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Great Plains Dynamics on Pervasive SQL Support FAQ
Great Plains Software Dynamics is predecessor of Microsoft Dynamics GP or Microsoft Great Plains. In December 2004 Microsoft terminated support for version 7.5, the last version available on Pervasive SQL 2000 (former Btrieve) and Ctree/Faircom. Non Microsoft SQL Server version of Dynamics was recommended to be migrated to MSDE (MS SQL Server with restrictions). There were several licensing issues with this transition, one of them was capping employee count at 500 employees for Great Plains Standard (successor of Great Plains on Pervasive) – this cap made impossible for small payroll service firms to serve their clients (including corporations with high number of employees) out of Great Plains. We still see some number of GP Dynamics installations and we would like to give some support highlights in this small article:1. How to move on and upgrade to current version of GP? There are two sides: business and technical. Business side will require you to re enroll your company to Microsoft Business Solutions annual enhancement program, if you are not current (more likely the case since you are on very old version of Dynamics). Annual enhancement is percentage of software price list, around 16-18%, plus expect re enrollment fee above that. When you are back in enhancement program – you get reg key for newest and previous versions of GP. Technical side is not very difficult – there is migration tool, which will allow you to migrate to Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or 2005 based version (path depends on your circumstances), you will need professional GP consulting firm to do this job2. Typical support issues. One of the most popular support topics is Location Translation problem. In order to understand location translation for Btrieve or Ctree you should be aware, that these DB platforms require user workstation data request processing (opposite to SQL Server case – where GP workstation sends tabular text request to SQL Server and waits the response). This means that your user computer, where you have GP workstation installed should know where server data is located (exact directory and path to your Dynamics and companies folders). Now if you move your GP database to new server or different stand along workstation, the old location typically changes and you need to do so-called location translation procedure. This location translation scenario is typically complicated with Btrieve kernel and requester settings, manifesting when you move GP data to new computer3. GP on Pervasive Data repair techniques. Our favorite instrument is Microsoft Access, where we make ODBC links to Great Plains tables. This tool will allow you to have Access queries to GP database and if it not a full featured SQL connection, it is in most of the cases efficient to data repair needs4. Crystal Reports to Pervasive SQL database. Here you work through ODBC connection to Btrieve DB. Based on the connection method you either deploy Dexterity keys or do ad hoc select statements to the data (which is slower)5. Microsoft SQL Server Linked Server technique. This is another hint on hooking up Pervasive SQL 2000 data via ODBC connection, in this case you should consider building heterogeneous SQL queries with Openrowset statements
Internet Security Threats To Watch For in 2018
Concisely, according to the conspicuous report from The World Economic Forum’s 2018 Global Risks Report stated cyber security as the third biggest hazardous condition after the natural catastrophes like drastic weather scenario and calamity disasters. Whereas, the approximate quantity of web attacks during the first quarter of this year would seem to validate the accuracy of this prediction. Furthermore, in accordance with the web experts and their calculations of previous internet threats it is assumed that in the coming years cyber crime might be the most lucrative business than illegal drug sales and consummation. Indeed the most precarious network menace of 2018 includes some of these varieties:Advanced Persistent Threats:As the name indicates that Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) are malignant to network industry for these sorts of strikes not only linger for months but in some extreme cases they tend to adhere to the web programmes for years. They are specifically designed to roam laterally through the structure and operating software of your system and rob your private databases for unsolicited purposes. Moreover, APT is fashioned to afflict through applications like emails and versatile websites of common use. Hence, it is wise to back up your digital information against it.Weaponized Artificial Intelligence:The Artificial Intelligence provides us with the excellent protection measures against unlawful activities related to any field. However, when the cyber felons are involved in using this technique to attain their own fraudulent activities then every web user have to be cautious of it. This type of AI is known as Weaponized Artificial Intelligence which tends to devastate its consumer rather than build them. Many notorious hackers are incorporated through this tool to embezzle major internet industries of the market.Phishing:Phishing is a detrimental ambush to procure exclusive details of the individuals such as usernames, passwords and credit cards descriptions by concealing as a reliable unit in electronic organization. Hence, it is important for companies to tackle this tactic because it not only discloses their private information but also causes other internet threats to install and demolish your establishments. Indeed the most efficient web developer or employee with good security training session can fall into prey of this jeopardy.Mobile Malware:Comprehensively, Mobile Malware is installed into your smart phones and iPhone devices either by apps stores or online buying of apps. Notorious malware like Trojans, keyloggers are increasing day by day to infringe the software of your digital phones. Even most of the time the naïve users following some sites unknowingly grant the access to such installation that later becomes an illegitimate app to cause damage and loss of data.IoT Botnets:IoT refers to the Internet of Things which is not only composed of computers but industrial appliances, vehicles, household equipments and many other similar devices that tends to operate and possesses an IP address and also transmit data to one another. Whereas, Botnets regards to the hijacking of someone’s computer without their knowledge and thus re programmed to be used for malicious activities on digital web through that device. So, nowadays these Botnets have entered successfully into the IoT related gadgets and create a serious instability and vulnerability to the users and developers. Hence, this is most dangerous kind of attack on the internet applications, software and databases.Conclusively, it is quite obvious that the organizations should brace themselves against such endangerments because these cyber crimes are not uncontrollable, however, once the deterioration is done the enterprise establishments have to take long period of time to reboot, rearrange and recover.
Commercial Loans: How You Win Even If You Lose
I was contemplating the economy, increasing interest rates, slowing real estate sales, and the possibility of us being in a real estate market “top” when I thought about how to protect myself against a potential fall in prices. My best choice for making an investment that would make sense in this environment had to be commercial real estate. Before I get to why, let me introduce you to an interesting extension of a concept long used in investment real estate: Other People’s Money (OPM). I would have asked Killer, my 21-year-old-real-estate-guru-wondercat to explain this, but he was taking another nap (wouldn’t you, if you were his relative age???).We all understand the basic OPM approach for investment property: Get some investors together, pool their money, buy a property together, and get a piece of the action for selecting and managing the property. This is a time tested method for growing a portfolio of commercial properties and a (nearly) passive income stream.? But this is not the only aspect of OPM in commercial real estate.Have you stopped to consider that the real estate loan you get from a lender, be it a bank, insurance company, conduit, or private source, is also OPM?? You should – it wasn’t yours and it came from someone else (depositors, investors, etc.)! So on the face of it, between the down payment and the loan, you can easily acquire an interest in commercial real estate without using a cent of your own money!But wait, there’s more! Did you realize that your tenants are providing a stream of cash from which you pay the expenses, make repairs, or service the debt?? In the final analysis, commercial real estate and other investment property are nothing more than a glorified bond – a series of regular payments. In this case, the bond happens to be made of sticks and bricks! But once again, the money you are receiving from your tenants is OPM. The important point here is that as you grow this income stream over time, your property’s value should also be increasing. But even if your investment property goes down in value, you’ll still make money!Hang on, because there is one more source of OPM to consider before I prove you win even if you lose. It’s called -depreciation. I know that you just went “huh.” So please, let me explain. Our tax code allows us to pretend that a piece of real property “wears out” over time (well, it does – but that’s another topic for another day). This wearing out is based upon a formula and in its simplest form allows an investor to reduce the original value of the improvements (not the land) by about 1/27th per year. We debit this amount against any net income the property might earn and it ends up sheltering some of this income from taxation. It’s OPM because without that deduction, you’d be paying a portion of your net income to our government. Isn’t this a great country?
Given all of this, how can we still “win when we lose” in commercial real estate? Let’s use an example. We buy a small retail property for $1MM that provides a net operating income (NOI) of $75,000 (a cap of 7.5%). If you raise $250M as a down payment and get a $750M loan at 6.5% for 25 years, you’ll have a net cash flow of about $14,200 in the first year. We’ll ignore increases in rent over time and we’ll get about $29M per year in depreciation, sheltering our net income and giving us another $4,500 per year in tax savings against other income*. Finally, let’s hold the property for 10 years and sell it at a big-time loss for $800M.How did we make out?With a sales price of $800,000 and a loan balance of $581,335, we get cash back of $218,664 (I’m ignoring closing costs). We’ve earned $142,000 in rent, $45,000 in tax savings, for a total income of $405,664. We pay back the $250,000 and we’ve made $155,664.So – we still made money when selling our property for a 20% loss and never put any of our own money at risk! So here’s the lesson for today: If you have to make an investment, consider commercial real estate very, very strongly and by all means, use someone else’s money.* The depreciation calculation assumed a 27.5 year straight-line on the 80% of the property’s value, leases were assumed to be NNN, and the combined tax bracket only 30% on other income.
Posted in Finance
Tagged Commercial Loans, Credit, Credit Tips, Currency Trading, Finance, Leases Leasing, loans, Personal Finance, Personal Loans, Student Loans
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All About Reclaimed Wooden Furniture
There can’t be any iota of doubt over the fact that recycled or reclaimed wooden furniture pieces have their own unique depth, warmth, color and dimension. Besides, reclaimed wooden furniture has a feel which no other types of furniture have.The superbly crafted and handmade recycled or reclaimed wooden furniture are adorning several homes these days. A vast majority of wooden furniture manufacturers today are manufacturing such types of furniture. Even large wholesalers and international exporters are dealing in recycled furniture. So much so that many manufacturers, who had earlier specialized in the making of first-hand furniture only, are now making pieces that are made from recycled wood sourced from old furniture, bridges, buildings, old barns and even wine barrels. All over the world, recycling is witnessing a huge demand.Following are some of the reasons behind the popularity of reclaimed furnitureUnique appealItems manufactured from recycled wood sports an antique, unique and aesthetic appeal. It looks very natural and rich. Reclaimed wood has a special character that can’t be found in new wood. The character rendered by reclaimed wood to the interiors of a home is incomparable.Eco-friendlyReclaimed or recycled wood has played a vital role in protecting the environment. Anyone concerned about the sudden climatic change, rapid deforestation, global warming and sundry other environmental concerns, would go for such type of furniture as it gives a new lease of life to old resources. No wonder furniture manufacturers are making more of such items which mean that countless trees can continue to grow.Stability and durabilityItems made from recycled wood are more durable and a lot sturdier than any other type of wood.Cost effectiveCompared to new wooden furniture, recycled furniture is cost effective. Recycled wooden furniture is usually offered at a discount by furniture manufacturers. But that certainly doesn’t mean that such types of items are of inferior quality.There are several uses of recycled wood. It’s used by manufacturers to make decks, panels, floors and other architectural details as well as designing offices and houses.There’s an extensive variety and types of wood that are reclaimed for making several types of furniture. Such woods include antique oak, elm, antique pine, Douglas fir, Hickory, heart pine and others.Recycled furniture is finding an increasing demand from manufacturers. Almost all countries across the world have enacted stringent laws against cutting and felling of trees. While this has led to the obvious price escalation of wood, it has also led to the appearance of alternative furniture made from plastic and metal. But this type of furniture is hardly any match for wooden furniture. Recycled furniture, on the other hand, is a good option for those who want to buy quality furniture at affordable rates. Furniture exporters too have sensed the worldwide demand for recycled furniture and are pressing furniture manufacturers to make more such furniture.Hence, one can say undoubtedly that more number of homes would sport reclaimed furniture in the coming days giving a new lease of life to old wood.
The Payday Loan Option
In today’s financial climate it is nice to have options to get cash when you need it. Many people have friends or relatives who they can turn to when they get behind on bills, but others may not be so fortunate. The latter groups of people are those who find that payday loans are a viable option, an option that gives them the ability to access cash quickly and at a reasonable rate as compared to the alternatives of destroyed credit and outrageous bank fees.I have been in the payday loan business for about five years, prior to that I had a good Federal job and was just two years away from being fully vested in my Federal retirement. My job was privatized and overnight, my Federal retirement was out the window. I had two options: to continue to work for the contractor 800 miles away for the same pay and no retirement benefits or to do something different. I started to look for something different. Luckily during my Federal career I had been steadily investing in small real estate projects and had some resources to work with. I looked at a large number of real estate based businesses but one day I came across an opportunity to buy into a payday loan corporation. At first I didn’t really understand the industry and couldn’t really understand why people used this type of business. My “ah-ha” moment came on the day when I got a call from my son who was in college at the time. He said he needed money because he had been overdrawn at the bank and didn’t know it. He had been using his debit card for a variety of small purchases like gas, slurpees, fast food, etc. The bank continued to allow his debit card to charge these items while charging $25.00 for each and every transaction for which he was “over drawn” resulting in “over draft fees”. By the time he figured out what was going on, he was $275.00 in debt to the bank for fees on his 11 transactions. From this point on, I started to realize the fallout for a lot of Americans who fall behind on their bills and don’t have credit options available to them.Here are some of the things that I have since learned about the payday loan industry. Payday loan stores started to spring up in the 1990s due to a number of factors taking place in the financial industry. Traditional banks were exiting small dollar, short term lending due to the high cost structure and high risk nature of this type of lending. In addition they saw the path of least resistance to higher profits as higher fees, higher NSF (non-sufficient funds check) fees and over draft protection fees. In short, the banks saw an opportunity in Americans’ lack of access to short term credit. These factors combined created a demand for a source of short term credit. Good old American capitalism provided a solution, payday loans.Detractors of the industry like to use APR (annual percentage rate) to describe why payday loans are expensive. An APR is the cost of borrowing money as if it were based on a 1 year loan. Payday loans are not one year loans; they are usually anywhere between 10 day and 30 day loans or up until your next payday. In the same way you would pay $35 for a 5 minute cab ride across town, you wouldn’t pay $7 per minute to rent or own a car. If you did your one day rental rate would be $10,008. But for the sake of this argument, let’s play by the payday industry critics rules and use APRs.So let’s compare costs of payday loans as compared to the alternative. We will look at 3 examples: a payday loan, a bounced check, and my son’s overdraft fee.How a payday loan compares:$100 payday loan with a $15 fee for two weeks = 391% APR $100 bounce check with a $35 NSF and $20 merchant fee for 1 day = 20,231% APR $1.59 slurpee at C store with a $25.00 overdraft fee for 1 day = 583,770% APRNow multiply the money the bank profited on their “overdraft protection” from my son on this transaction and multiply that by the 11 overdraft fees over the 7 days he used the card before he knew he was overdrawn. These are the simple truths about the industry that are often times glossed over by the industry critics.
Important Employment and Labor Law Provisions in Los Angeles
In the United States, the Department of Labor takes charge in implementing above 180 laws that are related to employment. Hence, if you are working in Los Angeles, California, you might as well be covered by these provisions, which possibly give you rights and privileges as well as set rules in various aspects of labor and employment.This is the main reason why it is indeed important for all the employers and employees to understand some basic principles of the Employment and Labor Laws. By having knowledge about it, you will be more familiar with the procedures on how to handle any violation. Yet, you may still depend on the expertise of Los Angeles Employment and Labor Law attorneys if, still, you find it hard to handle your situation.Major Laws Intended for Labor and Employment The following law provisions commonly apply to employers, employees, retirees, job seekers and other individuals or parties who play a part in the employment sector. This summary is intended to lay down some important information regarding labor law compliance and privileges. For a detailed knowledge about these laws, better read the whole provisions or have a consultation with your employment attorney in Los Angeles.Workplace Safety and Health Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers have the general obligation to provide their workers with jobs and workplaces, which are free from any identifiable and serious risks. Any violation regarding this provision may be brought up to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is the agency tasked to implement injunctions for such non-compliances among the public sector employees.Worker’s Compensation Federal employees may take the advantage of benefits payments due to loss of wages caused by their total or partial disability. This also includes payments to cover other related medical expenses and vocational rehabilitation. The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act applies to those workers who have obtained disability or died in performing their duties.Among other statutes related to Worker’s Compensation are:Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act – maritime employeesEnergy Employees Illness Compensation Program Act – Department of Energy employeesBlack Lung Benefits Act – coal minersWages and Hours The Fair Labor Standards Act covers both private and public employers. This particular law sets the standard of paying wages as well as overtime hours for covered workers. Added details about this statute may be obtained from the Wage and Hour Division of the Employment Standards Administration, which administers the act.Employee Benefits Security Another useful law that regulates pension and welfare benefit plans offered by employers to their workers is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or commonly known as ERISA Law. This requires various conditions regarding employees’ pension and welfare benefit plans and other related issues. The agency regulating this act is the Employee Benefits Security Administration.Family and Medical Leave Act This Labor Law provision compel all employers with at least 50 workers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to qualified employees without the threat of reassignment to other job position. Employees may take their unpaid leave for these causes:Giving birthTaking care of a newborn or adopted childCaring for spouse, children or parents having serious illnessThese are just some of the important Employment and Labor Laws. If you feel that your employer has violated any of these provisions, act immediately and seek the aid of your Los Angeles Employment and Labor Law attorneys. You may be entitled of compensatory damages or recoveries.
Posted in Employment
Tagged casual employment, employ employment, employment, employment at will, employment bond, employment contract, employment gap, employment law, employment lawyer, employment news, gaps employment, the employment
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Will Online Yoga Videos Replace Yoga DVDs?
Although people have been doing yoga for many (thousands of) years, the techniques of how you learn it have changed. Yoga DVD’s were once very popular, and although they are still as popular as ever, a new form of yoga teaching has emerged. People are now using online yoga videos to learn this amazing relaxation program. Although you may think this can be very difficult, it is proving to be very popular and more people are logging on to learn the latest moves and techniques.If you don’t have the time to attend yoga classes full-time, then you may feel that online classes are more convenient for you. Sometimes you may not have a class near to where you live or the times of the classes just do not fit around your busy work schedule. In these cases, you are going to want to practice yoga at home. That basically leaves you with two options. Home yoga DVDs or online yoga instruction. There are both advantages and disadvantages to either option, and you should look at all of these before deciding to sign up for online classes.DVD yoga classes tend to be more rigid. Yes, you may be able to select between a few different sequences in the menu, such as a quick or extended versions, but in the end, what you get on the disc is what you get on the disc. That content is not going to change unless you buy another DVD. And if you outgrow a disc because you’ve advanced beyond its basic level, you are left with a glorified coaster or more trash for our landfills. Not so with online yoga classes. Because of the format, instructors are able to post updates to their websites. Some even offer subscriptions or memberships that allow you to stream or download new content as it is posted. As you progress through the levels you just access the new videos. There is also the possibility to communicate with the instructor, through email, or sometimes through chat. This is one of the key advantages to choosing online yoga videos over DVDs for home study. Not to mention that you can have access instantly. No waiting for a DVD to arrive in the mail.One of the disadvantages of yoga online is that you need a computer or an internet connected device to view the videos. For a lot of people, that’s going to be a deal breaker. They have their computer set up on a desk in their office or let’s just say its not in the best place to bust out a shoulder-stand. But with the advent of internet connected televisions and portable devices such as the iPad, more and more people now have access in their living rooms and can watch an online yoga video just as easily as they could watch a DVD on the biggest screen in the house.If you do yoga on a regular basis then you will see the vast improvements to your body and you will experience the feeling of your body being more subtle. All of the stress and strains that you experience on a daily basis can be eliminated and you will feel so much healthier. Many of the websites that you can use are free or charge a minimal fee so they are very appealing to people. They will often have videos as well as instructional pieces to read. These guides will help you to learn the moves that you need to be doing.Depending on what level of yoga you are up to, will determine what type of classes you will need to be watching. There are several different categories of yoga and you will need to research them to fully understand which ones you will need to be learning. Learning through online methods can be great for your lifestyle and you will be able to fit the classes in whenever it suits you. If you are finding some of the techniques difficult then there is no pressure to rush through them. You can go at your own pace and learn them slowly. You can also select which techniques you want to learn and it isn’t as strict as a DVD class.Although following the online yoga classes are great if you are on vacation and there is no internet connection then you will struggle. That’s going to be one disadvantage. Of course you may very well find yourself without a DVD player too. Another thing to consider is that you may also find that your internet provider is not good enough for you to stream the classes very well. But overall, there are very few problems with getting the online classes, and if you have the technology then you can watch them on your portable device in the park so you can do your yoga in the fresh air.So will online yoga replace yoga DVDs? It may be coming, but for the time being, both are going to be good options for the home practitioner. There are so many great benefits to having your yoga classes online that it is no surprise that more and more people are choosing this option. Is it right for you? That’s another question only you can answer. Technology is an amazing thing and we should try to embrace it and move with the times, but ultimately it is your choice as to which is the best option for you.
Posted in Health
Tagged Acne, Anti Aging, Beauty, Cosmetic Surgery, Diabetes, Drug Abuse, Health and Fitness, Massage, Meditation, Nutrition, Personal Training, Popular Diets, Skin Care, Spa and Wellness, Speech Pathology, Weight Loss, Yoga
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Keep These 5 Rules in Mind for Successful Commercial Designing
Who doesn’t want an excellent commercial design? Excellent commercial design is important to maintain the reputation and brand image of the company. As it is said, the first impression is the last impression, a good impression always attracts potential customers. It’s obvious no one would ever love to walk in a congested environment with bad lighting.
Bad design and interiors deteriorate the productivity of the employees. It can be a confusing task when planning a commercial designing project for the first time, hiring expert Commercial Architects Melbourne can be the best option to know about the latest trends and perfect matching designs.
This blog is about some basic rules to consider for making the commercial project successful.
Keep structures versatile
When it comes to transforming any commercial space, focusing on convertibility and keeping office interior decor versatile can be the best option. It can be done by implementing a versatile structure to spaces such as cafeterias, offices, and many more. Everyone gives preference to comfort hence, focusing on spatial and versatile design will help to complete commercial designing projects in an optimal way.
Consider the latest technology implementations
Technology plays a supportive role to enhance the commercial designing project. Moving forward with the latest technology is important to execute any business smoothly because technologies make the work much easier and comfortable for the employee as well as organizations. Implementing centralized and decentralized digital control is much needed in any commercial design.
Keep office aesthetics updated
Good aesthetics and interiors impact the overall representation of the office and make the place functional and attractive. Hire a reputed designer for modern décor and furniture ideas. Hiring a designer reduces half of the project stress and helps to meet the contemporary fashion and latest trends. They can help to choose the perfect theme that blends well with the office decor, atmosphere, and colour.
Provide personalized space to prevent congestion
Majority of customer prefers personalized space such as different seating to seat comfortably and do the personal work. Personalized space is one of the crucial factors for customer-based service offices such as hotels and cafeterias to provide an ambient and comfortable place.
Always keep safety first
Safety is the central feature of every construction and designing project. Hence, it’s the high-priority factor to keep the aesthetic and functional safety at the working place. It can be compromised for interior decoration and design purposes but it’s not at all affordable to compromise for safety purposes.
Following the above useful ideas can easily help in the successful completion of a commercial designing project in a safe and pleasing way. In today’s, modern construction, reliability, and comfort is also an equally important factor.
Final words,
It’s important to hire the experienced Building designer Melbourne to make the commercial designing project worthy. Hope the above rules helped you to scale up your interior designing projects with a better outcome. Follow the above tips for any renovation or remodelling project and surely you will get award-winning and achieve a better office experience.