Simplified Fuel Tax Credits

In April, the Australian Taxation Office announced measures to simplify fuel tax credits. Some of those changes only apply to entities claiming less than $10,000.00 in fuel tax credits, which equates to eligible fuel purchases of approximately 25,000 litres.

Another change to simplify calculating fuel tax credits relates to heavy vehicles used mainly off road. The ATO has created a list of heavy vehicles they consider to be used fully off public roads e.g. bulldozers or headers. From the March BAS period onwards it is no longer necessary to apportion on and off road use for those eligible heavy vehicles when calculating fuel tax credit claims even, if they are sometimes driven on a public road.

More information on Simplified fuel tax credits can be found using the link below.

https://www.ato.gov.au/business/fuel-schemes/fuel-tax-credits---business/working-out-your-fuel-tax-credits/simplified-fuel-tax-credits/

Keeping up to date with ATO changes which may affect your business can be done by subscribing to RSS news feeds or Email subscriptions on the ATO website.

https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Gen/Subscriptions/

It is also recommended to contact your Accountant or Financial Advisor for assistance on your eligibility.

Farm Management Solutions that you understand -  www.agdata.com.au

Emailing Invoices from Phoenix

Recently, AGDATA sent out a survey to all clients asking for your valuable feedback. Some of the respondents advised they would like the emailing of invoicing simplified. Currently within Phoenix you can enter a new invoice and email straight from within the invoice window.

Email Invoices from Phoenix
To email invoices from Phoenix, a Customer account and Sub-account(s) must be set up to have the structure to record an invoice. For the customer to whom the invoice is to be emailed their email address must be recorded in their Card File entry.  If Customers haven’t been set up, go to Phoenix Help, select the Index tab and ‘Customer’. Alternatively, if you are using Phoenix Version 8 go to Help and select Video Tutorials to access the video on Setting up Customer and Supplier Account.

• Click on the Customer button on your toolbar

• Select the Customer Account from the drop down and click Ok

• Once the selected Customer window is open, select the New button e.g. New: May’16 to enter the invoice details.

• Once you have entered your invoice appropriately, click Save

• A Confirm box will offer the option to Print the Tax invoice by selecting Yes,  or Email can be selected here.

• The email with the invoice attached will appear for you to check the email address as well as add any other message you want to include in the email.

• Click Send


Alternatively, if you have already entered the Invoice, selected Print but now want to email it as well, or you simply need to email the Invoice again:

• Once in the Customer Account find the invoice you wish to email

• To Open the invoice simply double click on it

• Displayed at the top of the invoice is a Printer Icon, select the drop down arrow to the right
• From this drop down select ‘Preview Invoice 0000#’
• This will then open the preview of the invoice which like all reports in Phoenix can be printed, saved or emailed.

We hope that helps you.  As always our support team are here to answer that quick question to get you out of a bind.  We recommend the Signature Service Plan to ensure you are getting the most out of your investment in the Phoenix Farm Management Solutions.  The Signature Service Plan gives you greater access to our support team and the marvelous tutorial videos that they have created to help you when you need the help most.

www.agdata.com.au

Buyer beware - Your data is valuable

Recently we noticed yet another startup in the #AgTech space, so we went to see what they had to offer as any responsible business would do.

We always say to our potential clients who are making comparisons between us and our competitors, 'make sure you look at the terms and conditions (T's & C's) before you put your money down.  We believe our T's & C's are the most reasonable, fair and respectful that you will find.

With this new startup, we unearthed some of the most unreasonable T's & C's we have observed in our 32 years.  Essentially, the company took exclusive rights to the data you entered into their cloud software.  This enables them to access your data and sell it to 'anyone'.

'CAVEAT EMPTOR - LET THE BUYER BEWARE'

When investing your time and money into any cloud platform - Please read the fine print.  The terms and conditions are a legal agreement.  Don't legally give your data away! It is a valuable commodity.

You can find our own terms and conditions on the Phoenix Live page.

Using Alternate Storage Systems with Phoenix

'Computers are manufactured devices and like any piece of equipment we use can, and do, break.'

Sometimes the data on them can be retrieved but sometimes it can’t and unless we have external copies of at least essential data, it may be completely lost.

External Storage Devices

External storage devices are popular. They come in many different types with a wide variety of options and price tags to match the features offered.  As long as these devices are not stored with the computer so in the event of a disaster which destroys the computer, the storage devices are not destroyed as well, you will probably be able to retrieve your valuable information and restore it onto a new or repaired computer.

Cloud Storage

Another popular option for storage of data so it is off site and therefore not exposed to the same risks as your device is ‘cloud storage’.  The Phoenix Warehouse is in effect a cloud storage facility for Phoenix backups which was first made available to clients about 2001, long before the phrase ‘cloud storage’ was coined.  As with any such storage facility the data is actually stored on servers owned or rented by the storage provider and accessed through an internet connection.  In the case of AGDATA the servers are owned and maintained by AGDATA in Australia for the use of the clients who have subscribed to that service.  The data stored on those servers remains the property of the client and it is the client who grants access to their data to another party, if they need to.

Relevant Questions

There are many other data storage providers who provide servers which you can access to store digital data.  If using any form of offsite data storage facility, it is important to know:

1. Where is the data stored? If it is off shore it won’t be covered by Australian laws regarding privacy etc.

2. Can you get assistance from the cloud provider if necessary?

3. Who has access to the data?  Some companies will sell or share data they store.

4. What is the longevity of the company providing the data storage?  Have they got a proven track record and likely to be around as long as you need the to be?

5. What happens to your data if the storage provider goes out of business?

Data Sharing Risks

Another use of offsite data storage facilities is to have data stored on the offsite servers and to then access that data from different computers in different locations.  While this sounds like a good idea it has the potential to be disastrous when there are not good data management guide lines in place which are strictly adhered to.  Even when they are, syncing between your computer and a storage facility not designed for a Phoenix database can still result in lost data.  If using offsite storage in this way, ensure there are local backups as well so any loss is minimised.  If access to the same data is required from different locations a dedicated cloud solution such a Phoenix Live is a better solution.

Contact our support team on 07 46328488 or email tech@agdata.com.au if you have concerns about the storage solution you are using.

Farm Business Analysis from historical data

Farm Business Analysis

Innovation and Automation

Given the rate at which innovation is travelling today, on farm automation, robotics, sensors, and big data are just around the corner, if they are not here already.  A lot of the analysis of the data will be done for you once all of the information is aggregated and presented in such a way for you to make expeditious smart business decisions from a dashboard not that much dissimilar to the Phoenix Suite Screen seen below.

Phoenix Suite Screen Gadgets

The Value of Historical Data

Agriculture is a long term business and there is a lot to be learned from the on farm activities looking back over the seasons.  This is why history is taught in schools, so that we can learn from the past successes, and failures.  Hopefully we will replicate the success and avoid poor decisions in the future.

Benchmarking

When benchmarking your business, it is always good to measure from as early a point as possible.  You can compare your historical data with data available at various locations on the web including farm survey data for the beef, lamb and sheep industries.  A large selection of AAGIS data for beef, lamb and sheep industries covering the period from 1989-90 is available for selection and download via: Data

Ian McLean of Bush Agribusiness shares his views on the topic

'Long term data can be quite powerful in terms of showing how businesses have performed, and changed over time.  Analysis of long term income should look at what the changes in total real income have been and how much changes are due to changes in market prices, and changes in volumes sold.  The expenses will show how total (real) costs and the cost structure (enterprise expenses, overhead expenses, capital expenditure, finance costs and taxation) of the business have changed over time.  When long term data is analysed it should be done in real terms, to better reflect actual changes over time without the effect of inflation muddying the waters.'

Restoring historical Phoenix data from floppy disc

When you upgrade to Phoenix 8 from older versions of Phoenix, our team in Toowoomba can bring your data up to the current version as a part of the upgrade cost.  You need to do this within a month of the upgrade payment unless you take out the Signature Service Plan subscription.  If you have left Phoenix to try other programs before coming back to Phoenix and have some old floppy disc backups: we can import that data for you.  We believe, very few, if any other software company can provide this service.

As a current customer, if you find some old backup floppy discs in the cupboard and don't have that data available in Phoenix for analysis, and you're not a Signature Service Plan subscriber:  we maybe able to import that data into another database for you to analyse, however it will be a fee for service.

A number of environmental and physical factors could prevent the data from being recovered.  These factors could include electromagnetic and dust exposure, or physical damage to the floppy disc.

Look at your choices when it comes to selecting the Phoenix Financial package that suits your business.

Important Fuel Tax Credit Information

Don’t forget 1st February…………

Why?  Fuel tax credit rates increased in line with the latest CPI changes.

AGDATA has released the updates for Version 7 and 8 with the new rates in them.

It is now your responsibility to ensure that you have installed those updates and have created the new Fuel Tax Regimes starting 01/02/2016 in order to claim the rebate at the latest rate. The new regime(s) can be created after you have entered your February transactions, but should be created before you lodge a BAS which includes February.

Although we routinely update the Fuel Tax Credit rate in line with the ATO, there are still some of you who only install the Phoenix updates expecting the new rates to be automatically applied.  We are unable to create the new regime, this needs to be done by you.  It would be great if this could be the case but for various reasons it can’t.

As the off road rates in particular have been increasing, if you are still claiming your fuel tax credit at the rate which applied several years ago, you may be under-claiming.  Depending on the volume of fuel you use this could be a significant amount of income you are missing out on.

As an example a client whose off road fuel consumption from November 2014 to January 2016 was about 90000 L and who’s on road fuel was about 25000 l and who hasn’t changed their Fuel Tax regimes since July 2014 has under claimed Fuel Tax credits of almost $1000.

For each set of books using the Fuel Tax Credit calculators in Phoenix the regimes must be manually updated each time there is a change.  The change will in most instances be because of changes in the rates, but if your fuel use changes significantly that also requires a new regime. E.g. You were previously claiming a rebate only for off road fuel and then purchased a truck over 4.5t GVM.  If this truck meets the eligibility criteria to claim the fuel rebate and is used on road as well as off road a new regime may need to be set up starting from the date of the change in use.

Many leave it up to the accountant to work out your claims or manually calculate them. Once the regimes are set up in Phoenix the only other information required for Phoenix to report the amount to put in 7D in the BAS is the quantity purchased. This is recorded when entering an invoice from the fuel supplier, if using Suppliers in Phoenix, or when recording a payment for fuel in the bank account, if Suppliers aren’t used.
Below is a link to the Australia Taxation Office website. If you type Fuel Tax Credit into the Search field you will be given a range of topics to choose from to learn more about eligibility, rates and claiming.

https://www.ato.gov.au/

There are a few helpful tutorial videos available on this topic for Signature Service Plan subscribers

There is also a free tutorial video available on the topic

Contact our helpful support team if you are still unsure of what needs to be done on 1800 500 400

Not using Phoenix Financials yet?  Take a look at how your farm business management could benefit from the solutions developed with only one industry in mind - Agriculture

http://www.agdata.com.au

The Death of Windows XP – Are you still using it?

Almost 2 years ago, after 13 years, Microsoft withdrew support for the Windows XP operating system. It is estimated that over 1 billion copies of Windows XP were sold both to businesses and individuals. This means that there is a good chance that some of you are still using the Windows XP operating system. If this applies to you, keep reading to find out how this affects you.

Withdrew support?

So what does it mean now that Microsoft no longer supports Windows XP? From a Microsoft point of view they no longer produce updates or patch security issues. They also will not provide any support for issues that you may encounter. Obviously, this leaves Windows XP open to attacks from viruses, malware, hackers and other security concerns. This alone is the one reason why you should discontinue using Windows XP.

Impact for Phoenix Users?

When Microsoft withdrew support for the XP operating system two years ago, so did the majority of software developers worldwide including AGDATA Australia. AGDATA Australia can no longer guarantee that any version of Phoenix will run securely on Windows XP. We have no option but to discontinue our support for Phoenix on Windows XP.

If you need to call AGDATA Australia for Phoenix support we may ask you what operating system you are running. If you are using Windows XP we are not able to provide support for Phoenix or Phoenix Live on that platform.

Your Database Security

Many of you ask, "do I need security on my Phoenix data"? The answer is every case is always YES.

If you have unsecured data, then what would happen if one of the following occurred to you:

• What if your computer was stolen?
• Your computer has been hacked or infected with a malicious Virus?
• Accidentally emailed a backup to the wrong person? 
• Lost a USB stick with your Phoenix Backups on it? 

These are every day scenarios that show you how unsecured data can easily be opened or restored revealing your key business management information including your financial position to the world.

You can setup within Phoenix ‘User Management & Security’ which enables the user to use encryption on the data to block unauthorised access. Encrypting the tables is the 1st step to securing your data. The 2nd step is to setup the Username & Password for each authorised user to gain access to the data. Therefore, when opening into Phoenix it is a requirement that you enter your Username & Password to gain access. These high security standards in Phoenix will protect and secure your Phoenix data for all of the cases listed earlier.

To setup User Management & Security:

· Open into your Set of books

· Then go to Data and from the drop down select User Management & Security

· This will open to the Database Security where you will need to enter an Encryption key and click Save



· Then click on the Users button and this will open the Manage Users area

· Click the New button to add a new user

· Enter the Username (e.g. your name) & select a Role (e.g. Administrator)

· Enter the Password and click Set

· Click Save and then close out of the User Management & Security Setup.

If you have unsecured data, your top priority should be getting it secured to keep it safe.

Phoenix on a Mac?

Phoenix is a Windows application, and requires Windows to run.

There are a number of ways that you can run Windows on your Mac.

1. Emulator  - There are a number of emulator programs available to run on a Mac. These can be found on the web. One example is CrossOver. The advantage of emulators is that they are cheap. The disadvantage is that they are generally not very intuitive to operate, often don’t support all Windows functions, and will not run all Windows programs.
   
   AGDATA does not recommend this approach, and do not offer support trying to get the program running under an emulator.
2. Virtual Machine - There are at least three software packages available that allow the Mac user to run Windows as a virtual computer within the Mac environment. AGDATA has limited experience with VMWare Fusion, and Parallels desktop. We also know of Oracle Virtual Box.
   
   Parallels Version 11 costs around $100, and runs quite seamlessly on a current model Mac. VMWare Fusion is around the same price and is also quite well respected in the community. Virtual Box is Open Source software and hence can be downloaded and installed for free.
   
   In all cases, you will also need a copy of Windows to install within the virtual machine. Old stock copies of Windows 7 may be available around the traps if you look. List price for this would be around $300. Microsoft have released a boxed full install copy of Windows 10, I have seen the Home edition of Windows 10 available supplied on a USB drive from major electronics retailers for around $180.
3. Dual Boot - The Mac comes with a system called BootCamp. This allows Windows to be installed as a second operating system. Under BootCamp, when you start the computer, it will ask which OS (Operating System) to launch. Then that is what it will run until you restart the computer. You will need to purchase a copy of Windows for this option also. See notes for the VM above.
4. Phoenix Live - Phoenix Live operates on the cloud. The program runs on our servers in Brisbane, your computer simply acts as a terminal to that server. You may access your Phoenix Live system from any windows PC or Mac (Even a tablet like an iPad) as long as you have a reliable internet connection available to the machine.

My recommendation is either Phoenix Live or Parallels with Windows 10 as long as the Mac has sufficient resources to run both operating systems. Any current MacBook Pro or iMac will do fine. Upgraded memory (eg 8GB) would be an advantage. I would question the hard drive space available on a smaller MacBook Air with the SSD (Solid State Drive), or in fact any Mac that only sports an SSD. I worry that 128GB drive capacity would run short running two operating systems. Apple now offer 512GB SSD (or flash storage) on some of the Air range.

Which ever method you choose, you will need to invest some effort in knowing your system. At AGDATA, our support people know the Phoenix system intimately. Phoenix is a Windows application, and as such, we also know our way around the common and current versions of Windows. The Mac however is system that we have limited experience with. When you call us for assistance, you will need to be able to have a Windows screen running on your Mac. We will not be able to assist you from the Mac screen. You will need to be able to install the software that allows you to use two operating systems if you choose this method, then install Windows within that environment. Then you will need to be able to launch Windows. From there your system will function much like any other windows computer. You may need to configure the software that allows you to run two operating systems so that you can share an internet connection and other resources (like a printer) between the two operating systems. Parallels will run in three different modes, (full screen, Window and Confluence). You will need to understand these modes and how to switch between them.

Don’t confuse a copy of Microsoft Windows with Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office for Mac will give you a copy of Word and Excel for your Mac, but it is not Windows, so will not allow you to run other Windows applications, such as Phoenix.

Mark Leahy

B Eng (Agric), GradCert Precision Ag, Cert IV Training & Assessment

Senior Support and Training Manager

AGDATA Australia

Phoenix 8 Benefits – Videos Tutorials

Did you know that you can use the new short Phoenix 8 Video Tutorials to assist you out of our office hours?

As your Phoenix Tech Support team, we talk to a range of Phoenix users every day. Many have expressed to us that they prefer us to show them visually how something is done within the software.

You can sharpen your Phoenix skills by using these short tutorial videos that cover all financial and production modules. We’ve targeted the specific needs that you have called the Phoenix help desk for assistance with. This broad range of videos will continue to be expanded upon, so don’t be afraid to make suggestions.

There are videos catering to all skill levels: new, advanced, Accountants and Consultants. There are videos for new users assisting with the basic initial setup and navigation, and advanced users who want to expand their knowledge to allow for better business management. We have not forgotten the Accountants and Consultants who have very specific requirements from the software.

Video Tutorials are available to all Phoenix 8 users with a variety of videos provided free for Phoenix users without support contracts and an expanded list of those users with support contracts.

To access the videos:

· Open into Phoenix 8

· Select your set of books to open



· Then click on the Help '?' button from the toolbar





· From the drop down menu select Video Tutorials

· This will then launch your web browser showing the Videos

Visit our website to learn more; www.agdata.com.au

Not using Phoenix 8, call us to find out how you can migrate there on 1800 500 400