Thank you again for those that were able to make it out.  Couple points:

- We had another meeting w/ 45+ folks which led to a number of healthy tangents for various questions and answers!
- During the discussion someone mentioned a .ppt file they found on the internet with a detailed summary for getting ready for the SF Admin tests.  Unfortunately, the file they found is proprietary / confidential to Salesforce (so we are not able to post it on the site!).  My apologies.
- Thank you to Dawn Fichtner and everyone else at ReachLocal for hosting.
- Thank you to Michael Epner w/ Appirio for presenting and sponsoring the lunch.  If you have any additional questions for Mike, please contact him at: mepner@appirio.com.

Some folks have requested the presentation deck we showed, you can access it by clicking this file: Download 2008_09_24_meeting_agenda.ppt .

Also, do not forget about the admin certification program available:
http://www.salesforce.com/services-training/training_certification/. It contains study guides for each certification as well as the FAQ document http://www.salesforce.com/services-training/training_certification/certification/faq_admin.jsp. The best way to get up to speed on the exam content is to take the course. The exam costs are included in the cost of the course.

- ADM 201 Administration Essentials http://www.salesforce.com/services-training/training_certification/training_classes/adm_201.jsp   

- ADM 301 Advanced Administration http://www.salesforce.com/services-training/training_certification/training_classes/adm_301.jsp


Thanks again,
Scott Kincaid
Laura Hendrix

If any of you have specific topics you would like covered, or questions you would like to ask the group, please post them to this thread.  In addition, please email your questions to both Laura and I so we can be sure to include them in the next meeting.

In addition, if you have a specific case study you wish to share with the group (very informal, no stress!), again send a note to Laura and I.

Thanks!
Scott Kincaid - skincaid@usabilitysciences.com
Laura Hendrix - Laura.Hendrix@freemanco.com

Howdy folks,

Just a quick update regarding the upcoming meeting:

Guest Sponsor Presentation - Appirio:
Appirio is a leading implementation partner for Salesforce.com platform and Google, delivering 3 of the top 10 most downloaded Appexchange apps. 

We’ll talk about bringing together Google Apps™ and Salesforce to allow you to easily synchronize calendars, collaborate on marketing campaigns, find and embed documents, and manage personal and corporate contacts.

As a reminder, the schedule for these meetings:

11:45am lunch
12:00 - Sponsor Presentation
12:15 - User group discussion
2:00pm - wrap up

See you there!

~~~~~~~~~
Next meeting of the Dallas Salesforce User Group:
Wednesday September 24th, 2008 - 11:45am - 2:00pm
~~~~~~~~~

**UPDATE*** Lunch will be provided at 11:45am (so we can start the meeting at noon). 

Location:
ReachLocal, Inc
6400 International Parkway
Suite 2400
Plano, TX 75093
972 267-2222

Many thanks to Dawn Fichtner with ReachLocal.com for securing the location for this meeting.

Where is ReachLocal?
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=6400+International+Parkway,+Plano,+TX+75093&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=51.310143,63.457031&ie=UTF8&ll=33.018416,-96.83723&spn=0.026772,0.030985&z=15&iwloc=addr

Topics:
- 15-minute Guest Presentation from Appirio
- Implementation Case Study
- Share your Tips and Tricks

(we are still finalizing some pieces, but mainly wanted to give you time to mark your calendar!)

TO RSVP:
Please reply with a *COMMENT* to this *POSTING* on the Dallas User Group Blog at:
http://usergroups.salesforce.com/dallas/2008/09/next-meeting-we.html
(and please send an email to Scott and Laura just as a backup, using the email address below).

Who should attend?
These meetings are generally targeted towards the Salesforce "champions" within an organization.  This includes the administrators, implementers, trainers, team leads, etc. 

If you have any questions/comments regarding topics or locations for future meetings, please use the emails below:

skincaid@usabilitysciences.com
laura.hendrix@freemanco.com

See you soon!

Dreamforce, which is salesforce.com’s annual user conference, takes place this November 2-5 in San Francisco. I know several people from our group are planning to attend, and we wanted to make a placeholder on the blog site to keep track of who is planning on going.

You can register here http://www.salesforce.com/dreamforce/DF08/?d=70170000000KOX3.  There is a promotion code available for our user group members which you should have received in our mass mailing.  If you did not receive this, please send a note to either Scott or Laura.  This code is only valid until September 4th!

Also, if you want share your Salesforce expertise with more than just our group, the Call for Dreamforce Speakers is currently open. Let salesforce.com know which breakout sessions you can contribute to, and if you are chosen to speak, your pass to the conference is free.

Details are here: http://www.salesforce.com/dreamforce/DF08/callforspeakers.jsp.

Important, if you are planning on attending, please post a comment to this entry!

Thanks,
Scott Kincaid - skincaid@usabilitysciences.com
Laura Hendrix - Laura.Hendrix@freemanco.com

Thank you again for those that were able to make it out.  Couple points:

- We had 45+ folks show up, which is our current record.
- Thank you to Nitin Kasliwal and i2 Technologies for hosting.
- Thank you to Carolyn Phelps w/ LucidEra for presenting and sponsoring the lunch.  If you have any additional questions for Carolyn, please contact her at: cphelps@lucidera.com.

Some folks have requested the presentation deck we showed, you can access it by clicking this file: Download 2008_07_24_meeting_agenda.ppt .

Thanks again,
Scott Kincaid
Laura Hendrix

Howdy folks,

Just a quick update regarding the upcoming meeting:

All those in attendance have a chance to win a digital camera from our sponsor!

Guest Sponsor Presentation - Lucidera:
Recently named as business intelligence and performance management "cool vendor" by Gartner and a "CRM WizKid" by Beagle Research.

Be among the first to hear about the launch of an exciting new analytic application from LucidEra that promises to deliver greater insight into marketing and sales effectiveness.

As a reminder, the schedule for these meetings:

11:45am lunch
12:00 - Sponsor Presentation
12:15 - User group discussion
2:00pm - wrap up

One of the main questions that we get from folks in the Dallas area is, "Where do I go to find Salesforce Admins to hire?"

- Traditionally my answer has always been the Job Boards on the salesforce developer network site:
http://community.salesforce.com/sforce/board?board.id=job  (at the very bottom of the list!)

- Laura also reminded me of the Salesforce Connect on Demand site:
http://connectondemand.leveragesoftware.com/group_view.aspx?GroupID=54f6700f3f064bdb82c5363be64bc573
I need to get better at remembering to check here!  It's a site built for meeting other folks with similar interest and needs.

If anyone else knows a source, or is a source, please submit a COMMENT with a note below.  Similarly, if you are a consultant/partner *local* to the dallas market, please add a short comment here as well!

Forgot to update the blog after sending out this email blast!

What: The Success On Demand Tour is the best way to see what salesforce.com and CRM can do for your business. Join the group in Dallas to meet other salesforce.com customers, test drive solutions on the new AppExchange, speak directly with product experts, and find out how salesforce.com helps you get ahead -- and stay there.

We've got user groups for salesforce.com customers, informational sessions for prospective customers, and AppExchange seminars for salesforce.com partners and prospective partners.

Also, Laura and I will have a booth for the local Dallas group, so please stop by and say hello!

     Sheraton Dallas Hotel 
     400 N. Olive Street   
     Dallas, TX   

When: June 10th, 2008

Agenda:

     Registration: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
     Afternoon Sessions*: 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
     Networking Reception: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Session Descripions:
Success On-Demand Session (2:30 – 5:00 p.m.)

Designed for prospective customers: A presentation to give you a full understanding of the many benefits of Salesforce and on-demand.

Breakthroughs in On Demand (2:30 – 5:00 p.m.)

A must-see “innovations in depth” session for new and experienced customers, including: Live demos of hot new Salesforce Summer ’08 features. Application-building on demand with Force.com. Endless interface customization with Visualforce. Guided tours of our new Salesforce Content and Salesforce Ideas applications. And interest-specific breakout sessions to get the expert guidance you need to make the most of Salesforce.

*Service and Support Session (4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)

This session, designed for Service and Support professionals, features a live demo, a customer panel, and an overview of Salesforce Call Center and Salesforce Customer Portal.   (Please note that this breakout session takes place during the last hour of the customer and prospective customer sessions.)

Register & Information:

Registering *before* the event is highly recommended for both you and any guests!  Please use the following site to register and learn more about the event:
http://www.salesforce.com/events/customer/local-user-groups/70130000000DyyDAAS.jsp?d

Please note: This event is complementary, with the exception of parking.

Please also note that we request that you enter the conference center from the parking garage. If you enter the lobby of the hotel, you will need to go across the sky bridge to the meeting rooms.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Hope to see you there!