The end user is a community health center and part of a regional group that coordinate and share IT resources. The group decided to move to a new hosting provider. We were not involved in any pre-planning for the project. The new hosting provider specializes in hosting the medical records system the regional group of health centers use. I believe the IT vendor got caught up in the arrogance of "we know medical records applications. How difficult can a simple accounting system be?"
The hosting vendor took on the migration of Sage 100 to the new server. An upgrade was not performed. Once I learned that the hosting vendor was going to proceed without our help, I called the CFO of the health center. We have a great relationship with this end user. Years ago when I was in public accounting, I audited the health center and later served on the board. The migration project was out of the CFO's hands. The approach I took was to set expectations of what was likely to happen and that we would fix things, but that fixing problems would cost more than being involved in the front end. This end user is on a annual agreement that includes installing upgrades. Having us involved in the beginning would be a no cost option. The hosting vendor was also informed of these facts when they asked for license keys, but decided to proceed without our help.
Jeff's cartoon is on the mark.Where we failed - We didn't specifically state to the new hosting vendor, in writing, the hazards and consequences of proceeding without our help. I should have had a "form letter" ready for sending that our knowledge of how Sage 100 was installed and configured for this customer would be critical to performing the migration. Also, how they as a vendor would benefit from working with us as a partner and that this would improve their relationship with this new customer.
The building trades have it right. Electricians don't do the plumbing. Plumbers don't do sheet rock. Unfortunately, many in our profession don't recognize what area of expertise they have and stay within those bounds. This experience has reinforced to me the policy of not working with IT vendors who contact us for help on Sage 100 when the end user is not aligned with us. Without a previous relationship with the end user and knowledge of how they have been setup, we would be working out of the bounds of our expertise.
How to bill this? This isn't about the money. We want to continue working with the health center and work as a partner with the IT vendor. If the IT vendor recognizes that Clearis Consulting is the go to resource for Sage 100, the time fixing the problems (2 hours) will have been well spent.
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Myron Stevenson
Consultant
Clearis Consulting, Inc
Duluth, MN
218-525-6720
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-17-2021 08:11
From: Wayne Schulz
Subject: Working with IT Vendors
Did the IT vendor also do an upgrade?
How did you bill for this? Not the actual $$ but overall strategy discussion with your customer and what was their response?
I get a fair number of web "leads" who in my view seem to be providers like your IT friends who've gotten in over their heads and now want to "buy some of my time" to resolve issues.
I avoid these subcontract offers because I've learned there is always more to the story and I've determined it makes no sense for me to work for anyone except the customer directly.
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Wayne Schulz - Schulz Consulting - 860-516-8990
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-16-2021
From: Myron Stevenson
Subject: RE: Working with IT Vendors
For those that are interested, here is the rest of the story,
Fortunately, the end user is simple "core accounting" and payroll. Last three days things haven't been working properly. Error messages when updating journals, unable to find past paperless journals, and other unusual stuff. Connected with the end user and did a quick review and found 9 things to fix. Since payroll must be transmitted to the bank by tomorrow noon, end user shook the IT vendor's tree and I was able to connect with them I wasn't getting the IT vendor's emails as they were winding up in spam. Odd that an IT provider would have that issue.
Well after setting up the proper network share (yes they shared the MAS90 folder), moving folders to the correct paths, setting appropriate folder/file rights, updating the paperless office paths, uninstalling and reinstalling the Sage 100 PDF Converter, yada, yada, yada - they are now processing payroll.
I guess all is well the ends well. What really got my goat was they put their name in the Business Partner field when they installed Sage 100.
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Myron Stevenson
Consultant
Clearis Consulting, Inc
Duluth, MN
218-525-6720
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Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2021 10:24
From: Greg Stiles
Subject: Working with IT Vendors
I completely agree with @Jeff Schwenk & @Michele Herzog, I am both a Sage Consultant and an IT Guy and have been doing so for 30+ years, and I remind them (IT Team) that I know their business as well as they do (many times better LOL) , and that I am sure they wouldn't want me mucking around in their stuff, so don't muck around in my stuff. If it becomes a problem, I gently remind the client that if they had called me to do this in the first place, they wouldn't be paying twice and you wouldn't have had this problem that finally got you to call me, so avoid the triple whammy and let me take care of the Sage stuff - despite what your IT team tells you.
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Greg Stiles
S & W Microsystems
Torrance CA
310.787.1010
Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2021 09:48
From: Kevin Moyes
Subject: Working with IT Vendors
We only offer the Sage install guides, a few scary comments (Sage 100 is not "DIY" software), and no tips. Seems to work.
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Kevin Moyes
Technical Systems Analyst
Munjal White Consulting Co.
Toronto ON
Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2021 09:05
From: Myron Stevenson
Subject: Working with IT Vendors
Thank you for the comments. Helps to know others have similar experiences. In this recent case, the end use has an annual agreement that includes performing upgrades, so it isn't about saving money. It's a bit of IT pride. Sage's branding makes it harder on IT vendors (and customers), because they hear Sage and get confused. Is it MAS 90, Peachtree, Timberline, ACCPAC or something else?
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Myron Stevenson
Consultant
Clearis Consulting, Inc
Duluth, MN
218-525-6720
Original Message:
Sent: 02-10-2021 00:12
From: Michele Herzog
Subject: Working with IT Vendors
A disaster waiting to happen! When the IT company does not know Sage 100 they should not be touching it. I made quite a bit of revenue from IT people thinking they know what they are doing. I also have to uninstall and reinstall workstation setups done by IT people.
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[Michele] [Herzog] [CPA,CITP, CGMA]
[Overland Park] [KS]
[816-520-1365]