| Over the past couple of years, we have been talking about a major overhaul to our CIMS Cemetery Software. Our intent is to allow users to have access to their cemetery records through "the cloud". This means that you will be able to use your CIMS data from any Internet connected computer or tablet. We are calling this product CIMS Cloud. CIMS Cloud will be available with or without mapping, which means that both CIMS and CIMS Light users will be able to take advantage of this new platform. Through the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015, our team has been making great progress on CIMS Cloud and are hoping to release it in the near future. We know there are a lot of questions about CIMS Cloud, and have tried to answer some key ones here. Frequently Asked Questions about CIMS Cloud: Q: Will I be able to do everything I can right now through CIMS or CIMS Light with CIMS Cloud?  A: Our goal is to replicate all functionality in CIMS and CIMS Light for CIMS Cloud. Q: Will CIMS Cloud work with Quickbooks? A: Because CIMS Cloud is a web based program, we will integrate our software with Quickbooks Online. Similar to CIMS Cloud, Quickbooks Online allows you to access your data from any Internet connected computer. Q: How will I back up my data? A: You will no longer need to back up data yourself. It will automatically be backed up online on a continuous basis on our servers. However, you will still have the ability to download a complete copy of your data anytime you want. Q: What will it cost for me to Upgrade to CIMS Cloud? A: If you are current on your maintenance costs for CIMS and CIMS Light, there will be no cost to upgrade. Going forward, instead of your Annual Maintenance Fee, there will be an Annual Hosting Fee. This new annual cost will be comparable to the cost you are paying for maintenance right now.  Q: How will CIMS Cloud be licensed? A: CIMS Cloud will be licensed based upon the number of user accounts that you want to have access to your data. We will convert existing desktop licenses into user licenses. For example, a cemetery that currently has CIMS licensed on three PC's will be licensed for three online users. It is important to note that if you want two people using CIMS Cloud at the same time, it will require two separate user licenses. Q: What are the advantages of using CIMS Cloud? A: The biggest advantage of using CIMS Cloud is that your data is available anywhere you have an Internet connection. Accessing your CIMS data will be as simple as going to a website and entering your username and password. Another advantage of CIMS Cloud is that you never have to worry about installing software on your computer or applying any annual updates. You get to spend more time using CIMS, and less time installing it and maintaining the computers that run it! Q: I'm not comfortable with my data in the cloud, are there any options for me?
A: We intend to sell and support both CIMS and CIMS Light for the foreseeable future. We realize that some cemeteries currently do not have reliable internet access and they also need software to manage their cemetery.
 Q: If I have a problem with CIMS Cloud, how will it be supported? A: We will continue to provide support in the same manner that we do now. We will still have the ability to utilize screen sharing technology so that we can look at CIMS Cloud together with you. The difference with CIMS Cloud will be that you will never need to apply any updates or bug fixes, as we handle all of that on our end. Q: When will I be able to switch? A: We are anticipating having this product ready to be used by this summer and will begin switching clients by the end of 2015. |
