Sage News and Discussion

New SMI beta -- looks like they've copied a lot of how you would create a report within BizNet.

I don't know how much of this is new but it looks like Sage have taken BizNet and F9 functions and molded them into the SMI beta. - looks a lot easier than previous. They're touting ""fast in memory engine"" but I'll reserve judgement until someone uses this on something other than demo data.

IF they have done that, wouldn't that mean they have totally rewritten the package? @EricAnderson, any comments?

Looks like this is some type of add-on. Very very similar from what I could see to F9 and/or FRX.

looks great - I'm pretty excited! I'm not sure if you can sue for using excel functions, but it looks exactly like BizNet. Also can use ranges and wildcards like FRx - I think users will finally adopt this - of course it has to get out of Beta and be released first. But this is a HUGE step forward! @Jeff - this is an add-on, so if you wanted to use the designer and other tools you still can - but I don't think anybody will once they have this.

Add on? As in extra $$$'s add on or part of the standard product? Regarding the use of excel functions, I am sure that Msft paid the LOTUS Corp for using =round instead of @round.......

no additional cost to my knowledge - but I think you do have to own the designer module (but I'm not sure about that either). Should no more soon.

I thought it looked very good -- @EricAnderson can you put it through some real world data to test speed? Seems like they may have finally figured out how to hold back BizNet/F9.

Anyone capture a screen shot of that demo? I was logged in on Windows or I would have grabbed one from my MAC

Hopefully they will post a recording of that webinar. I missed it and would really have liked to see it.

Hello Beta Participants, The Sage Intelligence Report Designer beta download is ready. Please get a copy here Find the instructions on how to install in the download zip file. You will also find the user guides and a test case example. Additional information regarding this beta program: The Community Forum has been activated. Click here to access the forum where you can participate in general discussions and to report any issues regarding the beta For access to the Community Forum please send your user id to jodi.beaubier@sage.com Weekly status calls will be decided on Monday June 18th Regards, Jodi Jodi Beaubier Sr. Project Manager, Sage ERP Sage Mid-Market and CRM Solutions 13888 Wireless Way Ste. 120 Richmond, BC, V6V 0A3 Office: 604.207.3575 Mobile: 778.994.1408 jodi.beaubier@sage.com

It wasn't a great webinar - a lot of background noise. i'm going to see fi they have one.

Manuals for SMI Beta

Wayne...did you have to sign up ahead or attend the webinar to get in on the beta program? Thanks for sharing the docs.

They sent me an email - no idea why. I'm pretty sure we can add people. Let me see what Sage has to say.

Myron Stevenson has been working closely with Sage to get SMI to a more user-friendly state. I'd be thrilled if they have actually listened to his feedback, and to our other partners. We would benefit substantially (margin and tier credit) from selling SMI vs. BizNet, but we can't now because of all the usability issues. Maybe we're seeing daylight at the end of that tunnel.

Well if they don't think they have a usability issue, They REALLY are f'd up

I like what I read in the user guide. I still think that overall the product is more complicated and much more over priced than Biznet or f9. Maybe the price wouldn't be so different if they don't have to buy a connector and designer. The last customer I worked with on an FRx replacement the SMI product was the most expensive around 8k, F9 the cheapest at 3k and biznet in the middle at 4k.

It would be nice if Sage had a trade-up where customers could get the comparable SMI to the FRX they own. I know they get the free SMI but there should not be that ""oh maybe you need to buy another $ x "" to equal the FRX functionality.

For our clients, they received Report Manager licenses for each FRx desktop license and viewer licenses for each FRx viewer license. One client has 4 Report Manager Licenses and 17 Viewer Licenses which matches what they have in FRx. IMHO, Sage would have had much more buy-in for this product if they had just bundled it with Designer. There is no way I can see Report Manager by itself as a replacement for FRx.

will try to test speed when I get the chance, but as far as performance is concerned, we have had larger clients experiencing performance issues with both SMI and BizNet - I really don't think either product has a strong advantage in that category - but both continue to promise improved performance.

Hi guys, how do I get a hold of the SMI Beta?

email Guillermo.Tellez@sage.com

With respect to speed I'm thinking that BizNet has similar struggles - based on the fact that the first thing they mentioned during the MOTM demo was improving the speed.

One of my colleagues, Brenda, is doing the Beta. She gave me a quick demo. Looks promising.