A quarterly publication for OMD users

Vol. XXIV No. 1

January 2005 www.omdcorp.com

OMD Wireless Products – 2Customer Panel Meets – 2Accessory Management – 3Automatic Meter Read Collection,

A Dream Come True! – 4OMD User Group – 5Operating Platform Options – 6Top Twelve Reasons Customers

Benefit from FOCUS Trips – 6OMD Education Center – 7Opportunities Missed – 8

Making history – First OMD Webinar receives rave reviews!November 2, 2004, at 10:00 a.m. – the OMD Training “heard (and seen) around the world” – okay, at fourteenPCs around the U.S.A. when OMD’s Leah Johnson presented the first OMD Webinar Training on the OMDCollections Module.

Webinar Training is facilitated by GoToMeeting™, an online meeting solution from Citrix®, that was launchedduring August by OMD Customer Support. Between August and November, this new tool was used primarily togain remote access to customer systems from the Support Representative’s desktop during a support call orto engage in one-on-one online training. During that time Scott Patterson, OMD Vice President of Education,and Darrell Henley, OMD Training Activities Specialist, were evaluating and experimenting with the WebinarTraining opportunities. They selected the area of OMD Collections as the basis for the first offering. Leah’sexpertise in this area made her the logical trail-blazer to develop and present the first OMD Webinar.

Susan Hedrick, Vice President Administration, WJS Enterprises, was sitting at one of those fourteen PCssigned on for the first OMD Webinar and had this to say: “I wanted to express my total and complete satisfac-tion with the Webinar this morning. This is an outstanding idea – I was able to sit with two other employeesand we were able to pick up a few new things and then discuss them after the Webinar while the informationwas still fresh on our minds. By muting the phone the webinar stays completely on track without interruptionsand the question and answer portion is wonderful.”

The Webinars are designed to run approximately 45minutes and are limited to 25 participants. A flexibleschedule of Basic, Advanced, and What’s NewWebinar topics allows for repeat presentations.Therefore, it’s easy to pick a presentation and timethat is convenient to your schedule. (See WebinarSchedule information on page 7.) The Webinars areprimarily lecture with a Q&A period at the end, timepermitting. Webinar training sessions are convenientsince it’s conducted right at the User’s desk, and thereare no travel costs. The material is presented by OMDRepresentatives who know and work with the subjectmatter every day, and who can share insights gainedfrom responding to hundreds of on-topic customerinquiries. What’s New Webinars are free of charge.There is a fee for the Basic and Advanced Webinars,which is waived for particpants who haveImplementation contracts in effect.

OMD Application Support Specialist Leah Johnsonmade history on November 2, 2004, when shepresented the first OMD Webinar Training on theOMD Collections Module.

OMD Customer Panel Meets in St Louis

On November 18, 2004, the OMD Customer Panel met in St. Louis to select enhancement priorities forthe upcoming year. Members of the Panel are: Terri Sontag, Advance Business Systems; DanaHornyak, Block Business ; Bob Smith, Docusource; Barb Anderson, Gordon Flesch, Co. Inc; JackDuncan, JDC Jack Duncan Consulting; Sandy Wallace, Metro Sales, Inc.; Kimberly Strange, PerryCorporation; Brian Coker, Sumner Group; Tim Teasley, Systel.

Using their combined understanding of OMD software and their knowledge of business, the panelmembers meet semiannually to provide OMD with insights into customer software requirements. Theyreview the enhancement requests submitted through the Customers Only Web Site accessed fromwww.omdcorp.com. For a complete list of the enhancements they selected during their recent meeting,search the Customers Only Web Site using the term “Panel.”

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OMD Newsletter

The OMD Newsletter is published quarterly by OMD Corporation, Jefferson City, MO. Copyright© 2005, all rights reserved.We encourage you to share your knowledge and ideas about the

OMD System with us and with other OMD Users. Send ideas, comments, and recommendations to: editor@omdcorp.comEditor-OMD Newsletter • OMD Corporation • P.O. Box 6760 • Jefferson City, MO • 65102

OMD, OMD Vision, iManager, OMD Sales On•The•Go, and OMD Service On•The•Go are registered trademarks of OMD Corporation.All brand and product names used in this newsletter are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders.

OMD Wireless products previewed at User Group Symposium Two new OMD products offering wireless connectivity were previewed at the OMD Users GroupSymposium, October 10-13 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Sales On-The-Go offers a wireless link for theSales Rep and Service On-The-Go gives OMD Customers the ability to “connect” their servicetechnicians in order to dispatch and close service calls. With Sales On-The-Go the sales professional will now have easy access to real-time informationregarding customers and prospects using a wireless device with the ability to update and add informationas well as view. Information available includes the contact calendar, profile information, contact personnel,contact history, equipment and contracts, competitive information, lead source activity, customer servicehistory, and customer purchase history.

Service On-The-Go uses cutting-edge technology to provide service technicians with easy accessto information regarding services activities. Through Java-enabled cell phones, technicians can dispatchand close calls as well as scan barcodes on parts used for their calls. An optional GPS Tracking Featureenables them to determine geographic proximity to other calls. Technicians access Service On-The-Go from the keyboard of their Java-enabled cell phone, or froma PDA or laptop.

User IDs and pass code security insure that confidentialinformation is accessed only by authorized users. Yourinformation is maintained centrally in your company data-base, not on a PDA or PC.

For additional information regarding these exciting newproducts, contact OMD Sales at 573-893-8930 or e-mail:sales@omdcorp.com.

If the technician’s cell phone isequipped with an optionalbarcode scanner, parts used ona call can be scanneddirectly into the OMD software.

ThreeOMD Newsletter

Accessory Management Improves Inventory ControlAn enhancement to accessory inventory management which isavailable this quarter identifies and controls serialized and non-serialized accessory hardware and software that is linked toa serialized base unit. This change offers additional checks toidentify the location of the inventory accessories, which may beinstalled in various equipment serial numbers, and checks toinsure that all accessories are invoiced at the time of sale.

Identifying AccessoriesProducts are identified as accessories in the Products and Parts(CK) record. Accessories are tracked as Linked Quantity OnHand when they are linked to a serial controlled base unit.

A standard interface is available to link accessoriesto a base unit, remove accessories, or display theaccessories linked to a base unit. The interfaceis accessed using a tool bar item labeled ProductAccessories found in these tasks: Inventory Re-ceipts (CV), Inventory Transfers (CU),Physical Inventory (CY), Order Central (HN),and Serialized Equipment (CS).

The linking process generates financial entries whenproducts are moved to a different inventory locationand movement history is maintained. When the base unit is transferred, all accessories are transferred.

When the base unit is invoiced, order processing will verify that all linked accessories are included on theinvoice. The alternative is to return the accessories to inventory stock.

During the Physical Inventory process, count listings optionally include all accessories so that the accessoryproducts can be verified at the time of the physical count.

A security option is available in User Group Setup (YB) for Serialized Equipment (CS) to insure that onlyauthorized users perform the linking function.

This enhancement is included on Release 2411.0 which is available in conjunction with the OMD SoftwareEnhancement & Update Service.

Standard interface available to Add/UpdateAccessories linked to the Base Unit; if acces-sory is serialized, model/serial is entered.

Display of Base Unit and Accessories.

Automatic meter read collection – a dream come true! Try to imagine connecting metered equipment in the field directly to your OMD software, allowing you toautomatically receive meter reads on a designated date each month with no manual intervention. This is areality today with automatic meter read collection! Automatic collection is 100% accurate with no chance oftranspositions, missing digits, or partial meters. The potential for error increases with equipment containingmultiple meters, but with automatic collection the collection process occurs flawlessly and on schedule.Automatic collection eliminates time-consuming phone calls to customers, and improves invoice accuracyand cash flow. Kyocera Mita and OMD Corporation announced the industry’s first integrated, seamless meter readcollection solution in 2002. Since then EFI, Imaging Portals, Multi-Laser, Muratec, Panasonic and Sharphave introduced similar direct-interface products. Meter readings are automatically transmitted to Vision, using the OMD iManager as the collection point.The iManager is a web-based product that allows your customers to view critical information about theirinstalled equipment (such as install base, install mix, volume and usage) and to place service calls. Meterreadings for equipment manufactured prior to availability of the direct interface can be entered by thecustomer using the iManager web pages, or estimating – available with OMD Vision – can be used. Future plans include the ability for the equipment to create service alerts for selected failures which willgenerate an open service call in Dispatch Central (TM).

OMD Newsletter

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Winter 2005

Board of Directors 2004-2005

President Sandy Wallace

Metro Sales

Vice-President Mike Riordan

Usherwood Business Technolgies

Treasurer Bruce Irvine

Coastal Business Products

Recording Secretary Jack Duncan

Jack Duncan Consulting

Corresponding Secretary Christen Hawkes

Copilabs, Inc.

Program Director Terrie Brown Sumner Group

Member-at-Large Carolyn Hackmann Independent Consultant

OMD Representative Lori Meyer

The symposium was a success! We hope you all benefited from the easy net-working and informative seminars. The location was fabulous and it was possible to feel like you were on vacation, not learning and networking all day. Did you all take Carolyn’s advice and share what you learned? Spread the knowledge, en-courage more people to join us next year! That seminar binder is not only a great stepstool, it is a valuable resource for your new and old employ-ees alike. So get it circulating today. Our Vendor Showcase was full of wonderful OMD compatible products and services—something for every business to become more profitable. Our vendors also gave away some great cash prizes and gift certificates! Please check the website for the complete list of prizes and winners. Thank you very much to all of our participating vendors! We received many completed surveys at the close of the conference. But not from everyone! If you would like to make a sug-gestion on the format of the event, a new class

topic, or offer your help for next year; please send an e-mail any of the board members. All of our contact information is available on the UG website. The annual symposium is organ-ized by us, but it is for YOU.

$2850.00 in cash and prizes were given away!! This year we gave away the most prizes ever at the Symposium! The User Group awarded the Corporate Grand Prize to Cheryl

Plourde, of HPS, and a complimentary four-night stay over next year’s conference dates to Greg Murdoch of Diversified Business. The vendors and OMDUG also gave away $1350.00 in cash and gift certificates!

The complete list of vendors prizes and winners is posted on the website. www.omdusergroup.com

Join us at the beautifully renovated Union Station Hyatt Hotel in St. Louis, MO! Get ready for another educational extravaganza. The class topics are being discussed, Presenters found, the schedule arranged. We’re right on track for a successful conference in 2005! If you have an idea or would like to help out, give us a whistle. Our contact information is on the website.

Registration information will be on the website as soon as possible!

“Overall, class material was helpful & class instruc-tion was excellent. All instructors were well versed and extremely knowledgeable.” Tosha Aid, Aztec Business Machines “Great job! It gets better every year. Looking for-ward to next year in St. Louis” Geoffrey Vukery, The Lang Co “This is by far the Best one that I have attended. I am so excited to go home and implement what I have learned. Thank you OMDUG!” Monica Winn, WJS “New Member. I enjoyed my classes and the overall experience of the symposium.” Shirley A. Carter, COMDOC

Happy New Year, Everyone!

OMD Newsletter S

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Top Twelve Reasons Customers Have Benefited from a FOCUS Trip During June 2004 Scott Patterson, OMD Vice President of Education, announced a new training format forCustomers – the FOCUS Trip. Since then many OMD Customers have benefited from this intense style of on-sitetraining. Listed here are the twelve most commonly requested areas of concentration that have helped businessesto maximize productivity and profitibility. Obviously results vary based on business size, tenure of staff, and depthof system use, but in many cases savings in excess of tens of thousands of dollars have been realized!

• Discussion planning for implementing systems not yet implemented.

• Control record data examination and file maintenance.

• System Security review and update.

• Evaluation of financial report needs (review, evaluate, balance existing reports, and/or create customizedfinancial and sales reports.)

• Identification and elimination of over payments by establishing automatic payments.

• Implementation of automatic reordering and restocking making inventory management easier and more effective.

• Processing and review of Suspect Service Report to identify completed calls that have not yet been ticketed.

• Processing and review of Program Type by Cycle Date and Missing Meter Reports to identify and resolveproblems with contracts that are due to bill but that have not billed.

• Processing and review of Delinquent Account Status Report to update customer credit status based onoutstanding invoices for customers that are not set up with a special credit status.

• Review of job descriptions, responsibilities, and month-end processing procedures.

• Processing and review of Open Order Report to identify backordered items needed to complete orders.

• Use of Help to locate additional information when reviewing/implementing each of the above recommendations.

Operating platform options availableOMD urges SCO Open Server Customers to plan to migrate to another platform during 2005. It is becomingincreasingly obvious that many development tools used by OMD do not include support for SCO Open Serverin their future plans. Therefore, we urge you to migrate to Windows, SUSE Linux , IBM AIX, or HP-UX.

Check the OMD Customers Only Web Site (search word = Linux) for the Linux White Paper that containsinformation about migrating to SUSE Linux.

Another alternative is IBM hardware and AIX software which is available from Huber & Associates, located inJefferson City, Mo. Contact David Frech by phone at (573) 634-5000 or by e-mail at dfrech@teamhuber.com.Huber & Associates is an IBM Premier Business Partner and has provided IBM Solutions since 1986. They areavailable to provide hardware options and consulting services nationwide. One of the advantages of IBMproducts is the availability of nationwide service 24/7.

OMD is in the process of upgrading their company server to an IBM pSeries system. David Hirschman, VicePresident of Technical Support, made these observations: “We were amazed at how competitive the IBM pric-ing is for the pSeries. With Huber & Associates we will be able to leverage their knowledge of IBM hardware andsoftware capabilities to enhance all aspects of our business, providing improved system performance for ourusers, as well as an isolated development, testing, and support environment at a reasonable cost.”

Contact Scott Patterson at 573.893.8930,extension 231 to discuss your specific

needs and design the appropriateFOCUS solution for your business!

Field visit during which we provideOn-site training while reviewing yourCurrent OMD processing standards and flow to help youUtilize the software more effectivelySo that you can maximize productivity and profitability.

OMD Newsletter Seven

Sales ForceAutomation SeminarLength: 2 DaysCourse Fee: $500.00

• Policy Controls• Appointment Scheduling• Prospect Cards• Tracking Competitive

Equipment Placements• Sales Territories• Aftermarket Opportunities• Supply Sales Reporting• Reporting Sales Activities• Direct Mail Generation• Automatic Commissions

Service ManagementSeminarLength: 3 DaysCourse Fee: $750.00

• Automated TechnicianInventory Restocking

• Automated Call Dispatch• Prioritizing Service Calls• Technician Paging• Incomplete Call Staging• Service Parts Warranty• Technician Productivity

Reporting• Customer Profitability

Advanced FinancialSeminarLength: 3 DaysCourse Fee: $750.00

• Balancing Major BalanceSheet Accounts

• Comparative Period Reports• Monthly Equipment

Sales Reports• Financial Analysis Report• Trial Balance Report

Requirements & Updates• Resolving Edits and

Out-of-balance Conditions• Bank Reconciliation• Job Class Reporting

Advanced ContractsSeminarLength: 2 DaysCourse Fee: $500.00

• Invoice Presentation• Supply Allocation• Tiered Pricing• Taxing Options• Minimum Billing• Group Usage• Individual Usage• Estimated Meters• Multiple Meters• Missing Meter Report• Tracking Nat’l Account

Commissions• Automatic Commission

Setup• Deferring & Accruing Income• Managing Renewals• Block-of-time Contracts• Non-Metered Combined

Billing• Continual Usage Contracts• Usage Accrual Contracts• Auditing & Correcting

Billing Errors• Faxing & E-mailing Meter

Requests

Vision SystemAdministration SeminarLength: 2 DaysCourse Fee: $500.00

• Release Documentation• Release Installation• Architecture of the

client/server setup in Vision• User ID Setup• Printer Setup• Data File Utility• Monitor Vision Servers• Temporary Files• Error Codes• Data Files• Backup and Restore• Winbatch• Wireless Communication• Remote Location

Suggestions• Upgrading to a New Server• Troubleshooting

Performance Issues• OMD iManager

OMD Education CenterDates and EventsTraining and Dealer Meetings

To register for any of the courses or events listed,contact OMD Class Scheduler at (573) 893-8930, Ext. 0

or send e-mail to: support@omdcorp.com.Advance registration is required for allOMD Training courses and seminars.

February03-04 OMD Owners Seminar at ITEX 2005

Tradeshow – Las Vegas, NV10-11 Advanced Sales Force Automation Seminar14-18 Fundamental Concepts of OMD Vision21 OMD Offices Closed

March07-09 Advanced Service Management Seminar10-11 Vision System Administration Seminar14-18 Fundamental Concepts of OMD Vision30-01 XMA National Dealers Meeting – Miami, FL

Print additional copies of the OMD Newsletter from theNews section of our web site, www.omdcorp.com.

April11-13 Advanced Financial Management Seminar18-22 Fundamental Concepts of OMD Vision

May09-10 Advanced Contract Management Seminar16-20 Fundamental Concepts of OMD Vision19 OMD Customer Panel Meeting – St. Louis, MO30 OMD Offices Closed

June06 Financial & Security Products Association (FSPA)

Meeting – Miami Beach, FL13-14 Advanced Sales Force Automation Seminar20-24 Fundamental Concepts of OMD Vision

July04 OMD Offices Closed10-13 RSPA EXPOtech – Toronto, Canada11-13 Advanced Service Management Seminar18-22 Fundamental Concepts of OMD Vision

Webinar Training ScheduleOMD offers Webinar training presentations lead by OMDCorporation Application Support Specialists.Topics include both basic and advanced subjects,as well as “what’s new” with OMD. Although some topicsare designed for new users, seasoned users desiringa refresher will also find them helpful.

Introduction to OMD Vision • Building Sales TaxRecords • Basic Service Dispatch • Accounts PayableCheck Processing • Balancing Inventory • Basic OrderProcessing • Building and Using Product Prefixes forInventory and Non-Inventory Products • Basic AccountsReceivable • Intro to OMD Financial Concepts • ServiceContracts • Meter Card Faxing • Auto Reorderingof Parts and Supplies • Tech Automatic Restocking

For more information or to register for anyOMD Webinar, access www.omdcorp.com.

Click on Customers Only Web Site and then theTraining and Help link followed by the Webinars link.Upon completing your registration, you will receive a

confirmation by e-mail from OMD.

Fundamentals ofOMD VisionLength: 5 DaysCourse Fee: $1250.00

• System Integration• Help Overview• Order Entry• Contract Billing• Service Call Management• Automatic Commissions• Accounts Receivable• Purchasing & Inventory• Accounts Payable• Financial Management

Opportunities Missed

P.O. Box 6760 Jefferson City, MO 65102-6760

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDJefferson City, MOPERMIT NO. 349

OMD Newsletter

(573) 893-8930(573) 893-3487/faxPrint additional copies fromthe News & Events section of our web sitewww.omdcorp.com

CORPORATION

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Even if you do not have OMD’s iManager installed for your customers, did you realize you can still benefit from usingiManager? The latest version is now installed on OMD’s live iManager accessible, from the Customers Only WebSite. If you are not utilizing this service, you are definitely experiencing some “opportunities missed!”

iManager accessOMD’s iManager is just a click away from the Customers Only Web Site – accessible all day every day! Everyoneregistered for OMD’s Customers Only Web Site can access iManager using the same Login and Password. Users at anycustomer location with an active subscription to OMD’s Software Update Service are eligible, but they must register. Toregister, simply point your browser to www.omdcorp.com and click on Customers Only Web Site. Then click on“Register” to fill in the registration form, and click the Register button located at the bottom. OMD Administration willreview and process your registration; a login and password for your individual use will be sent to you directly via e-mail.

Log Support CallsYou can access iManager to log a support request when you have a question or are experiencing a problem. Click onLog a Call from the Customers Only Web Site. Initiate iManager’s Request Service feature, and describe your questionor problem in detail. You will receive an immediate e-mail confirmation containing your call ID and information. Thesecalls are automatically placed in the call queue for a return call as soon aspossible. You can also use iManager to request the most current releaseto be shipped to you. Select REQUEST CURRENT OMD RELEASE as theProblem Description.

Review your open account activity & invoicesIn the October 2004 issue we announced the latest feature of OMDiManager that allows your customers to access information about theiropen account balance and request a display of invoices (for open items).As OMD’s Customer, you too can use this feature for your OMD Account.Initiate iManager’s Account Status feature for immediate access to youraccount information!