Skyward Business Suite Updates - Winter 2017

#Product Updates

George Okreglicki

by George Okreglicki

George Okreglicki Product Line Manager

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The "What's New" series is meant to serve as a brief overview of some of the key features we’ve released.

This article features both of our product lines:

Jump to: the current product (SMS 2.0)

Jump to: Qmlativ

If you'd like a more in-depth look at all of the School Business Suite enhancements, including configuration guidelines and step-by-step instructions, please reference the guide on SkyDoc. You can learn more about Qmlativ by visiting our webpage.

SMS 2.0

Budgetary Data Mining Reporting Favorites

Chances are, there are a few reports you run on a regular basis – now you can mark them as “Favorites” to make them easier to access. In Budgetary Data Mining, look for the new “Favorite” column, similar to Employee and Student data mining. Star the reports you run on a weekly or monthly basis. You can also select “My Favorites” from the Filters dropdown to display only your most frequently used reports.

In addition, within User Preferences you can enable “Display Data Mining Favorites in General Favorites Menu” to see your starred reports right in the Favorites widget on the homepage.

BMO Harris Credit Card Security

BMO Harris users have access to a new credit card system called Spend Dynamics, which is similar to details Online. The new layout uses a BMO Card Identifier in place of your credit card number for added security during the import process.

In Accounts Payable, go to Credit Cards, Setup, and select Utilities. Click on “Import BMO-Harris Bank Details Online Credit Card Transactions,” then choose BMO-Harris Bank Spend Dynamics. This is a quick and easy way to populate the BMO Card Identifier on multiple credit cards.

BMO

Budget Transfer Import Available on Web

Even the most carefully created budgets require changes throughout the year. We’re happy to share that budget transfer import is now available on the web, making it easier to accomplish these changes at any time.

We’ve added a new option under the Budget Management Transfers menu to allow importing of Budget Transfers data using an Excel or CSV file format. This is similar to PaC’s Import Budget Transfers utility.

Customized Tab Order

Fill out cash receipts faster by defining a custom tab order. This new feature helps you enter information more efficiently, cutting down on keystrokes and letting you focus just on the fields you need. If you like this feature, try it out for Accounts Payable Invoices, too.

Qmlativ

Timesheet Approvals

Timesheet approvals won’t be a dreaded task when you can mass approve them like this. Qmlativ features automatic calculation for several types of overtime, reducing the risk of error and fraud. Plus, approved timesheets flow right into payroll.

Invoice Groups and Approvals

Invoice Groups and Approvals are a great way to ensure you have checks and balances in your payment processes. Prevent invoices from being paid without the appropriate signoff, and assign access to specific bank accounts based on the groups you’ve defined.

Credit Cards

Good news for avid users of our credit card or purchasing card features – Qmlativ has everything you’ve come to love and more! Paper has no place in your Accounts Payable workflow – once you load your bank file, you’ll be able to maintain accurate funds throughout the month, rather than gathering all your paper receipts and evening up at month’s end.

Stipends

Stipends are notoriously tricky. Whether you calculate a stipend by the percentage of the contract, a lump sum, or another method, reducing the chance for error is crucial. Several stipend calculation methods come built in, and you can add new calculation methods as needed.

Online Forms

Online forms in Qmlativ will help you create an online workflow that’s easy to follow. Take a step toward a paperless workplace and allow parents, staff members, onboarding employees, and others to access necessary documents in one spot and in the right order. Administrators can also identify who has completed which items from one central location.

Online Forms

We hope you'll enjoy these new features and that they’ll make your life a little bit easier. You can learn what’s new on the student side by reading this article. Please take the time to share any of these notes with colleagues in your district who might benefit from them.

Stay tuned – additional updates for both Qmlativ and the School Business Suite will be revealed throughout the year in the Educator Newsletter. You can subscribe at the bottom of any article or by visiting our blog subscription page.

Your feedback shapes the future of our technology! Please share your questions and feedback in the comments below or contact us directly.

George Okreglicki Product Line Manager