By Stephanie Elsen

So, you made the decision to upgrade from an older Red Wing Software accounting or payroll program to a newer one. Congratulations. That’s a big decision, and one that can put you on your way to smoother processes and better financial management. Still haven’t gotten around to making the transfer from your older system to the newer one? There’s no need to feel bad. Rest assured knowing we are here to help you when you are ready. There are many different ways we offer to help you make the transition from one program to another. Use every option you can! Knowledge is power, and most of the options we offer come at no additional charge.

1. Data Transfer.

   There are documents to help you transfer or “migrate” the data from your old program into the new one. Many customers choose to do the data transfer on their own, with the assistance of help documents and in program help. If you would rather not do that, we would be glad to do it for you, for a nominal fee. Pricing depends on the amount and condition of your data.

2. Online Training Videos.

   Red Wing Software offers videos that were created specifically with the purpose of teaching new customers the essentials they need to be successful. Even if you’ve already been using the system, you can learn something from the videos! What’s more, you can view them at no additional charge, as long as your Customer Care Membership is current.

3. Phone Support.

   No matter which step you are at along the way, Red Wing Software’s support team can help with issues or questions that arise during the upgrade process. Simply pick up the phone and give us a call with the toll free number you are provided when you upgrade. The number is specific to your product, so you will be directly connected to the right team. Customers with current Customer Care Membership have unlimited support available to them.

4. Classroom Training.

   Many customers feel comfortable starting out with online training and support. For those who prefer training in person, Red Wing Software offers classroom training.

Don’t forget that your software will help you for years to come, and the time you invest at the start will pay off in efficiency as time goes on. It’s an investment worth making!

By Stephanie Elsen

If you spend any time out on the Web, you know there are plenty of opportunities to provide reviews for almost any of the products you use. Accounting Software is no exception. If you have experience using Red Wing Software products, we want to hear what you have to say! Here are some of the most popular places to submit your review for Red Wing Software.

1. Google: If you write a review on Red Wing Software’s Google page, people who find the listing during a Google search will be able to view the review. Visit Red Wing Software’s Google Page to write your review! (By the way, you can also set up your own company’s Google page, so your customers can submit reviews for you.)
2. Capterra:This Web site and its staff are dedicated to helping businesses find the right software. If you submit a review here, other people who are searching for software will be able to see what real users think. Please click on the link of the product you wish to review. Once on the page, click on “Rate this software.”
   • CenterPoint Accounting Software
   • CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture
   • CenterPoint Payroll Software
3. Yelp:This whole Web site is dedicated to letting people give their opinion to the public about companies.
   • Red Wing Software’s Yelp Listing
   So, let your voice be heard and let others know what to expect when becoming a Red Wing Software customer.

Adam from FindAccountingSoftware.com checks in about searching for the right payroll software, and the benefits it can offer.

http://findaccountingsoftware.com/focus-on-functionality/payroll-software-manage-your-payroll-with-the-right-software/

By Red Wing Software

Overhead expenses are those production and non-production costs not readily traceable to specific profit centers or production center details. Although overhead expenses are not directly related to any specific area of your business, they do play a part in the profitability of each area. Account distributions can be used to automate the process of expensing overhead to profit centers or production center details.

Expenses can be distributed by percentage, by acre or by head, and can be distributed at the time the expenses are entered or later when you know exactly how they should be distributed. A distribution can be set up that distributes all overhead expenses, or distributions can be set up for various scenarios. For example, you could distribute utility costs to the various entities of the business. Distributions can also be used to distribute unallocated revenue, such as a government ag payment.

EXAMPLE:

Overhead expenses, such as insurance expenses, will be distributed to all profit centers based on each profit center’s percent of total gross revenue. In our example, dairy is 55% of the operation. Crop is 45% with two crops of corn (60%) and soybeans (40%).

If the insurance bill is $1,000:

• $550 insurance expense would be allocated to dairy.
• $270 insurance expense would be allocated to corn.
• $180 insurance expense would be allocated to soybeans.

Allocate your overhead expenses correctly with account distributions, and you’ll have a better idea about your true product costs.

By Stephanie Elsen

There are two things you know for sure about payroll. 1. Employees want their checks on time. 2. The government wants to receive their tax payments on time. Both are serious and important reasons for choosing wisely when selecting payroll software or a payroll service. Making the mistake of choosing the first or cheapest payroll option can result in frustration, and more importantly can hinder your ability to pay employees and the government on time! Here are some real things to look for when searching for a payroll company.

Service. Are you frequently in a hurry to get payroll completed? Many businesses are! What happens when you run into a problem the day that you are doing payroll? Maybe, at the last minute, you need to set up a brand new pay code or an employee garnishment and you need some help. Who will be there to help you? Be sure you choose a payroll company that offers excellent service. And make sure that service team is available and knows what they are doing! While you are sitting there reading this blog post, it might not seem important. But when the time actually comes, you will be thankful for choosing a payroll company that can really help you when you need it.

Options for paying employee taxes. You need to pay employee taxes by a certain date. If not, your company will be faced with dreaded fines! Be sure you can get the information you need out of your payroll system, so that you can send tax payments to the appropriate party in a timely manner. More and more states are requiring tax filing to be done online, instead of via printed forms. Make sure you have the options within your payroll software that can help you accomplish this!

Of course features are also extremely important within your payroll software or system. Once you find a payroll system that has all the features you need, be sure that company can also provide the service and tax filing capabilities you need to pay your employees and make tax payments in a timely manner!