How to prevent page breaks in an exported MS Excel report file

How to prevent page breaks in an exported MS Excel report file

Article credit: Sage 

Learn how to prevent page breaks in an exported MS Excel report file. For example, when the Ledger Account Transactions report (or any report) is exported to MS Excel, you may notice that the report’s page breaks information sections are also included in the Excel report file. This may unwanted/inconvenient as especially when you want to use the Excel file to perform further data analysis / calculations on.

Disclaimer: These articles refer to possible solutions and a platform to share information. Each article describes a method that solved a query (knowledge gathered from previous sites) and how Sage Evolution should operate. These articles make reference to a specific Sage Evolution version, however the thought process can be generalised. Please note the information contained in these articles should be treated as guidelines and adapted to accommodate differences in business processes and IT environments. Articles may not be applicable to all environments. If this article did not resolve your query please contact Kiteview Technologies Support Department on:  (+27) 010 005 6678.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

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Continuous close: Is it time for your business to move to real-time numbers?

Continuous close: Is it time for your business to move to real-time numbers?

Article credit: Sage 

Continuous or ‘rolling’ close is the process of keeping accounts up to date on a daily basis and being able to provide financial information at any time during the monthly reporting cycle.

This is a philosophy that’s only now gaining ground and we’d argue that this is largely down to the advances made in modern systems.

Although the idea of continuous close is a relatively new one, we think it has a number of excellent advantages for companies and only one or two easily overcome drawbacks.

In this article, we examine the ideas behind continuous close and the benefits and pitfalls.

Continuous close (aka continuous accounting or rolling close) is the practice of using automation and modern, integrated systems to ensure all entries are made immediately.

The aim is simple: to make sure that as far as possible the books of the company are up to date at any point in the month.

Now, we do have to add a caveat here – all businesses are different, so a continuous close may mean different things to different companies.

Unlike traditional systems that may require different modules to be ‘closed’ for the month before balances are reported up to the nominal ledger, with a continuous close, these are reported instantaneously.

If we take the example of accounts payable (AP) in a traditional system, you’d expect the accounts payable ledger to close as near to day one as possible and then the balance of trade creditors would be journaled into the nominal ledger.

With a modern accounting system, sub-ledgers don’t really exist as such and a transaction that occurs in AP will be instantly reflected in trade creditors.

As well as running integrated systems in this way, automation is used to tackle regular tasks and robotic accounting can help with making entries.

For instance, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can be used to monitor an inbox and then automatically process invoices for accounts payable.

The aim is to get to the stage where at any moment you can run a profit and loss (P&L) and it would be very close to an accurate picture of the results of the company.

Real-time information = real-time value

One of the key benefits of having books that are continuously up to date is that of enhanced visibility.

At any point, managers can see exactly what is going on and the accounts accord with their daily experience of life in the business.

This adds credibility because it means the accounts look very much like they expect and they don’t have to wait for an age for a set of accounts that may or may not resemble their experience.

Having real-time visibility over what’s happening at any time during the month is a massively valuable benefit for the company as a whole and often starts the process of the accounts department becoming more of a business partnering function.

Time savings

There can’t be many accountants who haven’t tried to reconcile an account only to find entries from a month or more past that they can’t remember.

Investigating and unwinding incorrect entries is one of the most time-consuming aspects of the close process.

This is made much easier if accounts are reconciled on a daily basis.

At the same time, the use of robotics and automation means the standard manual tasks can be done in seconds, freeing up staff to really understand the numbers.

Enhanced compliance

For regulated industries, it’s a requirement that their books are accurate and kept up to date.

Using automated systems results in fewer errors and more visibility over what’s been done and when.

Accounts are easier to audit as it’s simpler to understand a few lines on a journal rather than untangle some of the mega-journals that we’ve all done at month-end.

Employee satisfaction

For many accounts teams, month-end is a trial of epic proportions.

There can be nothing more dispiriting than completing a huge month-end and then immediately launching into another one.

Automating systems and spreading the workload over the whole team for the whole month means people are freed up to do value-add activities for the wider business.

While some members of the team may love the routine of plugging numbers into a monolithic system, many more appreciate the chance to get out into the business and make a real difference.

Better decision-making

Independent research think tank the FSN recently carried out a survey that revealed 86% of companies believe their analytics offer little in the way of insight.

This is remarkable because analytics can provide excellent information that will improve decision making across the organisation.

Part of this is down to the speed with which managers get information – and with continuous close, this is considerably enhanced.

Increased company agility

Companies that get their information quicker can make their decisions faster. And that means you’re building in agility.

Up-to-date accounts mean any ad-hoc reporting for business decision making can be almost instant, allowing managers to act quickly on opportunities that present themselves.

Fewer errors

Accountancy Age suggests that up to 88% of spreadsheets contain errors. And to a very great extent, automating the process of closing and maintaining accounts on a daily basis helps to rectify this.

It’s much easier to spot errors that have been made when reconciling every day and they are easier to solve, as finding out what has gone wrong is simpler than asking someone why they posted a particular journal six weeks ago.

With so many benefits of a continuous close, it’s easy to think that the need for a hard close has disappeared.

But that isn’t always the case.

In fact, a hard close is a really important aspect of accounting and will still exist even if it’s only on an annual basis.

Typically, we find that businesses tend to use a hybrid method, with operational accounting worked on a continuous basis and then a hard month-end close is used to add in financial accounting adjustments.

Again, the important thing to remember here is that the month-end process should be used in a way that adds value for the company. So whatever method works best for you is the one you should adopt.

Well, there are problems with this mode of operating although they aren’t insurmountable.

The first is that of legacy systems that can’t cope with a continuous method of closing.

That’s no criticism of the manufacturers. It’s simply that the idea of having books that are always totally up to date and reporting at any point during the month wasn’t thought of when the software was developed.

The obvious answer here is to upgrade to more modern software that can help with the continuous close procedure rather than hinder it. Maybe it’s time to invest?

The next question is that of payroll.

How are you going to manage the reporting of a monthly payroll which, for some companies, is the single largest cost?

Are you really going to accrue on a daily basis for these costs?

This is where automation can come in useful as sophisticated systems can make daily accruals for payroll, which are then unwound as soon as the payments are made.

One of the most time-consuming processes at month-end is consolidation.

And in many cases, this is down to systems that aren’t integrated and have completely different charts of accounts.

To get around this, companies can move to use a third-party reporting system that can cope with different account numbers and structures or update their systems and, at the same time, update the chart of accounts for each separate entity.

Staff may have issues with adapting to the new method.

After all, as accountants, we’re taught to work to a monthly timetable, and ripping that up and asking people to do something completely new is a big change.

This isn’t a new problem and is something we see regularly in projects of all types.

Communication, training and senior management buy-in all help people to feel more comfortable with the change.

There can be problems when accounting for things that have traditionally been monthly adjustments, in particular prepayments, depreciation and provisions.

The answer here is to decide exactly what you are reporting and why.

If what you want to produce is a totally updated P&L down to EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortisation) level then generally you’re not going to have too much of a problem.

And that’s especially if everyone knows that what they are looking at are essentially operational accounts and not full management accounts.

It’s possible to automate the calculation of depreciation but you do need to ask yourself whether the effort is worth it here.

Is your depreciation material?

If not, move it to your hard month-end instead.

As we noted earlier in this article, continuous close often means different things to different companies.

But we firmly believe there are few businesses that won’t benefit from adopting the principles in at least some areas.

Automating repetitive manual tasks is always a winner and freeing up staff to add real value to the business as a whole helps the business, managers in other departments and finance staff.

The best place to start is by looking at your systems and understanding what you can do to make your accounts closer to real-time.

If you’re looking to move towards a continuous close in your business, you can achieve this in just six steps.

Remember, the earlier you communicate your plans and explain to your team how they will benefit from it, the easier it will be for your business to adopt a continuous close.

  1. Bring your team on board, explain your vision and get them involved early.
  2. Understand and document the processes required to close your month-end.
  3. Identify which of those tasks can be implemented at the point of entry – is this feasible and realistic?
  4. Identify the tasks that can’t be implemented at the point of entry currently. Are they mission-critical to your real-time reporting? If so, is its process, people or tech holding you back?
  5. Put together a transition plan including responsibilities.
  6. Get started.

Final thoughts

Continuous close has lots of benefits and could really free up your finance team’s time to focus on more value-add tasks.

To get started with it and determine whether it’s the right approach for your business, take action by following the six steps above and see how you get on.

Once you have your continuous close processes in place, you may find that previous ways of working are soon a thing of the past.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

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Report Writer: How to add border lines / borders on source document layouts

Report Writer: How to add border lines / borders on source document layouts

Article credit: Sage 

Learn how to easily add border lines on your Sage 200 Evolution source document layouts for that really professional look!  Follow the steps in this simple guide below.

Disclaimer: These articles refer to possible solutions and a platform to share information. Each article describes a method that solved a query (knowledge gathered from previous sites) and how Sage Evolution should operate. These articles make reference to a specific Sage Evolution version, however the thought process can be generalised. Please note the information contained in these articles should be treated as guidelines and adapted to accommodate differences in business processes and IT environments. Articles may not be applicable to all environments. If this article did not resolve your query please contact Kiteview Technologies Support Department on:  (+27) 010 005 6678.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

Evolution Anywhere by Cloud29

Evolution Anywhere by Cloud29

Journey To The Cloud Simplified

Work From Anywhere

Evolution Anywhere is a radical software solution that allows you to remotely harness the full functionality of Sage 200 Evolution, either on-premise or in the cloud.

This Microsoft SQL Server solution allows Sage 200 Evolution workstations to remotely connect in a seamless manner to a SQL server database through any internet connection.

 

Your Sage 200 Evolution Cloud Solution

  • Evolution Anywhere is simply installed on the SQL server and workstations running Sage 200 Evolution that is required to connect to the SQL database
  • All data exchanged between server, controller and client are encrypted using SSL
  • Evolution Anywhere overcomes the restrictions of having a SQL database and application software on the same network
  • The tool does not use any terminal services and all applications run on the local PC, so there are no hassles remote printing, importing or exporting of data and no RDP monitoring is required
  • All you need is an internet link to your SQL database to be able to work in Sage 200 Evolution’s advanced operating environment, capture critical business data and perform key business functions

SEAMLESS INTEGRATION

into any network
environment

PLUG AND PLAY

requiring no additional
customization

L

EASY IMPLEMENTATION

limited IT knowledge
is required

If you would like to integrate blah blah into your Sage 200 Evolution Software, or if you have any questions, please email info@kiteview.co.za today and we will be happy to assist you.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

How digital supply chains can solve wholesale distribution inefficiencies

How digital supply chains can solve wholesale distribution inefficiencies

Article credit: Sage 

Wholesale distributors face a number of internal and external challenges. Their most pressing priority is the need to close the information gap between their business operations and their customers. In today’s digital era, customer demands shift rapidly, carry enormous influence, and need responsive, relevant attention.

To keep up with their customers’ ever-changing wants and needs, wholesale distributors have to manage diverse and complex product inventories – as well as fluctuating supply chains. As a result, savvy wholesale distributors are embracing digital transformation to empower their operations with end-to-end visibility, data intelligence, agility, and speed.

Out with the old, in with the new

Legacy IT infrastructure, such as financial ERP systems, are simply not smart enough to give wholesale distribution businesses sustainable competitive advantages. And yet, according to IDC research, at least 40% of companies worldwide are stuck in an ERP technical debt with heavily customised and functionally specific systems.

If your business still relies on archaic technologies, chances are it is struggling to deliver fast, efficient, and customer-centric distribution – non-negotiable KPIs for enterprises striving for success in the global digital economy. If, for example, your business consistently suffers from an imbalance in supply and demand, resulting in too much-unwanted stock or not enough goods to satisfy customers, then it is high time to invest in cloud-enabled intelligent software.

The price of inefficiency

The price of inefficiency is high: excess, unwanted products cut into profit and revenue, and dissatisfied customers can reduce a brand’s reputational value with just a few clicks. To build and protect your business’s market position, you need to improve your customer service performance and deliver a superior value chain experience. To do that, you need to identify and fix the inefficiencies that currently undermine your growth potential. And yes, to do that, you need to digitally transform your operations.

Digital transformation can help your business become more efficient and, as a result, generate increased revenue. In fact, IDC research shows that 32% of distributors see new tech as one of the most important change drivers in their industry. These forward-thinking wholesale enterprises are investing in a new generation of intelligent ERP systems to help them manage their costs, boost their profits, engage with customers, and gain real-time visibility into their end-to-end operations.

Always-on visibility

Today’s global supply chain is an interconnected web that includes an expansive network of production facilities, warehouses, and transportation hubs. To meet customer demand on time, every time, wholesale distributors cannot afford to lose track of their goods at any point. The problem with old ERP systems is that they are unable to pinpoint the location of goods along the supply chain with accuracy or in real-time. Nor are they able to provide a comprehensive product history as and when needed.

An ERP system that is adapted to your business model can maintain always-on visibility across your supply chain. Being able to track and trace your processes, suppliers, and customers at all times is crucial to ensuring that delivery schedules are met in the most efficient – and sustainable – manner possible.

Sustainability matters

Distributors worldwide are influenced by consumers, regulations, and new tech to improve their environmental impact and stay relevant. Smart technologies such as machine learning, AI, and automation are key components of next-generation ERP.

This advanced IT architecture enables cross-functional collaboration in support of wholesale distributors’ top sustainability efforts: product recycling and reverse logistics, and achieving low to no emissions within internal logistics and internal supply chain operations.

Supply chain priorities – where does the industry stand?

The wholesale distribution industry is responding to market demands for greater efficiency. More and more businesses are making selective investments in their supply chains over the next 12 months to significantly and steadily improve overall performance over the next two to three years.

The IDC research  points to four specific investment areas that are set to transform wholesale distribution and indicates just how much attention they are currently getting from the industry:

  1. Cost reduction and waste elimination – 38%
  2. IT architectural upgrade to modernise operations – 32%
  3. Customer-centricity to improve service performance – 31%
  4. Operational visibility / traceability / predictability – 25%

There is a definite shift towards digitally-enabled, smart, agile, efficient, and always-on distribution processes and practices. Overall, 64% of distributors are choosing operational excellence as their main digital transformation objective.

There is no doubt that the case for harnessing the power of intelligent software, such as an ERP system, is becoming stronger as more and more businesses invest in relevant IT upgrades. The repercussions of falling behind are incredibly costly and can cause irreparable damage. Fortunately, the tide is only just beginning to gather momentum. There is still time to transform your operations and embrace all the benefits of digitised distribution.

About Us
Kiteview Technologies (Pty) Ltd was founded in May 2010 to provide the Sage Evolution Business Management solution to the SME market. The management team of Kiteview have combined +30 years of experience in the delivery of small to mid-market Financial & Business Management solutions. This experience, combined with a sound project implementation methodology has helped in Kiteview’s growth, becoming a Platinum status partner for SAGE Pastel within just 1 year.

Contact Us

For An Obligation Free Quote

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