In this Issue:

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Conference Theme #1:  Innovate!

FBS users and their teams of advisers are always on the cutting edge of information management and accounting. Here's a rundown of some of innovators you'll hear from and meet.

	Our User Conference keynote speaker, Kent Mogler, has thrived in every segment of the food value chain, including a 26-year career at General Mills in manufacturing, finance & IT roles; and 7 years as COO of a meat processing company (WW Johnson Meat Co.).  In the past 2 years he has concentrated in manufacturing consulting and engaged as Consulting CFO with his family farm operation (Pig Hill Co / Mogler Farms, a third and fourth generation livestock and grain operation in northwest Iowa in its fourth year of using FBS).
Kent Mogler	"Applying Lean Manufacturing Processes to your Operational Decisions, Farm Accounting and Analysis Reporting."
	President of Russell Consulting Group, Moe specializes in risk management, H.R. management, business planning and feasibility analysis.
Moe Russell, M.B.A.	”How Low Can You Grow?”
	Past president of the National Pork Producers Council, John is a business analyst and consultant with Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth, LLP& Penningroth, LLP.
John McNutt, M.B.A.	"2015 Crop and Pork Cost Benchmarks"
	Co-owner of Swine Management Services, a data processing bureau and consulting firm that benchmarks 1.5 million sows and 18 million hogs.
Ron Ketchem, M.S.	"Are You Just Average???”
	Principal at PDT Consultants, which focuses on innovation through process improvement, data utilization and user-centric technology in animal and agriculture industries.
Phil Lawler	"Operationalizing the Veterinary Feed Directive Process.”
	Product manager of integrations for Conservis, Gary works with cloud-based applications and third party software providers to create linked systems.
Gary Therens	"The New Level of Financial Integration"
	The FBS Director of Development brings 20 years of software engineering and management experience from the corporate world to the FBS "skunkworks" to your farming operation.
Martin Traviolia, Ph.D.	What’s Happening to Your FBS Software?"
	FBS's Director of Professional Services, Mike provides accounting training and support as well as "virtual controller" services to FBS clients.
Mike Boggs	"Controller's Corner"

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Conference Theme #2:  Integrate!

 

 

You may be aware of FBS SeRVware's exclusive internal production-financial integration that simultaneously tracks cash, accrual, management and ownership accounting plus inventories, production records and budgets.  Did you know that FBS also interfaces with dozens of leading technology companies that offer specialized complementary services to FBS customers?  You'll have the opportunity to learn directly from company representatives at our Integration Partners Panel, breakout sessions and "mini trade show."  Here's a list of the participating companies:

• AgCompass
• Conservis
• DTN/The Progressive Farmer
• GlobalVetLink
• Granular
• Southern Illinois Scale
• Vertical Software

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Conference Theme #3:  Interrelate!

 "(The FBS User Conference) is a great place to exchange ideas and receive new information that can be implemented on the farm.”  -- Past Attendee.

 While you can learn a lot through webinars and Internet videos, nothing takes the place of human interaction and networking.  The FBS User Conference is intentionally designed to facilitate peer-to-peer interrelation.

• Attendees often have similar family and business structures (but aren't direct competitors).
• We'll begin the conference with everyone sharing their backgrounds and goals.
• You'll participate in "pop-up" round table discussions based on common interests.
• There'll be plenty of time with meals, breaks and the Mississippi dinner cruise to exchange ideas and establish friendships.
• You'll receive contact information on fellow attendees.
• We'll hear a report on the first meeting of a regional FBS User Group.
• Don't forget to take advantage of the local recreational and agricultural attractions!

This experience is so unique that we only attempt this once a year so register today.

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Pre-Conference Data Mining Workshop

You've accumulated a vast quantity of data within FBS.  Now it's time to generate meaningful reports and analysis so we're offering a hands-on Data Mining Workshop beginning at 1:00 pm,  Monday, August 22nd, one day prior to the FBS User Conference.   This will be an intensive session in which you will working with your own data files, and will be limited to the first 15 companies that enroll.  Topics included:

• Financial statements--report level, template and column options
• Crop and Feeding Cost Analysis--templates and column options
• Consolidated Cost Analysis--mastering the "monster"
• Drilling into the Standard Cost/Vendor Monitor Report
• Smart Feeder User-Defined Reports
• Adding graphs to FBS reports
• TransActon Plus User-Defined Report
  • Utilizing the "audit trail" data fields
  • Creating "pivot tables"
• Exporting to Excel
• Unlocking the power of Report Generator 
• Automated batch reporting

Click here to register online.

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Connect 'i6 FBS User Conference at a Glance

August  1:  Preparing for the 2017 crop year.
August  8:  Smart Feeder monthly reports.
August 15:  The power of TA+ User Defined Report.
August 29:  Attendees' choice.

Q.  If I start a new company is it automatically stored in its own separate database or do I need to create a new data file folder for it?  I don't want my data to get mixed up between my new and old company.

A.  Every FBS company is stored in its own database so there's no risk of intermingling data.  It doesn't matter if it more than one company is stored in the same folder; in fact, it's more convenient to switch between companies in the same data folder.  Each company uses its own data files, designated by those three letter initials used in the logon. 

Here are some tips for managing multiple companies:

• You can easily "clone" setup from your existing companies (if the new company is in the same data folder).
• Make the background colors different for each company (Setup>General Information).
• Ask us about FBS's Intercompany Module, which 1) allows "master" charts of accounts and centers, permitting 2) offsetting intercompany transactions, 3) consolidated financial statements with eliminations columns and 4) cross-database user-defined reports.
• Don't forget that you'll need to back up and restore each database separately (Utilities>Save Data/Restore Data).

Editor's note:  Don't miss the opportunity to learn other valuable FBS skills from Sarah at next month's FBS User Conference and Data Mining Workshop.