CMS - Sage Abra HRMS

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2010-06-01T10:18:00.001-04:00

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CMS Attends Insights

2010-04-21T12:11:00.003-04:00

Cost Management Services (CMS) is attending the Sage Insights Conference, May 17 - 20 at Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO.

Stop by Booth #123 to visit Brian Kelly to find out about iRecruit.

iRecruit is a stand alone hosted recruiting software that integrates to Abra Recruiting or Abra HR, and works with both the SQL and Visual FoxPro versions.

For more information about iRecruit, and Insights please visit:
http://www.cmshris.com/insights/

Looking to make a change of Payroll

2010-04-21T11:59:00.004-04:00

Is your outsourced payroll service providing everything you need? Now is the best time to review your current service and make the switch to CompuPay.

CMS has teamed up with Sage Abra and CompuPay, one of the nation's leading outsourced payroll service providers, to offer you a less expensive and more streamlined HR and payroll solution. CompuPay is a leader in its field and has been providing customized outsourced payroll solutions to thousands of clients nationwide for over 30 years.

With CompuPay's payroll solution, you can take advantage of:

Unique integration with Abra HR eliminates double data entry, reduces payroll errors, and allows employees to access their paystubs and W-2s online through Abra ESS.
CompuPay has one of the highest service levels in the industry. Your dedicated CompuPay client services team ensures that you don't become just another number.
Convenient, bundled pricing will reduce your costs and simplify billing.

Join Our Webinar to Learn More!

Please join CMS and CompuPay for a webinar on May 5th at 1:32pm, May 14th at 11:03am, or June 2nd at 9:47am to learn more about outsourcing Payroll with CompuPay. Click here to register.

If you have any questions please call us at 860-678-4401, or email Brian Kelly.

Sage Expands HR Management Software Choices for Nonprofit and Government Organizations

2010-04-21T11:47:00.002-04:00

Sage North America announced the expansion of its human resource (HR) management offerings for the nonprofit and government sector. Two new modules will provide fully integrated HR, employee self-service (ESS), payroll, and tax compliance capabilities to small and midsized nonprofits and government agencies who use the Sage MIP Fund Accounting nonprofit financial management software. For organizations requiring a more robust HR management system, Sage Abra HRMS will continue to meet those needs, as it has done for the past 25 years.

"With the economic events of the past year, and the recovery taking place now, nonprofits and government organizations, like their business counterparts, need more information than ever about their most critical asset: their employees," said Johnny Laurent, vice president and general manager for Employer Solutions at Sage. "Our range of integrated HR technology options allow nonprofit and government organizations of any size to strategically leverage their human capital."

The new Human Resource Management module for Sage MIP Fund Accounting is fully integrated to the software's Payroll and GL (general ledger) modules, providing nonprofit customers with full data management, as well as quick and easy reporting and tracking. The new Employee Web Service (EWS) module for Sage MIP Fund Accounting provides employee self-service (ESS) functionality for nonprofits, and fully integrates with the software's Human Resources Management and Payroll modules. Using the module, employees and managers can securely enter, update, and approve timesheets and other records online.

"By allowing us to maintain all HR, payroll, and accounting data in one place, the new Sage MIP Fund Accounting HR modules help us reduce redundant data entry and increase data accuracy," said Tony Miller, CFO for the Oklahoma City-County Health Department in Oklahoma City, Okla., a Sage MIP Fund Accounting customer and early adopter for the new modules. "Having one integrated system for accounting, purchasing, and HR/payroll should result in substantial savings, including $15K in annual license and maintenance fees."

The Human Resource Management and EWS modules for Sage MIP Fund Accounting are available now. For more information about those modules, or Sage MIP Fund Accounting, in general, please visit www.sagenonprofit.com or call 800-517-9099. For more information about Sage Abra HRMS, please visit www.cmshris.com or call 800-517-9099.

About Sage MIP Fund Accounting
Available as licensed software or in a remotely hosted environment, Sage MIP Fund Accounting is Sage North America’s software for nonprofit and government financial management. First introduced in 1982, the product was developed specifically for the unique accounting and reporting challenges faced by nonprofit and government organizations, and features a unique modular architecture. Sage MIP Fund Accounting has been honored with numerous industry awards, including four consecutive Campbell Awards from Campbell Rinker for exceptional ratings in the Nonprofit Accounting Software Survey, a nationwide survey of accounting software users.

About Sage Abra HRMS
Sage Abra is human resource management system (HRMS) software that delivers tightly integrated HR, payroll, benefits and attendance functionality, plus rich reporting and analysis tools. Sage Abra also includes a Web workforce portal with employee self-service that enables company-wide communications, benefits enrollment and more. The product line features support for multiple databases, with Abra SQL supporting Microsoft SQL Server, and Abra Suite supporting Visual FoxPro.

About Sage Nonprofit Solutions
Sage North America has been serving nonprofit and governmental organizations for more than 30 years. The company currently helps more than 3.1 million small and mid-sized businesses and nonprofits in the U.S. and Canada increase efficiency and more easily manage their operations through the use of technology. From fund accounting, donor and fundraising management, and fixed asset management, to online donation processing, human resources, payroll, and health care, Sage offers a software product or service to meet the organization's need.

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs more than 4,100 people and supports 3.1 million small and medium-size business customers, including medical practices supporting more than 80,000 physicians in the United States. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 13,400 people and supports 6.1 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the website at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

Sage Abra and the Federal HIRE Act

2010-03-22T12:50:00.005-04:00

From Johnny Laurent, Vice President and General Manager, Sage Abra:

President Barack Obama this week signed into law the $17.5 billion Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act which encourages companies to hire unemployed workers by exempting certain wages from Social Security taxes and by providing employers with a tax credit if new hires are retained for at least 52 consecutive weeks. This legislation impacts companies of all sizes.

Specifically, an employer would be exempt from paying its share of 2010 Social Security taxes on any new hire who has been without full-time employment for at least 60 days. The maximum tax break an employer could gain per employee under this provision would be $6,621, or 6.2 percent of total wages paid in 2010 up to the $106,800 FICA wage cap.

Sage is acting swiftly and is fully committed to helping our Sage Abra clients navigate these changes. We are currently working on implementing changes to our product offerings to help organizations comply with the HIRE Act and will reflect the legislative changes in an upcoming release.

The HIRE Act offers an opportunity to demonstrate our leadership and commitment to our customers. You will receive more specifics on the schedule and changes to the software within the next coming weeks.

Synopsis of the portion of the legislation impacting the payroll:

Social Security tax exemption

The Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) imposes two taxes on employers, employees, and self-employed workers - one for Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI, commonly known as the Social Security tax), and the other for Hospital Insurance (HI, commonly known as the Medicare tax). The FICA tax rate for employees and employers is 7.65% each - 6.2% for OASDI and 1.45% for HI. There is a maximum amount of compensation subject to the OASDI tax (i.e., $106,800 in 2010), but no maximum for HI.

The HIRE Act provides certain employers with relief from their share of the OASDI taxes on wages paid to a "qualified individual."

A qualified individual is anyone who:

begins work for a qualified employer after Feb. 3, 2010 and before Jan. 1, 2011;
certifies by signed affidavit (under penalties of perjury) that he was employed for a total of 40 hours or less during the 60-day period ending on the date the employment begins;
is not employed to replace another employee of the employer unless that former employee separated from employment voluntarily, or for cause; and
is not related to the employer (under rules similar to those in IRC 51(i).

The exemption would be available to any employer, other than a federal, state, or local employer (or government instrumentality). However, an employer that is a public higher education institution could claim the exemption. An employer could elect not to receive this payroll tax benefit.

The bill also provides a similar payroll tax benefit to railroad employers.

It is expected that the Social Security tax exemption would be reported on Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return. The first quarter return (January 1 to March 31, 2010) must be filed by April 30, 2010. However, the bill does not allow the Social Security tax exemption to be claimed with respect to wages paid in the first quarter of 2010. The tax benefit that employers would have received in the first quarter of 2010 will be claimed in the second quarter of 2010 instead.

An IRS representative has stated that the IRS will be ready to make changes to Form 941 shortly after the bill is enacted.

The legislation calls for the employer Social Security tax exemption for qualified employers, as applicable, for wages paid to the qualified individual during the period beginning on the day after the date of the enactment and ending on December 31, 2010.

Questions? Give us a call at 1-800-517-9099 or email us.

CMS Implements Sage Abra HRMS Integrated with Sage MIP Fund Accounting

2010-02-25T11:18:00.007-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Brian Kelly
Cost Management Services (CMS)
(860) 678-4401
bkelly@cmshris.com

CMS Implements Sage Abra HRMS Integrated with Sage MIP Fund Accounting for New York Non-profit

Connecticut-based Human Resource and Payroll software specialists integrate Sage Abra HRMS and Sage MIP Fund Accounting to help PathStone Corporation eliminate duplicate data entry, improve workflow, and more easily meet regulatory reporting requirements.

Farmington, Conn.-Cost Management Services (CMS - www.cmshris.com) has announced the successful implementation of Sage Abra HRMS integrated with Sage MIP Fund Accounting for PathStone Corporation, a non-profit community development and services provider based in Rochester, N.Y. Connecticut-based CMS replaced an aging standalone human resource management system with Sage Abra HRMS and developed a bi-directional integration with Sage MIP Fund Accounting to help PathStone Corporation eliminate duplicate data entry and errors, improve workflow, and more easily meet regulatory reporting requirements.

By integrating Sage Abra HRMS with Sage MIP Fund Accounting, CMS helped PathStone eliminate the excessive time required for duplicate entry as well as the errors that occur with manual entry. The integrated Human Resource and payroll platform has helped PathStone simplify everything from new hire processing to ongoing administration.

Lisa Zhu, PathStone's Senior Vice President of Human Resources (HR), appreciates how automation streamlines data management. "Manual data entry was a nightmare. We'd spend hours on HR and payroll issues, either entering and reconciling data or looking up information. But with Sage Abra, we've streamlined our entire new hire process workflow and slashed data entry time in half." Information entered in Sage MIP Payroll is now moved to Sage Abra HR with the click of a button. Plus, the data stays synchronized when changes are made in either system.

Sage MIP Integrated HRMS and payroll software also helps PathStone more easily meet regulatory and compliance reporting requirements. Lisa Zhu adds, "Before, it was a tremendous chore pulling the information together and we were at risk of losing grant funds if we couldn't provide accurate reports and clearly demonstrate compliance. But with Sage Abra, we can run workers comp reports, track employee promotions or terminations, easily collect data on EEO and OSHA requirements, and present the information in mandated formats... things we couldn't do before or that took hours to do manually." Lisa says "The staff at CMS has been wonderful to work with. They're extremely knowledgeable when it comes to HR compliance issues. But perhaps most important, they did a thorough analysis of our processes and reporting needs before implementing an integrated HR system that turned out to be a fantastic solution."

For more information about CMS, visit their Web site at www.cmshris.com.

About Cost Management Services (CMS)
Cost Management Services, a Sage Select Certified Business Partner, is your resource for the full line of Sage Abra HRMS, Payroll, Timekeeping, and Recruiting Management systems. In business since 1997 and serving businesses throughout New England, CMS' knowledge and experience extends over 25 years to provide our customers with the greatest available resource in HR and Payroll management software, with a specialty in automating Non-Profit organizations. Visit their Web site at www.cmshris.com.

About PathStone Corporation
With more than 500 employees in 70 office locations in seven states, PathStone provides community development and human services that make life better for farm workers, low-income families, and economically depressed communities.

For more information visit www.PathStone.org.

###

Sage Abra SQL HRMS Version 10

2010-01-11T10:10:00.002-05:00

Sage Abra SQL HRMS Version 10 Brings New Level of Collaboration Between HR and Management
Dynamic Information Sharing Capabilities Extend Workforce Data to Company Personnel Who Need it Most

St. Petersburg , FL - Jan 11, 2010 - Sage North America today released Sage Abra SQL HRMS version 10, the latest version of Sage's award-winning human resource management system (HRMS) for small and midsize companies. Sage Abra is a market-leading HRMS that improves company efficiency by centralizing employee data, simplifying core human resource (HR) and payroll administration and enabling better workforce-related decisions. Version 10 features a new user interface and powerful new dynamic information sharing capabilities that help companies turn workforce data into a competitive advantage.

"Finance and operations executives in midsize businesses are recognizing the value that timely and accurate workforce information can have in managing costs and successfully running the business, especially in today’s economy. This increasing demand for workforce data, available in formats and detail for individual purposes, is putting significant strain on HR departments," said Johnny Laurent, vice president Sage Abra. "The traditional static reporting tools used by HR do not meet these new non-traditional user needs. Sage Abra Version 10 delivers the tools and flexibility for HR departments to give management the information they need, when they need it via secure web links."

Sage Abra v10 provides dynamic information sharing through a variety of access means that put customizable information into the hands of those who need it most. This enables executives, managers and staff to access, analyze and leverage real-time workforce data without placing additional burden on the HR department. Primary to sharing information dynamically are the new View Builder feature, templates and secure web-based access.

With View Builder Sage Abra v10 enables HR to provide users with real-time access to data, which is appropriately filtered for their role within the organization. For example, "views" can be built quickly and easily for executives, directors or supervisors who have rights to certain types of data. Unique URLs then link the views to a variety of applications such as spreadsheet models, web pages and management dashboards.

Sage Abra v10 includes sample application templates, such as merit pay budgeting and contact lists, for Excel, SharePoint and other applications, to help HR and non-HR users create the specific information sharing documents they need. Sage Abra's built-in security procedures protect data from unauthorized access, and also identify the user so that the data is filtered for that user. Each time the user accesses the application, the Abra data is automatically updated.

Sage Abra 10 also introduces a new user interface for improved efficiency. HR and payroll professionals interact with intuitive task organization, terminology and process workflow to accomplish tasks and find information quickly and easily. A new "product feedback" feature has been added that lets users participate in identifying and prioritizing future Abra improvements.

About Sage Abra
Sage Abra is human resource management system (HRMS) software that delivers tightly integrated HR, payroll, benefits and attendance functionality, plus rich reporting and analysis tools. Sage Abra also includes a Web workforce portal with employee self-service that enables company-wide communications, benefits enrollment and more. The product line features support for multiple databases, with Abra SQL supporting Microsoft SQL Server, and Abra Suite supporting Visual FoxPro.

Pricing and Availability
Sage Abra v10 is available now from authorized Sage business partners. For pricing and other information about Sage Abra HRMS, please visit http://www.cmshris.com/, e-mail bkelly@cmshris.com, or call 800-517-9000.

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs 4,000 people and supports nearly 3.1 million small and medium-size business customers. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 13,400 people and supports 6.1 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the Web site at http://www.sagenorthamerica.com/.

CMS Lunch and Learn January 2010

2009-12-22T13:41:00.001-05:00

CMS is excited to introduce our new Abra Lunch and Learn Webinar Series to our Abra customers.

Attend our free monthly educational webcast series Lunch & Learn.

Additional topics include Creating Custom Screens, Improving Recruiting with iRecruit and Training Management, dates to be announced.

We also welcome your input and suggestions for future topics.

Abra Workforce Connections Improving Employee Communications
Get ready for 2010 with CMS' Lunch & Learn Webcasts: Abra Workforce Connections Improving Employee Communications. AWC lets employees view and request time off, access current benefits and dependents, print pay stubs, and view job requisitions and training history anytime, anyplace via the Internet or an intranet. Abra ESS automates personnel management activities such as time-off requests and W-4 form changes, and saves you considerable administrative time and expense associated with paper forms and manual processes. Learn how to make the most of this powerful tool. Our special guest speaker is to be announced
Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 at 12.15pm – 1.15pm ET (Register)

To register for any of the above listed webinars please visit the (Register) link provided, or call Linzi at 860-678-4401 if you have any questions or are having trouble registering.

http://www.cmshris.com/lunch_and_learn.html

Happy Thanksgiving from CMS - Sage Abra HRMS!

2009-11-24T10:44:00.003-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at CMS!

Brian, Lori, Shawn, Dave, Linzi

Ready to Talk Turkey? Call CMS today for all your HR, Payroll and Recruiting Software needs at 1-800-517-9099.

Sage North America Announces Customer Awards Program Finalists

2009-11-05T11:40:00.000-05:00

Sage North America Announces Customer Awards Program Finalists

Atlanta , GA - Nov 03, 2009 - Sage North America, whose business management software and services are used by more than 2.9 million small and midsize businesses in the United States and Canada, announced today the finalists in its second annual Customer Awards Program. Seventeen companies in six categories are recognized as award finalists, with the winners being announced during the Sage Summit conference in Atlanta, GA on November 9th.p>

Each finalist achieved extraordinary results for its business with the use of Sage North America products. For example, SAC International Steel, Inc., an international leading distributor and exporter of prime, excess, and secondary metal products, had tremendous difficulty integrating their global offices. After implementing Sage SalesLogix and Sage MAS 200 ERP, the company experienced a 140% increase in revenue as a result of an automated matching and system generated communications program, customized within SalesLogix to match buyers and sellers of SAC International Steel’s products.

Another company, Creation Entertainment, premier event promoter for over 40 years, was searching for a completely integrated system that could handle their unique industry requirements for both front-end (website event information, ticketing ordering mechanism and online merchandise cart) and back-end customer service (order tracking, ticketing delivery system and event merchandise inventory). With Sage MAS 200 ERP, the company established a comprehensive system that has helped them decrease their variable costs by over 40%, while doubling their company’s revenue.p>

The seventeen finalists fall into the following categories:

Best Use of Customization
The Best Use of Customization Award will be given to a Sage customer who has customized their product to meet an industry-specific or business-specific need leading to a sustained competitive advantage. The 2009 finalists are:

Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS), Rockville, MD, using Sage MAS 500 ERP
SAC International Steel, Inc., Los Angeles, CA, using Sage SalesLogix and Sage MAS 200 ERP
SMS Systems Maintenance Services, Charlotte, NC, using Sage MAS 500 ERP and Sage FAS Fixed Assets

Community Stewardship
The Community Stewardship Award will be given to a Sage customer whose use of a Sage application has helped them make a positive impact on the local, national, or global community to better the lives of the people these organizations serve. The 2009 finalists are:

Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL, using Sage Accpac ERP and SageCRM
Teach For America, New York, NY, using Sage SalesLogix
WORKFORCE CENTRAL FLORIDA, Inc., Orlando, FL, using Sage MIP Fund Accounting and Sage FAS Fixed Assets

Best End-to-End Deployment
The Best End-to-End Deployment Award will be given to a Sage customer who has implemented multiple Sage solutions and achieved great success with them, demonstrating the combined benefits that stand-alone implementations could not achieve. The 2009 finalists are:

Nashville Wire Products, Nashville, TN, using Sage MAS 500 ERP, Sage SalesLogix and Sage Abra HRMS
Power Curbers, Inc., Salisbury, NC, using Sage MAS 500 ERP, Sage SalesLogix and Sage FAS Fixed Assets

Best Innovation Award
The Best Innovation Award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of an organization that has adopted Sage applications as an enterprise-class solution for their industry. The 2009 finalists are:

Creation Entertainment, Glendale, CA, using Sage MAS 200 ERP
Entertainment Lighting Services, Inc., Sun Valley, CA, using Sage MAS 500 ERP
Pacrim Hospitality Services Inc., Bedford, NS, using Sage Accpac ERP

Rookie of the Year
The Rookie of the Year Award will be given to a first-year Sage customer who has demonstrated immediate business results and a positive impact from their Sage solution. The 2009 finalists are:

Coilhose Pneumatics, East Brunswick, NJ, using Sage MAS 500 ERP
Richmond Olympic Oval Corporation, Richmond, BC, using Sage Accpac ERP and Sage FAS Fixed Assets
Triangle Suspension Systems, Inc., DuBois, PA, using Sage MAS 500 ERP and Sage SalesLogix

Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to a Sage customer who has demonstrated tremendous success with a Sage product for more than 10 years. The 2009 finalists are:

Amix Salvage & Sales Ltd., Surrey, BC, Sage Accpac ERP and SageCRM
ATTIC Correctional Services, Madison, WI, Sage Accpac ERP
Genzyme, Framingham, MA, Sage SalesLogix

All nominations for awards were made by Sage business partners, certified consultants, and Sage customers themselves. The winners will be chosen by an independent panel of judges, including: Denis Pombriant, founder and managing principal of Beagle Research; Paul Clolery, vice president and editorial director of NPT Publishing Group, and editor-in-chief of The NonProfit Times, and; Ramon Ray, editor and technology evangelist of Smallbiztechnology.com and a contributing editor for New York Enterprise Report.

For more information on the Sage Customer Awards Program please visit: http://www.sagenorthamerica.com/customer_resources/customer_awards_program
To learn more about Sage Summit and to register for the conference please visit: http://www.sagesummit.com/

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs more than 4,100 people and supports nearly 2.9 million small and medium-size business customers. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 14,500 people and supports 5.8 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

iRecruit Webinar Schedule November 2009

2009-11-03T12:38:00.001-05:00

Wednesday, November 4, 2009 @ 1:00 pm ET
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 @ 1:00 pm ET
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 @ 1:00 pm ET
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 @ 1:00 pm ET
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 @ 1:00 pm ET

Click here to Sign up today or call Linzi at 1-800-517-9099!

Sage Abra November 2009 Webcasts

2009-11-02T13:45:00.001-05:00

Attend one of our insightful Webcasts this month and walk away with the knowledge and strategies you can use immediately to reduce your administrative burden, drive down costs, and improve communications with your employees. In the How to Overcome the Time and Attendance Hurdle webcast we'll show you the tools that thousands of other companies are already using to make better business decisions, create efficiencies, and stay compliant with ever-changing labor laws.

Be sure to bring all your HR questions to any of our Webcasts for the live Q&A with HR and Sage Abra experts!

Empowering Employees With Online Self-Service Portals
(For Current Sage Abra Customers)
Join us as we learn all about online employee self-service portals. In this interactive Webcast, industry veteran, Mary Anne Osborne, SPHR, will discuss strategies to improve employee communications, simplify the benefits enrollment process, and drive down costs. The Webcast will also feature a live demonstration of Sage Abra Web-based solutions.
November 17, 2009, 2:00PM - 3:00PM Eastern Time
Click here to Register or call CMS at 1-800-517-9099.

How to Overcome the Time and Attendance Hurdle
(For Sage Abra Payroll Customers)
In this one-hour Webcast, we'll look at some ways you can more easily and accurately capture your employees' time and attendance while simplifying your payroll processes.
November 19, 2009, 2:00PM - 3:00PM Eastern Time
Click here to Register or call CMS at 1-800-517-9099.

Sage Abra: Transforming Your HR Department into a Strategic Team
In this Webcast for Sage MAS 500 users, we'll dive into how a human resource management solution (HRMS), like Sage Abra, can transform your business. An HRMS can provide strategic insight, create efficiencies, drive down costs, and protect your organization from compliance risks.
November 30, 2009, 2:00PM - 3:00PM Eastern Time
Click here to Register or call CMS at 1-800-517-9099.

How Businesses Can Save Money on Holiday Hiring

2009-10-28T10:30:00.000-04:00

With just a few weeks to go until Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah, retailers are seeking to fill seasonal positions

Snagajob.com is reporting that on average retailers plan to hire 3.1 seasonal employees in 2009, a drop of 16% from last year. They report that retailers aren't the only ones hiring. Other good bets include warehouse jobs, restaurant jobs and hotel jobs. Tax preparation companies like Jackson Hewitt and H&R Block also offer seasonal jobs.

If you are hiring seasonal employees this holiday season you are not alone. Thousands of companies nationwide have already begun their annual holiday hiring to accommodate the expected increase in seasonal sales.

The holiday hiring season provides a huge opportunity for employers to take advantage of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. WOTC applies to new hires only for employees who fall into one of the following categories:

Designated Community Resident
Ex-Felon
Family Assistant Recipient
Family Assistant Recipient (long term)
SNAP Recipient (food stamps)
SSI Recipient
Summer Youth
Veteran
Veteran (disabled)

New hires do not have to be full-time employees in order for you to qualify for the tax credit. As long as the employee works between 120 - 400 hours for your company you can receive up to 40% of their wages (up to $6,000) in tax credits.

CMS has processed WOTC tax credits for companies for over 13 years and based on our experience up to 15% of the workforce is eligible for the employment tax credits. Why aren’t you taking advantage? Call CMS today at 1-800-517-9099 to find out how we can save you money this holiday season.

Calculate your potential tax savings with our WOTC Tax Credit Savings Calculator

About CMS
CMS - Sage Abra HRMS is a Sage Software Select certified Business Partner, providing Sage Abra HRMS software solutions to the North East. CMS has been providing Sage Abra HRMS (Human Resource Management Systems), Recruiting, Payroll, Benefits Enrollment, Training, Time and Attendance, Employee Self Service, and Work Opportunity Tax Credits solutions since 1997. Call CMS Today For a Free Assessment of Your HR & Payroll Software Needs at 1-800-517-9099.

CMS Sage Abra Lunch and Learn Webinar Series

2009-10-27T11:30:00.002-04:00

CMS is excited to introduce our new Abra Lunch and Learn Webinar Series to our Abra customers.

Attend our free monthly educational webcast series Lunch & Learn. The first session will be held November 4th 2009 with an introduction to Abra Secure Query and continue on the first Wednesday of each month. Additional topics include Creating Custom Screens, Improving Recruiting with iRecruit and Training Management, dates to be announced.

We also welcome your input and suggestions for future topics.

Getting the most from "Abra Secure Query"
Abra Secure Query is an ad-hoc desktop query and reporting tool that enables you to quickly and easily generate or modify reports for specific information. For example, sometimes you just need answers in a hurry to prepare for a meeting or to help make projections. Abra Secure Query makes it easy to get the information you need and is more flexible than Standard Reports and more user-friendly than Crystal Reports. Attend this free webcast and learn how to make the most of this powerful reporting tool. Find out how to select fields, group records, sort records, set filter and output the results of your custom reports.
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 12.15pm - 1.15pm ET (Register)

Abra Payroll Closing Year End
Get ready for 2010 with CMS' Lunch & Learn Webcast: Abra Payroll Closing Year End. Attend this free webcast and learn how to be prepared for year-end closing:
Determining year-end forms, Verifying code tables, Verifying Employer/Employee setups, Recording and depositing tax liabilities, Posting taxable benefits, Year-end adjustments Reporting. Get your questions answered by our Abra experts. Our special guest speaker will be Lorraine Bodden, National Director of Employment Tax at RSM McGladrey, Inc.
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009 at 12.15pm – 1.15pm ET (Register)

To register for any of the above listed webinars please visit the (Register) link provided, or call Linzi at 860-678-4401 if you have any questions or are having trouble registering.

http://www.cmshris.com/lunch_and_learn.html

H1N1 Flu in the Workplace: Labor Law Update

2009-10-27T10:37:00.001-04:00

Posted to JD Supra by lawyers and law firms, these articles touch upon many considerations to do with the flu pandemic: workplace preparation, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and employee privacy, among others.

Click here to continue reading H1N1 Flu in the Workplace: Labor Law Update

iRecruit Demo for Abra Business Partners

2009-09-22T13:51:00.002-04:00

If you are a Sage Abra Business Partner with prospects or customers who are interested in looking at recruiting options to enhance their HRMS please join us for an iRecruit showcase presentation exclusive to the Abra BP community this October.

Attending an iRecruit Showcase is an excellent opportunity to see how iRecruit can benefit your clients, have your questions answered, and discuss how iRecruit can work for your clients or prospects.

Some of the highlights of iRecruit include:

Choice: Integration to Abra HR or Abra Recruiting Solution, or Stand Alone.
Works with Visual FoxPro or SQL versions of Abra.
More flexible than eRecruiter.
Enhanced Dashboard Views.
Custom Application forms by Job Posting (i.e. Requisition).
Reports section comparable to Abra Recruiting Solution.
Search for applicants online. Change the applicant status online. Make notes about your applicants.
Weighted keyword search allows managers to query & find applicants fast and easy.
Forward applicants to hiring managers.
Set up accounts for different iRecruit users. 4 User Roles available: Administrator, Recruiter, Hiring Manager or Custom.

Dates Available:

Tuesday, October 6, 2009 @ 2pm ET
Thursday, October 8, 2009 @ 2pm ET
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 @ 2pm ET
Thursday, October 22, 2009 @ 2pm ET

To Register for any of the above listed dates please click here or call CMS at 1-800-517-9099.

To Request a demo for a customer now please click here or call CMS at 1-800-517-9099.

Sage Abra - Introducing Sage Abra SQL HRMS Version 10

2009-09-21T11:37:00.003-04:00

The completely new user interface
Simplified navigation
Enhanced employee find
Sage Abra's new dynamic info sharing capability
Product Feedback feature
And more

There are two chances in October to attend this webcast:

October 8, 2009, 2pm ET (Register)
October 28, 2009, 2pm ET (Register)

To register for the Sage Abra SQL HRMS Version 10 webcast click here or call CMS at 1-800-517-9099. If you have any questions please let me know.

Sage Abra - Introducing Sage Abra SQL HRMS Version 10

2009-09-21T11:37:00.000-04:00

CMS would like to invite you to please join us for this one-hour event as we preview Sage Abra SQL HRMS version 10. This significant product release was created to enhance your user experience and provide you with the superior functionality that you have come to expect from Sage Abra.

October 8, 2009
October 28, 2009
In this Webcast, we will show you all the enhancements and new functionality that you will find in Sage Abra SQL HRMS version 10. Specifically, we'll show you:

- The completely new user interface
- Simplified navigation
- Enhanced employee find
- Sage Abra's new dynamic info sharing capability
- Product Feedback feature
- And more

To register click here or call CMS at 1-800-517-9099. If you have any questions please let me know.

Sage North America Appoints New Leader for its Employer Solutions Business: Johnny Laurent

2009-09-16T08:55:00.003-04:00

St. Petersburg , FL - Sep 15, 2009 - Sage North America today announced the appointment of Clifton J. ("Johnny") Laurent, Jr. as vice president and general manager for its Sage Employer Solutions business unit. Laurent will report to Himanshu Palsule, executive vice president and general manager for Sage Business Solutions, and will have direct responsibility for R&D, product management, product marketing and customer support, plus full P&L responsibilities, for Sage Employer Solutions. Sage Employer Solutions are part of a broad portfolio of business management software and services, including accounting, enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), human resource (HR) management, and payroll that Sage North America delivers to more than 2.9 million small and mid-sized businesses in the U.S. and Canada. Sage Abra HRMS is the keystone Employer Solutions product.

Laurent has more than 20 years of experience in the software and hardware industry. Since joining Sage in 2005, he has been responsible for customer support, learning services, and professional services, most recently serving as vice president of customer support and services for Employer Solutions. Prior to joining Sage, he owned and operated an independent customer support consultancy and served in various management and consulting roles for such organizations as Service Management International, Software AG and USRobotics.

Laurent holds a bachelor of science in computer science from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La. He will continue to work out of Sage's Petersburg, Fla., office, where the Employer Solutions business is headquartered.

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs more than 4,100 people and supports nearly 2.9 million small and medium-size business customers. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 14,500 people and supports 5.8 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

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Copyright 2009 Sage Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Sage, Sage Software, Sage logos and the Sage product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. or its affiliated entities. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Sage Abra Success Story: Pathstone

2009-09-15T17:56:00.002-04:00

Farmington, CT - September 15, 2009 Cost Management Services has implemented the Sage Abra HRMS solution for Pathstone, a not-for-profit community development and human service organization headquartered in Rochester, New York. CMS implemented Sage Abra HRMS along with a bi-directional integration with Sage MIP payroll that turned out to be critical in PathStone's successful transformation.

Prior to the implementation of Sage Abra HRMS Pathstone had used a home-grown, Microsoft Access database along with Sage MIP Fund Accounting for payroll processing. However, the two applications weren't integrated and HR staff at Pathstone spent up to 10 hours every week having to manually enter duplicate data into each system. In addition payroll updates weren't always picked up in HR and vice versa. Senior VP of HR Lisa Zhu said, "After a while, discrepancies in the two systems made it difficult to prepare accurate budgets and a lot of time was wasted reconciling data."

Today, Sage Abra HRMS has helped PathStone simplify everything from new hire processing to ongoing administration. Lisa states, "We were spending a couple of hours each day on HR and payroll issues - either entering and reconciling data or looking up information. But with Sage Abra, we've streamlined our entire new hire process workflow and slashed data entry time in half." Information entered in Sage MIP Payroll is now moved easily to Sage Abra HR with the click of a button. Plus, the data stays synchronized when changes are made in either system.

"With Sage Abra HRMS, we've streamlined our entire new hire process workflow and slashed data entry time in half. The staff at CMS did a thorough analysis of our processes and reporting needs before implementing an HR system that turned out to be a fantastic solution."
Lisa Zhu,
Senior VP of HR, PathStone

Sage Abra HRMS also provided Pathstone with the reporting capabilities needed for their compliance regulations needed to grants and funding, essential to the not-for-profit organization.

Another important feature of the award-winning HR system was the ability to customize Sage Abra to meet Pathstone's specific needs. According to Lisa, "Some of our staff is required to maintain state certifications, are entitled to tuition reimbursement, or require special training courses. We use Sage Abra custom fields to track certifications, dates of completion, and reimbursement amounts."

Continue reading the success story of Pathstone Sage Abra MIP Fund Accounting.

About Cost Management Services (CMS)

Cost Management Services, a Sage Select Certified Business Partner, is your resource for the full line of Sage Abra HRMS, Payroll, Timekeeping, and Recruiting Management systems. In business since 1997 and serving businesses throughout New England, CMS' knowledge and experience extends over 25 years to provide our customers with the greatest available resource in HR and Payroll management software, with a specialty in automating Non-Profit organizations. Visit our website at http://www.cmshris.com/ or call 1-800-517-9099.

Craigslist.org Fraud Alert

2009-09-11T13:10:00.001-04:00

If you have recently applied for a job via Craigslist.org and received a job offer from Cost Management Services after interviewing via Yahoo! Messenger, please be aware that you may have been the victim of an identity scam.

A company using the website Craigslist.org has been using our company information to post fraudulent job openings. The advertisements will display Work At Home, and are for Payroll, Accounting, Human Resources or Data Entry Clerk type positions.

If you have been sent a check from the people claiming to be Cost Management Services DO NOT attempt to cash this check. Fake cashier checks and money orders are common, and banks will cash them and then hold YOU responsible when the fake is discovered weeks later.

Please be very careful with your personal information while online. Do not divulge social security, birth dates, or bank details online.

CMS is working with authorities to try to stop this company from using our name fraudulently. If you have been contacted by these people please contact us at 1-800-517-9099 and let us know.

For information about scams perpetrated on Craigslist.org please visit: http://chicago.craigslist.org/about/scams

Personal safety tips:
http://chicago.craigslist.org/about/safety

Award-Winning Customers at the Center of Sage Summit Conference

2009-08-06T22:02:00.002-04:00

Thousands of Sage customers will be connecting once again at the annual Sage Summit conference being held in Atlanta, GA Nov. 9-12, 2009.

The conference brings Sage customers together to network with peers and product experts, take advantage of hundreds of breakout sessions and hands-on labs, as well as attend receptions, roundtable discussions and other events. Registration is available at www.sagesummit.com. The annual Sage customer awards will be a highlight of the conference.

Open to Sage North America customers, the conference will feature a broad selection of Sage products and services that help make it easier for businesses to manage their operations. Sage serves 5.8 million customers worldwide with products that manage accounting, CRM, human resources, enterprise resource planning, and the industry-specific needs of construction, distribution, manufacturing, real estate, and nonprofit organizations. This year, for the first time, Sage Summit expands to offer sessions aimed at Sage Healthcare customers.

“At Sage Summit you learn extremely valuable material you really can’t get anywhere else,” said Sage customer Sheryl Jackson from Washington Restaurant Association.

Conference highlights this year include:

More than 500 breakout sessions and hands-on labs loaded with best practices and takeaways that center on both product and industry essentials
Evening receptions that present a great opportunity for networking and establishing working relationships with other businesses
Sage Customer Awards luncheon presentation including the annual Lifetime Achievement award
Opening general sessions hosted by Sage Business Solutions president Jodi Uecker-Rust and Sage Healthcare Division COO Lindy Benton
Trade show floor filled with exhibitors showcasing the latest advances in business automation and providing hands-on experience
Sage Summit Presents: Night at the Aquarium, an exciting dinner reception and evening of networking and fun at the world-famous Georgia Aquarium

Registration & Pricing Information
Sage Summit will take place November 9-12, 2009 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Interested customers can register at www.sagesummit.com, where they can also receive the latest conference updates. Early 'Super Saver' registration and 2008 Summit Alumni discounts are available now through August 7th. 'Early Bird' pricing is also available now continuing through September 18th, at $850 per person. Standard fees to register for the full 4-day conference will be $995. All prices are in USD.

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs more than 4,100 people and supports nearly 2.9 million small and medium-size business customers.
The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 14,500 people and supports 5.8 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the Web site at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

Sage Extends Customer Usability for MAS 500 ERP

2009-08-06T21:54:00.003-04:00

Sage Extends Customer Usability for Sage MAS 500 ERP with Fully Integrated HR/Payroll Capabilities

Sage Continues Leadership in ERP Applications Providing End-to-End Business Management for SMB Market

St. Petersburg , FL - Aug 03, 2009 - Sage North America announced today the integration of the latest versions of Sage MAS 500 ERP (enterprise resource planning) and Sage Abra SQL HRMS (human resource management system). Sage MAS 500 with Sage Abra SQL supports the company’s ERP strategy of providing a full range of integrated, end-to-end business solutions to address the needs of the entire small and mid-sized business (SMB) market. The integration of Sage MAS 500 with Sage Abra extends functionality to the HR back office, while improving efficiency for customers by automating HR and payroll tasks and eliminating duplicate data entry processes. Sage, with 5.8 million customers around the world, is recognized by industry analysts as a global leader in providing business management applications for SMBs.

Integration between Sage Abra SQL HRMS and Sage MAS 500 general ledger (GL) makes it unnecessary for payroll and accounting professionals to manually prepare and enter payroll journal entries, since the preparation and transfer of information between the two products are automated. Users of both Sage Abra SQL and Sage MAS 500 can also benefit from the ability to quickly and easily assemble, review, and prepare employee and payroll data, as well as create reports, for Sage MAS 500.

“Sage MAS 500 users now have access to an integrated SQL-Server based HR, payroll, and ERP system, designed to help them achieve greater accuracy, control, and audit capabilities,” said Jennifer Dungan, director of product management for Sage Abra.

Sage Abra HRMS delivers tightly integrated functionality across HR, payroll, benefits, time-off, and training management, with rich reporting and analysis, and a Web workforce portal with employee self-service, company communications, benefits enrollment, and applicant tracking. Sage Abra HRMS customers can stay on top of state and federal regulations and requirements with the Sage Compliance Center.

Sage MAS 500 is a highly-scalable Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application for mid-market to small-enterprise businesses. Designed from the ground up using Microsoft SQL Server and Visual Studio technology, Sage MAS 500 automates and streamlines business management processes, giving users maximum performance, value, and flexibility within a Microsoft computing environment. Recognized for combining ease-of-use with powerful capabilities, Sage MAS 500 is ideal for manufacturing, distribution and other companies with complex accounting and business processing needs.

Sage MAS 500 customers can purchase a Sage Abra bundle that includes Abra HR, Abra Payroll, Abra Attendance, and the integration.

For more information about Sage Abra SQL HRMS, please visit www.cmshris.com, e-mail bkelly@cmshris.com, or call 800-517-9099. For more information about Sage MAS 500 ERP, please visit www.sagemas.com or call 800-390-3643.

Brian on the new tax credit categories

2009-08-05T11:10:00.001-04:00

Based on our statistic’s from 1998 – 2008 15% of new hires qualified to receive tax credits under our WOTC services, now with the high risk youths expanding to the new targeted SNAP groups and age expanding from up to 25 years of age, to up to 40 years of age, and the new Unemployed Veteran and Disconnected Youths (see below) we are seeing our trend increasing to 25% of new hire qualifying under the WOTC program. This is a big number considering the average value of each qualified employee is $2,400.00.

On February 17, 2009, the President signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The Recovery Act introduced two new target groups: 1) Unemployed Veterans and 2) Disconnected Youth, who begin work for an employer during 2009 or 2010.

Unemployed Veteran - a veteran who has been discharged or released from active duty in the Armed Forces at any time during the 5-year period ending on the hiring date; and received of unemployment compensation under the State or Federal law for at least 4 weeks during the 1-year period ending on the hiring date.

Disconnected Youth - an individual who is age 16 but not yet age 25; not regularly attending any secondary, technical, or post –secondary school; not regularly employed for 6 months; and not readily employable due to lacking basic skills.

CMS WOTC Services - For Sage BP's

2009-08-04T09:17:00.001-04:00

CMS now offers Sage BP’s the opportunity to help their clients save money, the Small Business and Work Opportunity Act of 2007 extends the WOTC Program through August 31, 2011.

The WOTC has two purposes:

· To promote the hiring of individuals who qualify as a member of a target group, and

· To provide a federal tax credit to employers who hire these individuals.

Now, an employer may qualify for a tax credit of up to $9,000 if the employee is a member of a designated target group and meets that group's specific requirements. Contact CMS to learn how to participate.

Brian Kelly
CMS - "Employee Management Solutions"
bkelly@cmshris.com
Ph# 860-678-4401
www.cmshris.com