What's New!

CGS Provides Customized Solution for WBCs
When CGS learned of the challenges faced by Women’s Business Centers in trying to stay ahead of new reporting requirements and tracking past submissions we developed a new module to manage their requirements.

If your organization is faced with integrating new or existing systems talk to us first. Learn more about how we can provide fundamental technology and process analysis that can greatly increase the impact of your software solution.

EDMIS Reporting Module Now Available for US SBDCs
CGS has developed an add-on module for TEA to greatly simplify the task of EDMIS reporting! Auto-populating program data forms (641, 888, 2226) will improve accuracy and reduce the time it takes for you to complete the reporting process. In addition, it creates the XML file for upload into the EDMIS2 system based on the established standards from SBA.

This module is very user-friendly and will allow organizations to maintain historical quarterly EDMIS2 data submissions in addition to providing an auto verification of the file to ensure it meets all data requirements provided by SBA. Contact us today to learn how we can help you implement this module and enhance your organizational reporting!

The Office of Entrepreneurial Development (OED) has developed electronic Form 641 to replace paper intake forms for counseling services.  It eventually expects service providers to enter such information into the central Entrepreneurial Development Management Information System (EDMIS) database, which OED will manage.

This information is from the SBA site. For more information go to: http://www.sba.gov/ed/ or for SBA forms go to: http://www.sba.gov/library/forms.html

New Support Documents Are Now Available
Check out our Document Library section on the TEA website to see the latest additions, including Global Interest Update and Credit Bureau Reporting. See Quick Help in this issue for more details on newly added support documents.

Also—don’t forget about our Online Forums available through TEA Support online!

Regional Training for Ontario Community Futures Development Corporations Begins in January 2006 Group training sessions for Advanced TEA Users have been scheduled across Ontario. These advanced, 2-day training sessions are being offered in various locations throughout Ontario beginning on January 23, 2006.

The cost of the training sessions is being covered by the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations (OACFDC), FedNor and Industry Canada. Any organization belonging to the OACFDC may sign up members of their staff for the training session nearest them. Individual organizations are responsible for travel, accommodations, meals and other costs for each of their trainees attending the session.

Don't wait until it's too late... Space in each session is limited. Register early to avoid disappointment!

View the Course Outline (PDF) or the Current Schedule.

Strategies for Data Protection

All around the world in 2005 we have seen some very extreme weather conditions. Often these conditions result in power failures—or sometimes even property damage. If your office was affected in this way, would you be prepared? There are many things that you can do to help protect your valuable data so that you would be able to recover quickly from emergencies.

Uninterrupted Power Supplies, regular back ups and off-site storage are just a few ways you can ensure that critical data and your investment of time does not go to waste.

If you do not currently have a data protection strategy in place, we urge you to make this a priority. You can compress and archive your data files for a short term solution however, we recommend that you review some options for disk and tape storage and examine the value of the data you wish to protect.  

Amortization Schedules

In the past few weeks, we have had various requests from our TEA clients who would like to know more about how they can make amortization schedules work for them. TEA’s Amortization Schedule Workshop gives you the power to accommodate your clients with terms that are as unique as they are! For example, you can easily manage payments for seasonal businesses or enable interest only payments for start ups.

New Tutorial Now Available
Refer to the Amortization Schedule Workshop tutorial to find out how to Refinance a Loan and Setup a New Amortization Schedule, or sign up for a Spring Mini Course designed especially to provide you with detailed instruction about Amortization Schedules, Delinquency Reporting, Working with Non-Performing Loans, Simplified Refinancing and much more!

Please note that Mini Courses are not scheduled at this time. A notice will be sent out as soon as dates are finalized.