If you would wish us to change the recipient email address we have on file for your company please let us know.

Thanks

Please read the following information carefully and familiarise yourself with the options available to you.

Please refer to FAQs below for critical timing.

Note: Installing and running the VAT Change Program will not make any changes to the database until you select one of the update options. (Before running the program for real, you can download, install and run the program to review the options- choose CLOSE to not run any updates).

IMPORTANT NOTE: AS THIS DOWNLOAD MAKES SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR DATABASE IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU BACK-UPEACH OF YOUR LIVE DATABASES BEFORE YOU START.

TO DOWNLOAD VERSION 9. . . Click the green Download Update link below. Follow the instructions given below.

INSTRUCTIONS

Clicking the Download Update button takes you to our “box” download site.

You then need to click the “Download (136.5 KB)” button on that page.

Choose RUN rather than SAVE FILE.

If you get a security warning: the publisher could not be verified, choose RUN rather than DON’T RUN.

Once downloaded, the file will run and you will see this screen…

Leave the destination folder and choose Install to ensure that you are running the most up-to-date program. If running more than once, always download again from this link for the same reason. The program looks like this…



Select Company: Choose the company you want to update. Any options already run for this VAT change are highlighted in green. The options chosen for previous VAT changes will be shown for information.

Options 1 and 2: Run these options.

Options 3 and 4: If your system is geared to TRADE, skip options 3 and 4. They will have no effect on your database. If your system is geared to RETAIL, you may wish to run either option 3 or option 4 or you can skip both options. Running either of these options will create Sales VAT invoices resulting in you having to pay VAT sooner than if you were to skip these options, so think carefully if you want to run either of these.

Option 5: Run option 5 to change the VAT Rate of any live sales orders. If your system is geared to RETAIL then the selling price to the customer is kept the same (the goods value is reduced appropriately because the VAT element is increasing). If your system is geared to TRADE, the goods price is unchanged but the VAT amount will increase and so the price the customer will ultimately pay for the orders will increase.

Option 6: If you do not have the Quotes module then this does not need to be run. If you have the Quotes then this needs to be run. This option changes the VAT Rate of any quotes you have on your system.

Option 7: If your system is geared to TRADE, you should skip this option. If your system is geared to RETAIL, you may wish to run this. Running this option will increase the selling price to your customer of any live sales orders, so think carefully if you would want to run this.

Option 8: If you still have many Purchase Invoices to post for the old VAT rate then you should close the program at this point and download this program again later when you have very few or none still to post. When you download later, you can pick up where you left off – the program shows you which options you have run already.

Option 9: If you still have many Nominal Ledger journals to post for the old VAT rate then you should close the program at this point and download this program again later when you have very few or none still to post. When you download later, you can pick up where you left off – the program shows you which options you have run already.

Close: Click this to close the program. Now download again and run for any other company databases.

________________________________________________________________

FAQs regarding the VAT change have been provided at the end of this blog. Any queries, email support@oltd.co.uk. Please also keep checking back to this web page where we will post any other significant information regarding the VAT rate change.

Over the festive period we are operating the following service:-

24th-27th Dec – Closed.

28th-30th Dec. – Emergency Service, email support@oltd.co.uk.

31st Dec – Closed

1st-3rd Jan. – Emergency Service for VAT queries only, email support@oltd.co.uk.

Tuesday 4th January – Open.

________________________________________________________________

FAQs

Q. When should the VAT update be run (before or after month end and which month end)?

A. The sequence is as follows:-

1. Run the “Purchase / Nominal” period end for the end of November (if not yet run).

2. Finish posting all sales orders for December.

3. Complete normal end of day programs, such as SOP – End of Day – Invoice Summary / Update to invoice any December invoices.

4. Run the “Sales / Product” period end for the end of December.

5. Download the VAT Change module and run the options appropriate to your business. It is likely that you will only run options down to option 7 at this point.

8. Once the bulk of supplier / nominal postings for the old VAT rate have been posted (which could be later in January), download the VAT Change module again and run options 8 and 9.

Q. Do I need to download and run the program on our server?

A. No. use your normal client PC.

Q. What if my network settings do not allow files to be downloaded?

A. You need to contact your network administrator to change your settings to allow you to download files.

Q. How do I run the VAT Change module?

A. Start by clicking on the green Download Update button above then follow the instructions below the button in this blog.

Q. If I don’t have time to run all the options I need to at one time, can I run some on one day and some the next day?

A. Yes. Each time you want to run the VAT Change module, download it again. You can pick up where you left off – the program shows you which options you have run already.

Q. If I want to do a dry run of the VAT Change module can I test it on my test area?

A. Yes. Provided your test area is up to date to the same program version as your live system, you can run the VAT Change module on your test area. When you run the VAT Change module, make sure you choose the Test area when selecting the company at the top of the program. This will have no effect on your live system.

Q. Can I download the  VAT Change module and run it just to see what it looks like?

A. Yes. You can download and run it. Simply click the CLOSE button at the bottom of the screen once you have had a look. When you come to run the program proper, download again from the website in the same way.

Q. Can I download the program and save it somewhere so that I don’t have to download it later when I come to run it?

A. Yes you can. However, whenever you run the program, it will tidy up files that it uses and will give an error if run a second time without downloading. Downloading each time you need it is best. This will also ensure you have the very latest release.

Q. Does this VAT Change module work for UK?

A. This VAT Change module does not need to be run unless you are in Southern Ireland as the rate of VAT is not changing. If you do run it, there will be no changes made to your system.

Q. Does the VAT Change module change the customer’s selling prices on sales orders that are outstanding at the end of December?

A. The update will change the VAT Rate on sales orders outstanding to the new rate. If you have the OptimiseTrade system then the goods value will not be changed – it is just the VAT amount that will be changed when the invoice is raised. If you have the Optimise Retail system then the goods value is reduced slightly such that the total price to the customer is unchanged. There is an option to increase prices (Option 7) but you have the choice of whether you run that option or not.

Q. If I have more than one database, do I need to run the VAT Change module on each one?

A. Yes. Best thing is to download it from the website and run it on the first database. Once finished, download again and run it on the second database, etc. You don’t need to run it on your test area but you may find it useful. If you have more than one database remember to back up each database before you start.

Q. Can I run the VAT Change Module on a terminal server or data server, e.g. using remote desktop?

A. Yes. It is designed to run from a client but should also run on a server.

Q. Can I test the VAT Change program on our test database whilst users are logged into the live database?

A. Yes. When the VAT Change program runs you select the database to change. Only that database is changed and users only need to be logged out of that database.

Q. I ran the last VAT Change Module in January 2010. Do I need to run this one?

A. Yes if you are based in Southern Ireland. The previous VAT Change Module only catered for the previous VAT rate change. If you are based in the UK then you do not need to run this one as the VAT rate is not changing.

Q. I have a RETAIL system. When I run option 5, will there be any effect on my business written information?

A. Yes. Because the selling price stays the same to the customer, your margins will be reduced and therefore you will see business written changes for the day that you run the VAT Change module reflect the loss of margin. There will be one change per sales order line. If you also run option 7 then there will be business written changes reflecting the increase in your margins to previous levels.

Q. Does the VAT Change module change prices in my Product database?

A. If your system is geared to RETAIL then the VAT Change module does not change your “including VAT” selling prices (if you want to increase prices then you need to use the Export / Import Products program). If your system is geared to TRADE then the VAT Change module does not change the “excluding VAT” selling prices, however, if you need to quote “including VAT” prices, remember that these will be higher after running the VAT Change module.

Note for retailers: This program does not change any of your “including VAT” product static selling prices. You will need to do these yourself in the usual way (e.g. Product Export/Import in the Administration – Toolbox program) if you, in fact, want to change selling prices.

To access it, choose Help - Search Help from the Optimise menu or go to

http://oltd.co.uk/Help on your web browser.

A Table of Contents is shown first.

If you want to search by keyword, choose Keyword Index at the top left.

Step 1: Visit http://www.mxtoolbox.com. MX Toolbox is a MX Lookup Tool that lets you check your DNS records (MX, A, Nameserver,etc).

Step 2: Enter your domain name in the text box and click on the ‘Lookup’ button. This will list the email server’s details. Depending on your email server’s settings, you might have one or more IP Addresses in the list.

Step 3: Click on the Blacklist Check link against the first IP Address. This command will run a test on your IP address and return the results. If your IP address was listed in any of the Blacklist Directories, you will be notified.

Step 4: If your IP address is listed in one or more of the directories, you can follow the instructions on the screen to find out more about fixing the issue. Alternatively contact a web company to help you find a solution for the problem.

When it comes to product images, business owners find it difficult to decide on image quality, resolutions, dimensions, file size, format, etc. The following are the ideal settings that you should use while saving images for your eCommere website. JPEG is the best file format for photographic imagery. The width and height are given as indicators only. If the image is of a portrait format, the width and height settings will have to swap. The maximum file size of 200kb is good for the main product image. This will ensure fast page loading speeds. Most images at the following settings will not reach 200kb, but if they do, try and compress the quality a bit further.

If you have many images to be resized and wish to save time, you can download and follow the Optimise Guide to Batch Resizing Images.

Please read the following information carefully and familiarise yourself with the options available to you.

Please refer to FAQ below for critical timing.

Note: Installing and running the VAT Change Program will not make any changes to the database until you select one of the update options. (Before running the program for real, you can download, install and run the program to review the options- choose CLOSE to not run any updates).

IMPORTANT NOTE: AS THIS DOWNLOAD MAKES SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO YOUR DATABASE IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOU BACK-UP EACH OF YOUR LIVE DATABASES BEFORE YOU START.

TO DOWNLOAD VERSION 8. . . Click the green Download Update link below. Follow the instructions given below.

INSTRUCTIONS

Clicking the Download Update button takes you to our “box” download site.

You then need to click the “Download (136.5 KB)” button on that page.

Choose RUN rather than SAVE FILE.

If you get a security warning: the publisher could not be verified, choose RUN rather than DON’T RUN.

Once downloaded, the file will run and you will see this screen…

Leave the destination folder and choose Install to ensure that you are running the most up-to-date program. If running more than once, always download again from this link for the same reason. The program looks like this…

Select Company: Choose the company you want to update. Any options already run for this VAT change are highlighted in green. The options chosen for previous VAT changes will be shown for information.

Options 1 and 2: Run these options.

Options 3 and 4: If your system is geared to TRADE, skip options 3 and 4. They will have no effect on your database. If your system is geared to RETAIL, you may wish to run either option 3 or option 4 or you can skip both options. Running either of these options will create Sales VAT invoices resulting in you having to pay VAT sooner than if you were to skip these options, so think carefully if you want to run either of these.

Option 5: Run option 5 to change the VAT Rate of any live sales orders. If your system is geared to RETAIL then the selling price to the customer is kept the same (the goods value is reduced appropriately because the VAT element is increasing). If your system is geared to TRADE, the goods price is unchanged but the VAT amount will increase and so the price the customer will ultimately pay for the orders will increase.

Option 6: If you do not have the Quotes module then this does not need to be run. If you have the Quotes then this needs to be run. This option changes the VAT Rate of any quotes you have on your system.

Option 7: If your system is geared to TRADE, you should skip this option. If your system is geared to RETAIL, you may wish to run this. Running this option will increase the selling price to your customer of any live sales orders, so think carefully if you would want to run this.

Option 8: If you still have many Purchase Invoices to post for the old VAT rate then you should close the program at this point and download this program again later when you have very few or none still to post. When you download later, you can pick up where you left off – the program shows you which options you have run already.

Option 9: If you still have many Nominal Ledger journals to post for the old VAT rate then you should close the program at this point and download this program again later when you have very few or none still to post. When you download later, you can pick up where you left off – the program shows you which options you have run already.

Close: Click this to close the program. Now download again and run for any other company databases.

________________________________________________________________

FAQs regarding the VAT change have been provided at the end of this blog. Any queries, call the helpdesk on 0131-448-0483 or email support@oltd.co.uk. As our lines may be busy, please also keep checking back to this web page where we will post any other significant information regarding the VAT rate change.

Over the festive period we are operating the following service:-
Friday 24th December – Closed.
Saturday 25th December – Closed.
Monday 27th December – Closed.
Tuesday 28th December – Closed.
Wednesday 29th December – Emergency Service (call 0131-448-0483 or email support@oltd.co.uk).
Thursday 30th December – Emergency Service (call 0131-448-0483 or email support@oltd.co.uk).
Friday 31st December – Emergency Service (call 0131-448-0483 or email support@oltd.co.uk).
Saturday 1st January – Closed.
Sunday 2nd January – Closed.
Monday 3rd January – Emergency Service for VAT queries only (normal support number is not available- email support@oltd.co.uk for a call-back).
Tuesday 4th January – Open.

________________________________________________________________

FAQs

Q. When should the VAT update be run (before or after month end and which month end)?

A. The sequence is as follows:-

1. Run the “Purchase / Nominal” period end for the end of November (if not yet run).

2. Finish posting all sales orders for December.

3. Complete normal end of day programs, such as SOP – End of Day – Invoice Summary / Update to invoice any December invoices.

4. Run the “Sales / Product” period end for the end of December.

5. Finish entering all sales orders for the period 1st January 2011 up to and including the 3rd January 2011.

6. Complete normal end of day programs, such as SOP – End of Day – Invoice Summary / Update to invoice any January 1st to 3rd invoices.

7. Download the VAT Change module and run the options appropriate to your business. It is likely that you will only run options down to option 7 at this point.

8. Once the bulk of supplier / nominal postings for the old VAT rate have been posted (which could be later in January), download the VAT Change module again and run options 8 and 9.

Q. Do I need to download and run the program on our server?

A. No. use your normal client PC.

Q. What if my network settings do not allow files to be downloaded?

A. You need to contact your network administrator to change your settings to allow you to download files.

Q. How do I run the VAT Change module?

A. Start by clicking on the green Download Update button above then follow the instructions below the button in this blog.

Q. If I don’t have time to run all the options I need to at one time, can I run some on one day and some the next day?

A. Yes. Each time you want to run the VAT Change module, download it again. You can pick up where you left off – the program shows you which options you have run already.

Q. If I want to do a dry run of the VAT Change module can I test it on my test area?

A. Yes. Provided your test area is up to date to the same program version as your live system, you can run the VAT Change module on your test area. When you run the VAT Change module, make sure you choose the Test area when selecting the company at the top of the program. This will have no effect on your live system.

Q. Can I download the  VAT Change module and run it just to see what it looks like?

A. Yes. You can download and run it. Simply click the CLOSE button at the bottom of the screen once you have had a look. When you come to run the program proper, download again from the website in the same way.

Q. Can I download the program and save it somewhere so that I don’t have to download it later when I come to run it?

A. Yes you can. However, whenever you run the program, it will tidy up files that it uses and will give an error if run a second time without downloading. Downloading each time you need it will also ensure you have the very latest release.

Q. Does this VAT Change module work for Southern Ireland?

A. This VAT Change module does not need to be run if you are in Southern Ireland as the rate of VAT is not changing. If you do run it, there will be no changes made to your system.

Q. Does the VAT Change module change the customer’s selling prices on sales orders that are outstanding at the end of December?

A. The update will change the VAT Rate on sales orders outstanding to the new rate. If you have the OptimiseTrade system then the goods value will not be changed – it is just the VAT amount that will be changed when the invoice is raised. If you have the Optimise Retail system then the goods value is reduced slightly such that the total price to the customer is unchanged. There is an option to increase prices (Option 7) but you have the choice of whether you run that option or not.

Q. If I have more than one database, do I need to run the VAT Change module on each one?

A. Yes. Best thing is to download it from the website and run it on the first database. Once finished, download again and run it on the second database, etc. You don’t need to run it on your test area but you may find it useful. If you have more than one database remember to back up each database before you start.

Q. Can I run the VAT Change Module on a terminal server or data server, e.g. using remote desktop?

A. Yes. It is designed to run from a client but should also run on a server.

Q. Can I test the VAT Change program on our test database whilst users are logged into the live database?

A. Yes. When the VAT Change program runs you select the database to change. Only that database is changed and users only need to be logged out of that database.

Q. I ran the last VAT Change Module in January 2010. Do I need to run this one?

A. Yes if you are based in the UK. The previous VAT Change Module only catered for the previous VAT rate change. If you are based in Southern Ireland then you do not need to run this one as the VAT rate is not changing.

Q. I have a RETAIL system. When I run option 5, will there be any effect on my business written information?

A. Yes. Because the selling price stays the same to the customer, your margins will be reduced and therefore you will see business written changes for the day that you run the VAT Change module reflect the loss of margin. There will be one change per sales order line. If you also run option 7 then there will be business written changes reflecting the increase in your margins to previous levels.

Q. Does the VAT Change module change prices in my Product database?

A. If your system is geared to RETAIL then the VAT Change module does not change your “including VAT” selling prices (if you want to increase prices then you need to use the Export / Import Products program). If your system is geared to TRADE then the VAT Change module does not change the “excluding VAT” selling prices, however, if you need to quote “including VAT” prices, remember that these will be higher after running the VAT Change module.

Note for retailers: This program does not change any of your “including VAT” product static selling prices. You will need to do these yourself in the usual way (e.g. Product Export/Import in the Administration – Toolbox program) if you, in fact, want to change selling prices.

Problem with Adobe Acrobat Reader

Couple of years ago, Adobe Acrobat Reader used to be a 5MB install. The started adding a lot of security patches and interface enhancements. Now, Adobe Acrobat Reader is over 35MB! Should a software, just used to read PDF files, be so heavy and resource intensive? Adobe kept adding a lots of new features to their Reader. Most people wouldn’t need such enhanced functionality (copy images, fill up forms, etc.).

Google Chrome PDF Reader

Google have now included a very light weight PDF file reader within their popular web browser. Make sure you have the latest version of Google Chrome and from now on you can view PDF files, easy and fast, using Chrome!

The Ever Changing Google

Businesses spend hundreds and thousands of pounds into SEO and SEM. Every time Google brings about a change to their results page, a lot of the money that was spent on SEO – goes to waste. For example, Google started showing 3 to 5 links from the same website, if the search keyword matched a well established business. You can try search for Optimise Solutions.

You’ll notice that the top 4 results are from our own website! In the past, companies were spending a fortune on SEO to make their website appear at the second position when their competitors name was searched for. One change from Google and all the time and money spent has vanished into thin air!

Instant Approval or Rejection

While Google Instant is a great feature for consumers and searchers, it can be a killer for many poorly designed or badly laid out websites. Imagine you have a website that your target visitors can find on Google. Now assume that there is a competitor of yours appearing just above your result. Let’s take it that your competitor’s website is higher up in the ranking but not so good looking or cannot appeal to the consumers in that 0.35 second preview through a tiny screenshot. The consumers might eventually end up on your website, even without having visited your competitor’s website! Isn’t that amazing? While it sounds great, hope that your competitor’s website is not better than yours, when seen through Google Instant.

Using Google Instant to Drive Visitors

We know that Google shows a snapshot of your website. Why not make the home page and other landing pages appealing? Interesting and big banners, well formatted typography, a clean and simple interface, and clutter-free layout would work well with Google Instant. Google is only trying to provide better search results to its users.

There have been calls from companies that claim to be connected with Google and promising that they will get you to Google page one within the same day. The scam is that they ask you for £100 – £1000 deposit then a monthly payment of £30 – £300.

How do they do it?

Most probably these companies have no roots in SEO or SEM. All they do is setup a Google Adwords campaign, chuck in a few keywords, and bid on some search terms that won’t cost much per click. They’ll have honoured their part of the deal, by having your website listed on page one! They might be paying only a tiny percentage of your monthly payment to Google. They wouldn’t get you to Google page one using Organic Search Engine Optimisation.

While Google never sells better ranking in our search results, several other search engines combine pay-per-click or pay-for-inclusion results with their regular web search results. Some SEOs will promise to rank you highly in search engines, but place you in the advertising section rather than in the search results. A few SEOs will even change their bid prices in real time to create the illusion that they “control” other search engines and can place themselves in the slot of their choice. This scam doesn’t work with Google because our advertising is clearly labeled and separated from our search results, but be sure to ask any SEO you’re considering which fees go toward permanent inclusion and which apply toward temporary advertising.

- from Google’s own SEO guide (Read Google’s SEO Guide)

What they might not do:

I have attended a few Adwords seminars where Google professionals encourage companies to invest more time into research / analysis and little time in creating the ads. Adwords is a very powerful marketing tool. With good research, right budget and focused ads, businesses can convert more sales / enquiries than what organic SEO can deliver. Such are things that the scam companies might not do for you. They merely act as an agent, taking your money and setting up your ads.

Unless the person on the phone supplies you with a verifiable website address with a verifiable phone number and a verifiable portfolio of satisfied clients / businesses, PLEASE DO NOT give them your money / credit card details. All they need are a few businesses that can be tempted by the much desired PAGE ONE listing on Google.

We are keen to meet with retail, trade, and contract businesses at the show and show you how our software and services can help Optimise your business while saving you money and time. If you could drop us an email at info@oltd.co.uk or call us at 0131 448 0483, we can send you some visitor’s passes.

Optimise Solutions’ stand number is E7. We are showcasing some new developments on both our software and web design fronts. New products include our trendy Showroom Display Label Ticketing software, Management Dashboard, RBS Bankline integration, Magento eCommerce two way integration, Web Design and Search Engine Optimisation services.

Do visit us at the show to discuss the software’s new features and functionalities.