Sage 100

Has anyone automated check and ACH printing using the business objects or another method?  I have a customer that has it's bank print and mail all of the checks.  The file they send to the bank is created from check history.  Currently,  the Sage 100 checks are "printed" (to a file) and the check register is updated manually.  I am looking for suggestions for automating the check selection, printing, and updating process.

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------

Interesting.   Looking forward to reading the ideas generated here.    Though I am always amazed at the reluctance of users to use vendor ACH processing to use the system as it was designed.

I  have a client that has a third party payment center process their payments.  We developed an Access DB that creates the TPA payment file which they upload to a website.  They run the Sage check processing cycle, then click on menu on the Access switchboard that fires off script to build the payment file.  They have used it for four years or so.  they are happy with it.

------------------------------
Jeff Schwenk
FORMER 90M Board Member -140,000,000 is a TERRIBLE thing to waste!!!
Bottomline Software, Inc.
Waynesboro VA
540-221-4444
------------------------------

@Jeff Schwenk  What your client is doing is similar.  They have an SSIS job that reads the check history SQL tables and creates a file that gets uploaded to the bank.  IT is wondering if we can up our game and make the whole process automatic.  I am not sure if what we would gain is worth the effort as it only takes a minute to print the checks and reports to pdf and then manually update the tables.​

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:31
From: Jeff Schwenk
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Interesting.   Looking forward to reading the ideas generated here.    Though I am always amazed at the reluctance of users to use vendor ACH processing to use the system as it was designed.

I  have a client that has a third party payment center process their payments.  We developed an Access DB that creates the TPA payment file which they upload to a website.  They run the Sage check processing cycle, then click on menu on the Access switchboard that fires off script to build the payment file.  They have used it for four years or so.  they are happy with it.

------------------------------
Jeff Schwenk
FORMER 90M Board Member -140,000,000 is a TERRIBLE thing to waste!!!
Bottomline Software, Inc.
Waynesboro VA
540-221-4444
------------------------------

Completely automating an AP process, so money goes out the door without a human being eyeballing the numbers?  I can't imagine any competent business leaders would approve that.

------------------------------
Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:52
From: Doug Higgs
Subject: Automated Check Printing

@Jeff Schwenk  What your client is doing is similar.  They have an SSIS job that reads the check history SQL tables and creates a file that gets uploaded to the bank.  IT is wondering if we can up our game and make the whole process automatic.  I am not sure if what we would gain is worth the effort as it only takes a minute to print the checks and reports to pdf and then manually update the tables.​

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:31
From: Jeff Schwenk
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Interesting.   Looking forward to reading the ideas generated here.    Though I am always amazed at the reluctance of users to use vendor ACH processing to use the system as it was designed.

I  have a client that has a third party payment center process their payments.  We developed an Access DB that creates the TPA payment file which they upload to a website.  They run the Sage check processing cycle, then click on menu on the Access switchboard that fires off script to build the payment file.  They have used it for four years or so.  they are happy with it.

------------------------------
Jeff Schwenk
FORMER 90M Board Member -140,000,000 is a TERRIBLE thing to waste!!!
Bottomline Software, Inc.
Waynesboro VA
540-221-4444

We have the invoice approval and payment approval process covered.  There is a front end approval process.  Only invoices that are also approved for payment get entered into the front end system.  We have a Sage 100 API that integrates with the front end API.  The Sage 100 API POSTs invoices and updates the invoice register.

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 12:04
From: Kevin Moyes
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Completely automating an AP process, so money goes out the door without a human being eyeballing the numbers?  I can't imagine any competent business leaders would approve that.

------------------------------
Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:52
From: Doug Higgs
Subject: Automated Check Printing

@Jeff Schwenk  What your client is doing is similar.  They have an SSIS job that reads the check history SQL tables and creates a file that gets uploaded to the bank.  IT is wondering if we can up our game and make the whole process automatic.  I am not sure if what we would gain is worth the effort as it only takes a minute to print the checks and reports to pdf and then manually update the tables.​

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:31
From: Jeff Schwenk
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Interesting.   Looking forward to reading the ideas generated here.    Though I am always amazed at the reluctance of users to use vendor ACH processing to use the system as it was designed.

I  have a client that has a third party payment center process their payments.  We developed an Access DB that creates the TPA payment file which they upload to a website.  They run the Sage check processing cycle, then click on menu on the Access switchboard that fires off script to build the payment file.  They have used it for four years or so.  they are happy with it.

------------------------------
Jeff Schwenk
FORMER 90M Board Member -140,000,000 is a TERRIBLE thing to waste!!!
Bottomline Software, Inc.
Waynesboro VA
540-221-4444

Our intent is to automate the update of the invoice payment selection and check  printing process.  All unpaid invoices have already been approved for payment in the payment request web portal. Selecting and printing, whether by a human, or automated could have limited internal controls, and those controls could be automated using messages, logs, email, etc.  The primary control exist before a human enters the invoice in the payment request system.  Also, this company uses a cash basis accounting method  ie there are no accounts payable.  Expenses are recorded when paid and revenue is recorded when cash is received..

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 12:36
From: Doug Higgs
Subject: Automated Check Printing

We have the invoice approval and payment approval process covered.  There is a front end approval process.  Only invoices that are also approved for payment get entered into the front end system.  We have a Sage 100 API that integrates with the front end API.  The Sage 100 API POSTs invoices and updates the invoice register.

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 12:04
From: Kevin Moyes
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Completely automating an AP process, so money goes out the door without a human being eyeballing the numbers?  I can't imagine any competent business leaders would approve that.

------------------------------
Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:52
From: Doug Higgs
Subject: Automated Check Printing

@Jeff Schwenk  What your client is doing is similar.  They have an SSIS job that reads the check history SQL tables and creates a file that gets uploaded to the bank.  IT is wondering if we can up our game and make the whole process automatic.  I am not sure if what we would gain is worth the effort as it only takes a minute to print the checks and reports to pdf and then manually update the tables.​

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:31
From: Jeff Schwenk
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Interesting.   Looking forward to reading the ideas generated here.    Though I am always amazed at the reluctance of users to use vendor ACH processing to use the system as it was designed.

I  have a client that has a third party payment center process their payments.  We developed an Access DB that creates the TPA payment file which they upload to a website.  They run the Sage check processing cycle, then click on menu on the Access switchboard that fires off script to build the payment file.  They have used it for four years or so.  they are happy with it.

------------------------------
Jeff Schwenk
FORMER 90M Board Member -140,000,000 is a TERRIBLE thing to waste!!!
Bottomline Software, Inc.
Waynesboro VA
540-221-4444

I'd be concerned with bad data somehow getting into the mix.  If the uploaded payment data goes through an approval, that would do the same thing as having a human review the payment data as it is generated.

------------------------------
Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 12:36
From: Doug Higgs
Subject: Automated Check Printing

We have the invoice approval and payment approval process covered.  There is a front end approval process.  Only invoices that are also approved for payment get entered into the front end system.  We have a Sage 100 API that integrates with the front end API.  The Sage 100 API POSTs invoices and updates the invoice register.

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 12:04
From: Kevin Moyes
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Completely automating an AP process, so money goes out the door without a human being eyeballing the numbers?  I can't imagine any competent business leaders would approve that.

------------------------------
Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:52
From: Doug Higgs
Subject: Automated Check Printing

@Jeff Schwenk  What your client is doing is similar.  They have an SSIS job that reads the check history SQL tables and creates a file that gets uploaded to the bank.  IT is wondering if we can up our game and make the whole process automatic.  I am not sure if what we would gain is worth the effort as it only takes a minute to print the checks and reports to pdf and then manually update the tables.​

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 11:31
From: Jeff Schwenk
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Interesting.   Looking forward to reading the ideas generated here.    Though I am always amazed at the reluctance of users to use vendor ACH processing to use the system as it was designed.

I  have a client that has a third party payment center process their payments.  We developed an Access DB that creates the TPA payment file which they upload to a website.  They run the Sage check processing cycle, then click on menu on the Access switchboard that fires off script to build the payment file.  They have used it for four years or so.  they are happy with it.

------------------------------
Jeff Schwenk
FORMER 90M Board Member -140,000,000 is a TERRIBLE thing to waste!!!
Bottomline Software, Inc.
Waynesboro VA
540-221-4444

Presumably you’re also looking for an inexpensive or free way to achieve this?

If not, Beanworks or APS/Repay have solutions.

If payments is all you want then I think APS/Repay is probably closer.

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
---------------------------------

I'm with Wayne. What was their reaction to Beanworks, AvidXchange or others? 

With some, like AvixXchange, the invoice capture and workflow approval also results in a vendor portal where vendors can check their payment status, reducing vendor calls for status.

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 13:23
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Presumably you're also looking for an inexpensive or free way to achieve this?

If not, Beanworks or APS/Repay have solutions.

If payments is all you want then I think APS/Repay is probably closer.

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
---------------------------------

I am not necessarily looking for inexpensive, just the best way to achieve the goal.  The company currently has a payment request portal that can be accessed by 80+ offices around the US.  Each user only sees it's own vendors and can enter it's own invoices in the portal.  The invoices and subsequent payment requests get reviewed and approved by corporate accounting.  The portal works pretty well so there is no immediate need to replace it.  They have looked extensively at Concur which was recommended by a consultant before me.  Apparently Concur couldn't be configured to only allow a user office to see it's own vendors.  I am not sure if that is actually the case and it seems pretty flimsy but that's the story.

I am recommending staying with the manual check and ACH selection, printing and updating process.  I see three benefits to keeping the manual process: 1. It only takes a few minutes a day to select and print checks and ACH info. 2. There is another human intervention internal control available that may catch an obvious irregularity. 3. There is no immediate up-front cost for programming.  We can still go live with a minimal amount of manual effort and if needed this piece could be automated later.

------------------------------
Doug Higgs
Midwest Commerce Solutions, Inc
(312) 315-0960
Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 07-27-2021 08:44
From: Jerry Norman
Subject: Automated Check Printing

I'm with Wayne. What was their reaction to Beanworks, AvidXchange or others?

With some, like AvixXchange, the invoice capture and workflow approval also results in a vendor portal where vendors can check their payment status, reducing vendor calls for status.

------------------------------
Jerry Norman
At-Large BOD Member, 90 Minds
Smartbridge Partners
512.419.1444 x112
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2021 13:23
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: Automated Check Printing

Presumably you're also looking for an inexpensive or free way to achieve this?

If not, Beanworks or APS/Repay have solutions.

If payments is all you want then I think APS/Repay is probably closer.

---------------------------------
Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990