Ed Motola Certified Consultant Rob Gillespie Account Executive

GP03 Mark Polino, CPA Microsoft MVP Senior Consultant Pam Misialek Senior Technical Product Manager Microsoft Originally Developed from Convergence 2009

GP03

SmartList and Reporting System

SmartList and Reporting

System

Rename SmartList Columns Impose Order with Multiple Sorts Drill into Views within a SmartList Ease Printing with Report Groups

Rename SmartList Columns

Impose Order with Multiple Sorts

Drill into Views within a SmartList

Ease Printing with Report Groups

Rename SmartList Columns If you don’t like columns with names like ATYALLOC in your SmartList simply rename them. Open a SmartList and click Columns. Change a column name in the Display Name column and save the SmartList as a Favorite or save modifications with Modify. MS Dynamics GP > Smartlist > [select report] > Columns > [edit names] > OK > [re-size columns] > Favorites > Modify. Impose Order with Multiple Sorts SmartLists let you sort by clicking on a column title. To sort by multiple columns, click Search then Order By and add columns to sort by. MS Dynamics GP > Smartlist > [select report] > Search > Order By > [insert columns in preferred order] > OK > OK > Favorites > Modify. Drill into Views within a SmartList SmartLists will open related windows when you select a record. Double Click on a record to open the default window. Use the Go To in the upper right hand corner to select other Card or Inquiry views. Ease Printing with Report Groups Report groups let you add multiple reports to a group and then print them all at once. This is very useful for month end reports. Save Report Options that use settings like Beginning of Previous Month and End of Previous Month, otherwise you have to change all the dates and it defeats the purpose. Reports > [series] > Groups > Insert Report/Options in order > Save > name the Group. Reports > Combined Groups > Insert report groups by Series > Save > name Combined Group. Add Combined Report Group window to Shortcuts on Navigation Pane Home. NEXT: < SmartList and Reporting Intermediate>

Rename SmartList Columns

If you don’t like columns with names like ATYALLOC in your SmartList simply rename them.

Open a SmartList and click Columns. Change a column name in the Display Name column and save the SmartList as a Favorite or save modifications with Modify.

MS Dynamics GP > Smartlist > [select report] > Columns > [edit names] > OK > [re-size columns] > Favorites > Modify.

Impose Order with Multiple Sorts

SmartLists let you sort by clicking on a column title.

To sort by multiple columns, click Search then Order By and add columns to sort by.

MS Dynamics GP > Smartlist > [select report] > Search > Order By > [insert columns in preferred order] > OK > OK > Favorites > Modify.

Drill into Views within a SmartList

SmartLists will open related windows when you select a record.

Double Click on a record to open the default window.

Use the Go To in the upper right hand corner to select other Card or Inquiry views.

Ease Printing with Report Groups

Report groups let you add multiple reports to a group and then print them all at once.

This is very useful for month end reports.

Save Report Options that use settings like Beginning of Previous Month and End of Previous Month, otherwise you have to change all the dates and it defeats the purpose.

Reports > [series] > Groups > Insert Report/Options in order > Save > name the Group.

Reports > Combined Groups > Insert report groups by Series > Save > name Combined Group.

Add Combined Report Group window to Shortcuts on Navigation Pane Home.

NEXT: < SmartList and Reporting Intermediate>

Limit Records to Speed SmartLists Improve Lookups with Favorites Let SmartList Alerts Warn You Leverage the List View for Reporting

Limit Records to Speed SmartLists

Improve Lookups with Favorites

Let SmartList Alerts Warn You

Leverage the List View for Reporting

Limit Records to Speed SmartLists SmartLists can have number of record limits set by default. This is designed to improve performance. Sometimes the limits are set too low and records get excluded. Sometimes they are too high and performance suffers. You can fine tune this when you run a query in the search window or by default for a query in MS Dyanmics GP > Tools->Setup->System->SmartList Options > [select report] > [update Maximum Records } > OK. Improve lookups with Favorites Some companies have a large chart of accounts where many employees only work with subset of accounts appropriate for their department. Build that subset into a SmartList using search to limit records. Save that SmartList as a favorite. When looking up accounts, pick Favorites and that favorite. Your pick list will now be limited to the accounts from the much smaller SmartList. Let SmartLists Reminders Warn You You can build an alert off a SmartList to know when information falls outside your parameters. Setup a SmartList. Save it as a Favorite by picking Favorite and Reminder. Follow the wizard to setup an alert. Leverage the list view for reporting List views are new in GP. In reporting, they can provide all of the available reports in one place. No more hunting for that inventory report that never seems to be under the right header. Navigation Pane > [select Series button] > Report List > [restrict by Filters] NEXT: <SmartList and Reporting Advanced>

Limit Records to Speed SmartLists

SmartLists can have number of record limits set by default. This is designed to improve performance.

Sometimes the limits are set too low and records get excluded. Sometimes they are too high and performance suffers.

You can fine tune this when you run a query in the search window or by default for a query in MS Dyanmics GP > Tools->Setup->System->SmartList Options > [select report] > [update Maximum Records } > OK.

Improve lookups with Favorites

Some companies have a large chart of accounts where many employees only work with subset of accounts appropriate for their department.

Build that subset into a SmartList using search to limit records.

Save that SmartList as a favorite.

When looking up accounts, pick Favorites and that favorite. Your pick list will now be limited to the accounts from the much smaller SmartList.

Let SmartLists Reminders Warn You

You can build an alert off a SmartList to know when information falls outside your parameters.

Setup a SmartList.

Save it as a Favorite by picking Favorite and Reminder.

Follow the wizard to setup an alert.

Leverage the list view for reporting

List views are new in GP.

In reporting, they can provide all of the available reports in one place.

No more hunting for that inventory report that never seems to be under the right header.

Navigation Pane > [select Series button] > Report List > [restrict by Filters]

NEXT: <SmartList and Reporting Advanced>

Wow them with Excel Exports Duplicate SmartLists with Builder

Wow them with Excel Exports

Duplicate SmartLists with Builder

Blow their mind with advanced Excel Exports SmartList has advanced export functionality. You can save Export details for a SmartList so that it always goes to the same file name, Excel Macros can run before and/or after the Export and it can be picked from the favorites list. MS Dynamics GP > Smartlist > Smarlist (from Menu bar) > Export Solutions > Name, Document name and path, macros, and point to appropriate Works for Favorite > Save. Excel button for report now has named option. Duplicate SmartLists with Builder Need a SmartList that looks a lot like one you’ve already built in SmartList Builder? Don’t start from scratch. Open the SmartList you built and hit Extras->Copy. Name and modify the copy and cut a ton of time off building that next SmartList. Even SmartLists has this functionality by cloning an existing Favorite to another Favorite name. NEXT: <System Basic>

Blow their mind with advanced Excel Exports

SmartList has advanced export functionality.

You can save Export details for a SmartList so that it always goes to the same file name, Excel Macros can run before and/or after the Export and it can be picked from the favorites list.

MS Dynamics GP > Smartlist > Smarlist (from Menu bar) > Export Solutions > Name, Document name and path, macros, and point to appropriate Works for Favorite > Save. Excel button for report now has named option.

Duplicate SmartLists with Builder

Need a SmartList that looks a lot like one you’ve already built in SmartList Builder? Don’t start from scratch.

Open the SmartList you built and hit Extras->Copy. Name and modify the copy and cut a ton of time off building that next SmartList.

Even SmartLists has this functionality by cloning an existing Favorite to another Favorite name.

NEXT: <System Basic>

Check your Security Get Some Help Printable Manuals Know Your Version Fix Auto Complete Change Your Role Warn About Test Companies

Check your Security

Get Some Help

Printable Manuals

Know Your Version

Fix Auto Complete

Change Your Role

Warn About Test Companies

Check Your Security There is a master security switch like the master breaker on your home. It’s in Tools->Setup->Company->Company. It is a little security check box. Make sure the box is checked and that people can’t access this window. Get Some Help Ever wanted to know what a certain field does? Put your cursor in the field and hit the F1 key for help “Overview”. In the main GP system, there is a “fields” hyperlink up top that takes you to a definition of every field on the window. In some modules, there is no “fields” button, but field specifics are included in the main help window. Besides Overview and Fields, there is also a link to Buttons on that window. Printable Manuals Manuals in a PDF format are accessible on demand from the GP Desktop > Help > Printable Manuals. Open a manual from the table of contents. Know Your Version When you contact GP support, you’ll need your version information including information about service packs. You can find everything you will need by clicking Help(?)->About MS Dynamics GP on the GP Desktop Address Bar. Fix Auto Complete Auto Complete finishes your entries for you. It’s great until you misspell something and are stuck with it forever. To get rid of it, start typing until the error shows up in Auto Complete. Right click and hit Remove from List. Change your role If your role has changed or you picked the wrong one when setting up GP for the first time you can easily change it. Click Customize This Page->Change Roles. You will lose customizations to your Home Page, not your Shortcuts. Warn About Test or Historical Companies Add <TEST> or <HISTORICAL> next to company name in GP. Warning message will pop up when users log in. NEXT: <System Intermediate>

Check Your Security

There is a master security switch like the master breaker on your home.

It’s in Tools->Setup->Company->Company. It is a little security check box.

Make sure the box is checked and that people can’t access this window.

Get Some Help

Ever wanted to know what a certain field does? Put your cursor in the field and hit the F1 key for help “Overview”.

In the main GP system, there is a “fields” hyperlink up top that takes you to a definition of every field on the window.

In some modules, there is no “fields” button, but field specifics are included in the main help window.

Besides Overview and Fields, there is also a link to Buttons on that window.

Printable Manuals

Manuals in a PDF format are accessible on demand from the GP Desktop > Help > Printable Manuals.

Open a manual from the table of contents.

Know Your Version

When you contact GP support, you’ll need your version information including information about service packs.

You can find everything you will need by clicking Help(?)->About MS Dynamics GP on the GP Desktop Address Bar.

Fix Auto Complete

Auto Complete finishes your entries for you.

It’s great until you misspell something and are stuck with it forever.

To get rid of it, start typing until the error shows up in Auto Complete.

Right click and hit Remove from List.

Change your role

If your role has changed or you picked the wrong one when setting up GP for the first time you can easily change it.

Click Customize This Page->Change Roles.

You will lose customizations to your Home Page, not your Shortcuts.

Warn About Test or Historical Companies

Add <TEST> or <HISTORICAL> next to company name in GP.

Warning message will pop up when users log in.

NEXT: <System Intermediate>

Limit Auto Fill Protect Yourself with Account Level Security Connect with Custom Links Build a Quick and Dirty Workflow Leverage Business Ready Licensing

Limit Auto Fill

Protect Yourself with Account Level Security

Connect with Custom Links

Build a Quick and Dirty Workflow

Leverage Business Ready Licensing

Limit Auto Complete Auto Complete default setting of 1,000 entries is per user, per field. This can have a negative impact on performance over time. Reduce this during user setup and set unused entries to clear after 60 days. MS Dynamics GP > User Preferences > Auto Complete Protect yourself with Account LevelSecurity Account Level Security limits the accounts that users can access. It requires setup via Organizational Structure. If you don’t set up Organizational Structures prior to turning this on, it appears that the chart of accounts has been wiped out. This can be a career killer. Account Security is turned on with a check box in Tools->Setup->Company->Company. Know what you are doing before activating this. Read Part 5 in the System Setup Printable Manual. Connect with Custom Links Custom links let you associate a web page with master records. For example, you can associate a bank’s web page with a bank account. Clicking on the bank account link now gives you an option to go to either the bank account setup or the bank’s web page. Setup is done in Tools-Setup > Company > Custom Link. Build a Quick and Dirty Workflow For simple workflows like check printing, right-click > Add :> Folder to create a folder on the Navigation or Shortcut Pane at the left. Hit the enter key to save the name of the folder. Open the first window for a process and click File->Add to Shortcuts. If it doesn’t land in the folder, cut and paste it in. Repeat this for each window in the process, dragging and dropping them into the prescribed order, and renaming as needed. At the end, you have a folder with all the windows for a process in sequence. You can also add Macros, SmartList favorites, Web Pages, or External Links to Windows Explorer folders, Excel, and Word documents, etc. This works well for Month End processes as well. Improve your system by Leveraging BRL Business Ready Licensing provides a large number of available modules that many companies don’t effectively leverage. Many modules are quickly implemented like EFT for AP, Electronic Reconcile and Collections Management. Don’t leave functionality on the table. If you have pain in an area, see if there is something in BRL that can help. NEXT: <System Advanced>

Limit Auto Complete

Auto Complete default setting of 1,000 entries is per user, per field.

This can have a negative impact on performance over time.

Reduce this during user setup and set unused entries to clear after 60 days.

MS Dynamics GP > User Preferences > Auto Complete

Protect yourself with Account LevelSecurity

Account Level Security limits the accounts that users can access.

It requires setup via Organizational Structure.

If you don’t set up Organizational Structures prior to turning this on, it appears that the chart of accounts has been wiped out. This can be a career killer.

Account Security is turned on with a check box in Tools->Setup->Company->Company.

Know what you are doing before activating this. Read Part 5 in the System Setup Printable Manual.

Connect with Custom Links

Custom links let you associate a web page with master records.

For example, you can associate a bank’s web page with a bank account.

Clicking on the bank account link now gives you an option to go to either the bank account setup or the bank’s web page.

Setup is done in Tools-Setup > Company > Custom Link.

Build a Quick and Dirty Workflow

For simple workflows like check printing, right-click > Add :> Folder to create a folder on the Navigation or Shortcut Pane at the left.

Hit the enter key to save the name of the folder.

Open the first window for a process and click File->Add to Shortcuts. If it doesn’t land in the folder, cut and paste it in.

Repeat this for each window in the process, dragging and dropping them into the prescribed order, and renaming as needed.

At the end, you have a folder with all the windows for a process in sequence.

You can also add Macros, SmartList favorites, Web Pages, or External Links to Windows Explorer folders, Excel, and Word documents, etc.

This works well for Month End processes as well.

Improve your system by Leveraging BRL

Business Ready Licensing provides a large number of available modules that many companies don’t effectively leverage.

Many modules are quickly implemented like EFT for AP, Electronic Reconcile and Collections Management.

Don’t leave functionality on the table. If you have pain in an area, see if there is something in BRL that can help.

NEXT: <System Advanced>

Roll Down Service Packs Backup, Backup, Backup

Roll Down Service Packs

Backup, Backup, Backup

Roll Down Service Packs Service packs can be rolled down from a central location starting with version 9. Dynamics GP 9.0 introduced a new installation process and along with that, the ability to push installations out to the clients. 3rd parties can't be updated via this method. This means you still end up touching every client for third party installs and 3rd party updates or service packs. Otherwise, Client Updates works pretty well. Before you start, the update needs to be downloaded from CustomerSource and placed on a shared drive accessible to all the users. Start with Tools > Setup > System > Client Updates. Start by giving the update a name, like Service Pack 1. Check the box to Update Clients at Next Use. This turns a particular update on or off. You can have multiple active updates like a hot fix and a service pack. However, you'll want to turn off an update if a new, comprehensive update is going to be used. (Turn off SP1, when SP2 is available) Lookup and select the location where you stored the update. Again, this needs to be on a shared drive accessible to the users. Now, when a user logs on, GP will check to see if the update is installed. If not, it informs the user and gives them the option to apply the update. When they say yes, the update installs. You'll still want to warn your users with an email, especially since some of these updates are quite large. You'll also want to manage this a little bit. Nothing like accounting coming to a screeching halt during month end because everyone is updating GP at once. Backup, Backup, Backup Backups should be automated to run at least daily during quiet periods at night through SQL Management Studio. However, the built in backup functionality in GP is better than nothing. If you are not backing up, use this now! This won’t get everything. You still need to backup Program folders, custom reports and forms, the Integration Manager database and FRx reports but backing up the database is a start. Log into MS Dynamics GP as the ‘sa’ sytem administrator user. MS Dynamics GP > Maintenance > Backup > Schedule, name the schedule, pick the database to backup, enter the backup file path on the server, select the days and time to backup in 24 hour format, indicate frequency to delete old backups, Save. Remember that backups are only as good as your ability to Restore them, therefore, backup when no other users are in the system and no data is being processed or added. If you restore a backup after changes have been made, you will lose the changes. NEXT: <Microsoft Ending Slide>

Roll Down Service Packs

Service packs can be rolled down from a central location starting with version 9.

Dynamics GP 9.0 introduced a new installation process and along with that, the ability to push installations out to the clients. 3rd parties can't be updated via this method. This means you still end up touching every client for third party installs and 3rd party updates or service packs. Otherwise, Client Updates works pretty well. Before you start, the update needs to be downloaded from CustomerSource and placed on a shared drive accessible to all the users.

Start with Tools > Setup > System > Client Updates. Start by giving the update a name, like Service Pack 1.

Check the box to Update Clients at Next Use. This turns a particular update on or off. You can have multiple active updates like a hot fix and a service pack. However, you'll want to turn off an update if a new, comprehensive update is going to be used. (Turn off SP1, when SP2 is available)

Lookup and select the location where you stored the update. Again, this needs to be on a shared drive accessible to the users.

Now, when a user logs on, GP will check to see if the update is installed. If not, it informs the user and gives them the option to apply the update. When they say yes, the update installs. You'll still want to warn your users with an email, especially since some of these updates are quite large. You'll also want to manage this a little bit. Nothing like accounting coming to a screeching halt during month end because everyone is updating GP at once.

Backup, Backup, Backup

Backups should be automated to run at least daily during quiet periods at night through SQL Management Studio.

However, the built in backup functionality in GP is better than nothing. If you are not backing up, use this now!

This won’t get everything. You still need to backup Program folders, custom reports and forms, the Integration Manager database and FRx reports but backing up the database is a start.

Log into MS Dynamics GP as the ‘sa’ sytem administrator user.

MS Dynamics GP > Maintenance > Backup > Schedule, name the schedule, pick the database to backup, enter the backup file path on the server, select the days and time to backup in 24 hour format, indicate frequency to delete old backups, Save.

Remember that backups are only as good as your ability to Restore them, therefore, backup when no other users are in the system and no data is being processed or added. If you restore a backup after changes have been made, you will lose the changes.

NEXT: <Microsoft Ending Slide>

Follow up PowerPoint Deck has lots of detail and links for more information Contact us Ed Motola [email_address] Rob Gillespie [email_address]

Follow up PowerPoint Deck has lots of detail and links for more information

Contact us

Ed Motola

[email_address]

Rob Gillespie

[email_address]

© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries. The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.