diff --git a/AyaNovaQBI/Timestamp.cs b/AyaNovaQBI/Timestamp.cs
index 8a7a1dd..7e375f0 100644
--- a/AyaNovaQBI/Timestamp.cs
+++ b/AyaNovaQBI/Timestamp.cs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
         /// <remarks>
         /// Do not modify the definition of BuildAt as your changes will be discarded.
         /// </remarks>
-        public static DateTime BuildAt { get { return new DateTime(637916008895872612); } } //--**
+        public static DateTime BuildAt { get { return new DateTime(637916783314883688); } } //--**
         /// <summary>
         /// The program that time stamped it.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/AyaNovaQBI/util.cs b/AyaNovaQBI/util.cs
index f6b1240..a3929f8 100644
--- a/AyaNovaQBI/util.cs
+++ b/AyaNovaQBI/util.cs
@@ -489,7 +489,20 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
 
         //}
 
+        /*
+         
+         
 
+        ██╗███╗   ██╗██╗████████╗██╗ █████╗ ██╗     ██╗███████╗███████╗
+        ██║████╗  ██║██║╚══██╔══╝██║██╔══██╗██║     ██║╚══███╔╝██╔════╝
+        ██║██╔██╗ ██║██║   ██║   ██║███████║██║     ██║  ███╔╝ █████╗  
+        ██║██║╚██╗██║██║   ██║   ██║██╔══██║██║     ██║ ███╔╝  ██╔══╝  
+        ██║██║ ╚████║██║   ██║   ██║██║  ██║███████╗██║███████╗███████╗
+        ╚═╝╚═╝  ╚═══╝╚═╝   ╚═╝   ╚═╝╚═╝  ╚═╝╚══════╝╚═╝╚══════╝╚══════╝
+                                                               
+
+
+         */
         public static async Task<bool> InitializeQBI(StringBuilder initErrors)
         {
 
@@ -890,6 +903,26 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
             return retvalue;
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// returns an empty string if passed in value is null or empty
+        /// else returns Prepend plus passed in string followed by append string
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="sPrepend">Text to return to the left of sText</param>
+        /// <param name="sText">string to return if not null or empty</param>
+        /// <param name="sAppend">Text to return to the right of sText</param>
+        /// <returns></returns>
+        public static string SS(string sPrepend, string sText, string sAppend)
+        {
+
+            if (sText == null)
+                return "";
+            if (sText == "")
+                return "";
+
+            return sPrepend + sText + sAppend;
+
+        }
+
         #endregion qb specific utils
 
         #region QB API helper methods/ attributes/cached lists
@@ -913,13 +946,13 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
 
 
             w.Step = "Classes";
-            PopulateQBClassCache();
+            await PopulateQBClassCacheAsync();
 
             w.Step = "Vendors";
-            PopulateQBVendorCache();
+            await PopulateQBVendorCacheAsync();
 
             w.Step = "Customers";
-            PopulateQBClientCache();
+            await PopulateQBClientCacheAsync();
 
             w.Step = "Items";
             await PopulateQBItemCache();
@@ -927,16 +960,16 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
             if (!(QVersion < 3))//qbXML 3.0 or higher (QB 2004 any country or newer)
             {
                 w.Step = "Invoice templates";
-                PopulateQBInvoiceTemplates();
+                await PopulateQBInvoiceTemplatesAsync();
             }
 
             //case 632
             w.Step = "Accounts";
-            PopulateQBAccountCache();
+            await PopulateQBAccountCacheAsync();
 
             //case 519
             w.Step = "Terms";
-            PopulateQBTermsCache();
+            await PopulateQBTermsCache();
 
             w.Close();
         }
@@ -1402,7 +1435,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
         /// Populate the cached qb data
         /// billable
         /// </summary>
-        private static void PopulateQBClassCache()
+        private static async Task PopulateQBClassCacheAsync()
         {
             if (_dtQBClasses == null)
             {
@@ -1535,7 +1568,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
         /// Populate the cached qb data
         /// Invoice templates
         /// </summary>
-        private static void PopulateQBInvoiceTemplates()
+        private static async Task PopulateQBInvoiceTemplatesAsync()
         {
             if (_dtQBInvoiceTemplates == null)
             {
@@ -1657,7 +1690,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
 
         #region QuickBooks "Customers"
 
-        private static string GetQBCustomerEditSequence(string customerid)
+        private static async Task<string> GetQBCustomerEditSequenceAsync(string customerid)
         {
 
             string strEditSequence = "";
@@ -1776,7 +1809,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
         /// Populate the cached qb data
         /// of customers / clients
         /// </summary>
-        private static void PopulateQBClientCache()
+        private static async Task PopulateQBClientCacheAsync()
         {
             if (_dtQBClients == null)
             {
@@ -1945,12 +1978,12 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
             //the first line
             //Assumption: First line always has *something* in it
             b.DeliveryAddress = ProcessQBString(a.Addr1);
-            b.DeliveryAddress += AyaBizUtils.SS("\r\n", ProcessQBString(a.Addr2), "");
-            b.DeliveryAddress += AyaBizUtils.SS("\r\n", ProcessQBString(a.Addr3), "");
+            b.DeliveryAddress += SS("\r\n", ProcessQBString(a.Addr2), "");
+            b.DeliveryAddress += SS("\r\n", ProcessQBString(a.Addr3), "");
 
             //Address line 4 is a qbxml 2 or higher feature
             if (QVersion > 1.1)
-                b.DeliveryAddress += AyaBizUtils.SS("\r\n", ProcessQBString(a.Addr4), "");
+                b.DeliveryAddress += SS("\r\n", ProcessQBString(a.Addr4), "");
 
             //Country specific:
             b.City = ProcessQBString(a.City);
@@ -2006,7 +2039,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
         /// Populate the cached qb data
         /// of Vendors 
         /// </summary>
-        private static void PopulateQBVendorCache()
+        private static async Task PopulateQBVendorCacheAsync()
         {
             if (_dtQBVendors == null)
             {
@@ -2173,7 +2206,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
         /// <summary>
         /// Populate the cached qb account list data
         /// </summary>
-        private static void PopulateQBAccountCache()
+        private static async Task PopulateQBAccountCacheAsync()
         {
             if (_dtQBAccounts == null)
             {
@@ -2267,7 +2300,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
             }
             catch (Exception ex)
             {
-                await IntegrationLog("PopulateQBAccounts: Failed with exception:" + ex.Message);
+                await IntegrationLog($"PopulateQBAccounts: Failed with exception:{ex.Message}");
                 if (booSessionBegun)
                 {
                     sessionManager.EndSession();
@@ -2304,7 +2337,7 @@ namespace AyaNovaQBI
         /// <summary>
         /// Populate the cached qb terms list data
         /// </summary>
-        private async static void PopulateQBTermsCache()
+        private async static Task PopulateQBTermsCache()
         {
             if (_dtQBTerms == null)
             {