The Latest

JUST SAGE-360 FADES.

Gen Xers grew up recycling in elementary school and I, at least, was told to scold my parents if they didn’t recycle, too.

Gen Xers grew up recycling in elementary school and I, at least, was told to scold my parents if they didn't recycle, too. Today when I attend conferences like Sage Summit this week, I'm happy when I see recycle bins and notes that the conference—and company—are going green. But it's not long before I found out that green has many shades.

Why should accounting software resellers attend a user conference? It’s a question worth asking as resellers are fairly plentiful at the Microsoft Convergence conference, a bit rarer at Sage’s Summit conference, currently under way in Denver. Microsoft has carried on Convergence, which was originally a Great Plains user conference, for several years. And top resellers routinely attend. Sage is now on its fourth Summit, and its channel has not turned out in the same proportions. Perhaps they should talk to the folks from some of the companies owned by Barbados Shipping and Trading, Caribbean customers of Axis Global Partners, who did make the trip to the Mile High City, one of more than 100 Sage resellers that attended. The company has been using Accpac since 2003 and has one of the largest installations of the Accpac Warehouse Management Systems, and brought several staff members to the conference. One of them gave this reason for spending the company’s money to attend Summit. “We can meet Sage people and talk to them about the things that are going on with the company,” she said. And by the way, that access makes the reseller look good. In fact, that’s one of the prime reasons that Microsoft Dynamics resellers have cited for attending Convergence with their customers—They are able to demonstrate their access to decision makers and help customers solve problems or understand the course of product development. Other Dynamics resellers have cited the opportunity to spend time with clients and deepen relationships. Another part of the reseller formula is taking prospects to Convergence to seal deals. Not enough Sage resellers understand how their attendance at a user conference can help their business. But if they want a good argument of how their clients’ reaction to a show can help them, they should talk to the folks from the Barbados and to the owners of Axis.

President-elect Barack Obama plans to shift tax incentives to encourage more use of renewable energy sources, according to one tax expert.

What better way to kick-start a customer conference in a lagging economy than to present an Olympic gold medalist as your keynote speaker?

The National Association of Certified Valuation Analysts, promoter of the Certified Valuation Analyst credential, has purchased the National Litigation Consultants Review, a newsletter that caters to testifying financial experts.

Accounting firm I.A. Rozen & Associates is searching for the "The Last Baby Born in 2008" as a way to call attention to year-end tax deductions for families.

What does Nina Smith, president of Sage's business management division, think the new generation's major challenge in the workplace will be?

The House Small Business Committee convened a hearing on the financial rescue program and found that $1.6 trillion in bailout funds have provided little assistance to small businesses so far.