This fall, step away from your screens, pack up your big ideas, and head to AXUG Summit Phoenix, the most comprehensive and impressive conference of the year. As a proud sponsor, SK Global Software is excited to share this experience with you as we squeeze every last bit of functionality out of the products and get you the ROI you want—and deserve.
Why you should attend AXUG Summit is THE go-to conference that brings industry experts, software development vendors, and everyday users together to discuss important issues, trends, product updates, customer pain points, and genuine solutions.
The value of AXUG Summit is endless! Here are a few more reasons why you should attend:
Geek out over great content:There’s no better way to learn than peer-to-peer with other Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Unified Operations or legacy Dynamics AX users. Share and learn broadly across a variety of content tracks that feature role-based learning, specialty topics, or application-focused solutions across Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Unified Operations, legacy Dynamics AX, and other complementary Microsoft technologies.
Meet & network with your user group buddies:AXUG Summit provides countless opportunities to create lasting relationships by connecting and networking with your Dynamics peers.
Learn from your seriously smart peers: Learn from and connect with Dynamics 365 for Unified Operations and Dynamics AX experts and Business Solution MVPs on a personal basis.
Evaluate and explore solutions:Understand third party solutions and learn what they can do for your industry or organization.
How to engage with us at AXUG Summit We will be very happy to see you in our booth number 1138.
So grab your PC, sunglasses and business cards and join SK Global Software in Phoenix: Register now.
We are excited to reveal some big news!
Functionality for Microsoft Dynamics 365 is NOW AVAILABLE…
The financial services sector is one of the most quickly changing industries today, particularly with the advent of new technology making it possible for both business and consumer clients to take advantage of emerging service delivery styles. From mobile to increasingly advanced and streamlined payment solutions, financial technologies – or FinTech – garners interest both in and out of the financial services industry.
In order to remain on the cutting edge, it’s important for financial services providers to know what’s on the horizon. Today, we’ll take a closer look at the FinTech trends shaking up this industry, and detail which ones will become more mainstream in the near future:
FinTech continues to disrupt the industry: Adapt or fall by the wayside
According to a report from Fujitsu, the vast majority of financial sector leaders – 95 percent – share the belief that technology represents the linchpin for forward movement in the current industry. What’s more, 86 percent feel positive about FinTech technologies and their ability to drive change within the organization.
“86% of leaders feel positive about FinTech technologies and their ability to drive change.“
Use of emerging financial technologies and strategies has considerably disrupted the historical financial services sector, to the point that the service providers clients have become familiar with in the past may be unrecognizable in the future. As the Fujitsu study found, 50 percent of industry leaders agree that within the next decade, banks as we currently know them won’t exist, and 39 percent believe bank tellers will altogether disappear within the same timeframe.
“FinTech disruptors have been finding a way in,” PwC noted. “Disruptors are fast-moving companies, often start-ups, focused on a particular innovative technology or process in everything from mobile payments to insurance. And, they have been attacking some of the most profitable elements of the financial services value chain. This has been particularly damaging to the incumbents who have historically subsidized important but less profitable service offerings.”
Organizations must update their legacy technologies with emerging FinTech solutions in a way that prepares the business for this “new normal,” tech-centered business model.
Eliminating the middleman: Sharing economy comes to financial services
The “sharing economy” – a concept most recognizable in the rise of ride-sharing and other similar services – has become a mainstay in the service industry. Consumers appreciate the ability to glean savings while still receiving quality services. And, as PwC pointed out, the sharing economy is beginning to touch financial services.
Experts predict this will have deep effects in the way clients leverage financial services, bringing more localized ownership to the sector.
“In this case, the sharing economy refers to decentralized asset ownership and using information technology to find efficient matches between providers and users of capital, rather than automatically turning to a bank as an intermediary,” PwC explained.
Emerging solutions and strategies will shake up the way clients interact with financial service providers.
Investigating blockchain
One of the most interesting developments in FinTech recently has been the continued exploration of uses cases for blockchain technology, which looks to create a digital ledger to support. While initially paired with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency transactions, the potential uses of this technology are nearly limitless, as it can be used to create an unduplicatable record for anything of value.
Experts expect organizations to continue funding and investigating blockchain. While many initiatives and companies backing these services may not survive more than a few years, researchers don’t believe blockchain will disappear anytime soon, and will in fact become a critical part of financial services technology.
Preparing for the future
As service providers inside and outside of the financial sector prepare for new delivery styles and emerging, advanced strategies, it’s important that they have the right solutions in place to put them on the path to future success. This includes key capabilities like automation for processes like Accounts Payable, which supports time and capital savings for internal teams, providing more resources to investigate the use of innovative models and solutions.
We are excited to reveal some big news!
Functionality for Microsoft Dynamics 365 coming soon…
Thanks to the proliferation of advanced technologies and e-commerce platforms, businesses can now more easily connect with consumers around the world. What’s more, the consumer sector is expanding everyday, providing more opportunities for global relationships and rising sales – Woo Commerce reported that by 2025, the global consumer market will expand by 75 percent, and these 4.2 billion individuals will spend a combined $30 trillion annually.
As companies seek to reach buyers outside of their own borders, there are a few essential elements to keep in mind, particularly when processing other currencies:
Preferred payment methods
A smart move for global organizations is to tailor their payment processing practices according to their customers’ and vendor partners’ preferences. Woo Commerce contributor Sue Park underscored the importance of learning the preferred payment methods of the company’s international customers – for instance, nearly half (46 percent) of German transactions are paid for with online bank transfers, and 60 percent of payments in the Netherlands are carried out through direct debit.
Once stakeholders understand the types of payments their global customers and vendors will seek to use, they can ensure that their financial payment processing technology can support their needs.
Processing payments in different currencies requires certain technological support.
Exchange rates and returns
It’s also important, particularly from an e-commerce perspective, that prices are listed for customers in their local currencies. This way, consumers and partners don’t have to conduct their own research to determine prices, and can pay using familiar currency.
However, it’s imperative to keep exchange rates for different currencies in mind, and ensure that prices are updated based on these changing rates. As Park noted, businesses usually have two options here – to either convert the payment according to the exchange rate at the time of withdrawal from the business’s account, or automatically convert the currency when the transaction takes place.
It’s also important to keep the exchange rate in mind during the return process. As MINDBODY noted, this could impact reimbursement.
“Due to the fluctuation in the rate exchange, you and your clients may see different amounts on your bank records,” MINDBODY stated. “For example, the amount you refund will appear in the client’s bank account as a smaller amount than the original charge due to the fluctuation we can see with exchange rates.”
Cross-border transaction fees
Enterprises that do business globally will also have to observe cross-border fees that can impact credit card payments. As BigCommerce noted, both Visa and MasterCard charge fees for processing foreign payments, depending upon where the business is registered, the location of the institution that issued the payment card and other assessments.
“Cross border fees are an expense, both in terms of money and time, but these costs are often overshadowed by revenue opportunities in international markets,” BigCommerce pointed out.
Automation for multi-currency payment processing
One of the best ways to support global transactions is with an advanced Treasury Automation Suite, like that provided by SKsoft. This powerful platform includes Vendor Payment Automation, enabling direct communication with any bank across the globe to support streamlined international electronic payments.
To find out more, connect with the experts at SKsoft today.
Join SK Global Software at Summit EMEA 24-26 April 2018. This conference is hosted by Dynamic Communities at the Convention Centre Dublin located in Dublin, Ireland. SK Global Software is a proud Silver Sponsor of Summit EMEA, the user group conference that brings together Microsoft Dynamics 365, AX and CRM users, industry experts and software development vendors. SK Global Software looks forward to connecting with our customers at this conference.
Why you should attend Summit EMEA
Summit EMEA will gather together to discuss important issues, to learn about product updates, and to find genuine solutions that suit your business needs. This conference is where you’ll join your Microsoft Dynamics 365, AX and CRM user groups to take part in electrifying general sessions, essential peer-to-peer knowledge exchanges, product insight forums, and authentic networking opportunities.
Here are the top three reasons users attend Summit EMEA:
· Exceptional, quality content: Receive technical and functional training for all product versions in a focused environment that you can utilize 365 days a year. Additional training available Monday, 23 April via Pre-Conference Academy.
· Engaging organized networking opportunities: Countless opportunities to create lasting relationships by connecting and networking with user group peers, partners and Microsoft team members.
· Access to experts: Learn from and connect with Dynamics experts on a personal basis including: MVPs, experienced fellow users, Microsoft Engineers, and Microsoft Support Technicians.
How to engage with us at Summit EMEA:
You can find SK Global Software at booth C2.
Register now and join SK Global Software in Dublin, Ireland.
Online payments have changed drastically in recent years. Retailers must now balance consumer preferences for support for a range of different payment options with robust security to safeguard sensitive data.
At the same time, however, a long-winded or confusing payment system can turn customers off, and even push them toward the competition.
Clearly, retailers have their work cut out for them as they seek out a payment portal that’s seamless, protected and PCI compliant.
Expanding digital and mobile payments: Supporting consumer preferences
A 2017 report from Capital Performance Group and American Bankers Association showed significant growth in electronic and mobile payments in recent years. In addition to preferring electronic payment portals, consumers now utilize credit cards more than debit cards, and require quick payment processing on these transactions in particular:
Card payments saw the fastest growth recently, with credit cards supporting 60 percent of all non-cash transactions and non-prepaid debit cards accounting for 40 percent.
ACH transfers saw growth as well, comprising 80 percent of dollar transactions.
Estimates place the overall transaction value from mobile payments at $62.5 billion in 2017, and forecast a value of more than $314 billion by 2020.
While mobile payments are gaining steam, the report found that there is still some hesitation here, especially when it comes to data protection concerns.
Digital and mobile payments are on the rise.
In order to achieve success in this landscape, retailers must securely support card payments as well as mobile payments, and should show the security safeguards in place to quell any hesitation or worry.
Selecting a payment solution that enables consumers to utilize their preferred payment method within a simple and PCI-compliant portal will allow retailers to align payment processing to shoppers’ demands, as well as their own industry needs.
What does streamlined mean? Implementing the right technology
In addition to supporting customer needs for digital and mobile payments, a streamlined payment solution also comes with these critical features:
A simple, branded portal: As KISSmetrics contributor Kostas Papageorgiou pointed out, any redirection from the website to the payment portal represents a major disadvantage for retailers – after working to build up website traffic, it doesn’t make much sense to redirect users at the final step. Instead, a best-in-class payment portal will directly integrate with retailers’ existing website, and support a branded window through which consumers can complete their transactions.
Support for unique payment processing needs: In addition to traditional, individual web transactions, a streamlined payment solution will support other requirements as well, including a subscription model, recurring billing, installment plans and automatic payments.
Customer engagement: It’s important that the payment processing solution can support engagement throughout the process, particularly when a business has options for automatic and recurring payments. Selecting a solution that displays invoices within the secure payment portal and also provides customer notifications for billing and payment processing is a clear advantage for today’s retailers, keeping customers in the loop as payments are sent and processed.
Retailers seeking a payment portal that hits all of these marks need look no further than ePay Advantage from SKsoft. This streamlined portal is a user-friendly processing solution that is completely PCI compliant and secure. Best of all, it aligns with the needs of retailers as well as their customers.
“Finding a global player was very important to us, as we are a global player as well,”
– Camilla Tornø, MCI.
Maersk Container Industry (“MCI”) develops, manufactures and provides an array of different container types and sizes for Maersk and is active in business on a global scale, including within the U.S., China, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Africa and beyond.
When it came time for the container producer to select a new enterprise resource management system, it
had several critical requirements that needed to be addressed.
SK Global Software is one of the first and only banking service providers to offer cloud-based Banking Automation services for Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Challenge
“SK Global made everything easy,”
“We look forward to a direct relationship.
– Camilla Tornø, MCI.
Before partnering with SK Global Software, MCI used a legacy ERP system that hadn’t been updated for seven years. The company didn’t have the option to upgrade the older software and instead needed to find a beneficial replacement.
MCI executives had to make the decision between using the basic features provided by the out-of-the-box Microsoft Dynamics software or work with SK Global Software to ensure that the ERP could integrate and function with the global banks MCI had partnerships with.
The company’s legacy software had never been fully implemented within the organization, and employees had to leverage manual workarounds using paper spreadsheets alongside the digital system.
Solution
Because the solution is cloud-based, MCI now enjoys consistently fast performance at all of its locations.
In order to address these needs, MCI turned to SK Global Software and its Banking Automation Suite for Microsoft Dynamics 365.
Initially, MCI rolled out SK Global’s Microsoft Dynamics 365 Banking Automation Suite at two of its
production locations in China, with subsequent deployments taking place in Chile and at the company headquarters in Denmark.
Currently, Vendor Payment automation capabilities are live at two of MCI’s China sites, as well as in Denmark.
Results
“ They no longer have to worry about what bank they work with locally – all they have to do is point out the bank, and SK Global Software will take care of establishing the integration,”
-Jonas Andersen, SKG
As a worldwide organization, finding a solution provider that could offer the required ERP features and help facilitate streamlined integrations with local and global banks was a challenge.
Thankfully, MCI found everything it needed in its partnership with SK Global Software.
Download and Read the full Case Study
Feel free to download the full PDF version of the Case Study via the link below.
Are you interested in seeing the solution for yourself, and understand how we can support your organization around Banking and Treasury Automation for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Dynamics AX?
Then please fill out the Contact Form below and an SKG representative will be in touch with you soon.
Contact
AFP 2017 Treasury & Finance Conference
15 – 18th October 2017, San Diego, CA.
Schedule an appointment to get to know us, our solutions and expertise. We are specialists in Banking & Treasury Automation for Microsoft Dynamics 365:
Treasury Automation Suite for Dynamics AX + Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
Banking Automation Suite for Dynamics AX + Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
Banking Essentials Dynamics AX + Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
Revenue Automation for Dynamics AX + Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations
Will you meet us at this years AFP 2017 Conference in San Diego, Califonia? The AFP 2017 Conference will be held from the 15-18th October in the San Diego Convention Center. Join thousands of treasury and finance professionals at the San Diego Convention Center for inspiration, education, and connections that will transform your career and your organization. The AFP 2017 program is created by a group of corporate practitioner peers, with the goal to create an educational agenda that addresses the challenges, trends and innovations in the Treasury and Finance profession. Sign up for AFP 2017 here, AFP 2017 San Diego.
What is waiting for you at this event? The newest trends and insight to innovations around key topics such as;
Payments
Global Treasury and Finance
Financial Planning & Analysis
Treasury Management Systems
Risk Management, and more
We will meet with 6,500 other peers. If you are interested in joining this year’s AFP 2017 Conference, you can see the Cenference Overview, Sessions and Track events, Here.
If you want to be sure to get an Onsite Demo while at the Conference, sign up below now!
Are you interested? Book an appointment with SK Global NOW!
In SK Global Software we are pleased to announce, that we have got, in recognition of our outstanding achievements in sales and service excellence, to be part of the Microsoft Inner Circle 2017.
Why is this an honor?
It is a great honor because this membership recognizes the Microsoft Dynamics partners from around the world, not only based on an outstanding sales performance, but also the critical impact on the success of customers. Inner Circle members have performed to a high standard of excellence by delivering valuable solutions that help organizations achieve increased success with Dynamics solutions.
What is the Inner circle?
The Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle represents an elite group of the most strategic Microsoft Dynamics partners from around the globe, with sales and delivery achievements that rank them in the highest 1% of the global partner ecosystem, which SK Global Software is now part of.
Innercircle Summit
We are glad to inform, that with this new membership, SK Global Software is participating in the 2017 Innercircle Summit, where only the top 60 global partners and the Microsoft Executive Management share visions, ideas and experiences.
The summit takes place in Quebec City, Quebec from 17th – 20th September 2017.
