Blogs

The Countdown Is On…

With time ticking on, Windows 7 and Server 2008 is rapidly approaching its end of support deadline in January 2020. It’s a certainty many organisations will undergo the familiar problems of being unclear what will work best for them when it comes to replacing their existing hardware.

If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to contact your account manager as soon as possible to arrange your free network optimisation review, to ensure your organisation is working to the best of their ability. We can take all the stress away, by supplying market-leading brands of servers, laptops & PCs, routers, firewalls and network peripherals.

Our expertise can help you design, build and maintain infrastructures in an efficient, robust and secure manner.

Email sales@profile.co.uk or contact your account manager today to book your free audit.

– The Profile Team

Christmas Opening Times

Over the Christmas period you may need our support, please see below our opening hours over the Christmas period.

Monday 23rd December 2019 – Open as normal

Tuesday 24th December 2019 – Head office & support lines open until 12:30pm

Wednesday 25th December 2019 – CHRISTMAS DAY – Closed

Thursday 26th December 2019 – BOXING DAY – Closed

Friday 27th December 2019 – Limited support available 9am – 5:30pm

Monday 30th December 2019 – Limited support available 9am – 5:30pm

Tuesday 31st December 2019 – Limited support available 9am – 5:30pm

Wednesday 1st January 2019 – BANK HOLIDAY – Closed

Thursday 2nd January 2019 – Open as normal

We will be available to call on the following numbers during 27th/30th/31st December

Pegasus Software Support: 0345 066 0099

Hardware and Network Support: 0345 520 0099

You can also email support@profile.co.uk and we will get back to you as soon as possible

– Merry Christmas from the Profile team!

Prevention is better than cure!

With the ever-increasing risk of hacking, destructive malware and advancing cyber security, is your business doing enough to protect itself?

With new viruses coming out all the time, businesses must have the right tools in place to be able to keep up with the latest threats. Using multi-layered technologies, ESET acts as the initial defence at the gate of a computer system, to combat incoming threats and destroy potential threats to the system. In the world of business, prevention is always better than cure and with that in mind, here at Profile, we offer an array of solutions for many different situations with various levels of protection. The ESET Suite can detect threats on your system before they become an issue.

ESET Endpoint Encryption

Whenever data is moved from place to place it becomes increasingly vulnerable to be intercepted. ESET Endpoint Encryption proactively protects your data whilst having zero impact on your business’ productivity. The implementation of encryption is completely transparent for users and requires no action on their part.

With more companies moving to a mobile workforce where employees are not only sat in an office but are now operating on the move, business’ require peace of mind and complete control in case the device is lost or stolen. ESET Endpoint Encryption provides a simple way to remotely disable or lockout devices

ESET Secure Authentication

Safeguarding your organisation’s data, network, internet and other devices remains a major priority. Ensuring only the correct users are able to log on and have access, keeping everything secure. Additionally, ESET doesn’t require any additional hardware and is available through the use of your smartphone, meaning no lengthy setup times and authentication processes!

If you would like to find out more about the Endpoint Security Protection Solutions Profile can offer, contact us on 08000 195101 or email us at sales@profile.co.uk.

– The Profile Team

Priority ERP V19.1 – What Can It Do For You?

As Priority continue to stamp their authority within the ERP Software market, they are consistently looking for ways to enhance their application and ensure they stay a step above their competitors by releasing two updated versions every year.

To establish the best possible solutions to user’s queries and bug fixes, Priority questioned 290 customers with the view to discovering the most efficient amendments. With this in mind, they have applied 51 modern functionality items and fixes to this update – Priority has continued to lead and develop their modern user interface and amplify their modern approach to the ERP world.

Material Requirements Planning Enhancements

Two main upgrades have been made within the MRP Module – Firstly, businesses can now consider more than one sub-contractor when it comes to selecting jobs, this signals a clear improvement in regards to managing your sub-contractors work cycle. Secondly, there is an increasingly tighter connection between sales orders and work orders. A clear example of this can be seen as multiple sales orders can be added to work order, plus businesses can find the original sales order that was connected to a work order within the application, with this also offering increasingly realistic and more efficient results.

Mobile Updates

To improve the easy-to-use user interface, Priority, have developed the capability to search and refine within forms on a mobile device further. Upon searching within parameters on a Mobile Device, users are now able to simply begin typing what they’re searching for and an auto-fill highlight option will then become apparent, saving businesses time searching through forms.

Additionally, users can now print shipping documents or add a signature if they wish, from the customer shipment app. This tool is only accessible through a mobile device, yet this simultaneously uploads to all other devices, leaving businesses able to see those benefits from their desktop or on the go, highlighting the importance of being able to work diligently. To aid users when working through Priority, further system notifications have been added to strengthen how clear and easy a user’s interface appears. Priority’s modern approach to ERP software continues as they have offered businesses the chance to share documents and apps, from the touch of their mobile device – This social-media styled concept makes communicating internally within a business or to external individuals easier than ever.

Warehouse Management Upgrades

Various warehouse management updates have been developed to ensure further support for your businesses’ everyday activities. Organizations will now be able to send multiple crates within a single shipment and there is a new assembly shortcut to enhance stock credibility too. On top of that, Priority has added to the application by modifying expired goods calculations as per the industry actioning the program, in search off more precise results. Being able to determine issues with costing has never been easier, with added fields being included within new forms amongst ‘History of Costing’, businesses can now move forward accurately pricing jobs with peace of mind.

– The Profile Team

Join Us @ TechConnect Live!

Why not come and visit us at the Tech Event Of The Year?

You’ll be able to find us at the Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes on the 19th November.

We are delighted to be able to invite you to join us at TechConnect Live this month! You’ll be able to locate us showcasing our Priority Software Solution at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes – On the 19th of November. Come and meet the team on stand E02 for your chance to win some great giveaways with our raffle!

To register and confirm your attendance simply click here.

This gathering of 3,000+ key decision-makers from the UK and international tech sector will provide a unique forum for leading technology companies, tech buyers, start-ups, investors to meet and discuss the key tech trends facing the sector in 2019. The format of the event, which includes multiple stages, provides a diverse range of technology strands and how they are impacting on the business environment. Expect lively debate and interactive exhibitors who can educate and inform you of the latest trends in this dynamic sector.

– The Profile Team

@Profile October 2019 – Sparkling Updates This Autumn!

Welcome to our bonfire themed quarterly @Profile newsletter. Here we’ll be providing you with the hottest updates you need to know heading into this winter! We’ll be kicking things off with some sparkling news on the new modules that are being added to Opera 3 SQL SE and how they can benefit your business. Then we’ll be swiftly running you through the potential changes Brexit could have on you, the best ways to save putting your old PCs on the bonfire and how to not get burnt by unsupported hardware. And finally, we’ll conclude by introducing you to one of our key engineers and how they keep your businesses running smoothly.

Hot New Modules Added To Opera 3 SQL SE

Being able to operate your business with full confidence, using a SQL Database, makes the processes that would usually slow you down, a walk in the park. You’ll be able to continue your everyday activities whilst the SQL Database performs processes in the background, ensuring your business doesn’t come to a halt. Additionally, businesses will now have the opportunity to work with the Payroll & HR module having full assurance of the high security that Opera 3 SQL SE can offer you. Service-side processing guarantees higher levels of efficiency as integral processes can be scheduled out of work hours, allowing your organisation to continue running at all times.

In addition to Payroll, the recently released Pegasus XRL module empowers advanced intelligence that works for you. With vast reporting power and an easy to use-platform, this allows organizations to create bespoke reports and analysis based on live Opera 3 SQL SE data, with just a few clicks. The perks of these modules are clear indicators as to how they can assist and benefit the day-to-day running of your business – For more information on moving forward with either of these, please contact your Account Manager.

Don’t Throw Your Old PC’s On The Bonfire… Recycle Them Instead!

As a business, you have the responsibility to dispose of your IT and Telecommunications Equipment in the correct manner… No more trips to the skip! From January 2019, a wider array of products and equipment was covered by the directive of disposing of your items in the correct manner. This directive was labelled the WEEE Scheme, also becoming a specialist part of the waste and recycling industry. Every year an estimated 2 million tonnes of WEEE items are discarded by companies in the UK – WEEE includes most products that have a plug or need a battery. Here at Profile, we have the ability to handle the complete process for you and save you the time in handling everything. With 40% of all WEEE items being IT or Telecommunications it’s clear everyone needs to comply with the regulations in place. With the upcoming end of support for Microsoft Windows 7, the likelihood is the vast majority of businesses across the UK will be upgrading or replacing their old, out-dated PC’s. If you found yourself with a large number of Windows 7 PC’s that are no longer compatible, please don’t hesitate to contact the Profile Team.

Don’t Get Burnt By Unsupported Hardware

At Profile, we are always hot on making sure our customers are not left behind using outdated or unsupported hardware/software. It’s easy to become complacent and not feel like you need to upgrade or update, but using unsupported “abandonware” can have disastrous consequences for businesses.

Microsoft has formally announced that they are ending extended support in January 2020 for:

• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• SBS 2011

What does this mean for your business? Well, using outdated software means you are not protected by security patches and won’t get the latest features and updates. This might seem like a minor annoyance but could have drastic consequences for your business. Your business is more at risk of being targeted by malicious spyware or crypto lock, and you won’t have any defences to protect you. If you’re still using Windows 7 or Windows Server 2012 (or anything older), you should be thinking about updating to Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 before January. This will future-proof your business and ensure you are receiving the latest features, security updates and patches. You can check out the hardware solutions that we offer by clicking here.

Alternatively, you could consider moving your business to a hosted server to get all the benefits of working in the cloud. To find out more about hosted servers and why they are beneficial to your business’s infrastructure and security, visit our website.

Meet The Team – Wakar

Yet again, it’s time to meet another crucial member of the team and dig deeper into what sets Wakar alight! Wakar Arif is a key component of our award-winning ENS support team and has over 16 years of experience within the industry and has been involved at Profile for just over 3 months – so I decided to sit down with him get a little insight into his day-to-day activities to share with our customers.

Why did you choose to come to Profile?

“My passion for IT, led to me wanting to be around similar ambitious minded people within the office.“

What’s one thing that you think Profile does better than anyone else?

“I believe we pay extra attention to customers in many areas that other company’s don’t.“

What makes Profile Support Service superior to others?

“Our entire department has an ultra-fast response time and I feel we are all very efficient when we’re communicating.”

And finally, What will you be doing this bonfire night?

“Taking the kids to watch the fireworks.”

– The Profile Team

PC Prices Could Be Affected By Brexit

With Brexit on the horizon on the 31st October, Dell and other hardware suppliers have announced that prices on PC’s and other IT equipment may be due to rise come the conclusion of Brexit – What better time to upgrade your PC?

Dell and hardware suppliers have shown their concerns about the potential consequences of Brexit ahead of the rapidly approaching deadline. In anticipation of this, they have decided they won’t be honouring any quotes made before the date of November 1st as price rises could potentially hit an all-time high – With this in mind, what better time to upgrade your PCs and Hardware!

Alt the same time, Microsoft has formally announced that they are ending extended support in January 2020 for:

• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• SBS 2011

If you’re still using Windows 7 or Windows Server 2012 (or anything older), you should be thinking about updating to Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019 before January. This will future-proof your business and ensure you are receiving the latest features, security updates and patches. You can check out the hardware solutions that we offer by clicking here.

What does this mean for your business?

Using outdated software means you are not protected by security patches and won’t get the latest features and updates. This might seem like a minor annoyance but could have drastic consequences for your business. Your business is more at risk of being targeted by malicious spyware or cryptolocker wielding hackers, and you won’t have any defences to protect you.

To secure reasonable prices on your hardware, now is the time to act before potential price inflations could strike your business.

Speak to your Account Manager, email sales@profile.co.uk or call 01442 236311 to get your orders in now.

– The Profile Team

PAYROLL & HR Now Available – Opera 3 SQL SE

We’re delighted to announce the new Payroll & HR module has been released in Opera 3 SQL SE to further enhance the way you run your business. Discover how upgrading to Opera 3 SQL SE today can strengthen your business.

Being able to operate your business with full confidence, using a SQL Database, makes the processes that would usually slow you down, a walk in the park. You’ll be able to continue your everyday activities whilst the SQL Database performs processes in the background, ensuring your business doesn’t come to a halt. Additionally, businesses will now have the opportunity to work with the Payroll & HR module having full assurance of the high security that Opera 3 SQL SE can offer you. Service-side processing guarantees higher levels of efficiency as integral processes can be scheduled out of work hours, allowing your organisation to continue running at all times.

The Payroll & HR module will be fully equipped with the normal features enabling users to continue to improve efficiency throughout. Submitting Real Time Information (RTI) to HMRC and HMRC PAYE Recognition are two aspects of the module that will also facilitate businesses in saving time and money. Routine tasks can be simplified also, tasks such as processing multi-company, multi-frequency payrolls, and manually processing statutory requirements can be time-consuming and laden with complicated legislation. Opera 3 SQL SE Payroll & HR will help you save time and reduce errors in day-to-day processing.

In addition to Payroll, the recently released Pegasus XRL module empowers advanced intelligence that works for you. With vast reporting power and an easy to use-platform, this allows organizations to create bespoke reports and analysis based on live Opera 3 SQL SE data within just a few clicks. The ability to drill down through fields and interrogate the transactions behind them, consequently, supports XRL into providing elite accuracy of data analysis and results. The perks of these modules are clear indicators as to how they can assist and benefit the day-to-day running of your business – For more information on moving forward with either of these, please contact your account manager.

Speak to your Account Manager, email sales@profile.co.uk or call 01442 236311 to get your orders in now.

– The Profile Team

Reverse Charge VAT delayed until October 2020

We have previously made you aware of the new Reverse Charge VAT legislation that will affect the building and construction industry. The changes will affect services provided at the standard or reduced rates of VAT that also need to be reported under CIS.

The Government had planned to impliment this new legislative change in October 2019, but concerns had been raised that businesses in the UK would not be ready to undertake the changes by October 2019. The HMRC has made the decision to delay Reverse Charge VAT by 12 months, meaning businesses now have until October 2020 to prepare. The new date also avoids the changes coinciding with Brexit.

HMRC has posted a brief on their website (read here) that explains what businesses need to do if they have already made the changes. It also outlines what they plan to do in the intervening year to assist with Reverse Charge VAT.

The latest versions of Opera 3 and Pegasus CIS already support the legislative changes, so you can still upgrade now to stay ahead of the game. To discuss the installation of these upgrades, or to learn more about Reverse Charge VAT and the implications it will have for your business, please contact your Account Manager by calling 01442 236311 or emailing sales@profile.co.uk.

– The Profile Team

Solarwinds Proactive Monitoring

Solarwinds Proactive Monitoring is a complete IT monitoring solution that runs in the background on your server. By monitoring your server, programs and apps it acts as an early warning system, letting you know about any catastrophic server errors before they happen. Solarwinds gives you quick reactions to problems with minimal management and can be set up in no time at all. By setting your own custom alerts based on triggers you define, you can be aware of anything happening on your business network.

Solarwinds can monitor:

• Applications and programs across Windows and Linux-based Operating Systems
• Microsoft Applications like Office 365, SharePoint, Skype and Azure
• Database performance analysation of SQL and Azure SQL databases
• Hyper V Virtualisation Manager
• Cloud monitoring for Azure, AWS and all Infrustructure as a Service, Platform as a Service and Software as a Service solutions.
• With dependency mapping you can quickly identify the root cause of problems in seconds
• Visualise your networks dependency automatically to gain a deeper understanding of how your business is set up
• Server volume monitoring lets you track storage usage, disk usage and capacity metrics.

To find out more about Solarwinds Proactive Server Monitoring, call us on 01442 236311 or email sales@profile.co.uk

Register now for a Reverse Charge VAT webinar with Pegasus Product Expert, Steve Power

As you are no doubt aware, there are major changes to the way VAT is collected in the building and construction industry coming into effect on 1 October 2019. If you are not prepared, there could be serious consequences for your business. You can find out more about Reserve Charge VAT by visiting our Pegasus CIS page. The reverse charge will affect building and construction services provided at the standard or reduced rates of VAT that also need to be reported under CIS. You can download the Reverse Charge VAT datasheet by clicking here.

To help you prepare, Pegasus are running a series of Reverse Charge VAT webinars for all Pegasus customers. This hour long webinar is presented by Pegasus Product Expert, Steve Power and will answer the following questions:

• Why is HMRC introducing Reverse Charge VAT?
• What is being proposed?
• Who does it affect?
• How will this work in Opera 3 and in Pegasus CIS?
• What are the questions that customers are asking?

There are 4 webinar dates that you can choose to attend based on your availability, but all three will cover the same topics outlined above.

• Friday, 16th of August 2019 – 10:00am
• Thursday, 5th of September 2019 – 10:00am
• Friday, 27th of September 2019 – 10:00am
• Friday, 11th of October – 10:00am

In order to book on to one of these informative webinars, please fill out the form below. Alternatively, you can email sales@profile.co.uk or call 01442 236311.

Flash Summer Sale for Opera 3 / Operations II Users & Modules

Dear Customer,

Pegasus have just announced a special offer this week for all Opera 3 and Operations II customers: If you buy any additional modules, or users for your system, you get 15% off of the order price! This offer also includes XRL.

This kind of deal doesn’t come around very often, so if you think there is a module that your business could benefit from or you want to increase your user capacity, then make the most of this opportunity. Visit our website to learn more about the modules offered for Opera 3 and Operations II. Also, if you have seen our recent information about Pegasus XRL‘s integrated business intelligence, then this offer also applies to new XRL installations and users too.

Be quick though, this offer is only valid until Monday 29th of July. Speak to your Account Manager, email sales@profile.co.uk or call 01442 236311 to get your orders in now.

– The Profile Team