penguindata chronicles september 2015

PENGUINDATA CHRONICLES

on the shelf - to insure usage there must be clear direction and policies instituted by ownership/management. Employees must be held accountable for these new management “policies”, otherwise the tool remains on the shelf, and the tremendous benefits of the business efficiencies will not be realized.

If history has any lessons for us, it is that things will not get any easier in this business. The only way to survive is through better tools for management, and ultimately that is what PenguinData is to our clients. We provide the best software for real-time data visibility, providing accountability to management, and giving our clients the daily edge over the competition they need to succeed.

Hope to see everyone in New Orleans for SCTE Cable-Tec EXPO next month.

Thank you,Michael EntersChief Operating Officer

As we are past the mid-point of the year and headed into Fall, it is once again time for the SCTE Cable-Tec EXPO being held this year in New Orleans, LA from 10/13-10/16/2015. PenguinData is once again an exhibitor, and this year we have expanded into a 10 X 20 floor space, booth #2408. We hope every client can attend this year.

PenguinData continues to grow, and this year has diversified our client base by expanding into the Multiple Service Operator (MSO) market with several key launches that have already occurred YTD with more on the way. It has always been a goal for PenguinData to help change the broadband industry, not only for the contractor but also for the MSO’s, which in turn helps everyone across the board.

PenguinData has several new and exciting things happening on the development side with the impending roll-out of the new Project Module, on track for a November 2015 release, our new Support System already launched (see article in this newsletter), and our large and ongoing integration with Jaspersoft Enterprise Edition, bringing to the G3 Emperor Suite of Modules the PenguinData Corporate Dashboard powered by Jaspersoft. This state of the art business intelligence tool will

give all of our clients the ability to completely control reporting needs, build custom graphs, automate reporting from multiple offices or states, and even have reports waiting each morning in an email inbox. PenguinData has a planned launch for the Corporate Dashboard of February 2016, and is on track for this goal. We will have a preview of the Corporate Dashboard in New Orleans at EXPO, so stop by and check it out.

As PenguinData has continued to grow in 2015, we see how difficult things are in today’s broadband industry with new challenges popping up all of the time. Also, it does certainly seem that the DOL is definitely active again in going after companies with questionable practices. As a PenguinData officer, I personally want you to know that we are here for our clients to be used as a resource and roadmap for success. Our Consulting Division has helped many of our current clients turn things around at their businesses, bringing about true behavioral change that creates a new management culture within the organization.

A question I continue to hear is “How do I get my people to use the tool/solution that PenguinData provides?” Quite simply the answer to this question is that upper management must be the driver of all policies surrounding the use of PenguinData. Our G3 Emperor Suite of Modules is like any other “tool”

SEPTEMBER 2015VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2

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http://www.penguindata.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Penguindata-Workforce-Management/336876863116550

https://twitter.com/PenguinData

https://www.linkedin.com/company/3344491

PENGUINDATA CHRONICLES SEPTEMBER 2015VOLUME 8, ISSUE 2

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THE LATEST & GREATEST

New Support System

PenguinData has a New Support System. What this means to you, as a user, is that the support tickets will have a new numbering system and the response emails will look different than with the old system. The great news for our clients is that our new system integrates the tickets with our programming department better than the old system. This allows the user to log into the ticket tracking system to view their requests and follow the progress.

Support Query: Correct Contact Information

When the user clicks on a Support Request, the Support Query is still in the same format. It is very important on this screen to review the data entered. All Data must be current and correct. If any data is incorrect, it can be changed here prior to sending the request in.

Requests sent in with incorrect contact information will be responded to, however, if a Mail Delivery System report is received back as Undeliverable, the ticket will be reviewed for a phone number. We will attempt to contact the user by phone, if we cannot, the ticket will be closed as we have no way to contact the sender back. A new ticket will need to be created with the correct contact information.

The contact information is very important with the new system due to the new interaction the user has with reviewing their tickets and following the progress.

It should be noted that PenguinData does not control the data being entered into the support request, this is a client function based upon the data that is entered into PenguinData. If the data is incorrect, the user will need to contact their administration department to update the data.

New Number for TicketsThe user will receive an email showing the support request that had been sent in. The email will provide the user with a Reference Number. This number will start with a GS-XXX number. This number is located on the upper right of the response. On the bottom of the response is a link where the user can









click to view the full support request. The status of the ticket is shown to the right of the Subject Name the user has entered.

If the user clicks on the link to view the full request, they will be taken to the Help Center where they are able to view their requests, after creating an account. As the user sends in additional requests, each request will be listed for review. The user can click on the request to open it or search for a request by number.

It is best to respond to any email responses having been sent by clicking reply all. This will link the response to the current ticket and not create a new one.

ReportsIf a user is requesting a new or updated report, it is required that they send in a mock-up of the report they would like created. What we are looking for is detailed information of what the user would like shown. If a new search is being requested, please add the criteria of the search that you would like added in detail. If detail is not provided, the ticket will be returned requesting the detail and mock-up report. If a mock-up report or additional detail information that is being requested is not returned, the ticket will be closed. The user will be notified of any tickets being closed. See below an example of a mocked-up report, displaying the detail of what is being requested.

We at PenguinData strive to have our customers questions answered as quickly as we can. We will contact the user if additional information is required.


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The largest annual gathering in the broadband industry is set to happen again this year in New Orleans, LA. For those planning on attending, PenguinData can once again get all of our accounts FREE show floor passes to this year’s event. No need to pay the $175.00 rate to attend.

Here is all of the information to obtain FREE show floor passes Wednesday to Friday, 10/14-10/16/2015:

You can either download the PDF or go online to Pre-Register (better to Pre-Register online), so please follow the directions highlighted in the colored boxes for either method.

The SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2015 Exhibitor Guest Pass is now available

for download at:

http://www.scte.org/SCTEDocs/Expo/Exhibitors/Expo15_Exhibitor-

GuestPass.pdf

Online registration for the complimentary exhibitor guest pass

is available at:

https://register.rcsreg.com/r2/cte2015/ga/clear.html

SCTE members, using the complimentary pass, may enter their individual member number on the opening registration page to pre-populate the online form with their personal contact information.

(Nonmembers should select the “Continue” button on the page).

IMPORTANT! The Exhibitor Guest pass code:

44721This code must be entered on the web registration form in order to override the customary $175 fee. Enter “44721” at the bottom of the contact information screen where the label in red appears, “Complimentary Exhibitor/Chapter/Other Guest Pass”.

Suggest pre-registering online as this will prevent your customers from waiting in long lines at registration in the Morial Convention Center. Instead, they may bring their bar-coded confirmation and proceed to “Attendee Express Registration”.

PenguinData is excited to see how this year’s EXPO will go, and what lies ahead for the broadband industry as a whole. A good time for all is for sure (hey, it’s New Orleans and Bourbon Street!) and there is definitely a shift in the air, as PenguinData is getting a lot more interest on the Service Provider front (MSO’s) than we ever have before. This was always a long

term goal of PenguinData’s, to have the MSO’s as clients as well as the contractors, bringing solutions to both sides of the fence for the betterment of all.

The future is bright for PenguinData and for our loyal clients, as we continue to bring to market dynamic software development that’s helping shape the broadband industry, providing companies the best real-time data visibility possible across their entire organization, and producing more efficiencies than any other automated workforce management (AWFM) software platform available today. PenguinData’s G3 Emperor Suite of Modules -- your passport to profitability!

For more information, or to schedule an online introductory overview webinar, please contact:

Doug [email protected]

Direct office: 612-547-2208Cell: 602-743-1767, or

Toll-free 877-973-6484 ext. 2208

SALES & MARKETING








http://www.scte.org/SCTEDocs/Expo/Exhibitors/Expo15_Exhibitor-GuestPass.pdf






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Benefits of Payroll Cards for Your Business and Your Employees

The benefits of a payroll card program are similar to those offered by other forms of electronic payment, such as direct deposit. Each payday, the employee’s wages are deposited directly into the payroll card account. Your employees can use their payroll card anywhere a debit card is accepted to buy things, get cash, and pay their bills.

Employers can save money and time by not processing and distributing paper checks. Payroll pay cards also eliminate the tracking and replacing of lost or stolen paychecks. Employers that need to distribute paychecks at multiple locations will experience the benefits also. Additionally, electronic payment allows employers to pay wages to their employees in a timely manner even when a storm or other disaster would make delivering a paper check difficult or impossible. A payroll card program offers another

electronic method of payment that together with direct deposits gives your employees more choices in receiving their wages.

Besides the many benefits to employers, employees also benefit with pay card programs. The advantages of payroll cards for employees include:

• Immediate access to wages on payday-even on days off or out due to illness

• No check cashing fees or lines to wait in

• 24/7 access to funds through ATMS

• Access to wages in smaller increments, and the safety of not having to carry or keep a lot of cash

• Ability to make in-store, online and telephone purchases, and bill payments, without the hassles of money orders and postage

• Ability to make airline, hotel and rental car reservations

• Ability to replace a lost or stolen card and the funds in the account; lost cash can’t be replaced

• A record of transactions, which helps with money management and provides proof of payment

“Unbanked” employees often experience the greatest benefit from

receiving their wages on a payroll card. However, some employees with traditional checking accounts may prefer a payroll card if they are being charged high monthly maintenance fees, or incur “bounced check” or other fees on their accounts.

If you are currently a subscriber of PenguinData Workforce Management Paycheck Services, give us a call to see how your employees can benefit from an employer sponsored Payroll Pay Card System.

In addition to PenguinData offering Payroll Pay Cards, we also offer an Employee Self-Service Portal through our accounting software that produces your paychecks. Your employees will be able to view and print: Paycheck Stubs, Salary History, Review and print processed W-2’s and 1099’s.

PenguinData Paycheck Service has control of who has access and what they see. We can give your Managers and Supervisors access to their entire department.

This program can certainly benefit your employees and take time off your administrative staff from pulling reports and making copies of paystubs requested by your technical and administrative staff. Our Employee Self-Service portal is only limited to the information you provide us. This service can also show personal emergency numbers, raise

PAYCHECKS SERVICES









information, benefit information and more.

The service is simple to set up. You provide an email address for each employee. We provide an employee ID and pin code. Your employees can log into the portal and begin using immediately.

The annual fee for this service is minimal, but will save your HR/Admin staff time from pulling records and making copies.

Contact us today to get started!

Multi-State Payroll IssuesIf you are a cable contractor and have locations or employees in multiple States, you may be surprised to learn that you could owe tax.

When you have employees working in or have an office in a state, you typically will have to withhold State taxes for that State as well as charge State Unemployment Tax for those employees. While this part is pretty straightforward, it can get complicated. Let’s say you have an office in California, but you allow your bookkeeper to work electronically from her home in another State (for example, Arizona). In a majority of states, not only will you have to apply for a state withholding number and State Unemployment number for this new State, but you will also have to register to do business in that new

State and file corporate income tax returns in that state.

Another issue arises when you have individuals who work temporarily in another state. Each state has their own rules on determining when you would need to treat that employee as working in the new state. Some states say that performing work even for one day means you must withhold taxes for that state, while others will give leeway, for example, allowing 2 weeks before work must be performed.

Factors often used to determine the correct State for withholding and unemployment taxes include:

• Where were services performed?• How long were they performed?• Where is the base of operations? • Where is the employee’s state of

residence?• Is there a reciprocity agreement in

place between the states?

Keep in mind these possible tax ramifications when starting up in new states, and retain the proper professionals, so that you are not hit with a big surprise.


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PROGRAMMING UPDATES

JasperSoft Integration for Reporting and Dashboards

PenguinData is in the process of integrating JasperSoft into our platform. This integration will give users the ability to quickly create and modify their own reports, and create real-time dashboards to view data live.

With simple drag and drop interfaces for report creation, JasperSoft makes it easy to build the reporting you need, and modify reports at any time. Report scheduling allows you to set the system to automatically email reports at set times and days.

The Dashboard builder allows for quick visualization of real-time data. Combine various data sets together as charts and graphs, arrange them how you like, and quickly get a snapshot of your data. Tables, charts, and graphs can all be mixed together to display data the way you prefer.

Access controls will allow administrators to assign access to datasets on a per user basis. Specific users can be given access to create and modify reports, while others can be set to only consume existing reports and dashboard.

PenguinData will be releasing this functionality to our clients in February 2016.

For more information about JasperSoft, please visit

https://www.jaspersoft.com/








https://www.jaspersoft.com/


In this issue, the tip of the month will be “Go Green - no more paper” for signature capture for all forms: Cellphones, Assets, Tools, CPE, Fleet Issuance etc. Signatures can be captured via the Portal (for Timesheets & Status Form Change form) or the Standard Web (Cellphones, Assets, Tools, CPE, Fleet Issuance, etc.)

When a signature is captured in the Portal, the user will only need to enter the signature once, and then they will be able to attach the signature to the Timesheet and or pay sheet within the portal. When a user goes to the Warehouse to check out items, they will need to sign for the items upon release. The reason for this is that the user must sign into the portal using their login and password. This

is verification that the user is who they say they are. When going to check out items at the warehouse, the warehouse personnel will be the users logged into the system, thus, a signature is required by the person receiving the items, so there is a trail of who is signing for the items.

See the following illustrations to view step-by-step instructions.

Portal:

The user will go into the Employee Portal in the standard web.

Upon log in, go into the Schedules/Forms and select Signature Form.

Once the user clicks on the Signature Form the page will change to the Signature page. On this page the user will place their signature on the line provided. The user can clear their signature if they do not like how it looks by clicking the Clear Signature button on the Bottom Left of the page. They can Cancel entering their signature or changing it once submitted by clicking the Cancel button in the middle bottom to the right. If the user wishes to use the signature entered as their electronic signature then they can click the SUBMIT button in the bottom of the page, middle left. This will capture the entered signature to be used for electronic signature on the Timesheet and pay sheets.


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TIP OF THE MONTH









Once the user clicks the Submit button they will receive a Success popup, Signature Saved. This notifies the user that their signature has been captured and saved.

The user will then go into HISTORY, and from the dropdown selection they will select Timesheet Sign Off.

In the Timesheet Sign Off page the user will select the Pay Period they wish to review and sign.


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In the Timesheet Sign Off page the user can View Timesheet, which is in blue print located in the Out Stamp column. The date is included in the column along with the time stamp in both the In-Stamp and Out-Stamp columns under the Summary Section of the page. There is a Total Hours column located under the Summary section to the right.

After clicking on the Attach Signature button, the user’s signature will appear below the Summary section, and the user will receive a Success popup stating Signature attached to Timesheet.


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The user can then go to Employee Portal>Reports>Timesheet History and either enter a start and end date, select if they wish it to be Shown as a spreadsheet, by checking the check box and viewing the report. The other option is to click on the View Timesheet, right side, in the Signed Timesheets section of the work page on the row they wish to view.

The example below shows the Signed Timesheet that the user will see.


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After the original signature has been entered into the Portal, the user will need to go into the standard web for sign off of the Timesheet. Timesheets will be shown as an alert.

Once the user clicks on the Review and Sign link in the signature column, they will be taken to the Timesheet sign off page. Here the user will click on acknowledge or dispute. Then the user will click the attach signature button.

The user will receive a pop-up Success, letting them know that the signature is attached to the Timesheet.


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The Timesheet signatures will show that the user has Acknowledged and the Signature Item will show that the user has accepted the Timesheet.

None Portal Transactions:

These transactions, requiring a signature, will be captured from using the Topaz Pad.

When a cell phone or other item is issued to a Tech, the user will click on the Tech Signature button prior to clicking on the Assign Button.

A pop-up will appear letting the user know that a tech signature is required.


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Once the user clicks on the OK button, a signature box displays.

The person receiving the item will sign the electronic form, acknowledging they have received the item.


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The user will click on the Submit button once the signature is completed. A Success pop-up will appear to let both parties know that the signature has been captured and transmitted.

The signature is then placed on the corresponding report for the action and can be pulled for review from PenguinData at any time. No need to keep file cabinets full of paperwork. PenguinData stores the paperwork inside the system until it is requested, in a report. The reports can be printed if needed.

For more information, please call, email, or visit us online at http://penguindata.com.





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penguindata chronicles september 2015

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