DCS Blog

Research and Development Tax Relief is a valuable UK Government tax initiative set up in 2000 to encourage British businesses to invest in Research and Development activities, enabling those businesses to obtain considerable financial support for their innovation-based projects, remaining competitive within their sector, and keeping the UK at the forefront of technological and scientific […]

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, SMEs face numerous challenges that can hinder growth and success. From managing complex operations to ensuring efficient workflows, SMEs often struggle to streamline their processes and achieve optimal productivity. However, with the advent of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software, these challenges can be effectively addressed. ERP solutions allow […]

In recent years, businesses have witnessed a monumental shift in the way they manage their IT infrastructure. Traditional on-premise IT solutions are now facing stiff competition from cloud-hosted IT services or Software as a Service (SaaS) as more businesses use the internet both in and away from the office. The introduction of cloud computing services […]

For a business in any industry, the competitive landscape is bigger than ever, and the effective management of business operations is crucial, with the accounts payable (AP) being no exception. AP is widely known as being a tedious and costly business department. Within this department, mistakes are often found due to the amount of number […]

In today’s digital age, small businesses are increasingly reliant on technology to operate effectively. However, with this comes the risk of cyber threats that can compromise data, disrupt business operations, and tarnish a company’s reputation. While large corporations often have dedicated IT security teams, small businesses may lack the necessary resources to prioritise cybersecurity measures. […]

On the 21st of June, DCS opened the doors to their head office, Boston Lodge in Boston Spa, Leeds. Hosting their first post-covid customer-facing accounting software event, it was great to see our home filled once again with the buzz of exhibitors and attendees. Unsure of how people felt about once again venturing out away […]

In today’s highly competitive business landscape, maintaining strong customer relationships is crucial for sustainable growth and success. With the rapid advancement of technology, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has emerged as a powerful tool to optimise customer interactions and enhance overall business efficiency. In 2020, research revealed that 74% of CRM users felt that the […]

When making decisions in business, having the correct financial reporting data is essential. Without the right data, decision making can be made even more challenging, and staying ahead in a competitive environment can be difficult. To succeed in your market, your business must have reliable number-based insights so you can track transactions accurately to understand […]

At Deans Computer Services, we are happy to announce we will be hosting an ERP solutions event with two of our award-winning ERP solutions partners, Intact IQ and Iplicit, at our head office in Boston Spa on 21st June. This event will provide you with a rare opportunity to discuss your businesses current accounting software […]

In today’s digital age, having reliable and efficient IT infrastructure is crucial for the success of small businesses. However, managing IT systems can be complex and time-consuming, especially for businesses that lack the necessary resources or expertise. This is where IT service providers for small businesses come in. In this blog post, we will explore […]

As a business owner, you understand the importance of keeping your IT infrastructure running smoothly. However, you may be faced with the decision of whether to hire in-house IT staff or outsource your IT needs to a third-party provider like DCS. While there are advantages and disadvantages to both options, opting for a business IT […]

In today’s digital age, businesses of all sizes rely heavily on software to carry out their day-to-day operations. Microsoft 365 is one such software suite that has become an essential tool for businesses worldwide. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at Microsoft 365 software for business, how it can benefit your organisation […]

Here at Deans Computer Services, we’re hosting the Capital Property Manager Software Showcase at our head office in Boston Spa on 18th May 2023. The event will provide a unique opportunity to talk to our IT and software experts, helping you gain an insight into how our Capital Property Manager software makes managing a property […]

Accountancy software is a critical component of any business to assess its financial health. It involves recording financial transactions, generating reports, and analysing data to make informed decisions that will benefit the future growth of the company. In the past, businesses relied on manual accounting processes, which were time-consuming and prone to errors. However, with […]

In today’s world, businesses face constant challenges when it comes to managing their operations efficiently. Commonly, when issues arise in different departments, businesses look to resolve these challenges on an individual basis and integrate softwares accordingly. Though this is beneficial for solving short-term challenges, in the long-term, having multiple incongruent systems running across several departments […]

Attention users of Microsoft Outlook! A recent vulnerability has been identified and it’s important that you take action to protect your system. CVE-2023-23397 affects all supported versions of Microsoft Outlook running on Windows and allows a hacker to obtain a user’s credentials by sending a contaminated email to the user. Microsoft has already released a […]

Exciting news from our software partner Pegasus: We are thrilled to announce that AP Automation is coming soon to Opera 3 SQL SE to streamline the way your business processes invoices. What is AP Automation and how does it work? Invoice Capture in Opera 3 SQL SE combines advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning […]

Payroll year end is just around the corner, and it is important that your processes are all in order before the HMRC deadline comes around. The official payroll year end submission date is the 19th April. When it comes to sorting your processes, you should ideally be handling a standard 12-month or 52-week payroll. Though […]

Managing payroll can be a time-consuming and complex task for businesses, especially as they grow, and the number of employees increases. Fortunately, there are a variety of payroll software solutions available to help streamline the process and reduce the risk of errors. In this guide, we’ll take a look at what a payroll software is, […]

As an SME or small business owner, it is likely you’ll have some reservations if you’re thinking of outsourcing your IT support, especially if you’re used to your operations being in-house. So, when it comes to choosing your IT support provider, you need to be confident that they can provide you with the quality service […]

In today’s competitive climate, it is essential that your IT resources are up to scratch. From cyber security to IT hardware and network connectivity, having these business features run smoothly will help to support your staff and allow your business to stand out to customers. To achieve this, most businesses choose to work with local […]

When it comes to IT solutions, there are countless options on the market. It can be overwhelming to sift through all of them and determine which one is the best fit for your business. At DCS, we understand this challenge and that’s why we don’t want to simply sell you a new IT solution. Instead, […]

New year, new start As we begin yet another new year, businesses will be taking the time to reflect on the previous year, what worked and more importantly, what didn’t. What improvements can be made to make sure that their IT systems and software solutions are still running efficiently and ready for the year ahead? With […]

When it comes to the process of migrating old ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software systems to newer versions, the task is often postponed as it is thought to be too costly, or the process is perceived as being long-winded and difficult to execute. However, the risk of maintaining these legacy systems can be extremely high […]

23 years ago in May 1999, it was my first day at Deans Computer Services in the hardware department as a Junior Engineer. As part of my initial training, I was instructed to meet up with one of the Senior Engineers at a customer site in Bradford. He was tasked with rebuilding a Novell server […]

Mental health is talked about so much more these days and that can only be a good thing, but what is mental health? According to MentalHealth.gov, it is a mixture of psychological, emotional and social well-being. If any one of these, or all, are off balance, it can have a massive impact on our happiness, enthusiasm, decision-making, […]

2023 is expected to be a challenging year for employers in the IT sector. The UK is experiencing low growth, rising interest rates and high inflation yet demand for technical services and staff in the UK remains high. The trade association, techUK, has forecast the UK has the potential to create a further three million […]

Now that we have entered the fourth quarter of the year, many businesses are beginning to consider how they can transform their current systems in time for the start of the new year. One-way businesses can look to achieve this is simply through updating their current software’s and systems to their most recent versions. Although […]

What is basic authentication? For many years applications have used basic authentication to connect to servers and services. Basic authentication means the application sends a username and password with every request and those credentials are also often stored or saved on the device. Simplicity isn’t necessarily bad, but basic authentication makes it easier for attackers […]

Sustainability and environmental consciousness are running themes in society, that are now more prevalent than ever before. For businesses, the idea of sustainability and environmental friendliness is said to be at the forefront of many of their agendas. Yet, it appears that there may be a disconnect between what businesses want to do, and what […]

With more and more businesses now having to evolve their digital capabilities at a rapid speed to keep up with the demands of digital transformation, an effective and reliable IT infrastructure has never been more important. IT is now the central nervous system of any businesses, regardless of size, and can be incredibly impactful on […]

When operating as a small business there are so many important daily tasks to remember, especially if you are the business owner too. Your day is most likely jam packed with numerous to-do lists and other miscellaneous tasks that need completing. When your day is filled up like this, sometimes the last thing you want […]

With employees now working away from the office more frequently, the threat of a cyber-attack on your business data is higher than ever. Working in an office environment, you can guarantee the safety of your data as you are in complete control of its security. However, now that employees are working away from the office […]

Accounting software can be an extremely useful tool to help a business manage its finances. A good software will help you to manage and sometimes automate regular financial tasks such as employee payroll and recurring financial payments from customers. Additionally, it can also help you to manage and understand your financial position in the future, […]

Hybrid working has grown and become a normality for many businesses around the globe, and the implementation of cloud-based infrastructures has become routine as well. The cloud can service a business in many positive ways when it comes to hybrid working, from helping with operational agility to creating more robust security to name a few. […]

It is with a very heavy heart, that we announce that our dear friend and colleague Neil Turton sadly passed away on Sunday the 27th of March after fighting a very brave battle with pancreatic cancer. Neil joined our DCS business development team nearly 15 years ago back in December 2007. Hailing from Barnsley in […]

This is such a great blog from our amazing ERP Software partner, Intact that we wanted to share it. Of all the things to focus on as a business, holding on to customers should be top of your priority list. Why? On average, 65% of a company’s revenue comes from existing customers, making retention a fundamental part […]

Guest Blog from our partners at Pegasus Software: Today is the first ‘Get to know your customers day’ of 2022 so what better time than to look at customer engagement and how you can get to know your customers better. The event happens four times a year and is a reminder to all marketers and […]

After nearly 35 years of being able to easily ask one of our experts at DCS to assist with anything IT related, it has come as a bit of a shock to rely on my auspices. Actually, who am I kidding? I am now “Googling” several times a day. What this has made me realise […]

There have been many reports in the press and other media regarding the launch of Microsoft Windows 11, which had its official release on October 5th. This is a free upgrade for Windows 10 users as long as your hardware is compatible. Microsoft are making it very easy to upgrade your copy of Windows 10. […]

Our amazing team of bespoke developers have once again come to the rescue of a customer in need. They were recently approached by a London based client that required a cloud-hosted system for their fresh food wholesaler business.   When time is of the essence and you need to provide customers with fresh produce such as meat, fish and bread etc. then you need […]

Here at DCS, we take cloud solutions very seriously, which is why we have now created a specialist site for our Amber Vault Cloud Services. We are very fortunate to have an awesome team of highly skilled DCS engineers; racking up years of experience in all things IT between them. But when it comes to […]

With the restrictions we have all been living with over the past year, DCS has proudly enabled many of our customers, old and new to work remotely or in a Covid safe environment, ourselves included. But as these restrictions are lifted and hopefully removed altogether, we are seeing customers’ staff return to work which itself raises […]

Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) Shared Responsibility Model states: “With Microsoft (Office) 365, it’s your data — you control it — and it is your responsibility to protect it.” But what does this mean for you… At DCS, I’m sure we must sound like a broken record with regards to the backing up of data […]

This month marks the anniversary of when we started Lockdown and as we stated in our Spring newsletter, the cyberthreats and cybersecurity incidents just keep increasing. I had a chat with Chris Lord, our technical director, and he pointed out a few quick IT security wins that people can adopt very easily and could make […]

Thank you to our partners, Intact Software, for this great article and for letting us post it as a Guest Blog Bespoke ERP software refers to any custom-built application that is effectively written from the ground up to suit the particular needs of a company. Predominantly the remit of large, complex organisations with big budgets […]

As the crocuses begin to emerge and we dare to let our minds dream of a future that resembles something of the life we used to know, there is that optimistic feeling that Spring is in the air. Already having several emails land in my inbox trying to persuade me that theirs is the “must-have” […]

Our accounting/ERP software team carry out many installations of products from our accounting software portfolio. Previously this has entailed members of our team travelling to customer sites and physically installing software. Due to Covid, however, this has all changed. Installing Intact iQ Remotely I asked Keith Newman, a member of our IntactiQ team about his […]

In the Beginning: The dictionary definition of the word ‘bespoke’ is ‘made for a particular customer or user’. Up until the 1970’s, most people probably used the term in relation to clothing, where they might order a bespoke suit or pair of shoes. However, the IT industry has never been slow to hijack vocabulary and […]

It seems to me that never a day goes by without an article on Digital Transformation landing in my inbox.  I work in an IT company and have done for 34 years (yes there was such a thing as IT 34 years ago, thank you!) and sometimes I am puzzled by the jargon used when […]

A huge thank you to our trusted partner, Intact Software, for providing this great, informative guest blog: Businesses which import and export goods between the UK and Europe face significant changes from 1 January 2021. Brexit means new rules and tariffs for the UK-EU supply chain, so companies must prepare ahead of the new year […]

We have come a long way since the start of the general availability of personal computers in the 1970s. Fast forward nearly 50 years to 2020 and not only have we all got our own personal computers, but we each have additional devices, whether they be in the form of a desktop, a laptop, a smartphone or a tablet, each and every one […]

The installation of Microsoft updates on a regular basis can be very irritating, and I’m sure we all question at some point, “what is the actual benefit?” There is software out there that can manage the deployment of Microsoft updates to all the computers in your business, but it requires an investment of time and […]

Here we are some 19 weeks after we entered lockdown and we continue to follow government guidelines and advice.  Here at DCS we’re working to do our part by ensuring the safety of our employees, striving to protect the health and well-being of the communities in which we operate, and providing IT and cybersecurity support […]

Think IMAP is “fail safe” for e-mail? Think again! Yes, using POP3/SMTP is no longer secure and should not be considered for business use any more. See my previous DCS blog post on email Simply moving to IMAP/SMTP for business email maybe more protected in terms of email transport and password security, but this does […]

IaaS, PaaS, SaaS. You may have seen these acronyms mentioned when looking at cloud services but what do they mean and how should they affect your decision making when looking at moving your applications or infrastructure to the cloud? It’s important that you understand the differences between each one of these cloud models so that you […]

how to choose the right Cloud Back up services for you.  Small business users need a safe and secure system for storing and backing up one of their most valuable assets, next to their team of course, and that is their data. We have all heard examples of system crashes resulting in disaster for companies.  These crashes, whether […]

The original message transport protocols developed during the 1970s by Ray Tomlinson have been obsolete for some time now.  This is because this method of email transport uses PLAIN TEXT for password communication. Electronic mail was developed as an internal company communication system, designed for the ARPAnet and never really to be used across public […]

When scrolling through all my social media, I see videos of people who have recorded their very special moments and people demonstrating their creativity and talents. Have you ever noticed that many of these videos don’t take up the full screen of your TV, smartphone or tablet? You’ll find that the video is playing only on a small area of the screen and that the video is surrounded by large areas of black, or a blurred version of the same video simply to fill out the screen.   The reason […]

“It’s not our broadband that’s causing the problem, I’ve got fibre and I get 80 meg!”  This is a phrase that we, as an IT support company, hear regularly. The problem is, is that your 80 meg (or whatever speed you’ve been quoted) is only a small piece of the puzzle. You also need to consider the following: Upload  In most cases, your […]

Pegasus Software have released a whitepaper on how to process furloughed staff on Opera 3 Payroll. The Coronavirus Job Retention scheme is a temporary scheme open to all UK employers for at least 3 months starting from 1st March 2020. It is designed to support employers whose operations have been severely affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19). […]

As we now face up to working from home (WFH), how many of you have experienced an issue with your Wi-Fi internet connection not working or being very flakey?  You are not alone, indeed the technical team at DCS have taken many calls concerning this issue both from colleagues, who have recently started working from […]

As we reach the end of a week where life changed dramatically for so many at home and at work, I thought I would try to collate just a few of the best bits of information I have found to try to help my newfound WFH/home-school/multi-company office. I’m currently sitting at one end of our […]

Don’t wait for the snow to arrive before answering this question; be proactive, not reactive to WFH (Working From Home)… If you have a team that have young families it’s worth taking into consideration those potential emergency child-sick-days and snow/faulty school radiator days that seem to arrive in abundance and send schools, parents and children […]

ERP: What does it mean? ERP is the three-letter abbreviation for Enterprise Resource Planning. This term is used to cover a multitude of software packages including: What is ERP Software Used For? A common goal of people looking for ERP software is to integrate the various applications within their business that they have, or think […]

Another year has passed, even quicker than the last some may say; but with this one, we head into a new decade, 2020! Like most of the nation, I like to take a moment to process the previous year and reflect on the goals I want to tackle and try to achieve in this next […]

DCS’s offices will be closed Tuesday 24th, Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th December. On Tuesday 24th we will have hardware and software support staff to take your calls, so if you have an issue, please call 01937 541411 and leave a message with contact details, if the phone is not answered. One of our team […]

In October I celebrated my 25th anniversary at DCS, after writing a post on LinkedIn about this, https://bit.ly/2XdWwNI .I was asked to expand on it for a Blog on our Website. Rather than thanking everyone again, I thought I’d explain, why I have chosen to stay at DCS for so long, especially in this time […]

A digital world that is accessible to all As a 45 (soon to be 46) year-old living and working in the digital world, I’m often amazed by what I can learn from my 10-year old daughter when it comes to digital technology. She is what might be called a ‘digital native’. She was born into […]

Being more than half way through the Summer aka – the rainy holidays, I was looking forward to spending my 2 days off with my girls Sophie (9 and a very important half!) and Phoebe (8). Having checked the weather forecast my best chance of a dry day was going to be the Tuesday and […]

When it comes to choosing a cloud backup provider there is a myriad of options on offer but what should you be looking for? There are a number of points that you need to consider before making the leap and trusting another company to look after your data. What is a Cloud Backup Provider? When […]

14th January 2020 is a key date at Microsoft with several products becoming End of Life. If you are still using Windows 7 in your organisation or at home, then it’s time to think about upgrading to Windows 10.  January 2020 sees the end of support for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Exchange 2010. […]

The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled that European Union (EU) member states must require employers to measure the duration of time worked by each employee, both normal hours and overtime, to ensure staff are not working beyond the legal maximum number of hours, and that they receive stipulated daily and […]

We often get calls from customers checking the validity of strange emails, usually they turn out to be a Phishing or SPAM email. Protection from Cyber-attacks, Phishing or SPAM emails is an ever evolving game of catch up,  DCS can supply and configure various defences including :- Everycloud, a cloud based Anti-Spam package ESET Anti-virus, […]

This year’s annual Spring Conference will take place at the new, world-class Emerald Stadium at Headingley on Tuesday 21st May.  DCS will be hosting the first business event in the ground-breaking Emerald suite, which is the only suite in the world to overlook two magnificent stadia! As well as the opportunity to be one of the […]

14th January 2020 is a key date at Microsoft with several products becoming End of Life. If you are still using Windows 7 in your organisation or at home, then it’s time to think about upgrading to Windows 10.  January 2020 sees the end of support for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and Exchange […]

Our support team people are regularly trying to encourage people to strengthen their passwords. Why? Because the chances of you becoming a victim of a cybercrime are significantly reduced when the whole organisation is protected by strong passwords.  I’m sure we sound like a broken record. DCS now recommend that in order make sure your […]

DCS joins reseller network for new Cloud offering. We are delighted to announce that we have strengthened our Cloud technology portfolio following a new appointment to act as a reseller for Advanced.  We have joined the Advanced TruePartner programme which is designed to reward resellers for their Cloud-first strategy, ensuring it provides the training, skills […]

What on earth is that and what’s it got to do with my organisation and me?         Well, everything I’d say. Let me explain; I heard a security guard on a site I was visiting recently, explain his frustration in trying to keep trespassers out on an evening as “like an onion with holes” when asked […]

Hello, my name is Adam Findlay and I am the new Cloud Services Manager here at DCS. Having worked for DCS for 12 years now and in the I.T. industry since I was 18, I have witnessed many changes taking place; most notably the mass adoption of virtualisation around 8 years ago and the recent […]

Where does TAPE come from and why did we need it? There is an old English proverb that says ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ and that was certainly the case when I decided that it was time to move away from a process of recording the company timesheets in Excel spreadsheets. The old method […]

Spending too much time manipulating spreadsheets? When doing a system review for a client, it was mentioned that they spent a few days every month just manipulating price list spreadsheets that came in from suppliers. Columns had to be adjusted and re-sequenced and then margins and/or discounts applied before they were able to be imported […]

York is what we make it… Once again DCS were honoured to be asked to attend the MIY Annual Review taking place at The Principle Hotel in York, a venue which was made even more beautiful & impressive by the glorious sunshine that also put in an appearance. The teams at The Principle Hotel and […]

So we all know Cyber-crime is an ongoing threat, part of our daily lives that will not be going away. It seems, not a day goes by without reading yet another headline of another organisation you really would not expect to be hit, being the latest victim. At the very least leaving their company name […]

How to deliver a unique and better service to your customers and reduce pressure on your customer service An existing client in the manufacturing sector casually mentioned the burgeoning demands being placed on his customer service team. They were being inundated with queries by phone, fax and email from customers requiring information on the status […]

Recently, I have discovered in Microsoft Outlook, a feature  – Quicksteps! Now whilst I wouldn’t go as far as to say it has changed my life, it has certainly taken a load off. So what is Quicksteps? Quicksteps is a feature in Outlook that allows you to automate common Outlook tasks. The first time I […]

Not having an internet connection in 2018 is like having no gas, water or electricity to the building. In fact, I think we would cope better if the gas, water or electric did go off rather than if the internet went off! Perhaps as a business (or a home) we should give more thought to […]

DCS Spring Conference at Rudding Park Hotel, 24th April 2018 For one day only this spring you have the opportunity to come and see the DCS team in this multi award winning hotel, hear some of the UK’s leading Keynote Speakers and get to chat to a variety of other exhibitors that have the business […]

Pegasus Software announcement to the end of life for Opera II Payroll. Pegasus can no longer justify the investment in updating Opera II payroll every year. As a result, they have taken the decision that Opera II Payroll will be updated for the last time in the February 2018 release, which will allow processing in […]

Krys Bialkowska is our software support manager and has over 20 years of installing, training and supporting various versions of Pegasus accounting software, from Senior through Opera; Opera II and now Opera 3.  As a DCS advocate for this software and one of its best ambassadors, I asked her why she thinks Opera 3 is […]

I started working at DCS at the beginning of September 1989, when my youngest child Jonathan started school. DCS was then located just off Street Lane in Leeds, halfway between my house and the school so it was perfect.  I worked in the Maintenance department, which at the time consisted of Andrew Tones and 2 […]

Don’t lose days of productivity and sales due to bad weather and traffic chaos. Planning is the key, don’t wait until the bad weather comes Working from home Make sure you know how to remotely access your e-mails and applications before your unplanned snow day arrives. Ensure you know have a secure record of all […]

The Great British Expos North West   http://www.greatbritishexpos.co.uk/   Myself and DCS Chairman Peter Rogerson crossed over the border to visit our red rose friends one early Thursday morning, late November, to exhibit at the impressive Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City. It was very well attended with exhibitors and delegates, with a variety of […]

It is now more important than ever to take cyber security extremely seriously in order to prevent an attack. As cybercriminals up their game and catch even the most vigilant of individuals via various spoofed emails, take a look at these scam email warning signs, which you and your employees should be looking out for […]

A quick google search will show there are numerous companies offering Security Awareness Training services. With so many options, it can be difficult to find the right service for your organisation. To help guide you through the selection process, here are nine key questions: Does the testing phase draw upon information in the public domain […]

Gunpowder Treason and Plot We see no reason Why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! Well apparently Thorp Arch forgot the date! Last weekend I had the pleasure of running the Pyrotechnics (for the fourth year running!) at Thorp Arch’s Bonfire Night. Between cups of tea, and hanging off the back of a Land Rover, […]

Amazingly, the first time this expression was coined was as far back in 1999 and it refers to the rapidly growing network of connected objects that are able to collect and exchange data using embedded sensors.  For example, thermostats, cars, lights, refrigerators, and more appliances can all be connected to the IoT.  Indeed the first […]

We are delighted to welcome the team from Leckhampton Computers to Boston Lodge.  Their expertise in bespoke business software development adds to the wide range of services provided by DCS. With a close working relationship through collaboration on a number of past projects, the newly expanded DCS development team will comprise 11 developers which, as […]

As of October 10th 2017, an old stalwart of Microsoft, Office 2007 comes to the end of its life.  From the end of the month Outlook 2007will no longer connect to Office 365, leaving users unable to access e-mails. When a product reaches “end of life” (typically after 10 years), Microsoft will no longer offer […]

Occasionally we are asked by our customers to implement a digital signage solution. Firstly I need to address what is digital signage, Wikipedia defines it as… “a remotely managed digital display typically tied in with sales, advertising and marketing” or as “a network of electronic displays that are centrally managed and individually addressable for the display […]