When choosing a CRM package from Sage, I am often asked which one is best. It is not an easy decision. If your decision is based on price, then ACT of course wins every time. If your decision is based on workflow, then Saleslogix is the best choice hands down. And if you truly want a hosted, web-based solution, then sagecrm.com is a great fit. There is a great link called “Choosing a CRM Solution” that I recommend as important reading.

Many consider that Orange County, California is one of the more expensive places to live in the United States. It is no wonder, with property values still escalating to an all-time high. It is also no wonder because we live in a technology smorgasbord, where bar coding, wireless information centers, ecommerce integration to ERP systems, and more abound.

I caught this article on the web, and it talks about wireless technology at carnivals (the Orange County Fair, to be specific). Never before has the ability existed where data is processed fast, and error free, with wireless, bar code speed.

Also, see the resources section at our main website, www.ACIconsulting.com, where you can find the answer to my question - Can I Really Barcode My Children?

I stumbled across yet another announcement of a new distribution center opening in Southern California to house goods imported from China. Many companies today are importing and exporting their goods. In general some of the issues include container tracking, bills of lading, forgeign currencies, and others. I’ve got some expanded thoughts over at our corporate site regarding

When you are considering an ERP system for your import/export business, consider the following - how will you track the product once it hits the water? How will you enter P/O receipts from containers that have multiple P/Os? Does the software have the ability to enter exchange rates and track multiple currencies?

Be wary of industry-specific software as it may not have the solid accounting foundation that you need. But also check into the accounting software, to see how you will handle the nuances of an import/export business. Note - if you buy anything from other countries and export to other countries, you may have the same issues as an import/export business.

For some expanded thoughts - check out “ERP Considerations for Importers” in the resources section at our main website at www.ACIconsulting.com.

Many clients come to me asking about bar coding, but I often have to explain how it works. So, here goes what I believe is a concise explanation. A bar code is a bunch of lines and spaces. Bar code symbiology is what makes up a bar code. Some common ones are Code 139 and Code 28 and UPC. Each symbiology is common in certain areas (for example, UPC is common in the retail industry). To have a bar coding solution, you first have to ask what you want to do. In a distribution environment, bar coding can be used to receive product, ship product, transfer product, do physical counts, and inventory issues. In a manufacturing environment, you can use bar coding for capturing movement of production jobs from work center to work center, as well as capture labor time. In a retail environment, you can use bar coding to scan sales and receive returns. To have a “bar code solution”, you most likely will need a reader (wireless allows the most flexibility) to scan bar codes a printer to print bar codes. Often, larger companies need multiple readers or printers. Another type of a bar code solution is simply to replace the keyboard strokes by reading a bar code. In this situation, a bar code reader is tethered to a computer, and the user can either use the keyboard or scan a bar code (which of course is usually much faster).

This release is exciting and we have just received it. Some of the new features are a newly redesigned web client, standards based ASP.NET architecture, expanded mobile CRM capabilities, and an improved web and mobile customization environment. Version 6.2 and 7.0 licenses are compatible with 7.20. Most customizations to the product can now be achieved without modifying source code. The client view has been changed so that now more information can be seen without having to scroll. Another nice feature is that the client now appears to be a browser. Salesloigx Mobile is really that - on your blackberry, you now have the complete Saleslogix client experience.