ERP SoftwareBlog

Big Bang, Phased Rollout or Parallel Adoption – Tell Us What Flavor of ERP Implementation Works for You!

2010-03-19T00:11:30Z

Have you been involved in an ERP implementation? Was it successful? Our fellow blogger, Houston Neal, wants to hear from you! He is hosting a survey to find out which implementation strategies are the most popular and most successful. He will collect results over the next two weeks and we will present his findings towards the end of the month. Your ERP Implementation choices are: Big bang - Implementation happens in a single instance. All users move to the new system on a given date. Phased rollout...(read more)

Planning For A Successful ERP System Implementation

2010-03-18T20:35:49Z

Like most organizations, your company wants the best of both worlds: an ERP system that aligns with your business and an ERP software provider who can exceed your expectations. The process of evaluating different ERP systems and providers can be daunting. Let’s fast-forward to the implementation process - the countless number of decisions that must be made up front; the myriad of risks that must be considered. Choose your ERP software and provider wisely – your satisfaction and resulting value will...(read more)

11 Microsoft Dynamics GP Features That Make Reporting Easy

2010-03-18T20:30:48Z

Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) offers various reporting advantages over other accounting software systems. Here are 11 Dynamics GP features that provide auditing, monitoring, analyzing, and planning capabilities: Inquiry windows – Quickly find and trace a transaction throughout the system or view and drill on summary information. SmartList – Easily filter and display multiple data records in a way that makes sense. User-defined links can be used to zoom to details and related data...(read more)

Dynamics GP – 3 Users For A Buck? What?

2010-03-18T20:19:29Z

I am going back to my “roots” here, and do an old school blog – just me, typing my thoughts on a topic. A lot of people by now have heard about Dynamics GP Three Users for $1 promotion. My first thoughts were: ”And the catch is….?”, as well as: ”And how many years of maintenance do you have to pay up front?” Well, it turns out there is no catch, the only maintenance required up front is the first year, which is standard anyway. So what does this mean...(read more)

When Is It Time To Move Up From QuickBooks To Microsoft Dynamics GP? An Accountant’s Perspective

2010-03-18T00:04:57Z

Written by Mike Kean, President, Altico Advisors I have seen many companies push QuickBooks far beyond its intended use by building manual systems in Access or Excel, for example. These systems allow companies to continue to use QuickBooks and delay the purchase of a new system. However, at some point QuickBooks simply becomes too inefficient. Exactly when that happens really depends on the individual organization. As a general rule, you are beginning to outgrow QuickBooks when you notice an unacceptable...(read more)

Quick And Easy Reporting Top Priority For GP 2010 Developers

2010-03-17T23:52:44Z

Microsoft Dynamics GP has always included industry leading reporting capabilities made possible through Microsoft’s SQL Reporting Services. So it may come as a bit of a surprise that when researching what users wanted in the upcoming version of GP, the resounding response was improved reporting. The developers went to work on Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 (formerly known as GP 11) with this as their number one priority and the results are an impressive set of features that make reporting quicker and...(read more)

Inventory Management: Move It Or Lose It! Features You Should Look For In Any ERP System To Manage Your Inventory Investment.

2010-03-17T23:44:22Z

When it comes to inventory management, you are either effectively moving your products or you’re losing money. It is that simple! Ask yourself these questions: How are you determining which products to stock and at which location? Are you keeping accurate track of on-hand inventory quantities? Do you have accurate and effective inventory forecasting processes? Are you organizing your warehouse by product line or by product demand? Is your technology managing this process effectively or are you just...(read more)

Would you pay $1 for 3 users of Microsoft Dynamics GP Software?

2010-03-16T21:43:33Z

Since you will normally pay at least $6,750 for these same 3 users that is quite a bargain! Microsoft just announced an amazing new “Three Users for $1” promotion. Until June 25, 2010 new Microsoft Dynamics GP customers can get up to 3 user licenses of either the Business Essentials edition (normal price $2250 per user) or Advanced Management edition (normal price $3980 per user) for just $1.00 USD. So essentially, if you need 1, 2, or 3 users you get the software for free. (anything less than a...(read more)

Formula Manufacturers: Inventory Control Issues a Recipe for Disaster

2010-03-15T20:21:33Z

Most formula manufacturers that I encounter are constantly looking at ways to improve their inventory costs and reliability. Nothing is worse for them than having a customer order and/or production ticket ready for staging only to find that the raw materials are not available. During my review of business processes for prospects many times the Material Planner/Purchasing Manager is doing a visual review of the raw materials in the warehouse to verify inventory quantities to either complete purchase...(read more)

Manage the Boundaries: Owning Your Application, Not the Other Way Around

2010-03-15T19:54:30Z

Many clients often ask us: ’how involved will Crestwood be after Microsoft Dynamics GP is deployed ?’ The answer to this question varies greatly, but obviously the implications are significant for all users of Dynamics GP. There are no concrete answers, but there are many considerations for one to ponder. Depth and skills of internal resources . Review closely your current team of professionals, both on IT and Operations. Do members of your team have Dynamics GP experience? If so, is...(read more)

Has Your Organization Outgrown QuickBooks?

2010-03-15T19:28:43Z

No doubt that QuickBooks has become one of the most popular accounting system solutions for small business. This software can be used to monitor expenses, create invoices, generate simple reports, and manage inventory, customers, vendors, and employees. Whereas this software offers an excellent entry-level alternative, the database starts to slow down dramatically when your organization begins to grow and there is an increase in the volume of transactions and master record lists. How can you determine...(read more)

Investing In A Tight Economy – Practical Successes From The Company Next Door

2010-03-15T17:28:05Z

One of the joys of my job at Custom Information Services is the opportunity to interact every week with literally dozens of financial decision makers across just about every industry. As a Microsoft Dynamics GP salesman I am in a unique position to see a cross section of the economy and learn first hand what individual companies are doing to overcome the challenges they are facing in the current economic climate. I would like to share some snippets of these conversations with you in a new blog series...(read more)

Why You’re Hesitant To Make A Software Change And Why You No Longer Have To Be!

2010-03-11T22:39:29Z

According to many or most sociologists, people do not adapt well to change. We are “creatures of habit” and we naturally react to our environment instead of changing it. According to this Benchmark Preview for 2010, our avoidance to change proves to be true within the software world as well. “Over 53% of implementing organizations self-assess their ability to deal with change as fairly poor or very poor” in addition, “Nearly 50% of companies in the process of implementing ERP software have not yet...(read more)

Microsoft Dynamics NAV – 1.3 Million Users Can’t Be Wrong

2010-03-11T22:28:38Z

There are over 1.3 million users of Microsoft Dynamics NAV and with the release of version 2009 SP1 the software is now open to millions of new features. Millions? You may ask how can that be? No way? Let me explain what I mean. Twenty years ago when our firm began, custom developed software was the answer to a company’s needs. Packaged software with the features necessary to meet the standard requirements of a business enterprise was too large, complex, and expensive or it was too small and too...(read more)

Three Key Predictions for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010

2010-03-11T16:02:58Z

Microsoft Dynamics® GP’s future is looking bright. Here are some key things to look forward to with Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010, releasing right after Convergence this spring: 1. Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 is going to be a big hit. If you are still on version 9, you are very much overdue for an upgrade. Some of the key new features in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 like native emailing of P.O.’s and printing invoices via MS word will give you a reason to embrace the GP upgrade. Workflow in Microsoft...(read more)

Management Reporter Released With Dynamics GP 2010

2010-03-09T20:28:47Z

With the release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 coming in May 2010, GP users are getting their first hands-on look at Management Reporter, the new replacement for FRx. Management reporting plays a key role in performance management. Displaying business results, performing variance analysis, comparing projections, and consolidating data from disparate general ledgers provides business users with the business insight s they need to make timely and relevant decisions., Accurate and auditable reporting...(read more)

Integrations To GP: Focus On Scribe Insights And GP Adapters

2010-03-09T05:09:46Z

Integrations to Microsoft Dynamics GP are often necessary and can be straightforward – with the right tools. Last time, we briefly touched on Scribe Adapters. Let’s take a closer look at what is involved in a successful implementation of these integration tools. The first tool you need is Scribe Insight . This is the platform to be able to build integrations. The optional Scribe Dynamics GP Adapter is pre-configured to use Microsoft’s eConnect engine. This means that the Dynamics GP Business rules...(read more)

10 Steps to Avoiding Small Business Insanity

2010-03-09T05:03:27Z

Insanity is defined as “doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” If this holds true, then there are some logical steps that SMBs can take to avoid insanity. Because of their daunting nature, SMBs often ignore business challenges and continue to conduct business in the same manner as they always have. Persisting in this behavior is strangely similar to the definition of insanity. So, consider the following steps… and keep from joining the ranks of the SMB insane...(read more)

Selecting An ERP/Accounting System – Part II: The Pitfalls

2010-03-09T04:52:11Z

Selecting new ERP/accounting software to run your business is a big decision and can be a daunting task. To help you successfully navigate a software selection initiative, Altico Advisors has developed a step by step approach. This is Part II of a 3-part series entitled “The 3 Ps of Software Selection – The Process, the Pitfalls, the Promise.” Part I was a high level view of the basic questions you need to be asking and the basic elements you need to budget for as you work through the software selection...(read more)

Four Reasons We’re Ready for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010

2010-03-05T20:01:46Z

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 , expected to release this May, has been highly anticipated and most of us in the GP world are more than ready for its advanced capabilities. We’re eager for more “sneak peaks” of what this new version can actually do. In addition to functionalities to address specific needs around financial, human resources, payroll and operation management it sounds like there’s new, enhanced integrations to other Microsoft products like Microsoft Word, Excel and SharePoint…let’s find...(read more)

Working Smart- Stay Ahead of the Game with Microsoft Dynamics GP Training

2010-03-05T16:25:59Z

Do you think of yourself as productive on a day to day basis? In some cases, it’s not really what you know; it’s how you use the information. Highly productive people prepare things well in advance, allowing them to outperform those with little or no preparation. They accomplish the job in less time and with less stress. That’s called working smart. Nearly everyone receives initial training when Microsoft Dynamics GP is first implemented, but how many of us continue to train on the finer points...(read more)

Sneak Peek Of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 (Version 11.0)

2010-03-04T23:23:15Z

The term “business as usual” simply doesn’t apply to InterDyn Artis’ clients in today’s marketplace. Our clients need systems that help their people orchestrate routine tasks and complex processes—all in the course of a day’s work. Microsoft Dynamics® GP 2010, due to release in May 2010, offers capabilities that will help our clients work faster and smarter. This release fuels efficient task management and teamwork, simplifies setup and IT administration, and offers built-in tools for meeting specific...(read more)

How Will Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Continue To Edge Ahead Of Other Mid-Market ERPs?

2010-03-04T23:14:44Z

There is a survey that vendor-neutral Panorama consulting group conducted this year (2010) stating that Microsoft Dynamics ERP is Edging Ahead In The Downturn . It’s not all ducks and bunnies as my good friend would say, but overall this is a pretty big milestone. Microsoft is edging ahead…this made me think of ongoing Dynamics 2010 hype. “A new way to do Business” Microsoft says. You don’t have to know much about Microsoft Dynamics GP to understand that the integration with other Microsoft products...(read more)

When Buying ERP Software for your Distribution Business, Don’t Pick the Wrong EDI Model

2010-03-04T21:04:07Z

Back when I was a young marketing manager, companies I spoke with that were looking to purchase ERP software would often describe business requirements that made no sense to me. (ok, it still happens today too). But now, as then, I know enough to nod my head, take good notes and then go ask the real ERP experts here at CAL Business Solutions. I recall one of those instances when a local Connecticut distribution company purchasing Microsoft Dynamics GP explained their requirements for EDI. Uh oh…...(read more)

Do More With Less! Drive Productivity With ERP Software In The New Economy

2010-03-03T06:35:38Z

Given the turbulent economy in 2009, companies were forced to do more with less, be more deliberate with IT budgets, and demand a higher ROI from their enterprise software initiatives. To my surprise, while many large companies have been cutting IT budgets in 2009, companies in the small and mid-sized sector have been investing large amounts of their budgets in ERP solutions and I believe this strategy will pay off. Here’s why… ERP software drives productivity by leveraging an integrated framework...(read more)