WITHOUT THE TRAINED USER, EVEN THE BEST SOFTWARE WOULD LIE USELESS. FBS USER CONFERENCE XI HELPS YOU PREVENT THOSE PROBLEMS

Reload	Refresh

Come.   Make plans now to be with us Thursday and Friday, September 9-10, 2004, at Moline, Illinois.  In a 12-hour session, we'll reaffirm SeRVware as the title of our line because of the overriding feature it conveys.  Software, particularly our kind, represents nothing but service to you – service in function, support and training.  Today we're talking training.

Learn.  Regardless of whether you're just beginning your journey with FBS or are already a seasoned expert seeking "advanced training," you'll acquire a wealth of time-saving tips and expand your management knowledge horizon.  All our clients are welcome and encouraged to attend; each will benefit from the relevant instruction and interaction with top managers from around the country.

Know.  Understand how successful businesses apply managerial accounting to allocate resources more effectively and "good" companies have made the leap to "great."  For a detailed agenda, click here.  Note that we'll be cruising the Mississippi River again—a great time for food and fellowship!

Grow.  You'll receive practical training, answers and materials you can take home and put to work for your success now.  On top of the knowledge, though, you'll return home refreshed, energized and ready to grow!

To register, call 800.437.7639, extension 101, 102 or 103 or e-mail sales@fbssystems.com.

Early-bird savings—register by August 20th for half price!

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Over the past seven months we've contrasted the homespun, "Old World" financial reports widely used in agriculture with the structured financial and managerial accounting practices required to be a serious player in the "New World."  As many of our clients have discovered, appreciating these distinctions is not the same as actually making the transition from the "Old" to "New World."

Since 2001, our e.CLIPSE system has set the standard for automating managerial and financial accounting in production agriculture.  That automation, however, cannot replace knowledge and experience in accounting.  So what are your options?

1.	Earn an accounting degree (or marry a CPA).  Some of you have the intellectual curiosity (and time) to pursue the financial and cost accounting courses that, unfortunately, most ag school curriculums neglect.  (Regrettably, most CPA spouses are such good number crunchers that they quickly determine they can't justify the pay cut to work on-farm.)
2.	Hire a controller.  There's no hard and fast rule regarding the sales threshold where an internal controller can be justified.   Most of our clients in the $10-15 million level have one, though.   Note that we're not talking about "bookkeepers" (although they're important, too), but trained professional accountants.
3.	Outsource all your accounting functions.  I recently called on a CPA who provides "turnkey" accounting and office support to a key client.  This appears to be a highly-effective strategy and permits real-time, scalable, specialized and coordinated production and accounting responsibilities.
4.	Hire a "virtual" controller through the Internet.  This is not a pipe dream; accounting firms and consultants are already accomplishing this through three strategies:

A.	E-mail Export-Import.  (Figure 1.) This method is preferable when either the client or accountant does not have a "fast" Internet connection, or prefers sending disks by "snail mail." It requires specialized "Export-Import" software on both the accountant's and client's computers.

a.	Client makes a backup and e-mails to accountant
b.	Client continues to make current period cash and production entries
c.	Accountant imports current period transactions and merges A/P and A/R payments and cleared checks from prior period
d.	Accountant reviews and posts allocations and accrual adjustments (either manually or through e.CLIPSE)
e.	Accountant exports prior period adjustments to client
f.	Client merges prior period adjustments into current data file

Figure 1.  E-mail Export-Import.

B.	Modified Import.  (Figure 2.) This method is similar to the Export-Import approach, except it performs a one-way merge from the client's cash data into the accountant's "pristine" accrual data.

Figure 2.  Modified Import.

C.	Terminal Services / Citrix Metaframe.  (Figure 3.) This approach is feasible if both the accountant and client have "fast" Internet connections.

a.	All software and data reside on the accountant's server running Windows Server 2003 or Citrix Metframe
b.	Client "logs in" using a secure password
c.	Client posts cash and production entries
d.	Accountant reviews and posts allocations and accrual adjustments (either manually or through e.CLIPSE)
e.	Client and accountant can run "real-time" production and accounting reports

Figure 3.  Terminal Services / Citrix Metaframe interface.

All three of these methods permit an economical "team" approach to moving you from the "Old" to the "New" World of managerial and financial accounting.

Note:  These three systems will be demonstrated at the 2004 FBS Users Conference on September 9 and 10 in Moline, Illinois.  Click here for more information.

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If you're at the Farm Progress Show this year checking out the latest in "big iron," don't forget to stop by our booth in the V.I.T. tent.  You'll see ways we've broken new ground to keep your farm financial management at peak performance.  This includes the e.CLIPSE integrated management information system.
    The show is Tuesday through Thursday, August 31-September 2, 2004, at Alleman, Iowa. As always, we'll be happy to see you!

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•   In the News!

Dave Culberson, Geneseo, Illinois, president of the National Pork Board.
Steve Kerns, Clearfield, Iowa, Iowa Pork Producers Association president-elect.
Steve Determan, Early, Iowa, is pictured expressing concern about EQIP funding to Senator Tom Harkin in the July 15 issue of National Hog Farmer.

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sales@fbssystems.com
800.437.7638