GP 2010 will bring additional reporting printing capabilities.  Users can now take advantage of Word report templates as an alternative to using the native Report Writer.  Out-of-the-box there will be 22 templates available for use with endless possibilities on user customized reports.

GP 2010 will also feature added capabilities with Excel reports & pivot tables ... hum

Adam MacIntosh is the Senior Implementation Lead with WebSan Solutions Inc., a professional services consulting firm specializing in helping companies get the most out of their ERP systems and Supply Chains. 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.

GP 2010 is coming soon!  Over the next while we will be previewing some of the new features.

Also, join us during our upcoming webinar featuring the top 10 new features.

[caption id="attachment_254" align="aligncenter" width="748" caption="HST Tool-Kit"][/caption]

Did you know Directors of corporations can be held personally liable for un-remitted HST!?!

Be ready for the new HST!  Contact WebSan now to take advantage of our HST Cut-Over Tool-Kit.

Over our many years of experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP, we have developed a proven implementation methodology for companies both large & small.  Get the job done right the first time!  Let us help you with HST upgrades:

• Update company-wide sales & purchasing tax options
• Set tax settings for specific grouping of customers or vendors
• Ensure appropriate sales items are taxable or not

Adam MacIntosh is the Senior Implementation Lead with WebSan Solutions Inc., a professional services consulting firm specializing in helping companies get the most out of their ERP systems and Supply Chains. 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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR Log (Press Release) – Feb 01, 2010 – WebSan Solutions Inc. an Aurora, ON based Certified MS Dynamics Partner, announces expanded Salesforce.com service offerings.

"WebSan has been working with Salesforce.com as a Referral partner for a number of years and have successfully implemented the product numerous times. Our expertise in the ERP/CRM space and specifically with MS Dynamics GP, has resulted in a number of very interesting and complex integration projects between the products.  Naturally it made sense to formalize our relationship with SFDC so we can be kept abreast of the leading developments and the product roadmap at SFDC." stated Andrew King, Senior Partner.

Andrew continued that "This new SFDC offering allow us to complement and round out our other CRM service offering, such as Microsoft CRM, and provide service to a customer with which ever leading CRM solution that best fits their requirements. "

As promised from my last entry, I will be discussing SmartList functionality this time – how to use them to your advantage and how to build/modify your own.

SmartList in a nutshell is a powerful means of accessing your Dynamics GP data in simple to read form for reporting and analysis. They can be found right in the Microsoft Dynamics GP dropdown menu. There are predefined SmartLists for all modules, which means there is one for everybody. Examples of a few that come with the system are PA Cost Categories found in the Project Accounting folder and Open Purchase Orders, which is located in the Purchasing folder. Using a SmartList is as simple as clicking on the SmartList icon in the desired module. After the data is generated, you could then export to Excel for further data manipulation. There is also an option to export to Word if required.

If the standard SmartLists do not satisfy all of your analysis purposes, there is an add-on tool called SmartList Builder that allows you to customize the standard SmartLists as well as create your own to query a customized set of information. If available, the tool can be found in Micrsoft Dynamics GP-> Tools-> SmartList Builder->SmartList Builder. SmartList Builder allows you to link up to 32 tables in the system and configure your own column headings to suit your reporting needs. I will go through the steps of creating a new SmartList for my own purposes: Contract ID with Project ID and Project Name. To begin, name your SmartList and choose the Product that the data will come from. Project details are found in Project Accounting so that was the product I selected.

To start adding tables, simply click on the “+” symbol on the left panel and select “Microsoft Dynamics GP Table”. From there, you can choose and/or link up to 32 tables of your choosing to incorporate your desired set of data. There will be some research to be done in order to link the right combination of tables for your own purposes. The information I need is found in the PA Contract Master File and PA Project Master Files so I need to first add the PA Contract table and then link the Project Master table based on a common field (Contract ID):

I can then select the fields I require to be displayed in my dataset:

The Setup Checklist in Microsoft Dynamics GP is a great little tool to guide you in the configuration of a new client on the system because it provides a systematic and efficient list of tasks for a complete deployment. I found the tool to be excellent in ensuring the proper setup tasks were completed in the right order because many latter and complex tasks such as in modules such as Sales and Project are dependent on initial setup such as GL account creation and Currencies to be finished first.

When opening up the checklist using the path Microsoft Dynamics GP -> Tools -> Setup -> Setup Checklist, you will find a nifty Setup Guide that pops up right beside the Checklist. I found this to be very helpful in the explanation of the task at hand and how to find more information in the related links below the task description. Here is the Guide that appears when configuring System Security:

As you can see, after the brief task description follows a list of more information that the user can click to further learn about the task and its relationship and effect on various other functions. Since System Security is related to users directly, you would find links for personal security and security roles in links. I noted in my first entry that the Help menu does a superb job of providing necessary information when stuck on a task and it continues to be as I am continuing with my configuration duties.

One complaint that I do have so far is the inability to maximize every single setup window when doing configuration. Usually the first window in a path can be easily maximized (i.e. Account Maintenance) but say if you wanted to Lookup the accounts, the results list must be manually enlarged instead of using the window maximize button. Although a small complaint, I believe that one-click window maximization should be found on every drilldown window in the system for added convenience.

My next issue will cover the concept and handiness of Smartlists and how they can help you with your production in Dynamics GP. I will be sure to provide an example of a custom one and the type of data that can be derived from it.

As the newest member to the Dynamics GP Consulting practice at WebSan, it is my responsibility as a junior analyst to learn how the system works through Microsoft E-Learning and actual hands-on practice in QA environments. My goal with my blog entries is to take you through my learning process with the system. It is my intention to provide any new users or potential future users of the system an objective view of how I perceive and adapt to Dynamics GP.

Coming from a systems background with experience in ERP and warehouse management systems, the first thing that came to mind when interacting with Dynamics GP initially was how easy it was on the eyes. This is an attribute that many software developers neglect because they fail to think like a user. I personally believe that more appealing GUI’s are successful than their bland counterparts in the efficiency department. Nobody likes monochrome work environments.

I’ve also found the navigation to be very intuitive. I have been able to get where I need to go in my basic training exercises in usage and configuration. The help menu has been doing a great job covering any questions I had. Any challenging issues I have definitely had to inquire a senior analyst. Although the software has an accounting backbone and I don’t come from an accounting background, I did not have much difficulty accomplishing basic tasks such as setting up GL accounts or running reports.

I am currently working through the configuration of a new WebSan client on Dynamics GP. My next blog entry will describe my experience with it, including any challenges and lessons learned. Stay tuned!

Steven Lu
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
416-499-1235 x.209

Microsoft is offering significant discounts to customers who migrate from Intuit Quickbooks, Exact (Macola) and Sage (all editions) to Dynamics GP.

Contact us for more details!

In an independent analysis, Nucleus Research studied various customers who had implemented either:

• Microsoft Dynamics GP
• Oracle E-Business Suite
• Peoplesoft
• SAP

They found that :

"Microsoft Dynamics GP has a lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and delivers a positive ROI by limiting costs while delivering significant returns. Microsoft Dynamics GP takes less time to deploy and fewer resources to support than other solutions."

For more information, see the following presentation for more details:

http://websan.com/downloads/GPCompetitiveROIPositioning.pdf

Here is a brief timeline I have put together to help users determine when to process Year-End closing routines.

Year-End can be a hectic time for all & it is fast approaching.  In many instances, we are tired from or preparing for the holidays.  Everyone is out of their routine & sometimes, performing tasks they only think about once a year.  Here is a brief summary of performing year-end in any ERP system.

Prior to performing year-end tasks:
1 - Post all receivables, payables & financial transactions.  Future dated transactions should be held off if possible until after the year has closed.
2 - Perform a stock count, send out customer statements & complete all reconciliations
3 - Make any adjusting entries needed.
4 - Print necessary reports to maintain in the companies permanent records for audit trail purposes
5 - Make a backup of company database before starting the year-end processes.

Ensure all users are out of the system when performing year-end processes.  Additionally, users are often given the opportunity to purge obsolete records during the year-end processing.  One should consult company policy & ensure local law reporting laws are followed prior to deleting any records.  Once complete, it is good practice to close old fiscal periods from posting to prevent any accidental postings.

There's a lot of debate out there on forums regarding hosted ERP solutions.

Obviously, much success has been had with Software as a Service (SaaS) in the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) space, but CRM really isn't "mission critical." If a company chooses to outsource mission critical applications, such as shipping software, WMS, or manufacturing software, then what will happen if the company loses their internet connection?

There are many pros to going with a fully hosted solution over an on-premise solution. They include, but are not limited to:

• The initial cost for the ERP solution is usually significantly less than an on-premise solution.
• Total cost of ownership (TCO) over time can still be less than on-premise, depending on the outsource provider and their capabilities
• The initial implementation time line can also be accelerated by hosting because much of the underlying configuration infrastructure can be shared, therefore consulting time is minimized
• Internal IT support staff is not required for a hosted solution
• The hosting provider takes care of system updates, patches, regression testing, etc.

The one advantage on-premise solutions have over hosted is that they are indeed, on the premises of the client. They don't go down unless your business does, and then, you've got bigger fish to fry.

That being said, if you could combine the benefits of on-premise with the benefits of hosted, in a hybrid solution, then you would have the best of both worlds.

Look for a solution that offers to have your mission critical applications on site, like:

Want to access Microsoft Dynamics GP data on your mobile device?  Upgrade to Business Portal!

Through Business Portal, users can access data from Microsoft Dynamics GP without logging into the system.  Instead, the data lives on-line, making it accessible through mobile devices such as a Blackberry.  Simply configure your mobile device to access your company VPN & your off!  You don't have to be chained to that desk anymore!

In the first volume of this series, we discussed one of the key advantages a well-designed warehouse management system (WMS) delivers – visibility of inventory. For volume two we will touch upon the direct correlations between an effective WMS and increased customer service.

By implementing the appropriate WMS solution to fit your warehousing needs, you are telling your customers through your actions that, “Hey, we really do care that you get your product on time and in an accurate fashion”. It’s one thing to promise your customers that you can do something for them and another to keep that promise.

The simple concept of customer service is very often confused and misplaced in a world full of fancy gadgets and new-age business theories. At the end of the day, just make them happy; it’s really all they ask for.

A WMS increases customer service directly through:

• Improved warehouse organization
  • Efficient usage of warehouse space means lower storage and overhead costs. This translates into a competitive advantage you can leverage to provide more attractive pricing to customers

• A return system that actually works
  • An ineffective return merchandise authorization (RMA) program is as frustrating to customers as misleading promotional deals. A returns processing applet is typically integrated in a well-designed WMS

• Better inventory accuracy
  • If a customer needs to order a product and your website says that it’s available then you should be making sure this is true. A WMS increases inventory visibility, which reduces the number of stock-out confusions
  • By forecasting inventory trends, buyers can determine when a demand spike for certain products will arise and make appropriate purchases to support it

• Faster order cycle times
  • A WMS is not only software – it is a complete integrated system that works with your ERP system. RF devices can be incorporated to increase order-fill rates. Shipping stations can be established with shipping partners for automation and shipment management

Vernon Johnson is a warehouse management specialist at WebSan Solutions Inc. He can be reached at 416-499-1235.

Whether its aiding an aging workforce or assisting a disabled employee, there are a wide variety of cost effective products in the market today that can help employees become more efficient in the workplace.  Many of these technologies will also allow employers to take advantage of resource pools they once were unable to profit from.

Our analysis of assistive technologies focuses on two of the leading impairments faced by workers today, visual difficulties & dexterity impairments.  Those with either of these impairments can take advantage of many technologies discussed.  For example, Speech Recognition Software is a great tool for those living with either difficulty.  Furthermore, many of these technologies can be used to aid those with learning difficulties or simply assist those not living with any impairment.

Aides for Visual Impairments

Among adult computer users in the United States, more than 1 in 4 (27%) have a vision difficulty.  This large percentage of the population can take advantage numerous technologies to aid in everyday tasks.

• ·Screen Enlargers – Working like a magnifying glass, these enlarge a portion of the screen as the user moves their focus. Many allow the user to further zoom in & out on a specific area of the screen as well.
• ·Screen Readers – These programs used to verbalize, or "speak," everything on the screen including names & descriptions of control buttons, menus, text, and punctuation.
• ·Braille Displays - Provide a tactile output of Braille letters such that users can read with their fingers.
• ·Speech Recognition Systems - Allow users to enter data & give commands using their voice rather than a mouse or keyboard.

Aides for Dexterity Impairments

Among adult computer users in the United States, 1 in 4 (26%) have a dexterity impairment.  Technologies used to assist this portion of the population can also aid those with other disabilities, such as the Speech Recognition software mentioned above.

Next time you are printing Sales invoices, try this time-saving alternative:

Select Options > Quick Print, or simply CTRL + Q on your keyboard

This will print your invoices according to the settings in the Quick Print Setup screen (also under the Options menu).  Default can be created for:

· Orders
· Invoices
· Packing slips
· Picking tickets

Select a print Destination & number of copies to be printed.  Print options available for documents are:

Do you often find yourself canceling reports that automatically print after you have posted a document?  Or even changing the default destination of these reports?  Well, one can set the default destination of these reports or even stop them from printing all together.

Try entering  the Posting Setup screen (Microsfot Dynamics GP > Tools > Setup > Posting > Posting).  In this screen, you can select whether or not a specific report will print by selecting or de-selecting the checkbox in the Print column.  Also, one can specify destination for a report by making the appropriate selection in the Send To column.

See the attached screenshot below & save yourself all that extra clicking when you next post a transaction.

For more advanced FRx users, I thought I would cover some calculation formulas that are available for use in FRx.  Much of FRx is fairly self explainable & easily learned with a little exploration.  One topic I had a little trouble with when first learning the system was Calculation Formulas on Row Formats. 

Simple adding & subtracting are fairly self-explanatory.  Simple take the columns to add & place a plus sign between them.  For example, B + C. 

However, did you know FRx can perform complex calculations such as adding & multiplying all at once.  The formula (A+((B+C/2)+(C*.8)/2))+(F TO H) is a valid entry.

IF/THEN/ELSE Statements are another handy tool.  These allow one to build logic into the column.  For example, the formula "IF B>1000 THEN B ELSE C*2" translates to:

If the amount in column B is greater than 1000, place the value from column B in the CALC column. If the value is not greater than 1000, multiply the value in column C by 2 & place the result in the CALC column.

Learn more about Dynamics GPView Dynamics GP PricingFree Dynamics GP Training

FRx is the standard financial reporting tool utilized by most Microsoft Dynamics GP users for financial reporting.  FRx links directly into the general ledger to allow the creation of endless types of reports.  These report are then viewed in the FRx DrillDown Viewer.  Users I have spoken to in the past have expressed that they are more comfortable viewing reports in Excel.

To take your FRx financial report & export to excel:
1 - Generate the report
2 - In the DrillDown Viewer, select File > Export > Worksheet File > Formatted Excel
3 - Save the report to its desired location

This quick & easy trick should save you time & energy in attempting to convert your reports.