Many companies have a need to grant Dynamics GP users access to a window, but not all functionality within that window.  For example, many clients will want users to be able to input invoices, but not post them individually.  Instead, they will force users to save invoice transactions to a batch such that a manager can review the source documents and post.  An easy way to achieve this is through Field Level Security which allows the Dynamics GP admin to restrict user access to singular buttons within a window (such as the Post button).

To configure Field Level Security, navigate to Microsoft Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > System > Field Level Security

This will open up the Field Level Security window.  Within the window, select Add to create a new restriction.

[caption id="attachment_1442" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Field Level Security window[/caption]

This will open the Field Security Maintenance window wherein one defines a the window and field to restrict.  Within this window, enter an ID and Description for the restriction.  Then select the Product Name, Form Name, Window Name & Field Name using the look-ups within the window.

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Most office staff today perform a lot of analysis in Excel.  Staff are comfortable in Excel & familiar with its various functions.  As a result, staff may prefer to upload general journal entries through an excel based template.  Many times, large entries, such as those to a payroll clearing account, may need to be calculated in Excel before they can be entered in the system.  When staff already have the entry in Excel, its very convenient to be able to directly upload into GP.  As such, WebSan offers it's clients an Excel based Journal Entry upload tool capable of handling multiple journal entries spanning as many lines as required.

All customers should ensure their ERP partner / VAR offers the same baseline functionality in their system.

Recently I had the opportunity to interview Jon Rivers. In this interview he discusses his book, current projects and his views on user problems.

In a short summary what do you describe your job is?

I am currently the Channel Partner Manager at Data Masons Software an EDI ISV solution provider who helps to solve the EDI needs of clients who are running Dynamics GP, AX or NAV. When I am not helping the partners I am managing all of our Social Media outlets if that be our Blog, Twitter or LinkedIn accounts.

You can also find me presenting at Dynamics-focused conferences, educational forums and Web events, including the annual GPUG Summit, AXUG Summit, NAVUG Forum, Microsoft Convergence and numerous regional user groups.

How long have you’ve been in the Microsoft Dynamics GP Industry?

With the weather getting a little colder, we all know the Holidays are fast approaching.  It is around the Holidays that many, like myself, begin to travel to see loved ones.  This year in particular, I have a lot of travel lined up.  This got me thinking about how popular Dynamics is around the world.  So with that said, here are some quick facts about Dynamics GP's worldwide popularity …

• Dynamics is most popular in North America, the Middle East, Singapore, UK, Australia & Ireland.
• Dynamics GP, originally called Great Plains, was developed in Fargo, North Dakota by Great Plain Software.
• There are currently over 300 000 Dynamics customers around the world, spanning 41 languages

Adam MacIntosh is the Senior Project Manager with WebSan Solutions Inc., a professional services consulting firm specializing in helping companies get the most out of their ERP systems. You can contact Adam at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 416-499-1235 ext. 213.

The truth that most consultants won’t tell you is that the majority of technology projects fail.  The reasons for these failures can vary dramatically.  In order to minimizes & mitigates these varied risks, Microsoft has developed a proven methodology for Microsoft Dynamics implementations based on industry best practices.

This project management methodology is systematic & phase based as well as scalable to the size of projects.  It applies to project big & small, enterprise to standard, complex to standard upgrades.  Further, it encompasses all phases of any implementation.  This repeatable process helps consultants better meet customer expectations by properly managing organizational change.  Customer decision making is further streamlined through decision accelerators.  This leads to low-risk, successful implementations.

All Microsoft Dynamics Partners are required to have staff certified in Sure Step.

[caption id="attachment_421" align="aligncenter" width="404" caption="Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step"][/caption]

I read an interesting article today from Aberdeen research. It went into great detail on what is really driving companies towards SaaS (Software as a Service)/Hosted ERP solutions vs. the traditional On-Premise solutions.

For the record, the number of companies installing On-Premise ERP solutions still far outweighs the number going live with a hosted solution, but that trend is slowly reversing itself.

The number one driver for implementing an ERP in the Small-to-Medium Business market is to reduce costs (no surprise there). Thus the number one impetus which would push a company to invest in ERP is finding an affordable solution at minimal risk. This is where the SaaS model fits in quite well.

SaaS total cost of ownership is less than On-Premise when you consider backups, hardware, IT staff, upgrades and service packs (bug fixes). A lot of companies are looking to outsource providers to host their ERP systems and take care of the "maintenance" of the system that their own staff would traditionally have to handle. The main cost considerations that drive the appeal of SaaS are :

• Lower total cost of ownership
• Reduces the cost and efforts of upgrades
• Lower up front costs
• Company has limited IT staff and no interest in hiring more
• Seeking the best fit solution to their business needs
• No emotional attachment to having it in-house
• Strategy to focus resources elsewhere

Because of these driving factors, the number of companies considering SaaS ERP has jumped 61% from 2009 to 2010 (source : Aberdeen SaaS ERP : Trends and Observations 2010).

The foundations of ERP are found in manufacturing resource planning, traditionally used by companies which produced tangible goods in factories. The adoption of ERP and MRP systems was initially quite slow – management were content with the status quo and saw no reason to change what seemed to be working. However, the recession experienced in the late 1980s and early 1990s forced many companies to make a choice: Either find new ways of operating more efficiently and effectively, or go under. This created a massive boom in the ERP market, which lead to massive changes in the ways in which fundamental business operations were conducted, and those organizations that made it through the recession came out stronger.

North America is no longer the goods-producing collection of nations it once was and is instead dominated by service industries. However, many of the same problems that existed in manufacturing organizations twenty years ago still exist in these businesses: Lack of integration, inability to respond and take advantage of environmental change, time and money wasted on data entry and redundancies, and so on. Much like the recession twenty years ago, the economic downturn caused by the subprime mortgage crisis has forced many modern companies to find new ways of performing more effectively and efficiently.

This is the time to get ahead of the competition, and Microsoft Dynamics GP is the perfect solution for organizations looking for more than simple accounting and reporting features without high maintenance costs and complexity.

Have you seen us on the Microsoft Solution Profiler?

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WebSan is one of the few companies in North America that offers a hosted Dynamics GP solution. It reduces your total cost of ownership vs. an on-premise solution.

Check out our web page regarding hosted Dynamics GP for more information.