re looking for up to 5 Business Systems Consultants that are energetic, driven and able to capitalize on this wicked product known as Method Integration.  To learn more about this position and possibly/potentially join our team, click the job posting below.  We offer great benefits, an awesome work environment, competitive salary, and a fantastic team!

Monster Job Posting for Business Systems Consultants

Cheers,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Field Service companies should be very excited today, especially when it comes to their office staff.  Why?  The Method Team has now released Method Field Services, which is tailored specifically to field service companies.  So what type of industries am I talking about when I say ‘Field Service’ companies? Well these can include industries such as:

• Lawn care and maintenance
• Landscaping
• Pest Control
• Irrigation
• HVAC
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Pool Maintenance
• Cleaning

The list can get much larger but I think you get the general idea. Put it this way, if your company needs to schedule work for your staff such as one time or recurring services, print work orders and route lists, enter job cost information and somehow turn this work into proper QuickBooks invoices, then Method Field Services is going to be a huge help!  Why?  ‘Cause it can do everything I just listed, plus if it doesn’t do something exactly the way you want it to, well just customize it of course.  It is Method after all.   Tie that in with the fact that you already have real-time syncing with QuickBooks and the extended CRM capabilities and you have a very cool and powerful tool.

I’ve included a picture of the Field Service Dashboard which neatly displays the amount of work assigned to each of your staff and the dollar amount associated with each job item in a bar and pie chart format.  Yes, I also wanted to include this picture because it just looked cool.  Everyone LOVES graphs. 

So how do you get started with Field Services?  Well that depends on if you are a new user, a current user or need to upgrade your account.  I’ve explained the 3 scenarios below, so pick the one that applies to you.

New Method User – Well first of all, welcome!  To sign up for Method Field Services, simply click the link below and follow the instructions on the sign up page.

https://www.methodintegration.com/web/signupapp.aspx?app=Method%20Field%20Services

Current user – Full Blown Edition – Since you are already using the Full Blown Edition, you can access to all industry applications.  Simply click on the “Customize” tab and then click My Account.  Under the “Add Apps from Method Library” section, click add this app now! for Method Field Services. 

Current user – Standard and CRM Edition – You will first need to upgrade your account to the Full Blown Edition to have access to the industry apps.  To do this, click on the “Customize” tab and then click My Account.  Under the “Add Apps from Method Library” section, click upgrade to this edition now! for Method Full Blown Edition. 

If you want to check out more of the screen shots for Method Field Services, click the link below and then click the “Screenshots & Resources” tab. 

http://www.methodintegration.com/web/web-app-for-quickbooks.aspx?app=Method%20Field%20Services&Plumbing-Electrical-HVAC-Field-Service-For-Use-With-Intuit-QuickBooks-Enterprise.html

Till next time,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Danny and I have a deal.  He gets to write all the fun blogs and announcements - and in return I get to do all the geeky "how do I?" blogs.  Does it sound like I got a raw deal?  No - not at all!  I love showing off what Method can do....and I especially enjoy getting my hands dirty.

Today's blog is a long overdue movie tutorial on how to create a screen, from scratch, using Method.  This is a great educational tool for anyone who wants an introduction into how to create and modify screens from scratch.  It touches quickly on many key concepts such as choosing the correct table, how grids relate to a screen, how to arrange sections on a screen, and how actions can make your life easy.  This blog is actually inspired by a simple email we received:

"Here is my scenario: my client has a manual system for capturing receipts which is broken into several different income accounts.  They have no need to breakdown by an Item or Customer, they just need a way to book the deposit. 

I would like to determine a way to setup a deposit entry screen with a couple of “preset lines” already setup so that all they have to do is enter the date and the amounts.  I would also like them to have the ability to add lines for other miscellaneous deposit amounts. 

Oh, I almost forgot, I need the ability to select the class for each line also.

Hope that makes sense."

I felt there was no better way to demonstrate a solution than to post a video onto YouTube that shows, step by step, how to create this Deposit screen.  Unfortunately, YouTube only allows movies 10 minutes in length or shorter, and since the movie is a total of 17 minutes, I had to break it into two movies.

Part I of II:

Part II of II:

Please reply back with comments and questions.  I'll be happy to offer some tips on how you can take my basic deposit screen and turn it into something even more customized for your individual scenarios.

Paul

Are you an accountant that needs fast and easy access to your client’s QuickBooks company file?  If so, this blog entry is right up your alley!

Back in November, the Method team was at the Sleeter Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.  I am missing Phoenix right now, especially with our -15C (5F) temperatures …..never mind, there I go off topic.  Anyways, part of the trip entailed me doing a presentation in front of a “small” (I am being sarcastic) group of Sleeter members.  After the presentation, I sat down with nearly 25 Sleeter members, over the course of 2 hours.  They were telling me how they loved the presentation about Method and I received feedback as to how we can make our process even better for accountants.  Here were the main points I was hearing:

#1 - I want to host the QuickBooks file.  I don’t want my client to host it!

#2 - I want to limit the access. I give them to this file so they don’t put entries into areas they shouldn’t be in.

#3 - I don’t want to pay for this!  I want my client to pay for the subscription.

I thought to myself, now why in the world would an accountant want to host the file, and not the other way around. And that’s when the feedback from the group really kicked in.

In most cases, the accountant is really the one who needs to host the QuickBooks file, not the client.  The client and their staff normally enter in sales receipts, invoices, bills, checks, makes PO’s or maybe just add new customers and vendors.  The advanced QuickBooks functions are usually done by the accountant anyway; hence the reason the accountant needs access to the QuickBooks file.  The main reason why the QuickBooks company file usually resides at the office is because this is the only way other QuickBooks users can access the needed data in QuickBooks.  This isn’t the case anymore.

With Method, the accountant would actually purchase the license of QuickBooks (or transfer it from its existing location) and host the company file at their office.  This ensures that the accountant has access to the QuickBooks file at all times  This prevents accountants from having to make actual visits to the client’s office, or using a remote connection (like WebEx or LogMeIn), or borrowing and returning copies of the QuickBooks file from the client.  Those scenarios make me cringe!

So what about the users at the office?  They would enter in all their information into Method which would update the QuickBooks file REAL TIME!  The accountant can be working away in the QuickBooks file and everyone at the client’s office can be working away so no loss in productivity.  If the accountant happens to have QuickBooks closed, it doesn’t matter.  The next time they launch the QuickBooks database, it will be automatically updated with the new information.  It gets even better; installation at the client’s workstation locations is easy.  Load your web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, go to the methodintegration.com website and login with your Company Account, Username and Password.  That’s it.  No need to install any software.  This means if you need to get another workstation up and running, you can do so in no time. 

Now as an accountant, you told us that you want your client paying for their Method subscription.  So how do you sign them up for an account yet have them pay for it?  Well you use the new accountant invitation process of course.  Below is a visual representation of the process.

Steps for signing up a client:

1. Visit www.methodintegration.com.
2. Click Editions at the top of the screen.
3. Choose the Method Edition you would like to sign up for your client.  For example, Method Starter Edition.
4. Under “Pricing” and “Accountants & Bookkeeping services” click send them and invitation.
5. Fill in “Step 1” with your, the accountant’s, contact information.
6. Fill in “Step 2” with your client’s contact information.
7. Fill in “Step 3” with which default screens and sections you would like your client to see.  Remember, these can always be changed later on. Yes, this means that you, the accountant, can limit which areas of Method, and therefore QuickBooks data, you want to give access to!
8. Click Sign Up.
9. Your client will now receive an email, with a link requesting that they confirm their contact information and enter in their payment information.  They will also get a chance to choose a username and password.
   
10. Once they confirm this information, you, the accountant, will receive a confirmation email with your administrator user name and passwords, and the steps needed to sync Method with QuickBooks.
    
11. Your client will have been sent a separate email with their non-administrator user name and passwords, and instructions on how to login.
    

This process saves you from having to collect the monthly subscription fee from your client and ensures that the installation of Method is done correctly.

It really is a sweet process and is a perfect example of how feedback can help everyone out.

As always, I'd love to hear your feedback, comments as suggestions.

Cheers,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

I’ve never been one to spend time at the library.  No offence to anyone who does that for their past-time.  The library I’m about to talk about, I can handle.  I am thrilled to announce that the much anticipated launch of the Method App Library is finally here.  So why is this so exciting?  Well you’ll have to read on to find out of course. 

Picture the Method App Library being……well, a library, filled with specialized, industry-specific apps that are created by our team and 3rd Party Developers.  The idea is that eventually there will be an app that meets the fundamental needs of nearly every major market segment, all under one roof.  No need to go looking anywhere else when your business needs change or grow.  See now you know why I was so excited to tell you about this.

The Method Application Library is broken into 2 core areas:

Base Method Editions

Includes the Method Starter, Method CRM and Method Full Blown Edition.  Future editions to be released, in no specific order are:

• Method Agriculture
• Method Automotive
• Method Construction
• Method Education
• Method Field Services
• Method Healthcare
• Method Manufacturing
• Method Non-Profit
• Method Professional Services
• Method Property Management
• Method Real Estate
• Method Retail
• Method Software Business
• Method Studios
• Method Wholesale/Distribution

Specialized Apps

These are industry apps that are tailored to very specialized needs.  These apps will be made up primarily of 3rd party developer apps.  You can choose to add 1 of these apps or several of these apps to your account and use them in conjunction with your existing apps. 

The “Learn More” link on each app provides a detailed overview of the app including pricing information.  You can also read up on reviews and ratings from current and previous users and contact get information for the developer.  Soon you’ll be able to see screen shots for each app, plus view movies to help make your decision a little easier. 

Worried about it being complicated to install an app?  Don’t be.  If you’ve ever talked to an iPhone user, you’ll know that installing an app is as easy as visiting the App Store and after hitting “Install”, the new app is installed.  I have an iPhone and have several non-computer-literate friends who own them and they all did it the first time. 

Clicking the “My Account” link in your Method Account will bring you to a page similar to what you see in the Method App Library.  Simply click the “add this app now!” button and that’s it.  Your app is now installed.  Just as easy as installing your iPhone app, told you not to worry.

Stay tuned to our blog for news on new apps being released shortly!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Social networking is an imperative and extremely powerful tool in today’s business.  December’s issue of Baseline Magazine ranked “Social Networking” #6 for “Top 10 Trends in IT for 2009”.  I wasn’t surprised to see that “Software as a Service (SaaS)” came in at #1.  If you haven’t taken advantage of social networking tools to keep in touch with other business contacts and partners, you should!  If you’re already a Method user, well you’re ahead of the game and are already using a SaaS product, nicely done!

Case in point – I have been actively using my LinkedIn account to touch base with other consultants, QuickBooks ProAdvisors, QuickBooks Intuit Solution Providers (ISP’s) and other SaaS users.  It really is amazing how many people you can meet and how quickly your connections can add up. 

In mid-January, through a common group on LinkedIn, I came across a posting by Joe Woodard regarding a conference for accounting professionals, QuickBooks ProAdvisors and Intuit Solution Providers (ISP’s).  I connected with Joe and we found out that we both had attended the QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Conference in September but managed to somehow miss each other.  We started to discuss Method and how it might help to solve some of his clients’ business needs.  Joe and I were so excited about working together that he invited me to attend his “Scaling New Heights” conference being held in Atlanta, GA in May, 2009.  Had it not been for LinkedIn, Joe and I may have never met. 

Joe has invited me to lead a webinar on Method as part of his webinar series to promote the Scaling New Heights Conference.  The best part is, the webinars are free!   Free is always nice, especially in times like these.

To find out more about the “Scaling New Heights” conference, click the link below:
http://www.scalingnewheights.com/

To participate in the upcoming webinar, click the link below:
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/254287014

I’m very excited about visiting Atlanta in May for this conference.  I may be learning a thing or two from Joe after attending some of his classes. 

Happy networking =)

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

2009 is here and if you haven’t jumped on the band wagon with using RSS feeds it’s about time you got started.  Our blog has been around since 2007 and something I’ve noticed is that a large percentage of consultants, accountants, and clients have no clue what an RSS feed is, what its benefits are and how to set it up.  Don’t worry though, after you finish reading my post today, you will be an RSS expert (at least let’s hope).

Before I dive into what an RSS feed is and why it’s so cool, I want to talk about how we used to access information before RSS feeds became so popular.  Information is available in so many places that it’s crazy when you start to think about it.  When starting your day you may check your local news website, look up stock information, check for responses on a community forum or read some of the interesting blog entries on the Method website (hey, I had to throw a pitch in there).  The problem with the “old” way of doing things is it forces you to have to manually visit each site, see if anything new has taken place and when you’re done reading, move onto the next site.  It may be that only 1 out of the 4 sites you’re visiting actually has new content to read.    We all know how much free time you have right?

The beauty of the feed

An RSS feed is a fast way to get information from the internet sites you frequently visit, directly to you instead of the other way around.  Sounds like a simple concept doesn’t it?  It’s almost like your favorite website giving you a phone call saying “Hey I got new information you need to read and here it is!”  In order for your websites to “call you” you’ll need to “subscribe” to their RSS feeds.  It’s almost like being put on their calling list except you don’t get those annoying telemarketing calls.  You subscribe only to the content that you want. 

How to identify a website with an RSS feed?

A website that has RSS feeds will have the “RSS” logo either in the top toolbar of your internet browser or the RSS icon on their page.  I’ve pointed out the RSS logo on the Method website in the diagram below but I’m sure you’ve also seen this logo elsewhere.  It’s kind of hard to miss since its bright orange.  Once you have identified a website you want to subscribe to you’ll need to make sure you have an RSS reader and actually subscribe to the feed. 

An “RSS Reader” is like a newspaper that contains all the articles for the “feeds” you’re reading.  This reader is where all the sites you subscribed to are going to be sending their information to.  Hence, why they call it a “reader”.  Getting it?    A bunch of readers are available out there.  I personally use the reader built-in to Outlook 2007 and for my iPhone the Google Reader.  I am going to go through an example of adding an RSS feed for our Method Blog using Internet Explorer 7 since almost all PC users have this installed.  Here we go!

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Go to the site with the RSS Feed.  In our case we’ll be going to:
   www.methodintegration.com/cs/blogs
3. In the top of the IE toolbar you’ll notice the orange “RSS” logo I was talking about earlier.  Click the logo.
4. An HTML preview of the feed you are going to subscribe to now appears.  Click the Subscribe to this Feed link.
5. A pop-up window will appear.  Click Subscribe and that’s it! 

 Now Internet Explorer will be notified when new blog posts are available for you to read.  To see if there is anything new to read, follow the steps below. 

1. If Internet Explorer is already open, click on the star or Favorites Center at the top left of your screen.
2. Click Feeds.
3. The Method Blog will be listed there and will be bold if new information is available. 
   

Personally, I love using Outlook 2007 as a reader especially on my laptop.  I just find it easier to get my RSS feeds in email form vs. having to open up Internet Explorer.  The nice thing is if you have setup the feed through IE it appears in Outlook automatically.  I love things that are automatic and easy.

So now that you have setup your first RSS feed with Method and know how RSS feeds work, have some fun with it.  Just remember to look for the orange logo!  Just be careful because it’s addictive (speaking from personal experience).

So what’s your favorite RSS feed?  I know, I know, it’s Method.  I’d love to hear your second and third picks though, so, let me know via our comments section.

Till next time,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration