Arise Software Ltd

Jan 2016

Want access to GDMA from anywhere there's an internet connection? Frustrated with paying for new servers? Relying on your tech geeks a bit too much?

No servers, No installation, No networking, No technical setup. We can have you up and running within minutes - all that is required is a Microsoft account.

Back in August 2015 we had an goal of achieving cloud based applications. Thanks to Microsoft New Zealand it is now possible.

For our existing customers, pricing ^{(to be confirmed)} is from $49 NZD per month per user. ^{This includes having the database in Microsoft Cloud (standard account), Premium Azure RemoteApp User Account (the prices displayed on the main Azure RemoteApp website are for standard, average powered accounts) and GDMA. $49 option requires a minimum of 5 users per month as at 12-Jan-2016.}

If you are interested in a demo, please send us your Microsoft Account email and go here https://www.remoteapp.windowsazure.com/en/clients.aspx to download the application to access GDMA Cloud.

Aug 2015

Yes, mid to late 2016 we will be looking at having a "cloud" version of GDMA. What this means for you is no longer having to have technical support for GDMA and it's database - we will take care of it all for you.

Reports, such as statements and cheques, will be downloaded as PDFs to your computer.

Possibilities:

- providing access to your trustees,

- being able to administer your trust almost *anywhere.

- using GDMA at AGMs!

*As long as you have a decent internet connection - you will be all good to go.

The Application

GDMA (GDMA is GDPro, re-developed to not use MS Access) core purpose is to maintain an ownership register, process successions, distributions and payments. It is an event-driven application ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Event-driven_programming ) written in a programming language called C# using Microsoft WinForms ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Forms ) technology.

Due to Microsoft stopping support for Windows XP, we recommend that GDMA is installed on a desktop computer that uses Windows 7 or above.

The Database

The application uses Microsoft SQL Server to store and process the information that the GDMA application uses.

SQL Server can be used on almost any Windows machine (as the free version will cope with a certain about of demands) as long as other machines can “talk” to it with a reasonable amount of network throughput.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/sql-server-editions/

Networked or Standalone

For performance reasons, the application is designed for Local Area Networks (LAN), if the data is to be shared amongst many desktop computers. That is MS SQL Server is installed on a server and the application is installed on desktop computers, within the same LAN.

The application can also work on a standalone environment where both MS SQL Server and the application is installed on a single desktop computer.

No Network but require Multi-User Access

If a network is not available and multiple user access to the application is required, then having a Desktop as a Server (DaaS) https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=desktop+as+a+service&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=Xkm1VfnAEoLEmAX0-Z_YBA\  allows for multiuser access without the need of a local network.

We do not currently offer Cloud/DaaS services. However we did approach the following businesses regarding providing online services:

Houston Technology Group - Hamilton http://www.htg.co.nz/

Elite Business Systems - Hamilton http://www.elite.co.nz/

SoftSource http://www.softsource.co.nz/ . We have had good Cloud experience with SoftSource in Auckland.

We have written considerations for such online services here: /post/2015/07/22/gdma-for-the-cloud-considerations

Your Own Services

Another option is have your own server with a fibre connection and provide your own Remote Desktop Services https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_Desktop_Services

We are still waiting for fibre connection, so unable to provide adequate Remote Desktop Services at this stage.

Accessing data from remote SQL Server from a local PC

Regarding installing the application on a desktop machine and have it connect to a remote MS SQL Server outside the local area network is not viable due to the large amounts of data traffic that would be required for reporting and other data intensive processes. We may upgrade GDMA ( http://www.codeproject.com/Questions/585959/Datapluscommunicationsplus-plusWinformsplustoplusd ) to take advantage of this scenario in future.

Having database replication (https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms151198.aspx) – that is databases on other desktop computers sharing their data – is not supported on the GDMA/GDPro database due to the data structures and the significant amount of work to update the application to adhere to replicated data structure changes. This time is better put into online technologies.

Web Version of GDMA

Current we are doing online grants (which can be seen at http://arisesoftware.co.nz ) which is expected to take until the end of 2015. Depending on the success from this, we will take it further to having an online version of GDMA.

The differences mainly is the technology behind the scenes and that GDMA has all the new development invested in it. We kept GDPro for our customers that prefer no change. You will get both versions – however GDPro requires MS Access 2012 32 bit or before. It will not work with MS Access 2013, hence GDMA.

GDMA can support unlimited trusts if expanding to the non-free version of the database technology (away from SQL Express) and have sufficient computing power available. In terms of pricing for over 5 trusts, we can do $0.05 per owner record (of all owner records in the database) for the annual support fee or the standard annual support fee – whichever is greater. This will allow for up to 28,000 owner records irrespective of the number of trusts that will be covered by the standard annual support fee. (as at Aug 2015)

An alternative is we can do change of details, successions (when we are notified), dividends and pass on payment details to your nominated accountant at an annual fee based on per owner record. Materials (such as postage for mail outs) are additional.

Please have IT run the applications inside these zip files:

http://arisesoftware.co.nz/files/GDProReportingv2.zip
This installs the following files to allow the GDPro ad-hoc reporting work in GDMA:

It also will place GDProReporting.exe and GDPro.scm into C:\Program Files (x86)\GDPro (for 64bit machines) or C:\Program Files\GDPro (for 32 bit machines)

http://arisesoftware.co.nz/files/ActiveReportsSP4.zip
ActiveReports is the technology we use for reporting.

Application Purpose

• To provide software that is installed on a server to process scanned documents that have special barcodes on them called QR Code, for linking into GDPro/GDMA.

Process Overview

• The QR Code is created in GDMA

The QR Code contains information such as the Shareholder ID, document date and what the document is for (such as a succession document, for example)

The QR Code’s information is used to name the scanned file and the filename is used to link the file to GDMA.

• QR Code printed onto an adhesive label

• The QR Code label placed on the document

• The document is scanned

• The scanner renames the document according to the QR Code and places the document into a predefined area for processing

• The GSA (GDMA Scanning Agent software) processes the documents, according to its filename, and links it to the appropriate shareholder(s) records.

Arise GDMA Scanning Agent Manual Aug 2015.pdf (842.1KB)

This is used to see the rate of unpaid dividends over time. The goal is to have the unpaid percentage as low as possible.

The unpaid percentage is the total unclaimed for that year divided by the total distributions made to date. For example, for 2003 there are $128,216 unclaimed to date. The total distributions to date for that period are $150,000. Therefore the unpaid percentage is $128,216 divided by $150,000.

Each year, the total distributions will typically increase.

Best viewed in full screen mode.

Select then
The top section to be as follows:

The lower section:

Then press