It is common nowadays for firms to have some kind of database or system in place. Unfortunately, not all firms are benefiting from an Online ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. So what is meant by taking an ERP Online? This term is also known as the “cloud” because information is loaded, stored and accessible from the internet.

If your firm hasn’t evaluated taking your ERP Online, as well as, other software and systems, it is worth investigating. Gartner reported in January 2014 that 2% of firms are already on the cloud and within the next 5 years, almost half of those surveyed will be in the cloud. We are finding that SMBs are benefiting the most from the taking their ERP Online as it is keeping them competitive.

So, why are SMBs taking their ERP online or to the cloud?

Can your professional services firm ignore the advantages of the cloud? Put yourself on an even playing field with organizations much larger, and with greater resources. Engage a partner that will work with you to understand your firm, and is familiar with the ins and outs of your current setup to ensure that a proper implementation takes place.

1. Access your data on the go! Enable your business development team to access all of the pertinent information about leads and clients through mobile applications such as Vision Navigator and Deltek Touch. This invaluable access to data will become the Swiss Army Knife of your business development team’s tool box.
    
2. Stay current with the latest technology advancements (not only with your Cloud ERP, but with other technology include Microsoft.) Enjoy the latest and great advancements without being the guinea pig.
    
3. Focus on what you do best and let the experts worry about IT. Utilize experts to reduce time sinks and headaches, and let your people do what they do best – their job!
    
4. Low entry point - save money. Avoid upfront investments and eliminate the need to manage slow and outdated infrastructure.
    
5. Compete with the big dogs. With all of the cost advantages of taking your ERP online to the cloud, your firm will gain the needed firepower to compete with larger firms and stay competitive at all stages of the project.

Deltek Kona is a cloud-based social collaboration and productivity platform that empowers individuals and groups to connect, organize and get things done together. Through the use of collaborative spaces, users have the ability to coordinate, share, and schedule events or tasks with teams and groups.

Groups that use Kona vary from companies to individuals. Companies communicate with team members, internal and external, on company initiatives, proposals submissions, and the execution of projects every day.  Individuals involved in organizations and personal groups need a way to coordinate efforts among participants.  You may find yourself in both of these circles.  No matter if you are a company or individual, each find Kona brings the conversation, tasks assignments, and files needed to a centralized space.

Most companies and individuals are already accustom to viewing their calendar in Outlook (Entourage for Mac) or Google. The good news with Kona is you can integrate the Kona web calendar into other calendar applications.  For today's example we will walk you through viewing your Kona calendar in Microsoft Outlook 2013. This allows you to see the Kona calendar along with any calendars you have setup in Outlook to provide a quick visual of all of your Kona spaces. 

Step 1

Login to http://www.Kona.com

Step 2

Select the calendar by clicking on the Events tab

Step 3

Click on Calendar

Step 4

Select Share this Calendar from the drop down menu

Step 5

Select the link displayed in the window and copy it.

Step 6

Open outlook and switch to the calendar view. Notice the list of calendars displayed at the bottom left.

Step 7

Right click on Other Calendars and select Add Calendar, From Internet

Step 8

Paste the link from Kona in the New Internet Calendar Subscription box and click on OK.

Step 9

Notice the Kona Calendar is now displayed in the bottom left

Step 10

Multiple calendars can are displayed when additional calendars from the list are selected

Step 11

Click on the arrow beside a calendar to combine the view.

Step 12

Now the Calendars and all appointments are all displayed in a single calendar view

Making the Kona calendar viewable in Microsoft Outlook is a great way to boost productivity, social collaboration, and calendar management. You can use similar techniques to attach other Internet based calendars to Outlook as well. The attached calendar is read only and is not editable from Outlook. This is a slight draw back but the ability to see the Kona calendar without switching applications provides a quick and convenient planning in Outlook.

Interested in Kona? Contact us for a demo or to discuss how Kona can help you.

So, you are in the Cloud!  Your company has purchased Deltek Vision Essentials ERP software and you have been assigned as the SaaS Administrator.  You may find yourself wondering, “What does this mean for me?  What do I need to do first? Where do I start?”  At first the task may seem overwhelming as you receive letters, guides and instructions on “How to get started.”  We at Full Sail Partners want you to know that you are not alone, and that we have put together answers to some of the questions asked most often when a client purchases their new Cloud solution.

What do I need to do first? 

As the assigned SaaS Administrator, you will receive a welcome letter.  The most important task to perform at this time is to print out and read the SaaS Administrator Guide.  It will be a valuable resource for you during the initial set up.

What is the next step after I read the guide?

The second most important task as the SaaS Administrator is to set up your Deltek Customer Care Account.  This account will be where most communication takes place between you and Deltek.  If you are not a new client and will be migrating data from an existing Vision database or a prior Deltek product, this portal will be the first stop to transfer your files. 

Can’t I just have Full Sail Partners set up my account?

Because of the importance placed on security, only the Saas Administrator may submit service requests on behalf of their firm.  These requests are submitted solely through your account access on the Deltek Customer Care portal.  The SaaS administrator will work closely with Full Sail Partners on the implementation process.  However, only the SaaS Administrator can request things like data uploads, receive system maintenance communications, request backup restores, submit invoice graphics or request a sandbox.  

How do I keep up with announcements regarding scheduled maintenance or issues with my service? 

The SaaS Administrator must also subscribe to the Deltek Vision knowledge based article 67385.  The article can be accessed at: http://bit.ly/143PgnX.  This page is used by Deltek specifically for Vision Essentials related communications—including announcements regarding planned and unplanned maintenance.   In order to stay abreast of the most recent announcements, it is important the SaaS Administrator signs up for notification alerts from this article.  You may do so by choosing the “notify me” selection at the bottom of the screen on the Deltek Vision knowledge based article page.

A dialogue box will then appear stating your request has been successfully submitted. Click OK. You are now set up to receive any notifications about maintenance or access issues with your Vision Essentials software.   

As the primary person responsible, what if I am not available? Can a second Administrator be added?

Absolutely! Deltek encourages all clients in the Cloud to have a second administrator assigned to their account.  You, as the SaaS administrator, may request a second administrator be named through the Deltek Customer Care Portal.  The request should include the full name and email address of the administrator that is being added or changed. You may even assign Full Sail Partners as your second Administrator.  This will give us the ability to upload databases and custom files directly for you.  Your account manager with Full Sail Partners can provide you with the appropriate name and e-mail information if you decide to assign our firm as your second SaaS administrator.

How do I add graphics to my firms invoices?

My firm has experienced a serious event that has created the need for a backup and restore of our data.  May I request the data from a specific point in time?

Yes.  Deltek back-ups client data no less than once every 24 hours.  There is also a backup performed once every 7 days.  The daily backups are kept for 1 week and the weekly backups are kept for 4 weeks.  If you require a restore from a specific point in time, you may send the request through Deltek Customer Care indicating the past time frame you need for the restore.  You must also include the time that you would like for the restore to take place as your system will be unavailable while the restore is performed.   Vision Essentials clients are allowed 4 Backup and restores per year.

Is there other information I should review?

Being the SaaS Administrator is a very important assignment.  Keep in mind, you are the keystone for communication between your firm and Deltek.  Being informed by familiarizing yourself with the SaaS Administrator Guide and subscribing to the Deltek Knowledge Based Article 67385 which will notify you of the availability and functionality of your Vision system is essential to your success as the SaaS Administrator for your firm.

Ready to take the next step?  Empower your employees through training!
According to a study by the American Society for Training and Development, companies that invested the most in training had a shareholder return that was 46% percent higher than the market average.

Deltek recognizes Full Sail Partners as a top-performing business partner.

Full Sail Partners, offering business consulting, technology solutions, and application hosting for Deltek Vision, is chosen as a 2012 Deltek Premier Partner. Deltek, Inc., the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for government contractors and professional services firms, offers this distinction to top-performing business partners. To achieve Premier Partner status, Full Sail Partners demonstrated continuing excellence in marketing, selling, implementing, and supporting their customers with Deltek solutions.

“Full Sail Partners continues to differentiate itself as a true industry thought leader and serves as an advocate for hundreds of clients,” said Claus Thorsgaard, Deltek’s EVP and General Manager – Professional Services.  “Our mutual clients appreciate Full Sail Partners’ ability to leverage Deltek Vision to provide insight on product enhancements, new product releases, and feature functionality.  I would like to congratulate Kevin O’Connor and everyone at Full Sail Partners. We are pleased to recognize the accomplishments and talents of the individuals of this top performing company.”

“We at Full Sail Partners are extremely honored and proud to once again be named a Deltek Premier Partner.  I am grateful to our clients who provided us the opportunity to continue to serve them in 2012,” said Kevin P. O’Connor, President of Full Sail Partners.  “The energy and professionalism the group at Full Sail Partners consistently brings speaks to their passion for providing quality services to our clients.”

The Full Sail Partner team sees that 2012 and beyond affords many opportunities to project-based clients with the release of Deltek Vision First Essentials and a host of software enhancements.  As a Deltek Premier Partner, Full Sail Partners is committed to working with clients to help strategically plan and leverage the solutions within the Vision suite of tools.  Full Sail Partners' team, collectively, brings more than 200 years of experience with Deltek products and is excited to unveil in late third quarter of 2012 unique technology solutions to assist with business needs.

About Full Sail Partners
Full Sail Partners specializes in client-focused technology solutions for architects and engineers, energy and environmental consultants, and professional service firms across the country. Full Sail Partners offers business consulting, technology solutions, and application hosting for Deltek Vision. Partnering with more than 1000 clients nationwide, Full Sail Partners builds long-term relationships and seeks to identify the critical resources to create a faster, more efficient, and cohesive business infrastructure.

Full Sail Partners – Keep Your Business on Course. | For more on Full Sail Partners profile and background on the Full Sail Partners crew, visit us at http://www.fullsailpartners.com.

About Deltek
Deltek (Nasdaq: PROJ) is the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for professional services firms and government contractors. For decades, we have delivered actionable insight that empowers our customers to unlock their business potential. 15,000 organizations and 2 million users in over 80 countries around the world rely on Deltek to research and identify opportunities, win new business, optimize resources, streamline operations, and deliver more profitable projects. 

Deltek – Know more. Do More. | For more on Deltek, visit http://www.deltek.com.

AccountingToday.com selects Full Sail Partners to join the 2012 Top VAR 100 List. Several Deltek Partners were named to the list, but Full Sail Partners was the highest ranking VAR dedicated to only Deltek products.

Each year a select group of 100 organizations are honored for their accomplishments as Value-Added Resellers (VAR). The top VARs are selected from organizations focused on sales and implementation of accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. Criteria used to determine the winners include 2011 revenue, number of offices, and staff.  Full Sail Partners, offering business consulting, technology solutions, and application hosting for Deltek Vision, is honored by AccountingToday as a 2012 Top Value Added Reseller (VAR). The firm provides on-premise and cloud-based solutions for architects and engineers, energy and environmental consultants, and professional service firms across the country. Full Sail Partners' team, collectively, brings more than 200 years of experience with Deltek products. 

"We are honored to have Full Sail Partners named a 2012 VAR," stated Kevin O'Connor, President of Full Sail Partners. "We focus on the 'value-added' part of being a VAR. We embrace Deltek's SaaS solution and are finding clients like the flexibility of knowing they have the option of both a cloud and on-premise solution. The cloud is not new to our firm. For almost 5 years, we've offered firm's the ability to host their application instead of investing in IT infrastructure. Our firm continues to differentiate ourselves by providing unique technology solutions and most importantly working with them through the sales process to solve business issues," added Mr. O'Connor. 

"We are proud to have Full Sail Partners represent Deltek. The award is a well-deserved recognition. As one of Deltek's most successful Vision Partners, Full Sail Partners is a major player in Deltek's overall strategy and has a long track record of providing outstanding software solutions and client services. They have earned a reputation as industry leaders and this recognition is a reflection of their hard work." Claus Thorsgaard, Deltek Executive Vice President and General Manager, Professional Services. 

About Full Sail Partners
Full Sail Partners specializes in client-focused technology solutions for architects and engineers, energy and environmental consultants, and professional service firms across the country. Full Sail Partners offers business consulting, technology solutions, and application hosting for Deltek Vision. Partnering with more than 1000 clients nationwide, Full Sail Partners builds long-term relationships and seeks to identify the critical resources to create a faster, more efficient, and cohesive business infrastructure.

Full Sail Partners – Keep Your Business on Course. | For more on Full Sail Partners profile and background on the Full Sail Partners crew, visit us at http://www.fullsailpartners.com. 

About Deltek
Deltek (Nasdaq: PROJ) is the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for professional services firms and government contractors. For decades, we have delivered actionable insight that empowers our customers to unlock their business potential. 15,000 organizations and 2 million users in over 80 countries around the world rely on Deltek to research and identify opportunities, win new business, optimize resources, streamline operations, and deliver more profitable projects. Deltek – Know more. Do more.® www.deltek.com. 

About Accounting Today
AccountingToday.com is a leading provider of online business news for the tax and accounting community, offering breaking news, in-depth features, insightful editorial analysis, and a host of web-related resources and services.

It's not a matter of if, but when a failure will happen! During a recovery effort, your firm's need to recover quickly is vital to your firm's existence. The lack of access to data can impair production. The longer the delay the more it can cost your firm and even result in failure of your company.

It recent article by Gartner, they discussed how IT failure can bring down a company and the writer, Richard Hunt, made some great points. "The interesting thing isn’t that some companies have failed when their IT failed; the interesting thing is that the risks are almost certainly increasing. Plenty of executives don’t yet understand that while IT spend only represents 5% or less (on average) of enterprise revenues, the impact of IT on revenues is far higher than that. To put it another way, many executives don’t yet realize that their businesses don’t run much, if at all, without IT, and when IT is misused or fails, the impacts can be very large indeed."

So, do you have a backup & recovery solution?  How quick is your data recovery? Would you lose any of your data if:

• Your computer was stolen?
• You have an IT system failure?
• You have a hardware failure?
• There was a fire?
• There was a natural disaster?
• Your backup solution didn't work?

Are you confident that you'd be back up in less than a day if any of the above items occurred? Could you be up in less than an hour? Next to hardware and software malfunctions, human error is one of the biggest reason for data loss. Doing a back-up is only half of the equation. Verification is the most important part of data back-up. Statistics show that 77% of tape backups fail.

Below are data recovery statistics that demonstrate the likely hood of failure and the impact to businesses when they are unable to recover. For firms that want to be proactive and eliminate preventable failures and learn how to recover quickly when a failure does occur, view our webinar.

 Infograph presented by Dell

In today's world it's important to make sure your resources are effectively allocated and outsourced expenses are doing all they can to keep you ahead of the pack. No matter whether your IT support is outsourced, dedicated, or part-time, there are expectations your firm should have to ensure your Deltek database is properly managed. We invite you to take the IT challenge to see how you can improve. 

IT Challenge 1:

IT Challenge 2:

IT Challenge 3:

Did You Pass the IT Challenge?

Full Sail Partners can assist you with any of these concerns to ensure your IT staff is providing your data the security your firm needs. In addition to these services, our hosting division can offload the expense of servers, peripheral software, redundant back-ups and allocation of resources to address your Vision IT needs. Our hosting professionals only provide hosting services for Deltek Vision and coordinate with Deltek support on known issues. This specialized expertise comes with years of hands-on experience and provides your organization a high level of confidence that your data is secure. Outsourcing your IT Management of Vision with Full Sail Partners allows your firm to focus on your core business, while we ensure your IT landscape is fully prepared.

To find out more about how Full Sail Partners' application hosting can ease your worries and save your firm money, visit our website. To speak to someone about these services, contact Scott Seal at sseal@fullsailpartners.com or 888.552.5535 x118. We look forward to relieving your IT worries and helping your firm Reach Full Sail!