HMS Renews Its Microsoft Certification For A 9th Consecutive Year

Online, April 22, 2013 (Newswire.com) - HMS Software, the publisher of TimeControl, one of the world's most popular timesheet systems announced today that they have renewed their Microsoft Partner Certification for a 9th consecutive year. HMS has had a relationship with the Redmond-based software publisher since 1995, long before the Microsoft official partner certification program. It has maintained a continuous certification level with Microsoft since 2004.

HMS and Microsoft started working together on a technology level in the early 1980s but with the release of the first Windows version of TimeControl in 1995, the alliance intensified. HMS and Microsoft worked together in 1995 to create a link from HMS Software's TimeControl timesheet system and Microsoft Project. When Microsoft expanded Microsoft Project from a desktop system to a server based system, TimeControl became one of the first external systems to provide a link to Project Server. Microsoft named HMS a "First to Market Partner" in 2006. HMS was an inaugural member of the Microsoft Project Solution Partner program and is one of the longest standing partners of Microsoft Project in the world.

"The relationship between HMS and Microsoft is truly remarkable when you consider both the depth of the relationship and its longevity," says Chris Vandersluis, President of HMS. "We work at technology, marketing, strategic and commercial levels so often that it has become part of the fabric of our firm."

The most visible sign of the relationship between the two firms is the link between the TimeControl timesheet system and Microsoft Project, a link that has been sustained, expanded and enhanced for over 18 years. "TimeControl's ability to link to both Microsoft Project and Project Server is a must," says Stephen Eyton-Jones, Director of Technical Services at HMS. "We have some clients who are required to link to multiple versions of Microsoft Project Desktop and even multiple Project Servers simultaneously. HMS ensures that the link between TimeControl and Microsoft Project and Project Server continues to support all of versions including Project 2013, the most recent."

While HMS has relationships with multiple technology companies such as Oracle and Deltek, the ties between HMS and Microsoft are multi-faceted. "HMS has maintained multiple Microsoft Partner competencies since Microsoft introduced the concept," says Chris Vandersluis, President of HMS. "We have qualified in both the Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) and the Independent Software Vendor (ISV) categories. Qualifying for these competencies requires that we not only train and certify our personnel and submit TimeControl for testing but that we provide client references for each competency so Microsoft can check with our own clients to verify that HMS delivers what it promises. HMS and Microsoft personnel have numerous relationships at the operational, technical and strategic levels locally, internationally and at the Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond."

The renewal of this partnership highlights the modern-day collaboration that is required to deliver multi-purpose solutions such as project-based timesheets to clients. Using HMS Software's TimeControl allows Microsoft clients to extend their timesheet functionality to comply with billing, payroll, job costing and auditable governance such as R&D tax credits, DCAA or Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.

The references between TimeControl and Microsoft are so numerous, that HMS has recently established a central portal with links to a wide range of webcasts, links, white papers and other collateral. The new TimeControl/Microsoft Portal can be found at microsoft.timecontrol.com. For more information about HMS, visit www.hmssoftware.ca. For more information about TimeControl, visit www.timecontrol.com.