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The monthly report is relatively lightweight, with some mobile updates or fixes that have already been performed server-side and shouldn’t be a concern to admins, said Tyler Reguly, associate director of security R&D at global cybersecurity software and services provider Fortra. Another vulnerability impacts only Microsoft Surface hardware. February update patches two exploited vulnerabilities The two exploited vulnerabilities are: CVE-2025-21391, a Windows storage flaw that could let a threat actor delete files. CVE-2025-21418, an opening for privilege escalation beginning in Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock. “While both vulnerabilities are rated Important by Microsoft and have CVSS scores in the 7.x range, I would treat the Windows AFD for WinSock vulnerability as critical when it comes to patching, given that it has seen active exploitation,” Reguly said in an email to TechRepublic. Vulnerabilities have been found in the Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock nine times since 2022, including instances attributed to a North Korea-sponsored advanced persistent threat group, Tenable senior staff research engineer Satnam Narang pointed out in a comment to KrebsonSecurity. “The root cause is insufficient validation of user-supplied input, allowing low-privileged users to send specially crafted data that overflows the buffer,” wrote Mike Walters, president and co-founder of patch management company Action1 in a blog post. No user interaction is required to patch either of the exploited vulnerabilities. CVE-2025-21391, the zero-day Windows storage flaw, stems from the way Windows resolves file paths and follows links, Walters said. File deletion is just the beginning of the problems it could cause, as it could lead to privilege escalation, unwanted access to security logs or configurations, malware injection, data manipulation, or other attacks. “With a CVSS score of 7.1, the CVSS metrics outline that this vulnerability doesn’t affect confidentiality, so no sensitive data can be accessed,” said Kev Breen, senior director of threat research at cybersecurity platform maker Immersive, in an email to TechRepublic. “However, it can severely affect data integrity and availability.” One vulnerability scores CVSS 9.0 The highest CVSS score addressed in the February patch pack is CVE-2025-21198, rated at 9.0. This CVE could let a threat actor perform a remote attack against a Linux agent in High Performance Computing clusters. However, it only works if the attacker already has access to the network the cluster is attached to. “This networking requirement should limit the impact of what would otherwise be a more serious vulnerability,” Reguly said. SEE: Microsoft PowerToys now includes Sysinternals’ ZoomIT, a screen recording tool meant for technical presentations. Microsoft patches spoofing bug affecting all client and server versions CVE-2025-21377 was already publicly disclosed, but the patch is rolling out today. With this vulnerability a threat actor could reveal a user’s NTLMv2 hash, letting the attacker spoof the user’s identity. Walters said any organization using Windows systems that do not exclusively rely on Kerberos for authentication is at risk. CVE-2025-21377 is “another CVE to patch sooner rather than later,” Breen said. “The user doesn’t have to open or run the executable but simply viewing the file in Explorer could be enough to trigger the vulnerability,” said Breen. “This specific vulnerability is known as an NTLM relay or pass-the-hash attack and this style of attack is a favorite for threat actors as it allows them to impersonate users in the network.” Finally, Ben McCarthy, lead cybersecurity engineer at Immersive, pointed out CVE-2025-21381, a vulnerability allowing for remote code execution in Excel. “Excel vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because Excel macros and embedded scripts have historically been a major attack vector for APT groups, ransomware operators, and financial fraud campaigns, often bypassing traditional security defenses,” McCarthy said. Other major patches across brands As Walters pointed out, Chrome 131 landed recently, bringing patches for several memory vulnerabilities. None of the vulnerabilities Google identified have been exploited. Apple has also started rolling out iOS 18.3.1, which includes a fix for a physical attack that may have been exploited against specific individuals. Ivanti recommended admins to watch for updates from Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge this week. “Browsers are a prime target for attackers to target users,” IT software company Ivanti’s vice president of product management for security products Chris Goettl wrote in a blog post. “While including browsers in your monthly update process is recommended, it leaves a lot of CVEs exposed in between cycles. It’s recommended to move browsers to a weekly Priority Updates cadence.” Last but not least, Adobe released updates for InDesign, Photoshop Elements, Illustrator, and more. source

Security experts advise creating strong, complex passwords to protect our online accounts and data from savvy cybercriminals. And “complex” typically means using lowercase and uppercase characters, numbers, and even special symbols. But, complexity by itself can still open your password to cracking if it doesn’t contain enough characters, according to research by security firm Hive Systems. In this article, we look into how long it would take for hackers to crack different types of passwords and what you can do to make them more secure. NordPass Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Activity Log, Business Admin Panel for user management, Company-wide settings, and more Dashlane Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Automated Provisioning Scalefusion Single Sign-On Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Access Management, Conditional Access, Credential Management, and more How long does it take to crack a password? In their 2024 Hive Systems Password Table report, Hive found that a complex, eight-character password that contains numbers, symbols, and both upper and lowercase letters will take seven years to crack — if an attacker were to use a top-of-the-line 12 x RTX 4090 graphics card. In comparison, a five-character password with only upper and lowercase letters can be cracked in two minutes. Further, Hive says that a four-character password with only lowercase letters can be hacked instantly, while a five-character password with both upper and lowercase letters can be hacked in three seconds. The 2024 Hive Systems Password Table. Image: Hive Systems In my view, this shows how crucial it is to apply password best practices, such as using a mix of letters, symbols, and numbers, whenever possible. This is especially so since, given the stark contrast in the amount of time passwords could be cracked depending on their complexity. On the plus side, even simpler passwords with a greater number of characters are less vulnerable to cracking in a short amount of time, according to Hive’s research. For example, a 10-character password made up of numbers would take one hour to crack. Meanwhile, upping that number-only password to 18 characters will increase the time frame to 11,000 years. Looking into words versus numbers, Hive’s data shows that passphrases win over more traditional passwords. An 18-character password with only numbers would require 11,000 years to crack, but one with the same number of characters using lowercase letters would take 350 billion years to crack. This piece of data shows why passphrases, which use a long string of real but random words, can be more secure than a complex but short password. Hive’s report shows that passphrases with a mix of 18 uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols are the most difficult to brute force. What tools do hackers use to crack your passwords? A hacker aiming to crack complex yet short passwords quickly enough would need the latest and most advanced graphics processing technology. The more powerful the graphics processing unit, the faster it can perform such tasks as mining cryptocurrencies and cracking passwords. With these GPUs, hackers can initiate brute-force attacks and use password-cracking software to guess your passwords and other credentials. Brute force attacks involve using GPUs and machine-powered trial and error in an attempt to get the right combination of characters, numbers, and symbols and, eventually, crack a user’s password. For example, one of the top GPUs around today is Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4090, a product that starts at $1,599. But even less powerful and less expensive GPUs can crack passwords of a small length and low complexity in a relatively short amount of time. Hackers who don’t have the latest and greatest graphics processing on their computers can easily turn to the cloud, according to Hive. By renting computer and graphics hardware through Amazon AWS and other cloud providers, a cybercriminal can tap into multiple virtual instances of a powerful GPU to perform password cracking at a fairly low cost. Plus, the advances in AI have given hackers another type of tool to crack passwords more quickly and efficiently. An April 2023 report from Home Security Heroes that analyzed 15,600,000 common passwords discovered that by using AI, hackers could crack 81% of them in less than a month, 71% in less than a day, 65% in less than an hour, and 51% in less than a minute. SEE: Securing Linux Policy (TechRepublic Premium) How to protect yourself and your organization from password cracking Due to the progress in graphics and AI technology, most types of passwords require less time to crack than they did only two years ago. For example, a seven-character password with letters, numbers, and symbols would take seven minutes to crack in 2020 but only four seconds in 2023. Given these technological advances, how can you and your organization better secure your password-protected accounts and data? Here are a few tips. Try using a passphrase instead of a password A passphrase is a long string of often random words. Passphrases are often more secure than passwords and are usually easier to remember. Examples of this would be something like “Sunset-cola-Mouse!” or “GatePen2BoxerRose”. If you go the passphrase route, there are a few things to remember: Make sure it’s at least 10-15 characters or more. Avoid using common phrases or song lyrics. Choose a passphrase that’s memorable to you. Add in some numbers and symbols to your phrases. For a more in-depth tutorial, check out our What is a Passphrase? guide here. Use a mix of numbers, symbols, uppercase, and lowercase letters at the same time One of the main takeaways from the Hive Systems report is the significant

If you’re immersed in the Google ecosystem, you’ve likely used the password manager that’s baked into their Chrome browser. With its seamless integration with Chrome, you may have dozens of passwords stored and saved within Google’s flavor of password management. While it’s undoubtedly convenient, it may not be the best overall solution to securely store your login details. For one, leaving all your passwords here can be risky — especially if your Google account gets compromised. It also lacks extra security features commonly found in other password manager services, like having a robust folder system or data breach scanning. In this article, I will show you how to remove your saved passwords in Chrome and offer alternatives in its place. NordPass Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Activity Log, Business Admin Panel for user management, Company-wide settings, and more Dashlane Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Automated Provisioning Scalefusion Single Sign-On Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Access Management, Conditional Access, Credential Management, and more How to remove your passwords saved in Chrome 1. Navigate to the Google Password Manager service. Google Password Manager is the name of the password management service integrated within the Chrome browser. Unlike other password managers with dedicated desktop apps and browser extensions, Google Password Manager can be accessed directly through the Chrome browser. To go to the Google Password Manager, follow these steps: Open the three-dot menu on the right side of your Chrome browser. Hover over the Passwords and autofill button found below your Google Account name. Click Google Password Manager. Accessing Google Password Manager in the Chrome sidebar. Image: Luis Millares You can also open Google Password Manager by using the Chrome address bar. To do so, simply type “passwords” or “manage passwords” in the address bar and click “Manage Passwords.” Navigating to the password manager using the address bar. Image: Luis Millares Either method will work as both ways will redirect you to the Google Password Manager page. 2. Choose the password you want to remove. Once you’re in Google Password Manager, you’ll see all your saved passwords listed out front and center. Google typically organizes your saved credentials depending on the account or service used. At this stage, you do the following: Choose which login credential you want to be removed. Click on your chosen password or press the arrow found on the right side of that login. My Amazon login that’s saved in Chrome. Image: Luis Millares For the purposes of this tutorial, I’ll be removing the Amazon login details and passwords I have saved in my test account. Selecting my Amazon login details. Image: Luis Millares 3. Click the delete button within the password menu. After you select the password, it will show you the full details you have saved to that account. This includes the password itself, the username you have saved, and any notes you may have added about that specific account. From this page, you can now choose to either Edit or Delete the password. Click Delete. Deleting my Amazon login credentials saved in Chrome. Image: Luis Millares After clicking Delete, you’ve done it! You have now officially removed a saved password in Chrome and the Google Password Manager. How do I remove all my saved passwords in Chrome? If you want to delete all your logins and passwords in Chrome without going through them individually, Google Password Manager has a “delete all” button that can do so with a single click. To use it, follow these steps: Navigate to the Google Password Manager. On the left sidebar, click Settings. Look for “Delete all Google Password Manager data.” Select “Delete data.” Deleting all data within the Google Password Manager. Image: Luis Millares As a reminder, clicking this option will permanently remove all the data you have stored in Google Password Manager. This includes your passwords, usernames, passkeys, and all other items. With this, I strongly recommend exporting and migrating all your saved data and passwords first before moving forward. Below is a tutorial on how to do so. How to export saved passwords in Chrome Exporting and downloading your saved passwords in Google Password Manager follows similar steps as using the Delete all button to remove all saved passwords with one click. Here is the process: Navigate to the Google Password Manager. On the left sidebar, click Settings. Look for “Export passwords” Select “Download file.” Choose where you want your data to be saved. Click Save. Exporting passwords saved in Chrome. Image: Luis Millares At this point, you’re now safe to remove all your saved passwords in Chrome and store your credentials wherever you see fit. SEE: Securing Linux Policy (TechRepublic Premium) Should you save passwords in Chrome in the first place? While the Google Password Manager provides basic protection for your passwords, it’s very basic compared to other password managers. Full-fledged password managers have more extensive multifactor authentication options, provide better support for browsers and devices aside from Chrome, and pack a bunch more security features like secure password sharing, password audits, and password health reports. To be clear, using Google Password Manager is better than not using a password manager at all. It conveniently saves all your passwords right from the browser and encourages you to use strong passwords with its password generator. However, because it is more of an add-on service to Chrome, you won’t get as comprehensive a feature set as providers offering dedicated password management services. There is also the concern of having a larger attack surface, with it being a service tied to users’ Google

When tackling a large project, it is essential for teams to come together to strategize and align on their upcoming work. Instead of diving in without a plan, sprint planning ensures every team member knows their role, what to expect, and how to move forward together within the broader context of project management. 1 monday.com Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Agile Development, Analytics / Reports, API, and more 2 Quickbase Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Agile Development, Analytics / Reports, API, and more 3 Accelo Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees) Small, Medium, Large Features Analytics / Reports, API, Billing / Invoicing, and more What is sprint planning? Sprint planning is an essential event within the scrum framework that officially starts the sprint. It provides the entire scrum team a platform to collaborate, define their goals, and decide which tasks to prioritize. This planning session is held at the beginning of each sprint, typically lasting 1–4 weeks, depending on the team’s chosen sprint cycle. It ensures that all team members are on the same page, fostering a shared commitment to the sprint’s success. During sprint planning, teams establish what can be delivered, how the work will be done, and why this work is valuable. The process also includes setting a clear sprint goal that aligns with the overall product vision. Additionally, it involves identifying who will be responsible for each task, reviewing team capacity, and assessing the inputs such as the product backlog. By thoroughly addressing potential challenges and aligning priorities, the team ensures they have a realistic and actionable plan that drives both short-term success and long-term progress. The above happens in meetings where teams get to review and prioritize the product backlog and make sure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. These meetings, known as sprint planning meetings, help foster a shared understanding of the work required to achieve the sprint’s objectives and drive cohesive collaboration throughout the sprint, especially when agile project management software tools are in use. What is a sprint planning meeting? A sprint planning meeting serves as the kickoff point for every sprint. It sets the tone for collaboration and alignment across the scrum team, which includes the product owner, scrum master, and developers. During the meeting, the product owner provides an updated product backlog, highlighting the most important tasks. The scrum master facilitates the meeting to ensure the team can effectively plan the sprint. The primary purpose of the sprint planning meeting is to define the sprint goal and clarify the tasks required to achieve that goal. It also serves as a forum for discussing capacity, constraints, and potential blockers that could arise during the sprint. This alignment helps teams stay focused on delivering high-quality work while meeting deadlines. Some sprint planning meetings might also address dependencies between teams, technical constraints, or unforeseen obstacles, making sure the plan is as detailed and realistic as possible. How to prepare for a sprint planning meeting Proper preparation is key to the success of a sprint planning meeting—especially when utilizing project management software to streamline communication and track progress. Without preparation, the meeting can be unproductive, which yields a poorly planned sprint. The product owner plays a critical role in preparing for the meeting, particularly in refining the product backlog ahead of time. Here’s what preparation involves: Backlog grooming: The product owner reviews the product backlog. This is done by removing outdated tasks, adding new user stories based on customer feedback, and breaking down larger user stories into smaller, more manageable pieces. Each item is then assigned story points and prioritized based on importance. Understanding team capacity: Know exactly how much work your team can take on during the sprint. Before the meeting, identify any upcoming vacations, non-project tasks, or events that could affect your team’s capacity. Make sure every member’s availability is clear so you can plan realistically and avoid overcommitting. This step ensures that the workload is manageable, which helps the team remain motivated and focused throughout the sprint. Clearing dependencies: Identify and resolve external dependencies ahead of time. Whether these involve another team or third-party providers, ensure they are addressed before sprint planning. Clearing dependencies early helps to prevent potential blockers and ensures that tasks can proceed smoothly once the sprint starts. Effective preparation means that the team can dive into the high-priority work with clarity and confidence, making the sprint planning meeting as productive as possible. How to run a sprint planning meeting Structure and clarity are both key for a successful sprint planning meeting. The scrum master leads the meeting, making sure it stays on track and all necessary aspects are covered. Below are the typical steps to expect during a sprint planning meeting: Establish team availability Start by assessing everyone’s availability for the sprint. Go through holidays, ongoing projects, or other factors that might reduce capacity. Get clear on who is available and when. You need this information to make realistic commitments. Set the sprint goal Define a clear sprint goal. The product owner, in collaboration with the team, should articulate what success looks like for this sprint. This goal is a guiding star that helps the team stay focused on what really matters and ignore distractions. Make sure the goal is specific, achievable, and aligns with the broader project objectives. Review and select backlog items Go through the product backlog and select the tasks that will help achieve the sprint goal. Estimate the effort required and prioritize the items based on the team’s capacity. See to it that everyone understands why these tasks are important and how they contribute to the sprint goal. Be realistic—determine how much work

Every business has certain files that are too important to lose. To guard against this possibility, security experts usually recommend keeping an online backup. With Internxt Cloud Storage, you can utilize cloud storage without compromising your security. This decentralized platform uses open-source code, zero-knowledge infrastructure and end-to-end encryption to keep your files completely private. What’s more, you can get a 2TB lifetime subscription for just $90.99 with code STORAGE30 via TechRepublic Academy. This deal ends on Feb. 23. Most cloud storage is centralized, meaning that your data is stored on servers owned by the provider. There are several issues with this setup. Firstly, many cloud storage providers regularly scan the files on their servers. That means your data isn’t actually private. Centralized storage is also more vulnerable to cyberattacks. How Internxt works Internxt takes a different approach from centralized cloud storage providers. Because this platform is decentralized, your files are distributed across multiple storage systems. This means it’s almost impossible to take down the whole network. In addition, Internxt is heavily focused on privacy. The platform runs on open-source code that has been verified by one of Europe’s top auditors, and file uploads are protected by end-to-end encryption. Just as importantly, you get all the features you would expect from a major cloud storage provider — including automatic backups, support for multiple platforms and secure file sharing. Order today to get a 2TB lifetime subscription to Internxt Cloud Storage for just $90.99 with code STORAGE30; it’s normally $599. Don’t miss this limited-time offer, which ends on Feb. 23. Prices and availability are subject to change. source

Enterprise accounting software is designed for large companies and businesses. Here are the top seven enterprise accounting software suites. 1 Acumatica Cloud ERP Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Accounts Receivable/Payable, API, Departmental Accounting, and more 2 QuickBooks Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large Features API, General Ledger, Inventory Management Top enterprise accounting software comparison Oracle NetSuite ERP: Best overall enterprise accounting software Image: Oracle NetSuite Oracle NetSuite ERP (NetSuite) is an enterprise solution for managing your accounting, inventory, production, orders, supply chain, and warehouses. It can manage global subsidiaries in over 190 currencies and supports tax and reporting requirements for over 100 countries. Although its massive offerings can be intimidating if you have a midsize company, you can use the NetSuite Platform with only the needed services; for instance, perhaps get just accounting software and some basic ERP features. As you grow, you can keep your operations running efficiently by adding other NetSuite products to the platform. Why I chose Oracle NetSuite ERP NetSuite offers everything you need for your enterprise resource planning (ERP), but what I like is its experience with implementation, as implementing a system with this depth and breadth is a challenge. It has over 20 years of experience implementing its software and will work closely with your team to provide a roadmap to full-scale implementation. It is great at providing upper management with a bird’s-eye view of global operations and even handles the details. Its modules for advanced inventory, order management, and warehouse management provide practical, efficient, and often automated solutions for your day-to-day operations — such as inventory barcode scanning, pick lists, and setting inventory reorder points based on seasonal sales demand. Pricing You’ll pay a one-time implementation fee followed by an annual license fee, which is determined by the number of users and the modules you choose to add to the core platform. Pricing is customized to your needs, so you’ll need to contact sales for a quote. Standout features Accounting: Get A/R, A/P, account reconciliation, cash management, and tax management. Unlike small business accounting software, NetSuite includes fixed asset management and period-end close management. Regulatory compliance: Generate statements and disclosures that comply with ASC 606, GAAP, SOX, and other US-based regulatory requirements. The NetSuite OneWorld module can comply with the regulatory requirements of over 100 countries. Mobile app: Allow managers to provide approvals and review the data relevant to their position from anywhere. Cloud accessibility: Enjoy a completely cloud-based solution, reducing your need for IT infrastructure. Inventory management: View inventory and orders across all selling channels in real-time. Manage inventory in multiple locations and determine reorder points while factoring in seasonality. Order management: Automate order processing, view available inventory after commitments, and customize your order fulfillment process to your available resources and facilities. Warehouse management: Use the system to handle every step of the warehousing process, including receiving, storing, picking, and shipping. Additional products: Manage nearly every aspect of your business with the following add-ons: CRM Customer Relationship Management Field service management HRM Human Resource Management Global business management Professional services automation Connector (used to connect to ecommerce marketplaces) Omnichannel commerce Analytics and reporting Pros and cons Pros Cons Offers in-depth global reporting with drill-down features for more detail Has decades of experience with implementation Consolidates global subsidiaries in multiple currencies Supports US and global regulatory reports and disclosures Lacks upfront pricing Has an intimidating number of options and customizations Requires a substantial investment in implementation Requires training employees — not just the accountants — across departments and locations Sage Intacct: Best entry-level enterprise accounting software Image: Sage Like small business accounting software, Sage Intacct is easy to use — even if it includes the powerful features of enterprise software. Its primary focus is providing your business’s financial professionals with real-time, in-depth data across your entire operation, including worldwide subsidiaries. It can also be expanded into other ERP requirements through the Sage Intacct Marketplace. Why I chose Sage Intacct It fills the gap between small business accounting programs, like QuickBooks, and expensive enterprise solutions that many midmarket companies can’t afford. It has an open API that can be used to customize integration with your other tools like Salesforce, Expensify, and Kimble. As enterprise-level software, Sage Intacct can consolidate hundreds of business entities in minutes — something you can’t do in QuickBooks. As your business grows, you can expand the capabilities of Sage Intacct with additional modules for budgeting, fixed assets, multicurrency consolidations, dynamic allocations, and many others. I really like Sage Intacct Marketplace, an app store for your Intacct software. It’s easy to adapt your software by subscribing and integrating with one of Sage’s many partners. Pricing You must contact Sage for a custom quote. Standout features CFO dashboard: View consolidated assets, revenue, expenses, and net income for all consolidated entities. Customize your own charts and graphs with the important breakdowns across entities. Dynamic allocations: Create automations to make standard allocations within your entities. Inter-company eliminations: Map relationships between entities by choosing related intercompany receivables and payables so that Sage Intacct can automate your eliminating entries when consolidating entities. Automate revenue recognition: Design automation to accurately recognize revenue across periods for things like subscriptions, licenses, and services. Spend management module: Track purchasing versus budget to keep you from overspending. Budgeting: Create budgets across entities, departments, sub-departments, locations, sub-locations, and other dimensions. The budgeting wizard will import all the necessary information from each entity to get off to a fast start. Payroll by ADP: Manage payroll and HR with ADP directly from within your Sage Intacct account. Pros and cons Pros Cons Makes it easy to expand its capabilities through the Sage Intacct Marketplace Features great customizable interactive data analysis tools within dashboards Offers AI outlier protection, which can detect suspicious entries Has

Read our Chase Business Banking Review to discover the pros, cons, fees, and features of Chase’s business checking accounts, and decide if it’s right for you! source

Truist FDIC member is a traditional bank that offers three business checking accounts with no monthly maintenance fee options. It has two regular business banking accounts and one specialized nonprofit account that features unlimited cash deposits. Signing up for a higher-tier checking account gives you additional rewards. The higher your balances, the greater your benefits. In addition, you can earn cashback when using a debit card for purchases, making it worthwhile for business owners. Truist’s fast facts Our rating: 4.0 out of 5 Starting price: Free for basic business checking services. No monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements. Key features for Truist’s business checking accounts No monthly fees. Offers total combined Transactions include deposits and deposited items, checks, ATM transactions, point-of-sale purchases, and ACH debits. transactions and free cash deposits Fee-free limits depend on the checking product. . Checking reward levels Dynamic Business Checking Debit card cash back. Integrates with QuickBooks and Zelle. Image: Truist Truist is known for its superb Community Business Checking account, which lets you save on standard banking fees. Its low-tier account, Simple Business Checking, provides an equally cost-saving feature by not charging monthly maintenance fees. Meanwhile, its Dynamic Business Checking allows businesses to make large cash deposits and benefit from more rewards based on balances. Let’s continue to explore Truist’s standout features, pricing structure, and how it compares to other business banking services. Truist reviews: What users think of Truist 1.8/5 Few Truist checking account reviews are available. Many users gave Truist low ratings, although some shared their positive customer service experiences with knowledgeable, customer-focused, and friendly bank representatives. Feedback was mostly about other Truist business banking products and services. Several complained that the bank was short-staffed, and calling the bank resulted in long wait times. Some also reported that Truist charges multiple overdraft fees and places long hold times on check deposits. Another claimed that only a small portion of the money in an account was reimbursed despite the charges made from a system integration and accessibility error. Truist’s pricing structure 3.96/5 Truist business accounts offer savings for businesses with low monthly transactions and great account benefits for companies with large transaction volumes. Under Community Business Checking, nonprofits can save on banking fees through its 225 free transactions, no monthly fee, and unlimited fee-free cash deposits. Truist’s Accounts: Simple Business Checking (basic tier): no monthly maintenance fees. Community Business Checking (nonprofit): no monthly maintenance fees. Dynamic Business Checking (higher-tier): $20; waivable $5,000 average relationship balance, which includes business checking, savings, money market account, and certificate of deposit (CD) and free for the first 65 days Waived with a $5,000 average combined balance, over three months, in a Truist business checking, savings, money market account, or CD . $100 opening deposit. Four free incoming domestic wires (Dynamic Business Checking). Unlimited fee-free cash deposits (Community Business Checking). Free integration with accounting software, QuickBooks, and Zelle. The higher-tier product, Dynamic Business Checking, offers more free transactions (500) and a higher cash deposit allowance ($25,000) than the basic tier, Simple Business Checking, which gives 50 free combined transactions and a monthly cash deposit allowance of $2,000. Truist’s key features 4.00/5 Each of Truist’s checking accounts offers standout features, such as no monthly fees for its basic and nonprofit checking accounts. This makes it a practical option for small businesses and civic organizations. Larger firms can also perform more transactions and cash deposits for free through Dynamic Business Checking. Additionally, Truist provides different reward levels for more discounts and reduced fees. Check the following key features that give Truist an edge over its competitors: Simple Business Checking Dynamic Business Checking Community Business Checking Monthly Fees None Waivable monthly fee. None Number of Free Transactions 50 total combined transactions 500 total combined transactions 225 total combined transactions Free Cash Deposits $2,000 $25,000 Unlimited ATM Fees $3 at domestic nonnetwork ATMs; $5 internationally First Check Order Discount $25 $50 $25 No monthly fees Unlike most business checking accounts from traditional providers with waiver conditions, Truist offers its basic tier and nonprofit account with no monthly maintenance fee. It leads to plenty of savings for small business owners just starting out and nonprofit organizations that want to reduce their account costs. Unlimited fee-free cash deposits Truist is our best overall bank for nonprofit organizations because you can deposit cash for free without limits. Charitable groups can focus on their mission and won’t need to worry about exceeding cash deposit limits. Checking reward levels Dynamic Business Checking has three tier reward levels: Core, Plus, and Preferred. Large companies with high balances across checking, savings, money market accounts, and CDs can benefit through discounts on merchant services and business loans, including reduced annual fees for a Delta SkyMiles Business Debit Card. Additional service benefits Dynamic Business Checking users can provide perks to employees through financial wellness training to support their staff’s financial learning. You can also get additional fraud protection to limit fraudulent incidents. Debit card cashback As a Truist business account holder, you can enroll in Truist deals, a free program providing cashback rewards when you use your business debit card for purchases at designated merchants. Some deals are available at Dunkin’, Subway, CVS, Chevron, Disney+, and more. Would our expert use Truist? 4.75/5 If you’re a small business owner with a transaction activity of less than 50 monthly, I recommend opening a starter checking account with Truist to save on monthly maintenance fees. Larger businesses with combined balances of up to $50,000 can sign up for a higher-tier account to maximize reward benefits. You can also make free cash deposits up to $25,000 monthly and will pay a small fee for every excess dollar. Nonprofits will consider the Truist Community Checking account cost-effective since no monthly maintenance fees are charged like the basic tier account. I also find the unlimited fee-free cash deposit feature convenient. Additionally, you get a high limit of free transactions (225) and will only pay 35 cents for each excess item. However, Truist business checking accounts

Key takeaways: Square is a pioneer in mobile payment technology. It came out with the first mobile card reader and has evolved into an ecosystem of business operations tools designed to serve businesses of all sizes. Square’s free pricing and flat-fee payment processing structure are its biggest advantages, providing an all-in-one solution for merchants, especially small businesses looking to find ways to keep operational costs low. Square Payments lets merchants accept a variety of payment methods, such as in-person, online, mobile, manual/keyed-in, invoiced, and recurring billing. Square is a widely popular and highly recommended point-of-sale (POS) solution by experts and real-world users alike. It has featured in a lot of our POS buyer’s guides, mainly owing to its price point, suite of robust features, and low-cost fees and hardware options. Read on to learn more about Square as I tackle how it works, what it does, and how much it costs. What is Square? Square is a trailblazer in mobile card and payment technology, having invented the first mobile card reader in 2009. Square didn’t require long-term contracts nor lengthy application or approval processes, and most of all, came with no fixed monthly costs and offered a free POS system. This innovation helped businesses take payments anywhere and completely changed the payment landscape in the retail industry. Today, Square is more than a payment processor — it has evolved into a business technology platform serving all kinds of businesses. The Square ecosystem allows businesses to sell anywhere, manage inventory, communicate with customers, book appointments, order online, and so much more. The Square ecosystem has more than 36 products, providing support and countless opportunities for any operation, from global chains to mom-and-pop shops. Given the incredible value Square provides and the numerous other tools besides payment processing it offers for free or at minimal costs, Square is the perfect payment solution for small businesses processing less than $120,000 per month. How does Square work? Square primarily lets small businesses process payments through credit cards, contactless payments, and ACH transfers. From this service, it then offers various tools within its ecosystem that seamlessly work together and provide a complete business solution. Essentially, Square can provide you with all the tools you need to run your business. Here are Square products available within its ecosystem: Payments: Mobile and in-store payments, hardware, vertical terminal, invoicing, chargeback and dispute management. Point-of-Sale (POS): Mobile and iPad apps, inventory tracking, reporting and analytics, customer and team management. Industry-specific POS: Retail (Square for Retail), food and beverage (Square for Restaurants), services (Square Appointments). Online ordering: E-commerce (Square Online). Business management: Payroll, email marketing, customer messaging (support), loyalty program. Banking: Checking account, savings account, debit card, small business loans. What you get with Square Here are all the features you get with a free Square account: POS Square POS software lets you process a variety of payment methods, links to all your products, syncs your inventory, tracks your customer data, team members, and more through a central Square dashboard. The view from the Square dashboard. Image: Square It enables you to accept the following payment methods: cash, check, vouchers; credit and debit cards; digital wallets, ACH transfers, gift cards, buy now, pay later (BNPL) through Afterpay; and peer-to-peer payments through CashApp. Square also supports the following payment services: mobile payments, in-store POS, online payment gateway, invoicing, recurring payments, virtual terminal, and the CBD program. Online Store When you sign up with Square, you also get a free online store. Called Square Online, it comes with an easy-to-use website builder and e-commerce platform that allows you to take orders online. What’s great about Square Online is that inventory automatically syncs with Square POS, allowing you to have real-time inventory tracking. The website builder interface of Square Online. Image: Square Square pricing Take a look at the associated fees with Square’s point-of-sale (POS, payment processing, and POS hardware. Square POS pricing Square POS software’s basic subscription is free, and any upgrades are billed monthly. The software works on Square hardware and mobile devices—iPad, iPhone, and Android devices. Related: Square payment processing fees Square’s biggest advantage over its competitors is its simple, flat-rate payment processing, with no monthly fees. This means that Square deducts a fixed percentage fee on successful payment transactions. Cash, cheque, vouchers, and other tenders: $0 In-person, mobile, and gift card payments: 2.6% + 10 cents per transaction Online payments: 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction Recurring billing and card-on-file transactions: 3.5% + 15 cents per transaction Keyed-in payments (virtual terminal) transactions: 3.5% + 15 cents per transaction ACH bank transfers: 1% with a $1 minimum transaction Invoiced payments: 3.3% + 30 cents per transaction Afterpay: 6% + 30 cents per transaction CBD program transactions: From 3.5% + 10 cents per transaction Chargeback fee: Waived up to $250/month Square POS hardware To accept in-person and mobile payments, Square offers various low-cost hardware options (interest-free installment plans are also available) to let you swipe, insert, or tap cards to complete a sale. All hardware listed below work on smartphones and iPads using Square’s free POS app. Square Reader for Magstripe: First free, additional reader $10 Square Reader for Contactless and Chip (2nd generation): $59 Square Terminal: $299 ($27/month with financing) Square has different mobile card readers. Image: Square Square Stand (2nd generation, USB-C): $149.00 ($14.00/mo with financing) Square Register: $799.00 ($39.00/mo with financing) Square offers hardware kits perfect for brick-and-mortar stores. Image: Square How long does Square take to process payment? Square lets you transfer funds from completed transactions to your bank account at varying speeds. By default, fund transfers are completed the next business day, and these are free. Payments taken before 5 p.m., PT/8 p.m., ET will be available in a merchant’s bank account the next business day. Payments accepted on Friday before 5 p.m., PT will be posted to a merchant’s bank account by Monday morning (depending on your bank’s processing speeds). Instant and same-day payout options are also available for an added fee – 1.75%