Notes from President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

Recently, the company that provides our hosting service for using CenterPoint in the cloud implemented Multi-Factor-Authentication (MFA). MFA provides an additional level of security for accessing information stored outside the walls of your operation.
In some cases, the website you are accessing requires this authentication every time you log in to your account. In the case of Red Wing® Cloud Services (CenterPoint in the cloud), this authorization will occur each month when you log in for the first time at each unique location. People that use Cloud Services will receive an email with a code that must be entered to gain access to their program.
When websites I use started requiring this new level of security, I became somewhat frustrated with the process. Now that many websites require authentication, I feel more comfortable with it, and I am changing some of my logins to require MFA when I access my accounts on their websites.
There are far too many bad actors trying to access personal information for me not to be as careful as possible.

Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

While thinking about a subject for this month’s message, a friend stepped into my office and said I should write an article about AI. I’m sure he meant Artificial Intelligence, but since it seems everyone is writing about that, and I’m certainly no expert on it, I thought a better topic might be Accounting Information (AI).
There are several ways to capture and store financial data. It can be kept on paper, in a spreadsheet, in a database, or in any number of accounting systems. In my opinion, data has little value until it is turned into useful information. Information can help you make informed decisions, while data is just a bunch of numbers.
At Red Wing Software, our goal is to give you the tools to get good information out of your data by first asking: “What do our customers need to make good management decisions?” We then attempt to find the best way to get data into the software so you have the tools to get the good information you need for useful reports. To help get this accomplished, we have a knowledgeable team of support people to answer your questions about using your software.
With all this Accounting Information (AI), we continuously live our vision: Creating the Best Management Software Experience.

Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

January 2024 is now in the books. All W-2s, 1099s, and many other forms should be completed, and the reports for the fourth quarter of 2023 should be completed and filed. Many companies were required to file electronically this year for the first time, as the threshold for electronic filing was reduced from 250 to 10 forms.
The end of any year and into the first of the following year is always an exciting time for Red Wing Software as we scramble to change tax tables and forms in our products so our customers are assured of having the most up-to-date information for their calculations.
January is the busiest time for our support team, and many other staff members step in to help with the increased call load. I’m happy to say our dedicated team maintained an exceptional rate of over 95% of calls being taken as they come in with very short hold times for the few that didn’t get picked up in real-time.
I hope everyone had a great start to the new year.

Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

I have just three short notes for you this month:
First, I hope everyone had a joyous holiday season.
Second, January has historically been the busiest month here at Red Wing Software. With everyone closing their 2023 books, beginning 2024, and ensuring their payroll information is up to date, our support lines light up. We have prepared internally for this by getting everyone ready to answer your calls. You can ensure that you have a smooth transition to the new year by reviewing the documents available in the online help, and in this newsletter, that answer frequently asked questions about your software. You can also get additional information by visiting the Help section on our website. Please take advantage of the great documents our Technical Writer, Connie, provides to help make using your software easier.
Finally, I thank our dedicated Red Wing Software team members, our loyal customers, and our hard-working partners and vendors for a successful 2023. I wish everyone a happy, safe, and successful New Year.

Notes from the President

Ken Hilton - President Red Wing Software

I’ve mentioned the importance of continuing education in any career several times in this column. I believe it’s never too late to learn new things, no matter how old I get.
I recently attended the American Society of Agricultural Consultants (ASAC) annual meeting and conference. I’ve been a member and attended every meeting since the 1980s, and in the beginning, I was impressed with all the expertise I could take advantage of from the older members. I felt I was a bit out of place in the group as a new member, and I could never attain the level of knowledge exhibited by the members. Now, as one of the more seasoned members (older), I continue to be impressed, but now it’s by all the knowledge in the younger members, and I still feel I have a lot to learn.
Part of the conference was a tour that included a company that builds autonomous sprayers, a recycling center, and a vineyard and winery. While all these things are considerably outside my day-to-day routine, it’s amazing how things I learned can be related to my world.
I encourage everyone to take advantage of educational opportunities and continue expanding their knowledge in or outside their area of expertise, especially topics outside their comfort zone.
On a different subject, as I write this, it’s Veterans Day, and I want to sincerely thank all who have served and sacrificed for our country. I also wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season.