Seeing the recent severe weather devastation throughout the central United States has a tendency to put things into perspective. Our thoughts and prayers go to all those affected by the disaster. It sure makes Minnesota winters easier to handle.

We know that some of our valued customers were directly affected by the tornadoes. As a company, we at Red Wing Software will do what we can to help our clients who were affected by the storms get back to business and resume some sort of normal operations.

If you are subjected to a disaster of any kind, we will do whatever we can to help minimize the impact on your business recordkeeping tasks. Please call on us if replacement software is needed, help is needed re-installing programs or backups, or for any other task that our support staff can assist with.

This is a good time to remind everyone about the importance of data backups and disaster recovery plans. We can help with the replacement of your programs, but it’s up to you to have current copies of your data. Please count on the staff at Red Wing Software to help in any way we can.

Red Wing Software customer Mason Dixon Farms was featured in the April issue of Dairy Today in the article, “Doyle’s Rules.” The management team of Doyle Waybright; his brothers, Bert, Alan and Joel; and several other family members are constantly looking for new dairy technology to continue to build on their operations success. To read the entire article, click here.

CenterPoint Accounting and Payroll customer, Homestead Dairy, was featured in the April 10, 2014 issue of Hoard’s Dairyman. In the article, “Technology Moves Them Forward,” Brian Houin of Homestead Dairy discusses how he is always looking for new and unique ways to improve the efficiency of his operation, and searching for the next best thing that will keep his farm moving forward.

Aatrix provides the tax forms and tax filing services, seamlessly from all Red Wing Software products. They recently conducted a survey, and found some very good satisfaction among customers!

FindAccountingSoftware.com offers some great information about data transfer here.

Accounting Software Data Migration: Pulling Back the Curtain

By Stephanie Elsen

All businesses can benefit by implementing accounting software. Manufacturers have their own specific set of needs when it comes to setting up and maintaining an accounting system, especially when it comes to inventory. With the right system, a manufacturer can increase profits, streamline practices, and keep customers happy. Here are some of the most important features within an accounting system and inventory management for manufacturers, along with their benefits.

Assemblies

‘Assemblies’ is a term that refers to creating finished products from other component items in your inventory within your accounting system. Once you set up inventory components and organize which ones are used to create the finished item (“assembly”), you can move forward with production. You enter which assembly items to be produced, and the system will pull the necessary component items out of inventory, and let you know what is needed. (It will also show you whether you need to order any missing components.) Using assemblies helps you understand your profits, streamline your order management, and stay organized.

Bill of Materials

A bill of materials is a list of materials to be used for an assembly process. When you create a production plan to build your assemblies, the system looks at what you are building and then looks at the supplies that are needed for that plan. A bill of materials lists what is needed, and what is available or not available in your inventory.

Costing Method

User specified costing method, ranging from LIFO, FIFO, average or standard. Generally your accountant can help you determine the best costing method for your organization, and your accounting system should be set up accordingly.

Item Alias

Item alias refers to the ability to give inventory items alternative names for easier lookup of name variations. When you have a long list of inventory items, it can be difficult to remember exactly what each item is called. Setting up each item with an alias, or alternate name, can help you find inventory items in the accounting software more easily.

Physical Inventory Count

Taking a physical inventory count allows you to update your on hand quantities and adjust for accuracy. Accounting systems typically have a tool that allows you to print documents that aid in the process of collecting a physical inventory count.

Pricing Method

A pricing method allows you to specify, on an item by item basis, how to calculate the price of the item. Common pricing methods include: fixed price, markup based on cost, gross profit margin based on cost, percentage of base price, other. Your accounting system should accommodate the pricing system that works for how you calculate pricing for your products.

Serial/Lot Number Tracking

Certain types of products carry serial or lot numbers, and those numbers need to be tracked by the manufacturer. The ability to track serial and lot numbered items within your accounting program is more organized and more easily accessible than tracking them on a spreadsheet or by hand.

Multiple Units of Measure

If you purchase products in one unit of measure and sell in a different unit of measure, you will need to the ability for your accounting software to handle that capability. Managing multiple units of measure within your accounting software allows you to keep inventory numbers accurate and streamline the order entry process.

Make the most of your accounting system by using features that are designed to help manufacturers! CenterPoint Accounting Software has the tools manufacturers need to manage their inventory. Visit the CenterPoint Accounting Software product page to learn more.