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The Free Tools Every Dynamics GP User Usually Doesn’t Know About But Should

marlena@dexprodynamics.com (Marlena Stark) — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 02:23:14 GMT

Microsoft Dynamics GP customers used to spend thousands of dollars on it. Now it is free, but it is still just as valuable. What is it?

It is the Professional Services Tools Library (PSTL).

In Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013R2, Microsoft decided that the Professional Services Tools Library would be free to all customers. I admit I am shocked that more companies do not use it. In many cases, it was never installed, or they just don’t know it is there.

Every single Dynamics GP customer has access to these PSTL tools:

Microsoft Dynamics GP PSTL Tools:

System Tools:

Shortcuts Copy
Toolkit
Menu Inquiry Utility
Update User Data

Financial Tools:

Account Modifier/Combiner
Checkbook Modifier
Fiscal Period Modifier
GL Master Triggers

Purchasing Tools:

1099 Modifier
PM Master Triggers
PM Minimum Check
Select Checks Combiner
Vendor Name Modifier
Minimum PO/Receipt #
POP Cost Defaulter

Sales Tools:

Customer Name Modifier
RM Master Triggers
RM Transaction Unapply
Salesperson Modifier
SOP Customer Item Lookup
Territory Modifier
Territory Combiner
SOP PO Number Check

Payroll Tools:

Certified Payroll Report
Employee Modifier

Inventory Tools:

Inventory Site Combiner
Inventory Site Modifier
Item Description Modifier
Item Number Combiner
Item Number Modifier
Item Reconciler
Misc. Tools:
Fixed Asset Modifier
Default Add Item POP/SOP
Document Date Verify
Decimal Place Tool
Company Copy

We consider it a best practice to install PSTL for every single one of our clients because we think they can all benefit from these tools. Here are a few specific examples:

Find and merge duplicate master record

You have two GL accounts, both containing history, and it is cluttering up your account list. You can’t just delete one of the accounts because they both contain history. With PSTL, you can merge the accounts while still retaining the history for both. The only exception to this is if you have third-party solutions that will not accept the change.

I have only worked with one client who never had duplicate vendors, duplicate accounts, or duplicate customer cards. They had the cleanest system I’ve ever seen. It was such an anomaly that it still stands out in my memory after having worked with hundreds of Dynamics GP systems. I’ve also seen a company that had 200 duplicate vendors. PSTL can find and merge duplicates.

Populate recurring master records

Many clients run multiple companies in Dynamics GP. If you use PSTL when you create a new company, you don’t have to do the setups all over again. For example, what if you create a new GL account, and you want this account in seven or eight other companies? Without PSTL, you would need to log into each company separately and create the same master record. With PSTL, you can just set up a trigger to have it done automatically for only the companies you select.

PSTL tools help keep your data consistent and enhance the entire experience inside Dynamics GP.

When we do a Dynamics GP installation or an upgrade, we always make sure PSTL is included, just in case, even if the client does not explicitly request it. Then if we get a call asking, “Can you help us merge existing duplicate records” we can tell them the functionality is already there. The client does not need to pay us to go back into the system a second time to install it. And honestly, we feel pretty confident that eventually, they will need and appreciate the PSTL tools.

Is PSTL installed in your Microsoft Dynamics GP system? Dexpro Dynamics can do a free 30-minute system assessment to find out.

If you have a Microsoft Dynamics GP question or unresolved issues, we will either find a solution or let you know where you can turn to get your problems resolved.

GP Web Client With Access To MR Financial Reports

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 15:40:42 GMT

Many Microsoft Dynamics GP users would benefit from opening specific financial reports from their home screen. This becomes more critical for Web client users. They now do not need to look for other solutions for their financial reports and can access their reports from Quicklinks on their home page.

Management Reporter version CU14 and up comes with web viewer functionality.

This means that once report is generated the link to this report can be copied and distributed to users.

Click copy Link in Management Reporter Viewer.

The link will look like this:

http://servername:4712/Report.svc/report/64f321cb-24ba-45c1-9bf6-f601660b44d3/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000

This is a powerful solution as it allows users to rerun those reports for specific period selected from the bottom ribbon under report options. It allows to rerun report for specific report tree unit.

The links goes to last generated version of this report. So, if last user generates this report in report designer for only one of the units all of the links will no longer offer full tree selection. To avoid this issue change the following settings for all reports:

Now we will add this link to GP navigation pane shortcuts:

For Web Client users there were issues with shortcuts so I add those links to quick links area of home page. In my client’s case they used web client and many users needed links to many reports. It can be a lot of work to copy those links for each user. So I used the following script:

//* To Review current Quicklinks for specifc user */

select * from SY08140 where userid ='Chris'

//* To Review current Quicklinks for specifc user */

delete SY08140 where userid ='Chris'

INSERT INTO DYNAMICS..SY08140 VALUES ('Chris', 1, 2, 0, 0, 0, 'Balance Sheet', ‘http://servername:4712/Report.svc/report/64f321cb-24ba-45c1-9bf6-f601660b44d3/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000’, '', '', '', '', '', '', '')

INSERT INTO DYNAMICS..SY08140 VALUES ('Chris', 2, 2, 0, 0, 0, 'Income Statement', ‘http://servername:4712/Report.svc/report/87a321cb-24ba-45c1-9bf6-f601660b44d3/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000’, '', '', '', '', '', '', '')

INSERT INTO DYNAMICS..SY08140 VALUES ('Chris', 3, 2, 0, 0, 0, 'Statement of Cash Flows', ‘http://servername:4712/Report.svc/report/754f321cb-24ba-45c1-9bf6-f601660b44d3/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000’, '', '', '', '', '', '', '')

INSERT INTO DYNAMICS..SY08140 VALUES ('Chris', 4, 2, 0, 0, 0, 'Balance Sheet-Rolling Quarter', ‘http://servername:4712/Report.svc/report/64f341cb-34ba-45c1-9bf6-f601660b44d3/00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000’, '', '', '', '', '', '', '')

What Is A Microsoft Dynamics GP Orphan?

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 15:38:01 GMT

A Dynamics GP orphan is a customer left without guidance and support.

Around 2016, Microsoft made a big push to encourage all Dynamics partners to focus on their new Cloud ERP product, Dynamics 365 . We observed that, sadly, there were a lot of existing Dynamics GP clients that were abandoned during this transition.

These companies had spent the money on Dynamics GP, and they still needed guidance and support to make the most of their investment. The problem was, there were few senior consultants left to help them.

So, many of these companies became Microsoft Dynamics GP orphans.

Some of the companies lost their Dynamics partners altogether because small partners were often acquired by larger companies. To stay compliant with Microsoft, many of the large Dynamics ERP partners moved their focus to Dynamics 365. If they kept a small Dynamics GP practice, it was usually restructured, and they reprioritized how they supported their Dynamics GP customers.

We noted that often the experienced Dynamics GP consultants were assigned to support Dynamics 365, and junior consultants were given the Dynamics GP accounts. I have heard Dynamics GP customers say, “my new GP consultant from my existing partner knows less about GP than I do.” I have heard that line so many times that I know it is true.

As a consequence, the Dynamics GP users were left to fend for themselves. Many of them are active on the GP User Group forums. GPUG is a fantastic community, full of resources, and we love clients that like to take ownership of their systems. However, supporting yourself on your own will still leave some gaps. You need a partner with the big-picture vision and the advanced skillset to instruct you. An expert will not only fix individual problems but look at your system as a whole and tell you how it could work better for your organization.

At Dexpro Dynamics, we always offer a Dynamics GP system review at no charge. To me, that is only fair. And the truth is, at least 80% of the orphaned clients that we review are not using Dynamics GP properly, or they are not even using all the modules that they own.

There will always be companies that want their ERP system on-premises. And some companies want to stay on Dynamics GP. When we realized that so many Dynamics GP customers were in the position of “orphans,” we decided to go against the trend and keep our primary focus on Dynamics GP.

We continue to sell Dynamics GP to new customers when it is the right fit, but our primary focus is to help companies that have already invested in Dynamics GP.

You never need to be a Dynamics GP orphan. Dexpro Dynamics is here to help.

If you have a Dynamics GP question or unresolved issues, we will either find a solution or let you know where you can turn to get your problems resolved.

By Dexpro Dynamics, Microsoft Dynamics GP Silver Competency partner, www.dexprodynamics.com