NEWSLETTER QUICK LINKS
Please utilize the Quick Links below to jump directly to the news that interests you.
Bennett/Porter News
No doubt about it, summer is in full swing! While the sun’s out and vacation plans may be calling, it’s also the perfect time to take stock of what’s powering your business behind the scenes. Our summer newsletter brings you the latest on Acumatica’s major acquisition, a renewed commitment to Sage 100 support, smarter time tracking with People Savvy HCM, and key IT deadlines you can’t afford to miss. Whether you’re planning your next upgrade or just trying to stay one step ahead, we’re here to help you make this summer count.
At Bennett/Porter, “People Inspiring Solutions” is more than just a tagline – it’s the driving force behind everything we do. Our personable approach and exceptional customer service make us the ideal partner for your business, providing tailored digital solutions for your enterprise, HR, and IT needs.
Acumatica News
Acumatica’s $2B Acquisition Signals a New Era for Mid-Market ERP.
Acumatica just made headlines with its $2 billion acquisition by Vista Equity Partners, a major move that signals strong confidence in the future of cloud ERP. Vista is well known for accelerating the growth of software companies, and their investment in Acumatica points to one clear message: modern ERP built for scale and flexibility is the future. For Acumatica users and businesses exploring their next system, this deal brings renewed momentum, deeper resources, and a path to even more innovation.
What makes this acquisition especially exciting is that Vista didn’t just invest in software. They invested in a thriving ecosystem. Acumatica’s value-added reseller channel is one of the strongest in the ERP space. These partners are not just implementation consultants; they are vertical specialists who understand industry-specific needs and guide companies through real change. Vista’s support is expected to expand this network and elevate the value Acumatica delivers across retail, manufacturing, construction, and distribution.
If your business is currently relying on disconnected systems or struggling to scale with outdated tools, this is the time to re-evaluate. Acumatica’s platform was designed for integration and agility from day one. With Vista’s backing, that foundation becomes even stronger. The focus is now clearer than ever: help businesses modernize faster, automate smarter, and connect more easily to the tools they already use. For small and midsize businesses ready to grow, Acumatica is quickly becoming recognized as the most strategic ERP investment on the market.
Learn more about Acumatica with Bennett/Porter HERE.
Sage 100 News
Staying Committed to Sage 100: Our Continued Dedication
The ERP Software Reseller world is buzzing with mergers and acquisitions, leading to an increasing variety of software being supported. Sage 100 often gets overlooked, but we’re here to let you know we’re still committed to selling and supporting it. Last month, we even added Justus Harris to our Sage 100 ERP Team. Justus has years of experience in Sage 100 and, despite being with us for less than a month, his expertise far exceeds his time here.
Many Sage 100 resellers across the nation are letting their attention to Sage lag as they invest heavily in other software packages like Sage Intaact, Acumatica, and Netsuite. We, too, invested in Acumatica over 10 years ago, when we realized that one financial software package can’t do everything clients might need. While our Acumatica clients are doing well, we have remained firmly dedicated to our Sage 100 practice. For instance, we started hosting Sage 100 13 years ago in our secure Hillsboro, Oregon facility. Just last year, we achieved SOC2 Certification for hosting Sage 100, making us an Authorized Sage 100 Hosting Cloud Partner. We’re proud of this achievement that we see as a great benefit to our clients whose businesses rely on Sage and who wish to make it more versatile and stable by having it Cloud-enabled.
Recently, we’ve been getting calls from other Sage 100 reseller clients who want us to support their Sage 100 software. It seems their existing resellers are spending more time and energy on their new software packages than on their existing Sage 100 clients. We won’t do that. We have a dedicated Sage 100 team that focuses solely on supporting Sage 100 and does an excellent job. With over 37 years of experience selling and supporting Sage 100, we’re truly passionate about it.
One way we protect our clients (and ourselves!) is to wait until the first Product Update comes out for each version. These updates are usually corrections to the initial version. Many years ago, we upgraded clients to new versions as soon as they were released – even occasionally offering Beta Testing before the release. We went through a lot of pain until Sage finally released ‘corrections’ updates. Our clients also went through a lot of pain, if not more than we did, with those first version releases. Now, we ask our clients to wait until the first Product Update comes out so that someone else can be the pioneer, and our clients can remain as stable as possible.
With that strategy in mind, we’re expecting Product Update 1 for Sage 100 v2025 to be released between the 17th and the 24th of this month, and we’re already scheduling clients to be upgraded. If you’re interested in upgrading, please give Carina Sims in our office a call and we’ll get you scheduled.
People Savvy HCM News
Why Time Tracking Is One of Our Favorite Modules to Implement
People Savvy HCM is a powerful, versatile tool. It has unique modules to help any business—but time tracking consistently delivers, from our experience, the biggest transformation. That’s because outdated methods like manual entry, paper timesheets, and spreadsheets slow things down and quietly cost companies time, money, and trust.
Those inefficiencies, trickle into everything: payroll disputes, missed breaks, compliance concerns, and employee burnout. It’s a silent frustration that impacts morale and retention—especially in industries where every hour matters. People Savvy HCM’s Time & Labor Management (TLM) tools were built to change that.
Our TLM module makes time tracking smarter, faster, and easier for both employees and managers. Workers can clock in from the field or from their phone, view their schedules in real time, and track time-off balances without needing HR intervention. Managers get automatic alerts for compliance issues, built-in audit tools, and fewer headaches on payroll day. It’s designed for the way people actually work today: mobile, distributed, and fast-paced. According to Deloitte, businesses using automated time tracking cut payroll processing time by up to 30%. That’s a lot of savings, and even better, it’s breathing room for your whole team.
When time tracking works, it creates clarity. It builds accountability. It empowers employees and gives leaders the visibility they need to do their jobs with confidence. That’s why Time Tracking is one of our favorite features. TLM changes how the entire business operates with something as simple as a punch-in.
Curious what it could do for your team? Visit benpor.com/hr-software to explore more.
BP/IT News
Upcoming Microsoft End of Support Dates in 2025 and 2026
While the major focus this year has been on the end of support for Windows 10 (have you updated those workstations yet?), there are a handful of other critical deadlines for core business software from Microsoft that businesses and users like you should know.
What Does End of Support Mean?
End of support refers to the date when Microsoft ceases to provide updates, security patches, and technical support for a product. Products that have reached their end-of-support phase remain operational but become increasingly vulnerable to security threats and bugs. Moreover, organizations relying on unsupported software risk non-compliance with industry regulations.
Upcoming End-of-Support “Highlights” for 2025
Here is the list of Microsoft products reaching end of support this year that you should be aware of:
Windows 10
Windows 10 Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Education editions are set to reach their end-of-support milestone on October 14, 2025. You may have received one or two emails (or ten) from us about this. The market share of Windows 10 makes this a more massive undertaking than any previous Windows version’s retirement and time—and inventory—is running short!
Exchange Server 2016 and 2019
While many of our clients have migrated to cloud-based email (primarily Microsoft 365), if you’re still running a mail server on-premise, Microsoft is severely limiting your on-premise options. On October 14, 2025, Exchange Server 2016 and 2019 will also reach their end of support. This means that the only remaining on-premise version under support will be the subscription based “Exchange Server SE,” which has not even been fully released as of the end of June.
Given that most people still retaining on-premise email servers are doing so to prevent on-going costs, a subscription version that they also have to maintain and manage themselves isn’t an appealing option.
Mail migrations are hard, and moving from an on-premise server to Microsoft 365 introduces several additional layers of complexity and challenge to pull off smoothly. BP/IT has handled dozens of these migrations and is here to help if you find yourself under the gun with the Exchange end of support dates.
Office 2016 and 2019
Much like Exchange, Microsoft is ending support for both the 2016 and 2019 versions of Office, leaving a huge chunk of businesses in need of upgrading. Unlike Exchange, though, there are two perpetual/volume licensing versions that will still be supported: 2021 and 2024. It’s worth noting that 2021’s support will also end in October of 2026.
If you’re left potentially having to migrate to Microsoft 365 for email, it’s also a good opportunity to look at a full 365 suite to replace your old perpetual app versions as well.
Steps to Prepare for End of Support
Preparing for the end of support requires proactive planning and execution. Below are some actionable steps to help users and businesses navigate these transitions:
- Audit Existing Systems: Conduct a thorough review of your software inventory to identify products nearing their end-of-support dates.
- Assess Upgrade Options: Explore newer versions of software or cloud-based alternatives that offer enhanced features and security.
- Budget for Transitions: Allocate funds for software upgrades, cloud migrations, or technical support to ensure smooth transitions.
- Engage IT Teams: Collaborate with IT specialists to plan and execute migrations effectively while minimizing disruptions.
- Educate Users: Train employees and stakeholders about changes to operating systems, software tools, and cloud platforms to optimize adoption.
Acting Sooner Than Later Matters
While end of support dates aren’t exactly a ticking timebomb that will make your systems stop functioning at 12:01AM that day, delaying updates or migrations until after end-of-support dates can expose systems to critical risks, including cyberattacks, data breaches, and regulatory non-compliance. We all remember WannaCry, which did indeed make people running old, unsupported versions of Windows want to cry.
Conclusion
This is the largest combined chunk of software hitting end of support at once in a very long time, partially due to Microsoft trying to drive people to subscription-based services by aggressively ending support for multiple versions at once. If you haven’t started your necessary replacements and migrations yet—or even started planning for them—it’s not too late yet, but the window is closing fast.
Contact us today to discuss your options and secure your IT future as Windows 10 support comes to an end. Let Bennett/Porter help you make the best decision for your business continuity and growth. We are committed to making your transition seamless and protecting your business from potential security risks associated with outdated systems.
