Dear Clients,
We’re just coming out of the holidays, with many companies in the midst of fiscal year-end closing. But NOW is the time to plan ahead for 2022 as there’s numerous upgrade considerations in the coming year to ponder, including the retirement announcement of AccountMate/LAN, the end of AccountMate corporate support for AccountMate/SQL V9.x, and the end of Microsoft support for SQL Server 2012.
The retirement of AccountMate/LAN on Dec 31, 2024
AccountMate has given a three-year notice of the retirement of the AccountMate “LAN” platform at the end of 2024, along with promotions to help move users forward to the AccountMate SQL or SQL/Express platform. This is a smooth upgrade path as the user interface of AccountMate SQL and SQL/Express look very much like AccountMate/LAN (so no user re-training).
AccountMate/SQL and SQL/Express are identical to each other in functionality, with the difference being that AM/SQL scales to 100+ concurrent users while AM SQL/Express scales to 5 concurrent users (and at a much lower price).
The benefits of moving from AccountMate/LAN to AccountMate SQL or SQL/Express are beyond compelling:
1. Stability: Being client/server, AccountMate/SQL is much less network-intensive than AccountMate/LAN—and the reduced network traffic means it’s MUCH less susceptible to spurious network issues and database corruption.
2. Performance: Client/server also means AccountMate/SQL runs faster at the desktop, because the CPU and memory of the server is utilized much more than that of the workstations. The lifespan of client PCs is also thus extended.
3. Enhanced Functionality: AccountMate/SQL has numerous built-in functional enhancements over the LAN product line—please contact us for a list of the HUNDREDS of them.
4. Flexible Reports: AccountMate/SQL uses Crystal Reports, which allows unlimited previews at once and doesn’t lock you out of other screens and the menu—as opposed to AccountMate/LAN’s Visual FoxPro-based reports which “lock you into preview” so you can only view one at a time and can’t use the rest of the program while previewing a report. AccountMate/SQL’s Crystal Reports also have drill-down to additional reports to take a look at the underlying data rolling up to the information shown.
5. Vertical Solutions Availability: Need wireless bar code scanning, or real-time GL reporting from Excel, or integrated credit card processing, or multi-state sales tax management, or UPS/FedEx shipping integration, or… dozens of other functions? They’re only available in AccountMate/SQL.
6. Scalable Database: AccountMate/LAN’s table sizes are limited to only 2GB, at which point you have to purge historical transactions; while AccountMate/SQL’s databases are practically unlimited in size—we have clients over 300GB.
7. User Interface: The “look and feel” of AccountMate/SQL is nearly identical to that of AccountMate/LAN so, besides the new functions, users are immediately comfortable and productive in the new system.
8. Data Upgradability: Assuming the data is internally consistent, the entire historical transactions of your current LAN system, from at least LAN Version 3 Build LN315, will roll forward—so you’ll have complete data in your new AccountMate/SQL system.
The end of AccountMate Corp. support for AccountMate/SQL V9.x
AccountMate has also announced the end of “corporate support” for SQL and SQL/Express V9.x, originally released in early 2014—so it will have had more than an eight year lifespan. We/NexLAN will do our best to support AM/SQL V9 past that, but as time passes that will become increasingly difficult… So, for clients running AM/SQL V9, it’s definitely time to start planning for the upgrade. Particularly if you use the payroll module as there won’t be an annual tax update for AM/SQL V9.2 in 2023, so we have 12 months in which we HAVE to upgrade your system if you’re running payroll in-house.
The end of Microsoft support for SQL Server 2012
Microsoft also regularly sunsets product support, the big one in 2022 being the end of Microsoft support for SQL Server 2012 in July—which means no more security updates or patches, and that’s a dangerous place to have your accounting and financial management data!
All versions of AM/SQL up through V8.3 are affected, as they won’t operate on a database version newer than MS-SQL 2012. If you’re running AM/SQL V9.1 through V10.4 then you may be operating with MS-SQL 2012, but we can upgrade only the SQL Server backend database and stretch the system at least another couple of years (until the end of Microsoft support for SQL Server 2014 in 2024). So please DO check your installation, or contact us to do so.
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In other news…
➤ Our annual beginning-of-year suggestions:
1. Lock your January 2021 fiscal period! In the General Ledger module, hit <Housekeeping><Posting Period Restrictions> to lock at least your January 2021 fiscal period so nobody typos the year and restates financials from a year ago…
2. Make a backup of your live company! You WILL later want reports that are difficult to create after transactions have occurred. Our NexSQLBack utility makes this quick and easy.
3. Check your database maintenance plan directory! Please ensure the automated nightly backups of your database are being created—then confirm with your IT department that these are being copied offsite.
4. Photocopy your wallet! We are talking backups here, right? It’s pretty valuable to have a backup of your personal portable accounting information for “just in case.”
➤ Summary of links to the period and year-end closing articles and videos provided in last month’s NewsLine:
1. Article #1257: Period-End Closing Procedures
2. Article #1258: Common Closing Errors
3. Article #1261: Year-End Closing Procedures
4. Article #1262: Year-End Closing Tech Tips
5. Video: Closing the Period in AccountMate (recommended procedures and common issues to avoid when closing the period in subsidiary modules)
6. Video: Year-End Closing in AccountMate (requirements, procedures, and tips for closing the fiscal year in the General Ledger module)
➤ Thank you all for 2021, and we look forward to supporting you in 2022!
Regards,
Kevin E. Stroud
kestrou@nexlan.com
NexLAN, LLC
https://nexlan.com
Does AccountMate Have Exposure to the Log4J Vulnerability?
We’ve been receiving questions and wanted to get this info out to you here ASAP.
Short answer: No.
Details: Millions of computers are affected by the recently discovered Apache Log4J security vulnerability which can allow hackers to do a lot of damage, including stealing data and taking over computers. Log4J is a small, but ubiquitous, open source tool used to record security and performance activity. To protect against potential exploitations, all internet-facing apps that use the Log4J Java library need to have security updates installed from the respective app developers. This is one of the widest-reaching software vulnerabilities to ever be discovered and its impact will be felt for awhile. Thus, IT folks across the globe have been extra-busy assessing all the software their companies are running.
AccountMate software does not use Java code, and neither do the development tools used in AccountMate (such as Microsoft SQL Server and Crystal Reports). AccountMate therefore has no exposure to the open source Java plug-in that can be exploited in the Log4J framework. No mitigation is necessary. Look for official info stating this shortly on AccountMate’s website and user newsletter.
Now go bring your IT folks a nice cup of coffee and thank them for the Log4J assessment they’ve been dealing with to keep your company safe.
Does Acumatica Have Exposure to the Log4J Vulnerability?
No. The Acumatica SaaS platform does not use Apache Log4J since the hosting environment is based on Microsoft Internet Information Server (IIS).
To see the complete “Statement on Log4J Vulnerability” from Acumatica, go to the Acumatica Community portal, and find their recent post pinned to the top of the News & Announcements section.
As always, if you have further questions please email support@nexlan.com.
AccountMate Core Product Training: 2022 Class Schedule
This year’s dates are set for THREE offerings of the Core Product Training for AccountMate SQL/Express online class:
➤ February 3 – March 10 (Registration is now open)
➤ June 2 – July 7
➤ October 6 – November 10
We highly recommend this terrific class taught by AccountMate Corp., and quite a few NexLAN clients have attended! It’s great for users who are new to AccountMate, of course. It’s also valuable for longtime users who want to learn more about what the software can do, or want to extend their skills and gain confidence in using more modules. Everyone learns a lot that’s directly useful in their jobs.
The sessions are spaced out over 6 weeks, with 2 sessions per week for your convenience. It’s a hands-on class, not a prerecorded webinar. You’ll be working in AccountMate in the class. There’s time to ask questions as you go—including questions about how a feature or setting should be applied in your company’s particular situation.
Just like AccountMate itself, the class is flexible. You can attend the whole class or just the session(s) you need. It’s $2500 for all sessions (40 hours) or $300 per session, for each attendee.
You can attend FREE if you’re on an active Lifecycle Maintenance Plan. The number of free slots per year is governed by your number of registered users and modules—see details here on the Course Overview page or contact us with questions specific to your company. The person attending each session can be different, and the free sessions can be attended anytime in 2022; for example you could attend GL, AR, and AP in the spring, and BR, PO, and SO in the summer.
With all this flexibility and months of advance notice here, 2022 is your year to expand your AccountMate skills!
Details:
➤ Course Schedule (General) — or — Course Schedule with session dates and times for the February 3 – March 10 class
Email support@nexlan.com with questions or to get registered.
AccountMate Tech Note: Differences Between Converting Unused Paid Leave to Cash and Adjusting Unused Paid Leave Balance
Companies that provide paid leave as a benefit may differ in the way they handle unused paid leave, especially for employees who are leaving the organization. Some companies may offer their employees the option to convert unused leave time to cash. Other companies require the employees to use their paid leave balances; otherwise, these will be forfeited. AccountMate’s Convert/Adjust Unused Paid Leave function allows you either to convert unused paid leave to cash or to make an adjustment to unused paid leave due to forfeiture of paid leave balances or under/over-accumulation of unused paid leaves.
Article #1247: Differences Between Converting Unused Paid Leave to Cash and Adjusting Unused Paid Leave Balance explains the differences. It also discusses the additional procedures to be performed after converting unused paid leave to cash.
AccountMate Tech Note: Understanding the Recalculate Employee Data Feature
When employee balances are incorrect due to data inconsistency, you may resolve the inconsistency by performing employee data recalculation using the Recalculate Employee Data feature in the Data Manager function. Recalculation applies when an employee’s data is incorrect for YTD earnings; federal, state or local tax withholding amounts; FICA or Medicare contributions; deduction amounts; or leave hours.
Article #1289: Understanding the Recalculate Employee Data Feature enumerates the conditions that necessitate employee data recalculation, pre-recalculation and recalculation procedures, AccountMate Payroll tables used and updated by the recalculation routine, and common causes of recalculation process failures to avoid. This PDF will give you a good understanding of how and when to perform recalculations.
AccountMate Technical Tips
Versions: AM12 for SQL and Express
AM11 for SQL and Express
AM10 for SQL, Express, and LAN
AM9 for SQL, Express, and LAN
Modules: AP, AR, BR, IC, MI, PO, PR, RA, SO
Q: I performed Transfer Data to GL in one of the subsidiary modules. The transfer was successful; however, the system displayed the message, ”Transfer to GL is completed. $XXX.XX has been transferred to the Retained Earnings Account.” What does this mean?
A: AccountMate displays this message if the transferred data contains transactions dated in the prior fiscal year and the journal entries for the transactions include Income Statement accounts (e.g., revenue, expense, etc.). This is to inform users that these transactions from the subsidiary module will post adjusting entries to the Retained Earnings GL Account ID. Income statement accounts are closed off to the Retained Earnings account when the fiscal year is closed. To update the Retained Earnings ending and beginning balances due to the prior year posting, AccountMate automatically creates the adjusting entries.
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Versions: AM12 for SQL and Express
AM11 for SQL and Express
AM10 for SQL, Express, and LAN
AM9 for SQL, Express, and LAN
Module: PR
Q: Will Box 12 of the W-2 Form show the sum of the employee deduction and the employer matching/contribution of an employee’s health savings account (HSA)?
A: The amount displayed in Box 12 of the W-2 Form is the sum of the employee deduction and employer matching/contribution for deductions with an assigned W-2 Code (e.g., Code “W” for HSA). Note that the employer matching/contribution will be automatically included if it is calculated during Apply Payroll/Payment (i.e., the Deduction Maintenance ► Employer Matching/Contribution (M/C) ► Calculate During Apply Payroll checkbox is marked when payroll is applied). If the employer matching/contribution is posted using the Post Employer Matching/Contribution function, then you must manually update the amount in Box 12. You can do this using the W-2 Information Update function from the Maintenance menu.
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Versions: AM12 for SQL and Express
AM11 for SQL and Express
AM10 for SQL and Express
AM9 for SQL and Express
Module: SM
Q: The E-mail error log in case of failure checkbox is disabled in the Batch Period-End Closing and Batch Transfer Data to GL functions. I have already marked the Allow users to send error report checkbox in AccountMate Administrator ► Setup ► System Setup ► Error Report. What did I miss?
A: To be able to e-mail the error log from AccountMate, the Activate Message checkbox must also be marked in the Workstation Setup function. You can access this function from the Utilities menu.
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Versions: AM12 for SQL and Express
AM11 for SQL and Express
AM10 for SQL, Express, and LAN
AM9 for SQL, Express, and LAN
Module: PO
Q: How does AccountMate update the Last Received Cost and Date in the Inventory Maintenance ► Settings (1) tab?
A: The Last Received Cost and Date in Inventory Maintenance ► Settings (1) is updated when you record a receipt of the inventory item using the Receive Goods function; the last received cost is from the Unit Cost field and the date is from the Receive Date field. If you cancel the received goods with the latest Receive Date, the Last Received Cost and Date displayed in the inventory record remain the same. AccountMate will update the information the next time you record a receipt for the item with the same or later Receive Date.
Note: In AccountMate for LAN, the Last Received Cost and Date fields are in the Inventory Maintenance ► Settings tab.
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