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It all boils down to VAT Business Posting Group. VAT has been the topic of the week here at On Point, well probably even for longer than that. Never in our lives have we experienced so many queries related to VAT as our clients are facing changes which are being applied seemingly on a daily basis. And never has it emerged so clearly that the knowledge related to the VAT from a Business Central point of view is somewhat obscured, as in people have an idea of what is required but no-one seems to be that sure of what needs to be done or the thinking process behind it. Facing this scenario we have decided to describe in detail the options available and some best practices which we have learned over the years. As most of you are aware, the starting point of a VAT Setup is the VAT Business Posting Group, which practically refers to the place where the vendor or customer is registered. Putting it this way is actually a simplistic approach as in actual terms the VAT Business Posting Group should reflect the country where the service is enjoyed as this may give rise to different rates and different VAT treatments. However, for the benefit of the majority, we'll be sticking to the first explanation. When listing out the different VAT Business Posting Groups we need to take into consideration the following factors: Where is our customer/supplier incorporated Is our customer/supplier actually VAT-Registered Our VAT Business Posting Groups must reflect both factors and in actual fact, we will have a variety of all possible outcomes in the course of our business. This explains why it's crucial that when handling EU transactions one of the permutations to consider is whether the customer/supplier is VAT Registered as this will ultimately give rise to a different VAT treatment. Rather than expecting the end user to get to know the rules by heart, we are to automate the setups to reflect the default options and thus leaving little room for error.

Our mission and vision, as a software company, are what we want our company to become in the future and the core values we believe in, equality and equity on all fronts.  In my previous blog post, we have outlined our intention from the very start to go international, why we have immediately started looking beyond our shores and ventured in Africa, a continent which usually European companies shy away from. It's a decision taken based on numbers, as we believe that the African market is an emerging market and has huge potential but it's also the result of a vision which we have embedded within us, the vision that we are all equal and we are to work together.  Opposite to many other players in our field, we have never looked at Africa as our back-office but instead as another branch which performs the same quality service we pride ourselves on.  Africa is not our ancillary department but another front of the company through which we want to provide an enhanced service in conjunction with our colleagues in Malta and the Czech Republic. It's with this spirit in mind and mindset that we want to clearly state that we are against all forms of racism.  With the current round of news about the killing of George Floyd, we opted to take this opportunity to use our company as a platform to promote equality and have a united front against racism.  As a company, we don't measure our achievements in terms of money but instead, we look at our operations and employees as the company's most important assets, as one team and not minding different skin colour, backgrounds and cultures. We are not special, we just opt to constantly work hard against all forms of racism and instead promote the basic idea that we are all equal no matter what. STAND UP AGAINST RACISM.

As a company, with one of our focuses being Dynamics 365 Business Central (one of the main ERP systems worldwide provided by Microsoft), I feel that we may not be the best ones to narrate a story as we have only been in the market for just three years. Yet, we believe that the principles determine the story to be narrated in the coming years and hopefully decades. Deeply embedded within our fundamentals is our insistence in looking beyond our shores, no matter the financial limitations, the limited time on the market or the current pandemic itself. But why even bother going international this early in our business journey? We focus on the experience. No market is the same even though all markets have similarities. The differences would lie hidden beyond the books and articles which one may delve into when researching the market. It’s the acceptance and appreciation of such differences which will ultimately make or break a business when taking the first steps internationally, How will this affect operations back home? These differences will inherently lead to a number of changes within the company but more importantly will trigger differences to the frame of mind with which we approach queries and problems. The experience gathered in these different countries will force us to challenge the well-known solutions, as no solution is a perfect fit for each country and thus no solution is a perfect solution. However, these differences will ultimately force each mindset to change and solutions to be re-analysed for better.

Gone are the days where a job is best described as sitting on the same desk from 8 am to 5 pm, running a number of assigned tasks as scheduled and talking to our colleagues over a cup of coffee. Or having a boss keeping an eye on employees, making sure they are doing their work during their working hours. That era won’t return in the new normal which is bound to set in once COVID-19 is over. Having an office space is no longer a must, nor having long-term expensive rental agreements. We are now ushering in an era, where employees are demanding flexibility and remote access wherever they are. A phase where working hours are becoming flexible and inevitably, something which we have been preaching about for so long, a decent work-life balance where we have an opportunity to spend more time with our family. How will businesses get to accommodate this without impinging on the performance of their employees and ultimately the profitability of their operations? Are we expecting a sheer drop in the profits even post-COVID? We are anticipating new work practices, initially hard to accept but will ultimately lead to a more equitable future. Employees will enjoy better flexibility and businesses start to improve its returns. The how and why is another topic but what’s important now is to have to correct mindset of having a work platform. Where to start from? Can my employees access their information wherever they are? Can I collaborate and work together with my colleagues on the same document? Can I see the progress of tasks assigned to my colleagues without asking them?

This blog is a continuation of our first blog about Search Methodologies where we explored different research methodologies available within Jira. In this article, we will be exploring ways and means to save search results. The final results from our previous article was a list of records which would have been produced by the system.  These results will be displayed in what is known as the issue navigator, as per shown in the image here below. The user may want to utilise the data provided or else get more information in relation to one of the entries (issue) which would have resulted.  The actions available will be described here below. Filter Panel: one can click on the << button in order to collapse the filter panel so that one could have more space in the details view Issue: the user can select an issue from this panel to see all the details in the details view window. Filters: All the saved filters could be found in this section. one could select and utilised to see all the matching issues. Views: This button is used to switch the view between the detail view and the list view. Detail View: one would use the detail view to check all the necessary detailed in the issue in the search results. Show/HIde columns: Click Columns, choose the desired columns, then click Done. Move a column: Click the column name and drag it to the desired position. Changing your view of the search results List view or Detail view: To switch between the list and the details view one would need to click the and choose the appropriate view accordingly. List View: This option shows the search results as a list of issues. This view makes it easier for the user to scan and would be the best option when little details are required. Detail View: On the other hand this option returns a list of issues, with the right panel showing all the details of the selected issue. when more detailed information is needed to form the search results this would be the best option to choose. Change the sort order: To change the ordering criteria of the issues one would need to click onto the column name, by which the list is to be ordered.  if the same column name is multiple times at one go the sort order would switch between ascending and descending.Note: The user cannot sort any on the columns that has their name starting with '∑' Columns — show/hide and move One can create different column configurations which may be assigned for different filtering criteria. In Order to switch between different column configurations, one would need to click Columns and select one of the following tabs. My Defaults: This is the user's default column configuration for the search result FIlter: When this is enabled if the users are viewing the search results for a filter, it will override the user's default column configuration. System: This option only shows up if the user is a JIRA administrator. This column configuration applies to all users. Note that this will be overridden by a user;s default column configuration and filter-specific configurations.The user can also modify any of these configurations. one need to make sure he/she has switched to the desired configuration, then follow the below steps:

General Overview Searching through the Jira maze is a key feature which every user, whether they like it or not, would be expecting to use within Jira. To make this possible Atlassian have powered up JIRA with 3 different search facilities. One can search for anything, forcing Jira to look for the required data across all projects, sections, customers, date created, dates modified in the system. Furthermore, JIRA unlocks the potential of searching using custom fields as a parameter, thus giving the user even more power when searching for information or data. JIRA provides the additional feature of saving a search as set by the user, allowing them and their colleagues to recall the same search and execute it ample times as required. Using saved searches could make users' life easier and more efficient. When using JIRA's search tool, one would follow these steps: Decide on the methodology Define your search criteria Modify search results Save your search Working with search result data In this topic we'll be covering the first step, i.e. Deciding onto the methodology Deciding on the methodology When users need to search for something within JIRA, the first thing to do is to define your search methodology. Jira offers one of the following three methods, each of which will be the best fit in different circumstances and in line to the complexity of the search: Quick Search Basic Search Advanced Search Quick Search One could find this search at the top right of your JIRA interface. This search is the fastest search criteria but on the other hand, is the less precise than the other methods when it comes to complex queries such as defining a particular project or a specific status or a task. Basic Search Normally when users need to conduct a basic search one could go to the "Issues" tab at the top of the page and select "Search for issues" in the drop-down menu. This search criteria are way more precise than the Quick search but on the other hand, is it far less complex than the Advanced Search. It provides an interface where one could define the search that needs to be done by just clicking the parameters the user needs to search with. Advanced Search The last search criteria are the most powerful of all criteria, this search gave the ability to specify the query as specific as needed not like the other search criteria. However to be able to conduct this kind of queries one would need to learn and get to know the Jira Query Language (JQL). To use this search criteria, one would need to to go "Issues" Drop-down menu and select "Search issues" then click the "Advanced" button found next to the basic search button.

During the past weeks, Malta has registered the first cases of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) which WHO has now declared the virus as a pandemic. We are constantly monitoring the situation with authorities to make sure we take all possible preventive measures. In view of the current situation, On Point is making sure to put the safety and health of its employees and clients first . We also want to maintain the quality of our service to you as clients as it's our priority to provide unparalleled service. Should the situation worsen, we may require our employees to work from home. Our measures to prevent COVID-19 Prevention is better than cure! Employees at On Point are encouraged to follow the below guidelines in order to minimize the spread of such virus. Keeping good hygiene with alcohol rubs Limiting on-site meetings to urgent ones only. Using video-calls more regularly Not frequenting crowded places Reporting any viral symptoms immediately Using our Customer Service Portal We encourage our clients to use our customer service portal to report any technical issues. Our portal has two sections, one for Microsoft Dynamics Support and another for Atlassian Support. One can easily access our customer support portal, either from our website or by clicking the link below. GO TO SUPPORT Needless to say, we require your collaboration during such circumstances, to maintain preventive measures likewise, keeping our health and safety a priority. We will continue to monitor the situation with close proximity and will communicate accordingly should things change. Should you require any assistance, please contact us either via email or phone found below.

Trying to find out which solution is best, is entirely dependent on the requirements of users. Confluence and Google Docs, whilst similar in nature, differ greatly when certain requirements come to light. For simple sharing and compiling of documents, Google Docs is a more intuitive easy to use solution which gives users the benefits of cloud sharing as well as the familiarity of existing office 365 products. Confluence is typically considered when advanced sharing and complex documents with multiple users working on the same project. Therefore, we will look at a number of metrics that are useful when comparing the two software solutions and finding which is most suitable. Structure Visibility and Discoverability Creating and Formatting Documents Collaborating on Documents Hosting, Supported Devices Pricing   Structure Confluence Confluence is divided into different spaces, with each space having various pages. In turn, a page will have any documents that are related to a particular topic. Naturally this can be arranged according to the requirements of the different teams. Structure is typically referred to as hierarchy whereby main pages (parent) will include multiple sub-pages (child page). There are no limits to the structure and hierarchy levels that a user or team can have in place. Pages can easily be relocated by simply dragging. Lastly, whilst documents may be organised well, the search function will always be essential. Confluence’s search function is extremely robust, varying from simple searches to advanced search as well as saving common searches for ease of access. Google Docs  The structure of Google Docs is similar to what most users may be used to with their own File explorer in that files are stored within folders and sub-folders. You can sort your documents, but there’s no way to reorder them manually or to create a hierarchy of files. The searching function within Google Drive is also robust and can search within files to narrow search results. Visibility and Discoverability Confluence Confluence gives users various options in terms of visibility and so-called ‘Chinese walls’ between different departments. Therefore, administrators can control who sees what, editing and deletion rights. These controls can be set on spaces, pages, as well as sub-pages, both for users as well as groups of users.   Once added, a page becomes available for others who can suggest changes, give feedback as well as edit. A page can be left as draft or published to other users, giving document owners the flexibility and capability to control visibility of document, even whilst working on the same document. Functions such as following a user, receiving email updates notifications with recommended updates as well as visiting the dashboard with important information, Confluence makes it very easy for users to monitor other users. Google Docs  Sharing folders or files within Google Drive is straightforward and easy. Documents can also be set up to be shared by default. Shared folders can also be set up where any documents that are uploaded can be viewed by anyone within the team. Creating and Formatting Documents Confluence When adding a new page in Confluence, you can design it from scratch or  choose a suitable template  to pre-format a page (e.g. meeting notes, products requirements, how-to article, task report). It’s also possible to create custom templates that suit your needs. The templates are extremely customisable and can include anything from plain text and images to Kanban boards and Gantt Charts to track progress. This is a major advantage for anyone who is looking to create more than simple documents. Furthermore, additional macros also provide extra functionality. Table of contents with linked pages, embedded videos and other widgets such as twitter feeds are also available. If Microsoft Office is still a big part of the organisation and you would like to retain the documents in the same format, one can embed Office documents on a Confluence page and even edit them from Confluence. Lastly, having a version history provides users the peace of mind of keeping track of any changes, as well as easily identifiable users who have passed the changes. Google Docs  Google Docs also have a number of templates, these are generally similar to templates that are available within Microsoft Office. A slight drawback is formatting between google docs and Microsoft Office, whereby if a document is compiled and completed in Google Docs, and then opened in Microsoft Office, might result in formatting issues. Documents can also have images inserted via URLs . Similar to Confluence, Google Docs also preserves the history of changes made in a document. Collaborating on Documents Confluence Collaborating on Documents is where confluence differs most from Google Docs. Confluence was designed with collaboration in mind, rather than having adapted over the years to do so. Having page comments as well as inline comments are an easy way to provide feedback. Page comments are also available at the bottom of the page, there are typically meant to remain on the page for future or might be too lengthy to insert inline. Inline comments let you share your thoughts, ask questions and have discussions in context. As well you can mention a user to bring that person in the conversation. Atlassian has also introduced a feature that continues to facilitate teamwork and collaboration, allowing several people to work on the same page at the same time, viewing who else is editing the page and viewing their changes as they are made. Google Docs  Google Docs also has inline comments similar to that of Confluence which are useful when reviewing and collaborating. Google Docs also offers collaborative editing in real-time. In addition, it’s possible to  chat with other people in a file  to discuss and decide together without leaving a document. Who Hosts the Data? What Devices Are Supported? Confluence Another advantage of Confluence is the ability to host on a local server. As we are comparing to Google Docs, we will not be discussing the local hosting options. Confluence also have iOS and Andriod applications for smartphones are also available for users which provide users the ability to work on documents on the go. Google Docs  Google Docs is a Web-based service that only has cloud hosting abilities. What’s the price? Confluence Atlassian’s software suite is used by over 85% of Fortune 500 companies. Naturally, having such a powerful tool at your disposal would be ideal, however many startups tend to shy away due to the perceived high costs. Atlassian is currently offering Jira, Confluence and Jira Service desk for free (when opting for cloud hosting) for up to 10 users. The company believes that providing startups with these tools will not only help increase productivity but is also useful in terms of continuity and scalability. Google Docs  Packages for G Suite range from $6 to 25$ per user, per month. The most common and best value package of $12 per user, per month, having 10 employees works out to be $120 per month. Conclusion Historically, smaller teams and startups have always opted for G Suite due to it being a more cost-effective alternative to Confluence. With Confluence offering its cloud services for free (for up to 10 users), startups now have access to one of the most sought after software solutions in the market. Naturally, one does not exclude the other and there are teams who still chose to use both Confluence as well as G Suite for certain tasks. Each software solution offers a unique experience with powerful capabilities.

In the past, enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions were the preserve of large organisations.  This has unfortunately resulted in many businesses resorting to a variety of different software for different needs. Finance, Sales, Retail and Marketing all had separate software solutions which would often lead to duplication of work as well as inconsistencies in company records. Dynamics 365 is an ERP system that integrates all these functions into one. Not only is this often more cost-efficient (compared to running separate software for accounts, marketing, sales etc.) but the ability to access information from one location can significantly reduce time spent exporting and correlating data from separate platforms. Another reason many small businesses have typically not opted for having an ERP software is the added costs of having additional hardware /off-site server costs. Naturally hardware sizing depends entirely on the requirements of the company. The second option, and the most popular choice in numerous countries is deploying in the cloud. Cloud based instances of Dynamics 365 Business Central are hosted on Azure or other cloud providers, which allows programs and services to be built, tested, deployed and managed from data centres located around the globe. The immediate benefits of cloud deployment is the savings on additional in-house servers and hardware, as well as the reduction of risk in terms of data loss or corruption. When considering an ERP system such as Dynamics 365 Business Central, it is important to consider a number of items, we've listed a few below. Working out upfront, as well as recurring costs. The number of users using the system will affect the recurring costs and needs to be considered early on.  Understanding what you are receiving is very important, do not hesitate to ask what kind of support will be available and the costs (if any associated with this). Understand the software, is it an off the shelf software or a highly customisable software? Are there similar businesses to yours who use this software? Ask about data migration from your existing software. Certain software has packages that can easily take in data from a variety of sources. Consider the growth rate of your company. Are you considering an ERP due to your business outgrowing your previous software/ERP? If so, ensure that the solution you consider is capable of scaling to adjust to your business. User adoption can often prove to be a significant barrier so it’s essential to know that everyone will have access to thorough training and phone help when its needed. Studying a vendor’s website to gain insight into the types of companies they work with and the type of projects they've delivered. You can also check for testimonials and case studies, which will give you a good idea of how they work and what their specialist areas are. Considering a new ERP solution involves a significant financial and time commitment. Dynamics 365 Business Central, works with a vast variety of business and industries, customers range from large multinational companies to small local companies. Contact us with any queries you may have or to book a demo. https://www.onpointserv.com/contact-us

RIGHT NOW is your chance to jump at our granddaddy of a good deal! Purchase your Jet solution on or before December 27th, 2019 and get grandfathered into the current packaging that gives you the best value for deploying your reporting and analytics solution company-wide – before unlimited licensing disappears. By hopping on the Jet train before the new year, you’ll get: No limitations on who can refresh/use the data to drive results. Boosted results of turnkey, corporate analytics built for Microsoft Dynamics by giving everyone in the organization the data they need to drive effective decisions. Expanded access to the answers on critical questions by allowing anyone to run/update, change filters, drilldown, and interact with data on reports. Self-serve reporting company-wide with unlimited users who control when and how they see updated data from Microsoft Dynamics. The best value by taking advantage of the least costly time to deploy Jet products across the entire enterprise. GET YOUR LIMITED TIME QUOTE TODAY! 👉🏻 https://www.onpointserv.com/contact-us

Do you, as a businessman/woman spend great amounts of money on business trips, only to find yourself overwhelmed on how to claim back the Value Added Tax (VAT) component? Are you aware that such a component might actually be refundable? It is time to stop losing money and/or wasting time on VAT claims. Here is how to do it. In a globalised world whereby national borders are becoming increasingly blurred, transboundary transactions are growing exponentially. Technological advances, greater connectivity and communication channels as well as cheaper modes of transport have enabled business operations to move into a more international setting. This is requiring business people and entrepreneurs to travel more frequently – both to maintain existing business relationships as well as to scope new areas of growth and business development. This brings with it new challenges as corporates are now required to navigate through various jurisdictions, each with its own legal and financial structures. One such challenge is that of claiming back VAT refunds. Indeed, it is believed that €10bln per annum are lost in terms of unclaimed VAT. Firstly, businesses are often unaware that they might be eligible to such VAT refunds on accommodation, travelling, conferences etc. even if these occur outside their domicile country. In those cases when enterprises hold such awareness, they might find it challenging to understand the VAT regimes of each different EU jurisdiction. This might be a daunting task because an identical transaction could be considered as VAT refundable in one country but not in another. Hence the process often becomes too lengthy. Moreover, national tax portals tend to be complex to navigate and not user-friendly. Often enterprises would be required to log in each transaction on the platform, even if the same supplier is used. This means that no data is saved from one transaction to another, leading to a monotonous, repetitive process as well as plenty of wasted time. One way to save on this time and energy would be to engage a VAT specialist who would do such work for the company. Nevertheless, locally, very few specialists are willing to offer such a cumbersome service. Moreover, usually, the fees charged would outweigh the funds claimed back making it not worthwhile. VAT4U has been developed precisely to overcome the above challenges. This is the first-ever EU automated VAT refund platform, developed by VAT experts, which enables VAT refund claims to be made in a cheap and efficient manner. This user-friendly online platform considers more than 2000 VAT rules in all the 28 Member States of the EU and simplifies such regulations into a simple rules map for each country indicating which expenses are VAT refundable and which are not. Moreover, this online platform speeds up the refund claim process by allowing certain data entered to be saved and shared on the platform. This means that if one supplier has already been included in the database by another user, one would simply need to select it and then only input the invoice number, date and amount. Additionally, the platform also offers a dashboard feature, whereby one can keep track of the expenses and transactions inputted as well as the status of the past claims made. The system is cloud-based and has all the necessary safeguards to protect the users’ data, be EU compliant and in line with all GDPR rules. It is worth noting that VAT4U does not bypass the national jurisdiction platforms. It, however, reduces the work needed to be done manually. It employs an Artificial Intelligence bot which inputs all the data from its own platform into the national online tax systems. This reduces the repetitive tasks and allows businesses to save time, energy and money. VAT4U offers different packages and respective levels of assistance, depending on the needs of the client. By paying 5% of the refunds to VAT4U a company can get access to the platform, a travelling app as well as access to an e-filling claim. By paying 10%, one gets all of the above plus the benefit of a ‘satisfied or reimbursed’ option, so as to cover the eventuality that the claim is not accepted. Finally, the most comprehensive package is that of getting 80% refund, with no advance payment made and getting all the paper and input work done by the VAT4U staff. https://www.vat4u.com/en/vat-rules-map/ Apart from being an optimal tool for companies with travelling commitments, the platform could also be used by accountants who might want to partner with VAT4U and get part of the commission whilst serving their own customers. Hence whether you are a frequent business traveller or an accountant interested to partner up with us - is time to stop losing money on unclaimed VAT.

A start-up is a company designed to grow fast. Very often, this growth is attained at the expense of organised project management. Whilst this does help achieve initial results, this technical debt will inevitably lead to a slowdown as the company continues to grow. Software that was once ideal for a small team of 5-10 people is no longer sufficient for 20, and resources have to be spent on implementing a new software solution to cater for the needs of the growing business. The costs associated with high end software solutions at the start of a business can at times be hard to justify. Atlassian’s aim is to accompany businesses “from incubator to IPO”. Atlassian’s products are used by 85% of all Fortune 500 companies ( https://www.atlassian.com/customers ) In order to achieve their goal of accompanying businesses from the very start, Atlassian have offered three of their most popular software solutions for free … If your company is a start-up with up to 10 users, the cloud version of Jira Software, Jira Service Desk and Confluence, are free. Having the ability to obtain a world-class software suite in the initial stages of a company’s life could not only help accelerate its growth, but also ensure that when the time is right to grow the business, the software can grow just as fast. A BRIEF OVERVIEW Jira is a family of products built to help all types of teams manage their work. Jira offers several products and deployment options that are purpose-built for Software, IT, Business, Ops teams, and more. Products and apps built on top of the Jira platform help teams plan, assign, track, report and manage work . Jira Software, Jira Service Desk and Confluence - Each product comes with built-in templates for different use cases and integrates seamlessly, so teams across organizations can work better together. PLAN & TRACK Generate user stories and issues, plan sprints, and distribute tasks. Prioritize and discuss your team’s work in full context with comprehensive visibility. Jira Software Scrum boards Teams can stay focused on delivering value, as fast as possible, with customizable sc rum boards. Kanban boards Flexible kanban boards give full visibility into what’s next so you can continuously deliver maximum output in a timely manner. Roadmaps Sketch out the big picture, communicate plans with stakeholders, and ensure your roadmap connects to your team's work - all in a few clicks in Jira Software Cloud. Jira Service Desk Deliver exceptional service Provide service and support without the cost and complexity of traditional ITSM solutions. Spin up new services with Jira Service Desk’s intuitive, codeless setup and configuration. Shape your processes to match the way you work Start with ITIL best practices out-of-the-box and easily adapt your service management processes to match the way your organisation works. Tailor service delivery to your organization’s specific needs. Confluence More than just text Create anything from meeting notes and product requirements to marketing plans and HR policies. Start with a blank page or a customizable template and add some personality with images, videos, and gifs to make your work come to life. Keep work organized Comprehensive document management system to organise work by grouping related pages together in a dedicated space. Setting permissions also enables users to see pages that are relevant to them with powerful search and structured page trees make sure content is always easy to find and within reach. Feedback in context Speed up the review process and move work forward. Jointly edit pages, give and get feedback via inline and page comments, @mention a team member you need help from, and get more visibility into the decisions your team makes. Contact us for more information!