BBS MONTHLY BUZZ

A monthly email newsletter from Best Business Strategies

October 2024

In this issue:

  • -Sage 50 2025 Release Date
  • -How to use the Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup
  • -Avalara Sales Tax Calculation Add-0n

 

When is Sage 50 2025 being released?

From Sage's Community Hub Updated on 10/4/24

We wanted to let you know we are diligently working on some exciting enhancements to Sage 50, due out later in 2025, so we will not issue an interim release for 2024 this calendar year.  Rest assured, all support and services will continue as usual for the current product release (2024), until the next product version of Sage 50 US.  ❗Important! For payroll subscribers, we have released a payroll tax update in October and will be releasing another one in December 2024. Stay tuned for more information.     

Best Business Strategies would like to reiterate that Sage 50 security updates will still be ongoing behind the scenes during this time frame! Sage is dedicated to investing money in new enhancements to Sage 50, such as AI. Stay tuned for updates in the Community Hub's Sage 50 US Announcements forum. We will also provide you with the latest details through our newsletters and blog.

 

How to use the Microsoft 365 feature Cloud Backup

What is Microsoft 365 Cloud Backup?

Sage 50's Cloud Backup feature automatically backs up a company's file to Microsoft OneDrive as part of the Sage 50 Accounts integration with Microsoft 365:

  • Automatic backups: Set a backup schedule and let the software run in the background to back up your files. 
  • Manual backups: Create backups manually in addition to automatic backups. 
  • Notification emails: Set the software to send emails to multiple addresses with the backup status. 
  • Secure storage: Store backups in the cloud for secure data storage.

Prerequisites

✔️You must be in an active Sage 50 subscription and on the latest version of Sage 50.

✔️Your Sage 50 product must be activated.

✔️You must have a subscription to one of the following Microsoft 365 plans: Business Basic, Standard, Premium, or one of the Enterprise levels: E1, E3, or E5.

✔️Your business must be located in one of the 50 U.S. states or Washington D.C.

✔️You must have the Microsoft 365 Connector if you have Microsoft 365 through another provider.

✔️All cloud backup configuration must be done on the machine that holds the Sage 50 data (server).

✔️Sage 50 must be configured to run as an administrator.

✔️The computer must be powered on during the scheduled Cloud Backup, and the computer cannot be in sleep mode.

✔️None of the following components should be in power-saving mode: hard drive, NIC, or Wi-fi card.

✔️The Sage 50 program must be closed during the scheduled Cloud Backup.

✔️The Microsoft 365 user name you use to log in must have the Global Administrator role.

✔️While it is not a minimum requirement, it is recommended that you have an internet upload speed of 5 Mb/s or faster. If you have an upload speed of 2 Mb/s or slower, you may experience failures due to slow upload speeds.

✔️The sign-in token that authorizes the connection between Sage 50 and Microsoft 365 only lasts for a time frame that is slightly shorter than an hour before it expires. This means that if the speed of your internet connection in conjunction with the size of your backup means that sending your backup would take more than an hour, it's very likely your cloud backup would fail.

 Set up Cloud Backup Functionality

  1. Go to File, Cloud Backup, Cloud Backup Settings. (If you get a web page marketing Cloud Backup instead of a normal configuration window, then your Sage 50 product is not properly activated. See the steps in How to activate Sage 50—U.S. Edition).
  2. Click the Sign In button under Microsoft 365 Account Info.
  3. Enter your Microsoft 365 Email and Password.
  4. Click Accept to authorize Sage 50c access to your Microsoft Microsoft 365 account.

Make an On-demand Cloud Backup

  1. Go to File, Cloud Backup, Cloud Backup Settings.
  2. Click the Run Backup button on the Automatic Cloud Backup toolbar.
  3. Ensure all users are logged out of the company and click OK on the message to close the company.
  4. Enter user credentials, if user security is enabled in the company.

Schedule Cloud Backups to Run at Designated Times

  1. Verify that you are in the correct Sage 50 company.
  2. Go to File, Cloud Backup, Cloud Backup Settings.
  3. Check Create a cloud backup.
  4. Choose the time and day(s) you would like to schedule the backup.
  5. Check Logout users prior to running to backup, if you are running Sage 50 in a multi-user or network environment.
  6. Enter email recipients who should receive notification when the cloud backup is completed.
  7. After saving the settings, there is a task automatically added to the Windows Task Scheduler.

Do I need any other backup protection besides  Microsoft 365 Cloud?

Best Business Strategies strongly encourages you NOT to rely on Microsoft 365 Cloud backups alone! While Microsoft provides a robust and reliable cloud infrastructure, it doesn't comprehensively protect against data loss scenarios often outside their control, such as accidental deletions, insider threats, or sophisticated cyberattacks. 

 

Best Business Strategies uses Enveloc Remote Backup to protect our data!

Learn More

Avalara Sales Tax Add-on for Sage 50

Are you collecting sales tax everywhere you should? If you are not sure, you are not alone!

Since mid-2018, new tax compliance rules have been causing major headaches for American businesses. Known as economic nexus, the legislation means that if a business sells above a certain threshold in a location, they have to collect sales tax from buyers at that location’s rates.

Getting taxes right is more challenging than ever, but the Avalara Sales Tax add-on for Sage 50 can help!

Avalara can help automate sales and use tax compliance with greater accuracy, easy implementation, and faster ROI for any industry or business size.

 

Avalara for sales and use tax features:

  • Calculate rates with greater accuracy for millions of products across thousands of tax jurisdictions!
  • Seamless integration with Sage 50 for one-click integration and automated routing.
  • Follow rate changes for every address with geospatial targeting.
  • Track nexus and get alerts in each state with our interactive map.
  • Export and create consolidated reports for sales tax liabilities and exemptions.
  • Automate the assessment and accrual of consumer use tax, from calculation to reports to returns filing, for a complete Accounts Payable solution.

Watch the video to see Avalara in action.

Want to learn more?

Please Contact Us:

 

📨Allen@BestBusinessStrategies.com

 

☎️304-233-2612

 

or fill out the interest form below:

Avalara Interest Form
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