2008 January Edition

A Message from Doris: 2008 Resolution & “The Blob” have gone OFFSHORE!

Happy New Year resolutions!

2008 is the year Americans need to work hard. Not a terribly novel concept, but the somewhat "fuzzy" logic or general "fuzziness" in the new millennium U.S. workforce has me concerned. I think we're lazy and getting slow and, barring the exception to the rule, I think this is a fair statement.

With the advancement of technologies, we are being out performed by those who are working harder for less money. Forget global warming for a moment, our service industries have got the "OFFSHORE BLOB". Yes, The Blob, the 1958 classic Sci-Fi movie where a Jell-O-like ooze creeps around the floor gobbling things up. If you did not know it, you need to. Many service-based industries here in the U.S. have gone "subcontinent" to raise the bottom line. And the reason is, believe it or not, one (i.e. you) can get certain services for less/equal quality. Businesses need to make profit or they shut down - sometimes gracefully, and other times in "a ball of flames".

U.S. dependency on foreign trade and goods is, well, scary at best. I don't treasure the thought of losing a balance of trade in business, and I am not cool with a loss of manufacturing jobs. And I am even less cool with the trend to move our "high talent" services overseas. There are economies that drive choice and business decisions. Wake up: the War is about our high talent and middle class service jobs going elsewhere. Our U.S.-based economy is serviced-based.

Thus in 2008, my two cents: work hard and work as a team. It helps your company to work hard. Take the fuzzy part of the new millennium and turn it into profit for your business. Allow me to offer a list of thoughts to all who read this newsletter. These thoughts can make the difference. Excuse the boldness!

• Get timesheets in on time and stay on budget or the work will be shipped overseas.
• Running out the door at 5 o'clock IS noticed, as are Monday sick days. Lying is bad.
• Verizon dumped/downsized/retro'd their employees for too many demands; pushing the employer too much can result in getting "let go" no matter how you spin it or what the employer promises for retirement.

There are over 80,000 2007 professional Working Visa backlogs. Yes you/we can be replaced - and gladly in many cases. If you love the U.S. and want to grow this economy and want to work hard, you can. I don't care where you’re from as long as it’s legal.

Work harder mentally than the competition. "Solve the problem." "Add the value." Overseas competition does not possess horizontal skill sets to solve a problem that bridges disciplines. You can't solve a problem with Hewlett if you cross disciplines (i.e. the dispatch person never speaks with the repair guy).

Own the problem, don't pass the buck. Own a mistake. I am pretty sure the "offshore" competition does not empower decision making. Lastly, working hard must equal what the market is willing to pay. And overseas markets are doing it cheap, real cheap and we all need to know.

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Business: A Younger Perspective by Annie Chubbuck

It can be very difficult to be a young person in the business world. There are times you feel overwhelmed when a complicated task is placed in front of you, and it seems like everyone else in the office miraculously knows how to get the job done in half the time it takes you to do it.

Every business, no matter the industry, has a mix of people with very different backgrounds, ages, education and experience. It’s now 2008, and everyday there are young people, right out of school, trying to make their way in the professional world. It is hard at first, especially if you make mistakes while you are still learning. Sometimes you can even feel that others who have been there longer than you are looking down at you because you don’t have the same level of experience that they have. It can feel embarrassing to ask for help, but reaching out to the other team members of your office and asking for help or advice will make you feel more confident in the long run, and can help improve interoffice communication. By being part of the team you learn, not only about your job, but about life itself from the experiences of others around you. Even staff members who have been around since the company was started can learn something new from the younger generation. Little things like sitting with a new staff member to help walk them through their first timesheet, or saying good morning and asking how their weekend was can help promote growth; both as individuals and for the company as a whole.

I am one of the younger members of the DMC team, and I know that sometimes I stress out because I don’t know as much about business as others around me, but by asking for help when I need it and sitting down to watch others I’ve been able to learn a lot. No matter your age or experience, everyone has something they are able to contribute to the company, even if it’s just a small article for the newsletter. You just need to have a little faith in yourself, and know that it’s human to make a mistake, and that when you do, your coworkers will be there to help you set it right again.

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Database Maintenance and Backups

Did you know that DMC Accounting + Technology tests and maintains database backup files? Even though you are backing up on a daily basis you may still be at risk for data loss. It is important to perform integrity checks on every one of your backup files in order to know that they will successfully restore to their original states.

Many of our clients use SQL 2003 Enterprise Manager to host their databases and use the Maintenance Utility to perform backups automatically for them. This utility can also be configured to perform an “Integrity check” on every file it backs up. And even if you don't use SQL 2003, our IT personnel are familiar with all other major database utilities; viz. MSDE Console, Microsoft Access, Foxpro, Dbase, Backup tapes, etc. A full database restoration is recommended at least once a month, that is, creating a new database from scratch with one of your backup files and making sure that you have full functionality from this file. Data loss can put your company in a very difficult situation and really divert your attention away from your normal duties.

It is very common for DMC Accounting + Technology to VPN (remote connect) into a Database Server and perform a full test restoration; and the entire process only takes 30 to 60 minutes, a preventative cost that is well worth the full night’s rest it will bring. If you would like to know more about our test restoration services please give us a call (617-779-8806).

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My Experience with Deltek User Groups by Rebecca Byrnes

Prior to working at DMC Accounting + Technology, I worked for an Architecture and Engineering Firm using Deltek Advantage accounting software and an Energy Consulting Firm using Deltek Costpoint accounting software. Advantage and Vision software are similar applications while Costpoint is a totally different animal. All of these software packages are geared towards the professional service industry.

On November 9, 2007 I attended a Deltek User Group meeting at Continuum regarding the new features available on Vision 5.1. This user group brought to my attention the ease of use for reporting on Vision. Being an Advantage and Costpoint user of Deltek products, reporting has always been more difficult. With Vision no interactive reporting tools are needed. The report set-up is in the system itself. With ease Deb Eastberg, the Deltek presenter, showed the group how easy it was to take a Vision report and export it into excel. She was able to incorporate various fields into a formula and add columns quickly. Deb also talked about how the reports could be accessed by other employee’s as designated. Once a report was created, different groups of users could be given the right to review the reports. Emailing of these reports can also be used as part of the procedure.

Deltek continues to improve their reporting features. The Deltek user group was very informative. User groups are a good place to go and interact with other users. Many of the attendees had questions and were able to receive answers not only from the Deltek representative, but other Companies, as well. This February, DMC will host a User group on Vision regarding Security and Fraud, come join us and see what you can learn.

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Employee Recognition:

DMC Accounting + Technology recognizes the following employees for their excellence:

Guillaume Deflers

Some months ago, we introduced you to Guillaume Deflers, our Marketing Director. Guillaume just spent two weeks back in France (his birthplace), and while he was there celebrating the holidays with his family, he was successful in obtaining his new J-1 Visa. He will be spending the next year in a “training” mode at DMC Accounting + Technology Group, Ltd, where he will further explore new marketing avenues and opportunities, and will be challenged to fine tune his skills, some of which you can see displayed in this newsletter, in the various postcards that he has been sending, and in some of the changes he suggested for our website.

Joseph D.

Joseph D. is our resident IT “genius”, and he has really come into his own these past few months. He has spent quite a bit of time working with Doris learning how to process upgrades and conversions for our Advantage clients. He loves to figure out puzzles, and really dives in when faced with a problem. In addition to the IT issues, he is also the publisher for our website. He recently implemented the changes and additions that Guillaume had suggested. Please check it out at www.dmcsystems.com.

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