January 2026
In This Issue
Podcast:
Letter from the President
Building Momentum for the Future
How CF Data is advancing STRUCTURECloud while staying grounded in customer partnership and real-world construction needs.
As we begin the new year, I want to thank our customers, partners, and team members for the trust and collaboration that continue to define CF Data. It is both an honor and a responsibility to serve as President, and I do so with a strong sense of optimism about where we are headed together.
In my initial letter, I spoke about momentum—not just keeping pace, but moving forward with purpose. That idea continues to guide us. For us, momentum means turning customer feedback into action, delivering improvements more quickly, and making steady progress without disrupting the systems our customers rely on every day.
"At CF Data, our focus remains practical and customer-driven.
Whether it’s improving system performance, expanding secure remote access, or modernizing core workflows, our goal is to make STRUCTURE easier to use, easier to support, and better aligned with how our customers actually work."
The construction industry continues to evolve, and technology plays an increasingly important role in how companies operate. At CF Data, our focus remains practical and customer-driven. Whether it’s improving system performance, expanding secure remote access, or modernizing core workflows, our goal is to make STRUCTURE easier to use, easier to support, and better aligned with how our customers actually work.
That focus is especially evident in our work on the next generation of STRUCTURECloud. This effort goes beyond moving infrastructure—it’s about modernizing the platform in a way that improves reliability, scalability, and long-term flexibility while preserving the workflows our customers depend on. You’ll see this reflected in performance improvements, a more adaptable architecture, and a platform built to support continued innovation.
As a reminder, we look forward to reconnecting with many of you at our
User Group Conference on September 9–10, 2026, in Norwood, Massachusetts.
These events give us the opportunity to share what we’ve been building, hear directly from customers, and have honest conversations about what’s working and what still needs improvement.
We’re excited to showcase recent advancements and provide a clearer view of where the next generation of STRUCTURECloud is headed.
As we move forward, customer partnership remains central to how we operate. Your feedback influences our priorities, shapes our roadmap, and helps ensure that progress translates into real, measurable value.
Momentum only matters if it delivers real results, and we remain committed to building the future of STRUCTURE with you—not just for you.
Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. I am excited about the road ahead and look forward to building momentum together in the year to come.
Kenny Akinnagbe
Kenny Akinnagbe
President
CF Data Systems
News from the Office
2026 User Group Conference
Survey & Information
We’re planning our upcoming User Group Conference for September 9th-10th—and your input matters.
Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey and tell us what you’d like to see, experience, and learn. Your feedback will help us tailor sessions, activities, and events to best match your interests and priorities.
Thank you for helping us build a conference designed with you in mind.
STRUCTURE User Group Conference 2026 – Feedback Survey – Fill out form
Hotel booking information and User Group Conference updates can be found HERE.
CF Data Heads to
2026 Fuse Alliance Annual Conference
Riding the Momentum, Leading What’s Next
March 1st-4th
CF Data is proud to be represented at the 2026 Fuse Alliance Annual Conference in San Diego by Vice President Vic Hansen, President Kenny Akinnagbe, and Vice President of Customer Development Erin Carnovale.
As Fuse celebrates 20 years of collaboration, CF Data looks forward to connecting with peers, strengthening partnerships, and contributing to the conversations that will help lead the industry forward.
“Fuse represents the power of connection—where collaboration, trust, and shared purpose move the entire industry forward.”
Important Notice for BRAINS Users:
Action Required Before March 1
If your company uses BRAINS for automatic email notifications, please note that changes are required before March 1.
Microsoft is discontinuing support for basic authentication, which means any automatic emails sent through BRAINS will fail after March 1 unless updates are made.
To remain compliant, CF Data is transitioning automatic email delivery to Postmark, a secure and reliable email service. This update requires a few simple steps.
What to Expect:
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CF Data will email you instructions to share with your IT department.
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Your IT team will need to add required records to your DNS provider (such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, Bluehost, etc.).
Next Steps After DNS Updates:
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Cloud users: CF Data will complete the BRAINS configuration for you.
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On-premise users: CF Data will coordinate access to your server to apply the updates.
If your company uses BRAINS for automatic emailing and you have not yet been contacted by CF Data, please submit a support ticket and our team will follow up with you promptly.
Thank you for your attention to this important update—we’re here to help make the transition smooth and seamless.
Protecting What Matters Most:
Backing Up Your STRUCTURE Data
Your STRUCTURE data is one of your company’s most valuable assets. It represents not only your financial information, but also your history, documentation, and the day-to-day work that keeps your business running. That’s why regular, verified backups are critical to protecting your operation from unexpected hardware failures, system issues, or other disruptions.
For customers running STRUCTURE on-premise, CF Data strongly recommends maintaining a consistent backup routine. Proper backups ensure that your data can be restored quickly and accurately if the unexpected occurs, minimizing downtime and avoiding potential data loss. Our documented Backup Procedures outline best practices for safeguarding STRUCTURE files and related data, while Backing Up SQL provides specific guidance for protecting your STRUCTURE database.
It’s equally important to remember that a backup is only as good as its ability to be restored. Periodically verifying backups and testing restores can make a significant difference when time matters most.
STRUCTURE Cloud customers can rest easy. All backups are handled automatically as part of the cloud service, and no manual action is required on your part.
Whether you manage backups internally or rely on STRUCTURE Cloud, taking data protection seriously is an essential part of maintaining a healthy, resilient system.
If you have questions about your backup strategy or need assistance reviewing your setup, CF Data Support is always here to help.
Support News
Contacting Support
Our entire Support team is here to help.
To ensure you receive the fastest possible assistance, please contact CF Data Support using our main support phone number (800.370.4357 | 781.337.7200) or email address (support@cfdatasystems.com). Reaching out through the main line allows the next available team member to respond promptly and efficiently.
Please avoid contacting individual team members directly unless you have been specifically instructed to do so. Team members may be unavailable or assisting other customers—especially during busy times of the year—which can delay your response.
If you’re using STRUCTURECloud, you may have worked closely with a specific team member during your setup and onboarding. Going forward, all STRUCTURE and STRUCTURECloud questions should be directed to the CF Data Support team, rather than to individual contacts.
Be sure to visit the CF Data Support website as well—it’s a great resource for documentation, how-to guides, and helpful information.
We’re always behind you and ready to help when you need us.
What’s New: PJM Integrations
New PJM integrations make it easier to connect STRUCTURE with CLIMIT and Procore.
STRUCTURE now includes two new buttons on the PJM Main Screen (PJC) that enable communication with CLIMIT and Procore.
Before using these features, required control file questions must be configured. Full setup instructions are available in the attached documentation.
Get a Summary Vendor Aging—Fast!
Looking for a quick way to view a Summary Vendor Aging without selecting multiple options in VAA? Try VAI – Aging for Vendors (with Drill Down).
Simply open VAI, press Enter through the Starting Vendor # field, and STRUCTURE will populate a summary aging list for all vendors. You’ll see balances neatly displayed in aging columns, without extra setup.
Need a hard copy? Click [Print] in the lower-left corner to generate a report.
Want more detail? Double-click any vendor to drill down and see exactly which transactions make up the aging balances.
Accounts Receivable offers a customer aging inquiry similar to VAI. It’s called AAI – Aging for Customer with Drill Down.
In the AAI screen, press Enter through the Starting Customer # field to display a one-line summary aging for every customer with open invoices. Each customer appears on a single line, making it easy to scan balances quickly.
When you need more detail, simply drill down on a customer to view the invoices behind their balance—all without leaving the inquiry screen.
Customer Aging with Drill-Down Made Easy
Cleaning Up Offset Invoices on Aging Reports
Do your aging reports show positive invoices offset by negative credits that cancel each other out?
Cleaning these up will make your agings clearer and more accurate.
For Accounts Receivable:
Use APC – Apply Credits to Open Invoices to apply offsetting invoices against each other.If either amount appears in the retainage column, you’ll first need to release retainage using:
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ARE – Sales Retainage
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ARR – Retainage Report and Update
Once retainage is moved to Open, APC can be used to apply the invoices and remove them from aging.
For Accounts Payable:
Use VAM – Manual Checks for Open Vouchers and select the Zero Sum Check option to apply offsetting positive and negative vouchers.
Step-by-step How-To Videos for both AR and AP aging cleanup are available on the Support Website.
Reprinting a Vendor Remittance Register
Printed a check that paid multiple invoices and sent the vendor a remittance—but didn’t keep a copy? No problem.
Use VCI to reprint the details. Enter the Vendor # and Check #, and STRUCTURE will list every invoice paid on that check. Click [Print] in the lower-left corner to produce a remittance register for your records.
VCI is also useful for reviewing all checks issued to a vendor. Enter the Vendor #, press Enter through the Check # field, and STRUCTURE will display the full check history.
Save Time at Year-End: Capture W-9s Early
Before setting up a new vendor, be sure to request their W-9 information right away. Entering this data during vendor setup in VMT is a best practice—and a huge time saver when running 1099s at year end.
For added organization, use the [Doc Mgt] button in VMT to attach a PDF copy of the vendor’s W-9 directly to their record. Having the documentation stored with the vendor keeps everything in one place and simplifies compliance later.
Missing Appointments on the WDS Calendar
If you have multiple users working with the Dispatch Board (WDS) in Work Orders, you may occasionally notice that one user cannot see certain appointments on the WDS calendar—even though other users can.
This is typically related to a user-specific setting.
To resolve the issue, have the affected user open the WDS screen and click the Settings button on the toolbar. In the Settings window, ensure that the option “Allow conflicting appointments” is checked. After clicking OK and exiting the screen, the calendar will automatically refresh.
Once this setting is enabled, the previously missing appointment or work order should now appear on the calendar.
This quick adjustment helps ensure all users have a consistent and complete view of scheduled work on the WDS calendar.
Preparing for 401(k) Contribution Changes in 2026
Several important updates to 401(k) contribution limits will take effect in 2026, and employers should begin preparing now to ensure employee records are set up correctly in STRUCTURE.
Contribution limits are increasing across multiple age groups, including higher standard limits, expanded catch-up contributions for employees over 50, and an enhanced catch-up limit for employees ages 60–63. Additionally, new Secure 2.0 rules require certain high-earning employees to make catch-up contributions as after-tax Roth contributions, rather than traditional 401(k) contributions.
To support these changes, updates to ES4 – 401(k) Limit will automatically adjust standard contribution limits for employees in EMT. However, employees who qualify for age-based or income-based catch-up contributions will require manual adjustments to their individual limits. Unlike prior years, traditional 401(k) and Roth contribution limits may now differ, and must be entered separately.
Because these changes can impact payroll processing and employee tax treatment, it’s important to review the details carefully. The full “How To Handle 401(k) Changes in 2026” document is attached and provides step-by-step guidance.
As always, we recommend consulting with your benefits provider and/or accountant to ensure compliance with IRS requirements and proper setup within STRUCTURE.
Must be using the newest version of STRUCTURE.
Fiscal Year End
Fiscal Year End Summary Checklist
Accounts Receivable
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Run AGE (Accounts Receivable Aging) in detail prior to running the GMC (Month End Close) for the month.
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Write off Bad Debt – See Fiscal Year End – Detail for full instructions.
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Optional – run ASR (Sales Analysis by Dollar) enter the dates for your Fiscal Year. Once printed, rerun for the first day of the new year to clear Current Invoice and YTD Invoice totals from AMT (Customer Maintenance) change mode.
Accounts Payable
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Run VAA (Accounts Payable Aging) in detail prior to running the GMC for the month.
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Optional – run VAN (Vendor Analysis) enter the dates for your Fiscal Year. Once printed, rerun for the first day of the new year to clear Current Invoice and YTD Invoice totals from VMT (Vendor Maintenance) change mode.
General Ledger
After completing the steps in Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, you will be ready to close the year in General Ledger.
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GMC – Month End Close.
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GFR – Current Month Financial Reports.
While you wait for your accountant’s figures:
You can continue posting your daily activity into future GL periods for up to 12 months before doing the year end close in General Ledger.
Optional: If you haven’t already done so, set up the following Prior Year Reports to be Archive Reports
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PTB - Trial Balance
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PPF - Financial Reports
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PIC & PBC - Comparative Income Statement and Balance Sheet
When you get your accountant’s year end figures:
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GJE – Journal Entries – Enter your accountant’s adjustments for the end of the year.
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GJU – Current Report and Update – to check your entries and update.
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GFR – Current Month Financial Reports – to check figures.
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Optional: GTR - Trial Balance - in Detail, for G/L Period 01 through G/L Period 12.
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Optional: Run Prior Year Financials (PTB, PPF, PIC, and PBC)
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GPU – Period Update – The system will automatically close the year.
IMPORTANT: GPU for Year End (period 12) takes longer than GPU for other G/L periods. You will receive a Year End Report.
No one should be working in STRUCTURE when GPU is running.
Other Applications
Optional
Job Cost - Optional
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JMF –Summary Reports – enter the dates for the cost and billing you want moved into COST PRIOR YEAR and BILLED PRIOR YEAR. Run one of the reports from JMF (Summary Report by Date) that includes Total Cost and Total Billing to check the information.
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JPY –Move Costs to Prior Year Column - will move total cost and billing amounts (based on the JMF report above) into the Cost Prior Year column and Billed Prior Year on your Job Cost Reports. Your Work in Process reports use this information for various columns and calculations, including “COST INCUR THIS YR”.
Inventory – Optional (NOT for users with ‘Roll Inventory’. Call CF Data Support for Detailed instructions.)
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IMC –Clear Month to Date Totals Clears the totals from the Units MTD column of the Material Usage Report (IUR)
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IYC –Clear Year to Date Totals – Clears the totals from the Units YTD column of the Material Usage Report (IUR)
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IIU –Inventory History Clear – This is usually run as part of the instructions for doing a physical count for inventory.
Purging
Now is a good time to think about running Purges for all applications. See the separate “How To” on Purging.
Support Contact Information
Phone: 800.370.4357 | 781.337.7200 | Email: support@cfdatasystems.com
The phone lines are open from 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday (ET). Email support is available Monday through Friday 8:30am to 7:00pm.
Support may be unavailable Monday (9:00am-9:30am) and Thursday (8:45am-9:45am) for staff meetings.
2026 Tax Changes
Tax changes go out the second week of January. Admin users should be getting a notification to run an upgrade upon logging into STRUCTURE. If you have not received this message by the second week of January please contact support.
Please do not make any changes yourself to the tax tables, especially the description. Doing so can void the changes we send you. Correcting these errors will be billable.
After the tax changes are made, the description field for any state that had a change will include a January 2026 date. This can be seen in the ETM screen. If you see 2026 dates, you know the tax change upgrade was successful.
Unemployment
The tax upgrade will update the State Unemployment Limits in the system. If you have a change to your percentage, you need to enter that in field 13 of EQS - Company State Info for EQU.
EQF
FICA limit will change to $184,500.
401K
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Employees younger than 50 will be able to contribute as much as $24,500 to a 401(k) in 2026.
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Employees over 50 may contribute an additional $8,000, for a maximum of $32,500.
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Employees 60, 61, 62 and 63 have a higher catch-up cap. Those in this group can save an additional $11,250. Maximum of $35,750.
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New Secure 2.0 Act requires employees over 50 who earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages in 2025 to treat any catch-up contribution made as an after-tax Roth (z).
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In an upcoming version we have added the ability to have two z (Roth) deduction codes. One will be used exclusively for the Secure 2.0 Roth Catch Up Contribution.
Federal Tax Changes
Important: FUTA - Go into EQF and verify that field 8 states 00.6000.
The Federal tax tables have been updated.
The Social Security tax rate remains at 6.2% and the Medicare tax rate remains at 1.45% for employee and employer. An extra 0.9% in Medicare is withheld on an employee whose wages are in excess of $200,000.
Make Sure You Read the Release Notes
Read the release notes that accompany the upgrade for a list of states with changes.
Parting Shots
The CF Data Holiday party this year included a surprise retirement party for our outgoing president, Marilyn Kelland. There were speeches given, and past president Eric Goldstein was in attendance, as was Marilyn's husband Jim.
