Software Africa Newsletter - June 2017

Editorial

Now that the cold is here, we are enjoying our wood burning stove and staying snug. There are more developments at Autodesk with a whole load of new products in their pricelist. It's going to be awhile before we get our heads around the massive innovation that is taking place.

Autodesk Special

Between May 7th, 2017 and July 20th 2017 (dates inclusive), customers who purchase a bundle of:

Condition: The discounted product bundles must be purchased at the same time during the promotional period. The Promo SKUs will be available in the Africa price list as of Promo start date.

An Alternative -  ZWCAD!

With the pricing of Autodesk products based on the Dollar, AutoCAD is becoming expensive for many companies.  As an Authorised Reseller, we offer a cheaper alternative, similar in function: ZWCAD. Watch an introductory video here (3 minutes).

ZWCAD prices in Rand have been constant since we signed up as a reseller.  We get new AutoCAD price lists constantly.

You can download a 30-day Free Trial of ZWCAD 2017 here. The download is the PRO version, but when activated with a STD key it will switch off PRO features. Go to this link for product features and to this link for a product comparison.

Would you like to buy?  Email Rick.

Online Business Tip #8 - Google Display Language

In Google Chrome, on Google search, you can customize your Settings > Search Settings > Language to display text in one of a number of languages.  Apart from international languages and useful local ones like Northern and Southern Sotho, Tswana, isiZulu and Xhosa, you can also choose Hacker, Klingon and Pirate.

The search results themselves don't change but, in "Pirate" (for example), the search buttons read "Google Searrrch" and "I Be Feelin' Lucky".  "Pictures" and "Favourites" become "Engravin's" and "Me Likes an' Dislikes", and so on. Useful for International Talk Like A Pirate Day on 19 September!

QuickBooks 2017 Update

QuickBooks Accounting Software is now being offered as an Annual Subscription. With the Annual Subscription, you will receive much more as it is a subscription that comes with perks - QuickPerks.

Receive QuickBooks 2017 and free upgrades to the latest version of QuickBooks available when you renew your subscription annually

  • Free email and telephone support.
  • EasyBIZCONNECT, which is an application that comes in two hardworking parts:
    1. An Open Database Connection Driver (ODBC) that allows users to access data from QuickBooks and view it in other applications
    2. Mobile applications that allow business owners, reps and even clients to access information within QuickBooks from a mobile device

    The QuickPerks Annual Subscription offers you and your business many benefits, including making your QuickBooks Desktop package mobile. Isn’t it time to convert your business to easier financial management?

    Contact Judith for more information!

    Quick Payroll

    We look forward to having you as a Quick Payroll Key Player user and we will do our utmost to make the transition from the old Quick Payroll, as painless as possible. Please contact renewals@quickbooks.co.za for assistance with this.

    Please contact Judith for the new KeyPlayer software and assistance in getting your data file to QuickBooks for conversion.

    Green Tip

    Our water is our most abused resource. Take to showering rather than bathing as it uses less water. Use waterless car washes or, if you wash your own car, use a bucket.

    The World is changing rapidly

    All Autodesk products have similar links to training and resources. Here's the one for AutoCAD LT https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-lt .

    Excel Tip #155 – What's New in Excel 2016 for Windows? New Hierarchy Chart, Sunburst

    We are looking at what is new in Excel 2016 for Windows Desktop, compared with Excel 2010.  As we saw in Excel Tip #151 in February, in the Charts group, there are three new buttons: Hierarchy, Waterfall or Stock, and Statistical. Click Hierarchy Chart to use the new Treemap or Sunburst chart.

    In this episode, we will look at Hierarchy Chart and use the new Sunburst type. As with Treemap (Excel Tip #154 in May), the data must be organised in columns of categories, with the final column numeric. Unlike Treemap, Sunburst has the benefit that you can have more than two levels, and the drawback that you need a lot more space. For example, here we analyse the number of shops in two shopping centres by shop type and floor in the centre (only some sample data shown):

    Centre Floor Type of Shop Count
    Morning Glen Mall Lower Level Pet Store 1
      Pharmacy 1
      Post Office 2
      Restaurant 1
      Uncategorised Store 6
    Upper Level Beauty Salon 1
      Bank 1
      Cafe or Coffee Shop 1
      Day Spa 1
      Food Establishment 2
      Hair Salon 2

    To produce the chart, click somewhere in the data. Click the Insert tab on the ribbon. In the Charts group, click the dropdown arrow next to the Hierarchy Chart icon and choose Sunburst, as shown below:

    The chart itself (bottom) shows coloured sectors sized proportionately to the number plotted. On the right in red-brown appear the Morningside Shopping Centre shops, and on the left in blue appear those from Morning Glen Mall. If one enlarges the chart, more text becomes visible.

    Next month we will look at something that will be useful to you in all versions of Excel..

    Computius Say:

    A computer program is never finished until the programmer dies.

    Remember:  We can make your business run better by:

    All the Best from the team!
     Judith and Rick

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