Small Business Accounting 2006 integration

I am in the process of trying to decide if I should make the switch from
Quickbooks POS to Retail Management. One of my problems is that Quickbooks
POS and Quickbooks Pro accounting do not communicate very well.
I was thinking of going with MS Small Business accounting and RMS but I
needed to find out if anyone has had any experience with the connector
software? is there somewhere I can find out exactly what information is
shared? One issue I have with QB is that item information is not transfered
between the programs.

My experience has not been good. I have tried to install the RMS connector, but it does not work. I called the company that created it and they told me two things: One the connector won't work with sql server 2005 and two they don't support it. They told me Microsoft bought it from them so you will have to call them, that they will do nothing to help you. I tried to call Microsoft who has been unable to reach anyone at Microsoft who can help me with this. Basically I gave up. I did try to install it on a computer that had Sql server 2000 on it and it still didn't work. My suggestion is to wait until Microsoft comes out with either a new release of SBA or the connector that will work.
You do not want to switch over without the connection.

This, in my opinion, is the biggest issue that all POS systems have... the lack of G/L integration. If RMS integrated ***FLAWLESSLY*** with Small Business Financials or GP, it would be AMAZING!!!.
But, RMS is still way better than Quickbooks POS.
Cheers/Eric

Hitchhiker,
While just returning from the SBA forum creating a little hate and discontent, my recommendation is to stick with QBP instead of SBA. Screw the hype and stick with QBP!
SBA is a 1.0 product, less than 3 months old!! It was not even written by MS' accounting business group. It was written by the industry leading, MS Money product group! ;-0
Don't know what you are trying to transfer, but try creating a test QBP and RMS database and see if it works to your satisfaction.

Mark,
Neither SBA or RMS support SQL 2005, so why blame it on the connector?
SBA barely works with MSDE and the way the SBA design team requires it to be installed with all of their bogus MSDE setups.
MS bought their way out their way to providing the connector from EVT and without being privy to the arrangement, probably assumed all tech support.
I would be asking your questions either here or on the SBA newsgroup; microsoft.public.sba.general

SBA does work on SQL Server - there is a White Paper giving you step-by-step instructions. And specifically, the White Paper covers installing SBA on Small Business Server 2003 Premium which includes SQL Server.

Jeff, for the record I installed it on SQL Server 2000 and it didn't work either. I also have never been able to get the network setup to work either and by the looks of this bulletin board for SBA neither has anyone else.

Mark,
It _will_ work, you just have to screw around with SQL, Windows Firewall, BCM and the differences with SQL and MDSE ports Way too difficult!! Even for most experienced users.
MS forgot a basic thing. Small means different things to different people.
SBA is intended to run peer to peer, something that MS has riled against since the beginning. They forgot they had something called SBS that they have foisted on the small business community. I'm guessing that 50% of the businesses sold SBS, uses, at most, 50% of the product. The general public thinks small means small. They saw cheap with SBA and assuming it was meant for small businesses because they were told that they were a small business, remember they were sold SBS.
SBA, in its current format, is only for very small, very simple businesses.
It may grow to become more, but why should it? MS already has Small Business Financials, which is designed by their professional accounting group. Its only issue is the way MS decided to sell and market it.
You must purchase a 5 user version to start @ 995. At approx. $200 per user, its almost the same price as SBA, but has been designed to grow as their business grows and is _much_ more robust.
SBA, at this time, has no upgrade path at all.
The question is, Why is MS wasting millions by having 2 products to do the _exact_ same thing?

First, infrastructure and database administration is difficult, and that's why I post so often on the need for POS resellers to either partner with infrastructure experts, or hire on the expertise themselves instead of complaining about the awesome products that MSFT gives us to help our clients leverage their technolgoy to grow their business.
Second, we have been running SBA on SQL since the middle of the BETA and it isn't THAT difficult if you know infrastructure and netoworking and SQL. Again, if you don't know how the technology works, don't put it down. Find someone to contract this work out to, or hire it.
Third, if 50% of the business who have deployed SBS are only using 50% of it then it's the consultant/vendor who sold them SBS who screwed that deal up. We see this ALL the time. A consultant or company who sells point of sale software to a small retailer who thinks that they can just follow the wizards in SBS and call themselves an infrastructure expert. Why frown on an awesome product for the SMB space when the consultant deploying it doesn't know anything about infrastructure?

Hello,
The next version of SBA and MSPOS will have deep integration. If you give us our email address, we will contact you offline for this issue.
Regards,
Kevin Pham

Just for the record I wasn't bashing Microsoft and their products most everything I have is Microsoft including my cell phone's operating system. I was just stating fact that I was unable to get the module to work and the company that wrote it was unable to help me. I am very excited to hear about the next version and it's deep integration. You have made my day.

Kevin, thank you for the post about the next version of SBA and it's integration, being much deeper with RMS. That makes me very happy. Do you have any estimated time frame when it will be released, if you can't answer that I understand. I have given up on the current RMS connector, and will wait for the next version.

Kevin,
Maybe post this in the reseller boards you will get some responses too.
But this is a MSPOS and SBA issue, I thinks that's on board for a CY2007 release right?
How about an RMS to SBA update?

Amy,
I'm saying all of this because MS has positioned it this way.
Just like you, I too have been running it on SBS since Beta and all of us bitched to MS about getting it to run on SBS. They released try this's and that's and after a few attempts made it work and MS finally released a buggy whitepaper and has finally issued one that works, for SBS, in Nov. 2005, I think the same month SBA was released.
But, Mark hasn't mentioned that he has SBS, he has plain jane SQL 2K, its a different setup and NOT explained in any whitepaper per se. You CAN glean it from the SBS whitepaper though, again, ONLY if you know what you are doing!!
MS has positioned SBS as the end all for all SMBs, so the uninformed push it on SMBs. I walk into many small, 1-5 employee stores that have SBS sitting there. The don't need Exchange, Outlook , ISA and in most cases the hassle of a $3k dedicated server in the first place. Their needs are simple and yet MS and some resellers constantly push SBS down their throats.
Yes, I agree that SBS is an awesome product, but only for the right installations!

Mark,
He said POS, not RMS! They are different, but similar products. Consider POS the seed of the next version of RMS, just as QuickSell 2k was the father of RMS.

Your right Jeff, I missed that. Kevin will RMS be tightly integrated

See in-line comments preceeded by AL...

AL - SBS includes "plain" SQL. The bits and bytes are exactly the same. Yes, you should know what you are doing with SQL whether it be SQL on SBS or standalone SQL if you are selling and supporting RMS.
This is _not_ an SQL2K issue, its the assumption on your part he's running SBS! He has SQL2K running on an un-mentioned OS. Where to start? How about Step 1 of the whitepaper!
Step 1: Set Up a Security Group and Shared Folder for Small Business Accounting in Windows SBS This procedure assumes that you have already set up user and computer accounts for everyone who will be accessing Small Business Accounting on your server.
To set up a Small Business Accounting security group in Windows SBS
1. Log on as an administrator to the computer running Windows SBS.
2. Click Start, and then click Server Management.
3. In the console tree, click Security Groups.
4. In the details pane, click Add a Security Group. The Security Group Wizard opens.
5. On the Security Group Information page, do the following:
a. In the Name of the Security Group text box, type SBA Users Group.
b. In the Description text box, type Small Business Accounting Security Group.
c. Click Next.
6. On the Group Membership page, do the following:
a. In the Users and Groups column, double-click all user accounts that you want to access the Small Business Accounting database.
b. Assure that all appropriate individual user accounts are listed in the Members of this Security Group column.
c. Click Next.
7. Click Finish.

Let's assume that Mark is running SQL2K on XP. Certainly doable, its on my machine I'm typing from. He _doesn't have_ a Server Mangement folder. So where/how should he create the Security Group? He is now stopped, dead in the water. Again, there are no instructions on how to install SBA on anything other than SBS or peer to peer using MSDE!
AL - SBS Premium (the one that includes SQL & ISA) retails for $1500. About the same cost for stand alone SQL Server. . SBS Standard retails for $500.00.
What small business is NOT using email? WHat small business could not benefit from collaboration, communication, remote access, security? There are a few small businesses who would find value in collaboration, communication, remote & security, but for those that do when you look at the cost of purchasing stand alone SQL server and SBS Premium for 5 users the cost is about the same. EXEPT that with SBS Premium you get SO MUCH MORE VALUE that when leveraged can increase your client's productivity and their bottom line. For a solutions provider to provide SBS support vs. SQL support there is no increased cost to the client for those services. In fact, a properly configured SBS server requires about 15 to 30 minutes per month of routine administration. Problem is that it is rare to find a line of business application provider that knows anything about infrastructure support.
Small stores tend NOT to let their employees have email at the store, let alone Internet access. The owner usually does. But sometimes they don't. I have a client that has a domained account that has 800 meg email space. Last week I got a bounce back, mailbox full. She hadn't read her email in over 6 months. Said she didn't have time. Jewelry store in CO that does $1.5m. 7 employees running XPP with SQL2K Workgroup Edition with 3 registers and a couple of workstations.
Our first Ethnic grocery store we are setting up next week 3 lanes. The cashiers don't need email. Internet access in limited to Credit cards.
5 lanes, 9 stations total in a CO bicycle store, $14m in sales, started with SBS 4.0, went to 4.5 for free, remember MS didn't charge for the upgrade because they were so embarrased. Finally gave up on SBS 2K. Then dedicated a Win2K Pro (since updated to XPP) machine to SQL2K, claims everything is running great. I didn't get involved with the SBS install until after MS' CO's Sales & Tech reps tried to fix the SBS 2K!
So all of the _extra value_ would be wasted!
Guess you haven't seen the memo yet - SBS R2 will be downgraded to the Workgroup Edition. WE is $750 for 5 users
Where do you keep getting these numbers from? _SQL_ requires about 15-30 minutes per month. Your techs must be awful fast for the rest.
We setup the third of 7 t-shirt kiosks last week in a mall. At the kiosks, they _only_ use the internet for credit cards and HQ up/downloads. We're working on setting up VOIP from the kiosks to HQ to save a buck or two. The employees are not allowed to use the Internet for scheduling, browsing, email, playing their MP3's, downloading their iTunes, IM'ing, etc, at the kiosks. HQ is running SBS 15 user without issue though. For them it works. But then, they aren't very small, 30 employees and a couple of million a years in sales. HQ employees have a little more power, we setup SharePoint for them, but the outside employees have to access it from home.
Remote is no better than standalone products. Remote Desktop works just fine. It the exact same technology as RWW. Security, you think MS has it greatest security in ISA. What happened to Proxy Server 1.0 and then 2.0? Last major update for ISA was 2 years ago and it took 4 years to update before then. 2000->2004->current and _still_ most people turn it off and use something else. SonicWalls comes to mind.
BTW, which MS brochure did you copy this eloquent crap from?
AL - Frankly, there are very few instances where SBS is not the best choice for a small business infrastructure foundation. The problem is, as stated above, there are very few line of business app vendors who really know anything about supporting infrastructure (client/server based networks). SO, instead of either learning how to administer client/server networks or partnering with someone who does they either say SBS is uneccessary or try to install it thinking it's easy and screw it up/
Not sure if that was an attempt as a slam or not. I've been doing this for a lot of years. I was one of the first to go through Novell's, uh, "client/server" training in 1984-5. I've probably done the same training on SBS and Windows Server based products as any of your techs have. SBS is _not_ about infrastructure, its about combining some software into an affordable package, to work on a single server within a much scaled down environment. Sure every release is better, but then again it has to be. Care to remember SBS 4.0 from the late 90's? It's orginal idea was great, badly inplemented, but a good idea.
Here's my generalization about this. For _most_ retail stores, under 5 lanes and under 10 machines total, use XPP (5 stations or less non-dedicated, 6-10, dedicated) and MSDE or SQL WE, depends on # of transactions per month. If those stores have < 3 office people, its still XPP and MSDE or WE. More than either, its SBS Premium or Server 2003 with WE or Standard.
Most retailers don't have/sit at their desks all day.
Again, as always, you must supply the client with the best options available at the time, for that customer's needs, while trying to anticipate those needs for the next 3-5 years. Out of the box "solutions" most of the time, don't fit!
TTFN,
Jeff

See in-line comments preceeded by AL...
-- Mobitech Lady
Amy Luby Mobitech 402.330.0707
AL - SBS includes "plain" SQL. The bits and bytes are exactly the same. Yes, you should know what you are doing with SQL whether it be SQL on SBS or standalone SQL if you are selling and supporting RMS.
This is _not_ an SQL2K issue, its the assumption on your part he's running SBS! He has SQL2K running on an un-mentioned OS. Where to start? How about Step 1 of the whitepaper!
Step 1: Set Up a Security Group and Shared Folder for Small Business Accounting in Windows SBS This procedure assumes that you have already set up user and computer accounts for everyone who will be accessing Small Business Accounting on your server.
To set up a Small Business Accounting security group in Windows SBS
1. Log on as an administrator to the computer running Windows SBS.
2. Click Start, and then click Server Management.
3. In the console tree, click Security Groups.
4. In the details pane, click Add a Security Group. The Security Group Wizard opens.
5. On the Security Group Information page, do the following:
a. In the Name of the Security Group text box, type SBA Users Group.
b. In the Description text box, type Small Business Accounting Security Group.
c. Click Next.
6. On the Group Membership page, do the following:
a. In the Users and Groups column, double-click all user accounts that you want to access the Small Business Accounting database.
b. Assure that all appropriate individual user accounts are listed in the Members of this Security Group column.
c. Click Next.
7. Click Finish.

Let's assume that Mark is running SQL2K on XP. Certainly doable, its on my machine I'm typing from. He _doesn't have_ a Server Mangement folder. So where/how should he create the Security Group? He is now stopped, dead in the water. Again, there are no instructions on how to install SBA on anything other than SBS or peer to peer using MSDE!
AL - SBS Premium (the one that includes SQL & ISA) retails for $1500. About the same cost for stand alone SQL Server. . SBS Standard retails for $500.00.
What small business is NOT using email? WHat small business could not benefit from collaboration, communication, remote access, security? There are a few small businesses who would find value in collaboration, communication, remote & security, but for those that do when you look at the cost of purchasing stand alone SQL server and SBS Premium for 5 users the cost is about the same. EXEPT that with SBS Premium you get SO MUCH MORE VALUE that when leveraged can increase your client's productivity and their bottom line. For a solutions provider to provide SBS support vs. SQL support there is no increased cost to the client for those services. In fact, a properly configured SBS server requires about 15 to 30 minutes per month of routine administration. Problem is that it is rare to find a line of business application provider that knows anything about infrastructure support.
Small stores tend NOT to let their employees have email at the store, let alone Internet access. The owner usually does. But sometimes they don't. I have a client that has a domained account that has 800 meg email space. Last week I got a bounce back, mailbox full. She hadn't read her email in over 6 months. Said she didn't have time. Jewelry store in CO that does $1.5m. 7 employees running XPP with SQL2K Workgroup Edition with 3 registers and a couple of workstations.
Our first Ethnic grocery store we are setting up next week 3 lanes. The cashiers don't need email. Internet access in limited to Credit cards.
5 lanes, 9 stations total in a CO bicycle store, $14m in sales, started with SBS 4.0, went to 4.5 for free, remember MS didn't charge for the upgrade because they were so embarrased. Finally gave up on SBS 2K. Then dedicated a Win2K Pro (since updated to XPP) machine to SQL2K, claims everything is running great. I didn't get involved with the SBS install until after MS' CO's Sales & Tech reps tried to fix the SBS 2K!
So all of the _extra value_ would be wasted!
Guess you haven't seen the memo yet - SBS R2 will be downgraded to the Workgroup Edition. WE is $750 for 5 users
Where do you keep getting these numbers from? _SQL_ requires about 15-30 minutes per month. Your techs must be awful fast for the rest.
We setup the third of 7 t-shirt kiosks last week in a mall. At the kiosks, they _only_ use the internet for credit cards and HQ up/downloads. We're working on setting up VOIP from the kiosks to HQ to save a buck or two. The employees are not allowed to use the Internet for scheduling, browsing, email, playing their MP3's, downloading their iTunes, IM'ing, etc, at the kiosks. HQ is running SBS 15 user without issue though. For them it works. But then, they aren't very small, 30 employees and a couple of million a years in sales. HQ employees have a little more power, we setup SharePoint for them, but the outside employees have to access it from home.
Remote is no better than standalone products. Remote Desktop works just fine. It the exact same technology as RWW. Security, you think MS has it greatest security in ISA. What happened to Proxy Server 1.0 and then 2.0? Last major update for ISA was 2 years ago and it took 4 years to update before then. 2000->2004->current and _still_ most people turn it off and use something else. SonicWalls comes to mind.
BTW, which MS brochure did you copy this eloquent crap from?
AL - Frankly, there are very few instances where SBS is not the best choice for a small business infrastructure foundation. The problem is, as stated above, there are very few line of business app vendors who really know anything about supporting infrastructure (client/server based networks). SO, instead of either learning how to administer client/server networks or partnering with someone who does they either say SBS is uneccessary or try to install it thinking it's easy and screw it up/
Not sure if that was an attempt as a slam or not. I've been doing this for a lot of years. I was one of the first to go through Novell's, uh, "client/server" training in 1984-5. I've probably done the same training on SBS and Windows Server based products as any of your techs have. SBS is _not_ about infrastructure, its about combining some software into an affordable package, to work on a single server within a much scaled down environment. Sure every release is better, but then again it has to be. Care to remember SBS 4.0 from the late 90's? It's orginal idea was great, badly inplemented, but a good idea.
Here's my generalization about this. For _most_ retail stores, under 5 lanes and under 10 machines total, use XPP (5 stations or less non-dedicated, 6-10, dedicated) and MSDE or SQL WE, depends on # of transactions per month. If those stores have < 3 office people, its still XPP and MSDE or WE. More than either, its SBS Premium or Server 2003 with WE or Standard.
Most retailers don't have/sit at their desks all day.
Again, as always, you must supply the client with the best options available at the time, for that customer's needs, while trying to anticipate those needs for the next 3-5 years. Out of the box "solutions" most of the time, don't fit!
TTFN,
Jeff

See in-line comments preceeded by AL...
-- Mobitech Lady
Amy Luby Mobitech 402.330.0707
AL - SBS includes "plain" SQL. The bits and bytes are exactly the same. Yes, you should know what you are doing with SQL whether it be SQL on SBS or standalone SQL if you are selling and supporting RMS.
This is _not_ an SQL2K issue, its the assumption on your part he's running SBS! He has SQL2K running on an un-mentioned OS. Where to start? How about Step 1 of the whitepaper!
Step 1: Set Up a Security Group and Shared Folder for Small Business Accounting in Windows SBS This procedure assumes that you have already set up user and computer accounts for everyone who will be accessing Small Business Accounting on your server.
To set up a Small Business Accounting security group in Windows SBS
1. Log on as an administrator to the computer running Windows SBS.
2. Click Start, and then click Server Management.
3. In the console tree, click Security Groups.
4. In the details pane, click Add a Security Group. The Security Group Wizard opens.
5. On the Security Group Information page, do the following:
a. In the Name of the Security Group text box, type SBA Users Group.
b. In the Description text box, type Small Business Accounting Security Group.
c. Click Next.
6. On the Group Membership page, do the following:
a. In the Users and Groups column, double-click all user accounts that you want to access the Small Business Accounting database.
b. Assure that all appropriate individual user accounts are listed in the Members of this Security Group column.
c. Click Next.
7. Click Finish.

Let's assume that Mark is running SQL2K on XP. Certainly doable, its on my machine I'm typing from. He _doesn't have_ a Server Mangement folder. So where/how should he create the Security Group? He is now stopped, dead in the water. Again, there are no instructions on how to install SBA on anything other than SBS or peer to peer using MSDE!
AL - SBS Premium (the one that includes SQL & ISA) retails for $1500. About the same cost for stand alone SQL Server. . SBS Standard retails for $500.00.
What small business is NOT using email? WHat small business could not benefit from collaboration, communication, remote access, security? There are a few small businesses who would find value in collaboration, communication, remote & security, but for those that do when you look at the cost of purchasing stand alone SQL server and SBS Premium for 5 users the cost is about the same. EXEPT that with SBS Premium you get SO MUCH MORE VALUE that when leveraged can increase your client's productivity and their bottom line. For a solutions provider to provide SBS support vs. SQL support there is no increased cost to the client for those services. In fact, a properly configured SBS server requires about 15 to 30 minutes per month of routine administration. Problem is that it is rare to find a line of business application provider that knows anything about infrastructure support.
Small stores tend NOT to let their employees have email at the store, let alone Internet access. The owner usually does. But sometimes they don't. I have a client that has a domained account that has 800 meg email space. Last week I got a bounce back, mailbox full. She hadn't read her email in over 6 months. Said she didn't have time. Jewelry store in CO that does $1.5m. 7 employees running XPP with SQL2K Workgroup Edition with 3 registers and a couple of workstations.
Our first Ethnic grocery store we are setting up next week 3 lanes. The cashiers don't need email. Internet access in limited to Credit cards.
5 lanes, 9 stations total in a CO bicycle store, $14m in sales, started with SBS 4.0, went to 4.5 for free, remember MS didn't charge for the upgrade because they were so embarrased. Finally gave up on SBS 2K. Then dedicated a Win2K Pro (since updated to XPP) machine to SQL2K, claims everything is running great. I didn't get involved with the SBS install until after MS' CO's Sales & Tech reps tried to fix the SBS 2K!
So all of the _extra value_ would be wasted!
Guess you haven't seen the memo yet - SBS R2 will be downgraded to the Workgroup Edition. WE is $750 for 5 users
Where do you keep getting these numbers from? _SQL_ requires about 15-30 minutes per month. Your techs must be awful fast for the rest.
We setup the third of 7 t-shirt kiosks last week in a mall. At the kiosks, they _only_ use the internet for credit cards and HQ up/downloads. We're working on setting up VOIP from the kiosks to HQ to save a buck or two. The employees are not allowed to use the Internet for scheduling, browsing, email, playing their MP3's, downloading their iTunes, IM'ing, etc, at the kiosks. HQ is running SBS 15 user without issue though. For them it works. But then, they aren't very small, 30 employees and a couple of million a years in sales. HQ employees have a little more power, we setup SharePoint for them, but the outside employees have to access it from home.
Remote is no better than standalone products. Remote Desktop works just fine. It the exact same technology as RWW. Security, you think MS has it greatest security in ISA. What happened to Proxy Server 1.0 and then 2.0? Last major update for ISA was 2 years ago and it took 4 years to update before then. 2000->2004->current and _still_ most people turn it off and use something else. SonicWalls comes to mind.
BTW, which MS brochure did you copy this eloquent crap from?
AL - Frankly, there are very few instances where SBS is not the best choice for a small business infrastructure foundation. The problem is, as stated above, there are very few line of business app vendors who really know anything about supporting infrastructure (client/server based networks). SO, instead of either learning how to administer client/server networks or partnering with someone who does they either say SBS is uneccessary or try to install it thinking it's easy and screw it up/
Not sure if that was an attempt as a slam or not. I've been doing this for a lot of years. I was one of the first to go through Novell's, uh, "client/server" training in 1984-5. I've probably done the same training on SBS and Windows Server based products as any of your techs have. SBS is _not_ about infrastructure, its about combining some software into an affordable package, to work on a single server within a much scaled down environment. Sure every release is better, but then again it has to be. Care to remember SBS 4.0 from the late 90's? It's orginal idea was great, badly inplemented, but a good idea.
Here's my generalization about this. For _most_ retail stores, under 5 lanes and under 10 machines total, use XPP (5 stations or less non-dedicated, 6-10, dedicated) and MSDE or SQL WE, depends on # of transactions per month. If those stores have < 3 office people, its still XPP and MSDE or WE. More than either, its SBS Premium or Server 2003 with WE or Standard.
Most retailers don't have/sit at their desks all day.
Again, as always, you must supply the client with the best options available at the time, for that customer's needs, while trying to anticipate those needs for the next 3-5 years. Out of the box "solutions" most of the time, don't fit!
TTFN,
Jeff