Category: Dynamics

MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day: Option to Hide Business Analyzer for all Users

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

Microsoft Dynamics GPThe Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP blog has started a series Feature of the Day posts for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 on which I am following and adding commentary. The series index for this series of posts is here.

The fourth Feature of the Day is an option to hide Business Analyzer for all users.

Two new options have been introduced in the System Preferences window (Administration area page » Setup » System » System Preferences) which allows administrators to hide Business Analyzer on both the Home Page and on Navigation List pages.

The two new checkboxes for these options are:

  • Display Business Analyzer on Home Page
  • Display Business Analyzer on Navigation List pages

These are global settings to make it easier to turn off the feature if clients are not using Business Analyzer in any of their companies.

Individual users can still choose to turn on Business Analyzer using the customize home page layout options.

System Preferences

There is a definite need to switch off the Business Analyser fact panein navigation lists (I’ve previously created a script to disable it).

Being able to globally switch it off from both the navigation lists and home page is a great addition; I don’t know of any clients who actually use Business Analyzer on either the home page or navigation lists.

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MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day
Monthly Recurring Batches
Sales Transaction Approval Workflow
Display Vendor Hold Status
Option to Hide Business Analyzer for all Users
Print and E-mail Sales Order Processing Documents
Print Invoices in Functional Currency from SOP Navigation List
Transaction Level Post Through General Ledger
Vendor Document Number added to Purchasing All-in-One View
New SmartList for Deposits on Unposted Sales Transactions Has Been Created
Exclude Items on HITB Report With Zero Quantity or Value
Increase Dynamics GP Password Maximum Length
Password Expiration Notification
Email Customer Statements
Duplicate Check Numbers Option Extended
Start Date and End Date for Each Pay Code
shared maximum benefit and deduction code in Payroll.
New Totals Print on the Payroll Check Register report for FICA
Checkbook ID Defaults on Check Batch
Option To Not Display Inactive Checkbooks in Lookup
SmartList Designer Favourites in Navigation List
Letter Writing Assistant in Web Client
Mass Update Master Records from Navigation List
New Sort Options in Sales Order Processing Item Inquiry Window
Ship To Address Retained by Customer Combiner
Purchase Requisition Partial Purchase
Email POP PO Other Form
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Microsoft Dynamics GP Book Roundup

Ian Grieve2 minute read5 Comments

Microsoft Dynamics GPThere are a number of books available for Microsoft Dynamics GP which have been written by various people across a umber of years (although a few names crop up repeatedly). I thought it might be useful to list the books which are currently available for each version of Microsoft Dynamics GP; some of the books are only available for older versions of Dynamics GP, but the information within is still mostly relevant.

To avoid any appearence of favouritism, I have listed them in Dynamics GP version and author surname order (when multiple authors, the first listed author’s name is used).

Where there is no version in the name I have made by best guess as to which version it was written against.

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016

Continue reading “Microsoft Dynamics GP Book Roundup”

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MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day: Display Vendor Hold Status

Ian Grieve1 minute read0 comment

Microsoft Dynamics GPThe Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP blog has started a series Feature of the Day posts for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 on which I am following and adding commentary. The series index for this series of posts is here.

The third Feature of the Day is display vendor hold status.

This is similar to the customer hold status implemented in an earlier version of Dynamics GP in that it provides a visual indicator of the vendor status:

Vendor Inquiry

Continue reading “MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day: Display Vendor Hold Status”

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MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day: Sales Transaction Approval Workflow

Ian Grieve2 minute read0 comment

Microsoft Dynamics GPThe Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP blog has started a series Feature of the Day posts for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 on which I am following and adding commentary. The series index for this series of posts is here.

The second Feature of the Day is Sales Transaction Approval Workflow:

Workflow Maintenance

With this new workflow type, available in the Workflow Maintenance window (Administration area page » Setup » Company » Workflow » Workflow Maintenance) you can set approval all Sales Order Processing transaction types including approvals based on customer credit limits

Standard Workflow functionality, notification and action emails as well as visible workflow history on enquiry windows, is available for this workflow type.

If you’re reading this post, then you must be aware that Workflow is one of my favourite areas of the system. As such, I am always happy to see Workflow introduced into new areas; especially when, as with this Sales Transaction Approval Workflow, it is one I have had several customers ask about ever since Workflow was first introduced.

Click to show/hide the MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day Series Index

MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day
Monthly Recurring Batches
Sales Transaction Approval Workflow
Display Vendor Hold Status
Option to Hide Business Analyzer for all Users
Print and E-mail Sales Order Processing Documents
Print Invoices in Functional Currency from SOP Navigation List
Transaction Level Post Through General Ledger
Vendor Document Number added to Purchasing All-in-One View
New SmartList for Deposits on Unposted Sales Transactions Has Been Created
Exclude Items on HITB Report With Zero Quantity or Value
Increase Dynamics GP Password Maximum Length
Password Expiration Notification
Email Customer Statements
Duplicate Check Numbers Option Extended
Start Date and End Date for Each Pay Code
shared maximum benefit and deduction code in Payroll.
New Totals Print on the Payroll Check Register report for FICA
Checkbook ID Defaults on Check Batch
Option To Not Display Inactive Checkbooks in Lookup
SmartList Designer Favourites in Navigation List
Letter Writing Assistant in Web Client
Mass Update Master Records from Navigation List
New Sort Options in Sales Order Processing Item Inquiry Window
Ship To Address Retained by Customer Combiner
Purchase Requisition Partial Purchase
Email POP PO Other Form
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MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day: Monthly Recurring Batches

Ian Grieve2 minute read1 Comment

Microsoft Dynamics GPThe Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP blog has started a series Feature of the Day posts for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2 on which I am following and adding commentary. The series index for this series of posts is here.

The first Feature of the Day is monthly recurring batches. This new feature allows ou to, on both Monthly and Bi-monthly batches to mark a Use last day of month checkbox which will update the Posting Date to the last day of the month.

This functionality has been added to Receivables Management, Payables Management and Inventory Control:

Receivables Batch Entry

The example above, shows a receivabled batch dates 30/04/2027 which, with the new checkbox marked, will automatically set the posting date to the last day of the month. So, when the batch is posted the next posting date would be set to May 31.

My initial impression was that this would be a good addition, until I realised that it did not include the General Ledger Financial Batches. I can’t think of a single client who uses recurring batches in any of Receivables, Payables or Inventory.

Click to show/hide the MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day Series Index

MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day
Monthly Recurring Batches
Sales Transaction Approval Workflow
Display Vendor Hold Status
Option to Hide Business Analyzer for all Users
Print and E-mail Sales Order Processing Documents
Print Invoices in Functional Currency from SOP Navigation List
Transaction Level Post Through General Ledger
Vendor Document Number added to Purchasing All-in-One View
New SmartList for Deposits on Unposted Sales Transactions Has Been Created
Exclude Items on HITB Report With Zero Quantity or Value
Increase Dynamics GP Password Maximum Length
Password Expiration Notification
Email Customer Statements
Duplicate Check Numbers Option Extended
Start Date and End Date for Each Pay Code
shared maximum benefit and deduction code in Payroll.
New Totals Print on the Payroll Check Register report for FICA
Checkbook ID Defaults on Check Batch
Option To Not Display Inactive Checkbooks in Lookup
SmartList Designer Favourites in Navigation List
Letter Writing Assistant in Web Client
Mass Update Master Records from Navigation List
New Sort Options in Sales Order Processing Item Inquiry Window
Ship To Address Retained by Customer Combiner
Purchase Requisition Partial Purchase
Email POP PO Other Form
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MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day: Series Index

Ian Grieve1 minute read42 Comments

Microsoft Dynamics GPThe Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP blog has started a series Feature of the Day posts for the soon to be released Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018 R2.

Over the coming days and weeks, I’ll be following the Inside Microsoft Dynamics GP team blog and including my own commentary on the new features. Check back regularly to see the new features as they are announced.

MDGP 2018 R2 Feature of the Day
Monthly Recurring Batches
Sales Transaction Approval Workflow
Display Vendor Hold Status
Option to Hide Business Analyzer for all Users
Print and E-mail Sales Order Processing Documents
Print Invoices in Functional Currency from SOP Navigation List
Transaction Level Post Through General Ledger
Vendor Document Number added to Purchasing All-in-One View
New SmartList for Deposits on Unposted Sales Transactions Has Been Created
Exclude Items on HITB Report With Zero Quantity or Value
Increase Dynamics GP Password Maximum Length
Password Expiration Notification
Email Customer Statements
Duplicate Check Numbers Option Extended
Start Date and End Date for Each Pay Code
shared maximum benefit and deduction code in Payroll.
New Totals Print on the Payroll Check Register report for FICA
Checkbook ID Defaults on Check Batch
Option To Not Display Inactive Checkbooks in Lookup
SmartList Designer Favourites in Navigation List
Letter Writing Assistant in Web Client
Mass Update Master Records from Navigation List
New Sort Options in Sales Order Processing Item Inquiry Window
Ship To Address Retained by Customer Combiner
Purchase Requisition Partial Purchase
Email POP PO Other Form

The Dynamics GP Support and Services Blog is also running a series on the Dynamics GP 2018 R2 and year end upgrade which is worth a read.

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SQL Collation — SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS vs Latin1_General_CI_AS by Craig Verster via WinthropDC

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

Winthrop DCOver the last few years as we have grown the ERP Practice at Perfect Image we have taken over a number of clients from other Microsoft Dynamics GP partners, both in the UK and elsewhere. Far too many of them have had Dynamics GP installed with the incorrect collation.

According to the system requirements, Microsoft Dynamics GP is supported with two collations:

  • SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS (the recommend one as it is case insensitive).
  • Latin1_General_BIN

Whenever I install SQL Server, I am careful to ensure that I pick the SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS collation which is supported; this is important to do, as a UK language server has Latin1_General_CI_AS as the default and you need to proactively make the change. A US server has the correct collation by default.

If I’m honest, I couldn’t have told you why this was important, but it is something I have always been very careful to do. I couldn’t have told you why this was important, until today that is, when I read a guest post by Craig Verster, Senior Microsoft Dynamics GP Consultant at Microchannel Services, on the Winthrop DC blog.

The post by Craig explains why it is important to use the correct collation. Short version is that while both SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS and Latin1_General_CI_AS are 1252 character collations, they handle the Þ character different which can cause incorrect data to be returned in the Reporting Service Reports; there could also be other places where this manifests.

I’d encourage everyone (especially consultants) to read and understand the post so we can stop clients having an incorrect collation installed on the SQL Server used with Microsoft Dynamics GP.

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New GP Compatibility Page Available

Ian Grieve1 minute read1 Comment

Microsoft Dynamics GPI’ve added a GP Resources section to this site; as well as links to the GP Table Reference, I’ve created a Microsoft Dynamics GP Compatibility page which shows the compatibility with SQL Server, Windows Server and Windows from Dynamics GP 2010 through to 2018.

If you see any errors, or can contribute information on supported versions, prior to 2010, please contact me with the information.

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Implementing Rockton’s SmartFill: Review

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

Rockton SoftwareThis post is part of a series of posts on Implementing Rockton’s SmartFill.

Over the course of this series, I’ve stepped through the steps to, on a simple level, implement the SmartFill product from Rockton Software.

I’ve been quite impressed with what I have seen of SmartFill. It is easy to install and configure and the search seems quite effective.

Using the Fabrikam sample database, I inserted 1,500,000 (yes, 1.5 million) vendor records and did searches against them from Payables Transaction Entry. The search took 5 seconds to locate and return relevant data when there was only a few matching returns on the search criteria; the more records returned to the search window, the longer it took to populate.

I’ve got a couple of clients with large datasets who I think would benefit a lot from this product; one especially has tens of thousands of inventory items with a segmented Item Number; SmartFill would make it easy for them to do lookups on part of the item number; and the subset filter will allow them to search within the initially returned dataset.

SmartFill is licensed at $220 (USD) per system user (as of July 2018). In simplest terms, this means that for each Microsoft Dynamics GP full user licences you own, you need to purchase one SmartFill user license; this is regardless of whether they will be using SmartFill or not. This licence model is not unusual for Microsoft Dynamics GP ISV solutions, but it can mean that for larger clients the cost can become prohibitive.

SmartFill is worth taking a look at if you, or your users, have trouble finding data with the regular lookups. The real benefit of SmartFill is how customisable and easy the search is to use.

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Implementing Rockton’s SmartFill: Customising Search Options

Ian Grieve2 minute read0 comment

Rockton SoftwareThis post is part of a series of posts on Implementing Rockton’s SmartFill.

While SmartFill can be used out of the box with the search being configured to lookup on several fields, it is possible to customise the search options so that more fields can be searched against.

If we take the Vendor search as an example, it uses the following fields for the sdearch:

  • Vendor ID
  • Vendor Name
  • Vendor Class

To change the search configuration, select SmartFill Objects (Administration area page » Setup » SmartFill » SmartFill Objects). Scroll down and locate the Vendors in the list; select it and click OK:

SmartFill Objects

Continue reading “Implementing Rockton’s SmartFill: Customising Search Options”

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