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| Frequently Asked Questions |
General Overview
| Q What is ACS OnDemand? |
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A ACS OnDemand is a delivery mechanism for ACS software. It is not a product; it is a service. To learn more about Software as a Service and how it can benefit your ministry, read this free article.
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| Q Who should use ACS OnDemand? |
| A ACS clients who do not want to be tethered to the office and want to have 24/7 access to their ACS data. Plus, clients who do not want to be responsible for software maintenance and server issues are also great candidates. |
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| Q What are the benefits of ACS OnDemand? |
| A Anytime, anywhere access to all your ACS data for part-time, busy, or on-the-move staff. Seamless upgrades and updates. More time to focus on your ministry and less on IT. |
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| Q How does it work? |
| A You simply access your ACS applications over the Internet. With Internet access, you log into ACS OnDemand and access your ACS programs. Your software remains the same and functions the same. |
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| Q What ACS solutions can I use with ACS OnDemand? |
| A All ACS solutions are available via ACS OnDemand. |
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| Q What are the advantages of ACS OnDemand vs. traditional ACS desktop applications? |
| A With traditional ACS desktop applications, you are responsible for handling maintenance issues from upgrades and backups to server failures. With ACS OnDemand, we manage all this for you. Plus, you get anytime, anywhere access to all your ACS data via the Internet. |
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| Q How flexible is ACS OnDemand? |
| A You can easily add or remove modules at any time to your ACS OnDemand solution. |
Getting Started
| Q How do I get started with ACS OnDemand? |
| A We have onboarding specialists to quickly and easily get you up and running with ACS OnDemand. |
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Security
| Q How secure is my data if I’m accessing it over the internet? |
| A All data is stored at a completely secure facility. Administrators, leaders, and any other assigned staff can only access the data through their ACS OnDemand login. Standard application rights and permissions limit users access to only the data and processes needed to do their jobs. |
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| Q How does ACS ensure the safety of my data? |
A To ensure your data is 100% secure and protected, we use the most up-to-date security technology, including:
- Data encryption that meets the standard security protocol for data hosting
- Firewall protection
- Remote data backups
- Secure off-site fireproof storage
- Controlled physical access to servers
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Access
| Q Are you saying that I could be on vacation with my laptop and access my ACS data with ACS OnDemand anytime, anywhere? |
| A Yes, you can access your data anywhere over the Internet. You get 24/7/365 access to all your ACS data. |
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Functionality
| Q How do my ACS desktop programs work in ACS OnDemand? |
| A All functionality is the same regardless of whether you are running your programs on the desktop or OnDemand. |
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| Q Where is my data stored? |
| A Your data is securely stored on the ACS server. You can backup your data to your local computer; however, we automatically run backups daily, weekly, and monthly for you. |
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| Q Do I lose ownership of my data? |
| A No, your data is still yours. We just store it. |
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| Q How do Access ACS and Extend interface with OnDemand? |
| A Access ACS and Extend integrate with ACS OnDemand. The ACS solutions, such as Access ACS and Extend, already on our network should have faster communication if on the “same wire.” The interfacing should be smoother with ACS OnDemand. |
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| Q Is ACS OnDemand compatible with MACs? |
| A We plan on releasing a native client soon for MAC users. Currently, you can run Parallels™ on a Mac OS™ to get a Windows® environment; then, OnDemand will run in the Windows environment. |
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| Q If I switch to OnDemand, can I still use my modules in-house as I am doing now? |
| A If you are a current client, you can switch your current modules to OnDemand; however, you can not use them in-house as you are now. You must choose either OnDemand or in-house; not both. |
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| Q Does ACS OnDemand provide for the export of data? |
| A Yes. What you can do today in terms of exporting within the ACS desktop, you can do with OnDemand. You do not lose any functionality. Everything in OnDemand works the same as on the desktop. |
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| Q Will my check reader and other peripherals work with ACS OnDemand? |
| A Almost all of the peripherals that have been tested work with OnDemand. Printers and etc. work fine. |
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| Q Explain what happens with OnDemand when multiple users try to access the same record in an ACS application. |
| A The application handles it the same as it does when ACS is installed on a local area network. This is handled by the application, not by ACS OnDemand. In the network version of ACS, the first user to access the record locks the record until finished with it. Other users trying to access the record will find that it is in use. ACS OnDemand is the delivery service—not the product. |
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| Q Is the ACS user administration handled differently? |
| A No. The user administration within your ACS programs is the same as before with your ACS desktop. As for ACS OnDemand, our Professional Services team handles the on-boarding process which includes administering OnDemand users. There are about 9-10 steps depending on the solution bundle that you purchase. |
Backup and Downtime
| Q What is the backup process for OnDemand? During backup, how long is the system down? |
| A You can still manage your own backups. However, we create daily, weekly, and monthly backups. The system is not down during backups. |
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| Q How does LiveStor relate to ACS OnDemand? |
| A ACS OnDemand is a delivery mechanism for your ACS software and includes backup services. LiveStor is a remote backup program designed to protect your most valuable data files by automatically transferring them over the Internet and storing them safely in our secure servers. Therefore, LiveStor is not needed to back up your ACS data when using OnDemand. However, you can still use LiveStor to back up your other files such as documents, spreadsheets, or pictures. |
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| Q How often do ACS’s servers go down? |
| A We have built in redundancy and resiliency to safeguard against server failures. However, anything can happen, and we can’t guarantee 100% uptime. We don’t expect down time other than planned preventive maintenance . We developed ACS OnDemand with the expectation of 24/7 uptime. |
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| Q Can you be more specific on the maintenance downtime? |
| A Preventive maintenance, if needed, is performed on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2:00-4:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). Maintenance is usually planned and announced. |
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Q How is disaster recovery handled?
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| A If there is a disaster and you have to evacuate to another location, you are ahead of the game if you use ACS OnDemand because you already have your ACS data away from your facility. All you need to recapture your data is a PC and an Internet connection. If you are a LiveStor client and are storing your other data on ACS servers, you can access your ACS data via OnDemand and restore your other data with LiveStor. |
Support
| Q What support services are offered with OnDemand? |
| A All the support and services of the ACS Preferred Client Program are included in the ACS OnDemand Solution, including unlimited access to well-trained, knowledgeable support representatives during business hours and 24/7 access to the online Knowledge Base. |
| Q What are your support hours? |
| A Normal support hours (9-8 Mon-Thur; 9-6 Fri EST) apply; unless, you choose to upgrade to the Premium Support Plan which is 24/7. |
Requirements
| Q What operating system works with ACS OnDemand? |
| A Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Professional, Windows Home, Windows Vista, or Mac 10.5 (Leopard) |
| Q What kind of Internet connection is needed for ACS OnDemand? |
| A A high speed Internet connection is recommended. You do not need heavy processing power on the local side; all processing is done at ACS. |
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| Q Is there a delay in managing the data? |
| A Your bandwidth is key to response. |
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Cost
| Q Is there a monthly service charge? |
| A Yes, based on the ACS OnDemand solution package/level and number of additional users requested. |
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| Q Is there a setup fee? |
| A Yes, the setup fee is related to the package. |
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| Q Is there a per-user fee? |
| A Each package has a set number of users (the number of users included increases as the package level increases). Additional users can be added for a fee. |
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| Q What is the fee structure? Is it on your website? |
| A The fee structure is not on the Web, but is no secret. It depends on the level of functionality and the number of users you need. Your sales consultant can help you determine the best solution for your needs. |
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| Q I currently pay an ACS bill that covers receiving updates and support. If I go with ACS OnDemand, does the OnDemand fee replace the current fee that I am paying? |
| A Yes. The OnDemand monthly subscription fee provides for the services in the Preferred Client Program. It will replace your existing monthly fee. (Premium support can be provided in the OnDemand subscription at an extra charge.) |
Cancellation
| Q I was new to ACS Technologies when I enrolled in ACS OnDemand, can I cancel my OnDemand service and move my ACS applications to my desktop? |
| A If you want to stop using ACS OnDemand and run the applications on your desktop, you will have to purchase the software applications from ACS Technologies. |
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| Q I was previously an ACS desktop client before moving to ACS OnDemand, is it possible to switch my applications back to my desktop and cancel my ACS OnDemand service? |
| A If you choose to stop using ACS OnDemand, your original desktop software applications will be returned to you in the latest version. Any subsequent ACS software applications that you added during your ACS OnDemand usage would need to be purchased at the time you end your ACS OnDemand service. |
What do I do next?
| Q I am interested in learning more about ACS OnDemand, where can I find more information on it? |
| A Visit the ACS OnDemand Web page to find more information and resources on this solution. Download the ACS OnDemand service brief for a technical overview. Read An Introduction to SaaS, if you would like to learn more about Software-as-a-Service. |
| Q If I have more questions or am ready to sign up, who should I contact? |
| A If you are ready to speak with an ACS representative, please call our toll-free number 800.736.7425 or fill out our Sales Contact Form and a Sales Consultant will contact you shortly. You can also have a Live Chat with a Sales Consultant while touring our Web site by clicking on the Live Chat icon found on most pages. Or, search for a local Sales Consultant at Find Local Sales Consultant. |
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Current Clients: Please visit the Client Portal for product support.
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| Take a more in-depth look at OnDemand, download the Service Brief |
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