The holiday season is upon us and everyone here at the Method Team is in a festive mood.  Heck, Katie and I even managed to put up our holiday tree after returning from our trip to the Sleeter Conference.  This included us playing some good old Christmas tunes at 8:00am prior to anyone coming into the office (except poor Paul who was trying his best to focus on his work).

2008 has been a very exciting year for our team.  We opened up our beta, launched the Method API, filed for a patent for our Method Integration Engine and made Method publically available in September.  All of this was followed by a hectic series of conferences (QuickBooks Enterprise Conference, Sleeter Conference and The Financial Technology Show).

So what can you expect from us in 2009?  We’ll keep you posted, but I promise there are only more exciting things planned in the pipeline.

Just a reminder that our offices will be closed on the following days:

December 25 (Christmas Day)
December 26 (Boxing Day here in Canada)
January 1 (New Years Day)

On behalf of the Method Team, have a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and prosperous 2009!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

You’d think that after doing 2 major conferences (QuickBooks Enterprise Conference and The Sleeter Group Conference) and releasing our product from beta we would want to take a break.  Nope, we had to do one more conference but this one was close to home.  In fact, it was exactly 1km (.62 miles) away in downtown T.Dot (short form for Toronto).

The Financial Technology Show is Canada’s largest event for accountants and was held at Toronto’s Metro Toronto Convention Center (right next to the CN Tower).  Each year this show brings in approximately 1500 senior level accounting professionals.  It provides an opportunity for accountants to shop around and compare different accounting and software products, all under one roof.  Clearly, this was something we wanted to be part of. 

We met plenty of QuickBooks users and some people that weren’t using QuickBooks.  Surprisingly those who weren’t using QuickBooks didn’t walk away from the booth right away and actually considered moving over to QB just to get the added flexibility of Method.  Can you blame them? 

Because the show was located so close to home, Val and Kris (which many of you may have spoken to on the phone) got a chance to make their first public appearance at a conference.  They can now attest to the fact that speaking to other users in person at a show is a great feeling and experience. 

So what’s next on our road map?  Stay tuned and enjoy some of the pics from us here in the T.Dot!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Below: Kristopher and Katie answering questions about Method

Below: Danny and Kristopher demonstrating Method

Below: Valbon and Danny from the Method Team

Below: Katie and Danny from the Method Team

Folks we are back from this year’s 2008 Sleeter Group Conference and if I were asked to summarize the conference into one word it would be WOW!

About a week before the conference I was asked to do a short presentation for some members of the Sleeter Group by Randy Johnston of K2 Enterprises.  Randy joined the Method Beta after last year’s Sleeter Conference in Las Vegas.  I was thinking it would be 40 – 50 people in the room but was surprised to hear that approx. 140 people were attending.  Gulp.   Of course I was happy to hear that so many people were interested in learning about how to take their business online, but admittedly, I tend to get nervous in front of large audiences. 

So Monday afternoon, I get up on stage and start plowing through my PowerPoint slides so I can actually demonstrate Method.  About half way through my demo, I can sense dead silence in the room.  I realize the sudden sense of heat is not the room getting hotter but the nerves reaching a new level.   Immediately I think it is one of two things:

1. Everyone is completely lost and has no clue what Method is and how it pertains to them. OR
2. They are left speechless.

I was hoping for 2 but couldn’t get a good read of the audience.  A couple of seconds later, Randy probed a question to the audience asking if “everyone could start to see how this could change the way they currently do business”.  After saying this, questions started to be asked and I could see that everyone was totally thinking “this was cool”.  What a way to start the first day!

Once the exhibit hall opened on the second day our booth was busy and buzzing.  Katie, Paul and I got a chance to speak to a majority of the people who attended Randy’s presentation and they were totally into Method.  I couldn’t help but feel good after one attendee explained the moment of silence at my presentation as “The Twilight Zone”.  The exact moment where they could see how Method could solve so many of the current issues they face both for themselves and their clients.  “So do you mean it can do….” was the start of many of the conversations that took place. 

It’s amazing how one year can make such a big difference.  As a kid, if you ever transferred to a new school, you know it takes a while for you to settle in and mark your ground.  You may have been a top notch grader or the popular kid at your old school, but it’s totally new ground at a new school.  Well for Method, we were the new kids at Sleeter in 2007.  This year, we found our groove and totally fit in and gained some serious popularity.  We knew exactly who we are, what we had to offer and how to deliver. 

As with every year, we always have new things to learn and take back with us.  Heck, I even learned that '007' was a spoof of 'Austin Powers', something that was news to me.   This feedback helps us to make Method a more matured product and is exactly what we need to make it that much better.

Now that we are back in Toronto, we’ll be focusing on releasing our Field Services app and staying put for awhile.  Below are some pictures from the conference for your viewing pleasure. 

Cheers everyone!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Below: Danny Do Couto, Katie Riley and Paul Jackson from the Method Team

Below: Paul Jackson preparing for a Method Demo

Below: Danny Do Couto answering some questions regarding Method

Below: Paul Jackson in action doing a demo of Method - Field Services

Our company is all about systems. We are fanatical about them. We maximize as much efficiency as we can out of our team and waste no time on tasks that can be automated.  How else do you think a small 13 person company could pull off a monster project like Method while still maintaining our existing brands?  Blood and sweat will only take you so far, systems took us to where we are today.

Since we are so used to our systems, we take them for granted.  But every now and then I get a chance to reflect and smile .  Those who know me, know all too well that taking time to reflect is a rare occasion!  Hey, I'm working on it, I swear.

One great example of our systems is our Sign Up process.  We've had numerous users contact us to ask us how we managed to make the Method Signup process so smooth, and whether we could build the same smooth process for them.  The truth is, they don't even know the half of it!

Here's what a Method user experiences:

1. They go to https://www.methodintegration.com/web/signup.aspx.
2. They fill in their information.
3. They submit, and are redirected to the Method Login page where they sign into Method for the first time.
4. They are then taken straight to the sync page where they install the sync engine.
5. They check their inbox and find a personalized email.
6. Their Method Consultant calls them almost exactly 2 hours later for an introduction.

What they love is that within minutes of landing on the Sign Up page they have 4 or 5 clicks and their QuickBooks data is online.  What they don't know is that the process is not only automated for them, it's automated for us too. Within 5 seconds of them clicking submit on our website, they have been entered into our QuickBooks, along with the invoice, and payment and also entered into Method for CRM activities.  No need for someone at our company to waste any time on billing and accounting, since it is all handled by the sign up process.

So for those who keep asking how we do it, here's how:
A. When you click Submit on the Signup page, we make calls to our Method account (yes, we use Method to run our business too!), using the MethodAPI, to validate the account info and make sure it is unique.
B. We use the MethodAPI to charge your credit card.
C. We use the MethodAPI to grab a formatted email template from Method, that our staff maintain within Method's EmailTemplate screen.
D. The process then personalizes the email and sends it to you, again using the MethodAPI.
E. The MethodAPI is used to insert the customer, invoice, and payment all into our Method account.  This automatically syncs you as a customer, and enters your invoice and payment into our QuickBooks instantly. 
F. We use the MethodAPI to insert an Activity (part of MethodCRM) into our Method account, so that the appropriate Method Consultant knows when to call you, so you don't fall between the cracks and not get your "Welcome to Method" phone call.

And there you have it.  The best part: this was all designed and built by us in 2 hours using Method and the MethodAPI in a mad rush before we departed for Dallas to launch Method in September. Now that is rapid web app development.

So why am I writing about it now?  Well...today I'm building the Method Application Library so that developers can list their apps on the Method website.  The process has taken me 3 hours so far, but I'm almost done.  As I sit here reflecting on how amazing it is that I could build a process, using Method, this quickly.........I thought I would take a break to share.

Method Application Library is on its way.  Our first two apps, Xora Connector and QXpress Online, should be coming on board next week.

Okay, back to it.

Paul

If you take a look at the Intuit Marketplace, several applications state they have “syncing” capabilities with QuickBooks.  If you have ever shopped for an add-on to QuickBooks, you know that the degree in which these third-party applications can sync with QuickBooks varies depending on who created the application.

The QuickBooks SDK allows developers to also create “listening” add-ons to QuickBooks.  So your next question is going to be, “What are listening add-ons” right?  These are QuickBooks third-party applications that keep an open ear to activity that is taking place in QuickBooks while it is open.  When something does happen in QuickBooks (such as adding a customer, creating a new item, etc.), it then notifies the third-party application that something has taken place.  The third-party app can stay current with what is happening in QuickBooks without having to perform a manual sync process.  Sounds good, right?

Here in lies the problem.  Many of the developers out there are writing poorly written apps that use these “listening” abilities.  As a result, they cause QuickBooks to slow down in performance and end up wasting any time that was saved through the automatic syncing process.  Not only that, it gives us “good guys” a bad name.  By “good guys” I mean, software developers who write properly written programs.  

Naturally, when a person experiences this, they easily lose faith in “listening” applications and won’t want to use or recommend them to their customers.  So here are some quick things you should know about well-written and poorly written programs.

First the “bad guys” or poorly written program:

The program acts ‘synchronously’, in that it will perform extra functions during the listening.  This means QuickBooks has to sit there and wait for those functions to complete before moving on to do more important things.  

So breaking that down into more detail:

1. QuickBooks provides the event details that are taking place to the third-party application.
2. App then performs one or more additional functions like getting more information from QuickBooks, updating its own database with changes, etc.
3. App then returns control back to QuickBooks so that QuickBooks can continue doing what it was doing before.

Now the “good guys” or well written program (like Method of course! WOOT WOOT!)

The program acts ‘asynchronously’, in that it will immediately return control back to QuickBooks and perform any additional actions on its own time.  

So what does that mean?

1. QuickBooks provides the event details to the listening app.
2. App simply takes note of the event details.
3. App immediately returns control back to QuickBooks so that QuickBooks can continue doing what it was doing before.  
4. App, on its own time, performs additional functions like requesting more information from QuickBooks, updating its down database, etc.

So there you have it!  Next time someone asks you “Can poorly written add-ons to QuickBooks slow things down?” you’ll know exactly how to answer.  Or at the very least, point them to this article.

Cheers,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or don’t have a clue what the “Internet” is, you’ve probably heard of the sites called Facebook and LinkedIn.  Both of these social networking sites have grown in popularity over the last few years.   

Method now has a developer network group available on Facebook and LinkedIn.  This is a great way to keep in touch with other Method users/developers, ask questions, hear about events and even find local help in your area! 

Want to learn more about Facebook or LinkedIn?  Click on the appropriate image to the left!

To join the Method Developer Network for Facebook, click the link below:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=39475389713

To join the Method Developer Network for LinkedIn, click the link below:

http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/879757

Cheers,

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Yes, you read the title right.  While at the QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Conference I was asked not once, but on a couple of occasions, if it was possible to not have Method update QuickBooks in real time.

Can you say baffled?    I was, especially after we worked so hard to have the integration seamless and not require any manual sync process.  My curiosity grew of course and I had to learn why a person would want to deprive themselves of such a cool feature!

So here was a scenario I was given which helped shed some light on the situation.  For this example, I am just going to call the company ABC Company (creative isn’t it?). 

Scenario

ABC Company provides tutoring services and employs college and university students on a part-time basis.  Tutors currently get their schedules emailed to them and need to fax in a detailed report of the services they provided.  The office then needs to manually enter in each service that was made and type in a description of the work that was completed. 

After hearing about Method, the wheels of course started spinning especially when I mentioned the ability to have tutors login to Method via a Third Party Portal and create invoices themselves.  The invoice would show up directly in QuickBooks thus eliminating the manual entry.  This did raise one concern though.  What if the tutor accidentally entered in the order incorrectly?  Would it be possible to have the office manager approve and review the orders before giving the green light to send it to QuickBooks? 

It sounds like a special situation, doesn’t it?  Well I was surprised by how many people had specific niches where this would be helpful.  For the most part, people want to update information in real time.  But for those specific situations, we needed a way to deal with this. 

Here is how we solved it!

New Feature: IsWaitingForSyncApproval

Now any table or screen that has to do with QuickBooks transactions can be modified to include a new field called “IsWaitingForSyncApproval”.  With this field added, until the checkbox is cleared, the transaction will not go over to QuickBooks.

Here are the steps you’ll want to follow:

Step 1:

Check to see if the field exists in the transaction table you want to use.  To do this:

1. Click Customize > Tables/Fields.
2. Click the Edit Fields for the transaction table.
3. Check to see that ‘IsWaitingForSyncApproval’ is listed.
   

Step 2:

1. Click Customize > Screens.
2. Edit the screen you would like to add this field too. 
3. Drag the ‘IsWaitingForSyncApproval’ field onto the screen.
   
4. Click Publish.
   

Step 3:

The next question of course is “How do you prevent users from clicking the checkbox?”  Here are some suggestions.

1. Edit the checkbox for ‘IsWaitingForSyncApproval’ so that it is “checked” by default.  Also, click the “Advanced” link and make it ‘hidden’.
2. Make another screen, using the Copy/Import Screen that would be a “manager” screen.  Here you would also have the checkbox but the person approving the entries can clear it so that it can be sent to QuickBooks.
   

So there you have it!  Looking back at it, I don’t think it was so much a question of “Who wouldn’t want “real time” syncing?” as much as it was a question of “How do I control certain portions of “real time” syncing?”

Questions, comments, feedback!  I want to hear them all.

Cheers!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

We have a slight problem here at Method.  We have rebranded a "developer" as someone who develops their own system.  Afterall, Method is a platform that is all drag and drop, no programming.  But the old school way of thinking is that only a programmer can be called a developer.   This leaves those who actually know how to write code asking "Where do I fit into all this?  What's my title?"  So until we find a better name, "QuickBooks geeks" it is - and since I am certainly a geek, I have no problem using the title.

You should have seen me around the office this week showing off the little apps I was creating using the Method API.  Slick apps I'm telling you.  Like a VBA add in for Excel that instantly grabs a list of overdue QuickBooks invoices and plops them into Excel.  Or a cool little web page app that with 20 lines of code fires an invoice into QuickBooks in real time. I think the staff here were wearing sympathetic smiley faces while trying to figure out why I was so excited.

But that's understandable.  They aren't all programming geeks like me.  Furthermore, they haven't tried to make apps that use the QuickBooks SDK, or the QuickBooks Web Connector.  So they couldn't possibly understand why it is so cool that you can write a simple SQL statement from a web page, send it to a MethodAPI web service and viola! it updates QuickBooks.  But if you've kept with me to the end of paragraph 3 of this blog post......I'm thinking you just might get it too.

Who is this MethodAPI for?  Not your typical Method user.  This is for programmers (those of us who write code..yuk!!) that want to integrate their apps with Method.  So they could be those who want to write powerful import or export tools from a desktop app like Excel, or they could be web developers that want to integrate Method users' websites with Method and QuickBooks data.  In fact, when we were at the QB Enterprise Solutions Conference two weeks ago, I pretty much had every other software company come up to me at some point saying "hey, Paul, could you guys make that syncing engine available to us so that we could make web service calls instead of using the web connector?".

So, two weeks later, here we are.  We move fast.  MethodAPI is here, and it delivers a WOW - providing, of course, that you are a QuickBooks geek like me.

MethodAPI Documentation:
http://www.methodintegration.com/documentation/MethodAPIv1_Documentation.pdf

MethodAPI Samples for VBA / Excel:
http://www.methodintegration.com/documentation/MethodAPISample_VBA.zip

MethodAPI Samples for ASP.NET:
http://www.methodintegration.com/documentation/MethodAPISample_ASP.zip

Reply to this blog post with any comments, questions or complaints on the use of the “geek” word, I'm all ears. 

Couple images:

Here's a screen shot of the "Get Overdue Invoices" in Excel:

Here's a snippet of the VBA code:

Paul Jackson
Method Integration

“Giddy up y’all!”  I couldn’t help saying it.  That will be engrained in me for a few days after attending this year’s QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions User Conference in Dallas, Texas.  The primary focus of this conference is to help QuickBooks Enterprise users with managing their growing businesses and taking full advantage of what QuickBooks has to offer. 

So why were we at the conference?  Well, we wanted to show off the unique solution that Method has to offer to end users, consultants and developers alike.  Not to mention we officially launched Method, thus ending the beta.  Now that is something to celebrate!

The first day of the conference began with a software fashion show.  Developers were given 5 minutes to strut their stuff and show off why their solution was the best.  We decided to think “outside the box” and do a skit showing why “Boxed Software” (played by Katie Riley) isn’t the best solution for customers compared to the “Method Integration” (played by Paul Jackson) solution.  I tried to get a video of this for all of you but I was busy answering questions from people in the audience.  I did manage to grab a few photos which I’ve included in my blog.  Let’s hope Katie doesn’t catch wind of this.  She wasn’t exactly ecstatic about playing “the box”.  

For the next three days, we participated in the Solutions Expo.  Here is where everyone pulled out the best of what they had to offer.  Method was a hot ticket item at the conference, no doubt about that.  A common theme throughout the week was other users and consultants letting their colleagues and co-workers know about the product and bringing them to the booth for a second look.  We were also the only developer to offer real-time syncing, between QuickBooks and a web app, through the Method Integration Engine.  Pack that with a totally customizable solution and can you say buzz? 

It was a pleasure speaking to everyone who came by the booth and left with a smile on their face because finally we were able to say “yes” to so many of the solutions they were looking for.  

Oh I can’t forget to mention that the Method Café was officially opened for business.  We paired the 3 different blends of Method espressos with each of version of Method available.  As a result we offered a blend that suited each coffee drinker’s needs.  Would you expect anything less from the Method Team?

I’d like to send a personal “Thank you” to all the beta testers who came out to say “Hi” and provide their feedback to me.  Great to finally put some faces to your names.

What’s next on our game plan?  I’ll be working on getting together a certification program for all you eager Method users who want to become gurus and learn the way of the force! 

I've included some other pictures below for our trip.  Enjoy!

Below: Paul Jackson (Method Integration) and Annie (Intuit)

Below: Paul Jackson, Katie Riley and Danny Do Couto (The Method Team)

Below: Danny Do Couto and Paul Jackson speaking with potenial Method users @ The Solutions Expo

Below:  Danny Do Couto showing how easy it is to customize Method

Below:  Annie (Intuit), Katie Riley and Danny Do Couto

Below:  Paul Jackson, Karen (PDG Software), Katie Riley, Annie (Intuit) and Danny Do Couto

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Summer may be coming to an end but for the Method Team, things are really starting to heat up.  This fall the Method Team will be attending 2 big conferences.  

Our first stop will be Dallas, Texas where we are exhibiting at the QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Conference from September 10 - 12.  This conference is tailored for novice to advanced users of QuickBooks Enterprise.  This will also be the official launch location for Method going out of beta and being available to the general public. 

Next, we’re headed to Phoenix, Arizona for the 2008 Sleeter Group Conference running from November 10 – 13.   This conference is tailored to both accountants and consultants alike.   For those of you who don’t know, this will be our second year attending the Sleeter Group Conference and this year we will be a Gold Level Exhibitor.  Last year was when we officially launched our beta in Las Vegas, Nevada.  To read more on that, my blog post by clicking here. 

So if you happen to be in Dallas or Phoenix on these days, or attending any of these conferences, please stop by.  Say hello!  Perhaps share a coffee at the café ? 

Cheers!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

On Friday (September 5th, 2008) Method has filed its first patent application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office!  In fact it is the first and only patent that our company, Alocet Incorporated, has ever filed, and let me tell you, it is quite a process.

What for you ask?  Well, if you break method into two parts: the syncing part "Method Integration Engine" and the web platform "Method", the patent is on the syncing part.  Specifically, the process by which we devised a way to sync an accounting database, like QuickBooks, with a separate server -hosted, non-accounting database, in real-time.

Most of us, myself included, have never gone through this process. It is quite an experience, and a lot of work going back and forth with a technology-specialized intellectual property guru, hashing out the details and processes of "the invention" in such a way that it can be understood by an outsider.  By the end you end up with some 75 pages of processes, claims, diagrams, exhibits.....and quite a headache. :)

For me, because of my personal involvement in the core development of the actual syncing engine, it was a realization of what an amazing feat we have accomplished by creating it.  We started it over two years ago, and it has been left fairly untouched for the last year while we shifted more efforts to the platform portion, so I had forgotten about all the challenges and obstacles we faced when creating it. 

From an end-user's standpoint you might already take it for granted.  You add a customer, or an invoice, or change an item price, etc. and it magically updates QuickBooks instantly (and vice-versa).  But the process of finding its way from your browser, wherever you are in the world, through the internet, finding the computer that has QuickBooks on it, and making the appropriate entry into QuickBooks is quite an accomplishment.  It's even a lot more complicated that one might perceive with all of its many different moving parts each performing a special function, and all perfectly rigged to follow accounting and QuickBooks specific rules - such as hundreds of little rules like "don't try to add a new invoice until you have added a new customer first".

The syncing process of the Method Integration Engine is a one-of-a-kind accomplishment...and now I am proud to say we have a pending patent to prove for it.

We're off to Dallas next week for the QB Enterprise Solutions conference.  I look forward to meeting many of you,

Paul Jackson
Method Integration

I can’t believe the Sleeter Group Conference is just around the corner!  It feels like just the other day we were preparing for Las Vegas where Method made its first appearance @ the 2007 Sleeter Conference! 

Method will be a Gold Exhibitor @ the 2008 Sleeter Conference. This year, things were done a little differently and attendees of the conference were given the opportunity to participate in various webinars.  The webinars allowed exhibitors the opportunity to showcase their products and was mediated by Doug Sleeter, founder of The Sleeter Group. 

I sat back and watched this webinar yesterday and it was a pleasure to watch!  It’s a little long but well worth the time.

Check it out by clicking the link below:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/211914890

Cheers!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

Ever hear the term “The best of both worlds”?  Oh come on, I know you have.   For those of you who haven’t heard of this, here’s what it means:

“The best of both worlds” is to have the best aspects of one choice and the best aspects of another choice when you have been asked to select between two choices. 

Every now and again though, we find a way to have “The best of both worlds”.   Now that would be the ideal situation wouldn’t it?  I thought so.  So how does this sound?

• Keep your existing QuickBooks desktop version that you know and love and add instant online functionality to it so it can be accessed anywhere in the world via a web page while any changes you make will be updated in real time.  PLUS…
• Add CRM capabilities to QuickBooks so you can keep track of your sales campaigns, opportunities, inbound and outbound calls and provide your customers with online access to their account information.

Does that sound too good to be true?  It’s not.  Method has just stepped it up a notch and added CRM functionality to its already powerful Customer/Vendor/Employee Center.   So what features are available now? 

Sales Center

The Sales Center first welcomes you with the ‘Sales Center Dashboard’.  The dashboard provides the signed in user with a quick glance of any tasks, new opportunities and appointments for that day. 

Want to have a way to track the success of your marketing projects?  Campaigns allow you to do just that!  By assigning both ‘Opportunities’ and ‘Activities’ to ‘Customers’ and ‘Leads’, you can determine how many of your leads are converting into sales. 

To help drive your marketing initiatives, use the ‘List Builder’ to create mass emails for all of your customers or a selected group.  The best part is you can also automatically create follow-up activities for your sales team, to help seal the deal and close sales. 

Call Center

Just like the Sales Center, the Call Center prompts you with a 'Call Center Dashboard'.  This dashboard shows information related to both ‘Cases’ and ‘Solutions’.

A ‘Case’ is a way of tracking and detailing Customer and Vendor problems, feedback and questions.  These cases would be created whenever a Customer or Vendor contacts your company via phone, email, fax or via your Third Party Portal (if you have that setup).

Ever have those questions that get asked time and time again and you have to stop what you are doing to answer it.  I know it happens to me ALL the time.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a central location to store all this information so it could be easily referenced?  A ‘solution’ is just that.  Solutions are detailed descriptions of common customer questions or issues, along with the appropriate answers or steps to resolve the issue.

Customer Portal

Now a days, customers demand having access to their account at any time.  They want to be able to see their current balance, most recent transactions or simply ask a question after hours when the office may be closed.  The ‘Customer Portal’ gives your Customers or Vendors the ability to tap into this information.  All they would need to do is click on a link.  Simple enough isn’t it?

This adds SO much power to a QuickBooks user.  You have just enhanced the ability and functionality of your accounting software to a whole new level, online, available anywhere and with CRM capabilities.  Not to mention, we are talking about Method here.  So if there is something you need to change to fit YOUR needs? Do it.  Customize it.  Love it!

So how do you get your hands on this new functionality? 

Current beta testers

In order to have access to the Sales Center, Call Center and Customer Portal, you will need to create a new Method account.  Follow the same steps that you received from me when doing the initial setup interview.  If you have old screens you want to use with your new account, you will need to import them.  You can do so under the Customize – Screens area and clicking the Copy/Import Screen button.

New beta testers

Later today, you will be receiving invitations to begin participating in the beta.  Follow the steps in the setup email and your account will automatically have the new functionality, as well as the Customer Center, Vendor Center and Employee Center.

It’s nice to have ‘The best of both worlds’ isn’t it?  We tend to think so.

Till next time!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

So what’s the most common question I receive about Method?

Sitting at the top of the list would be – What is Method?

The second most common question is - How much is it going to cost?

We are very excited to say that we have finalized pricing for our beta users.    We will also be grandfathering these prices for all beta users who are currently using Method.  This means that we will keep the current prices, provided you’re an active Method beta user.  So what does it mean to be an “active” beta user?  Basically, are trying to use/test Method and providing the Method team with feedback on your experiences, through the forum/blog/email to help improve and make Method mature during the beta stages.

Please note that the prices listed below are subject to change and we reserve the right to cap the amount of bandwidth used from our servers.  We are currently allowing a maximum bandwidth of up to 500mb.

Method Starter Edition

Price: $25.00 per month for the first user / $15.00 for each additional user

Features:

• Fully customizable Customer Center, Vendor Center and Employee Center.
• Third Party Portals for your customers and vendors to sign in and see their account online, in real-time.
• Ability to perform various QuickBooks tasks online while still keeping your desktop version of QuickBooks.
• Real time syncing with QuickBooks!
• Ability to add as many fields as you want to existing tables.
  Note that you cannot create new tables and screens with this edition.
  

Method CRM Edition

Price: $45.00 per month for the first user / $20.00 for each additional user

Features:

• All the features available in Method Starter Edition.
• Fully customizable Sales Center and Call Center.
  Note that you cannot create new tables and screens with this edition.
  

Method Full Blown Edition

Price: $65.00 per month for the first user / $30.00 for each additional user

Features:

• All the features available in Method Starter Edition and Method CRM Edition.
• Ability to use any industry template created by the Method team.
• Ability to copy screens and templates from other Method users.
• Ability to create as many fields, tables and screens as you like!

Questions, comments or feedback?  We'd love to hear it!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration

For those of us who are ‘with the times’ for lack of better words – we have no problem viewing reporting information on our screens.  If we need to send a report to someone else to view, who perhaps can’t access our systems, we’ll send them a PDF file.  The nice thing is both these options are a ‘green way’ of thinking and why not save a few trees?  After all, we like thinking green.

Now, we all have that “old school” manager, boss, owner, CEO that likes to have a ‘hard copy’ to look at.  They don’t want to click on a link, or view something on a screen or have it presented to them in any electronic format.  They like a piece of paper in their hands that they can read while sipping their 7:00am coffee or while on the train to their next meeting.

Lucky for us, creating reports in Method is easy.  How easy?  Well, I’m going to show you in the movies I’ve posted below.  Best part is you can satisfy both the audiences I’ve mentioned above.  

These movies go through creating a basic customer list report, adding some advanced features to the report and then displaying this report in a Method screen.  This report will give you a good foundation so you can create your own reports in Method.

Just a heads up! - I'm assuming that you have already attempted to create a report on your computer before.  If you haven't attempted this already, you'll need to install the report designer first before viewing the movies below.  Usually this would be done from within the Method window for report objects.  However, I've cheated a little bit and given you the the direct link below to install it.  

http://www.methodintegration.com/MethodReportDesigner/MethodReportDesigner.application 

Creating a Customer List Report - Part 1

I’ll take you through launching the Method Report Designer, creating a new report, adding fields and finally viewing the report.

http://www.methodintegration.com/blogmovies/CreatingaCustomerListReport-Part1/Creating a Customer List Report - Part 1.htm

Creating a Customer List Report - Part 2

Here is where I’ll take it up a notch and add an additional table that will display invoice information.  I’ll add some groups and fields that belong to the newly added invoice table and make the report perform some totals.

http://www.methodintegration.com/blogmovies/CreatingaCustomerListReport-Part2/Creating a Customer List Report - Part 2.htm

Creating a Customer List Report - Part 3

Saving the best for last!  Now that I’ve gone through creating the report, I’ll go through adding a new button to an existing screen and add some actions so that my customer list report can appear instantly by clicking a button!

http://www.methodintegration.com/blogmovies/CreatingaCustomerListReport-Part3/Creating a Customer List Report - Part 3.htm

Please send me your comments, suggestions, feedback etc.  Love it?  Make sure you let me know!  

Till next time folks!

Danny Do Couto
Method Integration