Archive for the ‘Free Software’ Category

Software vendors race to bet on ChatGPT craze – Legal Dive

Enterprise software vendors big and small are moving to quickly adopt the technology behind ChatGPT, the popular artificial intelligence tool developed by Microsoft-backed OpenAI.

San Francisco-based startup Klarity Intelligence is among early adopters that are marketing new tools targeted at finance departments in particular.

Its very clear that this is a technology that can bring immense value to finance teams,Nischal Nadhamuni, chief technology officer and co-founder of Klarity Intelligence, said in an interview.

Klarity, which focuses on helping businesses to automate document-heavy workflows, is leveraging OpenAIs technology in a new demo product available for free on the internet, with plans to unveil an enterprise-ready version within coming weeks.

The upgrade will allow clients to more quickly and easily perform functions such as validating billing and revenue data, according to Nadhamuni.

ChatGPT is an AI-driven natural language processing tool capable of interacting in a conversational way and producing responses to questions across a number of subject areas. The technologys popularity is rapidly increasing, even as some worry about risks such as data security breaches.

Klaritys demo product incorporates a new model of the technology, known as GPT-4. However, the tech startup is working to address data security issues and other potential concerns before making the upgraded system available to its clients, which include online video conferencing company Zoom Video Communications Inc. and cybersecurity firm Cloudflare Inc.

We want to be able to test more internally before we do that, Nadhamuni said.

Among other security protocols, Klarity is using end-to-end encryption and has opted out of any of its customer or user data being used by OpenAI for ChatGPT model training, he said.

In a related development, finance tech startup Brex has announced plans to launch new ChatGPT-style tools for CFOs.

The new tools, which are set to be made available later in 2023 through Brexs Empower platform, expand on work the company has done with Scale AI during the past year to automatically parse receipts and invoices, extracting data to enable automatic policy enforcement, the company said in a March 7press release. Strict privacy controls will be maintained as the new features are rolled out, it said.

Other early ChatGPT adopters include bigger companies that are rolling out broader tools.

Last week, Microsoft said it was planning to bring ChatGPT-like features to Microsoft 365, its product suite that includes Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations and Outlook emails.

The software giantannounced in January that it was extending a partnership with OpenAI, making a new multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment in the startup company.

Earlier this month, Salesforce Inc. unveiled a ChatGPT app for its Slack business messaging platform.

Meanwhile, Google has said its experimenting with a ChatGPT competitor known as Bard.

Klarity said on March 15 that it began using GPT-4 in a demo platform that allows users to extract data from PDF documents and graphs that can then be reviewed and analyzed in minutes.

That announcement came just a day after GPT-4 was released to the public. Prior to that, Klarity had been experimenting with the technologys previous iteration, GPT-3.5.

Beginning in April, all new Klarity customers will get the GPT-4 driven platform, and existing ones will be offered migration options, the company said in a press release.

Klaritys platform can extract the payment terms in a PDF contract and automatically populate them into an invoicing system, the company said.

It also helps ease order management, billing and revenue recognition reviews, processes that have traditionally been performed manually by large teams of analysts who reconcile data between systems and documents for accuracy and completeness and then populate long revenue checklists, according to the release.

Previously, the company used its own custom AI models to create document summaries for finance and accounting teams that pulled out high-level details such as licensed products, payment terms, addresses and non-standard language, the release said.

With GPT-4 embedded across the platform, customers now will have the ability to instantly set up new extraction fields within minutes, as well as use AI capabilities in the tool to compare data such as party names, dates, and addresses, it said.

The enhanced platform also allows users to chat with their documents, according to Nadhamuni. For example, the platform could be asked to search revenue contracts for refund upon termination for convenience clauses.

This is a very damaging clause, because it means your customer can end the contract and be entitled to a refund, so you want to know if your contract has one of those, he said.

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Software vendors race to bet on ChatGPT craze - Legal Dive

Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced for Felony and Misdemeanor … – Department of Justice

WASHINGTON A Pennsylvania woman was sentenced in the District of Columbia today on felony and misdemeanor charges for her actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. Her actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

Riley June Williams, 23, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for interfering with law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, and resisting or impeding law enforcement officers, both felonies, as well as four related misdemeanor offenses. Williams was found guilty of the charges on November 21, 2022 after a trial in the U.S. District Court. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Amy B. Jackson ordered 36 months of supervised release and $2,000 restitution.

According to the governments evidence, on Jan. 6, 2021, Williams used an overturned bike rack barricade to climb an exterior wall and join the mob of rioters illegally on the Capitol grounds. Police use of chemical irritants to disperse the mob did not deter her. She entered the Capitol Building at approximately 2:15 p.m. through the Senate Wing Door, just two minutes after it was first breached, and urged other rioters not to leave. She remained inside for about 90 minutes, during which time she penetrated the Crypt, Rotunda, and Office of the Speaker of the House. While inside the building, Williams pushed other rioters to invade further, organized groups of them into a human battering ram to physically break through police lines, berated the police officers, directed a large group of rioters to lock arms to resist law enforcement efforts to clear them from the building, and encouraged another rioter to steal a laptop from the Speaker of the Houses office. Specifically, video captured Williams commanding another rioter to Take that f-----g laptop and told him Dude, put on gloves! so as to avoid being identified. Williams took video, audio, and photo recordings of her activities, which she proudly shared on social media, bragging about her leadership role in the riot and participation in thefts from the Office of the Speaker.

Williams was arrested on Jan. 18, 2021, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In the 12 days between the riot and her arrest, Williams repeatedly destroyed evidence and tried to evade law enforcement officials: she deleted her social media and communication accounts, instructed others to delete messages and take down videos from the internet, reset her iPhone, switched cellular phones, and used advanced software to wipe her computer.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Middle District of Florida.

The case was investigated by the FBIs Washington Field Office and the Capital Area Resident Agency of the FBIs Philadelphia Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

In the 26 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

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Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced for Felony and Misdemeanor ... - Department of Justice

Best Free Payroll Software (2023) Forbes Advisor – Forbes

To decide which providers made the cut for this guide, we assessed the available free payroll software to determine which would best meet freelancer, startup and small business needs. This assessment was based on the softwares free plan features and functionality, free plan limitations, add-ons and extra fees (if any), upgrade options and customer reviews. Below is a deeper look at our assessment process.

In putting together this guide, we aimed to include software with feature sets that went beyond the expected. Such added features included HR functions and capabilities, reporting, employee portals, multiple payment format optionscheck and direct depositdeduction management and unexpected security features, such as biometric face recognition.

Additionally, as we assessed the free plans features and functionality, we paid close attention to the limitations the free plans imposed on small businesses. The limitations assessed included the number of employees the software would allow businesses to pay or even maximum and minimum amounts businesses could pay each employee to qualify for free software usage. We weighted pricing at 20% of our total score.

We worked to uncover plans that were truly free without extra fees for essential features. We also looked for plans with nice-to-have add-ons that users could take advantage of as their budgets permit. The essential general features we looked for included having a self-service employee portal and offering contractor payments. Other good-to-have features included new hire onboarding. third-party integrations, ledger reports and other reporting and analytics offerings.

In ranking the top free payroll software, we prioritized the providers that offered paid, more full-featured plans so freelancers, startups and small businesses can start with the free plan, then advance to plans that fit their needs as they grow. Features accounted for 30% of our final score.

As we chose providers for this guide, we listened attentively to what customers who have and are using the software had to say about it. Namely, we looked at what software features, capabilities or services met their needsor, better yet, delighted themand which inherent bottlenecks kept customers from meeting business goals. These accounted for 15% of the total score.

Using our market research and close scrutiny of the categories listed above, we also ranked additional criteria from customer reviews, such as any detailed or stand-out features, popularity, ease of use and value for the money. Altogether, these criteria made up 35% of the total score.

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$39-plus per month, depending on company size and needs

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Best Free Payroll Software (2023) Forbes Advisor - Forbes

Best Free Invoice And Billing Software (March 2023) – Forbes

Most invoicing software includes base software features, such as the ability to send invoices and receive payments. There are many other features that the top invoicing software offers to make it easier for you to track payments, contact clients and manage inventory and finances.

Though keeping accurate stock counts is more vital for businesses that sell physical products, it can still be a viable feature for service-based businesses. Most businesses that use invoicing software track inventory in a separate application. If you choose invoicing software that includes inventory tracking, you can consolidate a bit.

Although most invoicing software gives you the ability to send invoices to your clients, a portal for your clients can be even more helpful than an email. A client portal makes it possible for your clients to log into the software to see the progress youre making on projects and estimates, along with past, current or upcoming invoices.

Service-based businesses rely on time tracking tools to keep a running tab on billable and nonbillable hours to use for invoicing. When time tracking is included as a feature in your invoicing software, it can be a huge help. You can instantly turn billable hours into the amount your client owes and send the invoice. Otherwise, youre stuck doing work in separate software.

Having a mobile app for invoicing can be a convenient tool if you often work away from your desk. You can easily send invoices and payment reminders from your phone or tablet anywhere you are as long as you have an internet connection. If you prefer using push notifications, some invoicing mobile apps will let you know when a payment goes through so that you dont have to keep checking your payment apps or email.

Invoicing software that includes reports, prebuilt or custom, can be an eye-opening feature for businesses. With analytics, you can collect data that will help you make future business decisions. You may discover most of your clients pay invoices from their mobile phones or that your customers rarely check payment reminders.

Perhaps one of the most important invoicing software features is the ability to integrate with other platforms. If you choose basic invoicing software, you want to make sure it will work with the software you use regularly. At the very least, you want your invoicing software to integrate with accounting software and payment processors. Its helpful if it also integrates with customer relationship management (CRM) software, marketing tools and time tracking tools.

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Best Free Invoice And Billing Software (March 2023) - Forbes

Get ‘Hands-On Software Architecture with Java’ (worth $41.99) for … – BetaNews

Java, the most widespread technology in current enterprises, provides complete toolkits to support the implementation of a well-designed architecture.

Hands-On Software Architecture with Java starts with the fundamentals of architecture and takes you through the basic components of application architecture. You'll cover the different types of software architectural patterns and application integration patterns and learn about their most widespread implementation in Java.

You'll then explore cloud-native architectures and best practices for enhancing existing applications to better suit a cloud-enabled world.

Later, the book highlights some cross-cutting concerns and the importance of monitoring and tracing for planning the evolution of the software, foreseeing predictable maintenance, and troubleshooting.

The book concludes with an analysis of the current status of software architectures in Java programming and offers insights into transforming your architecture to reduce technical debt.

By the end of this software architecture book, you'll have acquired some of the most valuable and in-demand software architect skills to progress in your career.

Hands-On Software Architecture with Java, from Packt, usually retails for $41.99, but BetaNews readers can get it entirely free for a limited time.

All you have to do to get your copy for free is go here, enter the required details, and click the Download button.

The offer expires on April 5, so act fast.

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Get 'Hands-On Software Architecture with Java' (worth $41.99) for ... - BetaNews