Welcome to our specialist small business advice newsletter. |
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This is the third edition of our newsletter for small businesses which goes out each month.
This edition focuses on the recent Budget updates, continues our discussion on Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity and takes a closer look at data backup devices and software products.
We have a hot tip on using Microsoft Office Live and we also have our usual regulatory updates and other useful information.
Please contact us if you have any suggestions for topics in future issues. |
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Budget Update 2008
This is a brief summary of the measures announced in the 2008 Budget that affect small businesses...
- Introduction of the proposed legislation on "income shifting" which is likely to severely impact small family businesses, has been deferred until 2009.
- Decrease in the main rate of Corporation Tax from 30% to 28% and an increase in the small companies' rate from 20% to 21% from 1 April 2008;
- Confirmation on the introduction of a flat-rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) set at 18% , as well as the increase in the tax-free annual exempt amount from £9,200 to £9,600 for the 2008/09 tax year.
- Introduction of entrepreneur's relief for CGT reducing the effective rate to 10% for up to the first £1 million of gains made over a lifetime on business assets.
- Several measures were also announced to provide small businesses with additional access to finance.
- A range of tax incentives to encourage businesses to use fuel-efficient company cars and a change to the law on company van fuel benefit .
- Removal of the 10% starting rate for income tax. From 2008/09 there are only two bands -
- 20% for taxable earned income up to £36,000;
- 40% for taxable earned income over £36,000.
More information and a full list of changes can be found at Business Link East.
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Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity
Following on from last month's issue, we continue our series on Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery. This month we take a closer look at available backup devices and backup software, together with opportunities for mitigating risks through outsourcing.
Data backup solutions include:
- backup to removable disk or tape using the built-in Windows XP Backup facility with a schedule;
- backup to a removable cartridge disk or tape with backup software enabling backups to be automated;
- online backup solutions that back up data over broadband to a remote server.
The solution that you adopt will depend upon the number of PCs that you have, or whether you use a server such as Microsoft Small Business Server which includes a standard backup facility for the server. Even when Microsoft Small Business Server is employed, it might prove beneficial to centralise network backups for both the server and any desktop PCs that hold business critical data.
If you do not have Small Business Server, one PC should be nominated as the data store and designated as the backup PC. A job should be set up on the other PCs to transfer any other data to a shared area on this backup PC. This area should then be backed up automatically according to a regular schedule.
We have featured some popular backup devices and software solutions in our Product Recommendations section below.
For other tips and recommendations about data backups please see the advice given in our February newsletter.
Of course one approach to reducing risk would be to use an externally hosted server where all of the data and email is already located off-site and is backed up regularly by the service provider. Small businesses just contemplating buying their first server would do well to consider the remote hosting market first.
We have covered Microsoft Office Live in our Product Recommendations section below, but we will be looking at remote hosting in more detail together with other aspects of business continuity and disaster recovery in future newsletters.
If you would like help with any of this, then please contact us
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Product Recommendations
We like to recommend products that we have personal experience with.
This month we would like to recommend the following backup solutions for small businesses. We use Iomega and Symantec products ourselves...
Iomega REV Backup Devices
 Iomega REV 35GB/90GB USB 2.0 Pro Kit Bundle with 5 Media
This is a removable hard disk system that is more efficient and reliable than traditional tape systems, while providing portable, high-performance file storage. Back up and restore up to 8 times faster than tape, access files in seconds with drag-and-drop, and secure your data with password protection and encryption. Includes Iomega Automatic Backup Pro software for "set-it and forget-it" file backups, plus full system backup and fast disaster recovery with Norton Ghost for REV Drive software. The Iomega REV 35GB/90GB USB 2.0 external drive provides compatibility with both server, desktop and notebook computers.
more details or buy
Iomega REV 70GB/140GB USB 2.0 Backup Kit with 5 Media
As above but using 70GB Iomega REV disk cartridges with double the capacity.
more details or buy
 Iomega REV 280 280/560GB External USB 2.0 Desktop Autoloader
This is a stand–alone desktop autoloader providing an affordable automatic backup and archiving solution that is perfect for small and medium–sized offices. You can store up to 280GB (560GB compressed) of data and can reduce your backup time by as much as 80 percent when compared to a similar tape solution. The REV Loader 280 features a hi–speed USB 2.0 interface making it compatible with almost any system. It is designed to fit on your desktop or on a shelf in your server room and includes CA BrightStor® ARCserve® for a single server with disaster recovery option and a 35GB REV disk.
more details or buy
 Iomega REV560 560/1.12TB External USB 2.0 Desktop Autoloader
As above but using 70GB Iomega disk cartridges with double the capacity, but still includes CA BrightStor® ARCserve® for a single server with disaster recovery option and a 70GB REV disk.
more details or buy
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Backup Software Solutions
 Symantec Veritas Backup Exec 11d for Windows Small Business Server
This is the perfect complement to Microsoft's Windows Small Business Server Editions delivering cost-effective, easy-to-use, and highly reliable data protection. It features backup, restore, disaster recovery, single drive library support, support for Iomega REV Autoloaders, Exchange Server, SQL Server, and SharePoint Services protection and recovery. It also includes continuous disk-based data protection helping eliminate backup windows, improve reliability, and deliver the first web-based file retrieval functionality.
more details or buy
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Online Backups
 "Set and forget" automated off-site backups that copy your critical data to a safe, secure remote location. Schedule it to run automatically every night. All data is encrypted and only you have the key, so it remains secure. more details
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We feature some of these products in our online catalogue, but you will be referred to our partner Misco to make an actual purchase.
We are also trialling Microsoft Office Live for one of our customers and we will let you know how they get on with it in future newsletters...
Microsoft Office Live is a service hosted by Microsoft and designed for Small Businesses that provides email, a domain name and website, together with contact manager and document workspace. The basic service is free, but it can be extended with various add-on products and facilities.
more details...
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Regulatory & Other Updates
Each month we will feature some of the recent regulatory updates or other important news affecting small businesses:
Companies Act Implementation Timetable
Although it had been planned to delay deregulation measures until 2009, they are now to be implemented as originally planned on 1 October 2008.
Details of the measures and timetable can be found at http://tinyurl.com/3cqqyv
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Common Commencement Dates
A number of key government departments issue all their changes to business regulations twice a year, on 6 April and 1 October.
More information can be found at Business Link East Midlands
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Stiff Fines for Employing Illegal Workers
From 29 February employers could face fines up to £10,000 for each illegal worker negligently employed at their business, with unlimited fines or prison for those knowingly employing illegal workers. Remember that employers are responsible for verifying if an employee has the right to work in this country.
More information can be found at http://tinyurl.com/yt9ogu
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Changes to Car benefit Rules
Changes come into force in 2008/2009 to the way that the CO2 percentage is calculated when determining the car benefit charge:
- The lower threshold, the CO2 emissions figure which determines the appropriate percentage for all cars, is reduced from 140 to 135;
- A new 10% band is introduced for cars with a CO2 emissions figure of exactly 120 g/km or lower;
- There is a new 2 percent reduction for cars manufactured to be able to run on E85 fuel.
For more information and to access a calculator see http://tinyurl.com/ypa8jk
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 FSB Launches Voice-over-IP Telephone Service
Similar to Skype, this service runs over the Internet and provides free telephone calls to other subscribers, or low cost calls to land-lines and mobiles. It is available to members of the Federation of Small Businesses.
For more information see http://www.fsb-voip.com
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Contact us if you would like any further information about the items in this newsletter.
Please let us have any feedback you might have, and also let us know if there are any articles you would like
to see covered in future issues by sending an
email to sales@wise.co.uk.
Best regards,
Tim Weaver |
