Amber's Tips & Tricks Hello everyone: Spring has arrived!! I hope you are enjoying the change in seasons as much as I am. It is now time to open the windows and get out the cleaning supplies and do some spring cleaning. With that in mind, I wanted to help with some tips for spring cleaning at home and for spring cleaning inside of Great Plains.  Clean Up Your AR Aging: Did you know that you can automatically write-off under payments and over payments for your customers? Click here for instructions Convergence 2007 was a huge success, read about the highlights in this issue. Plus, more tips and tricks and info on the new Vista operating system. Stay tuned: We are starting to plan this summer's CAL Customer Appreciation Day which will feature Version 10.0. We'll keep you posted on the details. Surprise! Thank you to our clients who participated in Microsoft Customer Satisfaction Survey email on April 3rd. For those of you that gave us your names, we will send you a $10 Dunkin Donuts Gift Card to say thanks! -Thank you, Amber J. Bell

More Tips & Tricks Mastering Keyboard Shortcuts Getting your work done faster in Microsoft Dynamics GP is mere keystrokes away with a few built-in keyboard shortcuts. Learn how these shortcuts work and how to avoid some of the confusion they can cause. (link requires CustomerSource login) Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack With more people using Office 2007 you may receive files that you have trouble opening. Download this compatibility pack and open all Office 2007 documents with ease. Common formulas for Excel Quickly add formulas to your worksheets with this list of the most commonly used formulas for Microsoft Excel.

More Excel Tips

Chuck's Tech Topic - Microsoft Vista The Microsoft Vista Operating System is here! If you order a new PC or laptop it might be shipped with Vista. Vista has some great features but you need to make sure your accounting software is ready! To be compatible with Vista, you must be using Dynamics GP 9.0 or higher. Or if you want to continue to use an older version of Great Plains, the new workstation drives will need to be reformatted and reinstalled with Windows XP to ensure compatibility. I recommend that you schedule your Dynamics GP upgrade soon to take advantage of all that Vista has to offer. And as long as we are talking about operating systems keep in mind that the following operating systems and Office versions will no longer be supported with Dynamics GP 10.0 : Microsoft Windows 2000 Workstation, Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft Window 2000 Terminal Server, Microsoft Office 2000. Release 10.0 is still a few months away, but now is the time to evaluate your current hardware and Office installations and make any needed changes to be compatible. I am happy to assist you in all technical evaluations. Contact support@calszone.com to schedule a technical consultation. -Chuck Ray, CAL Technical Guru Try Windows Vista Business and Microsoft Office Professional 2007 without having to install them on your PC. Use your Web browser to experience the online trial and discover new features on your own, or follow the videos and guided exercises. Learn More About Vista At These Local Events Online - Monday April 23rd 4pm: Webcast: See the Possibilities with Windows Vista & the 2007 Office System Norwalk, CT - Tue May 1st Farmington, CT - Thu May 3rd Microsoft Connections Event

More About Vista

Convergence 2007 Winner Congratulations to Kathy Hargrove from Archstone Consulting - the winner of our "Free Ticket to Convergence Contest". Read about Kathy's experience in San Diego. Convergence 2007 in San Diego was a huge success with over 8,900 attendees! It is officially the largest and highest-rated Convergence ever. We have compiled some highlights and feedback from our team members and clients who attended. We hope it will inspire you to attend Convergence 2008 in Orlando, Florida March 11 - 14, 2008.

CAL Convergence Highlights & Photos

George's Corner - A Chat with Steve Ballmer As always, my trip to Convergence was a great experience. Read my Convergence interview. A special highlight of this trip was being invited to a private meeting with Steve Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft. There were only about 50 partners in the room and it felt great to be among these top partners chosen from around the country. Steve shared with us his vision and enthusiasm for the Dynamics business and addressed partner questions. One common question was about the future of the Dynamics line of products. Some people have expressed concern that one or other of the products will no longer exist. It has even been speculated on incorrectly in the press. But Steve specifically announced: “All Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM solutions are included within this roadmap, all lead to the future, and all contribute their unique strengths to our collective journey ahead” and "Our promise, consistent with Microsoft Office, is for Microsoft Dynamics to have predictable schedules and value in upgrades, releasing a major upgrade every 24-36 months with significant customer value. We will ensure that our customers and our partners have complete visibility into our roadmap, into what the next major release is going to be, and into the general vision." I left this meeting feeling confident in the Microsoft vision, and I think our clients can feel confident that their investment in Microsoft Dynamics GP is secure now and into the future. Read the official "Product Roadmap Letter from Steve Ballmer." As always, I love to hear feedback from our clients. Please do not hesitate to contact me at anytime to discuss the future of Dynamics or any issue at all. georgem@calszone.com -George Mackiewicz, President

Steve Ballmer's Letter

Welcome John DiLeo Welcome to the newest member of the CAL team, John DiLeo III. John joined our team in January and has been making an impact in his role of System Implementation and Customer Support. Many of you have likely spoken to John already when you call our Support line. Prior to joining CAL, John was the General Manager of the family owned business, DiLeo Bros Wholesale Distributors, which operated for 50 years in the food and tobacco distribution industry. We look forward to using John's extensive experience in software and distribution to assist our clients.

Place a Support Request Now

Where is GP 10.0? Already some of you have been asking us about GP 10.0. Here is the official release schedule: April '07 - US Roadshow and Launch Events Begin May '07 - Web Seminar Series Begins - GP 10.0 Download Available for Partners June '07 - Official Product Release! Summer '07 - Date TBD - CAL Client Appreciation Day with special sessions on GP 10.0 Stay tuned to each issue of THE CAL ZONE for the latest breaking 10.0 news.