Hello,
I'm relatively new to GP. When I log into CustomerSource I see our current partner information. Does a company need a partner? What role does the partner play besides providing support? Can we delete a partner? Does the partner have access to our information like license keys?
Thanks
*This post is locked for comments
Rich is so right, call Microsoft sales operations and they can help you out. Let them know what you need from a partner. Do you need upgrade support, once in a while support. Help with finding third parties. Is your system complex, are there a bunch of customs that if you had an issue someone would have to support. Are there a whole bunch of reports you've customized.
That tells them how strong a VAR you need. Do you care if all of your support is done thru go to assist. Do you care where you Partner is located what time zone. Do you use Distribution/Manufacturing or Service that would determine who you would need for a partner.
And what complaints do you have with your partner. Let Microsoft know that too.
You don't delete your partner until you find a new one. And Microsoft can give you a list of partners that fit your criteria.
Sue
I would start by calling 1-800-456-0025. That will get you to Microsoft sales operations. Microsoft does not deal directly with end-users as all communications needs to go through a partner. There is a reseller change for you will need to fill out and send in. There is also no limit on the number of times you can do this so you can choose a reseller now and change to another at your discretion. I would hold off on changing now and begin the search for a new one and then file the form once a choice is made. I believe Microsoft can give you names of other partners. You can also solicit names from this community but I am sure you would prefer to find a local reseller.
Thanks for the information. Sue, you said the the client pays the partner who then pays Microsoft for the yearly support. Can we pay MS directly and remove the partner from this equation?
Basically the company is not happy with the partner and would like to remove them. It sounds like there has to be a partner involved. I would like to find a replacement but the company would like to know if the partner can be removed completely.
Thanks!
You are logged into CustomerSource. Your partner logs into PartnerSource. There they can log in and see all the license information for all of their clients. Your partner should be adding value to your Dynamics GP purchase by providing installation, implementation, setup and training support. They would also be your source for upgrade and user count additions. Together with your CPA firm they would set up your GL to insure your financial statements are accurate and provide the level of detail required. On a continuing basis your reseller should be your partner in making sure GP stays current and provide guidance as to the need for any third party products. Your reseller may also provide customizations. These are just a few reasons to maintain a good relationship with your partner. For our clients, we become an extension of our clients. They can be as dependent or independent of us as they see fit.
If you had a good partner then you probably don't need them much. Once you get up and running, you'll find you don't need to depend on your partner and only need them occassionally. Such as you own a module like Lockbox or electronic bank reconciliation and have no idea how to start using the module. You can schedule some time with your partner to teach you how to use and how to get the proper information, or you can read the manuals and take 4-5 times figuring it all out for yourself.
When I worked for a partner, I loved it when 2-3 years down the road a company would come back to us and want to add additional 3rd parties or needed to add a new company, they were growing or had bought a new company and needed to integrate it into their current company. Plus they were ready to upgrade to the latest version of Great Plains. Unless you have a test server that you can migrate your data and do a test upgrade, I don't recommend doing an upgrade on your own.
Btw, the partner has access to what you own and your registration keys, but, so do you on customer source you can look the up and print them out. Your partner also handles your renewals each year for the software and as long as you are paying your enhancement fees to the partner who pays microsoft, then you are eligibile for the latest and greatest versions of your software. But again, these upgrades or service packs should be tested on a test enviornment and not just thrown at your produciton server.
You can't delete your partner, but you can replace your partner with another one. If you aren't happy with them or you never hear from them, some partners have monthly newsletters as well as a site with tips and tricks. You can always switch partners, but some caution here: the partner that did your implementation knows your system, any 3rd parties and can usually understand your setup instead of having to teach a new partner everything about your system.
Sue
#1
André Arnaud de Cal...
292,516
Super User 2025 Season 1
#2
Martin Dráb
231,432
Most Valuable Professional
#3
nmaenpaa
101,156
Share
Report
All responses (
Answers (
