Advantage Cloud

Looking for robust Project Management, integrated Media, accurate Accounting, extreme Management Reporting, super Performance, free Disaster Recovery, and Advantage blue?  Contact us about the Advantage Cloud where blue is fully hosted and ready to go - no maintenance and no worries!

Existing clients and new ones, contact us at www.gotoadvantage.com or 800.841.2078.

The Advantage Conference
Save the date-May 19-22, 2013

The Advantage Conference returns next year with fresh, new content. Gain knowledge, perspective and insight about everything Advantage. Network with your peers and hear from other agency professionals.  Plus, it’s the debut of blue Sapphire! Our most advanced agency management software gets even better. Stay tuned for more information and the official conference agenda! We look forward to seeing you in May!

Project Management - Implementation and Setup

PROJECT MANAGEMENT – IMPLEMENTATION & SETUP

You may be thinking of taking advantage of some of the new Project Management features with the release of blue.   If you haven’t used some of these features before, many of them have additional setup required to utilize them to their fullest.  To review the decision points related to these tools and the setup details, refer to Chapters 6 & 7 of the Implementation Guide.  The Implementation Guide can be downloaded from the User Portal, and has details on all of the options, tools, as well as checklists to aid with your setup.

The primary element that you’ll need prior to any setup decisions or implementation is a documented workflow for your operation.  Once you have this critical piece of information, it will be easy to determine which features you want to utilize as well as having much of the details for setup outlined.   Another helpful document is the Project Schedule User Guide, outlining the use of the scheduling and alert features.

We also offer consulting services to assist you in the set up and implementation of the Project Management  features as well as training.  For more information about our consulting and training, contact Dena Alleman at dena.alleman@gotoadvantage.com or at 704-662-9980 ext 508.

Advantage automates Sequential Liability for Agencies Automatically!

The Check Writing application can automatically enforce Sequential Liability procedures.  Sequential Liability is a term that refers to the process to ensure your vendors will not be paid until you have been paid by the client tied to the vendor’s invoice.

·    In Check Writing, use the Paid by Client method in the Selection Criteria 2 tab to view the invoices.  Then automatically approve invoices for payment by clicking on the Auto Approved Qualified Payables option in the Vendor Detail tab.  The invoice amounts will automatically be selected for payment if they meet any of the following criteria:

o  Paid by your Client

o  Non-Billable Expense

o  Overhead Expense

·    You can also drill down by the Accounts Payable invoice number and see job or media order information including AR Invoice and Client Payment details.

·    For more information, please refer to the Help topic on Check Writing & Reports-Vendor Detail Tab section or contact Software Support for assistance.

Tip from Software Support

Print Multiple Advance Billing Jobs (or Components) on One Invoice! 

Here is how to do it:

1       1. Verify that the client is setup to assign invoices at a level that would produce one invoice. For example if wishing to assign multiple jobs per invoice for the same product, the assign invoices selection would be by “product”.

2       2. Setup the advance billing record and save.

3       3. In the Billing Command Center, select the jobs and or components you wish to bill (select the Advance Billing Cut-Off date to include records established in Advance Billing/Date to Bill).

4      4.  Assign invoices - You will have one invoice for the group of jobs/ components.

Sequential Liability

Did you know that Advantage can help your agency manage cash flow by automatically enforcing Sequential Liability? 

Sequential Liability is a term that refers to the process that ensures your vendors will not be paid until you have been paid by the client tied to the vendor’s invoice.  Use the Advantage Check Writing “Paid by Client” feature to automatically select only ‘qualified’ invoices for payment, with a single click!   There’s no need to print reports and research each transaction because the program does that for you.  To see the details, just drill down on the invoice for a history of billing and receipts.  It’s that easy.

Partnership with Piracle

We are happy to announce a new partnership with Piracle for electronic processing of check payments. With Piracle, simply print processed checks from Advantage to the Piracle print driver. This solution can save you up to 60% on pre-printed paper checks, paperless options and additional management approval; all providing added security against fraud. For electronic check signing, ACH payments, and other digital processing needs, check out Piracle on our website or contact Bridgette at bridgette.lacerte@gotoadvantage.com.