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Corterra is delighted to spotlight team member, Ryan Kenna. Ryan is a Lead Developer on the Corterra team, functioning in both functional and technical capacities. Ryan obtained a bachelor's degree in Statistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Upon graduation, he joined the Corterra team as a Developer. Without a deep background in computer science, business analysis, or development, Ryan was challenged to quickly get up to speed on the technical aspects of a complex revenue management system for a well-known insurance broker. Ryan embraced that challenge and thrived in addressing the client needs. While supporting and enhancing the revenue management system, he also began working on manufacturing client projects. As time passed, his efforts helped solve client problems in a cost effective, rapid approach. Solutions he has configured and developed span a range of industries and business areas including but not limited to manufacturing, purchasing, sales, global distribution, service organizations and more. In his current role, he has a wide range of responsibilities. From managing development efforts to leading client status meetings, Ryan is equipped to effectively solve client problems both through coded and non-coded solutions. His daily activities are key to ensuring quality of Corterra's solution implementation. Whether it be gathering functional and technical requirements, conducting code reviews, or mentoring team members, Ryan is an integral team member to Corterra. At the moment, Ryan is managing and leading efforts for a client in the services industry utilizing Power Apps, Power BI, and other technology to improve their business processes. Q&A Q: What is your favorite part about working at Corterra Solutions? My favorite part of working at Corterra is the unique solutions and challenges we are able to address across industries. Being able to improve our client's everyday workload using technology is an extremely rewarding part of my job. Q: What are three words to describe Corterra Solutions? Knowledgeable, Reliable, Dedicated Q: How do you like to spend your time when you are not working? When not working, I enjoy cooking for my friends and family and attending sporting events. Go Illini!

ORIGINAL POST FROM 2019. Still applicable! Are you a small to middle market company looking to better leverage your data to make business decisions? Have you heard of Power BI and want to learn what it is all about? We want to help answer the common questions we hear from our clients regarding data analytics and Power BI. What is “data analytics”? We are all about data these days. But what does that mean? Businesses are finding new and competitive advantages by utilizing data analytics tools to gain insights into their data. The insights gained are endless. Some quick examples on the value of data analytics could include cost savings, time reduction, efficiency improvement, return on investment, understanding market conditions, sales performance and profitability, robust finance and accounting reporting, etc. Large companies are taking serious advantage of data analytics. But what about small and middle market businesses? The top questions/concerns we hear from clients are: There are many data analytics tools. How do I choose? How much time and effort will this cost us? I hear the term “Power BI” but what does that mean? To help address these questions, we want to share our perspective from both an accounting/ finance and IT perspective. We will dig into answering some common questions we hear from our clients regarding Power BI and data analytics. Note while reading: Always keep in mind the following key objectives/questions prior to investing time and effort into a data program: Data Objective – What value will this data provide? Data Execution – Who will own the data? Who will validate the data and ensure it is complete and accurate? Data Communication – How will we communicate the data? How will we act on it? Below are answers to the top questions we hear from our clients: 1. What is Power BI? How does it work? IT Response: Power BI is a business intelligence and data analytics tool from Microsoft that can deliver powerful visualizations and data insights. As an analytics and reporting tool, the platform was built with the end user in mind. Packaged within Power BI are hundreds of connectors, such as Excel, SQL Database, Share Point, Salesforce, Mail Chimp, and Quick Books, just to name a few. It can help to drive business decisions through insightful representations of data and offers the ability to pull data from different sources. It will mainly help in any scenario where a “total view” is needed of your data. Finance/Accounting Response: Power BI’s innate capability to connect data could be a low-cost alternative to expensive and sometimes ineffective system integration. Power BI’s ability to easily connect with popular financial, operational and sales packages reduces unnecessary costs and leads to an easily obtainable data set(s) to analyze. 2. I don’t have the time to spend learning and implementing a new data analytics system. What is the upfront time and costs of Power BI? IT Response: Power BI costs as little as $10/month per user. You must already have Office 365 to be able to use Power BI. The report writing tool, the Power BI Desktop application, is FREE. We suggest trying out the desktop application to get a feel for Power BI before incurring cost of purchasing licenses. In regard to the learning curve/time costs, Power Query is embedded and is similar in format to Excel. This allows for non-developer end users to make data manipulations logically. For example, data from different divisions are all stored in Excel spreadsheets. Power BI gives the capability to pull those spreadsheets together into one data set. Then with Power Query, add calculated columns, aggregations, relationships, etc. by pointing and clicking, not by writing code. Power Query tracks what you did and records it. The next time you need to do your reporting, simply point to the update spreadsheets and Power Query will repeat those steps you did previously. This is impressive and powerful. What used to require a developer can now be done by an end user with minimal training. Finance/Accounting Response: If the words “repeatable” and “automated” put a smile on your face, Power BI could be the thing of your dreams. Think of the endless monthly grind of reconciliations, financials statement prep and management/board reporting. Just within accounting, eliminating the standard monthly processes to incorporate system repeatable steps can save hours, if not days. Imagine these efficiencies across other departments? 3. I have multiple systems. How challenging would it be to integrate? IT Response: Short answer, compared to alternative data programs, integration is not challenging. Power BI is a great tool to pull data from multiple systems with many pre-packaged connections to common data sources and services. The data-modeling capabilities in Power BI allow for “Access”-like relationship modeling. Have Salesforce and Quick Books data? Use the connectors for Salesforce and Quick Books to pull the table you desire. Once that data is pulled, use the relationship modeling capabilities to relate the Salesforce data to the Quick Books. Have data on multiple servers? Data gateways allow you to connect to those disparate SQL servers and pull your data together. 4. I have an old system, my data is inconsistent, and cleansing has never been done. Can Power BI handle my data? IT Response: While Power BI works best with “clean” data, data cleansing can be done right in Power BI. Power Query can be used to clean up the data without having a deep technical knowledge. Removing duplicates, unused columns, filtering out old/inconsistent data can all be done intuitively and repeatable. That being said, every situation is different. Power BI does not “obsolete” data/IT consultants, but it does give much more power to the end user than before. The best approach to dealing with “bad” data is to fix it in the source if at all possible. Fixing data in the source is always the preferred route. Finance/Accounting Response: It is best to assign a data champion to ensure data is both complete and accurate. In small to middle market companies – finance/accounting generally are the best option to validate the underlying data prior to relying on it. 5. Why Power BI? What can my data tell me? Data is everywhere but in many cases the ability to gain insights from the data in a cost-effective manner can be challenging. Power BI solves this issue. Historically, pulling data from disparate sources and creating meaningful visualizations would be only possible by a database professional. No longer is that the case. If you have a vision for what you want to see to measure the success of your team, department, division, or company, it can be accomplished in Power BI. From gauges, to line graphs, to summary tiles, Power BI brings data to life. See some real examples below: Sales Dept: Problem: Sales is concerned discounts and price reductions are impacting overall performance. A sales manager wants to understand the true gross -margin or profitability of sales per salesperson. Currently relies on a Salesforce report reporting total sales by sales person. Solution: Integrate or “connect” Salesforce data to financial data within Power BI. Power BI can incorporate cost per SKU/item sold to the Salesforce data by sales person. This results in a powerful report, including sales and gross margin per sales person. Accounting: Problem: Accounting has to manually prepare financial statements and management reports in excel on a monthly basis. The current financial system is not capable of meeting the company’s financial reporting needs. Solution: Integrate or “connect” results to Excel reports or the financial system. Once the desired format is setup in Power BI, a monthly process to load or sync to the financial system takes minutes. On a regular basis, financials and management reporting are formatted with respective illustrative exhibits (e.g. charts or other visual aids). These are just a few examples. Data is being used everywhere – from helping hospital and insurance claims understand operations to marketing departments looking to understand the return on their investment. Conclusion: Power BI is a “power”-ful tool to gain insights into your existing data. The learning curve and costs are manageable compared to the alternatives. When implementing a data program for your business remember these key objectives: Work with key stakeholders to understand the overall objectives and potential value of the data. Start simple! Develop a process for the data definitions, processing and analysis. Effectively analyze and communicate the results – and more importantly – act on the results! About the Authors Chris Cutrara, Cutrara Consulting is an industry “fixer”. He has over 18 years of experience, working extensively with companies going through change. He has a keen ability to quickly identify problem areas and implement new systems to create value for his clients. Joe Bonomo, Corterra Solutions, is an IT consultant using creative problem-solving techniques and technology to solve business problems. Throughout his career, Joe has a wide range of experience as a developer, business analyst, solutions architect, and manager. Joe has worked with all levels in an organization from manufacturing floor workers, accounts payable clerks, and C-suite executives, to name a few, giving insight to the challenge’s businesses face.

In Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain, there are two ways to create permissions, through the user interface and in code. Adding a deny permission is simple in the user interface, but what if you want to add the deny permission to a security privilege when developing a new feature? Keep reading. Problem: Deny Permission is not available in X++ Development When developing a new security privilege in Visual Studio, a developer can select an access level from a preset list the application supports. This grants the ability to read, update, revoke all access, etc. Most of the time, this works well. The problem is there is no option in Visual Studio to explicitly deny update, but grant read at the same time. In fact, there is no option to explicitly deny specific permission at all. Solution: XML Editing Luckily, there is a solution to this by editing the XML of the privilege directly. Following our example to grant read but deny update, find the XML file of the privilege and change Allow to Deny. Below, Visual Studio Code was used to edit the XML. Use Case: Deny all users permission to update Why was this needed in the first place? We had a requirement to grant read to all users but deny update. The solution was complex, it was not desired to simply do this in the front end, where it could be wiped out by mistake or in a deployment. Thus, deny permission in X++ development was required in the privilege by the developer.

Today, the Corterra team is excited to spotlight Corterra team member Jacob Brindle. Currently, Jacob functions as a Solution Architect. He is leading a multi-site United States implementation of Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations. Jacob graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Biochemistry. Upon graduation, Jacob joined the Corterra team in the fall of 2015. Once joining the team, Jacob worked tirelessly to learn the business concepts, technical tools, and methodologies to function as a Business Systems Analyst. In this role, he gained first-hand experience supporting the implementation of a modern revenue management system for a publicly traded insurance brokerage. As time has passed, Jacob has honed his skills to grow into his current role as a Solution Architect. From gathering business requirements to whiteboarding solutions with the technical team, Jacob relentlessly drives to solve problems to meet the multifaceted needs of the project. His current role requires strong functional consultant skills, including process mapping and application configuration. Supplementary to the functional consultant skillset, Jacob interacts daily with the technical team to ensure our application enhancements meet the clients' needs. If he cannot solve himself, he will make sure to find the person who can. He approaches each challenge with a positive mindset, which directly reflects onto the other team members, contributing to fostering a collaborative, passionate environment at Corterra. Q&A Q: What is your favorite part about working at Corterra Solutions? My favorite part about Corterra Solutions is having the ability to continue building and expanding my technology expertise to continuously bridge the gap between business and technology. By applying our expertise in technology to the current and future needs of our clients, we continue to prove ourselves as valued and trusted business partners. Q: What are 3 words to describe Corterra Solutions? Dependable, progressive, stimulating Q: How do you like to spend your time when you are not working? When I am not servicing our clients, I enjoy getting my daily dose of physical activity. This helps me mentally reset and provides a platform that I can build upon for the rest of the day. I also relish in any opportunity to travel the world. I believe that experiencing the diversity of people and cuisine are what really make life special!

As many people start to use Teams, a common question we get is, "how do I go back to a message later? I am in too many channels and cannot keep it all straight". Luckily, you can bookmark messages in Teams. Here is how you do it. If you hover a message and click the three dots you'll see "Save this message". Click that and it will bookmark it. Then if you go to the search bar at the top and type in "/saved" and enter it will show you all of your bookmarked messages There is also another way in which you can navigate to your saved messages. See the following article from Microsoft Support here. Always are new and exciting features to find in Microsoft Teams!

Note: Microsoft Teams interface constantly changes. This post was originally written in 2021 so your experience may differ. Ever been in a Teams meeting where the content was a bit too small when someone shared their screen? Wouldn't it be nice if there was an alternative viewing mode to make it full screen? There is an option for this! Problem As many of us continue to work remotely in this new normal, Microsoft Teams is being used more than ever. This includes voice and video conferencing, but, maybe even more important, content sharing. Sometimes though, the content being shared is too small. Whether attributed by the monitor/resolution of the person sharing, or the person consuming, spending time adjusting screen size to accommodate all in the meeting is a waste of time. Luckily, there is a solution. Solution When in a Teams meeting, click on the ellipses in the upper right. Here you will find two viewing modes, Focus and Full Screen. Focus focuses on the current presenter's screen, removing the bottom row of other meeting attendees Full Screen makes the teams meeting full screen Additionally, there is a hidden viewing mode. You can zoom in on the content if you hold down the CTRL key and "scroll" in and out...similar to zooming in and out on a webpage by holding down CTRL. Try these out next time you're in a meeting sharing content.

Since joining the Corterra Solutions team 6 years ago, Osvaldo has played an integral role in the development of many mission critical applications that are deployed across the Corterra Solutions portfolio. Osvaldo is a technical thought leader that brings a deep understanding of software engineering concepts, and expertise in both .Net and JavaScript development to the Corterra Solutions team. In addition to his technical expertise, he plays a pivotal role as a technical liaison between internal functional and technical teams, while providing technical mentorship to his peers and other junior members of the Corterra Solutions team. Day-in and day-out, Osvaldo addresses each challenge with genuine curiosity and positive energy, that has a way of naturally lifting up and encouraging other members of the team. Q&A Q: What's your favorite part about working at Corterra Solutions? The culture. Our team has a genuine passion for technology and solving complex problems. We have a very collaborative environment that helps us not only provide the best solutions to our Clients, but brings out the best in myself and the rest of the team. Q: What are 3 words to describe Corterra Solutions? Collaborative Challenging (in a good way!) Exciting Q: How do you like to spend your time when you aren't working? I like to keep up on the latest technology and trends, especially new and emerging languages, development frameworks and anything new in the world of Azure and Dynamics 365. I also love to travel. Although I haven't been doing too much of it lately due to Covid, my wife and I generally like to travel to new and interesting places. Most recently, we traveled to Colorado to ski for the first time! Q: What are a few interesting things about you that people might not know? I was part of a dance group when I was younger, but since that didn't work out, I thought that application development would be a better use of my time! I also enjoy horseback riding on the weekend.

Corporate Rebrand Ushers in New Era Marked by Expanded Leadership Team, New Office Space and Hiring Corterra Solutions, formerly Heartland Business Systems, today announced it has rebranded with a new corporate name and identity. The change ushers in a new era for the 26-year-old company. “While stepping away from our legacy name was a difficult choice, we’re excited that our new image strongly reflects the expertise of our people and caliber of services we deliver,” said Ted Lindholm, President of Corterra Solutions. “Our reputation for exceptional technology consulting and client service has guided every step of our rebrand. Corterra ­– which translates to ‘Heartland’ – builds on this legacy by offering an expanded portfolio of cloud and digital services to address our clients’ technology challenges.” To support its global client base, Corterra is hiring for several open positions, including Solution Architect, Business Systems Analyst and Software Developer. Corterra’s new corporate identity, website and flexible work environment, along with progressive workplace culture initiatives, ­are part of a strategy to become an employer of choice for business technology consulting services. Corterra is conveniently located in new office space at Arboretum Lakes in Lisle just off Interstate 88 at Route 53. Founded in 1994 by Mike and Lynda Kelch, Corterra strengthened its leadership team with recent hires who bring extensive experience in operations, finance, and analytics to Corterra. Ted Lindholm, a former US Navy officer, brings significant career successes including leading the digital transformation of numerous global manufacturing organizations and engineering a financial and operational turnaround for an aerospace and defense business. Sue Pittacora joins as Client Service Executive bringing expertise in finance, analytics and business transformation. She has a broad breadth of experience having led multiple global centers of excellence at McDonald’s Corporation in the areas of analytics, insights and operations measurement. In addition, she is a CPA, and began her career at EY leading financial and IT systems audits. Shawn McCormick, who also joins as a Client Service Executive, most recently served as strategy and operations leader for a global consulting firm. At Corterra, he leads continuous improvement initiatives that drive cost savings and optimize value from technology and infrastructure investments for clients.

As a Microsoft partner, Corterra is Microsoft certified in technologies that unlock competitive advantages for our clients. Congratulations to our team members who recently attained certifications! Application Platform and Infrastructure

The Corterra team is pleased to spotlight team member Mike Matook. Currently, Mike Matook functions as an Infrastructure Lead. He leads a variety of platform and infrastructure projects. Notably, he is currently leading and supporting the technology infrastructure for an on-premises deployment of Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations in a co-location for the U.S. division of a government contractor. Mike is educated in Information Technology from Governor's State University. Upon joining the Corterra team in May 2016, Mike functioned as a Systems Administrator. In this role, he serviced a variety of client needs. Duties in this role spanned from help desk support to new server implementations to upgrading existing technology infrastructure. During this time, Mike gained valuable experience across a wide range of technology to support clients ever changing needs. As client needs shift from on-premises technology infrastructure, to cloud and hybrid models, Mike has supplemented his hands-on experience with Microsoft certifications. He is currently a Microsoft certified Modern Desktop Administrator Associate and certified in Implementing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions Over time Mike has taken on ever more challenging projects and responsibilities. He has earned these responsibilities through his passion for solving client issues while maintaining a positive attitude through stressful times, one of his key traits. In his current role, he has expertise in a wide range of technology infrastructure and platform. He has embraced the transition to the cloud as a fantastic opportunity to help our client's businesses. With this, he has expertise in Microsoft 365, Azure AD, Azure Endpoint Manager, Azure Advanced Threat Protection and more. Q&A Q: What is your favorite part about working at Corterra Solutions? My favorite part of Corterra Solutions is the opportunities. We service a wide array of clients that all have unique needs so there is always an opportunity to learn something new and apply it to a solution. Q: What are three words to describe Corterra Solutions? White Glove Treatment Q: How do you like to spend your time when you are not working? When I’m not at work, I love traveling with my girlfriend to unique places and getting immersed in diverse cultures. I also like staying active, playing soccer, enjoying the outdoors, and all things music. Q: What is a fun, interesting fact about you? I hiked the 4-day Inca trail in Peru with my family for my mom’s birthday. Q: Can you tell us two truths and one lie? I’m a diehard Manchester United fan, I love cheese, I’m left-handed