By Stephanie Elsen
With all the changes happening in healthcare, such as the 2013 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, your payroll solution must accommodate those changes. What are the steps you have in place to be sure your payroll complies with the mandated changes?
If you are using a reputable payroll software system or payroll service, they should be managing the changes to your software, so that you are aware and able to stay current with those changes. However, if you are using an older system or managing payroll by hand, these changes will be extremely difficult to stay on top of and manage.
CenterPoint Payroll Software stays current with these changes. So do many other payroll software programs and services. As 2013 approaches, be sure you are covered for the upcoming year and the looming changes.
By Stephanie Elsen
If you are currently using an accounting software program and are thinking about moving to Red Wing Software’s CenterPoint Accounting Software, an important consideration is which of your current data can be brought into CenterPoint Accounting Software, and what is the process for transferring that data. This post explains how that works.
What will Transfer
Providing you can pull out the data from your current system in a compatible format, you should be able to bring all master record information into CenterPoint. When importing your master file information, the only required field is the ABBREVIATION. This will be the unique identifier for that customer or vendor, etc. All other fields of information are optional.
| Customer information | Vendor information |
|---|
| Abbreviation |
Abbreviation |
| First Name |
First Name |
| Middle Initial |
Middle Initial |
| Business Name/Last Name |
Business Name/Last Name |
| Address Line 1 |
Address Line 1 |
| Address Line 2 |
Address Line 2 |
| Address Line 3 |
Address Line 3 |
| City |
City |
| State |
State |
| Zip Code |
Zip Code |
| Phone |
Phone |
| Cell Phone |
Cell Phone |
| E-mail |
E-mail |
| Terms |
Terms |
| Default A/R Account |
Default A/P Account |
| Customer Since |
Is a Business |
| Is a Business |
Fax |
| Sales Tax |
Contact Federal Tax ID |
| Shipping Method |
State Tax ID |
| Fax |
Memo |
| Contact |
|
These are the parameters for what can be brought into CenterPoint for Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable. You can also import your master data into the General Ledger, Payroll, Budgets, Inventory Items and more. As for what can be brought in, again all master record file information can be imported into CenterPoint.
How the DataTransfer Process Works
Any importing of data, no matter where it comes from, is done with the help of the Red Wing Software support team. You extract the information you wish to transfer from your system and provide it in Excel (.CSV or .XLS) file format. The Red Wing Software support team takes that information and maps it into the CenterPoint System for you. We can start up a new database for you, but we recommend that you have CenterPoint installed and set up before we transfer your data into the system for you. We find most customers prefer to start the system setup themselves with such basic information as sales taxes, shipping methods, terms and accounts that most businesses would use.
When the data import is complete, Red Wing Software staff will assign your information to the specified destination within CenterPoint, and provide you a completed import file, which you then use to restore your CenterPoint system. Your system will then be populated with your data. Please call Red Software for more details.
The IRS has published information regarding a Medicare tax calculation change that will start January 1, 2013. The change does not take effect until an employee has reached a certain wage limit, and once that limit is reached there is an additional .009 (nine-tenths of one percent) Medicare tax withheld from the employee’s wages. The employer wages are not affected, only the employee. Any type of wages or benefits that presently are subject to Medicare tax will be subject to this additional .9 percent for all wages and benefits that exceed $200,000.
Red Wing Software is currently working to ensure its CenterPoint Payroll and Red Wing Payroll Software programs will accommodate these changes well ahead of January 1st, 2013 when the changes take effect.
How about you? Can your payroll system calculate this additional Medicare tax calculation? If you are interested in upgrading to or purchasing CenterPoint Payroll, please learn more about the product by clicking here: Payroll Software or calling 800-732-9464.
Red Wing Software Product Manager / Support Services Manager
Jon Isackson is Red Wing Software’s Product Manager and uses his more than 31 years of experience to help shape the products that are produced for our customers. Then, in his role as Support Services Manager he leads a team of dedicated professionals in making sure that our customers understand how to effectively use those products. Many of you may have spoken with Jon during our very busy season, as he was on the phone helping with the large volume of customer calls, and spent most Saturday mornings doing research on any payroll problems that needed to be solved in order to get our customers up and running.
Jon started with Red Wing Software as a programmer in 1981, then splitting his time between development of the software and support of the customers who used the software. As Red Wing Software grew, he advanced from being the sole developer to heading up the entire development team. After the merger with Red Wing Software, Champion Business Systems and FMS Harvest in 2000, Jon moved from development to become Product Manager and Support Manager.
Having been here since Red Wing Software’s early years, Jon helped form the company Red Wing Software is today, from the special care we give to our customers, to the use of customer comments in shaping the development of our products.
Jon stays young by spending time with his granddaughter Kathryn, and enjoys the Minnesota summer by spending time on the local golf courses.
By Stephanie Elsen
Red Wing Software partner Computer Solutions Incorporated (CSI), of Smith Center, Kansas, recently held an educational event to commemorate its 25th anniversary. Red Wing Software would first like to offer a word of congratulations to Galen Lambert, his company (CSI), and his whole team on their 25th anniversary in business! Galen and his team have helped Red Wing Software customers for many years, and have offered valuable input into Red Wing Software products as well. We appreciate their partnership and all they have done over the years.
The CSI 25th anniversary event brought in speakers from all over the U.S. to talk about security and the cloud. The event featured key note speakers and a variety of educational breakout sessions. Dinner was provided for everyone in the evening.
CSI is a privately owned company founded by Galen Lambert in 1987. CSI’s corporate office is in Smith Center, Kansas, with satellite office in Beloit, Concordia, and McPherson Kansas. CSI’s main focus is on information technology services.