leveraging the power of tablets · “apps” (software) to effectively use tablets. i have used...

December 2011News and Information for Users of Sage Timberline Office Software

Over the last year I have been working with tablets as potential tools for mobile access to corporate information.

Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, tablet devices work pretty well. I do have to remind users that a tablet is not a laptop; there are some major differences that set them apart.

Besides the physical differences, most tablets run a completely different operating system than a standard Windows- or Apple-based system. You can’t simply install the same programs on your office PC and your tablet. You need “apps” (software) to effectively use tablets. I have used several different types, from Windows-based OS to Android based devices to Blackberry’s Playbook to Apple’s iPad.

Tablets offer lightweight, portable solutions compared to the traditional laptop setup. Tablets are self-contained devices that don’t require external peripherals to run (keyboards, mouse, etc.), although they can be used to add functionality or ease of use. Tablets can also offer longer battery life, faster “wake” times and simplified access to information, such as point and tap, pinch to zoom, etc.

It is important to look at the expectations users have for using a tablet. If you are looking to use a tablet for e-mail and to organize data, all the tablets I have used work pretty well. Most have native applications that allow you to connect to corporate servers, but keep in mind that your mail server and network must be configured to allow access. If you are looking for Internet use, all the tablets available today have a web browser and offer an excellent alternative to a laptop. If you are

using an iPad, keep in mind that the current models do not support Flash, so some web content might display as expected.

As tablet use relates to Timberline, I don’t think we’re quite there yet. First of all, Timberline was not designed to run on a tablet OS. You need to use another piece of

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Leveraging the Power of Tablets ..........1

TUG Local Chapters – User to User

Interaction at its Finest ................3

Unit Type Resolution…Or, Perhaps

a Better Title, Unit of

Measure Mis-Match .....................4

2012 TUG Project Management (PJ)

Committee WebEx Sessions .........6

AB Items We’d Like to See Timberline

Implement in the Future ...............7

TUG Online WebEx Training and

Open Forums ................................7

Oh the Joy of the Holidays

and 1099s ....................................8

To: The Estimating Guru ......................10

TUG Members Sharpen Skills During

Annual Year-End

Webinar Series ...........................11

Tuck Some Enhancements in

My Stocking! ..............................11

2012 TUG National Users Conference:

Registration Now Open...............12

Searching in Estimating ......................13

Weird Stuff We Track and

Where to Track It! .......................15

Leveraging the Power of Tabletsby: Matt Weaver, MCP

Meyer Najem Construction, LLC

December 2011 News and Information for Users of Sage Timberline Office Software

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the TUG PulsePublished by the

Timberline Users Group, Inc.and sent to all members.

Board of DirectorsMatt Weaver, President

Tim Cooke, Vice President

Sharon Hessong, Treasurer

Jon Banse, Secretary

Natalie Allen, Past President

Janice Barnard

Scott Bishop

Barbara Morse

Michael Suhovecky

Marlene Williams

Lenni M. Witt

Publications CommitteeDavid Brown

Sharon Hessong

Maeva Mayes

Liz Perez-Lavin

Val Steffen

Eire Stewart

Shanna Torges

Timberline Users Group3525 Piedmont Road

Building Five, Suite 300

Atlanta, GA 30305

e-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 404.760.8171

Fax: 404.240.0998Toll Free: 866.846.0999

[email protected]

Web Sitewww.TUGweb.com

software to make it work. While it can be done, I have used my iPad with a remote desktop client to access Timberline on my desktop; I don’t think it’s a practical solution. Also, the screen size of tablets really limits the amount of information you can view on the screen, which for most tasks this is acceptable, but really hurts the use of Timberline. Navigating the menus, dropdown boxes, etc., is also really cumbersome. If you want to add a keyboard and mouse you are basically back to using a laptop.

One area where tablets, especially the iPad, excel is with document viewing. After installing a few apps on the iPad, users can view entire sets of construction plans and specifications. The ability to have all this information at your fingertips offers a nice alternative to carrying full-sized sets of plans and specifications. Onsite workers can now walk the project and have the information they need on demand without having to go back to the jobsite office to verify a plan note or specification.

If you are looking to add tablets to your environment, make sure you choose a make/model that meets your needs. Some important

considerations are cost of the device and accessories, storage (how much data can the device hold), security, ease of use, additional cost of cellular data plans, WIFI capabilities and accessories (carrying cases, screen protection). It is also important to look at your current processes and decide if adding technology will help your users. Chances are if they are not performing a process or procedure currently, adding a tablet to the equation might complicate things. Make sure you talk to your current software vendors to see if they have an app for the software you currently use. At the time of this article, Apple currently has the largest selection of apps, followed by Android devices.

Tablets offer many advantages for the construction industry and will find their place in corporate networks. It’s all about providing instant access in a simple, yet powerful device. There have been several posts on TUG Talk (Information Technology) about how other companies are using tablets. For more information or to view TUG Talk messages, go to www.tugweb.com. And yes, you can access TUGWeb from your tablet!


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With the TUG annual conference just around the corner, I am sure we are all making our plans to join in the learning and festivities in Orlando. What a great opportunity to take our profession

to a new level of learning. Whether this is your first conference or your tenth or more, the offerings of education and the friendships you obtain are invaluable. I hope to see ALL of you there, as I believe this year will be the best conference yet!

I would also like to let you know about your local TUG Chapters. Currently, there are active local chapters in: Tucson, Arizona; Tampa/St. Pete, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; and Albany, New York. If you do not see the area where you live listed, don’t despair, as several areas are in the process of forming new or rejuvenating former chapters.

Depending on where you live, meetings are held two to 12 times per year and little or no registration fees are required to attend. There is NO MEMBERSHIP FEE to attend a local chapter meeting. The local chapters are part of your national TUG membership benefits.

Topics at meetings are just as individual as each user. WebEx presentations, consultant presentations, third-party vendor presentations and, most importantly, USER to USER interaction are just a few of the ways the local chapter members share with each other. Some areas even come together to host joint meetings and expand the networking and educational opportunities.

No matter how often or long the meetings last, the most important thing is user participation. If you have not had a chance to attend your local chapter meeting, please try to do so! It is amazing how many little things you can learn from your peers. This is truly where POWER TO THE USER happens at the local level by being a part of this great organization.

If you are interested in starting a local chapter, please contact the TUG office at [email protected]. We would be happy to assist you in starting a group in your area. I would also like to thank the current local chapter chairpersons that have volunteered to coordinate the meetings in their area. Finding a good topic and having a place to present it can sometimes be challenging, so when you attend your next meeting, be sure to tell them thank you, as well!

TUG Local Chapters – User to User Interaction at its Finestby: Marlene Williams

Marick, Inc.

Omaha, NEDes Moines, IA

Kansas City, MO

Tucson, AZ

Coming Soon!San Diego, CA

Atlanta, GA

Tampa / St. Petersburg, FL

Albany, NYIndianapolis, IN


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Have you ever opened an estimate to have the following pop up? It says that the units of measure do not match the unit type. So, you type in a new code, “wrkh,” which stands for work hours.

But the system says that code is used, so you try another code, “manh,” which is used also. Now you are in a pinch because your boss needs the estimate now! Type any character(s) and press OK, open the estimate. Now you are a happy camper, except this Unit Type Resolution keeps popping up on other estimates! How do you get rid of it? Time and patience. Time and patience.

How To Fix ItRemember the unit of measure or write it down. In this example, “mh” is on the Unit Type Resolution window. Type in anything in New Unit Type, “a,” “b,” “c,” “as,” “asd,” “asdf,” or any letter combination, so it will let you into the estimate. Press [OK].

Then go to the Takeoff Quantity column, right mouse click on any unit of measure, and select [Edit Unit] on the short cut menu.

To select the unit of measure, press the button.

Select the unit of measure that caused the error. If you cannot remember, then see what you wrote down. In this case, we are interested in the MH (note that it does not have a clock symbol). Press [OK].

Switch the unit to the unit that matches the database.

Unit Type Resolution…Or, Perhaps a Better Title,Unit of Measure Mis-Match

by: Gary MorrisCH2M Hill


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In this example, “Man hour.”

Press [Yes].

Press [OK] and then [Close].

The unit type is fixed for this estimate only. Important: Recalculate the estimate.

To eliminate this error, we all need to match the Unit of Measure to the correct Type of Unit on all the affected estimates. So, as you open the estimates and you get this Mis-Match error, keep fixing them. Eventually this error should go away.

What is This Mis-Match?It is a Mis-Match between type of unit in the database and the type of unit in the estimate:

• mh(manhour)• md(manday)• mw(manweek)• mm(manmonth)• ch(crewhour)• cd(crewday)• cw(crewweek)• cm(crewmonth)• etc.

If the unit of measure is “ea,” “lf,” or something not time related. There is no “time” type of unit for these units of measures. Any unit of measure can be used. Our company had mandated that “man” be taken out of our unit of measure such as “mh,” “mhr,” “manh,” etc. is replaced with “wrkh,” which is not recognized by Timberline as time-based type of unit, until specified by the Unit of Measure.

Look for the little clock in front of the Unit List, such as . Then you know it is time based.

What Causes It?I think a colleague of mine said it best, “There is a Mis-Match in the unit of measure (time based… mh, ch, etc.) as stored on the estimate or in the database. Either the database administrator or an estimator has made the change. Since you can open an estimate and re-associate it with another database that Mis-Match can easily occur.”

The DatabasesI went through all seven of our databases in 2009 and checked all the unit types and unit of measures. We are basically down to two databases. Hopefully, by the end of 2012, we will only have one database and this Mis-Match will disappear…note that I said hopefully!

Be sure to stay abreast of the latest news relating to STO:

• E-mail exclusive for TUG members: [email protected]• Follow Sage on Twitter: @SageConstruct• Join the Sage Construction and Real Estate LinkedIn group• Subscribe to the SageCRE1 YouTube channel

STAYCONNECTED WITH SAGE


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Your TUG Project Management (PJ) Committee is working to continue to provide a slate of WebEx sessions that

are useful to users that are new to PJ, as well as informative for experienced users. Over the next several months, the PJ Committee will focus on different aspects of the PJ software – “PJ Documents” in January and February, “Cost and Vendor Management” in March and “Price and Customer Contracts/Billing” in April. Each month we will conclude with an Open Forum for general discussion and follow-up questions combined with our committee meeting for planning.

At each session, we will begin with an overview of the construction management workflow then discuss what features and advantages PJ provides. We will then demonstrate the “nuts and bolts” of the basic operation of the PJ tool in question, then move on to more advanced work-arounds and tips and tricks.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY:PJ Documents• 1/10 – PJ Overview + Interface to Accounting + Job Setup Workflow: This session will start with the “big picture” of PJ to explore the various features and discuss where PJ interfaces with accounting modules and where it stays separate, then move on to various workflows for job setup, including the nuts and bolts of both PJ job setup and JC job setups.• 1/17 – Using Address Book with PJ + Job Contact List: This session will start with an overview of how address book contacts interface with various modules and how to manage contacts between Estimating, AP Vendors, AR Customers

and Misc. Contacts, then move on to nuts and bolts of managing PJ Job Contact Lists and Distribution Lists.• 1/24 – PJ Transmittals + Correspondence Log: This session will explore how PJ approaches managing job-related communication and documentation, then explore the nuts and bolts of the Transmittal tool and the Correspondence Log tool.• 2/7 – PJ Requests for Information (RFIs): This session will start with a review of the RFI process and a discussion of working with different types of customers and architects, then move on to the nuts and bolts of the RFI data entry screen for both asking a question and for logging and sharing the answer.• 2/14 – PJ Meeting Minutes: This session will explore the need to track discussions and action items from various job-related meetings, including the nuts and bolts of using the PJ Meeting Minutes data entry screen to distribute meeting agendas, track ongoing discussions, track action items and share minutes with attendees.• 2/21 – PJ Drawing Log & Submittal Log

MARCH: Cost and Vendor Management• 3/6 – Workflow + PJ Entering Estimates + Entering Commitments: This session will explore the “big picture” of entering estimates to track costs and entering commitments (POs or Subcontracts) to subs and vendors, including the nuts and bolts of the Enter Estimate and Enter Commitment screen.

• 3/13 – Managing Commitments: Purchase Orders: This session will focus on the issues associated with managing Purchase Orders, including tracking delivery of items, issuing change orders, and reports to track invoices and payments.• 3/20 – Managing Commitments: Subcontracts: This session will focus on the issues associated with managing Subcontracts, including tracking insurance, issuing change orders, and reports to track invoices and payments.

APRIL: Price and Customer Contracts/Billing• 4/3 – Workflow + Entering Contracts and Schedule of Values: This session will explore the “big picture” of tracking prices that you will charge your customer, including the nuts and bolts of entering a contract, including a Schedule of Values.• 4/10 – Billing Workflow: This session will begin with the workflow of preparing monthly billings, then move on to the nuts and bolts of using the billing worksheet to prepare monthly customer invoices and end-of-job retainage billings.• 4/17 – Managing Owner Change Orders: This session will discuss how to manage change orders on a job with a Schedule of Values to ensure correct amounts for billing each month, including how to manage Contingencies and Allowances.

We’ll see you on WebEx!

Mark Your Calendar – 2012 TUG Project Management (PJ) Committee WebEx Sessions

by: Tom MooreWebster Moore Group


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JANUARY 2012

Tuesday 1.10.12 1:00 p.m. ET PJ BASICS: PJ SETTINGS, CUSTOM DESCRIPTIONS, CUSTOM FIELDS & DEFAULTS

Wednesday 1.11.12 2:00 p.m. ET CONSTRUCTION ACCOUNTING COMMITTEE & FORUM

Thursday 1.12.12 2:00 p.m. ET REAL ESTATE COMMITTEE & FORUM: SETTING UP CONCESSIONS

Friday 1.13.12 1:00 p.m. ET ESTIMATING: TIPS & TRICKS

Friday 1.13.12 2:00 p.m. ET PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING

Tuesday 1.17.12 1:00 p.m. ET PJ BASICS: USING ADDRESS BOOK WITH PJ

Thursday 1.19.12 11:00 a.m. ET SERVICE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE & FORUM:

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS

Monday 1.23.12 1:00 p.m. ET INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE & FORUM

Tuesday 1.24.12 1:00 p.m. ET PJ BASICS: PJ JOB SETUP & WORKFLOW/SECURITY ROLES

Wednesday 1.25.12 11:00 a.m. ET ESTIMATING COMMITTEE & FORUM

Friday 1.27.12 1:00 p.m. ET ESTIMATING: TOTALS PAGE & ADD-ONS

Tuesday 1.31.12 1:00 p.m. ET PJ OPEN FORUM: PJ PROJECT MANAGEMENT TIPS & TRICKS

To attend an online event, please e-mail attendee(s) name and e-mail address to [email protected]. You will receive an e-mail confirmation along with connection instructions once you are registered. These classes are free of charge and open to members

only – one more benefit of belonging to the Timberline Users Group! We are adding more sessions every day. Check theOnline Event Calendar at TUGweb.com for an updated list. If you have any suggestions on sessions you

would like to see, please e-mail [email protected].

TUG Online WebEx Training and Open Forums

• Fixthe“find”bug:allowtypingacontactnameintothe“name” field and pressing enter to do an auto-find, just like you can with job numbers, rather than forcing the user to press the “Find…” button.

• AddmorefieldsandsortoptionsintheContactSelectionlist:by AP Vendor code, by AR Customer code, by Location, by “Company Name,” by zip code.

• Provideanoptionto“selectexisting”whentypinginaname does not return a match, rather than only providing option to “create new.”

• Makethe“contactselectionlist”namesareaALWAYSactiveso you don’t have to click back on the list of names to type in the first few letters of a contact’s name.

AB Items We’d Like to See Timberline Implement in the Futureby: Tom Moore

Webster Moore Group


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In December, while thinking of “what to buy for whom,” we need to be ordering 1099 forms so we have them by January. You may ask, “How do I know the number of 1099s to get?” To calculate

the number of 1099s to order, use the 1099 Preparation report or the 1099 Mag Media Status report.

1. If you want to see specifically which vendors need a 1099, use the 1099 Preparation report. • AP>Reports>Miscellaneous>1099Preparation • Makesuretoaddacondition:inthefieldcolumnselect 1099 Amt Paid this Yr or 1099 Amt Paid Last Yr (which ever totals you intend to print depending upon your current 1099 year) is greater than -0- or your report could be 100 pages long

2. If you only want a count of how many vendors need a 1099, use the 1099 Mag Media Status report. You can use this even if you do not intend to submit magnetic media to the IRS. • AP>Reports>Forms>1099s *Don’t worry, you can print the 1099 Preparation report or generate a magnetic media file any number of times during the year.

*Accounts Payable does not prepare or print the 1096 form. However, you can use the totals from the 1099 Preparation Report to manually complete the 1096 form if you are filing by paper.

If you are required (because of the number of forms) to transmit your 1099s to the IRS by magnetic media or you have chosen to do it that way, it’s really, really easy. You must have a transmitter control code that has been provided to you by the IRS. If you do not have one, you must apply for one with the IRS before you can submit your 1099s on magnetic media. To do this you need to file Form 4419 with the IRS. I would suggest doing this in December also. This way it will give the IRS plenty of time to assign you a number and get it back to you.

Happy New YearJanuary is the time to prepare your 1099s. After all, they have to be in the mail by January 31. To accomplish this task:

• Firstmakesureallcomputer-generatedchecksandmanual checks have been entered and posted

• VerifytheAccountsPayable1099year-endingdateinthe AP>File>CompanySettings>APSettings window (your 1099s can be printed for the current year-end date or the prior year depending on when you decide to Close 1099 Year) • Justmakesuretoclose1099yearbeforeyoubegin processing checks for the new year

• Printthe1099Preparationreportand review the vendor information to determine missing information. • VendorfederaltaxID • Vendoraddress

If you need to add a missing federal tax ID number or correct one.

• AP>Setup>Vendorsonthe1099Settingstab • EnterinRecipient’staxIDnumber

If you need to add missing addresses or complete corrections:

• AP>Setup>VendorsontheGeneraltab • EnterinAddress

Oh the Joy of the Holidays and 1099sby: Natalie Allen

R&O Construction

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The government may have a different name for the vendor. You could be using the vendor’s DBA name as the vendor ID. To include the correct name to use for government reporting:

• AP>Setup>Vendoronthe1099Settingstab • EnterinRecipient’staxIDnamefield • Thisfieldprintsabovethevendornameonthe1099

If a vendor that should receive a 1099 is not on the list you can correct this before printing 1099s:

• AP>Setup>Vendoronthe1099Settingstab • CheckVendorreceivesaForm1099box

If you have a vendor that should receive two different types of 1099 forms, a different vendor ID must be set up for each type of 1099.

If you have tried unsuccessfully for two of the last three years to obtain a vendor’s federal tax ID number:

• AP>Setup>Vendorsonthe1099Settingstab • ChecktheSecondTinNoticebox

If you need the gross dollars paid to show up in box 14 of the 1099-MISC form:

• AP>Setup>Vendorsonthe1099Settingstab • ChecktheGrossproceedspaidtoanattorneybox

Reconcile and verify the 1099 amount paid for your vendors by downloading the appropriate report from Sage Technical Support Knowledgebase article “How Do I Verify the 1099 Paid for a Vendor?” These custom 1099 reconciliation reports are only available there.

Now that the information has been verified and you are ready to proceed with preparing the 1099 forms, be sure to make a backup copy of your Accounts Payable files.

You can verify that the name you have matches the Recipient’s tax ID number by checking on the IRS website under e-services. You have to register with the IRS and have a username and password in order to use the services, but it is really easy to setup and very beneficial. If you send in the correct information, you won’t get those pesky notices from the IRS.

Printing a test run of the laser 1099s is a good idea. Select AP>Reports>Forms>1099s.

Complete the payer information and the form options. Select at least six vendors to make the test run. Review the printed forms and make adjustments until you are satisfied with the way the forms are printing:

• Use[PageSetup]toadjustthereportmargins• Fromtheprintdriverpropertiesadjusttheunprintableareas• Changeyourprintdrivertocorrecttheprintout• Installarecommendedprinterdriver

Now you are ready to print the forms for mailing. Select AP>Reports>Forms>1099s:

• MakesuretheinformationinthePayerInformationiscorrect• Changeanyincorrectinformationandfillinanyblankfields• Click[OK]• IntheFormOptionswindowchoosethereportingyear• Entertheminimumreportingamountinthebox(Vendorswith amounts less than this entry will not have a 1099 printed)• SelecttheFormType• Click[OK]• SelectFormType• Click[Start]toprint

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News and Information for Users of Sage Timberline Office Software

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December 2011

*You can print the 1099s to a file also. This allows you to archive the information.

You can simultaneously generate a magnetic media file (or generate it separately) for the IRS in addition to printing the 1099 forms. In theAP>Reports>Forms>1099s>[OK]window,checktheGeneratemagnetic media box. The 1099 magnetic media file will be created after the 1099s are printed.

To do this, follow the above steps and include these steps after entering the minimum reporting amount in the box:

• SelecttheGenerateMagneticMediabox• EnterthetransmittercontrolcodeprovidedtoyoubytheIRS

• EnterthetransmitterTINandmedianumber• Enteracontactforthereturnofthefile• Click[OK]• Click[Save]toacceptthedefaultmagneticmediafilename of IRSTAX or change the file name. This file is created without an extension.

Each time you create a new magnetic media file, it replaces any magnetic media file currently in the folder with the same name. If you have two different types of 1099 forms, make sure you save each file with a unique file name.

Submit your magnetic media to the IRS by electronic file upload through their FIRE system at https://fire.irs.gov/firevlr/. You must create an account and log on before you can upload your file.

A magnetic media status report generated may have error messages. The description for each message should help you to determine the problem and help you know what to do to correct it. The majority of theproblemscanbecorrectedintheSetup>Vendorswindow.

Important dates to also keep in mind:

• 1099smustbemailedtorecipientsbyJanuary31• 1096andpaperIRSformsmustbemailedtoIRSbyFebruary28• MagneticmediamustbesubmittedtotheIRS by March 31

TO: The GuruI’m an Estimating Models user with a minor irritation. When I’m doing the Models Interview, the help for the variable I’m on keeps covering up the variables above. Sometimes I need to see what was entered above to know how to answer this question.

– Tired of the Cover Up

TO: Cover UpWith a name like that you should be in politics. You’re in luck – the solution is simplicity itself. Just put your mouse on the help box and drag the box to the location where you would like to see it. The help window will stay in that position (relative to the variables) for the entire model. It won’t stay there when you go to a new model, so you will have to move it for each model as you access it.

– THE Guru

ESTIMATING TIPS & TRICKS


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December 2011

TUG’s second-annual full-day webinar series on year-end close topics by module was, once again, a huge success.

Six one-hour long sessions were hosted by TUG, each focusing on a different STO module. With an average of 51 participants per session, attendees were walked through the various elements of Year-End close, shown how and where system fields are populated, and how to print the necessary compliance and tax forms required in some modules. Taught by a select group of expert users and consultants, the Webinar series met with much enthusiasm from its attendees.

And for those of you who were unable to attend because of space limitations, we have great news! For your convenience, session recordings are now available on demand and can be accessed at tug.webex.com. You will be required to enter a password to view the recordings. Please use the passwords listed at right:

Along with all the gifts on Santa’s list, here are some good stocking stuffers by way of software enhancements that TUG member Ed Aho has asked for!

• -v9.8–Abilitytoresizewindowsandsectionstoincrease columns or rows visible and save users last settings so windows is opened to last used size.• -v9.8–InInquiryStickyColumns,allowusertospecifycolumns that will come up the next time an inquiry is opened. Users should not have to purchase a special module to create customize inquiries just to keep the added columns on screen. How about a save current configuration button so the next time the inquiry is used it will default to the columns setup/ configuration previously used?• 20111109v9.8–Abilitytosetdefaultprinttofileas.pdf instead of .prn.

• 20111110v9.8–Moreflexibilityinnewdefaultprinting (introduced in v9.8) location. Expand options to allow for dates or other portions of default selection without the underscores. Expand options to allow fixed names (Text fields) for directory locations by module (AP, JC, etc.). For example, (1) be able to add text after year for directory name; and (2) add additional description to file name such that location could be specified as “printouts2011 Report HistoryAP Check Registers” and file name saved could be “111110 AP PRINT CHECKS” or location “printouts2011 Report HistoryJC Transaction Journals” with file name “111110 JC ENTER DIRECT COST” and optionally append incrementing number after file name if file already exists. (This needs to be thought through, as two operators could specify to print the same type of report that could then conflict on name resolution because at the time both operators create a file that may be assigned the same name because one does not exist).

So, Santa, check your list for these enhancements!

• Accounts Payable Year End Closing – Event password: tugapye • Accounts Receivable Year End Closing – Event password: tugarye • Job Cost and Project Management Year End Closing – Event password: tugjcye • General Ledger/Cash Management Year End Closing – Event password: tugglye • Property Management Year End Closing – Event password: tugpmye • Payroll Year End Closing – Event password: tugprye

Complete access instructions can be found on the TUG Web site at:

http://www.tugweb.com/page.php/member-recordedwebinars/

You will only be able to watch the recording (pause, stop, rewind, play and adjust volume) and you cannot download or save the recordings.

Should you encounter any difficulty when trying to access the sessions, please either e-mail [email protected] or call 866.846.0999 and a TUG staff member will be able to assist you. We also welcome any feedback you may have regarding the session or sessions you may have attended.

TUG extends a big “Thank You” to session leaders Lenni Witt of Aronson LLC, Pam Daly of United Solutions Inc., Kathy Lewis of Kathy Lewis Consulting and Eire Stewart of JP DiNapoli Company Inc.

Webinars like these are hosted each week by TUG as a part of your membership. The sessions cover a wide variety of topics and you can find a list of upcoming sessions at www.tugweb.com or in the TUG Pulse newsletter. Be sure to take full advantage of this outstanding TUG member benefit! Do you have any suggestions for a future TUG Webinar topic? Please e-mail your topic to [email protected].

TUG Members Sharpen Skills DuringAnnual Year-End Webinar Series

Tuck Some Enhancements in My Stocking!


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2012 TUG National Users Conference:

Registration Now OpenRegistration is now open for the 2012 TUG National Users Conference in Kissimmee, Florida, May 15-18, 2012. This conference is designed to bring together expert users, new users and potential users of the Sage Timberline Office (STO) software to share knowledge, ideas and experiences. Register by February 29, 2012, and experience a $100 savings off of the regular registration rate!

The full agenda, as well as session descriptions, can be found on the conference Web site at www.tugconference.com. Take a few minutes to peruse the Web site and select the sessions that are right for you.

New this year, TUG has recommended “bundles” of sessions based on your job type, industry and Timberline experience. You can use these bundles as a guide or select any of the sessions that are most appealing to you.

Take a look at what attendees from the 2011 conference had to say:

• “Greatconference!AllmyneedsweretakencareofsoI could focus on the content of the event.” • “AlloftheclassesIattendedwereveryhelpfuland professionally presented.” • “Speakersconnectedwiththeaudienceandhadlotsof good information to share.” • “IgotideasIcanusebackhome.”• “Sincetheeducationsessionsarepresentedbyusers, they offer the most value through hands-on experience in teaching.”

With an anticipated attendance of over 500 people, this conference is the perfect place to find answers to your questions, meet with Sage representatives and collaborate on ideas for future upgrades. Additionally, if you are working toward certification, this conference offers many opportunities to earn continuing professional education (CPE) credits.

For additional information, including conference registration and multiple attendee discounts, session details, hotel accommodations and much more, visit the 2012 TUG National Users Conference Web site today at www.tugconference.com!

REGISTRATION RATES

Early Registration Deadline: February 29, 2012

Member – 2 Days $795.00Member – 4 Days $995.00Non-Member – 2 Days $1,195.00Non-Member – 4 Days $1,395.00

Register online at www.tugconference.com

BUILDING ABETTER USER

2012

TUG NATIONAL USERS CONFERENCE

BUILDING ABETTER USER

2012

TUG NATIONAL USERS CONFERENCE


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Did you know there are search functions within estimating that can save you a lot of time? You can search for items

in the database item list, quick takeoff, item takeoff, assemblies list, and you can search for items in the estimate, as well.

With the database item list open, click on the [SEARCH] button at the top right ofthe window and the search box will open. Simply type in a keyword or words that are in the description of the item(s) you are lookingforandclickthe[GO]buttontotheright of the search bar. Your search results will show up in the list below. Once you have found the item you were looking for, select it andclick[CLOSESEARCH].Ifnoitemswerefound with matching keywords, you will get a message, “There are no items in this database that match your search criteria. Change your search and try again.” If you are working in Quick Takeoff mode, follow these same steps to search.

To search the database in Item Takeoff mode, right-click anywhere in the item list pane (top left) and select [Search] or [Ctrl+ F]. You will see the same search boxwill open. Type the keyword(s) you want to search for and click the [GO] button. Yoursearch results will be in the item list pane. Then you select the item(s) that you were searching for and click [CLOSE] and theentire item list will appear again.

Searching it Assembly Takeoff is a little different. With assembly takeoff window open, right-click anywhere in the assembly list pane (top left) and you will notice that the search option does not appear in the list. To access the search function in assembly takeoff, you have to use [Ctrl + F]. TheFind window will open and you can type in your keyword(s) to search through the list of assembly descriptions. If you are not at the top of the list and want to search the list from the beginning, be sure to check thebox[STARTFROMBEGINNING].Keepinmind that the program will only search for keyword(s) in the assembly description and not the assembly number or descriptions at

the group level. This applies to searching in the item lists, as well.

You also have the ability to search through the estimate spreadsheet for items. In any of the spreadsheet views you can click on the Find/Goto icon orbyusing [Ctrl+F].Youwill see the Find/Goto window open. You can either search the entire estimate or you can narrow your search to specific WBS Code sections.Bycheckingthebox for [SEARCHBY DESCRIPTION], you will be searchingin the description of each line item in the estimate. If you want to search the estimate from the beginning, check the box for [START FROM BEGINNING]. If you want tosearch in specific WBS Codes, select them from the list to the right of the WBS Code name. Next type in the keyword(s) into the search box and click the [GO] button. Thesearch results will show up in list form in the Find/Goto window with the number of

Searching in Estimatingby: Scott R. Bishop, CEPHDR Constructors, Inc.

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returns. From the list of returns double-click on the item you want to go to, the window will disappear and you will be directed to the item you choose from the list.

You can see how these search functions this will save you time during the takeoff and pricing phases of estimating. Good luck!

TUG offers a variety of great benefits for our members that provide a tremendous value. Are you taking advantage of all TUG has to offer?

TUGWeb AccessEach company can have multiple TUGWeb users at no additional cost and company administrators have the ability to add and remove members from their company account. If you need help with this feature, call the TUG office at 866.846.0999 or e-mail [email protected].

Monthly Webinar Training SessionsEach month TUG offers a variety of training webinars, free of charge, to TUG members. The sessions last approximately one hour and are presented on a variety of topics by expert TUG users and STO-certified consultants. The schedule is updated monthly and can be found on TUGWeb (Member to Member Benefits, Online Events Calendar, TUG Training Calendar link). To register for these sessions, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Have a topic you would like to see covered in a future webinar? Each of the TUG committees holds a meeting and forum each month to discuss committee business, including future webinar sessions. We will also be posting the recordings of the 2011 Year-End Webinar series in mid-December. If you were unable to join us for these sessions, you will be able to view them at

your convenience on TUGWeb! Log-in information will be posted online as soon as the sessions are available. The link can be found on TUGWeb (Member to Member Benefits, Recorded Webinars).

TUG Talk Bulletin BoardHave you ever had a question or issue with STO and thought, “Someone else must have dealt with this before?” Post it to the TUG Talk Bulletin Board! There are currently 23 different topics and the board is monitored by other users that are ready to help you out. You can also subscribe to different topics and get a notice when a new question or answer is posted.

Volunteer OpportunitiesTUG couldn’t operate without help from fellow members who volunteer in a variety of capacities. In addition to helping keep the TUG organization strong, volunteers can also earn TUG Bucs! Opportunities exist in the following areas:

• Servingasacommitteemember• WritingarticlesforthemonthlyTUG Pulse newsletter• AnsweringpostsontheTUGTalkBulletinBoard• LocalChapterCoordinator• PresentingwebinarstootherTUGmembers

Are You Getting the Full Value of Your TUG Membership?


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So much of Property Management involves tracking information – information about Properties, about Units, Leases and Tenants, but also historical costs to reroof or amortization of capitalized improvements that get passed back to Tenants. There are structures in Sage Timberline Office to accomplish all of this, but the wheres and hows aren’t always obvious.

Here is a short list of things you may want (or NEED) to track:

Weird Stuff We Track and Where to Track It!by: Eire Stewart

JP DiNapoli Companies

What Where How Results

Date Built or Bought Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Sprinklered? Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Five Year Test Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Clear Heights Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Roll-up doors or Docks Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Parking Spaces Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Equipment Such asElevators and Lifts

Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in report

and Inquiries

ADA Retrofit Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Last Reroof Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Last Slurry Seal Property Record Custom FieldCan be used in reports

and Inquiries

Mortgage Maturity General Ledger Custom FieldCan be used in Reports

and Inquiries

Budget Variance Comments General Ledger Owner’s Account FieldCan be used in Financial

Statements

Building Square Feet –Both Total and Occupied

General LedgerUnit GL Account (one-sided entries can be made monthly

for changes in occupancy)

Can be used in Financial Statements

Amortized Improvements to be Passed Back to Tenants

General LedgerUnit GL Account (recurring

entries can populate monthly)Can be used in PM

Recoveries

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December 2011

Here is a sample Inquiry with an assortment of Building information tracked though custom fields:

UNITSLast Carpet or Paint Unit Record Custom Field

Can be used in Reportsand Inquiries

Dedicated Server Room HVAC

Unit Record Custom FieldCan be used in Reports

and Inquiries

AMPs to Space Unit Record Custom FieldCan be used in Reports

and Inquiries

Appliances Such as Refrigerators or Dishwashers

Unit RecordCustom Field (STO does store

in Amenities but does not track replacement dates)

Can be used in Reportsand Inquiries

LEASES

Subtenant Lease Record

Move Subtenant in by adding them to the Lease record but keep Master

Tenant primary

Allows one or moreSubtenants to be tracked and Subtenants can be

used for recurring charges and invoicing

Holdover Terms Lease Option Record Custom Field Can be added to Option

Inquiry and Reports

Option Dates Lease Option Record

Use “Call Up Date” for earliest date Option can be exercised and create Custom Field for Option

Expiration Date

Can be added to Option Inquiry and Reports

Insurance Additional Insured and Limits

Lease Insurance Record Custom Field

Can be used in system generated notification

letters to Tenants and in Reports

Letter of Credit Expirations Dates (Security Deposits)

Lease Record Custom Field Can be added to Option

Inquiry and Reports

Tenant TI Allowance Lease Record Custom Field Can be added to Option

Inquiry and Reports

Lease Type (i.e. NNN, Ind Gross, Full-Serve)

Lease Record Custom Field Can be added to Option

Inquiry and Reports

Tenant’s Broker Lease Record Custom Field Can be added to Option

Inquiry and Reports

Legal Notice Requirements Tenant Address Record Custom FieldCan be used in Reports

and Inquiries by creating a “Look Up”

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December 2011

Custom fields can be used to track a wide variety of Lease clauses to be used in a leasing abstract and the Lease itself can be attached to the Lease Record by clicking on the Attach and browsing to the file location on your server. This allows anyone in an Inquiry to look at the clause number and access it immediately within the Lease document.

The best news is that PM has a plethora of records that Custom Fields can be added to! When Custom Fields are added to records that appear as grids within STO, the added fields will be nested within the grid.

Custom Descriptions and Fields can make tracking data and pulling up detailed information a breeze! Imagine being able to field a broker call and having immediate access to the square footage of the office in a large warehouse. Or getting ready for an exist walk-through and knowing when the space was last carpeted or repainted? Know the expiration date of a Listing Agreement by clicking a single button? All this can be at your fingertips!

STEPS TO CREATE CUSTOM FIELDSThe trick in working with Custom Fields is to layout the information you want to store in a logic format when you set up. If there is one downside to Custom Fields, it’s that once you’ve set them up, you can’t move, reorganize or change them. The size, type and location can’t be changed, although you can delete a Custom Field. Once you’ve figured out the order in which you want them to appear, follow these simple steps.

1. ClickontheFilemenu,select[CompanySettings], [CustomFields].2. CustomFieldsSelecttherecordtobemodified,thenclick[Edit]. Only the records used with the current application are available in the list.3. Clickinthecustomfieldyouwanttochangeandclick[Change], orclick[Add]toaddanewcustomfield.4. The Add Field window will open. Enter the description.5. Next select set the perimeters. 1. Type – you can create everything from a date to a drop-down list box. The system will default punctuation based on Company settings. The type selected will change the options to the right. As an example, if you select Numeric, the option to the right will ask for decimal spaces, if this is a percent and several other questions. 2. Required Entry will appear as an option to the right on all field types with the exception of “Check Box.” If you select Required Entry, this field will have to be populated anytime the effected Record is set-up before a User can exit Set-up. 6. Onceyouhaveselectedalltheperimeters,Click[OK].7. Continuechangingoraddingcustomfields,orclick[Close]toexit.

Note: When you add or change custom fields, you must upgrade data files before you can enter data in the custom fields.