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V7.028 is on our website and can be downloaded
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From Kevin AM-Win programming Director.
 Mid Last year we purchased the latest Version 6 of the Clarion which is the language we use to produce our
Am-Win software package.
Soon to be released, Version 7.5 AM-WIN has been built with this language and offers a vast array of
enhancements especially in the areas of email
and internet connectivity, along with a range of other benefits that Am-Win users will see come into our software in the near future.
As well as a host of new features, many things that the programmers
at AM-Win have no control over that annoy both us and our users, have been addressed and this will
allow for an even smoother and more solid Am-win.
I'm sure that that our customers will be very happy with the changes in
Am-Win over the next 12 months as Am-Win enters into a new era of development.
Once we bring AM-Win into the latest technology language we will then be leaping forward and developing
Am-Win Version 8 using a much stronger and more powerful platform,
that will enable us to continue to provide our users with the best workshop and parts management system in Australia.
It is a very exciting time where many previously 'impossible' things will become possible and many of those very hard to do things will be much easier.
Good News - Bad News from the ATO
One of our team received a newsletter from her accountant this month with the following two articles and
she thought they were relevant
enough to pass them on.
Now bear in mind that while we know that the information has been provided by an accountant
we take no responsibility for its accuracy - if you think that either of the articles affect you then check their relevancy, accuracy and their
connotations to your business with your own accountant.
Husband & wife partnerships get “the nod” from ATO
The ATO has finally come out and stated that its anti-avoidance legislation would not apply to
a typical
husband and wife partnership
where there are no unusual features, despite earlier threats to the contrary.
Under such an arrangement, a husband and wife conduct a business in partnership and share
equally in profits and losses, notwithstanding that
only one party performs the bulk of the work. However, the arrangement also has the very real financial
consequence of exposing each partner
to full liability for the debts of the partnership.
The ATO accepts that the arrangement is a partnership in form and in substance and it is a way for the husband and wife to conduct business
over the longer term. This outcome is a common sense relief for small business.
Interest and dividend checks
Each year the ATO runs an income matching program whereby information supplied by banks, other financial institutions, companies,
Centrelink and employers are matched with taxpayer’s returns to check that interest and dividends (including
distributions from managed funds)
are correctly reported.
Last year around 36 million records were matched raising additional revenue of $176
million from some 320,000 taxpayers who had failed to report
income. The ATO expects to match 40 million records this year.
 PRIVACY LAWS AND IF/HOW THEY AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS
By John
Jeffrey- Director AM-Win Software.
In the past, there has been very little legal protection of the personal information of individual in private sector
organisations in Australia.
The Privacy Act 1988 applied only to Commonwealth agencies, credit providers, credit reporting agencies and organizations who held tax file number information.
The Telecommunications Act 1997 was similarly limited, as were scattered privacy codes in particular industries. State legislative provisions lacked force and also tended to be restricted in application. Common law protection for personal information did not protect the privacy of individuals beyond the relationships in which they applied.
However, commercial pressure from the European Union (which prohibits the transmission of personal information from the EU to nations with lower privacy protection levels) and public pressure have led to increasing Federal Government concern.
With amendments to the Act commencing on December 21 last year, businesses should urgently consider how the new rules affect them.
The new rules
A recent survey found that 74 per cent of businesses had not yet started preparing for the new rules and that a staggering 91 per cent had insufficient information to get ready.
Before deciding whether or not the new laws will cover a business’s activities, many small and medium enterprises will have to decide whether or not they are covered by the new laws at all. As the Privacy Commissioner says (in information sheet No.
12)
- A small business with an annual turnover of $3 million or less is a small business operator and so not covered by the Privacy Act unless it:
- Is related to a business (i.e. its holding business or any subsidiary business) that has an annual turnover of greater than $3 million; or
- Provides health services and holds health information other than in an employee record;
- Discloses personal information about another individual to anyone else for benefit, service or advantage (unless it has the consent of the individual concerned or is required or authorised to do so under legislation); or
- Provides a benefit, service or advantage to collect personal information about an individual form anyone else (unless it has the consent of the individual or is required to do so under legislation); or
- Is a contracted service provider for a Commonwealth contract (even if it is not a party to the contract): or is prescribed by regulation; or opts into the legislation.
The 10 Principles
The cornerstone of the amendments is the 10 National Privacy Principles (NPP’s).
Unless they are exempt, organizations are required to comply with these, but the good news is there is a graduate rollout period. The principles govern the “life cycle” of personal information, from collection through use to disposal. In summary:
- Collection
An organization must not collect personal information unless it is necessary for its functions or activities. It must only collect this information in a fair and lawful way and generally, it must have the individual’s consent.
- Use and disclosure
An organization must not use personal information for a secondary purpose (i.e. a purpose other than the one for which it was collected) without the individual’s consent – unless the secondary purpose is related to the primary purpose and the individual would expect the use to be made. Exceptions exist for direct marketing, public health and safety, and law enforcement.
- Data quality
An organization must take reasonable steps to make sure that the personal information it collects, uses or discloses is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
- Data security
An organization must take reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access and use. It must destroy or permanently de-identify personal information when it is no longer required.
- Openness
An organization must prepare and make available its policies for the management of personal information. On request, it must disclose in general terms what sort of personal information it holds, for what purposes, and how it collects, holds uses and discloses that information.
- Access and Correction
Generally, with some exceptions, an organisation must give individuals about whom it holds personal information access to such information and must not charge an unreasonable fee for doing so.
- Identifiers
An organisation must not use government identifiers, such as Medicare or tax file numbers, as its own identifiers for individuals
- Anonymity
Wherever it is lawful and practicable, individuals must have the option of remaining anonymous when entering into transactions
- Transborder data flows
Generally, an organization can only transfer personal information outside Australia without the consent of an individual if it reasonably believes the information will be given a similar level of protection as under the NPP’s
- Sensitive Information
With some exceptions, and organisation must not collect sensitive information (information on and individual’s race or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences or practices criminal record, or health information).
Exemptions from the application of NPPs include:
- Small business operators (as mentioned);
- Employee records held by an organisation
- Acts done by a media organisation in the course of journalism at a time when the organisation has publicly committed to observe a standard
- Many practices of politicians, political parties, their contractors and volunteers;
- Commonwealth Government agencies (already covered elsewhere in the Act), and State and Territory authorities, as well as certain prescribed instruments.
What to do now
Here’s a basic guide to assist businesses preparing for the new law. By following these steps, most businesses should be able to implement the new law with a minimum of difficulty.
Start at the top
A key to getting privacy right is starting to “think” privacy.
To some degree, this will require cultural changes within businesses and, like all cultural changes, this will have to begin at the top, with management.
Management must be committed to getting privacy right. Ideally, one person should be chosen to be responsible for privacy and be empowered by management to drive the privacy implementation. In large businesses, it may be desirable to have a dedicated privacy officer.
The involvement of management in the implementation process will not only “set the tone” for the business, it will also ensure that there is a driving and authoritative force to the implementation process.
The management and the privacy officer must develop an understanding of the NPPs and how they apply to their particular business.
Review
The substance of privacy implementation begins with a review of how your business deals with personal information. There are two fundamental questions to ask:
- What do we do with personal information now?
- What do we need to do to comply with NPPs?
What do we do with personal information now?
You must review all of the information the business currently possesses, including:
- Databases which store personal information, including marketing lists;
- Files on customers and employees, including surveys;
- Correspondence relating to personal information, including any disclosures of personal information and any notifications to individuals is being held by the business;
- Any manuals or scripts about how information is obtained, kept or transferred;
- Policy documents relating to privacy, including privacy policies on websites;
- Training documents - for example, those relating to data security; and
- Copies of any standard contracts dealing with confidentiality of information or agreeing to transfer information.
The business must also consider how it collects, stores and uses personal information, and ask the following questions of all managers:
- Who collects the information?
- For what purpose is the information collected?
- Is the customer told the purpose when the information is collected? If so, what is the customer told?
- Who has access to the files?
- Are government-issued numbers (e.g. Medicare, Tax File Numbers) used to identify customers?
- How are the files maintained? Are they updated regularly?
- What sort of material is put on the files? Are any materials ever put on the files, which might cause embarrassment to the business if the customer sought access to the file?
- Is the personal information ever transferred? If so, how?
- Is the information in the files ever disclosed to other unrelated businesses or to other countries?
- How is information disposed of?
These questions should be put to each business unit separately and it would be unwise to rely solely on a simple questionnaire as it may become a low priority,
get pushed to the back of the pile or done in a hurry.
The privacy officer should, where possible conduct interviews personally or follow up questionnaire responses with requests for more detailed information.
The business should pay particular attention to the purpose of the collection of personal information in each instance. It should consider whether the personal information it holds is actually necessary to its operations. The impact of the new privacy law may be reduced or avoided merely by reducing the collection or use of personal information to the bare essentials.
What do we need to do to comply with NPPs?
Having assessed what personal information the business collects and how it is currently used, the privacy officer or team must consider if any is inconsistent with the NPPs, and what needs to be done to fix it.
There are two basic ways a business can rectify privacy-unfriendly behaviour. It can change the bad behaviour itself or it can put in place steps and procedures so the same behaviour is no longer inconsistent with the NPPs.
This will usually involve the business making a full and proper disclosure of all of the relevant information at the time of collection. For example, the business name and contact details and the purposes of collection, and it should obtain all the necessary customer consents (showing the customer agrees to all of the intended uses.)
Make changes!
The implementation of the new law in the individual business will require a number of changes to be made in the day-to-day procedures. It is to be expected there will be some degree of resistance at all levels.
The earlier a business starts its preparations and the more gradual the changeover, the fewer problems are likely to arise.
Businesses can reduce the amount of time and resources that will be lost in resistance to change simply by getting started as early as possible and allowing those who will be affected time to adjust.
By ensuring management ownership, and appointing a privacy officer with the right powers, businesses can ensure the changeover process has direction and can rely on more “traction” for key issues and less cynicism from staff.
At the same time, however, the nature of privacy law is that it will have the greatest impact at the levels of businesses where personal information is actually collected and used, particularly by marketing and sales staff.
Training at all levels of a business will enable employees to adapt to changes because they need to first understand why the changes are necessary. In addition, training should be designed to create a privacy-friendly culture which, given an increasingly privacy-conscious public, is likely to be an asset.
Develop a privacy policy
The final step is establishing a privacy policy or a number of related policies for use and public access. Once the review process has been undertaken and the changes made, the business can state in the form of a privacy policy what it now does with personal information.
A privacy policy should be clear and easy to understand. It should state what personal information the business collects and what it does with that information (including all disclosures that will be made). If a business implements higher levels of privacy protection than required by the NPPs, the privacy policy can draw attention to this in order to differentiate the business from competitors.
It is essential that a privacy policy accurately states what a business does with personal information. Any untrue or misleading statement in a privacy policy could render the business liable for misleading and deceptive conduct under section 52 of the Trade Practices Act.
Once a business has established a privacy policy, it must make the policy (or relevant part of it) available to the public on request. It is also a good idea to put the privacy policy on the business’s website.
Back to business
There is a range of benefits associated with compliance with the new privacy laws. Increased customer confidence and satisfaction, a growing culture of compliance among employees and marketing advantages, as a “good privacy-conscious business” are rewards that may flow from the implementation process.
However, it is important that a business should not rest on its laurels once the steps outlined have been completed. Compliance is an ongoing commitment. A business must periodically repeat the review process and continue to invest in training. It must also be vigilant to new developments in the law. The Federal Privacy Commissioner has stated that the new law is the least amount of regulation of privacy that we are ever likely to see.
AM-Win Tips
Maryanne from National Support has provided us with a comprehensive
document that covers the use of the Workshop Diary in AM-Win.
The Workshop Diary opens up automatically when you first open AM-WIN if you have this option ticked in the Control System.
In the AM-WIN Workshop Diary you can view jobs booked in for the day or for a day in the future or past, produce your
job-cards, and add extra notes for any selected day. A new function will allow you to maintain the available number of hours for work to be booked in.
Maryanne's document is a comprehensive 8 page work on the workshop
diary written in Microsoft word. The document is downloadable from here
while the newsletter is current and after that will be available only from
the support library and to those who have a current SUA.
Talking about the support library did you know that there are over 300
documents on how to use AM-Win on our website, accessible through the
support menu/ search libraries link. You will need a user name and
password to access these documents - if you haven't got one simply
register on our site [click
here] and register. If you have a current
software upgrade agreement you will be issued with a user name and
password within 24 hours.
To access the workshop library document in zip format click
here.
If you don't use winzip click
here to open the document and to print it
Both pages will open in a new window. To return to the newsletter close
the new window and this page will still be open.
Then start using your workshop diaries - 2 weeks and you'll be lost
without it.
Windows Outlook Express Tips
To follow on from John's privacy theme here's an Email Netiquette Tip
Forwarding E-Mails
Most of our clients will know about this tip but we still receive a large amount of e-mails where the mailer has decided that this e-mail is worth sharing
and blindly hits the forward button to send it to friends and associates - unfortunately with all of the mail addresses of all of the recipients of the original e-mail.
Giving away all of your friends and associates e-mail addresses is not the done thing and could be considered as an
invasion of their privacy so how do we prevent it from happening.
How can we forward an email easily without revealing the email address of all of the people listed as recipients in the original e-mail and also
make sure that we don't reveal the addresses of our friends and associates that are about to receive the forwarded e-mail from us.
Click on forward e-mail as you normally do.
Now in the new e-mail mouse over all of the mail addresses in the body of the e-mail and delete them. Now you know that the addresses will not be contained in the e-mail from you as they were when you received them.
Now hide the recipients of the email you are about to send.
Simply place the address in the BCC field of your e-mail header. BCC is a hangover from the old days and means blind carbon copy.
Now only the receiver of your e-mail will see their address and all your other recipient's names will be hidden.
Jokes
Stevie Wonder and Tiger Woods are in a restaurant having dinner. Woods turns to Wonder and says, "How's the singing career going?"
Stevie Wonder replies, "Not too bad how's the golf?" Woods replies, "Not too bad, I've had some problems with my swing, but I think I've got that going right now."
Stevie says, "I always find that when my swing goes wrong, I need to stop playing for a while and not think about it. Then, the next time I play, it seems to be all right."
Tiger says, "You play golf?"
Wonder says, "Oh, yes, I've been playing for years." Woods says, "But you're blind! How can you play golf if you can't see?"
Wonder replies, "I get my caddy to stand in the middle of the fairway and call to me. I listen for the sound of his voice and play the ball toward him. Then, when I get to where the ball lands, the caddy moves to the green or farther down the fairway and again I play the ball toward his voice"
"But how do you putt?" asks Woods. Well," says Stevie, "I get my caddy to lean down in front of the hole and call to me with his head on the ground, and I just play the ball toward his voice."
Woods asks, "What's your handicap?" Stevie says, "Well, I'm a scratch golfer." Woods, incredulous, says to Stevie, "We've got to play a round sometime."
Wonder replies, "Well, people don't take me seriously, so I only play for money, and never play for less than $10,000 a hole."
Woods, thinking he's in for some easy money replies, "OK, I'm up for that, when would you like to play?"
Stevie says, "Pick a night."
Are you the manager
A sexy woman went up to the bar in a quiet rural pub...She gestured alluringly to the bartender who approached her immediately. She seductively
signaled that he should bring his face closer to hers. As he did, she gently caressed his full beard.
"Are you the manager?" she asked, softly stroking his face with both hands.
"Actually, no," he replied.
"Can you get him for me? I need to speak to him," she said, running her hands beyond his beard and into his hair.
"I'm afraid I can't," breathed the bartender. "Is there anything I can do?"
"Yes. I need you to give him a message," she continued, running her forefinger across the bartender's lips and slyly popping a couple of her fingers into his mouth and allowing him to suck them gently.
"What should I tell him?" the bartender managed to say.
"Tell him," she whispered, "there's no toilet paper, hand soap, or paper towels in the ladies room."
I'm glad you saw this thing
from Ross Thomas in Tasmania - thanks Ross
Two elderly women were eating breakfast in a restaurant one morning. Ethel noticed something funny about Mabel's ear and she said,
Mabel, do you know you've got a suppository in your left ear?
Mabel answered, "I have a suppository in my ear?" She pulled it out and stared at it.
Then she said, "Ethel, I'm glad you saw this thing. Now I think I know where to find my hearing aid."
Have a great month
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