MERRY CHRISTMAS
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.
Galatians 4: 4, 5
It's obvious the universe
is not a "closed system;" i.e. it could not create itself from nothing.
Therefore, all that we see and experience must be the work of a Creator
who, by definition, is infinite, transcendent over time and space, and
holy (set apart from His creation).
When the fullness of time had come, that same Creator entered into His
creation to redeem us from the curse of sin we deserve and adopt us into
His eternal family. He accomplished this in a most loving and miraculous
way: through a humble birth, agonizing death and glorious resurrection.
May this be the Christmas that you truly acknowledge God's great glory
and mercy, your great need for a Savior, and receive this great and eternal
gift.
Top
of Page
ESCAPE FROM WINTER MISERY IN MISSOURI
Had enough
of winter already? Looking for a quick, economical getaway
in a world-class resort? What if you could attend a computing
refresher course the same time you're being refreshed? Then
join us at the annual Missouri Farm Computer Users Conference and Trade
Show, January 9 and 10, 2009, at Tan-Tar-A Resort, Osage Beach, Missouri. This
year's action-packed program includes the following topics:
| • |
FBS User breakout session |
| • |
Online auctions for farmers |
| • |
Field mapping using FIT Maps |
| • |
Cattle spreadsheet session |
| • |
Crop spreadsheet session |
| • |
Swine tools for farm use |
| • |
Cell phone technology |
| • |
Internet safety |
| • |
Cattle record software |
| • |
Digital media for farm business |
| |
• |
Pictures, video & sound |
| • |
Online GIS tools - presentations and hands-on sessions |
| • |
Landscaping software |
| • |
Getting the most out of EBay |
| • |
Precision Ag - Some practical experiences and what new tools and issues are on the scene |
| • |
Audio editing with free software |
| • |
"Missouri Exchange" for selling agricultural products |
| • |
Tax Update |
| • |
Geotagging images |
| • |
Today's electronic tools for government programs and what is on the horizon |
| • |
What computer components to buy today |
| • |
Using handheld GPS equipment for your farm |
| • |
"Show and tell" - bring your digital cameras, laptops, storage devices, etc. Share what is working (or not working!) for you |
Top
of Page
KNOW BEFORE YOU GROW
| "It's
not what people don't know that hurts them. It's what
they do know that just ain't so."
|
| Will
Rogers
|
At least that's what some people believe. Others are just as sure this quote came from Mark Twain. (Ironically, this dispute validates their collective wisdom.)
What about you? Are you preparing to make critical management
decisions based on intuition, past experiences, or what your neighbors
are doing rather than based on objective data? You're not
alone. We're convinced a majority of producers begin with
erroneous assumptions, then bolster them with sloppy business practices. (Of
course, we could always be proven wrong!)
External Knowledge
If there's any lesson to be learned from the past few months it's that
no market or weather assumption is too outlandish or unlikely. While
we're not aware of any risk-management service that has precisely predicted
all the surprises we've experienced, these organizations—as compared
with the sages at the "coffee shop"—provide valuable expertise and perspective
to help you cope with the uncertainties of the external world.
Internal Knowledge
Most of FBS's technology and services, though, are concentrated on measuring
and managing the internal business processes of farming operations.
That creates these challenges:
| 1. |
Outside of very general mandatory reporting, nobody "makes" you follow sound business practices.
|
| 2. |
Few standards are widely available for categorizing, prioritizing, benchmarking and making objective decisions from internal farm data.
|
| 3. |
Most of the record-keeping/accounting tools used on-farm are way too generic and/or clumsy to generate useful and timely management information.
|
| 4. |
The accounting education and training delivered through traditional sources such as the Extension Service are lagging the needs of modern agriculture.
|
| 5. |
Many progressive farm businesses have grown to levels of complexity that can't be easily managed using conventional tools and practices.
|
| 6. |
While the best-managed operations do generate good-quality information, it's rarely available quickly enough to make timely, quality decisions.
|
| 7. |
A majority of farmers rely on someone else's cost assumptions rather than their own numbers.
|
| 8. |
Quality control (and the entire validity of data) is hit-and-miss. |
Throughout the next year we'll be puncturing myths and challenging your
assumptions about your accounting and business practices. While the process
may be painful, the results will help you know as well as grow.
| "An ignorant person is one who doesn't know what you have just found out."
|
| Will
Rogers
|
Top
of Page
WEBINAR SCHEDULES
Join us
for live LifeCycle Budget webinars on Monday, January 5 and Monday,
January 19th at 10:00 am CST. We'll be covering FBS Version 8 on Monday,
January 12th also at 10:00 am CST. If you'd like to attend any of these
virtual meetings, e-mail norm@fbssystems.com by 8:00 am CST on the day
of the webinar to receive login instructions.
Top
of Page
LIFECYLE BUDGET DISCOUNT ENDS DECEMBER 31
There's
only a few days left to take advantage of the yearend discount on LifeCycle
Budget, the powerful interactive planning tool that links with TransAction
Plus, Crop Audit and Smart Feeder. If you order LifeCycle by
December 31, 2008 you can save $250.00 (a 25% discount). Or
purchase any FBS module of equal or greater value and receive LifeCycle
for half price. Call 800.437.7638 / Extension 1 by 5:00 pm
CST on December 31 to qualify.
Top
of Page
FARM FUTURES TARGETS MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING AND MOBILE CONNECTIONS
This month
it's Farm Futures Magazine's turn to cover management accounting and of
course they turn to the "go-to guy" of managerial accounting—Ron Swanson—for
a concise explanation of what MA does and how he uses it to make decisions.
You'll find it in the Extra 2008 edition which is currently not online yet. The
Farm Futures Online web address is:
http://www.farmfutures.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=09EE7CDAC6B84DB18F162EEA1808A3DF&type=gen&mod=Core+Pages&gid=A8DAC1010A7940349E70C4BEBBA20028
In the same edition, technology consultant and AgCompass co-owner, Ken Wedig, explains how his company provides "hosted" software via the internet and he uses his smartphone to access his data.
Top
of Page
|
SOFTWARE
Q&A – WITH Q'S FROM YOU, OUR CLIENTS!
Send
us your questions/problems–be they short, long, simple or downright
frustratin'!–about SeRVware
and we'll handle them right "on the air" for the benefit of all.
This month's question covers the new way FBS Version 8 activates additional program modules or network user licenses.
|
Q.
|
When will I receive the 2009 tax updates for Payroll and the 2008 tax forms?
|
| A.
|
Red Wing will mail the new Federal and State tax tables the week of December 22nd. You should expect to have them in your hands by Wednesday, December 31st.
If you haven't received them by the time of your first 2009
payroll you can still use the 2008 tax tables. You
need to start using your 2009 tax tables "as soon as possible,"
but you certainly can run your first payroll using the 2008
tax tables, as the amount withheld is just an estimated amount
for federal and most state withholding.
You can also download 2009 tax tables through the Red Wing payroll
program by clicking on Download|Review Tax Tables bar
on the main screen. You must have an Internet connection to
download the tax tables.
The 2008 tax forms are updated automatically through the Aatrix
portion of the payroll program. If you haven't already registered
your Aatrix license for 2008-2009 you should do so as soon as
possible. Click on Reports|Tax Forms Registration (Aatrix) to
check your expiration date.
When you are ready to process your 2008 forms, be sure the Payroll
program is in the 2008 tax year and click on Reports|Federal
Tax Forms. The Aatrix program will launch and check for required
updates.
|
Top of
Page
sales@fbssystems.com
800.437.7638
|
Dear Viewer,
If you would like to receive e.farmSMaRT via e-mail, subscribe by clicking on the following
link subscribe. Do it now, so you
will be sure to make the next issue! Click here to Unsubscribe. |
©2008 FBS Systems, Inc.
|
