Notes from the President

09 November 2023 khilton Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

We are fast approaching the end of 2023, and I wanted to use my space this month to communicate some important information that needs to be considered before year-end, or shortly after the beginning of a new year.
Whether your company operates according to a calendar year or a fiscal year, there are a few things that need to be considered to prepare for the new calendar year:
• How is your budgeting process going for the new year? Will next year be the same as this year, or should you be planning some much-needed changes to make it better? Be sure to check every line item. Starting with a zero-based budget guarantees you won’t miss something that might need attention.
• Have you installed all the latest versions of your software? You don’t need to wait until after the first of the year to get up to date. Doing it now saves pressure later.
• How about benefit changes? Have you reviewed insurance policies, retirement plans, and other items important to you and your employees? Finding good employees is harder now than ever, and we need to remain competitive in the marketplace to keep them.
• It is a good time to remind employees to update their W-4 information for changes that have occurred during the year, like getting married, having children, buying a house, or anything else that might change their withholding needs.
• How is your budgeting process going? Oh, did I already mention that? I read once that “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be where you already are.” Is it time for a change?
So, update that important technology today, review procedures and policies, help employees better manage their information, and plan for the new year.

Employee Spotlight - Aaron Young

16 October 2023 aaron-young Employee Spotlight
My name is Aaron Young, and yes, that is the remnant of a British accent you can detect. I don’t sound like Hugh Grant; much to my wife’s disappointment, more like Hagrid.
I've been with Red Wing Software since 1999. I started as a Programmer Analyst, then a Senior Programmer Analyst, and I have been the new Software Development Manager for the past four years. My job is to figure out how to implement our ideas for the software we create and allocate the necessary resources. Which is to say, my team and I get to have all the fun writing the software you use.
I emigrated from England in 1998 after meeting my wife Debra online, before dating sites and catfishing was a thing, and when you had to physically dial-up the internet, I know, prehistoric times – our phones had cords! – oh, the humanity! I'm very pleased to say we're still together, in fact we just recently celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.
When I'm not working, I'm a bit of a homebody. I like to relax and read books (mostly fiction) and watch movies, collect Star Wars memorabilia (I'm a nerd), and play with my two Bassett Hounds who completely ignore every command I give them, but love me anyway, because I feed them.

Upcoming Conferences/Trade Shows

12 October 2023 StephanieE Customer Information
Red Wing Software will have an exhibiting presence at the 47th Annual Louisiana Municipal Clerks Institute. CSA Software, a Red Wing Software partner, will be exhibiting at the event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Baton Rouge, October 25-27, 2023. CSA will also be exhibiting at the Municipal Clerks Winter Conference  at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, Alabama, November 29-December 1, 2023.
Please stop and say hello and ask any questions you may have about CenterPoint and/or CSA!

Notes from the President

05 October 2023 khilton Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

When is it a good time to hire an outside professional? More often than you might think. You are probably really good at what you do in your career (or you should be doing something else). Even though you are an expert in your field, several things go on in any business outside your area of expertise.
Since you’re reading this newsletter from Red Wing Software, I think it’s safe to assume you have some role that includes dealing with financial information. You might enter checks, record deposits, calculate payroll, or take a big-picture view of the business using reports to analyze where the business should go. And, in some cases, you may be responsible for all these things.
Even if you have a firm grasp on all financial functions in your company, it always helps to get someone from outside the organization to review the information and give an opinion or even audit how things are being done. I’ve mentioned in several columns that if we think everything we do is done the right or only way, we probably won’t make needed changes and grow the business or our knowledge.
I’ll share an example of how Red Wing Software employs outside professionals. Although we have been producing accounting and other financial management software for over 44 years and have many people with vast knowledge of accounting processes, employ our own in-house accountant, and have Certified Public Accountants on staff, every year, we have an outside accounting firm perform an audit of our records and give their opinion, and have them prepare our corporate tax returns.
I heard a great saying on a recent webinar I attended, “You should do what you do best and hire others to do the rest.”