Improve your Credit Rating and Save on your Interest Costs

Your personal credit rating directly affects the amount of interest charged on loans. By utilising your Cashmanager RURAL software you could save thousands of dollars in interest a year.

Banks assess your risk and apply a rating based on:

• Your equity
• The profitability of your business as shown in your annual accounts
• A personal factor

It costs banks more to lend to a person with a high risk rating because of government rules on the amount of funds a bank must hold in reserve. A good credit rating could save 2% over a poor rating. While your equity and your last set of accounts are hard to change, the personal factor is able to be improved. A key factor is your ability to provide a cashflow forecast you understand and 'own'.

Reports that demonstrate you have a good plan

1. EFS report, ideally including adjustments for the change in value of livestock. This report includes key performance indicators your bank will recognise – To be useful it must be supported by a balanced stock reconciliation.
2. Stock Reconciliation report - To demonstrate that you are not selling off capital stock.
3. Worksheet reports for selected codes like livestock sales, fertilizer, milk production. These worksheets will show the key assumptions that have gone into your forecast. For animal sales, show price per head, or price per Kg and expected weights. Use comments.
4. Cashflow report – A single page month by month summary of your plan, showing the expected peak working capital requirement after interest and after GST.
5. Variance report comparing the forecast with last year.

To learn more about how to use the budgeting features of Cashmanager RURAL refer to the Training CD or view online videos at www.crssoftware.co.nz/cmr/product/video

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CRS Software recognised for its Online innovation

Cashmanager RURAL ONLINE was recognised for its outstanding innovation within the telecommunications arena at the New Zealand TUANZ Awards. Cashmanager RURAL was one of the three finalists in the TUANZ Rural category which was won by LIC's Minda PDA application.

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Is Cashmanager RURAL ONLINE right for you?

There is a good case for upgrading to Cashmanager RURAL ONLINE if any of the following circumstances apply:

• You are in a family situation where parents are handing over the reins – but would like to be kept up to date on the financial position.
• You are a hesitant user and would welcome the comfort of asking an expert (e.g. your accountant) to review your work.
• It would be better for one person to do the cashbook and another to do budgets and cashflow forecasts, perhaps from different locations.
• If you ever transfer your data to another computer and sometimes want to bring it back again. This might apply to your farm consultant, accountant, financier or any stakeholder.

Who can access your Cashmanager RURAL ONLINE data is entirely under your control and uses security and encryption systems similar to what banks use. Apart from a small delay at start-up and closedown, it works just as fast as the desktop version. You will need broadband internet and Windows XP or newer.

For more information or to order please phone our Sales team on 0800 888 707 or visit our website http://www.crssoftware.co.nz/online/cashmanagerrural

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Need help with your business management?

Asking a mentor to help you improve your business management could make a big difference.

We have a list of farmers and professionals who are prepared to offer their time and expertise to mentor farmers in need. If you think that a mentor might be able to help, please email your details to michelle@crssoftware.co.nz and we will provide the name of a potential mentor for you to contact.

Also, if you know of a farmer who perhaps needs a hand, please feel free to pass this offer on to them.

Please note that this is purely an introduction service. The nature of the advice sought and the level of support provided to you by the mentor needs to be established by discussion between you and the mentor.

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Cashflow management and software seminars

During October and November, CRS software will be joining Federated Farmers and Westpac Bank to present FREE two hour Managing your Cashflow seminars.

These seminars are open to everyone.

For more information go to www.fedfarm.org.nz

To register FREE - please call: 0800 327 646

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Introducing Cashmanager Version 4.0

Features of this release include installation of a new Microsoft SQL database, faster operation, new reports, a change in the licensing system and many minor enhancements.

Microsoft SQL database – Converting Cashmanager to work with a Microsoft SQL database ensures reports are faster to generate, new reporting methods are possible and most significantly, ensures compatibility with future releases of Windows operating systems – something we could not guarantee with the old database. This upgrade provides a sound foundation for ongoing enhancement.

Annual Database Licensing (ADL) – This change primarily applies to new users. It has these benefits:-

1. New users pay for the software with an annual lease, removing the need to 'buy' the initial license.
2. ADL licensed software can be installed on multiple computers for no extra cost.
3. ADL makes it possible for Rural Professionals to install Cashmanager RURAL and edit your data without any cost to them.

Annual Database Licensing and PremierPac – The ADL licensing system will be rolled out to all users as part of the 4.0 PremierPac upgrade, including those who purchased a program license under the old system and pay an annual PremierPac subscription for upgrades and support. The key difference is that instead of the program being licensed, with ADL each database is licensed.

The same terms as provided by the existing PremierPac will apply:

• PremierPac members will continue to pay one annual payment (currently $238+GST).
• PremierPac members can run as many databases as they require for the one fee.
• Annual upgrades will be provided.
• Unlimited helpdesk phone support will continue.

And these new advantages apply:

• Installation on more than one computer is allowed.
• Purchasing a notebook license is no longer required.
• Rural professionals will be able to install and maintain the latest version of the software so they can view your data, at no cost to them.
• Access to your data is provided because you are paying the ADL.

Without the change to ADL the initial purchase price and the annual PremierPac cost would have needed to rise in order for CRS Software to cover the rising cost of maintaining and enhancing Cashmanager RURAL.

Enhancements – As we completed tasks for the database upgrade, we have included many minor enhancements, adding to the user friendly nature of the product.

Work on the long promised Stockflow and Feed Demand upgrade has resumed and will be released in the New Year. Version 4.0 will be sent to PremierPac members during November and December.

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