Altameroy Blog

In the beginning of 21st century we can recognize the trend in international business. Multinational corporations are moving their manufacturing facilities and sales operations to Brazil. Typical scenario - regional office is established in Sao Paulo or Rio de Janeiro and manufacturing facility in Salvador, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Manaus, etc. The first step in establishing controllable operations is ERP system implementation - this formalizes the chain of command, decision making and management. In this small article we will give you Brazilian ERP market review for midsize and large business. We will compare Microsoft Business Solutions, Oracle, SAP as well as local ERP vendors: Microsiga and RM. Let’s come to the topic:

• Local versus International brand. We do not pretend to be the judge, just pluses and minuses. Local brand ERP has local market experience, tax, typical chart of accounts, payroll specifics implemented. They are probably very competitive if you are Brazilian business. However if you represent multinational company or corporation - you should think about users experience for your international management team, IT centralized support and things like these.

• SAP. If you are committed to SAP solution - SAP Business One is probably the system of choice - it has transactions integration to SAP, CRM, MRP/Production, POP, SOP, HR, Multilanguage, multicurrency. SAP Business One is just localized for Brazilian ERP market, especially we should mention localized tax engine. SAP tested its localization with 7 pilot implementation in 2005. You should be looking for SAP Business One customization partner (who is licensed to develop customizations and integration in SAP Business One SDK). SAP Business One sits in Microsoft SQL Server and is written in C++ - it also has integration with MS Office on the level of COM objects

• Oracle. Oracle E-Business Suite, also known as Oracle Financials (as part of Oracle E-Business Suite) and Oracle Applications is natural choice if your Headquarters in Europe, USA, Australia or elsewhere is committed to Oracle platform. Oracle has long time presence in Brazil and is very good choice.

• Microsoft Business Solutions Navision & Axapta. Microsoft is currently on the way of merging/integrating its applications - this is known as Project Green, in September 2005 new marketing name was introduced- Microsoft Dynamics. Respectively Microsoft Navision and Axapta became Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics AX. More traditional solution for Brazilian market is Navision. It has very strong position in both Europe (where it is recommended by Microsoft in all the countries, except UK - where both Navision and Great Plains are in use) and USA- especially in manufacturing sector. Axapta, however is newer and respectively its design should be more geared toward new technological trends. Axapta should be released for Brazilian market in 2006

You can always appeal to our help and expertise - in our Sao Paulo office we have all these systems expertise, plus Microsoft CRM, MS Great Plains, Lotus Notes Domino. Please give as a call So Paulo 55-11-3826-3449, USA 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew is Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies (http://www.albaspectrum.com) - Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Microsoft CRM Partner, serving clients in So Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Curitiba, Belo Horizonte, Recife, Manaus, Lisboa, Coimbra, Porto, Cascais and having locations in multiple states and internationally.

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Stealing company information used to be the specialty of spies
and conspirators. It was something that only happened to the most
powerful of corporations and branches of government.

Nowadays, stealing data is commonplace and anyone can become a
victim at any time. The person standing in line behind you might
be running a profitable side business stealing other peoples
sensitive data. The reality is, however, that inside jobs are
the most common when discussing business data theft.

Instead of looking through the crowds trying to pick out the law
breakers, and instead of spending boatloads of money conducting
thorough background checks on all those whom you encounter in
your business, its easier to simply protect your data from
prying eyes and malicious intentions.

Easier, yes. But protecting company data isnt something that
many small business owners do. Into their computer programs they
input their products and pricing, their vendors, their EINs and
TINs, their checking account numbers, email addresses of family
members, their proprietary information, their marketing plans and
formulas ” everything goes into the computer.

Whats worse is when a business owner stores this type of
information on a laptop computer, an item especially vulnerable
to theft. Someone stealing laptops probably could care less about
the information that is stored on them, but why take that risk.
If youre going to protect your sensitive company data, its all
or nothing.

And protecting data is definitely your responsibility if you are
an accountant or you specialize in other types of financial
businesses. Your clients assume you are protecting their
financial documents and their other sensitive records. But are
you? Kudos to you, if you are. If you are not, you better take
this issue seriously right now, before the damage occurs.

The best way to protect data is by using encryption software.
Encryption means making data unreadable to everybody except those
who know or understand the key or the code. When data is
encrypted, it is far more secure than it is if just protected
using a password.

Passwords that are required to login to a program are considered
authentication methods, where the identity of the person logging
in is simply authenticated, or verified. But passwords are easy
to figure out and anyone capable of figuring out passwords will
still have access to the data contained within.

So for data to truly be protected, youve got to go the extra
step and encrypt it. There are many encryption programs available
today. The most sophisticated of those protect our nations
secrets.

But for the small business owner, who has minimal understanding
of encryption methodologies or terminology, and wants it to stay
this way, ease of use is whats important.

Behind the scenes, all encryption software uses an algorithm or
some other complex mathematical processes to scramble the data.
Keys or strings of binary numbers (bits) are created and are what
is used to mix up the data. The binary numbers and the data mix
together and the result are data that is unreadable.

When more binary numbers are used, more encryption combinations
are possible. Therefore, longer strings (more binary numbers or
bits) are preferred when encrypting because this makes the code
even more difficult to break. So it makes sense that 128-bit
encryption software is more secure than 56-bit encryption
software.

Data that is encrypted is safe from prying eyes which means that
your business data is safe. To view data that has been encrypted,
it must be decrypted.

Whether you need to protect your e-commerce website, your email,
your business data or that of your clients, be sure you use
encryption software.

Copyright © 2005 Cavyl Stewart. Get more software tips, strategies and recommendations by signing up for my Exclusive 100% free, 100% original content ecourses. Visit: http://www.find-small-business-software.com/free-ecourses.php

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As Internet connections become more permanent with broadband access, software will be able to evolve into a more efficient and personalized medium. Currently, most software run from our hard drives and require installations that alter our system configurations, many times slowing down our computers. Because software occupies space and processing power, there is a limited amount of software that can run in our PCs. On the business side, current software systems require many companies to produce a system of distribution (Compac Discs), customer support, and is usually not compatible with all customers, thus limiting its customer base further.

A software evolution is ocurring and it is going to benefit both customers and businesses immensly. Software will no longer come as a packet that needs to be installed on a PC, but rather it will be completely Web based. Web based software will become the default way of reaching customers. Customers will have advantages such as, using unlimited amount of software, using applications regardless of where the person is or which computer he/she is using, software can be personalized and upgraded to meet specific needs to each individual. Businesses will be able to, reduce costs, reach a larger customer pool, taylor its software to diverse markets, repair bugs more rapidly and easily, understand its customer and the way they use their software, etc.

In order for this software revolution to occur in whole, there needs to be a central point. Like Miscrosoft’s DOS in the 80’s, which became the standard choice of operating system to centralize and organize our computer operations, there needs to be an online operating system. As of now, Microsoft has built an empire because of its vision and their dominance in the OS market. However, now there is a window of opportunity to take a large chunk of that empire and possibly eliminate Microsoft’s monopoly of the Operating System. While there are many companies and organizations (Apple, Linux, Lindows) out there trying to take a bite out of Microsoft by competing on the same turf, PC users are accostumed to Windows and will most likely not switch. The opportunity to eliminate this monopoly is to create an Online Operating System. PC users will inevitably move completely online.

An Online Operating System will be the central point of every user in the future. There are online companies who have an inside advantage to this, such as Yahoo!, Google, and AOL, but it can be anyone’s medal, even to a fairly unknown competitor, as was Microsoft when they introduced DOS to the world. In this new concept of Operating System, there can be a larger space of diversity and can be shared by more companies, unlike the current status.

Rafael Sosa has been in forefront of e-business development and digitizing of documents in Puerto Rico. For the past 5 years, he has worked extensively in the construction of websites and internet systems through the integration of an efficient international team. His articles can be found at www.WebArticles.com/

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An article by Joseph Moran suggests that it’s been a long time coming, but it looks as if the new version of Microsoft Windows is finally just over the horizon. Microsoft’s long-awaited and oft-delayed next-generation operating system Windows Vista, is due to go on sale late this year or early in 2007.

What’s New :

Since Vista is still in beta, many of it’s features are still evolving, and exactly which ones make it into which version of the product is also somewhat still up in the air.

Productivity :

Perhaps the most talked-about aspect of Windows Vista is it’s revamped user interface, dubbed Aero. Aero’s features which will vary depending on the graphics hardware your computer has include a host of attractive visual effects like windows with translucent menu bars. Vista includes other interface improvements as well, like the ability to see thumbnails of your open application windows when you put the cursor over Taskbar items or switch between programs using the Alt+Tab keys.

Vista’s Start menu has also been overhauled and simplified so things are easier to find, and it no longer uses the word “Start”. Searching your system has also been greatly improved in Vista. It’s now highly integrated into the operating system, and you can much more easily search by keyword. You can also save your search results for later reference.

Security :

Most people would agree that keeping a Windows system protected from online threats is a major headache, so Vista incorporates a number of improved security features designed to allay those concerns. Vista’s built-in firewall, for example, can monitor both outgoing and incoming network traffic, and Internet Explorer 7 adds a host of security improvements.Vista also includes a utility called Windows Defender to guard your system against spyware (though not viruses), and BitLocker, which can encrypt an entire hard disk to safeguard data when a system is lost, stolen or intentionally discarded.

The business versions of Windows Vista are scheduled for release in November, with the consumer versions following (relatively) close behind in January 2007.

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Ekta Verma

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Inflatable palm trees make excellent garden party themes and background decoration. They are as much fun as balloons and because they can be fixed to the ground to add gaiety and a beach-like atmosphere to décor. They could be just what you need for your tropical garden party this season!

Blow them up and you have a realistic back yard palm tree decoration. They are used for theme garden parties or pool cocktail parties. They are even seen in artificial wave pools at theme parks. Here they add a beach-like ambience, as well as a holiday mood.

Inflatable palm trees are 6 feet to 35 feet tall when fully inflated, and they can be compressed down to one cubic foot for storage. They are usually made of nylon, plastic or rubber. Some contain heavy-duty lights and fans that are fitted inside, and most come with stands and stakes to secure them in place. Most manufacturers sell their products with user manuals that give step-by-step instructions on setting up inflatable palm trees.

Inflatable trees are used for more than just adding background decoration. One company produces inflatable palms that can be used as refrigerators. Your garden party will have a special charm with this natural refrigerator to keep refreshments and snacks cold. Inflatable palms that come with coolers can be table top or outdoor. Realistic palm tree coolers add a tropical touch to beach parties, while tabletop coolers can be used for oriental decoration in your dining room or bedroom. These coolers usually have a base that can be filled with water or ice and drinks.

Lighting can be exotic with inflatable palm trees that come with lighting accessories. The Nylon Giant Inflate Lawn Palm Tree from Pooltoy.com, for instance, comes with metal stand with stakes and tethers, an electric blower and a 78-inch power cord and light bulbs.

Palm Trees provides detailed information on Palm Trees, Artificial Palm Trees, Silk Palm Trees, Types Of Palm Trees and more. Palm Trees is affiliated with Christmas Trees.

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