UDS Green Industry Software, Inc.

Newsletter July 31, 2007

Newsletter topics

Introduction
New Support Website
Trade Show Schedule
New Live Meeting Connection
UDS installs New T-1 Line
UDS Installs New Terminal Server
Nursery - Greenhouse Grower User Conference
Landscape Company User Conference
Garden Center User Conference
Summary

Introduction
Hopefully your company has had a busy and prosperous spring business. Now that the worst of the rush is over you might have time to attend some educational on-line user conferences. We have three user conference sessions planned for the immediate future but we need our hand held device in order to demonstrate. Hopefully it will be in soon. The first is oriented to Nursery and Greenhouse companies. The second is for Landscape companies. Additional sessions will be announced soon for Retail Garden Centers and the remainder we have not thought of yet. UDS has been making changes to better support you in the future and get ready for technological changes that are just beginning to happen.

New Live Meeting Connection
AA Version 9 is the first time a release was developed first in the SQL version then moved to the Access version. Not all features were written into the Access version. This creates a function and applications difference that will grow larger over time. Not many features will be added to what is currently in AA Standard. With the limited size and limited number of users that can be supported in AA Standard and the unknown future of the Access database, it is past time for you to switch to Microsoft’s SQL database and AA – SQL. The advanced feature set found in the AA – SQL system adds to the reasons to switch. When changing to the SQL version, your users will notice very little difference. They will continue doing the same things in almost the same way. This makes the conversion almost a non event.

We will be trying some new features of Live Meeting in the upcoming user conference sessions. First we now can support up to 23 simultaneous connections instead of the previous 13. This should alleviate the shortage of seats that have been available for past sessions. The second is that the sessions are now going to be recorded. Even if you cannot match your schedule to one of the sessions you will be able to review the recording at your leisure for 30 days after the event.

New T-1 Line at UDS
In order to take advantage of the Internet functions that we will soon be adding to ActiveApplications we needed to increase the speed of our T-1 Connection. It went from about 400K to 2.7 MB per second and we are spending less money. The new connection also allowed us to disconnect our old router that was a potential bottleneck in the past. Our thanks go to TDS Metro COM for the boost in service level. If you are in an area that is served by TDS you may want to give them a call to see what they can offer you in the way of remote connection. They have been a good company for us. products.

New Terminal Server at UDS
In order to learn the new batch of Microsoft servers that will become available the first quarter of next year (Windows 2008 Server formerly called Longhorn) we have replaced an old computer that ran terminal services in our network. The new 2008 server allows us to incorporate remote printing, increase the remote desktop resolution and add many other new functions. The new server is much bigger and faster than the old one. It will make remote demonstrations and remote program control much easier to use. The previous version required a printer to be installed on our server in order for it to print to a remote computer. This was difficult and did not always work. The new server will allow anyone that has Windows Vista to print report samples at their desk when working remotely. This added function is a blessing. We are also going to make a few more changes in our network as time and dollars permit. These enhancements will be offered to you in the form of additional services when they become available.

Nursery – Greenhouse User Conference
In August ??, 2007 we will hold an on line user conference dedicated to nursery and greenhouse applications. Make yourself available for a review of Nursery and Greenhouse functions that are available for release 9 of SQL. We will also demonstrate how to interface production planning with the new Pocket PC scanners from Symbol. We recently became authorized to sell Symbol scanners. See how a hand held device can make the complex process of executing production plans easy. If you are a nursery or a greenhouse with inventory issues you do not want to miss this demonstration. We will trace the execution of a plan from the plan stage to production completion. We may also have time to show the grading process and discuss how a hand held can make the sub-classification of your inventory easier.

We will also review the features of Version 9 AA – SQL and discuss version 10 future development. Please join us, your input is valued. Look for the session announcement as soon as we get the handheld device we want to demonstrate.

Landscape User Conference
August ??, 2007 at 2:00 PM. There are some very exciting Scheduling application changes you should be using in your landscape company. We will review all of the new easy to use features and discuss with you how to use them in your company. We will also show you how send schedules to a handheld device so reporting of job activities and billing is simple and quick. We recently became authorized to sell Symbol scanners.

We will also review the features of Version 9 AA – SQL and discuss version 10 future development. Please join us, your input is valued.

Look for the session announcement as soon as we get the handheld device we want to demonstrate.  

Garden Center User Conference
August ??, 2007 at 2:00 PM. Release 9 of Point of Sale has some exciting new features that need to be discussed in more detail. Both the SQL and Standard versions of POS have the capability to process transactions immediately to the company server. The Store Server concept is secure and is easier to use for the POS stations. It takes more understanding to setup properly but once setup it will process transactions more reliably and almost instantaneously.

We have also added features for Gift cards and integrated a credit card processing service to reduce the installation complexity. Learn how to reduce the number of companies you must deal with in processing your store credit card transactions and make your life easier.

Look for new ways of recording sales remotely to hand held computers. Speed up the sales line even faster with the new Symbol mobile computers available from UDS.

Look for the session announcement as soon as we get the handheld device we want to demonstrate.  

Summary
That is a lot of stuff to mull over! Thank you for taking time to read through the parts of interest to you. This is just the beginning of more complex and fun on line applications. It will be fun presenting it to you. Brian